Good Stuff NW

Good Groceries: Getting Good Food to Rural Areas, Supporting Producers

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:21:00 -0700

Kristy Athens founded Good Groceries in 2020 to deliver local produce, proteins, and value-added foods from Northeast Oregon's farmers, ranchers, fishers, and small producers to their neighbors' homes and workplaces. "It's everyone working together to bolster our local economy and get good food to people," she said.

Athens moved to the Northwest from Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1995 and, after bouncing around the region for a few years, began studying for a masters in food systems management at Marylhurst University. After getting her degree, she landed a job with the Northeast Oregon Economic Development District and came across a concept for a local brand called Genuine Wallowa County (GWC), which she then developed into a business packaging and selling gift boxes of local artisan goods.

Good Groceries offers seasonal produce from farmers like Aida and Felipe of Jimenez Farms

After three women farmers inquired about the possibility of adding their products to the GWC lineup, Athens realized there was an opportunity to support local food producers. GWC Provisions launched in June of 2020, and after selling the gift box business to another local entrepreneur, Athens rebranded it as Good Groceries in honor of her father-in-law, who would lean across the dinner table and say, “Gooooooood groceries!”

Currently delivering every week to drop sites in Wallowa and Union counties in addition to offering home delivery and shipping, customers order from the online store, paying with credit card or Venmo (delivery customers may use personal checks, cash, and SNAP/EBT).

With more than 50 vendors offering products from fish, meat and produce to health and personal care items, Good Groceries is helping support and build a more vibrant and resilient local food and agriculture system in a remote rural region.

Jams and jellies from Jean Collins in Heppner are favorite products at Good Groceries.

"Good Groceries shows what it looks like when a business's values and its daily work are the same thing," according to Tom Hering, co-founder of Benefit Corporations for Good, an Oregon-based certifier of purpose-driven small businesses. "Whether it's a same-day delivery for a family that's fallen ill, or taking the extra time to serve every SNAP customer with dignity, the mission isn't something added on. It's how the groceries get to the door. That's why we're proud to have certified them three years and counting."

With up to 80 percent of the retail price of an item going to the farmer or producer, Athens is also dedicated to donating a portion of Good Groceries' proceeds to local food pantries and other organizations like the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland. Her zero waste policy includes use of recycled packaging and donating food compost to local farmers for their animals. She's also just added an electric delivery van through a Healthy Food Financing Initiative grant made possible with support from regional nonprofits Ecotrust and MESO that support food entrepreneurs across Oregon.

With produce getting picked a day or two before customers get it, "it’s super fresh, and it is grown by your neighbors,” Athens explained, emphasizing that virtually all the proceeds from Good Groceries stay in the community. Farmers, producers and satisfied customers from North Powder to La Grande, Enterprise, Wallowa and Union are cheering.

Road Tripping: What's Cooking in Baker City

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 18:02:40 -0700

We needed to get outta town. And it had been a very long time since we'd been on a real road trip—anything longer than a couple of hours qualifies these days—and stuck a pin in our Oregon map in Baker City.

Granted, it's not new territory, especially for me, since most of the family on my mother's side still lives on the eastern side of the mountains and I grew up accompanying my grandfather to work at his cattle ranch in North Powder. The most indelible memories for me were riding the ranch's quarter horses—Rowdy, Riley, Sunny Boy, and my favorite, Big Red—and going on cattle drives to bring the cattle down from the mountains in spring, plus endless games of Kick the Can with my cousins.

A must-stop in Baker City is Barley Brown's for beers and more-than-pub grub.

We'd rented a small, dog-friendly home in South Baker for the trip, and after the four-and-a-half-hour drive we were ready for dinner and a well-deserved beer. And where else to go when in Baker City but Barley Brown's for their extensive selection of house-brewed beers and not-just-pub grub—like my flat iron steak seared to medium-rare perfection just the way I like it.

Our second day started with a drive up to Anthony Lakes which, at 7,100 feet in elevation, sits right in the middle of the Elkhorn Mountains outside of Baker City (top photo). Part of the Blue Mountain range, it's well known as an excellent off-the-beaten-track ski area in the winter months with downhill and nordic skiing that attracts skiers from all over the region, and a low-key vacation destination in the summer months for camping, paddling, fishing and hiking.

Historic farm structures can still be seen dotting the landscape in the area.

Interestingly, the current Anthony Lakes Outdoor Recreation Association (ALORA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was formed to purchase and preserve local control of the formerly privately owned facilities, which include the campground, ski lodge and golf course. It's committed to local purchasing and employment, and currently partners with local schools, offering ski and golf programs to local kids, as well as college scholarships for high school students planning to study outdoor recreation.

Our trip on a spectacular early fall day was simply an amble on the main trail that rims the lake, which gave us an opportunity to check out the historic Anthony Lakes Guard Station, a Civilian Conservation Corps log cabin built in the 1930s (available to rent), as well as the campsites and campground. It also included a brief chat with one of the resident river otters who was joyfully making a feast of the plentiful fish in the lake's clear waters.

Cabyn owners Jenn Rominger and Ryan Duley's eclectic menu is astonishing for a small town.

On returning to town, we dropped in to The Cabyn, a pocket-sized bistro created by Jenn Rominger and Ryan Duley smack in the middle of the main drag in downtown Baker City. With an eclectic menu ranging from Asian-inspired pork belly buns, kimchi and chashu ramen to Western classics like elk lasagne and pot roast, this tiny beloved-by-locals spot hits each dish out of the park. And don’t get me started on the local brews, wines, spirits, house-crafted cocktails and shrubs. This is the kind of place you’d be excited to find in the big city, but to see it packed out in a tiny Eastern Oregon cow town? Truly remarkable.

The next morning I needed to find raw pet food for Silas since I'd forgotten to bring enough from home, a tough call when you're in a small town without bougie pet stores serving Poopsie's every need. Luckily, someone mentioned Old Souls Farm and Market, a farmstore that not only carries meat and proteins from its own animals and those from surrounding farms, but also an incredible array of specialty and gourmet items including olive oils, salts, wine, tinned fish and so much more. Once again, Baker City astonished me!

Classic steakhouse fare (and distinctive signage) at the Haines Steakhouse.

That evening we attended the annual event called Taste of Baker that shuts down Main Street for several hours and this year featured 40 local food vendors handing out samples of food and beverages to record-breaking crowds of several thousand happy attendees who spend the gorgeous fall evening eating, drinking and catching up with neighbors and friends.

Our last full day was spent with family where we gathered for lunch at local landmark Haines Steakhouse, which served up a truly spectacular prime rib and included its signature mini-Conestoga wagon holding a classic salad bar with all the fixings, one of my favorite old-time steakhouse features.

A return trip may include camping at Anthony Lakes with kayaking and fly fishing thrown in. Can't wait!

New Favorite Condiment: Southern-Style Fermented Corn

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 15:32:00 -0700

Love those pickled onions you get at your favorite Mexican place? How about an escabeche of jalapeños and carrots? Well, I've got a new favorite condiment to lavish on tacos and in burritos, or to scatter with abandon on egg dishes.

This batch had garlic and habanada peppers, but feel free to do your own thing!

I first heard about fermented corn from my friend Hank Shaw, who ran across it in a book titled "Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes" by Ronni Lundy. Smacking my head because—duh—it's an obvious, not to mention dead simple way to preserve fresh corn. It's a classic Southern condiment called "sour corn," often served with beans after warming in bacon fat, according to Garden & Gun, and probably originated with Indigenous cooks, who "still serve a soured corn drink to respected visitors and wedding guests."

All you need is corn kernels sheared from their cobs, salt and water. I add cloves of garlic and a hot pepper or two, and this year I fermented one batch with habanada peppers, a new variety that has all the fruity flavor of the fiery orange habaneros but packs none of the heat.

Southern-Style Fermented Corn

For the brine*:
4.2g (1.4 oz.) sea salt
1 qt. water

For the fermented corn:
4-5 ears of sweet corn
4 cloves peeled garlic (optional)
2-3 hot peppers, halved (optional)

Add sea salt to the water and stir until salt is completely dissolved. Set aside.

With a sharp knife, cut kernels from ears of corn. (I break or cut my ears in half crosswise, then place the half-ear cut-side down on the cutting board. Then, starting at the top, slice down the cob as close to the core as possible.)

Pack kernels in a quart jar, leaving 1" of space at the top. Add garlic cloves and peppers, pushing them down into the kernels with a chopstick.

Pour the brine into the jar to cover the kernels, poking the chopstick into the kernels in two or three places to release any air bubbles. Place a fermenting weight (you can also use a zip-lock bag with water in it) on top of the kernels to keep them submerged during fermentation. Place a lid on top but do not seal it tightly—you want the brine to be able to bubble out during fermentation—and place the jar in a dish to catch any overflow.

Store in a cool, dry place for at least five days or longer, until corn is nicely sour when tasted. If mold forms on top, simple remove it and discard. Your corn will not be affected. Store in the refrigerator; it should be good for several months.

* If you want to do a larger batch, you can find the ratio of salt to water for 4.25% brine with this handy brine calculator.

