CCCNews Podcast: Gorge Farmer Collective Puts Food Power Back in Growers’ Hands
The Dalles, Ore., Oct. 2, 2025 — A farm co-op born out of the COVID-19 shutdowns has grown into a vital food hub for the Columbia Gorge, giving dozens of local farmers a way to sell their crops directly while strengthening food security in the region.
On the latest CCCNews Podcast, Executive Director and co-founder Kiara Kashuba described how the Gorge Farmer Collective started in March 2020, when farmers suddenly lost access to restaurants and markets. What began with five farms experimenting with an online marketplace has since expanded to more than 35 producers serving families, schools, food banks, and restaurants across Hood River, White Salmon, The Dalles, Mosier, and Lyle.
“Our whole point is to put the power of food distribution into the hands of those who are actually growing it,” Kashuba said. Farmers keep about 80 percent of the sale price — a dramatic shift from traditional distribution systems, where they often receive pennies on the dollar.
Customers place orders online Thursday through Monday, and farmers harvest only what has already been sold. That eliminates waste, cuts labor costs, and ensures food is delivered the same day it’s picked. Orders are packed at a shared warehouse space in Hood River before being dropped at pickup sites or delivered directly to homes and commercial kitchens.
The model doesn’t just benefit shoppers. By centralizing delivery and administrative work, the co-op gives small growers a chance to compete with corporate distributors, Kashuba said. Farmers are paid weekly by bank transfer, a rarity in agriculture where large contracts can take months to settle. “We’re not using our farmers to float our expenses,” she said. “They’ve already invested months of labor. They should get paid immediately.”
Beyond commerce, the group has built programs aimed at food access and health. Through partnerships with food banks and nonprofits such as Gorge Grown Food Network, the co-op supplies fresh produce to low-income households and community pantries. Its “Veggie Rx” program even delivers doctor-prescribed boxes of fruits and vegetables to patients managing chronic illnesses at Providence and Skyline hospitals.
Local collaboration runs deep. Partnering with Bend-based Agricultural Connections, Gorge growers trade tree fruit for storage crops like potatoes, expanding variety for customers while keeping distribution within about 200 miles. The co-op also supplies area restaurants, school districts and even cancer patients through nutrition-based health initiatives.
Kashuba said the cooperative’s impact extends far beyond the farms themselves. Every dollar spent locally circulates $1.50 to $2.60 through the regional economy via wages, trucking, equipment and services. “When you spend it here, that money goes back into our community.”
The system has also proven more resilient than national supply chains. During pandemic border closures and transportation delays, the co-op kept food moving across the Gorge. With rising grocery prices continuing to strain families, Kashuba believes the model is more important than ever.
“We’re stronger together,” she said. “It’s us versus the corporate services and global distribution. By working as a collective, we can stabilize farm incomes and make sure everyone has access to fresh, local food.”
Shop Thursday-Monday at GorgeFarmers.com. Choose home delivery if you’re in our delivery zone — or select local pickup across five Gorge hubs. You’ll have your box by Wednesday. Now, you can enjoy 20% off your first order with code CCCN at checkout. Thanks for listening and supporting your farmers.
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