In Oregon, we have land-use laws that provide some protection for farms from development.  Still, ensuring that prime farmland, especially on the edge of urban areas, is preserved remains challenging.  The protection of one gem of a farm on the edge of Corvallis recently became much more likely. On February 17th, The Greenbelt Land Trust kicked off a public fundraising campaign to purchase the 587-acre Bald Hill Farm property: it’s success will ensure that this scenic and productive farm remains in farming and open space for the foreseeable future.
If you …

When my husband, Tim, and I decided to get married, we knew we wanted our wedding to be a celebration of the values that ground us as a couple. Having met in a graduate program in environmental ethics, we strive to live our lives as examples of the change we want to see in the world. We chose a spot in Humboldt County, CA  in the cathedral-like setting of an old-growth redwood forest, where friends and family could camp together under a magnificent canopy. We bought compost-able dishes from EcNow …

Lincoln County’s food bounty is sometimes underrated compared to our productive neighbors in the valley, but we know the value of our local food. Newport is home to the second oldest farmers’ market in Oregon (it missed first by only two weeks!). The Lincoln County OSU Extension Office has been hosting self-reliance and food and agriculture workshops with strong attendance for many years. And most have a local fisherman or two that hooks them up with the latest in season. As awareness of food systems work rises in the area, …

The Oregon State University Emergency Food Pantry will celebrate two years of operation in March 2011. A student-run operation in partnership with Ten Rivers Food Web and the OSU Human Service Resource Center, the pantry has become one of the most utilized services on campus.

Open two days a month, the pantry aims to provide individuals with a 5-7 day supply of healthy and diverse foods, taking into account the clients’

Food Biz Boot Camp 2011
Have you always harbored a dream of starting your own food business – a niche grain mill, specialty jam or relish, or locally made pasta? With funding through the USDA Rural Economic Development Grant, the Small Business Development Center of Linn Benton Community College is sponsoring a Food Entrepreneurs Workshop: Food Biz BootCamp during the spring of 2011. Come find out what it takes to move your idea to market.
The 48-hour workshop will be held over three Friday-Saturday sessions during March and April for a …