The Bellingham Business Journal
A new publication focusing on food, farms and more in the great Northwest, will debut this spring.
Locally owned and operated, Grow Northwest Magazine will publish bi-monthly (six times a year), with the first issue out in early May. The magazine will highlight the diverse offerings of farmers and food producers, all grown or made in the Northwest. The free publication will be sustained by advertising, with subscriptions and reader donations.
Becca Schwarz, co-publisher of Grow Northwest Magazine, said the publication will cover everything from produce, dairy, meats and seafood, to items such as BBQ sauce, cereal, chocolate, ice cream and drinks. In addition to local food and farms, the magazine will publish other features including DIY projects, sustainable living, seasonal cooking and recipes, locavore travel adventures, gardening, crafts, events, and profiles of organizations and artisans – all with a local angle.
“The Northwest has so much to offer in terms of food production, sustainable living and the DIY ethic. There is real passion here for supporting the local economy and those who grow, make, produce and create,” she said. “The magazine will be a go-to guide for those people who enjoy these things and live by them.”
Initially, the magazine will generally cover Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties. As the magazine grows, Schwarz said it’s coverage area will expand.
“We are receiving inquiries from all over the Puget Sound-North Cascades region – both producers looking to market their items and residents wanting to know more about what’s out there,” she said.
The magazine’s Web site will feature all of the information included in the print issues, as well as food directories by county and other features.
“Like many in the Northwest, our family is very passionate about local food, farms and artisans,” she said. “We have been wanting to launch this for a couple years now, and are excited to get this off the ground. The amount of interest and support already has been amazing.”
Grow Northwest Magazine is locally owned and operated by Whatcom County residents Becca Schwarz Cole and Brent Cole. The husband-wife team also publishes What’s Up! Magazine, which just celebrated its 12th anniversary, and the Foothills Gazette, started in 2005.
Grow Northwest Magazine is open to submissions and features ideas, and is currently seeking an advertising sales representative.
For more information, contact Grow Northwest Magazine at (360) 599-3320 or info@grownorthwest.com. Mail can be sent to PO Box 1907, Maple Falls, WA 98266. For more information, visit www.grownorthwest.com. Anyone interested in following the magazine via Facebook can visit the Grow Northwest Magazine fan page.
