Helping local families

After attending the Master Gardeners class last spring, 2024, put on by Wendy Carr, with the local MSU. Ext office, our class members need to put in twenty hours of community service, to receive our certifications. I finally had an opportunity to start that with Beth Riffle, at Waterway, CSA. Starting at 7 a.m. to beat the heat, Beth was able to plant three rows to my one row of 75 bell peppers, exhibiting her experience as a gardener.

She’s in her sixth season on the same property she grew up on, with the now Waterway, CSA, Community Sustainable Agriculture. Learning about this from a coworker at the office, and taking six months to research this new avenue, realizing the huge need in this area for fresh produce that is spray free, Beth dove into her new lifestyle.

The farm hosts approximately two hundred registered families, and has the produce available to double that! What doesn’t go to the registered members, she sells at the local Farmers Markets, Trout Creek-Wed; Thompson Falls-Thurs; and Plains-Fridays. Which Waterway CSA also now has the capability to accept EBT cards.

They’ve been able to incorporate other local growers in Sanders County, Beth refers to as a “Food Hub”. In this network of purchasing, she’s able to have specialized produce on hand, farm fresh eggs, corn, etc. They also raise pigs, beef, and chickens, for harvest.

An annual end of season festival is on the second weekend of October, with free food, train rides, a corn maze, and many other activities for great family fun! Everyone is invited!

To become a member for a summer of weekly fresh produce, go on their website to register, deadline is June 1 of each year, waterwaycsa.com.

Judy Arneson, Thompson Falls