Produce Specials for the week of November 3rd-9th. All of our produce is grown using organic methods.

• Opal Apples– $2.19/lb
• Pomegranates– $3.89/lb
• Hass Avocado– $3.29/lb
• Broccolini– $4.19/ea
• Yellow Potato 3# Bags– $3.69/ea
• Watercress– $3.19/ea

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

• Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
• Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
• Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
• Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
• Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
• Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
• Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
• Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
• Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
• Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
• Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
• Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA

The Olympia Food Co-op Pay-It-Forward Program is a fund that customers can donate money to or withdraw from at the registers. The intent of the program is to give people in need easier access to food, by using donated funds from others in the community to help cover their purchases.

The fund may be used to cover up to $20 per person per day, or whatever amount is currently in the fund if it less than $20. It can be accessed at either location.

How to use the Pay-It-Forward Fund:

1. Go to the checkout line or the customer service desk. Ask a worker if money is available in the Pay-It-Forward Fund. You cannot make a Pay-It-Forward purchase if there’s no money in the fund.
2. Collect your items. If there is enough money available, you may use up to $20 per person per day.
3. Go to the checkout like normal. Tell the cashier you’d like to make a Pay-It-Forward purchase, or hand them one of the blue pay it forward cards (available at the registers and customer service desk), Volunteer cashiers will need to call a staff member for assistance.
4. Using your own money to cover part of the total is encouraged, but not required. Thank you for helping us maintain this community resource.

Want to donate?

Ask a cashier! 100% of contributions directly support our community.

Produce Specials for the week of October 27th- November 2nd. All of our produce is grown using organic methods.

• Opal Apples– $2.19/lb
• Green Seedless Grapes– $3.69/lb
• Red Seedless Grapes– $3.69/lb
• Fuyu Persimmons– $4.39/lb
• Hachiya Persimmons– $4.39/lb
• Hass Avocado– $3.69/lb
• Bunched Carrots– $3.49/ea
• Eggplant– $2.79/lb
• Russet Potatoes– $1.19/lb
• Yellow Potatoes– $1.39/lb
• Jack-o-Lantern Pumpkins– 0.98/lb
• Turnips– $2.49/lb

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

• Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
• Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
• Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
• Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
• Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
• Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
• Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
• Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
• Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
• Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
• Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
• Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA

Alert, cheese recall!

Twin Sisters Creamery just voluntarily recalled Whatcom blue cheese due to E coli contamination. If you bought this recently don’t eat it and we’ll happily refund you!

Produce Specials for the week of October 20th- 26th. All of our produce is grown using organic methods.

• Cantaloupe Melons– $1.29/lb
• Meyer Lemons– $6.98/lb
• Red Bartlett Pears– $2.19/ea
• Hass Avocado– $3.79/lb
• Red Peppers– $4.69/lb
• Russett Potatoes– $1.19/lb
• Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkins- .98/lb
• Garnet Sweet Potato- $2.19/lb

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

• Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
• Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
• Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
• Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
• Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
• Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
• Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
• Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
• Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
• Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
• Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
• Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA

We’re excited to have 9 candidates running for the 3 open seats on our Board of Directors.

Go here to learn about them and cast your votes!

Produce Specials for the week of October 13th- 19th. All of our produce is grown using organic methods.

• Cantaloupe Melons– $1.29/lb
• Quince– $4.69/lb
• Broccolini– $2.89/ea
• Brussels Sprouts– $5.69/lb
• Celery– $1.59/lb
• Radicchio– $4.59/lb

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

• Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
• Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
• Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
• Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
• Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
• Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
• Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
• Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
• Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
• Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
• Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
• Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA

Yakama Nation Farm. Where does your produce come from? By Maggie Jay, Staff member

The land of the Central River basin has belonged to the Yakama Nation since the beginning of time. About 4 years ago, Inaba Produce Farms changed hands to become Yakama Nation Farms. The purchase was the culmination of a century-plus partnership between Japanese immigrants and Indigenous people of the Yakama Nation, who rented affordable land to them when they were barred from buying or leasing it elsewhere.

The Yakama Nation Farm is fully tribally-owned now by the Yakama Nation. When the Inaba family decided to retire and sell the business, continuing their partnership with the Yakama Nation was the option that seemed right. Generations of successful farming practices and development of packing, shipping, cold storage facilities and skilled workers help ensure food sovereignty for the tribe.

