Fresh produce on the door step

LAKE COUNTY - Like all good farmers, Julie Pavlock wants her produce to arrive fresh and seasonally to her consumers. Not only does the food taste better that way, but also the costs to both the consumer and the environment are significantly lower. Locally grown, organic food may cost more at time of purchase, she said, but the money stays in the area, helping the local economy thrive.

"It's exciting," Pavlock, the owner of Foothill Farm in St. Ignatius, said. "I love having that connection with the community."

That connection is possible because Pavlock and 29 other farms are members of the Western Montana Growers Cooperative, an organization as organic as the food they grow. First begun in 2003, the co-op has grown, adding new local farms and varieties of food. From vegetables, meat and eggs to grains, milk, herbs and fruit, if they don't have it, you don't need it.

"We've grown a lot and we still haven't been able to meet the demand," Pavlock said. "As a farm on our own, we wouldn't be able to get into grocery stores, but when we all pool together, we can."

Pooling together means the cooperative can sell different foods to grocery stores, restaurants and even the University of Montana. For individuals and families, local food is available through a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, a subdivision of the co-op that approximately 10 members supply food for.

Begun three years ago, the CSA delivers seasonal foods throughout the summer to individuals from Missoula to Whitefish, and everywhere in between. Organized and run by Julie's sister, Amy, the CSA has grown to about 90 customers this year. Starting in June and running until the end of October, customers will receive a package containing just-harvested foods: lettuce and greens early on, fruits, corn, carrots and tomatoes later on, weather and growing season permitted. The rainy spring season has pushed planting back about three weeks, Pavlock said, but in the long run, the lush hills will be important to the valley's farmers.

"[The rain is] great because it means everyone will have plenty of irrigation," she said. "But the frost still comes at the same time."

The CSA has transformed the way people think about and buy food. A truck goes to locations around the valley for customers to pick up their shares, ensuring short travel time and the ultimate in freshness. The local food movement has picked up, Pavlock said, such that the CSA can now accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), or food stamp, benefits. The rise and success of the CSA and co-op has changed how Pavlock appropriates her resources.

"I'd rather put my energy in the co-op because I believe in it so much," she said. "Chefs want local food to cook with, and grocery stores want it on their shelves. It's definitely been a boon for us."

Pavlock's success with local food isn't an isolated story. Nicole Jarvis, a mainstay at the Polson Farmer's Market, has experienced a similar boon as a member of the co-op. Jarvis owns Ploughshare Farm in Moiese and said the CSA amounts to approximately a third of the farm's income. And as a member of the Grower's Cooperative, she knows ahead of time where her food is going.

"It's nice to know the majority of produce is taken care of," she said. "It creates a community of growers."

Lowdown Farm's Kristi Johnson, another vendor at the Polson market, admitted "the co-op is the bulk of our business."

"We do 80 percent of our business with the co-op," she said. "It's worked out really well for us and our members so far. It's made it possible for people to get locally grown food at restaurants and stores, not just at farmers' markets."