FOOD SECURITY

We have come to rely for our food supply largely on products imported from long distances, rather than what we grow locally. Changing economics and transportation reliability make it important for communities to develop their own food security through expanding local production and processing of foodstuffs. This space is dedicated to efforts to expand our access to local food, for both economic and health benefits, and to increase our community's resilience.

COMMUNITY GARDENS
A great way to expand access to local fresh fruits and vegetables, build community, and beautify our neighborhoods is to establish community gardens. Click HERE to visit the Rees & Sumach Community Garden website, and learn more about Walla Walla's first community garden, as well as what community gardens look like in other cities.

GLEANING
Saving and distributing produce that would otherwise go to waste is an age-old practice that is still relevant today. Walla Walla Gleaners has been organized to harvest surplus fruits, vegetables, and other produce. For more information, go to www.wallawallagleaners.org, email wallawallagleaners@gmail.com or call 509-522-2935.

FARMERS MARKETS
Buying from local growers and producers is the best way to strengthen our self-reliance and the health of our local economy. Farmers markets reduce costs to producers, make local products more accessible, and are a wonderful community gathering place. Click HERE to visit the Walla Walla Farmers Market website.

LOCAL PROCESSING CAPACITY
Beyond growing our own foodstuffs, we need to develop our own capacity to process them into final products available locally, adding value to our economy both for export and local consumption. Blue Mountain Station is an innovative effort by the Port of Columbia to reestablish some of our lost processing capacity, and will be an important contributor to relocalization and resilience. For more information on this forward thinking project, click here.