My Happy Place

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:35:00 -0700

I've always loved the water. Growing up, summer meant daily swimming lessons at the local pool and returning in the afternoon for the public swim. Visiting my mother's relatives in far northeastern Oregon meant swimming lessons at Radium Hot Springs in Haines with my cousins. Yearly summer camp at the Episcopal church camp in Cove had daily sessions in the hot spring-fed pool where we'd dive for the smooth black river rocks at the bottom of the deep end.

Postcard from Radium Hot Springs in Haines, Oregon, circa 1960.

As kids my brothers and I played for hours in the freezing ocean water off the Oregon coast—it was easy once your legs went numb—and dove into the swimming hole at Cline Falls in the Deschutes. There were myriad camping trips in Central Oregon's Cascades, and diving off rocks into the deep clear waters of alpine lakes.

A town kid, I didn't grow up with boats, but when friends took us out on their double-masted ketch and the engine shut off, the sails unfurled and the only sound was the prow cutting through the water and the wind whipping the rigging, it was as if I'd come home. A writing assignment for NW Palate magazine to go on a paddling tour on Vancouver Island was my first time in a kayak, and I was hooked.

My friend Keith, boat builder and kayak guru extraordinaire, on Estacada Lake.

Other opportunities came up over the years, but I'd never seriously considered getting a kayak of my own until recently when my good friend, a serious paddler and boat builder, brought a Craigslist ad to my attention. The Delta 12.10 it offered was one he'd paddled himself, and said it was recommended as a solid boat for novices and experienced paddlers alike. We drove out to take a look at it and, with his blessing—he was planning to buy it for himself if I didn't—she's come home with me.

After yesterday's debut excursion to exquisite Estacada Lake on the Clackamas River, you can be assured there will be many more bulletins to come—she might even whisper her name as we glide through the glassy water. I'll definitely let you know.

In Season: Stretch Out the Tail End of Tomato Season

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 11:37:00 -0700

Instead of just four seasons, I'm proposing we have five.

Here goes: The tail end of summer should be a season all on its own, at least here in the Pacific Northwest. The days are sunny and mild, and can even get warm, but by evening the temperatures cool to what we refer to as "good sleeping weather," requiring replacing summer's light blanket on the bed with a cozy comforter. Here in the Willamette Valley this season can last well into October some years, extending the harvest before winter truly arrives with the first frost shriveling leaves and covering the garden with a glinting coat of silver.

No such thing as too many tomatoes!

This year I've managed to roast almost 100 pounds of my beloved Astiana tomatoes, ladled into around 27 quart bags that are now safely resting in our little freezer for braises, sauces, tarts and soups to (hopefully) last us through the winter. In the meantime, I'm buying as many of the last heirlooms from the farmers' market as I can to shove thick, juicy slices between Dave's mayonnaise-slicked sourdough for lunch, slicing up colorful platters to have with grilled fish and meats, and sautéeing others into fresh tomato sauces with pasta.

An easy pasta dish I love to make any time I can get fresh cherry tomatoes is so simple the sauce only has three main ingredients and comes together in—I kid you not—30 minutes or less.

Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Anchovies and Garlic

Adapted from the New York Times

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
10 med. garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Pinch of cayenne (optional)
1 tin anchovy fillets in oil
1 pt. halved cherry tomatoes (approx. 2 c., any color)
1 lb. dried pasta
Grated parmesan

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cayenne (if using) and sauté briefly. Add anchovies with their oil—they can spit hot oil, so pull off heat if needed. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about a minute, until anchovies melt, then add tomatoes. Adjust heat so tomatoes bubble nicely, and cook until mixture becomes saucy, about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.

While sauce is simmering, cook pasta until just tender but not noodle-y. When it is done, drain it. Pour sauce over pasta and serve with parmesan alongside.

Meeting My Heroes: Hani Almadhoun of Gaza Soup Kitchen

Sun, 6 Sep 2026 21:27:15 -0700

It's not often you get to meet your heroes in person, but I read a social media post from Hani Almadhoun that he'd be coming through Portland after meeting with supporters in Corvallis. It was part of his day job as Senior Director of Philanthropy for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Washington, DC, and I immediately asked if he'd have time for a quick interview. He graciously agreed.

Gaza Soup Kitchen is currently running 26 kitchens across Gaza.

We met in early June at a Syrian café, Shami, across from Mt. Scott Community Center. Having only known him from his social media posts, I was surprised when a big guy in a green fleece jacket jumped up from a back table and introduced himself. The table was covered with UNRWA and Gaza Soup Kitchen t-shirts and tote bags—I'd neglected to wear my GSK shirt that day—and we were almost immediately joined by other supporters who shared plates of Syrian-style hummus, shawarma, kabobs and house-made lavash served by owner and chef Wael Elasady.

While his work with UNRWA is a full time gig, Hani spends much of his spare time raising funds for his passion project, the Gaza Soup Kitchen, as well as raising two young daughters with his wife at their home in Virginia. The Gaza Soup Kitchen was founded two years ago by Hani and his brother Mahmoud when Israel, with funding and weapons from the United States, began their bombing campaign bent on destroying Palestine and its people.

Gaza Soup Kitchen co-founder Mahmoud Almadhoun was assassinated by an Israeli drone.

With much of the population displaced and the country's infrastructure flattened, Mahmoud and a few helpers gathered three large pots and some scavenged firewood from the bombed-out ruins around them and began cooking soup for their starving neighbors. Several months into the genocide, Mahmoud was assassinated by an Israeli drone. His family, including his parents, children and extended family, while devastated in the aftermath of the terrible loss, kept their cooking fires lit and their community fed.

Hani now spends much of his time outside of work for UNRWA raising funds to purchase the food that the soup kitchen prepares—as well as reminding the world on Facebook and Instagram that the people of Palestine are still standing despite the horrific efforts of the Israeli government to erase them. With 26 kitchens currently in operation all over Gaza, their crew—all of whom are paid for their work—also pack bags of groceries, including cleaning and sanitary products, for distribution to displaced families living in tents. They also run medical points for first aid, distribute clean water, prepare and distribute meals for patients in the few remaining hospitals, and run schools for displaced children.

Waiting for food at the Gaza Soup Kitchen.

In a recent post on Facebook, he wrote:

I sometimes ask myself: when this is over, what will I do? What are my hobbies? What does my mind reach for when it is not carrying this? I honestly do not know anymore. The anniversaries alone — if we are lucky enough to survive to them — come with videos we have to revisit, family members we have to miss all over again. There is no clean way through that.

It has been going on so long I cannot imagine the other side of it. The person who sells homes or writes code or makes your overpriced cup of coffee can burn out and step away. This is not a job I can leave. It is tied to everything I define myself by. A simple hello to my parents on the phone brings it all right back. If someone is not feeling well, I catch myself praying they will not need a medical evacuation that is not coming.

Some of these posts heal me. Some of them cost me something. But I feel a fundamental obligation to keep writing.

Not because I am not exhausted. I am.

But staying quiet is a privilege I do not have. If I tune out, this becomes background noise. And these are not statistics. These are my people.

So I keep writing. Not because it is easy. Because it is the bare minimum I owe to the people living through it.

Several months ago Hani also began writing a book that he described as telling not only the story of the Gaza Soup Kitchen but the stories of the people of Gaza from inside the community—the loss, the grief, the activism. "I figured that we should tell our own story, as well," he said.

I'm looking forward to reading it.

Photos by Hani Almadhoun and Gaza Soup Kitchen staff.

Camp Stories: Revisiting Old Haunts, Rereading Old Books

Sun, 6 Sep 2026 15:07:55 -0700

We go camping over the Fourth of July, ostensibly for our dogs who have been prone to become drooling, shivering messes if we stay in town and attempt to survive the "celebrations" of our fellow citizens that turn our normally quiet, tree-lined neighborhood into a booming, smoke-filled, fiery war zone.

No fireworks here.

Our favorite getaway spot is a small, primitive campground midway up Mt. Adams in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Called Paradise Creek, it's nestled in the deep old growth forest north of Carson, Washington, at the intersection of its namesake Paradise Creek and the Wind River. With no electrical hookups and rusty-but-potable water pumped from a creaky old-fashioned cast iron hand well pitcher pump, it (mostly) discourages the big rigs and generator-dependant types from rumbling through the tents and small trailers dotting the two loops.

We realized on this trip that we've been camping there almost every year for the past 20 years with our tent and queen-sized air mattress—a step up from the backpacking tent with two zip-together down bags on insulated pads employed by our younger selves. We've gone through only two Coleman camp stoves if you don't count the white gas Coleman borrowed from my parents that had already survived 30 years of Bauer family campouts, and tents ranging from that first two-person LL Bean backpacking tent Dave had bought used from a college friend, to a Columbia Sportswear Bugaboo that Dave (at 6'4") could stand up in to our current "two-room" giant from REI that we've dubbed the Circus Tent.

Our version of "roughing it."

We try to snag a non-reservable, first-come, first-serve site a couple of days before the holiday, preferably along the creek, and this year we lucked into a double site* set back from the road, enabling us to listen to the creek burbling along about 50 feet down a thin thread of trail opening onto a shady private "beach," perfectly suited to a couple of camp chairs and an afternoon spent reading.

