(last update: April 27, 3pm)
Dear Friends,
We know the information is flying fast and furious these days, and you still have seedlings to water and animals to feed. We’ve created this page to be a place to get your COVID questions answered and for you to share information. Whether you have questions, requests, updates, or resources to share, please email them to together@hdffa.org – we are checking this address 7 days a week and will answer as soon as we can. We’re all in this together, and we’re sure glad we have you helping our community stay healthy and well-fed.
Ask a question
Ask us anything. We’ll try hard to get you a reliable, accurate answer quick. Email together@hdffa.org.
Sell your products (tools for direct-to-consumer sales)
How to get set up to take EBT (food stamps) at your farm or farmstand and more about turning people’s plastic into money for your farm. Thanks BuyLocal and Farmers Market Coalition!
Thinking of selling online? Oregon Tilth had a webinar and this page has a link to it and to some fact sheets for different platforms as well as great questions to ask. Thanks Tanya Murray!
The National Young Farmers Coalition has a summary list of platforms you might want to consider (including pricing). Thanks NYFC!
Sell your products (resellers and others who can help you get your products to consumers)
VineNTap (new restaurant) in Redmond: “We are really focused on our online store and curbside service. I could add to my store section for farm fresh products and offer the same service, providing both hot meals and local produce without having to leave your car.” Contact David at Vine N Tap, 541-977-1587.
Volcano Veggies is expanding their home delivery service: ” We would love to source locally for the groceries that we are already selling, as much as possible. Please include wholesale pricing and what quantities you have & expect over the summer. We would need orders delivered on Mondays if possible. Our location is on 2nd street, next to the Humm Kombucha taproom.” Contact Shannon Sbarra – shannon@volcanoveggies.com or call 541-728-3355
Financial help (grants and other opportunities)
FACT is now accepting mini-grant applications from livestock and poultry farmers whose businesses have been impacted by the COVID-19 Thanks Megan French!
Americal Farmland Trust has a relief fund that might help you through these tough times. Thanks Megan and David of Boundless Farmstead!
Post your products to our consumer web page
We have a COVID: Buy Central Oregon webpage dedicated to HDFFA Partner farmers, ranchers and food businesses. We update the site daily or every other day with your products, and how/when to buy them. Email us at together@hdffa.org
Keeping up with resources and opportunities
OSU has put together a whole page of resources for small farms and a great collection of information on farm food safety (and they keep the list updated). Thanks Clare Sullivan!
Rogue Farm Corps would like to share some ultra-practical guidelines and resources you can use right now. Thanks RFC!
Eco-Farm has a beautiful list of resources about selling, food safety, and the other important things you never had to think about before. Love you, Eco-Farm!
The Washington Young Farmers Coalition and the National Young Farmers Coalition are keeping their curated resource pages updated regularly. Thanks Young Farmers!
Tilth’s COVID 19 resource page is full of great pointers to the work that’s being done to support producers. Thanks Tilth!
Cornell University’s emphasis is on resilience. Cornell, you’re the best!
Farm Commons has a beautiful set of all kinds of resources for legal and financial aspects of COVID response. Farm Commons, we salute you!
The USDA has a Rural Resource Guide that helps you navigate the US Government’s massive but complex response. Thanks, Mr. and Ms. Taxpayer!
Webinars
So many webinars. Please check out our webinar calendar for live and recorded info sessions, and email together@hdffa.org if you know about one that’s not listed.
Spreading the word
When you post on social media, please tag HDFFA, and we’ll share and comment on it to make sure more people see it. If you forget to tag us, please drop us an email (together@hdffa.org) or message through social media to let us know.
Mailing Lists
If you aren’t on the Central Oregon Farmers and ranchers mailing list, you should strongly consider it. Sign up here: https://lists.oregonstate.edu/mailman/listinfo/centralor_farmers_ranchers
If you are not an HDFFA partner but want to get HDFFA Farmer and Rancher communications, email Laurie@hdffa.org to sign up.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
