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Central Oregon Locavore is a non-profit organization thatimproves access to fresh, in-season, nutrient-dense, local food and educatesthe community about the benefits of sustainably produced food from localfarmers and ranchers. COL promotes a more ecologically and socially just foodsystem that supports greater community wellness, publichealth, and the local economy.
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Central Oregon Locavore is a Green Business
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Central Oregon Locavore strives to maintain green business practices whenever possible. All inventory tickets and business documents are printed on 100% recycled, or even better, repurposed paper.
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Credit Card Processing is performed by Dharma Merchant Services, a sustainable, socially-responsible and certified green business out of the San Franciso Bay area.
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Central Oregon Locavore strives to collaborate with and share services with other businesses in the community.
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Communter credits are offered to those that bike and/or walk to the drop site to pick up your items. More on this program coming soon this summer!
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The Board:
Nicole (Niki) Timm, President
Nicolle Timm is a Bend native who grew up eating fresh seasonal produce from her mother's garden, fresh, raw milk from the local co-op and various local foods of all kinds. After earning a bachelors of science in nursing from Oregon Health Sciences University in Ashland, Oregon Nicolle moved to Denver, Colorado where she worked as a labor and delivery nurse in a large, high-profile hospital. It didn't take long for her to become disillusioned with city life and she soon found herself working part-time on a raw milk dairy near Boulder, CO and becoming reacquainted with the local food scene.
Since then Nicolle has returned to Bend and made many good friends among the farmers and local-food advocates of Central Oregon. Seeing a need to support the local economy and the local food movement Nicolle assisted in forming a small food co-op, that over time has evolved into the current manifestation, Central Oregon Locavore.
Nicolle is a firm believer that we have to be the change we want to see in the world and is actively trying to take steps to create a more balanced, loving, sustainable and earth-friendly society. In addition to founding Central Oregon Locavore Nicolle currently works at St Charles Medical Center in Bend & Redmond as a labor and delivery nurse. Nicolle recently became a board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) and is now part of the lactation team at SCMC, which is headed by her mother! Nicolle's dream is to see the local food movement explode onto the scene and reconnect us with our food, with our neighbors and with the earth.
Jim Fields, Vice President
We have been growing produce for the local market since 1989. Fields Farm is a sustainable farm using organic methods. Fields Farm has a CSA and Farm Bucks program. We also sell at the Bend Farmer’s Market, local grocery stores and several restaurants. We grow a wide range of vegetables including arugula, asparagus, beans, beets, brussel sprouts, specialty broccolis and cauliflowers, cabbage, carrots, collards, corn, cucumbers, garlic, greens, lettuce and lettuce mix, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, peppers, potatoes, onions, scallions, summer squash and tomatoes. We have 10 varieties of potatoes, garlic, kale and lettuce mix in larger quantities for store and institutional sales. Fields Farm has been a family run farm for 24 years. A history of our farm is available from Rural Roots.
Hilary Craig, Treasurer
Hilary has lived in Bend since 1997 and is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys a variety of activities ranging from Alpine skiing, biking, snowmobiling and kayaking. She developed a love of Bend soon after moving to here, not only for the great outdoor sports but for the amazing community and people that Bend has to offer.Hilary graduated from Linfield College with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 2002. She has worked as a public accountant since 2004 doing primarily taxes and auditing for the past 10 years. In 2006 she decided to open her own firm enabling her to provide a more personal approach to her work. She enjoys running her own practice because of the time it allows her to give individual attention to her clients and great customer service at an affordable price. Her office is located in the historic Hill Street office building near downtown Bend, and has a warm, approachable atmosphere enchased by the hardwood floors, exposed brick and modern lighting. Make an appointment to meet with Hilary today, and see why so many of her clients refer to her as warm, professional and approachable.
Bob Turner, Secretary
I have been practicing law since 1984. In 1989, my family and I moved to Bend and I opened the local office of Legal Aid Services of Oregon. In 2004, I joined the law firm of Slothower & Petersen, PC, and opened my own private practice in 2007.Before my legal career, I attended colleges in Ohio, Mexico and Washington and received a B.A. with honors in English from the University of Oregon in 1979. During this period I also painted houses and worked in lumber mills in the Midwest and West and worked on offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.I graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1984. Immediately after law school I began working for DNA – People’s Legal Services on the New Mexico portion of the Navajo Reservation. My clients were low income Navajos, most of whom only spoke their native language. I became the regional director of the office, managing a staff of attorneys, tribal court advocates and legal secretaries. In 1989 when my family and I moved to Bend, I was the regional director of the legal aid office, managing a staff of five and providing civil legal services to low income people in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties.Since going into private practice in 2004, I have focused on helping businesses from formation to sale, real estate problems, and wills, trusts and other estate planning issues. When I went into solo practice, I expanded my focus to include adoptions, uncontested family law and Medicaid trusts.Since moving back to Oregon, I have served on a number of nonprofit boards, including: Neighbor Impact (formerly COCAAN); Saving Grace (formerly COBRA); Cascade Community Development; the Oregon State Bar House of Delegates, and; the Bar’s Legal Services Committee.I like working with clients collaboratively and believe that too often attorneys try to mystify what they do as a way to intimidate clients and justify excessive fees. I believe clients should be informed in plain English how the laws and its processes work. My goal is to give informed advice about the various options a client has and let the client decide which course to pursue, always keeping in mind the cost of attorney services.
Yaju Dharmaraja
Dharmarajah is the new Council 75 Staff Representative in the Bend field office. A native of Sri Lanka, Dharmarajah replaces the recently departed Kevin Hill in Bend. Hill has accepted a position with AFSCME International and moved back to Florida due to family considerations.
Dharmarajah returns to Oregon after a one-year stint working for the Maui County (Hawaii) Civil Defense Office. Prior to that, his resume is filled with a variety of union positions. He came to the United States to attend college and play soccer at two small schools in Florida and Illinois, and eventually matriculated to the University of Oregon to complete his Master's degree in 1997.
While at the UO, he was actively involved with the Graduate Teaching Fellows union there, which led to a career path. He spent several years working as a lead organizer for the Service Employees International Union in both Massachusetts and Oregon. After his tour of duty with SEIU in Oregon, he returned to the UO Law School and completed that degree. From there it was the short stint in Hawaii and, now, Oregon AFSCME in Bend.
"I'm very excited to work for Council 75," says Dharmarajah. "It has an excellent reputation as a progressive, member-driven organization."
Dharmarajah's wife, Rachel Astrella, is a special education teacher and a native of Cottage Grove, and both are happy to be settling down in Oregon.
"We intend to establish roots in the Bend/Deschutes County area," said Dharmarajah. "We see this as a long-term commitment. I'm looking forward to helping establish a stronger AFSCME presence in a concrete way throughout Central Oregon. There is great opportunity here."
Dharmarajah says he still has the soccer itch, and already noted Bend has a recreational indoor soccer league. He and his wife also like the outdoors and are anxious to enjoy the hiking, biking and other numerous outdoor activities Central Oregon has to offer.
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