The farming practices used by the Yakama Nation result in vibrant soil that will continue to produce quality produce for years and years. Inaba Produce Farms, now Yakama Nation Farms can be found on our produce shelves! Yakima Nation Farms now produces asparagus, bell pepper, cantaloupe, corn, watermelon, grapes, onions, squash and more. Historically our Produce Department has been able to source winter squash, melons, cukes, zukes, and some asparagus from their farm.

So when you buy produce from the Olympia Food Co-op, you may also be buying “produce” with Indigenous roots and a vision for the future; owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.” (Yakama Nation Farms)

Visit ynfarms.com to learn more and to schedule a visit to their farm!

2nd Quarter 2025 Finance Report By Jill Lieseke, Staff Member

Although you may not want to admit it, you can feel it in the air. Summer is ending, and along with that the second quarter finances are closed and ready for your review. Both locations are still showing strong sales. Our local producers and farmers did not disappoint this past season and I hope you were able to get some yummy locally grown and produced goods. There will be plenty more going into Autumn.

For your review is a condensed version of the Co-op’s Combined East/West Year to Date (YTD) 2nd Quarter 2025 Budget Report. This report shows our 2025 ‘Actual’ numbers compared to our ‘Budgeted’ numbers and the variance between the two. The Co-op buys products, called Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), and we sell these products (SALES). When COGS are subtracted from sales, this equals ‘Gross Sales Revenue.’ This is how much money was made from sales, less the cost of the products that we sold.

Comparing our budgeted figures to our actual sales, we achieved more than projected–about $300,000 more. Since sales are over budget, then naturally, COGS are also over budget, resulting in a ‘Total Gross Sales Revenue’ of over $4.3 million. Compared to the budget, this is almost $150,000 more than what was projected at this point in the year. The ‘Other Revenue’ line is coming in at almost $46,000 over the budgeted amount, resulting in approximately $188,000 more than what was budgeted for ‘Total Net Revenue.’

‘Expenses’ on this report are consolidated into four categories. When these ‘Expenses’ are subtracted from ‘Revenue,’ which is the money that was made from selling products, then we find ‘Total Net Income/Loss’. Our expenses are just a little more than $27,000 over what we budgeted, resulting in a ‘Net Income’ of almost $195,500. This figure is a little more than $160,000 over what was budgeted for at the end of this 2nd quarter.

These strong sales could not have happened without YOU, our community members. We appreciate every one of you that makes up the fabric of this amazing group of Co-op members. You are all part of creating a sustainable and long-lived community hub that provides good food. Be proud!

Questions? Comments? Email the Finance Committee at jill@olympiafood.coop

October 11th & 12th!

What is Sorghum?

Sorghum is an African indigenous cereal grain which holds rich food tradition for Black and Brown communities across the world.

Inspired by Haki’s founding members roots in Kenya, for the last three years, we have been learning how to acclimate and grow sweet sorghum (called Muhia in our mother tongue) at our collective farm in rural Thurston County. The planting, harvest, and processing of sorghum is a communal tradition passed down through the generations.

Sorghum produces its high nutritional value as a milled grain, and its unique sugar -filled stalks, which we press and boil into sorghum molasses. We invite you to be a part of the process by participating in the early fall harvest and processing of our Sorghum/Muhia crop!

Live Music

The communal stewardship of sorghum crops has historically been infused with art and music. Bands for the event include the music projects of Sorghum growers and volunteers who have tended the crop as well as beloved artists across the South Sound!

• Trust Fall
• Montgomery Brown & the Cowboy Apocalypse
• The Beehees
• Siempre Bruja
• Sunflower Season
• Mazigazi
• Yarrow
• More artists to be announced!

Camping Out

Purchase a $10 tent spot with your weekend pass to campout on the farm! Campers are welcome to bring additional food items and tents to make your stay on the property comfortable.

Amenities include

• Access to the Black River
• Port-a-potties
• Hand washing station
• On site trash and recycling
• Tea/coffee station
• Charging station

More details logistics on camping will be provided upon checkout. Questions about camping? send us an email at haki@hakifarmers.org.

Produce Specials for the week of October 6-12. All our produce is Certified Organic or grown with organic methods.