Dave wanted to finish a couple of books he'd been trying to get through for awhile, and I'd brought along the relatively recent and well-reviewed "James," a retelling of Twain's Huck Finn from the perspective of the slave Jim, by Percival Everett, which Dave had read and gave the thumbs-up to. My first choice, however, was "Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner, a book I'd read ages ago and remembered liking despite its intimidating 600 pages. It got me on a Stegner kick back then, so I thought I'd give it a reread.

Something to warm our cockles in the evening.

It turned out to be a perfect vacation book, at least for me, a story (and a writer's voice) you get immersed in without much effort, though it's not what I'd call a light summer read. Told from the perspective of a 1970s-era retired history professor, Lyman Ward, Stegner's incredible prose and well-crafted story follows Ward's attempt to understand and document his grandmother's story of moving from a privileged East Coast society to move out West to follow her husband's itinerant career as a mining engineer.

Like many writers whose work I admire, I found myself stunned by Stegner's ability to bring people alive on the page and gobsmacked at his descriptions of places and atmosphere. For example, his description of the relationship between a writer and his characters, real or imagined, as expressed through Lyman's struggle to see and experience Susan Ward's life from her perspective:

“There is another physical law that teases me, too: the Doppler Effect. The sound of anything coming at you- a train, say, or the future- has a higher pitch than the sound of the same thing going away. If you have perfect pitch and a head for mathematics you can compute the speed of the object by the interval between its arriving and departing sounds. I have neither perfect pitch nor a head for mathematics, and anyway who wants to compute the speed of history? Like all falling bodies, it constantly accelerates. But I would like to hear your life as you heard it, coming at you, instead of hearing it as I do, a somber sound of expectations reduced, desires blunted, hopes deferred or abandoned, chances lost, defeats accepted, griefs borne.”

It's no wonder it won the Pulitzer, and got me started on a Stegner jag.

Read other Camp Stories (with more here) from our years of tent camping in the Pacific Northwest, as well as our best hacks to make it easy and fun.

* Double sites, if you're not aware, are generally intended for two or more tents and, at $45 per night, cost more than single sites. (We also can't use our National Parks Senior Pass for double sites, which halves the cost per night of a regular site.) But honestly, considering what a room rate or rental house would run, it's more than worth it.

Easy Early Summer Stew: Kimchi Jjigae

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:17 -0700

In the Pacific Northwest, early summer and late spring can feel like fraternal twins. So much alike and yet, at the same time, so different. Just as you're ready to toss your hoodies and jeans into the bottom drawer of the dresser until you reluctantly dig them out again in the fall, a cool maritime front blows in from the coast causing the mercury to plummet 20 degrees.

In cases like that—and I'm not speaking hyperbolically, since today's 94 degrees is predicted to be a cool 75 tomorrow—it's wise to have a good soup recipe sequestered in your back pocket when the chillier of our early summer twins is in residence. Luckily for me, I found an extra jar of my favorite local kimchi hanging out in the back of the fridge (we're out of my homemade kimchi, a situation soon to be remedied in about a month when Napa cabbage is available at the farmers' market) along with a tub of local Ota tofu and just enough leftover roasted chicken to shred into it.

Oddly, in searching through recipes online, I came across one from Joanne Molinaro, aka The Korean Vegan, that called for black beans to be added to this most Korean of stews. Coincidentally I had just cooked up a big pot of those legumes and, since Joanne said it was okey-doke to add them, I did, though not only for the added fiber alone. Just two cups of beans added a pop of color and a bit of that bean-y texture that complemented the crunch of the fermented cabbage quite nicely. It might just be a combo I'll try in other dishes.

Kimchi Jjigae

1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. gochugaru
1/2 c. diced onion
4 green onions, sliced crosswise into 1" pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized potato, chopped into 1/2" dice
2-3 c. Napa kimchi (cut into bite-sized pieces)
3 Tbsp. gochujang
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 c. water
4 c. stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 16-oz. block medium firm tofu, diced
2 c. cooked, drained black beans or 1 15-oz. can of black beans, drained
1-1 1/2 c. shredded chicken (optional)

Heat a Dutch oven or your favorite soup pot over medium heat, then add sesame oil until it shimmers. Add gochugaru and cook for about one minute, then add onion and sauté until onions begin to become translucent. Add green onions and garlic, stirring often to keep the gochugaru from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Add potatoes, kimchi, and gochujang, stirring to combine. Add water and soy sauce, stir, then add stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add sliced tofu, black beans and shredded chicken, if using, return stew to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with jasmine rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, roasted unsalted peanuts or more finely sliced green onions if desired.

In Season: Serving Up Summer

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 12:50:11 -0700

Early summer whets my appetite for what's to come in the Pacific Northwest: First to trickle in from our fields both cultivated and wild are the earliest greens—nettles, fiddleheads and fava tops among them—then comes asparagus, green garlic, early strawberries and the softest young lettuces, soon followed by the briefest appearance of our native, and much anticipated, Hood strawberries, along with fava beans, spinach, mustard greens and more exotic friends like agretti and komatsuna.

While local farmers are starting to worry about what's looking like a hot, dry summer requiring the trouble (and expense) of near-constant irrigating, the relatively mild spring was beneficial for getting a jump on planting, weeding and the growth of the tender seedlings that will be harvested later in the summer and fall. In his weekly newsletter to subscribers, my CSA farmer Aaron Nichols of Stoneboat Farm wrote:

"It's a mixed bag for the spring crops, some are coming on quick and very well (hello fava beans!) and others seem a bit behind (broccoli and cabbage) or are being very temperamental (we're looking at you radishes!). A lot of things we plan to have for a few weeks are wrapping up in one or two this spring but, so far, it's been fine as other things are ahead of schedule. I'm pretty worried for a hot summer but no point in borrowing that trouble now!"

Revel in the freshness of summer produce, but don't forget to preserve it for later!

This season always gets my juices flowing for preserving the freshness of summer. After gorging myself on fresh strawberries and shortcakes, I turned around and made three batches of strawberry jam to replenish our dwindled supply from last summer, and I'm already anxiously anticipating the raspberries, blackberries and plums that are on the way. (Check out my hack for perfect fruit jam.) The radishes that Aaron mentioned above went into four jars of simple pickled radishes for our taco Tuesdays, and soon cucumbers will be sliced into rounds and given the hot brine treatment as well!

I'll also be eagerly anticipating the Napa cabbage due to appear in our CSA share and at farmers' markets toward the end of the month, since we are desperately in need of kimchi made from my friend Denise's family recipe. And with cabbage season comes homemade sauerkraut to have with all the grilled things.

Let me know if you have any favorite recipes for preserving the best of what's in season this summer and I'll do a follow-up post on what I learn. Let's share!

Fava Beans: To Peel, or Not to Peel?

Fri, 22 May 2026 13:09:33 -0700

Once again, it's confession time.

I love fava bean season so much that, at the first sign of the bundles of young green shoots on farmers' market tables in the spring, I get a little giddy thinking of them stir-fried with garlic and tossed with pasta and preserved lemon, or slathered with oil and roasted, served alongside a beautiful grilled, pasture-raised chicken thigh. Then there's the knowledge that in just a couple of weeks, it'll be time for the pods to start appearing, their strange, off-green, blobby exteriors revealing pale green kidney-shaped beans pillowed in a porous white cushion.

My neighbor Bill loves his favas and grows more than enough to share. Lucky me!

That's about when I remember that to prepare these little beany delights, I have to strip them out of their pods, boil them in a salty pot of water, then spend what seems like hours in the tedious task of popping them out of their skins to get a paltry—albeit decidedly delicious—pile of the bright green, shiny jewels.

I know, I'm whining.

But, wonder of wonders, my friend Nancy Harmon Jenkins, part-time resident of Italy and author of well-regarded books on Italian cuisine like the groundbreaking New Mediterranean Diet and Virgin Territory: Exploring the World of Olive Oil, saved me (and you) from hours of whinging.

Shucked and ready to boil and use!

In a post on her blog, she excoriates Americans who insist on peeling the skins from their beans:

"What a waste of time! What a waste of flavor!

"Where does this weird practice come from? I suspect from the French professional kitchen where chefs are constantly challenged to come up with new tricks and trucs to keep their enormous brigades de cuisine in operation. In Italy, where restaurant kitchens are run much more economically, no one has to dream up tasks—there are enough to go around and more.

"But why do Americans insist on this? Every food writer except one (me) says you have to peel beans. Then they go through elaborate rigmaroles to show you how to do it. No wonder fava beans are not exactly popular despite their magnificent, slightly earthy flavor, so very different from string beans or limas. Every spring or summer I feel like climbing up in the pulpit and shouting: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT—IN FACT, IT IS COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE!!!"

Toss the cooked beans with Oregon albacore and pasta…so simple, so delicious!

Which, as you might imagine, got my attention. And came in mighty handy when my neighbor called offering a grocery bag full of freshly harvested favas from his garden. Let me tell you, I never relished preparing beans more—just shuck, boil in a pot of salted water for ten minutes and they're ready!

While there's a vast universe of serving suggestions, and more cultural trivia about these delicate denizens of early summer, for me, I used some of my neighbor Bill's beans tossed with preserved lemon and albacore, tossed with pasta, sprinkled with chive blossoms and chopped chives, then used the rest to make the following dip for guests. Though when everyone oohed and aahed over the amount of work it took to peel all those beans, I was torn about revealing my secret. (Psst…I did.)

