Hunger, Justice and Farming

Last evening, I felt inspired as I sat in a room filled with wild hopers, who still believe small groups of people can make powerful changes in their local community to help those who are food insecure. I learned that food insecurity affects one in 5 people who live in the Columbia River Gorge. People are skipping meals, going to bed hungry in a valley that is filled with fertile land and abundant harvests. Jacques Diouf once said, "Hunger is not an issue of charity. its an issue of justice.  There is plenty of food for all in our valley and some of it goes to waste before it can be enjoyed by everyone. I care deeply about growing food for my community as a farmer and I want EVERYONE in my neighborhood to be able to enjoy the many harvests from my farm weather they can pay for it by the pound or are gifted with a box of fruit to enjoy each day with their children. 

We are coming into the season of Thanksgiving and I feel compelled as a human who farms to give intentionally each week to tackle food insecurity in my neighborhood. This week we donated a large bin of Sugar Pumpkins to the local food bank and donated 20 large bins of Goldens/jonagold apples to the Oregon Food bank to distribute to all over our state for thousands of households to enjoy this holiday season. Fresh fruit grown with love for all to enjoy is something to be thankful for and something I am committed too each and every year. Nutritious, sustainably grown food grown for all!

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I challenge us all to take inventory in our cupboards and give generously every single week to put an end to hunger in the gorge. If you have plenty to eat, please remember that others have less and they need us all to share forward with them so they can be nourished by the sustaining and healing powers of food. Not once a year but make this your aim every single week. Lets carry ample granola bars, fresh fruit, grocery gift cards and peanut butter packets in our cars to share forward with our friends who live outside and are asking for help on the side of the freeway.  

Did you know that many kids in town the only solid meal they get is when they are at school and there are a lot of weeks coming ahead where they will not have the opportunity to enjoy a school meal because of the holidays and time off?  I propose everyone should consider inviting the kids in their neighborhood over for lunch? The kids in my life thoroughly enjoy cooking so preparing a meal with them and sharing it forward is a great way to love your neighbors well and break bread together. 

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 I have made the goal of having friends (old and new over) over for dinner in my home so we can share stories and supper with one another each week this season. Want to come over for dinner? The thanksgiving season is all about sharing, giving, connecting and enjoying the warmth of a meal with people you love.  There is plenty of room at our tables for extras and I challenge everyone who reads this to intentionally invite extra people over each week to be nourished and loved in your home.  xoxo your grateful farmer, Trina McAlexander

Sharing local harvests forward

One of our core values as a farm is to make sure everyone in our community is enjoying our abundant local harvests.  We make it a point each and every year to share our fruit forward with schools, non profits, churches, the christmas project, food banks, day centers and homeless shelters. As farmers we care deeply about growing food for our community and region and it is our pleasure to ensure everyone in our valley is eating fresh, local and nutritious fruit. 

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Food insecurity is harmful to all people, but it is particularly devastating to children. Proper nutrition is critical to a child’s development.  Hunger and poverty often go hand in hand, but poverty is not the ultimate determinant of food insecurity.  While hunger has no boundaries - African Americans are more than twice as likely to suffer from food insecurity as their white, non-Hispanic counterparts.  Seniors face a number of unique medical and mobility challenges that amplify the effects of hunger and put them at a greater risk of food insecurity.  The Latino population has nearly doubled in the past decade and Latino communities are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity, poverty and unemployment.  The irony is that many food-insecure households are in the very rural and farm communities whose productivity feeds the world and provides low-cost wholesome food for American consumers. It is our honor to bring bins of fruit down to our local food banks because again we want everyone in our community to eat well and not be hungry.

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A huge heart filled thank you to everyone who purchased fruit farm direct from our stand this year or participated in our All Fruit CSA. Your continued support and loyalty makes it possible for us to remain in farming year after year and to be able to share forward generously with every member of our community.  We still have fruit for sale at our farm stand at the bargain rate of 50cents a pound and we invite you to buy your fruit locally-farm direct this Winter and Spring at Mt. View Orchards.  We are sharing forward with the Oregon food bank but we are saving enough for the friends of our farm that come get apples each week for their lunches.  An apple a day really is good for your health and for prevention of illnesses so come on by and load up for our health, friends. We also have Sugar pumpkins and squash as well.  xoxo Your Grateful farmer, Trina

PS. I personally invite you all to come to the Hood River Library this thursday night, November 10th at 630pm to watch The Film Premiere, Harvesting Our Stories by David Hanson with gourmet popcorn. We were honored to participate in this production as the fruit orchard.
 

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An example week of our All Fruit CSA! Eat the rainbow!

Swiss Edelweiss Day!

My maternal great grandparents immigrated to the states from Switzerland in 1905.  My grandfather Lewis Albert Merz was the 5th of 12 Swiss children and grew up on a dairy farm/vineyard in Helvetia, Oregon (little Switzerland) We have been throwing a Swiss Edelweiss party on our farm to celebrate our Swiss Heritage for many decades to bring back our favorite Swiss traditions.   This Saturday, October the 22nd(tomorrow), I personally invite you all to come out and enjoy Swiss Music by one of our favorite yodeler/accordion musican, Shelby Aeppli Imholtz(Another Swiss Lass) and her Swiss playing family(12-4pm). Also we will be serving Swiss Brats, Sauerkraut, Grilled onions, Apple Strudel and a Buttery Swiss Cookie called "Bratzlis." (Cue favorite Swiss joke, "you're a lil BRATzli)

Family traditions, rich food, music from the motherland and old county and celebrating our apple harvests by making 82 Apple strudels is a lovely way to spend a Saturday in the Hood River Valley. We have an alpenhorn and large cow bell that my dad always blows each year. Some people come wearing Lederhosen and swiss aprons and dawn their swiss hats and flag jewelry.  Many of our Swiss relatives come out to give Swiss shouts and hoots and join in on the Swiss Celebration. My family has a long history of throwing big parties and inviting everyone over to enjoy their hospitality. This party is going to be a blast and I hope to see you all and give you hugs and swiss kisses. 

 We are having a sale on our apples/pears these next few weeks so come and get some fruit as well to take home to enjoy in the colder months.  Our Hard Cider, Golden Row, my auntie and uncles wine, Elk Cove and Local beer will be served as well. This party happens rain or shine and we have plenty of canopies and warming heaters.  Come say" hi,"to the animals and pick your own apples our or pumpkins.  We'd be honored to have you all come to celebrate our Swiss family history and enjoy Swiss food and music on the farm. xo your grateful (Swiss) farmer.

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