Why buy Farm Fresh?   
Because Farm Fresh just tastes better.

Organization Profile
Tri-County Farm-Fresh Foods, Inc. — the legal name of our Oregon cooperative corporation — has grown out of the original efforts of two Washington County "Extension" volunteers, to list in a flyer 25 farms and produce sellers, mostly in Washington county, in 1977. Today, the approximately 60 farms that participate in the cooperative produce over 80 crops — from apples to zucchini — plus nursery stock, cutting flowers, herbs, and Christmas trees. The farms are in the three counties of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington.

Member farms vary dramatically from those with a few acres of a crop to those with hundreds of acres and many crops. Some offer "U-Pick" crops, some offer ready-picked crops, and some offer both. Farm "stands" range from the front porch to several thousand feet of sales and display space. Some of our members also sell their produce at local farmers' markets.

Tri-County Farm-Fresh Foods, Inc. is a member firm of the Agri-Business Council of Oregon. Among our prominent members is a past president of the National Farm Direct Marketing Association. We are proud that through the efforts of this cooperative our members are increasingly able to provide better farm-fresh produce to more families than ever before.

The Tri-County Farm-Fresh Produce Growers of the Portland Metro area continually seek better ways to serve you, and each of us thanks you for your patronage.

More about our history!

The Tri-County Farm Fresh Produce Guide first appeared in 1977 with a different name and format. It was called "Sunset Trails to Country Fresh Foods". Two Washington County Extension Volunteers put it together. Included were 25 listings of farms and produce sellers mostly in Washington County. Five thousand copies were printed on an 8 1/2 by 14 sheet. The Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce was its sponsor. Several of the original farms are still members.

In 1978 the format was changed to the Tri-County Farm Fresh Food Guide and expanded to include Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. There were 50 farms listed, and the printing run was expanded to 10,000 copies. In 1979 the Guide appeared in the Northwest Supplement to the Sunday Oregonian. Since then it has appeared in some part of the Oregonian every year except one. Currently the guide is featured in The Oregonian FOODday Supplement on the last Tuesday in May each year.

In 1991 the name was changed slightly and now is the Tri-County Farm Fresh Produce Guide. There are now about 60 participating members in the Portland Metro area. These farms produce over 80 crops from apples to zucchini and include nursery crops and bulbs such as daffodils and lilies. Cut flowers, herbs and Christmas trees and greens round out the other kinds of crops. The main season is from late May through the end of October, but some farms are open by March and many remain open until Christmas.

100,000 copies of the Guide are printed and available at no charge through libraries, the farms, OSU Extension offices and many other outlets. The Oregonian FOODday printing of the Guide reaches 500,000 homes throughout all of Oregon.

For several years we have produced and distributed public service announcements for metro area radio stations. These PSA’s inform the public about crop availability on a weekly basis, usually from strawberry season through October. In 1989 we began mailing out timely press releases to radio, and TV stations, newspapers and magazines in Oregon and parts of Washington. In 1990 the Ripe and Ready Hotline was started to inform consumers about crop availability and specific locations. It runs from mid-May until the end of October. It served more than 2,000 callers that first year. In 1993 the association expanded its marketing might by having a 26-week FFPG umbrella advertising program in The Oregonian's weekly FOODday paper. This reached about 580,000 households weekly in Oregon. In 1998 the FFPG started its first Web page, listing all its members along with locations placed on a map.

The Guide is proud to have included in its membership the 1993 National Farm Direct Marketing Assn. President, Ed Stritzke of Fir Point Farms, and Hazelnut/Peach grower Bob Jossy who was named Oregon Nutgrower of the Year by the Nutgrower Society. Three members are on the PNW Farm Direct Marketing Conference Board.

The Association has a Board of Directors and has general membership meetings held monthly, January through April to help all members improve their marketing skills.

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Contact Information
We have no paid staff, so you may not be able to contact us immediately. If not, we'll respond to your call or message when possible. Generally, e-mail is preferable.

Martinez, Albert, OSU Extension Service

Tri County Farm Fresh
18640 NW Walker Road #1400
Beaverton, Oregon 97006-8927

503 725-2300

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