NABC has offered classes in hard cider production since 2009. Recently, though, hard cider is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds (see articles, below). Domestic cider production has increased from 1.2 million gallons in 2010 to 2.5 million gallons in 2011, and Washington state produced nearly two hundred thousand gallons of cider in 2011….
PSFN Members John and Marijke Postema, owners of Marshland Orchards, Flower World, and Maltby Produce Market in Snohomish, WA, also operate a 700-acre farm in Belize. They bought the property about five years ago as a pre-retirement project, and have been developing the land and the business during Washington’s off-season. While on vacation, PSFN’s Emma…
A new partnership between the Snohomish Co-op and the Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) has been announced that will benefit local small scale poultry producers. Adding to the rental program already established in Mount Vernon and Oak Harbor, a third set of Featherman Poultry Processing Equipment will become available for rent starting mid-March at the…
For the past 9 months, NABC has been partnering with the Real Food Challenge, working together to get more locally-produced and community-based products into college and university dining service in WA. The goal of each campus taking on the Real Food Challenge is to shift 20% of their existing dining budget to Real Food. This…
NABC and PSFN have received some good news! The PSFN project will be funded for the next two years with new Value Added Producer Grant funding from the USDA. February 28, 2012 (Mt Vernon, WA) The Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) has been awarded $300,000 in Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) funding from the United…
The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) division of Seattle Human Services and PSFN have partnered once again to help connect healthy foods to our community. Last week we sponsored two training sessions for cooks at child care centers. Once again, Leika Suzumura of Rainier Valley Eats and Community Kitchens NW led wonderful training sessions addressing…
The Island Grown Farmers Cooperative (IGFC) meat processing facility in Bow, WA will repeat their unique Meat Cutting Workshop this spring, with administrative support from the Northwest Agriculture Business Center. The hands-on class provides students with a thorough overview of operations and expert instruction in all aspects of meat processing and butchery. Students will tour…
Last week, PSFN Account Manager, Karen Mauden, and Denise Breyley of Whole Foods Market took a day-long trip to do some “local foraging” in Bellingham and Ferndale. Not only did they find great products, but great people and good times, as well! Karen (a Skagit County native) recommends driving up to Whatcom via Chuckanut Drive…
PSFN member David Pearlstein has followed a nontraditional path to enter Seattle’s food world. As the owner of Link Lab Artisan Meats, a one year old USDA-inspected boutique sausage operation, David is on a mission to help responsible carnivores support Northwest local farmers through great handmade sausage. Here is a conversation we had with the…