Fava Bean Spread

3 c. shucked beans
2 cloves garlic
1/2 fennel bulb, cut in half, cored and roughly chopped
1/4 c. parsley, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. mint, coarsely chopped
1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
3-4 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt, to taste

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Drop in fava beans and cook for ten minutes. Drain and run under very cold water (or ice bath) until cool.

Put beans, garlic, fennel, parsley, mint and lemon juice into the bowl of a food processor. Turn on and while its running drizzle in olive oil until puréed. Adjust lemon juice and olive oil and add salt to taste. Serve with slices of rustic bread or crackers, or on toasted slices of baguette (à la bruschetta).

Growing Gardens: Planting Seeds of Resilience Rooted in Community

Mon, 11 May 2026 15:57:10 -0700

This article was written by Portland author Peggy Acott to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Growing Gardens.

Beginning in 1996 with a staff so small you could count them on one hand and still have fingers left over, Growing Gardens is today a robust group of nearly fifty, with program volunteers numbering more than a hundred. They are passionate and persistent in their goal to create a sustainable and equitable food system.

Here in Oregon, as in many regions of the country, hunger and food insecurity are on the rise in this time of perilous economic and political uncertainty, a condition that disproportionately impacts BIPOC and LGBTQIA-plus communities.

The Home Garden Program has created over 3,000 backyard gardens.

Growing Gardens confronts this imbalance in the food system head on, in very direct ways: The Home Garden Program, which has to date created over 3,000 backyard gardens; a school garden program for students from elementary through high school; and the Lettuce Grow Program, where over 1,500 incarcerated adults and juveniles have access to gardening and garden-based education, with the added benefit of learning job skills that can assist in the successful re-entry back into society.

One of the team members sums it up this way: “What we’re really building is so much more than gardens. We’re growing futures rooted in health, self-sufficiency, and deep community connection.”

Portland Youth Builders offers a program of high school completion, vocational training, counseling, and long term support.

When COVID erupted in 2020, the disruption and challenges of lockdowns and interrupted supply chains were immediate and far-reaching. In order to survive, the staff and volunteers employed a combination of online programming and strict distancing practices, and made at-home garden and plant-related projects for students while schools remained closed. It was a demanding and difficult period, but they were committed to keep their mission alive.

“Any nonprofit that survived and made it through was a huge success,” says Executive Director Jason Skipton. “We had to completely transform our programs, but we weren’t going to give up, because ‘No’ was not an answer we could give the community.”

Skipton explained that there had been energy and determination in both the local and national government to allocate funds and resources to help service organizations during the pandemic. But then, just when Skipton and his staff thought the struggle was behind them and were eagerly planning toward the future, the freezing of federal funds in early 2025 dealt them a devastating and demoralizing blow.

“The rug has been ripped out from under us. Now what we’re facing is a political pandemic,” says Skipton, “and we are fighting every day to maintain, be relevant, and keep the doors open.”

Growing Gardens partners with local businesses to help supply their program needs.

It has also created a domino effect among foundations and local government agencies that have become reluctant to provide money when they feel their own resources are in flux. But not all the news has been bad: In the spring of 2025, Hampton Lumber and Parr Lumber collaborated to deliver 20,000 linear board feet of lumber, enough to supply the organization with 100 percent of the lumber needed for the year.

In 2023 an ambitious and far-reaching project—Community Empowerment Through Urban Food System Reliance—received a USDA grant to implement a greenhouse program that would support the development of a locally based food network for low-income and culturally specific communities, increasing their food security and sovereignty. To achieve that, Growing Gardens partnered with Feed’em Freedom Foundation (FFF)—a Black-led food system farming and food access hub—to build a 16’ by 90’ greenhouse at Multnomah County’s CROPS educational farm in Portland’s east county, where the FFF farm leases land. Five smaller greenhouses were also constructed and placed on the properties of selected Growing Gardens community organizers and volunteers. In the large greenhouse, vegetables and flowers will be started from seed. The Foundation will use sixty percent of the greenhouse space to raise plants for their farm and education programs, and Growing Gardens will use forty percent for the plants that will eventually be moved to the five neighborhood greenhouses and distributed to the participants in their programs.

The planning and construction phase has been completed, assisted in large part by the youth of the nonprofit Portland Youth Builders. “They were amazing,” says Program Director Jordana Mendonça Valdés. “We couldn’t have accomplished what we did without them.”

More than 1,500 incarcerated adults and juveniles access gardening and garden-based education through the Lettuce Grow program.

The next phase is teaching the participants about topics like crop planning and greenhouse management practices. It is a challenge to figure out how to best combine the various resources and people involved in order to satisfy everyone’s needs. But Valdés is optimistic. “In the end, it’s the same vision…communities having a say over what they want to eat, nourishing themselves, their families and their neighbors.”

It is the power of this vision, and all the people they work with and get to know, that keeps Skipton and his team going in spite of the setbacks: It’s the delighted look on children’s faces when they discover something delicious that they grew themselves; it’s the news that a man released from his time in prison has the skills to enable him to get a job at a plant nursery; it is the pride of home gardeners who are able to grow and provide fresh food for their families, many of whom then in turn become volunteer mentors to other new gardeners in the Home Garden Program.

Antonio was a first-time participant in the Home Garden program in 2013. Over the next twelve years, his role evolved from volunteer and neighborhood garden advisor to paid staff member, and today he is the Home Garden Community Manager. “Everything I do is to support the community,” he told me. “I wish we could meet all their needs.”

This spring the organization is facing their biggest challenge to date. For reasons that span the upheavals and continuing political and economic climate, funding on every level—federal, state, city, foundations, corporations and individuals—is waning significantly and, in too many cases, cancelled entirely. Often this is occurring with little notice, from funding sources that were thought to be already securely in place. This is a devastating turn of events, one that has the team at Growing Gardens scrambling for solid ground.

“There is a financial shredding at every level of support,” says Skipton.   Growing Gardens has weathered an incredible number of challenges in these last few years, where many non-profit organizations have been forced out of existence. Skipton and his staff are working hard to find ways to keep the organization not only alive but thriving into the future.

There is the famous saying: “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime.” But, the ongoing work of Growing Gardens insists we consider the next step in this equation: If he then teaches his neighbors to fish, the entire community will eat for a lifetime.

To commemorate their 30th anniversary, Growing Gardens will serve up their celebratory dinner and fundraiser, Chef in Your Garden, on Saturday, Aug. 29th. This year’s event will showcase some of the indigenous food and culture of Oregon. Tickets will be available for purchase on their website, beginning in June. Sign up for their newsletter to be notified.

Underappreciated Spring Vegetables: The Noble Leek

Wed, 6 May 2026 13:07:00 -0700

There are certain vegetables that I am embarrassed to admit I have had almost no experience with. I could blame my upbringing in small town Oregon in the middle of the last century where iceberg lettuce was the only fresh green in Piggly Wiggly's produce aisle. Or my father and brothers who considered any vegetable outside of frozen peas and creamed corn to be potentially poisonous, so much so that my mother rarely dared to venture further afield.

But there was that magical day when she somehow—call it a mistake, a lapse in judgement, or maybe a frozen food-aisle epiphany—came home from the store with a box of frozen broccoli with cheese sauce. Packaged in a vacuum-sealed plastic bag, the only cooking required was to submerge it in boiling water for ten minutes to heat the broccoli and melt the cheese sauce.

I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, and have been a fan (and evangelist) for vegetables ever since (though not so much frozen or cooked in plastic).

I am, though, a latecomer to the leek. While I love alliums of all sorts, leeks intimidated me with their baseball bat size and warnings about the need to clean them thoroughly, since their upright growth habit provides a perfect receptacle for splashes of spring mud.

Then came my epiphany in the form of my friend Carol Boutard's Potage Bonne Femme, a potato leek soup that seduced me with its rich, creamy luxuriousness. Like so many soups, it's simple and so quick you can make at the (nearly) last minute, the leeks infusing it with a sweet, light, slightly onion-y flavor and the potatoes giving it a smooth, hefty body, particularly if you choose to blend it either in a blender, food processor or with a stick blender. We love this soup on a cool or wet spring evening.

The other evening I was casting about for what to have for dinner that we hadn't had a million times before and was curious about combining the leeks I had in the vegetable bin with pasta. A quick internet search turned up a recipe for leeks in a cream sauce over pasta, but it seemed a bit heavy for a warm-ish spring evening, so I pivoted to a savory sauté that included most of a tin of leftover anchovies. The guys deemed it immensely "tasty"—their highest accolade—so I share it here; it would also be incredibly delicious spread on crostini as an appetizer.

Leek Sauté with Anchovies over Pasta

For the leek greens:
2 Tbsp. olive oil for drizzling
Leek greens
Salt

For the sauté:
1 lb. dried pasta
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 medium-sized leeks
1 tin anchovies with oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375°.

While the oven is heating, separate the dark green tops from the light green/white bottoms by slicing crosswise, then making sure they are free of dirt or grit, slice the dark green tops crosswise into approximately 3-4" lengths. Press those flat and slice lengthwise into thin slivers, then spread out on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Drizzle olive oil over the slivers and sprinkle with salt. Place in oven for 25 minutes or until lightly charred.

