Local Food System
Development
Getting local food into your kitchen takes an interconnected system of businesses, organizations, and government departments working together. Chesed Farms participates in and facilitates many efforts to strengthen and increase the capacity of the local food system in our community. This page shares information and progress on projects under development. Ways you can be involved and support these efforts are included with each project.
Walla Walla Valley Food System Coalition
We benefit from the work that has been done by the Walla Walla Valley Food System Coalition. This group of local farms, food producers, non-profit organizations, consultants, and supportive community members worked for years discussing and assessing the existing food system in our valley. Their work culminated in the 2019 Food Hub Study that identified needs in our community that would create a more resilient and vibrant local food system. Check out the report by clicking the picture.
A month after the report was publicly shared, everything changed with the onset of Covid-19. As our community began to recover and regroup from the aftermath of this traumatic experience, efforts returned to the projects that were recommended by the study.
Choice Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest
Choice Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest intends to become a cooperatively-owned and operated network of regional mushroom growers.
Proposed product lines start with two mixes. One oyster mix, and one chef mix. Offered in 6-ounce clamshells and 5# trays. These create a standard offering with built in variability. This helps account for fluctuations in supply availability, while providing a consistent experience for customers.
Interested in participating in this effort? Fill out the short form below:
Regional Food Processing
The Walla Walla Valley has a bounty of produce that grows well throughout the region. Production is limited by the changing seasons, and distribution of fresh produce is limited by its short shelf life. The WWVFSC has been working to establish a producers cooperative (People Owned, People Managed, People Benefited) to lease/build a shared use value added food processing facility in Walla Walla or nearby Umatilla (Milton Freewater) County.
We are focusing on two production lines initially: Individual Quick Freeze (IQF), and Freeze Drying. These two processes will turn raw produce into a line of shelf stable products that extend their viable use, and make them ready to be distributed beyond our community. The goal is to have a facility that can service interested farms operating within a two-hour drive from Walla Walla and Milton-Freewater.
We have received funding to update the 2019 Food Hub Feasibility study for this effort. We are seeking additional funding and expertise to design the operation. Additionally, we continue connect with farms in the area that are interested in this possibility and distributors that would like to access our future products. Click the button below to get connected and bring this project to reality.
Feasibility of Freeze-Dried and Frozen Vegetable and Fruit Processing Products
An updated study with a focus on the processing of local fruits and vegetables with individual quick freeze, and freeze drying processing was released in February 2025.
Read the study by clicking the image of the study’s cover page.
Thank you to the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, and Blue Zones for supporting this effort!