• Keitt Mangoes– $3.19/lb
• Crimini Mushrooms– $4.98/lb
• Portabello Mushrooms– $7.79/lb

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

• Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
• Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
• Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
• Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
• Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
• Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
• Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
• Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
• Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
• Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
• Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
• Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA

Come celebrate the year of cooperatives with us at our 48th Annual Membership Meeting on Saturday November 8th from 11am-2pm. Hosted by the Asho Cultural Center in Tumwater, 5757 Littlerock Rd SW.

Join us for a delicious lunch and hot beverage! Plus hear about:

• How cooperatives build community
• Co-op business updates
• Elections and Board candidates information

Featuring a speaker from the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project

Produce Specials for the week of September 22 – 28. All our produce is Certified Organic or grown with organic methods.

• Keitt Mangoes– $3.19/lb
• Hass Avocado Bags– $6.39/ea
• Green Cabbage– $1.59/lb
• Green Onions– $1.29/ea

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

• Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
• Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
• Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
• Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
• Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
• Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
• Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
• Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
• Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
• Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
• Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
• Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA

Thanks to everyone who came out to The Harvest Party last Sunday at our Westside Co-op to celebrate local farmers and a shout out to the staff organizers Maggie, Mat, Chris & Opal for a job well done!

We had a great turn out, musical performances by bands that included staff members Corey, Olivia, Ange and Monica, zucchini races, food and… fun!

*Photo by Kendra Hemlock.

Produce Specials for the week of September 22 – 28. All our produce is Certified Organic or grown with organic methods.

• Grapefruit– $2.39/lb
• Keitt Mangoes– $2.98/lb
• Broccolini– $ 2.29/ea
• Red Radish Bunches– $1.98/ea
• Butternut Squash– $1.59/lb

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

• Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
• Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
• Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
• Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
• Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
• Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
• Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
• Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
• Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
• Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
• Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
• Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA

Our fabulous working member Ana Brinson will be teaching this great class on Friday and there’s still room!

Stone Fruit Shrub

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, also marks the beginning of a ten day period, ending with Yom Kippur, where Jewish tradition calls for deep self-reflection within ourselves and the communities we belong to. –By Adina Burstein, Staff member

Many Jewish communities use traditional foods, imbued with symbolism, as a catalyst for these introspective conversations. The tradition can be dated back to 3rd century Babylon (present day Iraq), when a Talmudic Rabbi encouraged the community to eat foods that grew in abundance to symbolize the abundance they hoped for in the new year. The ritual grew from there to include foods with Aramaic names that could be used as puns representing other desires for the coming year. This ritual, the foods chosen, and the meanings associated have shifted and changed with the diasporic communities that keep the tradition alive. Yehi Ratzones is a Sephardic tradition that takes these symbolic foods and turns them into a seder. Similar to Passover seders (where there are a lot of foods, but each one needs to be talked about at length before you can eat it), this tradition takes each food, one by one, and uses it to set an intention for the new year. While Judaism is generally considered a closed practice, eating, reflecting on our food, and creating meaning out of that, is uniquely human and deeply grounding.

This year, as I gather fruits and vegetables for my Rosh Hashana, I am thinking about the danger farmworkers in America are facing at the hands of ICE, how nothing we eat is removed from the political. As I feel gratitude for the abundance that I have access to I am also filled with grief for the people of Palestine and Sudan who are struggling to survive under famines that are politically motivated and artificially imposed. While it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of injustice in our world, many Rosh Hashanah foods are chosen to reaffirm the power each of us has to make change in the world. The foods shared here, as well as their symbolism, are incomplete. Their purpose is not to tell us what to hope for, but to ask ourselves what the world needs and what the current moment requires of us.

• Black-Eyed Pea rubiya in Aramaic, shares its root with the word rebah, meaning increase. This food is a classic in the new year celebrations of many cultures, and Jewish tradition asks us to identify what we hope will be fruitful and abundant in our lives this year.
• Carrot gezer in Aramaic, shares its root with the word g’zar, meaning decree. What laws or decrees have been made that don’t serve justice and we hope are nullified in the next year?
• Beet selek in Aramaic, shares its root with the word salak, meaning to remove. What blocks the path ahead and how can it be removed? Is there a person you wish would just “beet it”?
• Date tamar in Aramaic, shares its root with tam, meaning to end. Many people eat dates in the hope that there will be an end to all wars, violence, and oppression. What systems in the world and patterns within ourselves need to come to an end to bring this about?
• “New Fruit” can mean a fruit you have never eaten before or a fruit that you have not eaten yet this year. This food symbolizes new possibilities and is a reminder that, as long as we’re alive, we are able to experience new things.
• Apples Dipped in Honey or Sugar symbolize the sweet new year we want to have. What does sweetness look like to you?

