High Desert Food & Farm Alliance

HDFFA Board Member Abby Kellner-Rode and staff members Sharon Maier-Kennelly and James Faughnan were happy to join the Central Oregon contingent (that also included FoFF’s Natalie Danielson & Claudia Gutierrez) for Friends of Family Farmers’ ‘Small Farms Mean Business’ Rally Day in Salem last week! 82 Oregon farmers and food systems advocates gathered at the Oregon State Capitol for 42 legislator meetings to highlight two FoFF priorities plus four partner led bills and four agency budget items. Abby & Sharon also had a special meeting with Representative Emerson Levy. It was an inspiring day - thank you FoFF! #everyonedeservesgoodfood #todoelmundomerececomidabuena

Please help us welcome Barbara Lowe to HDFFA as our new Warm Springs Tribal Food Access Coordinator! Barbara, born and raised in Central Oregon, brings a diverse background in customer service, healthcare, and nutrition to HDFFA. She is committed to fostering connections between her community and local farmers, with a particular interest in seasonal eating by supporting local produce. In her free time, Barbara enjoys crafting, gardening, cooking, and tending to her bees—each activity a testament to her dedication to sustainable living.?In her role, she will be supporting the planning, implementation, and evaluation of our VeggieRx and Fresh Harvest Kit programs and related food sovereignty events on the Warm Springs Reservation. We are so excited Barb joined our team!

Congratulations to our partners Holm Made Toffee Co. who won in the “People’s Choice” category at the 21st annual Oregon Chocolate Festival last weekend! This is Holm Made Toffee’s?16th award in 12 years presented by the Oregon Chocolate Festival. They certainly won our hearts (and tummies) at HDFFA! Congratulations, friends! #TasteCentralOregon

Thank you Oregon Farm Bureau Federation for sharing this statistic in honor of National Women's Month: Let’s celebrate the 44% of Oregon farmers and ranchers who are women—ranking the state 4th nationwide for female principal operators! ??

Thank you to our Agricultural Support Team - Andrea Smith & James Faughnan - for attending the CSA Share Fair at The Environmental Center. They enjoyed seeing so many partners and community members talking about how to eat local this summer!

Thank you Prineville Data Center for supporting High Desert Food & Farm Alliance so we can better connect with our community!

Calling all farms, ranches, and local food businesses in Central Oregon! Join HDFFA as a 2025 Partner and connect with a thriving network dedicated to strengthening our local food system. Sign up by March 7th to be featured in the 14th Annual Food & Farm Directory—a go-to resource for local food lovers! Don’t miss out! Become a partner today. Visit https://lnkd.in/gqtihWj or email [email protected] #HDFFA #EveryoneDeservesGoodFood

HDFFA’s Agricultural Support Manager, Andrea Smith, has been hard at work to once again plan a fantastic Small Farms School with our collaborators School of Ranch, OSU Extension and Engagement, and Deschutes Soil & Water Conservation District. Join us all for the Central Oregon Small Farms School on March 29th. Once again, this event will be held at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds at the Central Oregon Agricultural Show. Choose From Twelve Sessions Taught By Oregon’s Leading Small Farm Experts. $40. Register here: https://lnkd.in/g5up6Y7G

HDFFA is thrilled to welcome James Faughnan to HDFFA as our new Small Farms Coordinator. In his role, James will provide support to our Central Oregon farmers by providing resources and technical assistance to enhance their agricultural productivity, sustainability, and market access. James, a native of Colorado and former organic farmer, comes to HDFFA with a passion for building resilient systems -- environmental, agricultural, social, and otherwise. His life work has taken him through culinary, farming, and nonprofit spaces, each providing a unique avenue through which to deepen community and sense of place. He spends his time alternating between hot springs and river soaks, playing disc golf with friends, drinking tea with his cat, and going to concerts with this beautiful community. He is beyond excited to apply his passions to this role supporting local farmers throughout Central Oregon!

HDFFA is pleased to support local farms Boundless Farmstead and Rainshadow Organics through the purchase of 1,000 of carrots for The Giving Plate. This is a pilot of a "Grow a Row" concept that HDFFA is hoping to fund in the future that will not only provide income to local farmers, but also increase access to nutritious produce for The Giving Plate's clients. HDFFA staff and board bundled carrots from Boundless and Rainshadow so they will be available in the coming days for local families. #EveryoneDeservesGoodFood