Appetite? Check. Curiosity about the local food system and economy? Double check. Looks like you’re ready to hit Farm to Table Trails, eight experiential itineraries that explore food and farm businesses throughout Whatcom and Skagit counties. The initiative from Sustainable Connections is designed to showcase u-pick berry farms, cheese producers, bakeries, wineries, and markets selling […]
May 7, 2025, Bellingham WA – The food, farming, and fishing culture of Northwest Washington is rich and diverse, and the most delicious way to explore this region’s offerings is by taking a trip on the Farm to Table Trails. Whether you’re a local hoping to learn more about your backyard or a visitor coming […]
Big changes are in store for a community gathering place on South Whidbey.
This week, a total of 33 solar panels were affixed to the roof of Clinton Community Hall. The grid-tiered solar system will provide 100% of the building’s annual electric usage with clean energy. Workers also installed a battery backup system that will keep the lights on in the event of a power outage.
It is with great sadness that Sustainable Connections announces the closure of the Cloud Mountain Farm Center (CMFC) nursery on June 30th, 2025. CMFC, an educational farm center located in Everson, Washington, has been a part of Sustainable Connections since its official merger in 2019.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) connects families and individuals directly with local farmers and fresh, seasonal produce. Eat Local First, Washington’s go-to local food resource is launching its 2025 CSA Finder to help their community find local food subscriptions near them. Eat Local First is also currently running a giveaway for one lucky winner to receive $200 toward a CSA of their […]
March 5, 2025 | Washington State – Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) connects families and individuals directly with local farmers and fresh, seasonal produce. Eat Local First, Washington’s go-to local food resource is launching its 2025 CSA Finder to help their community find local food subscriptions near them. Eat Local First is also currently running a giveaway for one lucky winner to receive $200 toward a CSA of their choice*.
Sustainable Connections is excited to announce the launch of Solarize Whatcom, a solar energy program available now through July 4th. This program will support residents of Whatcom County install solar panels on their homes and businesses. You can reserve your free solar assessment on the program webpage SolarizeWhatcom.org.
In 2025, single-family households in Bellingham will be required to use the FoodPlus food and yard waste collection service, a move that will eventually be mandatory in all larger Washington cities due to recent state legislation.
Whatcom County’s Severe Weather Shelter is open during the cold season between November and March. It can serve about 70 people when overnight temperatures are expected to fall to 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below in Bellingham.
Sustainable Connections is opening its third community refrigerator Tuesday, Nov. 12 at the North Fork Community Library in Kendall, announced by the nonprofit in a news release Monday, Nov. 4.
Whatcom County residents will have the chance to learn where their seafood comes from during a new waterfront festival at the end of September. Day on the Bay will feature tours of fishing vessels, waterfront industries and talks on how the environment and waterfront industry work together across Bellingham Bay. It’s the first year for […]
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — On Sept. 28, Day on the Bay will invite the community to explore and engage with Bellingham’s active waterfront. Day on the Bay is a joint collaboration with Sustainable Connections’ Eat Local Month, Bellingham SeaFeast, and Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County. This free, self-guided tour encourages folks to stop at more […]
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Whatcom County has celebrated Eat Local Month for over a decade, but this year the governor has declared Eat Local Month a statewide festivity. As people all over Washington honor what it means to eat locally, we are reminded of our own local events in our backyard.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BELLINGHAM, WA, September 12, 2024 The Whatcom Housing Alliance is proud to announce the eighth annual Whatcom Housing Week, a week-long event dedicated to addressing the critical housing challenges facing our community. In partnership with local organizations, the Whatcom Housing Alliance is hosting over 17 events, each free and open to the […]
Washington’s annual Eat Local Month is back, celebrating local restaurants, farmers and cooks in Bellingham throughout September. “Eat Local Month celebrates the bounty of Washington’s local food with events and experiences throughout the state, including farm tours, farm-to-table dinners, farm and fish markets, festivals, and more. Eat Local Month connects us on the journey from […]
My Bellingham Now’s Ellie Coberly talks to Jessica Gillis from Sustainable Connections about their Whatcom County Farm Tour events.
The last weeks of summer and early weeks of fall offer some of the best times to seek out good eats on easy drives around the state. Gov. Inslee has declared September 2024 “Eat Local Month” in Washington state, celebrating Washington’s agriculture, fisheries and food production. Various festivals and activities will commence, but you can also […]
OLYMPIA Wash. — Eat Local First and Sustainable Connections are excited to announce that Washington State has declared September 2024 ‘Eat Local Month’. This declaration affirms and honors the diverse and vibrant community of farmers, fishermen, and food artisans who provide fresh, healthy, and sustainably produced food for us all to enjoy.
Washington has declared September as Eat Local Month in the state, according to a press release from Eat Local First. Eat Local Month will celebrate the local farmers, fishermen, and food artisans that make food cultivated in Washington memorable and sustainable. To celebrate, local farm tours, farm-to-table dinners, farm and fish markets, festivals, and more will […]
Visit Whatcom County’s coffee shops in the second annual Sustainable Connections Coffee Crawl, which allows people to sample the county’s best drinks and earn points toward prizes this summer. “The Coffee Crawl is a delicious and caffeine-forward way of exploring Whatcom County. The Pacific Northwest is famous for its coffee, and we’re so fortunate to […]
Sustainable Connections is excited to celebrate September Eat Local Month, a month-long celebration of eating local food and honoring those who grow, raise, harvest, and prepare it to share with this community. One of the highlights of Eat Local Month is The Whatcom County Farm Tour. On Saturday, September 14th from 10am-4pm, seventeen farms in […]
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Sustainable Connections is excited to celebrate September Eat Local Month, a month-long celebration of eating local food and honoring those who grow, raise, harvest, and prepare it to share with this community. One of the highlights of Eat Local Month is The Whatcom County Farm Tour. On Saturday, Sept. 14 from 10 […]
There are nine different farm to table loops to explore for fun and the freshest possible food
Much of Bellingham’s comingled recycling, the unsorted material collected by Sanitary Service Company in the newly introduced single tote, travels south in semitrailers to a state-of-the-art material recovery facility, or MRF, in Woodinville.
An innovative Whatcom County partnership to address climate change and reduce food waste has been awarded a $27,500 Small Communities, Big Challenges Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. Whatcom County Health and Community Services, Sustainable Connections, Washington State University Extension SNAP-Ed and Whatcom County Library System will use the grant and local funding to build […]
Jessica Gillis, Food & Farming Program Manager at Sustainable Connections, highlights the 2024 Farm to Table Trails with Komo News.