Budget concerns prompt pause of Sustainable Connections’ local fruit program in 2025
Whatcom County nonprofit Sustainable Connections will pause its fruit production program that is operated by Cloud Mountain Farm Center next year, citing rising operating costs and fundraising challenges.
“The organization is acting now so that it can continue to sustain and grow its other impactful programs — the overarching goal is to find a partner who will continue to support and produce high-quality, organic fruit to benefit the needs of the local food system,” the nonprofit said in a November announcement.
Cloud Mountain is an educational farm center in Everson that merged with Sustainable Connections in 2019. It is an agricultural program that facilitates the operation of orchards, vineyards and a large nursery. Staff will continue to maintain the orchards in 2025 while Sustainable Connections looks for new partners to manage its organic fruit production, according to the announcement.
“We did not make this decision lightly,” Sustainable Connections Board President Bruce Tabb said in the announcement. “The Cloud Mountain Farm Center fruit production program is one we wish we could continue stewarding forever. However, despite significant efforts to secure additional grants and funding after a major annual grant for food systems work ended, few have been successful.”
The farm grows more than 150 varieties of fruit including plums, peaches, grapes, currants, pears and apples.
The fruit produced at the program has been sold at the Bellingham Farmers Market; through the Twin Sisters Mobile Market; wholesale to local grocers through the Puget Sound Food Hub; to restaurants; and on the farm, with the long-term goal of getting local organic fruit into schools, food banks, food access programs and nonprofits.
It is unclear how much of an impact the program’s pause could have on these partners.
Sustainable Connections will focus its efforts on running its classic workshops in 2025, which include basic fruit tree care, vineyard management and site design. Cloud Mountain will open its nursery as usual on Feb. 1.
“These changes will enable SC to deepen its commitment to programs that have the biggest impact on the regional food system. This programming includes the youth education centered Agriculture Career Exploration program, hands-on workshops, and shared processing, aggregation, and storage facilities,” the announcement said.
Sustainable Connections also announced in early 2024 that it would no longer operate Cloud Mountain Farm Center’s Incubator Farm Program, citing insufficient staffing and funding.
This story was originally published December 8, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
