Central Oregon Locavore has been connecting local farmers with customers since 2010, when it opened an online store. Today, Locavore is a small, indoor farmers market on NE Third Street with a co-op feel: it sells fresh produce, dairy, meat and other local and sustainable goods. The shelves are stocked with colorful vegetables, bulk bins and hard-to-find personal care items.
"It's our goal and mission to support local farmers and ranchers for the health of our community," said Nicolle Timm-Branch, president and founder.
"It's nice to see it recognized and appreciated because we work hard and it's definitely a labor of love," she said when she found out Locavore was voted Best Green Business.
During the first months of the pandemic, Locavore was busier than it had ever been before.
"People are interested in being healthy; they want their immune systems to stay strong," she said. "They also want to do everything they can to support the local economy through this."
Grocery store shortages made people realize that conventional food systems in the U.S. were not as stable as they thought, she said.
"More people now understand how important it is to build solid, local food production systems and a community so that we are a little more self-reliant," she said.
"I think people appreciate the importance of supporting our friends and neighbors who grow local food, because especially in the High Desert, growing food is difficult," she said. "We face short growing seasons, volcanic soil, extreme temperature variations and low rain fall, as well as harsh winters."
Central Oregon Locavore
1841 NE 3rd St., Bend
541-633-7388
centraloregonlocavore.org
Location Details
Location Details
2nd - The Gear Fix
