Ecotrust in the News

The Forest Grove News-Times
August 30, 2006
By Mateusz Perkowski

From tilth to table

Regional group helps farmers connect with local chefs

Securing a reliable supply of organic squash blossoms, naturally raised bison meat or culinary lavender can be tricky for gourmet chefs, especially if they want to buy these ingredients from local family farmers.

At the same time, growers are busy enough out in the fields without having to pitch their produce to restaurants.

To promote interactions between these two groups, Ecotrust, a regional non-profit conservation organization based in Portland, launched a Farmer-Chef Connection conference in 2001.

It proved successful at linking food producers with caterers, chefs and other buyers, but was able to bring them together only once a year.

"One of the things that was very evident is that we needed a way to keep people in touch throughout the year," said Deborah Kane, vice-president of Ecotrust's Food and Farms program. "There was no way buyers could have met every farmer in the room. With the guide, they can."

The "Guide to Local & Seasonal Products," which she was referring to, is a directory of both food sellers and buyers in Oregon and Washington. It provides useful information about everything from farmers' agricultural practices to chefs' receiving schedules, and indexes participating farms by the fruits, meats, and vegetables they raise.

"The guide is a great thing for farmers and chefs to connect," said Amy Love, who farms 10 acres of berries, vegetables and herbs near Forest Grove and is listed in the directory.

As a beginning farmer — this summer marks her second harvest — Love appreciates the sales opportunities the guide provides her, as well as its business tips. For example, the guide advises growers and sellers to establish a delivery and payment schedule that accommodates both parties and then strictly abide by it.

To get a better idea of how the food is grown and used, it also suggests farmers and chefs learn as much as they can about each other's occupations.

"It's a great way to open up the dialogue about that relationship," Love said.

Word of mouth from satisfied participants like Love is spreading fast, as indicated by the rising number of farmers and chefs registering for the guide (see box).

The guide's popularity underscores the rising prominence of the local-and-sustainable food movement, which is gaining favor among consumers, chefs and restaurateurs interested in supporting regional agriculture, Kane said.

"It's very much a national trend," she noted. "I'm fielding calls from South Carolina, Phoenix and other communities who want to replicate what we've done in the Northwest."

Restaurants are attracted to local ingredients for both practical and ideological reasons, said Joe McGarry, regional chef for Bon Appetit Management Co., which provides food service to local firms such as Intel.

Depending on the season, between 30 to 60 percent of the company's food supply comes from local farmers.

"Food that doesn't have to travel is better food. Without having to travel, you get that freshness. Using local producers as a source makes my food better," he said. "Secondly, there's a consciousness of social responsibility. There's nothing like being able to talk to the person who's growing your food. It's very important to establish ties to your local community."

Generally, growers listed in the "Guide to Local & Seasonal Products" use farming practices that appeal to sustainability oriented restaurants.

They tend to avoid growing with genetically modified organisms or spraying crops with pesticides. Those that raise animals usually use a free-range or pasture-fed environment.

Many are also organic, or obtain other types of certification.

"My preference is local and sustainable, with organic being a close second," said McGarry.

For local farmers, selling directly to restaurants is an opportunity to bypass brokers and middlemen, thereby netting a better price for their products. Many use the guide and other direct-marketing methods in addition to selling to wholesalers.

Anthony Boutard, owner of the 100-acre Ayers Creek Farm near Gaston, sells about 40 percent of his berries, beans, vegetables and other crops through farmers markets, the Farmer-Chef Connection and by making use of the guide.

Not only does this make financial sense, but it also fulfills Boutard's urge to experiment with a large selection of crops.

"It's more satisfying selling directly to the public," he said. "We can grow greens like fenugreek and have a market for them. When you start diversifying your customer base, you have more outlets for obscure things that grow beautifully in the valley but that you wouldn't go to a processor with."

Consumers backlash against global trade and large-scale agribusiness, combined with a growing awareness of health and nutrition issues, will likely continue to spur new direct marketing tactics like Ecotrust's "Guide to Local & Seasonal Products," said Fred Berman, coordinator of the Washington State Department of Agriculture's Small Farm and Direct Marketing program.

The department has been involved in promoting and organizing the Farmer-Chef Connection and the guide, along with the non-profit Chef's Collaborative.

"If you purchase locally, that money stays in the community longer," said Berman. "And, it's putting a face on the farmer."

Ecotrust in the News

From tilth to table

Regional group helps farmers connect with local chefs

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