La Fête du Fromage - Cheesemakers Need Your Help

Today, la Fête du Fromage will not be about French cheese, rather, about cheesemakers in America.

This morning I came across some sad and devastating flood stories from several small, cheesemaker's farms in Washington State and Oregon.
Many suffered damage to their homes and property, lost entire barns and sadly, livestock.

Fortunately, there are many ways we can help them put their lives back together.

* DeLaurenti's in Seattle is collecting funds for affected cheesemakers at the registers. DeLaurenti's will match all funds collected.

* Madison Market in Seattle is collecting funds at their registers for farms identified as needing support by Washington Tilth.

* Olympia Food Coop in Olympia, Washington has started a Farm Relief Fund that will benefit farmers and cheesemakers that the coop supports. You can donate at checkouts at both locations.

* Olympia Farmer's Market fund benefits farmers who attend the market in Olympia, Washington. Donations accepted online.

* Seattle Neighborhood Farmer's Market Alliance Good Farmer Fund - these folks had the foresight to create an ongoing fund specifically designed to aid farmers in need. See their web site for details.

* Washington Farm Bureau Farm Relief Fund has already collected $35,000 for the benefit of Washington's farmers affected by the storms.

* Washington Tilth list of donation options including some you may not have thought of, like the American Red Cross.

Additionally, the folks at the Pacific Northwest Cheese Project are organizing a benefit, Cheese for a Good Cause, scheduled for Friday, February 1, 2008.

So, instead of spending money buying cheese this week, why not send some to help out these farmers? Pin It