Put a large pot of water on to boil for pasta.

While it comes to a boil, slice off any root ends remaining on the leeks, then slice the leeks in half lengthwise, rinsing off any dirt or grit. Slice the whites crosswise into thin slices.

Place a large frying pan on medium heat and add olive oil. When it shimmers, add leek whites to the pan and sauté for 10-12 minutes until they are wilted. Make a well in the middle of the pan and add anchovies, pressing them down with a spatula until they dissolve. Add garlic and sauté briefly until warmed, then reduce heat. Add the roasted greens to the pan and stir. Keep it on a low burner while you cook the pasta.

Put the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. When the pasta is done, drain in a colander and transfer to a large serving bowl. Pour the leek mixture over the top and toss briefly. Drizzle with additional olive oil and serve with grated parmesan at the table.

Good News: Beloved Flour Market Bakery Reopens on NE Alberta

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 17:19:00 -0700

Like Paris, Portland is a city of neighborhoods, each having its signature cafés, restaurants, bars and bakeries, where residents gather to nod a hello, remark on how big children have grown and share the latest gossip. Lisa Belt's Flour Market was that kind of place from the moment it opened on Northeast 30th and Killingsworth, and quickly achieved "let's meet there" status among lovers of good drip coffee and outstanding baked goods and breads.

So regulars were overcome with shock and dismay at the news that Lisa was closing the beloved bakery at the end of 2025 due to financial considerations at the Killingsworth space, shifting her focus to the production bakery in Southeast Portland. There was a ray of hope in the closure announcement, however, in that she was open to a "brilliant location thought or secret idea."

Flour Market owner Lisa Belt.

Enter Brant Ozanich and Gabby Terracciano of Dogwood Wine and Flowers on Northeast 30th and Alberta, loyal wholesale customers of Flour Market, who were remodeling their space to accomodate a food service partner in the mornings when they weren't open. Even better, with its location just a few blocks from the original spot on Killingsworth, Flour Market regulars could still drop in on their morning dog walks, with seating for 15 customers inside plus a covered and heated outdoor patio for patrons (and their pets) that seats 30.

Look for Lisa's signature bread loaves, including the singular Danish rye called Rugbrød, and seasonal specials like challah. There's even (potentially) a Swedish limpa coming as soon as Lisa can match the memory she has of her mother's loaf with its hint of orange and fennel. (And a note to farther-flung fans: Look for Flour Market at the Beaverton Farmers Market starting this month!)

The best news of all, at least to this fan? Flour Market's new location is still just a half hour walk from my front door!

Thanks to Meg Cotner of Bridgetown Bites for help with this post. Read my post about the opening of the original Flour Market.

A Piece of Portland History Returns to its Historic Home

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:46:00 -0700

The Elk has returned!

The base of the famous landmark Thompson Elk Fountain was damaged by Portland protestors during a wave of nationwide protests over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May of 2020. While the nine-foot-tall elk statue itself was undamaged, the 3,000-pound bronze elk was discovered to be held in place by a single bolt and the base was deemed unstable. (Read more about the history of the Thompson Elk Fountain here.)

The elk statue was cleaned and then placed in storage while the base and its fountain were reconstructed to meet national standards of historic preservation, which required sourcing the granite from the same quarry in Barre, Vermont, that supplied the original fountain base.

For more than a century the public squares near the statue have been a locus for protests.

The restoration project was overseen by the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC) and managed by my dear friend Keith Lachowicz, the Public Art Collections Manager for RACC, who worked with conservator Robert Krueger, as well as countless agencies and contractors over nearly six years to bring the statue and fountain back to its historic downtown home. It was a fitting final project for Lachowicz before he retires after more than 19 years stewarding the city's public art collection.

A public rededication ceremony for the fountain was held on Sunday, April 12, with the elk adorned by a wreath around its neck and hundreds of onlookers cheering its homecoming, some—in very Portland fashion—wearing commemorative antlers for the occasion.

In Season: Swinging into Spring

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:38:58 -0700

A sure sign of spring in the Northwest is the unpredictability of the weather from one minute to the next. Regardless of the prediction of the weather app on my phone, I now head out on every walk wearing a raincoat and hat over my hooded sweatshirt, the better to strip down or layer up when needs must. Plus, butting up against the stereotype of Northwesterners, I've also taken to carrying an umbrella for those drenching spring downpours that seem to sneak up when I least expect it.

Another sure sign of spring is the appearance of a plethora of raabs, rabes, rapinis and their friends like broccolini and purple sprouting broccoli (be a cool kids and call it PSB). Though I can't help hearing my friend, farmer Anthony Boutard of the legendary Ayers Creek Farm, snort that the only true raab comes from turnips, the rest being merely the inflorescence of plants, defined as a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed.

Strawberries are at the top of every farmers' market list in spring.

As they do every season, farmers' market customers are clamoring for local strawberries, and there are some of the hardier varieties starting to appear in very limited quantities, so it'd be best to get to your local market right as the market bell rings or you'll find yourself standing in line at the supermarket with the bloated, flavorless varieties from industrial growers. (The wait for those prized local delicacies, Hood strawberries, will be a few weeks out yet.)

The first wild greens including nettles and fiddleheads are appearing as well, as are the first of the spring onions and garlics. Not-so-wild bundles of another springtime favorite, asparagus, are standing tall on market tables, and piles of pea shoots, sorrel, spinach and fava greens are waiting to star in sautés and salads, along with fresh herbs from chives to chervil and parsley to cilantro.

Sprightly spring greens bring a satisfying crispness to salad bowls.

Another salad sweetheart are the small, white hakurei turnips and the first spring radishes that'll add color and crunch to your salad bowl, and don't forget to include some zing from mizuna and mustard greens to complement the sweetness of spring salad greens. (My recipes for a sweet red wine vinaigrette and a creamy miso vinaigrette will complement then perfectly!)

While you're at the market, don't forget to pick up a big bunch of tulips, dogwood blossoms or lilacs for your table—nothing makes spring feel like it's officially here than a colorful bouquet of local flowers!

Super Spring Supper: Crustless Quiche with Greens and Bacon

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:25:00 -0700

I adore quiche, especially the version known as Quiche Lorraine with bacon and cheese, the one that Julia Child trilled about on her cooking show, "The French Chef." I watched it in reruns on our first color TV in the 1960s, along with "The Galloping Gourmet"—aka Graham Kerr—as he swozzled his way through recipes swirling bottomless glasses of red wine.

The rage for French cuisine that Ms. Child ushered in caused quiche to become ubiquitous on brunch and "luncheon" menus in the 70s, though most were pale versions of Julia's, reheated in new-at-the-time microwave ovens or kept too long in warming ovens—they'd been made hours before, which deflated and dried out the delicate egg custard.

Nothing shouts spring more than green sprouts like this broccoli raab.

The difficulty for me when it comes to making them for anything but special occasions is the necessity for a blind-baked pie crust. Not that a crust is difficult, mind you, but it does require planning ahead—not my strong suit when it comes to weeknight dinners—to leave enough time for the dough to chill, then to prebake the crust before filling it and finishing the baking.

Crustless quiche to the rescue!

Perfect for a quick dinner using spring greens like raab or kale, I made the version below for dinner a couple of nights ago—the only time-consuming aspect was prepping the vegetables and bacon. Tossing them into a buttered dish with the grated cheese then pouring in the egg mixture was a cinch, and the resulting moist, eggy custard would have made Julia proud.

Crustless Quiche with Greens and Bacon

1 Tbsp. butter for greasing the baking dish
1 1/2 Tbsp. panko or fine bread crumbs
3-4 oz. greens like kale, raab, etc.
8 oz. bacon sliced in 1/4" cubes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 c. grated cheese like Comté, Gruyère or Cheddar
1 c. half-and-half
1 c. whole milk
5 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 oz. freshly grated Parmesan
3 green onions, finely sliced

Preheat oven to 325°.

Butter a deep 9" pie dish or 8" square baking dish. Sprinkle the panko evenly over the bottom of the dish.

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to boil over high heat. Toss in greens and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain through a sieve or colander and run under cold water to stop them from cooking. Squeeze out moisture and slice into chiffonade. Place on paper towel to drain any remaining water.

In a small frying pan, sauté bacon over medium heat until slightly crisp. Add garlic, stir and remove from heat.

Break eggs into a medium-sized bowl and whisk until no whites are discernible. Whisk milk and half-and-half into eggs along with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Scatter greens evenly over bread crumbs in the buttered dish. Scatter bacon and garlic mixture (and any bacon fat) over the greens. Top bacon and greens with the grated cheese, covering it evenly. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the bacon, cheese and greens, letting it seep into the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle Parmesan and green onions over the top.

Place quiche on a sheet pan in the oven (just in case it bubbles over while baking) and bake 45-50 min. The middle can be slightly wobbly when you take it out of the oven. Allow to cool for ten minutes before serving.

Think Strategically, Get More Value from Your Farmers' Market Trip

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:36:00 -0700

Do you feel overwhelmed when you go to the farmers' market? Does the abundance of produce on market tables and the brightly colored flowers, not to mention the noise of shoppers crowing about their finds, make your head spin? In the latest Beaverton Farmers' Market newsletter, Market Master Ginger Rapport has some sage advice for planning your next trip.

