Food & Farming

The Food & Farming Program is helping to create a vibrant local food economy. We support local farmers, connect food buyers to local farms and artisans, and encourage our community to always Eat Local First! We are proud founders of the Eat Local First Campaign and the Whatcom County Farm Tour. We excel in farmer training and run a farmer incubator program. We believe that changing our local food system can change the world, join us!

Food & Farming Program Member Benefits

Join as a business member of Sustainable Connections and get general member benefits plus those specific to our program!

• Free participation in the Eat Local First Campaign
• Member rate on Farm-to-Table Trade Meeting registration
• Opportunites for Member Spotlight features in Eat Local First Newsletter and Blog (3,000 Subscribers)
• Priority promotion on Eat Local First NW Instagram and Facebook channels

• Free consultation and direct connections with local farmers and food buyers
• Free participation as an Eat Local Month restaurant
• Member rate on Chef Farm Tour as a buyer (save $10)
• Opportunity to participate as a farm on Chef Farm Tour
• Member rate to participate on Whatcom Farm Tour

Join Now

Projects & Programs

Creating
Business
Connections

NW WA Farm-To-Table Trade Meeting
Farmer Chef Mixers
Wholesale Product Directory
Become a Farm Fresh Workplace
NW WA Food & Farming Business Groups & Listservs

Connecting the Community to Local Food

Eat Local First Campaign
WA Food & Farm Finder
Farm to Table Trail
Print Resources: NW Food & Farm Finder, Culinary Itineraries
Farm Share (CSA) Finder

Community Events:

Whatcom County Farm Tour
Eat Local Month
Demo Days (currently suspended due to COVID-19 precautions)

Building
Successful Farm
Businesses

Farmer’s Marketing Toolkit
Cloud Mountain Farm Center Farmer Education
Eat Local First Collaborative
Grower Guide
Collaboration with Nortwest Agriculture Business Center to provide Technical Assistance Workshops for Growers:
- Scaling Up for Wholesale Production
- Cooperative Crop Planning
Regional Food Systems Farmer Curriculum

2023 Opportunities

Cloud Mountain Farm Center

Sustainable Connections and Cloud Mountain Farm Center merged together into one nonprofit in early 2019. We’ve had a long history of collaboration and the merger offered an opportunity for us to maximize community impact and extend our missions.

Visit Cloud Mountain

Program Impacts

Business consultations for food & farming businesses

Consumers engaged annually

Million dollars in local sales generated as a result of the program

See All our Recent Program Impacts

The Food & Farming Program is unmatched, we have not heard of anything in the country that works so well.

-Business Member

Sustainable Connections has been invaluable in growing our farm sales. We couldn’t have done what we have without them.

– Business Member

The Food and Farming Program has given our farm more support and aligned us with new customers more than any other community resource.

– Local Farm

Annual Promotions

Eat Local First

The Food & Farming Program launched the Eat Local First campaign in 2011 to encourage all to choose local food first. It is the trusted source for finding truly local food. We provide business participants with the support and resources to continue to grow their business.

Eat Local Month

Every year we celebrate Eat Local Month, a chance to say thank you to our local food producers, restaurants, and artisans. Savor restaurant specials, enjoy farm tours and connect with where your food comes from.

Eat Local First Videos

Local Champions Blog

Our community is full of local food champions. Learn about the people behind your favorite local food and farming businesses and how they are putting people and planet first.

Plantage: The Plant-Based Meal Subscription Bringing Fresh, Delicious Meals to Bellingham

by Annika Sampson | Sep 5, 2023

Plantage, a meal subscription service in Bellingham, serves delicious, nourishing meals to their clients. All their food is plant-based, sourced with care, and aligns with the values of the business – sustainability, transparency, and integrity. All this serves to...

Farming and Fermenting with a Light Touch at Barmann Cellars

by Annika Sampson | Jul 25, 2023

Stephanie Barmann and Jesse Nickerson are the farmers and fermenters behind Barmann Cellars in Everson WA, a low-intervention winery and cidery utilizing regeneratively-farmed estate fruit. Everything they craft, tend, and share is done with deep care and intention,...

Follow Sasquatch on the Think Local First Coffee Crawl

by Annika Sampson | Jul 14, 2023

Calling all coffee adventurers and Sasquatch enthusiasts! There have been reports of Sasquatch sightings at numerous coffee shops around town. Experts agree that Sasquatch is a coffee fanatic. So, grab your mugs and join us as we embark on a Sasquatch-inspired Coffee...