SHED
I was driving around Healdsburg, California looking for a place to park and the only space I could find after 10 minutes of driving was almost right in front of SHED. This is an amazing place dedicated to sustainable agriculture. They have a food shop, a restaurant, and a space for lectures and events. And an incredible kitchwares department. Really unusual things. All natural materials. I was especially impressed with their collection of all natural bristle bottle brushes (a very difficult thing to find nowadays). This is a kitchen store with items chosen with a sustainability viewpoint, by people who know how and love to cook.
Faribault Mill
The classic 100% wool blanket in many styles and colors. “Today, in a historic mill nestled along the Cannon River in Minnesota, a nearly 150-year-old story is still being woven. The Faribault Woolen Mill endures as one of the last vertical woolen mills in America. Here, fifth generation craftspeople take raw wool and create blankets, throws, scarves and accessories of remarkable comfort and quality. Irreplaceable century-old machinery stands side by side with modern technology in our “new” mill, which was built in 1892.” Be sure to see The Art of Wool.
Living Tree Community Foods
A reader recommended this website to me for their high quality of food products. While you will find the usual oils and vinegars, chocolates, nuts and seeds and their butters, grains and pastas, honey and sweeteners, what is unusual about these foods is they are all chosen and processed with the guideline of supporting family farmers and keeping the food alive. You’ll find such foods as California-grown heritage olive oil, unusual varieties of honey alive and unfiltered, and polenta made from Organic Dakota Black Heirloom Corn.
Shields Dates
When Larry and I were driving across the USA from Florida to California, we drove right through the famous date growing region of Coachella Valley, so we had to stop for dates. Shields has 10 varieties of dates and if you stop at their date garden you can sample every one of them. They sell natural and organic dates and date products, including their own “date crystals” date sugar.
Wood Cabinets for Less
I found this website while looking for quick delivery for a client on solid wood cabinets. I was surprised and very pleased at the very low price. Like a whole kitchen of cabinets for $3000. At the top end you can get solid wood cabinets with solid doors and sides, but they cost even less if you get cabinet grade plywood for the sides. You can even order them unfinished. Choose your style and wood and finish. Staff is very knowledgeable and will help you find what you are looking for from their selection. Look here first for kitchen and bath cabinets.
Mary’s Chickens | Mary’s Turkeys | Mary’s Ducks
I recently moved to Sebastopol, California, where there is a cute restaurant called HipChicks Farms, where they sell organic chicken fingers, chicken pot pies, and other chicken comfort foods. I asked them where they sourced their chicken and they said “Mary’s” with due respect in their tone of voice. I have to say, it was delicious chicken. Go to Mary’s website and you’ll find pasture raised chicken, heirloom chicken, organic chicken, no styrofoam packaging and special programs to protect the welfare of the animals. Same for turkeys, same for ducks. Family owned and operated since 1954.
Woman Within
Basic cotton clothing for plus size women, including soft cotton tees in all sleeve lengths and many colors, cotton denim pants and skirts, cotton corduroy pants and skirts. Many colors in basic designs. Clothing comes with a slight odor from sizing that washes out. Garments are cut loose and comfortable. Though this clothing is not organic, it is affordable and reliable. But choose carefully because natural fiber items are mixed in with many synthetics. Search the website for “cotton” to easily find cotton clothing.
Amana Woolen Mill
Though the name says “woolen mill,” today Amana makes and sells high quality 100% cotton products for the home: blankets & throws, table and kitchen linens. Plus heavy duty totes made from reclaimed cotton yarn and fabric with full grain leather handles. “We are a community of families, farmers and artisans that are nearly as old as Iowa itself. Quality craftsmanship isn’t a coincidence, it’s second nature. Our textiles are woven in the same building that was first used more than a century and a half ago…The exacting methods used today were brought from the old world by Amana’s first settlers, while the pioneering spirit of those first families continues to drive new innovations.”
Mountain Meadow Wool
“100% American made and Wyoming grown, high-quality wool products and yarn, created with eco-friendly operations and fair prices for ranchers.” Purchase yarn and fiber for your own creations, blankets woven at the Faribault mill, and wool hoodies, hats, gloves, and mittens. All are variegated natural colors of the sheep wool.
D’Artegnan
Many types of meat, poultry and game, all natural or organic. Also heritage breeds and wild.You’ll find everything here from chicken to wild boar. Plus charcuterie and sausage. “We believe food raised right tastes better. Before such buzz words existed, and for more than 30 years, D’Artagnan has been committed to free-range, natural production and sustainable, humane farming practices.”
