Pasture Network Grows with New Online Guide

When I'm at the grocery store or the farmers' market, I'm inundated with so many labels and certifications it makes my head swim. From "non-GMO" to "organic" to "pasture-raised" to "natural," I feel like I have to be a legal expert to suss out which ones are questionable—sometimes even fake—and which ones I can trust.

How do you know what you're buying?

And I hate to say it, but even at the farmers' markets you have to be careful of claims by farms that their products are "all-natural" or "no-spray" or even "local." In one case, Willamette Valley Cheese, which in previous years had won top honors from the American Cheese Society, had its dairy, Volbeda Farms, shut down by the state Department of Agriculture for more than 200 violations since 2007. Since it stopped using milk from its own cows, it is instead buying milk from a regional cooperative, Darigold, while claiming on its website that it is buying from a "local dairy." And showing pictures of cows on grassy pastures belies that fact that much of Darigold's milk is sourced from large factory farm dairies.

But help is here for people like me wanting to buy my meat, dairy and eggs from local farmers who raise their livestock outdoors, on pasture in a humane and ecologically sustainable manner. The  Oregon Pasture Network Product Guide is a free statewide online guide for buying products from more than 60 Oregon farmers who are committed to agricultural practices that put a high value on family farms, animal welfare, public health, the planet and our local rural economies.

Cattle raised on pasture.

Organized by Friends of Family Farmers, the Oregon Pasture Network (OPN) requires producers to sign a Pasture Network Pledge, as well as go through an application process that includes a farm visit. Farmers who sign the pledge agree to operate "on a scale that is appropriate to our land and to use practices that allow our animals to live a high-quality life on pasture [and] make operational decisions intended to foster the long-term viability of the land, air, and water of our local community."

Farmers at a Potluck and Pasture Walk.

Once a farm is accepted into the network—a no-fee process at this point—farmers are listed in the product guide with an accompanying farm profile, as well as being given access to classes that provide expert assistance to improve their pasture-based systems and deepen their understanding of the art and science of responsible grazing. The OPN also provides a producer listserv where farmers can share tips and information, and the network launched a Potluck and Pasture Walk series this past summer, scheduled around Oregon so producers can share stories of what it's like to raise animals on pasture in their particular part of the state.

And if you want to know more about local producers and where your food comes from, Friends of Family Farmers is sponsoring a series of free informational evenings called InFARMation that will take a deep dive into the benefits of responsible grazing and pasture-raised poultry (including eggs), meat and dairy. Each evening will feature tastings and a panel discussion, as well as beer provided by Lagunitas Brewing, which sponsors the meeting place and donates all sales of beer to Friends of Family Farmers. Dates and topics are:

• Pasture-Raised Poultry and Eggs featuring farmers Geoff Scott and John Mathia of Marion Acres Farm; Piper Davis, co-owner, and Laura Ohm, product director of Grand Central Bakery; Justin Ashby is meat monger for Flying Fish Company and owner of Tidal Boar Foods.Aug. 25, 6-9 pm, Lagunitas Community Room, 237 NE Broadway St., Suite 300.
• Pasture-Raised Pork, Oct. 9, 6-9 pm, Lagunitas Community Room, 237 NE Broadway St., Suite 300.
• Pasture-Raised Dairy, Nov. 13, 6-9 pm, Lagunitas Community Room, 237 NE Broadway St., Suite 300.

Farm Bulletin: Heeeeeeere's Anthony!

Often farmers are thought of as isolated individuals toiling away on their land, out of touch with the goings-on in the outside world. In my experience that is far from the truth. For instance, contributor Anthony Boutard of Ayers Creek Farm has worked with state agencies on legislation that benefits small family farmers and is sought out on a regular basis to speak about issues affecting farmers in Oregon and the region. This week brings two opportunities to hear him discussing the issues he feels passionately about.

At this month's Friends of Family Farmers InFarmation (and Beer!), forest owner Peter Hayes and wine-maker Rudy Marchesi will join Anthony in a conversation about the way the Tualatin River links our efforts and lives. Montinore Vineyard, Hyla Woods and Ayers Creek Farm are located along the headwaters of the river. Peter and Pam Hayes started this conversation with us five years ago, later Rudy joined in, and we hope the audience will participate in the conversation as we progress. Bit experimental, but with a good brew in hand what can go wrong?

It is free, good fun and a convivial introduction to an organization working to improve the state's policies regarding family farms. Oh yes, you can join us in a good glass of beer to keep the evening cheerful.

Thursday, Jan. 10, Anthony will teach a class on The Challenges and Rewards of Growing Heritage Grains at the Native Seeds/SEARCH Grain School in Tucson, Arizona. Native Seed/SEARCH  is non-profit that promotes seed conservation. In the evening there will be an open house at the organization's Conservation Center, where he will talk about corn, his book, Beautiful Corn, and maybe why his favorite Goldberg Variation is #30, the Quodlibet, or why a good log collection makes the farmer. If you have friends in the Tucson area, they are welcome to visit with Anthony.

Details: InFARMation (and Beer!). Tues., Jan. 8, doors open at 5:30 pm for socializing, program starts at 6:30 pm; free. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison. Phone 503-759-3276.

Native Seeds/SEARCH Grain School Presentation. Thurs., Jan. 10, 6-8 pm; free. Native Seeds/SEARCH Conservation Center, 3584 East River Road, Tucson, AZ. 520-622-5561 or toll free 866-622-5561.