Honorable mentions go to round challahs (with or without raisins), fish (heads and/or whole), pomegranates leeks, and gourds–all staples at Rosh Hashanahs around the world, each imbued with layers of meaning: sometimes serious, sometimes silly, and continually growing.

Whether it’s for Rosh Hashanah or your next meal, what foods will you eat and what will they mean to you?

All our produce is Certified Organic or grown with organic methods. Here are the specials for the week of September 15th-21st.

• Keitt Mangoes– $3.29/lb
• Yellow Nectarine–  $3.98/lb
• Yellow Peaches– $3.98/lb
• Cauliflower– $2.19/lb
• Bi-Color Corn– $1.39/ea
• Green Onions–  $1.29/ea
• Yellow Potatoes 3# Bags– $4.19/ea

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

• Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
• Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
• Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
• Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
• Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
• Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
• Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
• Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
• Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
• Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
• Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
• Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA

We still have room in the learn to make Injera class tonigh by Jay Ryan!

Register here 

All our produce is Certified Organic or grown with organic methods.  Here are the specials for the week of September 8th-14th.

• Mini-Watermelons … 1.19/lb
• Hass Avocado Bags … 6.29/ea
• Butternut Squash …1.59/lb
• Delicata Squash … 1.59/lb

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

• Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
• Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
• Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
• Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
• Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
• Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
• Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
• Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
• Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
• Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
• Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
• Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA

We have a very important announcement related to running for the board of directors:

If you submitted your application before September 2nd, you may need to reapply due to a technical issue on our end. We are very sorry for any inconvenience. Please email us at boardapplication@olympiafood.coop to make sure we received your application.

All our produce is Certified Organic or grown with organic methods.

Produce Specials for the week of September 1 – 7

​​

• Piel de Sapo Melons. . . 1.49/lb
• Snow Leopard Melons… 1.49/lb
• Celery … 1.39/lb
• Walla Walla Sweet Onions . . . 1.59/lb
  
  We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:
  
  Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
  Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
  Burnt Ridge Orchards, Onalaska, WA
  Helsing Junction Farm, Rochester, WA
  Here To There Farm, Olympia, WA
  Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
  Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
  Newaukum Valley Farm, Chehalis, WA
  Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
  Piece By Piece Farm, Rochester, WA
  Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA
  Wobbly Cart Farm, Rochester, WA
  
  All our produce is Certified Organic or grown with organic methods.

All our produce is Certified Organic or grown with organic methods. Here are the specials
for the week of August 25 – 31.

​

• Black Mission Figs . . . 10.39/lb
• Brown Turkey Figs … 10.39/lb
• Cantaloupe Melons … 1.29/lb
• Piel de Sapo Melons … 1.59/lb
• Hass Avocado Bags … 7.29/ea
• Cauliflower . . . 1.89/lb
• Bi-Color & Yellow Corn … 1.49/ea
• Green Onions … 1.29/ea
• Jalapeno Peppers . . . 4.69/lb

We currently proudly carry locally grown produce from:

Boistfort Valley Farm, WA
Brownfield Orchards, Chelan, WA
Burnt Ridge Orchards, WA
Here To There Farm, WA
Kingfisher Farm, Rochester, WA
Little Big Farm, Olympia, WA
Okanogan Producers Marketing Assoc., Okanogan, WA
Piece By Piece Farm, WA
Rising River Farm, Rochester, WA

The Board of Directors meets the third Thursday of every month. Meetings start at 6:00 pm, and take place at the Co-op’s downtown office at 610 Columbia St SW as well as by zoom.  All Olympia Food Co-op members are welcome to attend and each agenda includes open time for member comments. Comments to the Board can also be emailed to ofcboard@olympiafood.coop

zoom link to attend virtually

08.21.25 agenda