With love for all and food for all

The sap is rising and the sun is out! We are getting closer to opening our garage doors to greet you on market days, and our vendor pop-ups are back near the Fort George garden. The Food Web made it through winter and we will have been in the alignment shop space one year in April. Wow! What a year. What a time.

For those of you who may have missed last month’s newsletter, this summer, NCFW will start accepting Medicaid for locally grown and produced food, depending on one’s qualification. The HRSN Fruit & Vegetable and Pantry Stocking benefit is a new expansion of the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). It is part of Oregon’s ground-breaking 1115 Waiver which allows the state to use Medicaid funds for non-medical needs that affect health. Eligibility isn't universal for all OHP members. To qualify, you generally must be in a transition period (such as leaving foster care, experiencing homelessness, or transitioning from prison) and have a clinical risk factor. 

Why are we diving into this new program? Because it’s the perfect extension of our mission. We’re helping our local farmers grow their businesses while ensuring more have access to the healthiest food possible, not just those who can afford it. Thanks to this 18-month pilot, we’re adding two team members. One will assist with 1:1 technical assistance and workshops to educate about crop planning, onboarding vendors, market expansion, and more, and the other will guide OHP members through the new benefits. It’s a win-win: more support for our vendors, and more fresh, local food on the tables of those who need it most. Want to talk about how this can be an opportunity for you as a producer? Please reach out to me. 

Each month after this newsletter is published, I hear from some of you who like what you are seeing. Thank you! It means a lot to know that it’s reaching you and being read. I want to open this month with three corrections. First, the HRSN program I referenced is Health Related Social Needs, not Service. Second, Care Oregon is changing the fruit and veggie and pantry stocking benefit launch from June 1 - July 1. Third, I neglected to announce Roger Lindsley, who is our new board treasurer. Thank you, Roger!

This month you’ll read about:

• Two new positions we are hiring for

• This weekend’s grand opening of the Astoria Tool Library

• Eggs, eggs, eggs! 

• A special recipe book

• New and returning vendors

• Our partnership with Astoria Public Library’s Library of Things for nearly 50 kitchen tools!

• A FREE fun soil education journey in Clatsop county. Register by April 1.

Thank you for reading, 

Jesse

Food Web News

We’re Hiring! Join the NCFW Team

We are looking for two dedicated individuals to join our team for the next 18 months to help us bridge the gap between north coast farmers and our community’s health. These grant funded positions have an end date, but program/project success may lead to further or extended funding.The Food Equity Navigator will work primarily with the HRSN pilot program, and a Producer Support Liaison will be the primary bridge between our organization and local producers. Is this you? Is this someone you know? Help us spread the word! View job descriptions here.

Library of Things

On March 24th our staff worked with Suzanne Harold, Director at Astoria Public Library, to help finish organizing the new Library of Things in anticipation of its opening at the end of the month! We will have some of these items out for display this Sunday (3/29) at Lower Columbia Preservation Society’s Tool Library opening, along with a binder of all of the items that will be available at Astoria’s Library of Things. Please come and say hi between noon and four pm at 591 12th Street in Astoria. 

Producer News

Sunbeam farms, a 100-acre collaborative regenerative farming project with free-range chickens, is back with more eggs for the marketplace! They will be joining Bearfox Farms, Mary’s Milk Monsters, and Lagom Small Farm in keeping things eggy this season.

We also have a new producer this month! Manja Creations Artisan Food Company will be bringing more fresh marinara sauces and pastas to the market, including gluten free options and raviolis.

Sign up for our weekly market newsletter for updates about what is available, who is popping up, weekly recipes and more.

We are kale-ing it, but as always, we could use some support! If you’d like to help us keep the good going, please consider making a donation to support NCFW projects and programs.

What's available this spring?

Beef, pork, lamb, sablefish, tuna, salmon and sausages are all available year round, along with cheese, milk, bread, honey and eggs. One producer has eggs for just $2.80/half dozen! We also have a wide array of teas, dried foods, jams, hot sauces, soaps, salts, vinegars, skin food and seeds available year round. As for what is growing, we currently have kale, beets, other leafy greens, potatoes, carrots, leeks, garlic and mushrooms, to name a few things. Flowers are also back, and plant starts will be coming soon--keep a look out!

Wanted: Locally Grown Vegetables & Fruits

Thinking about selling your freshly grown food with us this year? Have you started growing yet? Do you need ideas for what to grow? Grow for your community, and sell with North Coast Food Web. We need you!

Contact market@northcoastfoodweb.org.

