Food Front News
In solidarity - and on building community
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Weekly Sales
Click here for this week's flyer and deals.
Producer Spotlight
Walnut Hill Farm, owned by Tim Gilmer and his wife, Sam, is located in between Oregon City and Canby, just east of the Willamette River. The Gilmers have been growing vegetables on their 27-acre farm for delivery to Portland-area markets and restaurants since 1983. In 1990 WHF adopted organic growing methods. The farm has been certified organic by Oregon Tilth since 1995. Each year WHF markets upwards of 20 different varieties of tomatoes and between 10 and 12 varieties of lettuce. Other crops grown are fresh basil, Giant Italian parsley, 5 different types of beans, broccoli, eggplant, Asian cucumbers, radicchio, and multiple varieties of peppers, melons, and squashes. In 2009 Walnut Hill Farm was featured in an episode of PBS’ award-winning food program, “Chefs A’Field,” along with celebrated chef Philippe Boulot of Portland’s Heathman Restaurant. “We’ve been bringing fresh veggies to Food Front for the last 20 or so years, and we’re especially appreciative of the coop’s consistent support of local farmers,” says Farmer Tim.
We have the best local cheese selection!
Cascadia Creamery
"Cascadia Creamery revives a long tradition of artisan cheese making in the Trout Lake Valley that began over 125 years ago. Here rich volcanic soils and temperate weather provide lush grazing meadows for our cows and an ideal location to craft our organic, aged, raw artisan cheeses." Read more here
Fraga Farms
"Fraga Farm is an organic farmstead goat dairy in northern Oregon. We produce a full range of certified organic goat cheese." Read more here
Ancient Heritage
"Delivered from our pasture to your plate, our mission is to craft exquisite artisan cheese, made farm fresh and responsibly. Our recipes are based in old-world European tradition utilizing methods that respect their ancient heritage." Read more here
Portland Creamery
"We believe in producing simple, excellent, handcrafted goat cheese for the Portland community and beyond." Read more here
Karen Jones. At large
I live in the neighborhood just around the corner from Food Front and have been a Co-op member since 2014. I am excited to serve on the co-op board and contribute my background in real estate and legal transactions. As a former Real Estate Portfolio Lease Administrator and Senior Real Estate Paralegal, I have extensive experience managing and overseeing complex property transactions and related real estate closings.
I am committed to ensuring the co-op approaches the building sale with transparency, careful financial oversight, and strong member communication. My goal is to help protect the co-op’s values while securing the best outcome for its future.
Contact: karen@foodfront.coop
Onwards and upwards
Dear Owners,
It is with disappointment that we heard yesterday from Market of Choice that they can no longer go forward with the purchase of Food Front. Maybe it is better to share the words of Zach Wright, MoC President:
We appreciate the recent vote of confidence from the Food Front Cooperative. Our interest in the property stemmed from a concept my father, Rick, wanted to explore. However, his vision was still evolving and had not yet been formalized. Without his guidance, the path forward is less clear. After thoughtful review, we have decided not to move forward with the purchase.
Following the membership vote and Letter of Intent, Market of Choice initiated a thorough review and due diligence process. With consultation from industry experts Market of Choice conducted extensive research and carefully evaluated this opportunity, which led to the decision not to purchase the property.
As you can imagine, this was not the news any of us wanted for our store or neighborhood. We are moving quickly to talk with other parties who were interested in the building. As soon as we can share anything, we will be back to you all. Time really is of the essence.
We feel your frustration - believe us, we really do!
Very truly yours,
The Food Front Board of Directors
Kate, Sue, Katharine, Raluca and Aaron
Food Front Update 7/28
Dear Owners,
We are grateful for your big turnout to vote. 91.8% of you want to see Market of Choice open a store in our neighborhood. We were very happy that we had two such solid proposals, both showing respect and understanding of the big shoes they have to fill.
Some figures for you. 688 members voted. 91.8% of you picked Market of Choice and 8.2% selected Mark New's development proposal. On hearing the results Zach Wright commented that he was happy that there was so much support from our community.
This is a big step that has been a long time coming. We are so happy that we can proceed with confidence knowing this is what a large majority of you voted for. We will keep you informed as we progress through the process with Market of Choice.
Your board is working diligently with our pro-bono lawyers, Stoel Rives, to prepare the sale documentation for Market of Choice. As soon as we have a timeline and next steps we will share this information with members. If you have any questions, please email us at board@foodfront.coop.
Very truly yours,
The Food Front Board of Directors
Aaron Antrim. At large
Aaron joined Food Front as a member owner in 2023 after moving to NW Thurman Street in 2022. He moved to Portland in 2008 for its civic spirit, great food, and excellent bike transportation. Aaron's professional career has been devoted to making public transportation easier to use as the Founder of Trillium, a transit data consultancy, and co-founder of MobilityData, a non-profit dedicated to open transit data standards. Aaron's LinkedIn Profile
Contact: aaron@foodfront.coop
Raluca McCallum, Treasurer
As a resident of the neighborhood since 2012, I am committed to finding a resolution for the state of the coop and what it may be in the future. As a radiologist with a strong foundation in medicine and leadership experience as the associate radiology residency program director at OHSU, I bring a unique perspective on public health, wellness, and organizational management. My commitment is to the health of our community and to the need of community building in our NW neighborhood. I stand for equity and access to healthy food for our neighbors; values that I believe our community also upholds.
Contact: raluca@foodfront.coop