Livin' in the Blurbs: Seeds of Change

With most local gardens gone dormant, even the most avid gardeners are relegated to sitting in their easy chairs with a cup of tea, corrected or not, turning down the corners of pages in seed catalogs, populating fantasy gardens to come. Many will have collected seeds from their own gardens to plant next year, and those folks will not want to miss this Tuesday's InFARMation (and Beer!) event. It will feature GoodStuffNW's esteemed contributor Anthony Boutard of Ayers Creek Farm holding forth on one of his favorite subjects, the challenges and rewards of producing seed, as well as other methods of propagating crops. Even if you're only an armchair gardener, I guarantee Anthony's presentation will have you looking for a plot (or a pot) to garden in.

Details: Anthony Boutard of Ayers Creek Farm presentation at InFARMation (and Beer) for Friends of Family Farmers. Doors 5:30 pm, presentation 6:30 pm; free. Meeting at Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison on the corner of SE 10th and Morrison.

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Fermentation fever has spread through the Portland food scene with the vengeance of a toddler's cold, and you can find a rainbow of jars and crocks of slowly pickling vegetables in almost every pantry cupboard in the city. One of Portland's most eclectic cultural organizations, the Dill Pickle Club, is celebrating its namesake with the 2nd Annual Perfect Pickle Challenge to raise funds for the club's activities. A dozen of the city's top chefs were given the same ingredients—12.5 lbs of organic cucumbers—to create small batch pickles to sell on behalf of the organization at the event on Monday, Feb. 6. Some of the club's planned activities for 2012 include a lecture series on filmmaking in Portland, six tours, the publication of 3 City Works Poster Series, the box set of Oregon History Comics and a youth video program examining issues of displacement in North and Northeast Portland. So make preparations to come on down and get your pickle on!

Details: 2nd Annual Perfect Pickle Challenge to benefit the Dill Pickle Club. 6 pm-midnight; $10 admission. Event at Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison on the corner of SE 10th and Morrison.

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Biodynamic farming is defined as "a unified approach to agriculture that relates the ecology of the farm-organism to that of the entire cosmos." Which can seem pretty far-fetched (or even dangerous) in our age of genetically modified crops, corporate agriculture and factory farming. But it's definitely seeing a resurgence among small farmers dedicated to the stewardship of their land and getting back in tune with the cycles of nature. Confirmation that it's a theory whose time has come is when it starts showing up in back yards around the country, and Portland Nursery is riding the crest of the wave this February with a series of classes on how to use this method at home. Led by writer and biodynamic gardening lecturer Beth Wieting, the series will cover everything from how to get started to composting, sprays and planting by the moon.

Details: Biodynamic Gardening Series with Beth Wieting. Feb. 4: Intro to Biodynamic Gardening; Feb. 11: Biodynamic Composting; Feb. 18: Biodynamic Sprays; Feb. 25: Moon Planting Calendars. All classes 11 am-12:30 pm; free with registration online. Portland Nursery on Division, 9000 SE Division St. 503-788-9000.

Healthy Food, Healthy Kids

We live near an elementary school where more than 40 percent of the students receive free or reduced-price meals. These meals may be the main, if not the only, meals the students get all day, and it stands to reason that the food they're served should be healthy and nutritious.

In an agriculturally rich state like Oregon, you'd think that the meals served in school cafeterias would have at least some local or regional ingredients. But because of inadequate kitchens (ripped out decades ago to facilitate central distribution), regulatory and economic roadblocks and a lack of distribution channels for local producers, these meals are often comprised of commodity products.

One way to get more fresh, local food onto cafeteria trays is to create a vibrant farm to school network of farmers, teachers, students and administrators. On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Friends of Family Farmers is conducting a panel discussion on how to bridge the gap between local farms and the school system so that our kids can have healthier meals, with the added benefit of helping to stabilize Oregon's agricultural community.

Panelists for the event are:

• David Knaus is a grower, teacher and consultant for progressive agricultural methods in the Pacific Northwest. He is currently the Farm Manager for CREST Farm, a unique farm to school program in West Linn-Wilsonville that educates K-12 students in Biological Agriculture techniques and delivers produce to school cafeterias within the district.
• Nell Tessman works as a Health Educator in Multnomah County Health Department's Community Wellness and Prevention Program and is a member of the Healthy Active Schools Team, working with seven school districts in Multnomah County on farm to school initiatives that support healthy eating and physical activity in schools. Nell also grows kale, lemon cucumbers and quackgrass in her community garden plot.
• Linda Colwell is a chef, works on a farm and is interested seeing children develop an understanding of food, farming, agriculture and the rural/urban relationship. Linda sits on the Portland Public Schools Wellness Advisory Committee, serves on the board of directors of Zenger Farm and is currently writing a farm-to-school curriculum for K-12 schools.

Details: InFARMation: Farm to School, Growing Awareness. Tues., Nov. 8, 6:30-8 pm; free. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St. 503-759-3276.

14 Things I Love

If only there was an app for that: I'm talking about 100 Things We Love, the compilation of the year's best food, drink, books and places to fuel your next obsession, put together by the writers and contributors to the Oregonian's FoodDay section.

This year it covers everything from farmers' markets to pantry must-haves to bookshelf staples, and the editor was kind enough to include a few of mine:

• Farmers' market favorites: Fresh oysters from Gilson Marine Farms.
• Where you'll find us when we're not cooking: Caffe Autogrill; Trailhead Coffee Roasters.
• What we like to read, watch, click on: The Berry Bible; How to Cook Everything iPhone app.
• What we reach for in the kitchen: Burr grinder from Black & Decker.
• A mélange of favorites: Banh mi at Foster & Dobbs; butchering chickens at home; charging station for electric vehicles; InFARMation (and beer!) meetings; Naomi's Organic Garden Supply; Woodlawn neighborhood commercial district; Pioneer Square farmers' market; MSC certification for West Coast albacore.

It's always a great read, and I guarantee you'll discover things that you never knew existed. Now to get my in-house programmer working on that app…