Archive for the ‘Shop Local’ Category

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New CSA for 2017: Yellow Bay Gardens

Tuesday, February 28th, 2017

Yellow Bay Gardens flyer

by Catherine Haug, February 28, 2017; Updated March 2, 2017 (photo, right and below by Niko Jacobs)

A new CSA is in the works for the Bigfork/East Lake Shore area!  is adding a community supported agriculture (CSA) enterprise to their cherry and blueberry orchards. The CSA is owned by Wade and Shelli Riedesel of Yellow Bay Gardens. You may recognize the business name if you bought their blueberries at Bigfork Harvest Foods. They are located at the old Yellow Bay Store property on the East Shore of Flathead Lake (Hwy 35).

Their goal is to provide fresh, local and sustainably grown quality produce. They have added a vast garden and greenhouse for this purpose. While they are not certified Organic, they practice organic and sustainable methods to grow as naturally as possible.

Produce available for 19 weeks beginning mind-May through September.

(more…)

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2015 Dirty Dozen (pesticide-laden fruits, veggies) and Clean 15

Wednesday, April 13th, 2016
Apples at Market

Apples at Market

By Catherine Haug, April 13, 2016; updated April 27 to add the Clean 15 (image, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has published it’s annual “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” lists based on tests on over 7,000 samples (non-Organic) around the country during 2014. Dirty Dozen are fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticide residue, and Clean 15 are those with the lowest levels; the tests do not include seeds and grains, just fresh produce. (1,2) Compare this with  2013 “Dirty Dozen” – Foods best as Organic published in 2013.

They also added a new category: Dirty Dozen Plus, which may not have had high levels of pesticides, but those they found were particularly toxic. (1,2)

Note that these tests are on non-organic produce. To avoid the toxic pesticides, always choose Organic when you can. (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Food-Nutrition-Health, GMO, Organics, Shop Local | No Comments »

Montana Coop at the Dragon Boat Race

Wednesday, September 10th, 2014

By Catherine Haug, Sept 9, 2014

The Montana Co-op is a virtual farmers market that currently encompasses food producers in western Montana, but will eventually include the entire state. Currently there are two food hubs: Ronan and Polson; work will start on establishing a Bigfork hub in the near future.

For more information about the co-op, you can see earlier posts on this topic at Postings about Montana Co-op; see also the Gathering Notice: Montana Co-op, a virtual farmers market from July 2012 for links to handouts from Jason’s presentation in Bigfork, and my post: Montana Co-op: Open to new Memberships, for lots more information. View the Co-op’s website: www.montanacoop.com.

The Coop is preparing for the Dragon Boat race in Bigfork, with a Kid’s Coop team. Two separate events are listed below:

  • Montana Coop, Kid’s Coop dragon boat team meetings and practice
  • Two Montana Coop Booths at the Dragon Boat Race

(more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Community, Events: Other, Home & Ranch, Local Food System, Shop Local | Comments Closed

2014: International Year of Family Farming (& Gardening)

Monday, April 7th, 2014
Veggie Landscape Garden

Veggie Landscape Garden

by Catherine Haug, April 2014 (Photo, right, from Mercola: Who Knew Vegetable Gardens Could Be So Revolutionary?)

Did you know the UN has designated this year, 2014, and the International Year of Family Farming, to bring attention and recognition to the family farmers that are helping to nourish the world? This includes all of us who have gardens in our front or back yards.

Read on for:

  • You can garden ‘even if’;
  • Food for your garden

(more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Community, Compost, Ecology, Gardening, Landscaping, Shop Local | Comments Closed

PBS Videos: The Lexicon of Sustainability

Wednesday, March 12th, 2014
Chickens at feed

Chickens at feed

by Catherine Haug, March 2014 (photo, right by Keith Blaylock)

Check out a very informative and entertaining series of short videos that explores new vocabulary associated with farming, food security, and other sustainability topics. From the Lexicon of Sustainability home page:

“For the past three years we have conversed with the foremost practitioners of sustainability in food and farming. They have shared their insights and experiences… and contributed their words to our rapidly growing Lexicon of Sustainability. To spread their knowledge our photography project has grown to include short films, study guides, traveling shows, a book and lastly a website where people can add their own terms to this ever-evolving lexicon.”

Read on for more about, and links to the videos. (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Community, Compost, Ecology, Food-Nutrition-Health, Gardening, GMO, Livestock, Organics, Shop Local | Comments Closed

2013 “Dirty Dozen” – Foods best as Organic

Tuesday, October 8th, 2013
Apples at Market

Apples at Market

by Catherine Haug, October 8, 2013

Good Housekeeping recently published it’s new “Dirty Dozen” list – foods overly contaminated with pesticide and other chemicals, so that it pays to pay more for Organic. You can read the full report at The Daily Green: The New Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods to Eat Organic, but read on for a summary. Note that many local produce found at Farmers Markets or at your local grocer is raised Organically, even though it may not bear the Organic label, so be sure to inquire. (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Food-Nutrition-Health, GMO, Organics, Shop Local | Comments Closed

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