By Dennis Miller (Dennis@Artmil.com),
President/Creative Director, Artmil
Claudia Nassau, executive director of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, introduced me to The Town That Food Saved by Ben Hewitt. Hewitt writes about a renewal of local agriculture around Hardwick in Northern Vermont. Numerous food-based businesses began locating in the Hardwick area and they “embarked on a quest to create the most comprehensive, functional, and downright vibrant local food system in North America.”
In many ways the book parallels the agricultural growth that’s taking place here in the Walla Walla and Touchet Valley. Wineries, micro-breweries, restaurants, bakeries, organic apples, blueberries and goat cheese all contribute to an expanding agricultural climate in the area. Many local farmers are beginning to process, package and distribute their own produce—thus adding value to what they grow.
The Tilth Producers of Washington Conference in Yakima this fall brought us in contact with many natural and organic farmers from around the state. Many of these farmers are involved in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Utilizing Blue Mountain Station (BMS) for an organic CSA may be one way to get the ball rolling on the BMS site’s 28 acres.
The purpose of BMS is to generate economic agricultural development in the Columbia County area. Besides bringing artisan food processors to the area, we also want to encourage existing local food-based businesses. Many local residents have already expressed interest in being involved in BMS. A good way to involve local residents in this project is by starting to actually use some of the land for organic farming. As we continue our search for the first processor to locate on the property, we look forward to 2012 as a ground-breaking year for activity on the site.
