Community Food Co-op

Doctober has begun! The largest documentary film festival in the Northwest is hosted by Bellingham nonprofit Pickford Film Center, and this year, Community Food Co-op and Sustainable Connections are presenting the film “Green Valley.”

This film was created by Morgan Tams — a longtime resident of a small, off-the-grid farming community in the remote wilderness of Cortes Island, in British Columbia. He follows five of its members as they negotiate the complex intersections of lifestyle, landscape, and the relentless passage of time.

Fellow filmmaker Lisa Jackson has this to say:
"A thoughtful, tender ode to the beauty and the reality of ‘going back to the land’ that makes you think about our impact on the earth and our relationship to all that sustains us … a very strong film with peace and ethics and an underlying hopefulness about our ability to adapt our way of life to something else — which is deeply needed at this time.”

There are two showings: One on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 2:45 p.m., which will also feature a virtual Q&A with the director, Morgan Tams. The second will be on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 3 p.m., at which the Co-op will be tabling — stop by and say hi!

Tickets available here:
https://www.pickfordfilmcenter.org/movie/green-valley

Have you ever heard of a Spitzenburg apple? How about a Spartan, or Golden Russet?

If you haven’t, don’t be dismayed — we’ll be sharing free samples this Sunday, October 4! They’re all heirloom apples: older varieties that are often more challenging to grow than common cultivars like Gala and Fuji, but have distinctive traits apple lovers may appreciate. The smaller orchards we buy from can be more selective about the varieties they plant, and we’re so happy to share these apples with you.

We’ll also be sampling King David and Roxbury Russet apples — all of which you can try with delicious Australian cheddar — at both stores from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. And through October 6, all heirlooms are on sale for $2.99 lb, providing a great opportunity to stock up!

The following folks help us bring in varieties you aren’t likely to find elsewhere: Okanogan Producers Marketing Association, Brownfield Orchard in Chelan, and Bellewood Farms in Lynden.

Dough’s Bakery is going on a well-deserved vacation.

We’ve been over the moon to offer Joey and Britton’s breads at our Downtown store this year. Working with local businesses like this small two-person bakery is baked into Community Food Co-op’s values. Dough’s is the perfect example — they use local ingredients and traditional baking techniques to create truly exceptional bread.

Dough’s will be taking a break from Sept. 27 to Oct. 11. We’ll still receive our order this Friday at our Downtown store (they currently only have capacity to supply that location), where you’ll be able to find their English Muffins and Baguettes, as well as their Seagull Seed, Country, and Sandwich loaves.

Upon their return, they’ll continue with Tuesday and Friday deliveries. Save this post so you remember to swing by and snag a loaf — they sell out quick!

Photos courtesy of Dough's Bakery

Washington grows more than 90% of the nation's organic apples, almost entirely on the east side of the state. When Griffin Berger and his family planted apple trees at the base of Sauk Mountain, in eastern Skagit County, plenty of people doubted the climate would cooperate.

It did. Griffin's scientific rigor and respect for the land turned that gamble into a thriving farm. Regenerative practices keep the soil healthy, and a zero-waste philosophy puts every piece of fruit to use. Try Sauk Farm's organic Honeycrisp apples, c***r, and dried apples.

Meet the folks from Sauk Farm this Friday, Sept. 18, when they visit both Co-op locations to hand out samples of their organic Honeycrisp apples, and get a taste of how perfect growing conditions can make all the difference in flavor.

Downtown: 12 to 2:30 p.m.
Cordata: 3 to 5:45 p.m.

Shop this Saturday to raise money for Friends of the Bellingham Public Library!

On September 19, 2% of all store sales will go to Friends of the Bellingham Public Library. Since 1952, this all-volunteer group has raised money for the library and championed literacy across our community.

Their current campaign will revitalize the Central Library’s aging ground floor, including the children’s area and teen reading space. The building opened in 1951 for a city of 35,000 people and now serves nearly 100,000. Money raised on this Community Shopping Day will help make those spaces safe, ADA accessible, and ready for a new generation of readers.

So far this year, you have helped raise $21,589.18 through our Community Shopping Days program. You can learn more about the program here:

https://communityfood.coop/community-shopping-days/

A “certified organic” label on your food means something very specific in the U.S. Whether those practices matter to you is a personal choice, so here’s a quick overview. Swipe left to take a look. ~>
 


Photo of Aurora and Chris, owners of organic Bellingham farm The Growing Garden

Fruits and vegetables with this label are grown without synthetic fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, or irradiation.
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Animal products like meat, dairy, and eggs come from animals that were fed organic feed, provided at least a minimum amount of outdoor access, and not given antibiotics or growth hormones.
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Even the packaging for these goods can’t contain synthetic fungicides, preservatives, or fumigants.
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These requirements lead to outcomes you might find important.
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Studies have found that organic food exposes consumers to less pesticide residue. That may correspond to positive health outcomes — for example, people who eat the most organic food seem to develop the fewest cases of the cancer non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 
 
Contact with pesticides may be linked to pregnancy complications and problems with fetal development.
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There are also ecological benefits to growing food organically.
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Studies have shown that organic farming can increase overall biodiversity by 30% and pollinator diversity by up to 50%. It has also been shown to create 18% fewer greenhouse gases and reduce nitrate release into groundwater by 50% compared with conventional farming.
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It’s also safer for the farmers growing our food, for whom exposure to chemicals can result in serious health complications.
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Organic certification does NOT mean that food was grown closer to you, but here in Washington, which ranks second nationally in total organic production, the odds are better that it was grown close to you.
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That is especially true when you shop at the Co-op. Our produce managers work hard to source food from as close to home as possible. We clearly label it all, so you can see when it comes from Washington farms and make informed choices.
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Oregon passed the first organic farming legislation in the country in 1972, and Washington followed close behind in 1988. The Pacific No

Nidia Hernandez started Familia del Norte at her family’s dairy farm with the aim of crafting heritage Mexican cheeses. Two years later, in 2024, her Queso Panela won gold at the World Championship Cheese Contest, placing ahead of entries from well-resourced companies in Wisconsin and Illinois.

As part of our celebration of Eat Local Month, we’re hosting Nidia this Friday, Sept. 11.

Stop by our Cordata store from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or our Downtown store from 3 to 6 p.m., to try a variety of Familia del Norte’s Latin-style cheeses. Nidia will be sampling Mexican Manchego, which differs from Spanish Manchego because it uses cow’s milk instead of sheep, as well as Cotija and Oaxaca Quesillo.

Photos courtesy of