By March Twisdale Dear Vashon Island Visitor, Tourist, and Summer People, Roughly one year ago, I began a series of articles about “Bank Taxes.” This is what I call the predatory and increasingly ubiquitous money extraction technology also known as “transaction fees.” Wherever you live, these are impacting you negatively and directly, but even worse,…
Editorial Page, Island Resilience, July 2024
The V-MCC: Get More Involved in Your Chosen Community
By Caitlin Rothermel On June 20th, I listened in to the Vashon-Maury Community Council meeting. It completely grabbed my attention. Topics included the electric undergrounding proposal being presented to Puget Sound Energy, the planned Thunderbird drug rehabilitation facility, and the status of the Vashon Health Care District. If you didn’t attend, and are interested in…
Island Resilience, July 2024
On The Rise – Fernhorn Bakery, Part 3
By Jane Valencia Fernhorn Bakery’s story interweaves with that of Island resilience. In our conversation with owners Thomas Vroom and Jordan Ashley Beck, we chat about Vashon-grown grains. Did you know that it’s possible to grow wheat on Vashon? Several Islanders are growing wheat already, and work is underway to support Island grain-growing. In 2022,…
Island Resilience, June 2024
Fight Inflation Locally with CSAs
By Stephen Buller The official annual rate of inflation reported in April 2024 was 3.36%. That word “official” usually gives credibility to facts and figures, but if you know anything about inflation, you know the opposite holds true here. The consumer price index (CPI) tracks “a chosen basket of goods and services.” Chosen by whom?…
Island Resilience, June 2024
Update on Planned PSE Upgrades
By Caitlin Rothermel In February 2024 in The Vashon Loop, Jenny Bell reported on Puget Sound Energy’s “tree wire” project, a PSE program working to clear roadside vegetation and upgrade Vashon’s power infrastructure. “Tree wire” is sturdy and well-insulated, and considered likely to fare well in storms, resist tree falls, and reduce the need for frequent…
Island Resilience, June 2024, Recipes
Dehydrated Egg Powder Recipe
By Lyndsey Braun-Palmer Everything spring-like is springing into action, including egg production! I’d like to introduce a favorite method for creating shelf-stable eggs – dehydration! Dehydrating eggs when you are producing more than you need is a great way to store this food essential for future use. Here’s my step-by-step guide. Ingredients Fresh eggs Instructions…
Island Resilience, June 2024
On The Rise – Fernhorn Bakery, Part 2
By Jane Valencia Thomas Vroom and Jordan Ashley Beck own and run Fernhorn Bakery. In true Island fashion, the story of their bakery is nested within several stories related to the local economy and resilience. In Part 2 of this series, we learn about the wheats that Fernhorn uses to create their delicious, nutrient-dense, and…
Island Resilience, June 2024
Breeding for Profit: Reflections on Commodity Wheat
By Thomas Vroom When one thinks of a wheat field, they imagine “amber waves of grain,” which are fields of ripened wheat about waist-high. This used to be wheat, but really it has now been bred for mechanization, from sowing to baking the cake-like slurry that results in the loaf many people are familiar with,…
Island Resilience, Island Voices, June 2024
Vashon Has a Coyote Problem
By March Twisdale In 2014, there was a high profile coyote attack at Misty Isle Farms. Three Willamette Valley ewes, brought in for the Vashon Sheepdog Classic, were killed overnight. The next night, government-sanctioned hunters shot and killed two coyotes as the pack returned twice, moving confidently toward the flock, passing many tents and dogs…
Island Businesses, Island Resilience, May 2024, Uncategorized
Class Action Lawsuit Offers Boon to Local Business Owners and Highlights Growing Concerns about “Bank Taxes”
By March Twisdale If you’re a consumer, this article will offer new information regarding the growing push back against “Bank Taxes” designed to skim the cream off the top of local economies everywhere. If you’re a business owner, this article will point you in the right direction, should you wish to submit a claim. This…