As we are approaching the final stretch of March here in Oregon, the market feels like it’s on the verge of stepping into a new chapter right on the cliffhanger of the seasons. The winter crops are still holding strong, but here and there we are starting to spot the hints of spring, from bright and sunny daffodils to tender, flavorful greens and herbs, the first guests of season 2026. For our marketgoers, juggling busy schedules and work-life balance, this is actually the best time to think about their routine Saturday outing in terms of meal planning. The ingredients are flavorful, simple, and easy to mix and match across the meals.

Make a weekly plan based on what's in season.

The concept of a “base basket” makes it easier to plan what to shop for and how to stretch your budget a little further. Instead of a single recipe, think strategically. Start with hardy veggies like potatoes, carrots, squash, and onions.

Add fresh seasonal produce like asparagus, kale, or spring greens. Build simple, flexible meals around what’s freshest and most flavorful at the market. Enjoy vibrant, nourishing dishes that make the most of the season.

Next stop—eggs, bread, and cheese to round things out. With these humble and simple staples, you can create a variety of dishes for the week without ever getting bored. Creamy soups, quiches, bowls, and sandwiches—the possibilities are endless!

Prep ingredients rather than whole meals.

Strategize to prep ingredients rather than whole meals. A little bit of time after the market spent with your haul is going to yield a great payoff. Sauté your mushrooms, roast a pan of veggies, wash and chop the greens, and cook some grains like quinoa or brown rice - these are your building blocks for the week. Instead of cooking from scratch, you can assemble your meals in minutes from the ingredients that just need to be warmed up.

Approaching mid-week is when the farmers market produce really gets to shine! One-pan or one-pot meals make it easy to throw together a pasta dish or a stir-fry. A quick hummus, roasted veggie, and pickled radish wrap may be the best lunch you’ve ever made! Top with seasonal microgreens from Le Petit Jardin or herbs like scallions or parsley to brighten up the dish. All the ingredients are fresh and nutritious! Here is a delightful, customizable wrap recipe from The Garden Grazer that is perfect for lunch and will make all of your coworkers jealous.

Roasted cauliflower is simple and versatile…just toss florets with olive oil and salt!

Toward the end of the week, “low energy” recipes will carry you over. Roasted veggies tossed on top of spring greens and topped with a fried egg from Santos Family Farm fancies up what may seem like a humble dinner. Try the delightful, exotic-flavored bread from our new vendor, The Spiced Oven, paired with goat cheese from Fraga Farmstead Creamery, and topped with vanilla-infused honey from Salmon Creek Farm, for a simple, no-effort platter with a relaxing glass of wine.

When life gets too busy, and there’s not even a minute to throw it all together for a family meal, Foglia Pasta has you covered! Pick up their trays of baked ziti, classic mac 'n' cheese, lasagna, meatballs, or fresh pasta for an easy dinner!

Finally, let the market guide you rather than the other way around. Late March in Oregon is all about transition, and your meals can reflect that—cozy but lighter, simple but vibrant. By shopping with flexibility and by prepping just enough to stay ahead, you can turn one farmers market visit into a full week of nourishing, stress-free meals that fit seamlessly into a busy life.

Road Tripping: Exploring the Olympic Rainforest Coast

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:24:54 -0700

All I clearly remember about the 1994 novel "Snow Falling on Cedars" by David Guterson is its description of the dripping, thickly moss-covered trees and rocks, and the multilayered lushness of ferns growing from fallen logs, all dimly illuminated by the light filtering through the misty air. Though the novel takes place in the San Juan Islands of Washington's northern Puget Sound, it could just as well have been describing the coastal rainforest immediately west of the Sound on the state's Olympic Peninsula.

We'd made reservations to visit Washington state's central coast after I came across a "three nights for the price of two" deal at a resort in the area. We'd backpacked in the central peninsula decades ago, but had never ventured further up the coast than the Long Beach Peninsula, so this was a chance to explore an area new to us. The weather forecast prior to the trip was partly rainy with a day or so of breaks in the middle of the week, but as the date neared it gradually shifted to the "mostly rainy" side.

Oh, well, we're Oregonians, right? And rainy days just mean more time to relax, cook, read and chill, right?

The staircase to the beach at Ocean Crest.

We checked into our two-bedroom suite (including a full kitchen and a drop-dead view overlooking the ocean) at the Ocean Crest Resort in the tiny town of Moclips. There was a break in the rain, so we quickly unloaded the car, the better to get down on the beach for quick walk before dinner. The resort, perched at the top of a steep hillside above the beach, is known for its signature winding wooden staircase that descends to the shore by way of short flights of stairs connected by landings and walkways, most with benches for taking a breather between flights for the inevitable walk back up.

Sadly, the long, flat beach bordered by yellowed seagrass had recently been inundated a couple of days prior by a seasonal tide of the small floating creatures known as by-the-wind-sailors, and the stench was overpowering, at least until you got close to the water. This stretch of coast is known for its razor clams, and we saw plenty of their vent holes, along with the shells of sand dollars and various other varieties of clams.

A case of local albacore made a perfect souvenir.

Dinner that first night was pasta with bolognese brought from home and roasted cauliflower, after which we dropped into bed, exhausted. Here I have to insert that the video of the resort on its website—with the exception of the restaurant, which was rebuilt after a fire in 2011—leaves a somewhat better impression than the actual facility. Established in 1953, in its heyday the resort must have been hopping with its mid-century, Mad Men-esque vibe reminiscent of Salishan in Oregon, but currently the exterior is a bit down-at-the-heels. According to the management, some rooms have been refreshed, and hopefully it will continue to be rejuvenated by new owners who took over in 2022.

I was looking forward to getting some local seafood for dinner our second night, but, aside from razor clams, the area was closed for shellfish harvesting (map here). Fortunately, Moclips is located on the southern boundary of the Quinault Indian Nation, which has its own fish processing plant, Quinault Pride Seafood, in the town of Taholah, just a 20-minute drive north.

The retail store at one end of the cheery blue Quinault Pride building on the riverfront in Taholah featured a large freezer case stocked with gorgeous filets of salmon, chunks of smoked salmon and packaged razor clams, plus tribally processed cans of salmon (Coho and steelhead), smoked salmon, sturgeon, minced clams and…be still my heart…line-caught albacore. We got some gorgeous frozen razor clam "steaks" for dinner, plus smoked salmon to snack on and a case of canned albacore to bring home.

Lake Quinault Lodge with its sloping lawn down to the lakeshore.

The next day we ventured inland to Lake Quinault, about a 30-minute drive, to check out the eponymous historic lodge on the banks of the large forest-rimmed lake. Built in 1926 in just 53 days, the Lake Quinault Lodge was designed in a rustic architectural style—colloquially referred to as "Parkitecture"—its grand main building sited on a sloping lawn overlooking the shoreline. Inside the lobby's wood-paneled interior, stately old-growth beams and its large stone fireplace are reminiscent of a bygone era of gracious travel, and visitors are encouraged to grab a pint from the lobby bar and sink into one of the sumptuous, oversized leather chairs.

The lake itself was barely visible due to a heavy mist on the day we were there, but we're looking forward to going back when the skies clear—which they do, right? All in all, and despite the rain, it was an ideal three-night getaway to explore a new-to-us part of the Northwest.

Addendum: Confusion Follows Passage of Farm Store Bill in Legislature

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:20:00 -0700

In a confusing development, the version of the so-called Farm Store bill (HB 4153) that was discussed in a final public hearing just before the legislature adjourned last week was not the version that passed the legislature on Friday (3/6). (Get background on this controversial bill here.)

An amendment was adopted after the public hearing that reinstated the language in the existing statute that allows for farm stands and then established a new type of permit called the farm store permit. According to Friends of Family Farmers, the bill states that farm stores are only open to farms based on their size and acreage in production, with no limits on the amount of revenue you can generate from ticket sales or incidental item sales (details here).

Advocates are continuing their opposition to this bill in its current form.

"First and foremost, this bill was sold to the public and lawmakers as a way to simplify the permit process. By the end of the session, not only did this bill not clarify anything about current law, leaving it untouched, but it also created an entirely new permit for similar businesses that counties are going to have to parse out," said Friends of Family Farmers in a press release. "It is clear that the goal of this process was not ease or clarity, but the real goal was to provide a pathway for unlimited event income on EFU [Exclusive Farm Use] zoned land at all costs."

Get more details about the pros and (many cons) of this bill in this press release. Then take a moment to urge Governor Kotek not to sign HB 4153.

Photo (top) of Oso Honey Farm farm stand in Corvallis, Oregon.

Read more about the original disinformation campaign that preceded this bill that has been promoted by the Oregon Property Owners Association.

Legislative Report: Very Good News Dimmed by Bad News as Session Ends

Fri, 6 Mar 2026 17:03:00 -0800

The 2026 Session of the Oregon Legislature, scheduled to end on Sunday, has concluded with mixed results for Oregon's small family farmers.

Land Grab in Hillsboro (SB 1586). Good news from the Oregon Legislature came yesterday in an announcement from Friends of Smart Growth that 1,700 acres of prime farm land adjacent to Hillsboro is safe from development for the time being. Thanks to citizen action—of the 891 pieces of testimony submitted, about 90 percent opposed the bill—and the work of a coalition of organizations from environmental groups to tax fairness advocates to land use watchdogs and labor unions, SB 1586 was withdrawn from consideration.