Wanted: Seeds For Seed Swap!

March 29, 1-4 pm, Lower Columbia Preservation 

Society, 591 12th Street, Astoria

Join in-person or if you can’t make it, drop off before then at North Coast Food Web, 1450 Exchange Street, and we’ll add them to the table! 

Wanted: Recipes for a Community Cookbook

The Harbor, a partner of North Coast Food Web, is creating a community cookbook designed to foster resilience, empowerment, and connection among survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. They are inviting community members to contribute a recipe that is meaningful to them or their families. Including a short story, memory, or favorite quote connected to that recipe is encouraged. Their goal is to create a collective work that celebrates nourishment, healing, and the shared traditions that bring people together. This cookbook will also serve as a fundraiser for The Harbor, supporting their ongoing work in domestic and sexual violence prevention, survivor advocacy, and community education. Every recipe submitted helps build not only a beautiful collection of food and stories, but also vital support for survivors in our community. Use the QR code in the graphic or contact sarahp@harbornw.org.

Events and Opportunities

Astoria Tool Library Open House – March 29

The Astoria Tool Library, a program of the Lower Columbia Preservation Society will host its official open house on Sunday, March 29 from noon to 4 at 591 12th Street in Astoria, just two blocks from North Coast Food Web! This community gathering marks the public introduction of a new community-powered lending resource providing affordable, short-term access to quality hand tools and small power tools. Sharing tools is affordable and builds community! LCPS is actively seeking donations of gently used tools that support home repair, gardening, and preservation work. You are encouraged to bring tools to donate during the open house and help lay the foundation for this shared resource. All donated tools will be reviewed for safety and mission alignment before being added to the lending collection.

The event will also feature a seed swap in partnership with North Coast Food Web, All are encouraged to bring seeds to exchange, and connect with others preparing for the growing season. North Coast Food Web will share information about its partnership with Astoria Public Library’s new Library of Things. With foundational support from the Autzen Foundation, food-related kitchen equipment will soon be available for checkout through the Astoria Public Library’s catalog—just like books! Keep a lookout for North Coast Food Web’s workshops demonstrating how to use the equipment.

Natural Egg Dye Workshop – April 4th

North Coast Food Web is hosting a natural egg dye workshop on Saturday, April 4th from 12-2pm at our location, 1450 Exchange St, Astoria, OR. Join us as we celebrate spring by decorating the new bounty of eggs! All materials will be provided, with a $10-20 sliding scale suggestion for the workshop. 

From our friends at OSU Extension:

Dig For Your Soil: Soil Biology and Visual Soil Health Assessments for Farmers

Julie Hackett of Laughing Rabbit Farm, Larry Nelson of LaNa’s Conscious Farm, and OSU Extension are hosting an intensive soils field day in Astoria, OR on Friday, April 3^rd from 9 am to 2 pm for farmers. Shannon Cappellazzi, statewide Soil Health Extension Specialist, will be visiting from Corvallis and is a joy to learn from. We’ll start the day off with a presentation from Shannon at the Netel Grange, before heading to both LaNa’s Conscious Farm and Laughing Rabbit Farm to look at their soils, learn visual soil health assessment methods, and discuss ways to address soil challenges and improve soil health. This is a free workshop, with coffee and lunch provided. Registration is required. Please register at https://beav.es/GaQ by April 1st.

We’ve partnered with BottleDrop Give, Oregon’s container deposit program! Every can, bottle, or glass container you return helps fund our mission of connecting farmers, fishers, and food makers with our community.

There are two ways to participate:

One, pick up a Blue Bag from us when you come to pick up your order! Fill it with Oregon 10¢ deposit containers (plastic, aluminum, or glass). Keep bags under the 20 lb. weight limit. 

Or two, Donate directly from your BottleDrop account. If you already have a personal BottleDrop account, you can donate your balance directly to North Coast Food Web in just a few clicks:

      Log in: to your BottleDrop account online. 

      Find: our nonprofit by using the search bar or by browsing categories. 

      Select: North Coast Food Web and choose the "Donate" option. 

We're always seeking Thursday market volunteers to help receive, sort, and distribute weekly orders—everything from fresh produce and frozen fish to honey, flowers, and more. Interested? Email market@northcoastfoodweb.org to get started!

Get Involved!

Our work to cultivate a resilient and equitable food system on the North Coast wouldn't be possible without our community of volunteers, our wonderful Board of Directors, and the donors that fund our programs!

1450 Exchange St.

Astoria, OR 97103

Office: 503-468-0921

Market: 971-326-0598

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