We
support our local suppliers.....
Cascade
Cuts - Holistically Grown
Our
staff is honored to spotlight one of our distinguished
local growers, Cascade Cuts of Bellingham,
Wa. The owners, Paul Troutman and Alison Kutz-Troutman
bring you herbs, perennials and annuals every year
as well as an assortment of other plants you often
see in clay pots in our Flower Shop. What Cascade Cuts
brings to our Puget Sound community is a commitment
to sustainable agriculture which in turn creates a
stronger environment both as it relates to the earth
and social networks.
The
plants from Cascade Cuts are grown
with integrity and love, organic soils, natural methods,
and beneficial insects. Our plants are fed with compost
teas and botanical products, as well as some conventional
fertilizer. This balance of practices helps us sustain
a viable, socially, economical and environmentally
responsible nursery in Whatcom County. Surrounded by
pastures and hedgerows and herb gardens- our growers
bring to you the best from our little piece of paradise.
Cascade
Cuts plants are grown in the most natural
way possible. Their innovative and environmental
approach to growing incorporates many new alternative
tools to harsh chemicals, including the latest
in natural controls to create a biological growing
program in their greenhouses. In addition, many
plants are watered through their irrigation system
which recycles the extra water into a closed
irrigation system. This helps to prevent runoff,
waste, and fertilizers from entering the farm
soil and groundwater.. Cascade Cuts develops
their own compost as well as compost teas. We
work closely with Cascade Cuts to bring you the
healthiest plants possible while also keeping
it local.
Rents
Due Ranch
Rents
Due Ranch is owned and operated
by Michael Shriver and JoanE McIntyre since
1980. Their farm, in Stanwood Washington,
was established on the idea of producing
healthy wholesome food for their own family.
Today, the farm consists of 50+ acres of
rotational organic vegetables, berries and
flower production. They also have eight greenhouses
of herbs, vegetable, cut flower and perennial
starts. The greenhouse production allows
them to maintain a superior product for our
fields, their retail/wholesale customers
and provides extended employment for their
dedicated crew. As the organic industry grows,
we continue to see the need for quality organic
products. It is their goal to expand the
operations of Rents Due Ranch while
focusing on the consumer's needs and quality
product the farm is known for.
Sound
Horticulture
Sound
Horticulture, and its owner Alison
Kutz-Troutman is as green as it gets. Alison,
as a dedicated grower for Cascade Cuts for
25 years, has developed a wonderful support
business around the use of Compost Teas,
and training and supporting growers in the
Art and Science of biological methods of
growing and gardening. Although most of her
work is with growers all over the country,
she is right here for us at Swansons supporting
our Compost Tea program and work with beneficial
insects around the nursery. She teaches workshops
and conducts trainings on a variety of sustainable
practices, and how they work in concert to
reduce our inputs and footprint on the planet.
Her strong emphasis, and a very high priority
right now for the homeowner, is building
urban soil quality. By building soil quality
and the tilth of the soil, we will be able
to grow nutritious foods right in our own
gardens, while at the same time building
a "buffering capacity" to reduce
run-off and erosion here in the Puget Sound
Basin. Her approach is to add what the soil
has lost, and try to re-create a healthy
living system that will support all that
you wish to grow with ease. We are delighted
to have Alison and Sound Horticulture as
part of our growing commitment to organic
practices both here and for our customers.
Westwind
Gardens
Swansons
is proud to have Westwind Gardens as
a supplier of our certified organic herb and vegetable
starts.
Westwind Gardens was founded
by Liz and Phil Smith in Forest Grove, Oregon
in 1991.
At first, they had one greenhouse, a little blue rectangle
of a home, a falling down shed and a dream of making
a living off their own 5.13 acres. They began by growing
organic vegetable starts in their recycled greenhouse
structure and selling them at a local farmers market.
In the summer months, they then sold produce from the
field at the market and eventually to restaurants and
food stores in the Portland area.
As the years have gone by, their business has evolved
into fourteen greenhouses for garden plant production
with a few acres left for field growing of their favorite
vegetable, chiles, which they roast and sell at the
farmer’s markets from late summer thru fall.
The greenhouses allow them to produce a wide variety
of certified organic herb and vegetable starts along
with a range of naturally grown flowering
They call their products ‘Planet Wise Plants’ reflecting
the development and refinement of their wholesome organic
growing practices and environmentally friendly flowers.
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