It was the fifth attempt by Oregon state Sen. Janeen Sollman (D-15) to take this land out of agricultural production and hand it to developers, putting more than 30 local farms out of business at a time when the number of farms in Oregon decreased by six percent since 2017, and the acreage those farms occupied was down four percent in the same period.

The local Hillsboro Herald wrote that the bill had been described by proponents as supporting advanced manufacturing, but that "a significant loophole also allowed for this farmland to be turned into an unlimited, unregulated amount of accessory data centers" which are already inundating the area, gobbling up land, increasing energy rates for consumers and using water resouces while not creating the number of jobs that were promised.

“Destroying irreplaceable farmland for temporary data centers is not viable economic development,” said Nellie McAdams, executive director of Oregon Agricultural Trust. “We must stop bulldozing over our farms and discrediting the value, innovation, and economic power that farmers, farmworkers, and ranchers bring to our state.”

Thanks to all who testified, wrote letters and signed petitions!

New bill passed may outlaw farm stands like this one at Shimanek Bridge Farm in Scio.

Farm Store Bill (HB 4153): Sadly, Friday brought news that this bill—pushed by the Oregon Property Owners Association, an anti-land use regulation organization—that limits who is allowed to have a farm store to only the largest landowners and would close existing farm stands of farmers who are too small to meet the new requirements of the bill, has passed the Senate and is headed to the Governor's desk.

"Folks with an honor system stand at the end of their driveway supplied with garden overflow (zucchinis in August, a couple pints of berries, or a sign saying 'eggs $6' would be outlawed by this approach," according to the owners of Valley Flora Farm on Oregon's southern coast.

After what was described as a "flawed process" by several organizations that opposed the bill and ignoring input from local farmers and farm advocates, was rushed through and was passed in spite of 70 percent of public testimony expressing opposition to the bill.

“We are extremely disappointed that a proposal with so much opposition, that clearly prioritizes larger landowners over small farms and creates so many risks to farmland affordability, access, and preservation would be rushed through in a short session,” said Alice Morrison, co-director of Friends of Family Farmers.

Some legislators suggested that the bill was "imperfect" and will need more work in future sessions. However, amending any portion of the bill regulating commercial activity on farmland triggers a Measure 56 notice requirement, which could cost upwards of $1 million for the state to notify all property owners of the changes it seeks to implement.

"After more than a decade of building a healthy farm and farm business, I worry that the significant loopholes in this bill will turn my area into a tourist destination rather than the productive farming region it is,” said Aaron Nichols of Stoneboat Farm.

“With no requirement to consider the impact of a [10,000-square-foot] ‘farm store’ on nearby businesses, what will happen if we see thousands more cars on our rural roads? Or hundreds of tourists in the neighboring field when we're trying to drive tractors that kick up dust?" continued Nichols. "This bill was written by and for rich landowners and, in many cases, comes at the expense of actual farmers."

UPDATE ON HB 4153: In a confusing development, the version of the bill that the public hearing discussed last week was not the version that passed the legislature on Friday (3/6). An amendment was adopted after the public hearing that reinstated the language in the existing statute that allows for farm stands and then established a new type of permit called the farm store permit. According to Friends of Family Farmers, the bill states that farm stores are only open to farms based on their size and acreage in production (details here), with no limits on the amount of revenue you can generate from ticket sales or incidental item sales (details here).

Advocates are continuing their opposition to this bill in its current form. "First and foremost, this bill was sold to the public and lawmakers as a way to simplify the permit process. By the end of the session, not only did this bill not clarify anything about current law, leaving it untouched, but it also created an entirely new permit for similar businesses that counties are going to have to parse out," said Friends of Family Farmers in a press release. "It is clear that the goal of this process was not ease or clarity, but the real goal was to provide a pathway for unlimited event income on EFU [Exclusive Farm Use] zoned land at all costs."

Get more details about the pros and (many cons) of this bill in this press release. Then take a moment to urge Governor Kotek not to sign HB 4153.

Never Too Much of a Good Thing: Pickled Shallots

Wed, 4 Mar 2026 16:19:00 -0800

Recently I found my kitchen counter awash in shallots. They'd been slowly collecting there, nestled amongst the onions and garlic, sitting innocuously on the counter in a brightly colored bowl I brought back from Mexico many decades ago. Our CSA subscription with Stoneboat Farm yielded many shallots this past winter, but, honestly, I'm just not used to incorporating them into our everyday recipes the way I do with their more common relatives in the allium family.

So there they collected until one day they were practically spilling out onto the counter. But what to do witht them? I was at a loss until I ran across a recipe from the brilliant Andrea Nguyen for pickling them. She called for a brine using white vinegar, but I like the subtlety of rice vinegar with its gentler tang. And another writer suggested separating the bulbs into petals rather than leaving them whole. Perfect!

Peel the shallots and separate into petals.

Until 2010 shallots—from the French eschalotte, by way of eschaloigne, from the Latin Ascalonia caepa or Ascalonian onion, a namesake of the ancient city of Ascalon, according to Wikipedia—were classified as a separate species from the common onion, but that year someone in a position to make such a momentous decision declared it was too small a difference to have its own taxonomic distinction, and shallots were brought into the larger allium family, joining their relatives garlic, scallions, leeks, chives and the Chinese onion.

Like any pickled thing, they're a bright addition to sandwiches, burgers and tacos, but can also be chopped and incorporated into salad dressings and grain salads, as well as being a feature on charcuterie boards and antipasti platters.

Pickled Shallots

10 oz. shallots (peeled, tops and root ends removed)
1 1/2 c. rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1/2 c. water
3 Tbsp. salt
3/4 c. sugar

Separate shallots into cloves. Halve smaller shallots or quarter larger ones and separate layers into petals. Gently pack petals into wide-mouth quart jar.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine rice vinegar, water, salt and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. When it comes to a boil, pour over shallots, filling to 1/2” from rim. Place a fermentation weight (or other weight) over the shallots to keep them submerged.

Let the jar of shallots sit on counter until completely cool. Place in refrigerator and refrigerate for five days. Shallots should then be ready to incorporate into dressings, salads, hamburgers, tacos, platters of antipasti, etc. When the shallots are gone, save the brine and incorporate it into your favorite spring salad dressings!

Legislative Report: Your Voice is Needed as Session Heads into Final Stretch

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:17:00 -0800

With the short session of the Oregon State Legislature heading into the home stretch—it's scheduled to conclude on Monday, March 9—legislation is being pushed through committees and lobbied with abandon, but there's still time use your voice to speak up for Oregon's agricultural lands.

Hillsboro Supersiting of Industrial Land (SB 1586): This bill is a bald-faced land grab of nearly 1,800 acres of prime agricultural land being pushed by developers intent on cashing in on an expansion of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). This is the sixth attempt by developers to expand the boundary and is being done outside the established expansion process, and has moved forward without any of the required public involvement. For perspectife, in 2014 Hillsboro received over 1,000 acres of industrial land, which was supposed to be an ample 50-year supply, but the city burned through it in less than a decade with data center development and other commercial, recreation, and retail land uses. Additionally, the bill extends tax breaks for these same corporate interests—companies that can easily afford to pay their fair share.

Thus far almost 800 individuals and organizations have submitted testimony, with nearly 90 percent in opposition to the bill; there have been so many people signed up to speak at the hearings that they have had to extend the number of sessions. But more is needed.

TAKE ACTION:

Submit written testimony by Wednesday (2/25) at 8 am. You can copy and paste the text above into the form or edit it, or compose a letter and attach it as a PDF.
Attend the Washington County Commission meeting on Tuesday (2/24) at 6:30 pm at 155 N. First Ave., Suite 300, Hillsboro, OR, or sign up to testify via Zoom Link. by 4:30 pm on Tuesday, 2/24.

Read Part One of farmer Aaron Nichols of Stoneboat Farm's essay on the pressure developers are putting on Oregon's diminishing agricultural lands.

Is this the future we want for Oregon farms?

Allowing "farm stores" as a nonfarm use on EFU land (HB 4153): This bill requires counties to allow 5,000 to 10,000-square-foot “farm stores,” offering shopping, dining, alcoholic beverage service and sales, and ongoing big events such as concerts and weddings in exclusive farm use (EFU) zones.

Opposed by small farm advocates like Friend of Family Farmers and 1,000 Friends of Oregon, among others, it would allow nonfarm retail sales, food and beverage service and unlimited events on agricultural land without safeguards to ensure that agriculture remains the primary use of the property. Without these safeguards, commercial entities could easily take advantage of lower tax assessments and buy up cheap farm land to develop into event venues and retail outlets, without ever intending to meaningfully farm the land in the first place.

Although nearly 1,600 pieces of testimony were submitted with more than 70 percent opposing the bill, it has still gone forward. Your voice is critical to defeating this anti-small farm bill.

TAKE ACTION: Sign this letter telling your legislator why you oppose this measure.

Hunger impacts 1 in 6 children in Oregon.

