By Mwiza Kaliza
Salish Sea Trading Cooperative will deliver a special order of cider from 10 a.m.to 12 p.m. in front of Aster Coffee Lounge, 5615 24th Ave NW, this Sunday. It’s the second cider delivery for the local non-profit, who usually deliver organic vegetables from the Dharma Ridge Farm in Port Ludlow to the Ballard coffee storefront.
Photo by Laura McLeod
Every two weeks, from June through October, a sailboat from the Ballard city dock transports locally produced goods around Puget Sound. The team uses sailboats to conserve energy and to demonstrate that they don’t need to rely on gasoline. “In the Seattle area everyone supports the idea of becoming less dependent on food that has to be trucked in,” said Kathy Pelish, managing partner and co-founder. “We’re a very small piece of the puzzle, but it’s been a lot of fun.”
Their goals:
- Conserve precious energy resources
- Re-introduce sail as everyday transport
- Support local farmers and build resiliency into regional foodshed
- Share best practices with other sailors and sustainability communities
The journey to Port Ludlow is 11 hours by sailboat, with two volunteers on board. “Over time we want a reliable and green mode of transportation for the area,” Pelish added. The next sailboat CSA delivery is on October 2. If you’d like to support sail transport and local foods, visit the Salish Sea Trading Cooperative website.
