KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Farming can be a challenge in the Klamath Basin in Southern Oregon.
The high desert climate produces wide temperature swings from day to night. The growing season is short. But a visit to a new digital directory highlights resilient small- and medium-sized farmers and ranchers who are producing a rich diversity of agricultural products.
Scroll the listings to find seasonal fruit and vegetables, eggs, garlic, herbs, honey, goat milk, microgreens, pork and lamb. Several businesses grow flowers, and one produces culinary and medicinal mushroom products. The directory also includes a restaurant, a grocery store, a brewery and a winery.
“Promoting and buying local food means local dollars stay here. That’s vital rural economic development."
“It’s amazing to see how diverse agriculture is here,” said Sarah Akbari, who splits her time between the Oregon State University Extension Service in Klamath County and Klamath Grown, a nonprofit food hub. “It’s amazing to look through the directory and see that we have people who specialize in growing melons, for example. There is a great diversity of food."
Alongside the directory, Klamath Grown launched a re-envisioned Klamath Grown Online Market in December. Customers can purchase many of the foods and beverages produced by directory businesses, and the directory helps businesses source local ingredients.
“Promoting and buying local food means local dollars stay here,” said Alison Smith, deputy director of the South Central Oregon Economic Development District and a Klamath Grown board member. “That’s vital rural economic development."
Klamath Falls farmer Katie Swanson, a Klamath Grown co-founder and director of community relations, said a strong local food system matters.
“There are so many pieces to a community being able to feed itself,” said Swanson, who owns Sweet Union Farm. “Part of it is cultural and social — having pride in your community and the land that you live on. That’s important to us."
Increasing local food awareness
As an AmeriCorps RARE (Resource Assistance for Rural Environments) service member, Akbari helped build the directory and online market for Klamath Grown’s website. Her position is supported by the Oregon Food Bank, Klamath Grown and the Oregon State University Extension Service.
“The directory is a great resource for people who want to find local food and support local farmers,” Akbari said. “It’s also a great marketing tool for farmers, who can join for free."
Working with Oregon Health & Science University, Akbari surveyed 200 households receiving SNAP benefits. One goal of the Farmers Market Promotion grant is a first-of-its-kind Harvest Box for underserved residents.
“None of this would have been possible without OSU Extension,” Swanson said. “OSU support has been essential to everything we’ve attempted to do."
Grants and partnerships
A successful proposal to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Promotion Program — nearly $250,000 awarded to the South Central Oregon Economic Development District — funds work by the district, Extension and Klamath Grown. T
hrough the grant, OSU Extensionprovides technical expertise and education in food systems, small farms, supply chains, market analysis, drought resiliency, irrigation efficiency, production efficiency, season extension, nutrition education and public health.
Extension’s role also includes:
- Facilitating bulk sales of locally grown food to schools and leading Oregon Farm to School and School Garden procurement.
- Collaborating on community and school education and promotion to raise awareness of the benefits of eating locally produced food.
- Connecting partners with Oregon State faculty, local experts and peers through the Oregon Food Hub Network and other food networks.
“OSU Extension has established connections and relationships both locally and at the campus level,” said Patty Case, professor emerita in Extension Family and Community Health. “We knew we had a lot of ways to contribute. The question was, ‘How can we get the boots on the ground and make things happen in our community?’ That’s where we shine as Extension."
Blue Zones set the tone
Case helped bring the Blue Zones Project to Klamath County, now Healthy Klamath. She worked with the Klamath County School District to place a FoodCorps service member in two schools and partnered with the county and Klamath Falls school districts to implement Farm to School and School Garden programs.
“Access to local foods was always something that Blue Zones aimed for,” Case said. “Eventually, our residents will consider supporting local foods as an important value of our community."
Previously titled Local food, local dollars: Community partnership promotes Klamath Basin agriculture