Expanding school meals for all (SB 1581). This bill requires Oregon school districts to offer lunch and breakfast to all students at no charge, regardless of income. So far this bill has moved forward in the Joint Ways and Means Committee with a "do pass with amendments" recommendation, which is encouraging.

TAKE ACTION: Sign this letter and help this bill make it over the finish line!

Latest Condiment Fascination: Chili Crisp-Marinated Albacore

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 14:06:00 -0800

Remember when Mark Bittman, the author of the "Minimalist" column in the New York Times from 1997 to 2011, went through his pimenton phase? He was infusing everything from soups and meats to fish and vegetables—mostly to good effect—with the Spanish smoked paprika, making it a ubiquitous staple in pantries across the country (including mine).

An hour to marinate, then flash-frying for two minutes per side, and it's done!

Lately I've been having a similar fling with chili crisp, the latest "it" seasoning in culinary circles, adding spoonfuls to stir fries and drizzling it with abandon on eggs and avocado toast. I've made my own from a Serious Eats recipe by Sohla El-Waylly—out-of-this-world good but tedious to make—and for that reason I've been working my way through several store-bought brands from the crunchy, addictive Laoganma Spicy Chili Crisp, the basis for El-Waylly's version, to others from Fly by Jing and Momofuku.

Crunchy, garlic-infused, salty—Laoganma is a global fave.

Originating in China and made with chiles and other aromatics that have been fried in hot vegetable oil, chili crisp formed the base for a recent quick marinade for one of the Oregon albacore loins I'd pulled out of the freezer. Subtle enough that it complemented but didn't overwhelm the flavor of the tuna, then very briefly fried in cast iron, this recipe is going to be a go-to with any firm fish. (It would also be delicious with chicken thighs—just allow it to marinate a little longer.)

Chili Crisp-Marinated Albacore

1 albacore tuna loin (~1 1/2 lbs.), sliced crosswise into 1”-wide sections
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. mirin
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2-3 Tbsp. chile crisp
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish (optional)
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, ginger, sugar, sesame oil and chile crisp. Pour into 1 gallon zip-lock bag and marinate for one hour.

Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. With tongs, transfer albacore slices to the hot pan (stand back…it may sputter) and sear for 2 minutes on each side.

Serve over fried rice (recipe here) or with plain jasmine rice and sautéed greens. Garnish with sliced green onions and/or toasted sesame seeds.

Local Pizza Restaurant Under Fire for Claiming Food is Political

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:11:00 -0800

"Eating is a political act." - Michael Pollan

I have known Mark Doxtader for decades, since he first towed his mobile pizza oven to the Portland Farmers Market and started slinging slices to the crowds queued up for some of his woodfired pies heaped with the vegetables he grew on his farm. A big guy with an impish grin, he's been at the forefront of our regional food scene for over a quarter century, not only featuring local products in his own work, but advocating for local grains at the Food Lab and Grain Gatherings, speaking at farm conferences, and running two innovative pizza restaurants before pizza became synonymous with Portland food.

"It's another distraction," according to restaurateur Mark Doxtader.

Recently his Multnomah Village restaurant, Tastebud, posted on its website the following manifesto:

"ICE OUT EVERYWHERE. Food is political. No one is illegal on stolen land. Fuck ICE. Abolish ICE. Release the Trump/Epstein files. Free Palestine. Black lives matter. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Love your LGBTQ neighbors. The holocaust was real. Healthcare is a human right. Masks save lives. Get your damn vaccines. Wash your hands. Germ theory is science. Cook chicken to 165. Stay hydrated."

While each of these phrases can be seen on innumerable lawn signs on a casual walk through almost any Portland neighborhood, apparently right-wing trolls and their army of AI bots saw an opportunity to gin up some outrage. The restaurant became subject to "review bombing," a practice which "arises from highly negative reviews to draw attention to perceived cultural or political issues" according to Wikipedia, which in turn caused Yelp to post an "Unusual Activity Alert," i.e. a notice posted when a business receives "increased public attention," and has disabled comments.

Tastebud's pizzas have been a PDX staple for a quarter century.
"It's important to vote with your dollars," said Doxtader.

Aside from the review bombing, Tastebud has been featured, I kid you not, in articles from Fox News to the New York Post and the Daily Mail (in the UK). Totally insane.

"It's another distraction," said Doxtader in a brief conversation. "It's all just so dumb." He reiterated that while the trolls rail against the statement that food is political, they're actually proving his point. "We need to stand up now before it's too late," he said. "It's important to vote with your dollars."

Legislative Report: Short but Critical 2026 Legislative Session Convenes

Fri, 6 Feb 2026 09:50:00 -0800

Convening on Groundhog Day could be taken as an ominous portent to the beginning of the short 2026 session of the Oregon Legislature. Legislators have just 35 days to figure out how to close a $297 million gap in the Oregon Department of Transportation Budget brought on by the Trump administration's devastating 2025 budget bill that reduced revenues—especially to Democrat-controlled states—and increased costs. The Democrats, who control both houses of the Oregon legislature, have also vowed to craft a reponse to Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement agenda.

Though the transportation funding bill is going to take up much of the oxygen in the legislature this year, there are issues around our food system that you can take action on.

Farm Store Bill (HB 4153): This bill seeks to limit who can operate a farmstand based on acreage and sales, giving vast privileges to large operations while elbowing out beginning farmers and smaller-scale farms and producers. Friends of Family Farmers (FoFF), an advocacy organization for small and beginning farmers in Oregon, opposes this bill because it limits who is allowed to have a farm store for their operation and makes no specific protections for the simplest type of farm stand . Valley Flora Farm in Langlois posts on their website that, if passed as written, the bill would "close existing farm stands [of farmers] who are following the law right now but are too small to meet these [new] requirements" and implies that "folks with an honor system stand at the end of their driveway supplied with garden overflow (zucchinis in August, a couple pints of berries, or a sign saying 'eggs $6') would be outlawed by this approach."

As background, this bill is a result of Governor Tina Kotek's "pausing" the work of a Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) that had become a target of the Oregon Property Owners Association (OPOA), which describes its mission as "protect[ing] the right of private property owners to make use of their property." The OPOA launched a disinformation campaign featuring a farm couple wailing that "if you enjoy u-pick, if you enjoy farm-to-table dinners, if you enjoy pumpkin patches, if your kids enjoy a hayride or cow train, these are the kind of things that we and other farms are going to lose"—none of which was true.

Once the viral video campaign had done its job and pressured state officials to derail the work of the committee, the OPOA admitted they were behind this new legislation, stating on their website "since we announced HB 4153…" and listing all the reasons that it's a great leap forward for the state's agricultural sector.

FoFF sums it up nicely:

What this bill makes legal as a farm store: 100-acre Exclusive Farm Use property with 45 acres of hay field and 55 acres of outdoor concert venue where events can be held on an unlimited basis with no impact test to the farms around it or a need to get an agritourism permit.
What this bill makes illegal for a farm store: 10-acre property where 5 acres is under production and the farm makes $4,000 per year in farm income to supplement their income and occasionally teaches a class on preserving their farm product.
This bill makes farm stores easier and more permissive for large property owners while penalizing small land holders for having less to work with. Even if you support the 100-acre farmer example above, should it come at the expense of the 10-acre farmer example?

TAKE ACTION:

Submit written testimony by Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 1 pm. Submission form here. Sixty percent of folks who've submitted so far are opposed. Make yours count!
Call your state legislators and tell them you oppose HB 4153. Find your legislator by clicking here and typing your address into the search bar at the top of the page.

Disproportionate cuts to OSU Statewides & Organic Agriculture Program: Due to a budget shortfall of $63 million, the legislature is proposing a one percent to five percent cut to most agencies, but the OSU Statewides Programming, which includes the Organic Agriculture Program, is facing a 7.1 percent cut. Advocates, while acknowledging the need to trim budgets, are asking the legislature to "rightsize" the cuts to the program to match those being asked of other agencies. The Organic Agriculture Program at OSU now has six extension specialists across cropping systems working throughout the state, working to enhance the viability of Oregon agriculture through improved soil health, cover crop adoption, ecological pest management, locally adapted cultivars, farm viability, and transition to organic and other ecological methods.

TAKE ACTION:

Sign the letter asking the legislature not to disproportionately cut the OSU Statewides & Organic Agriculture Program.

Budget for Programs in the Immigrant Justice Package: The Trump administration and Republican congressional leaders are targeting immigrant communities. The Immigrant Justice Package provides the Oregon legislature with a critical opportunity to invest in proven solutions and support immigrant families now, including:

Immigration Legal Services ($5M): Deportation defense and legal help to keep families together
Children’s Stability Fund ($5M): Support for families when a caregiver is detained
Protect Healthier Oregon: Maintain health coverage regardless of immigration status
School Meals for All: Free breakfast and lunch for every student
Anti‑Hunger Investments: Emergency food benefits and funding for food banks
Support for bills to limit harmful immigration enforcement actions, protect personal data, prevent discrimination, and ensure transparency and accountability in law enforcement operations.

TAKE ACTION:

Call your state legislators and tell them you support the Immigrant Justice Package. Find your legislator by clicking here and typing your address into the search bar at the top of the page.

Photos: Farm stand at Shimanek Bridge Farm in Scio; Commonplace Farm from Oregon Organic Coalition; Farm workers from Community to Community.