Category: Bluebird Community

By: Ashley Lodato

Long-time Methow Valley visitors Lidija and Michael Kamansky noticed that they kept seeing the Bluebird Grain Farms name at some of their favorite valley haunts, the Cinnamon Twisp Bakery and East 20 Pizza. Finally, they decided to pick up a bag of Bluebird’s Emmer Flour and see what they could do with it at home. After just one bite of their very first experiment—overnight yeasted waffles—they fell in love with the rich nutty flavor and have been stocking up on Emmer Flour during every visit to the valley since then (although of course they are well-aware that Bluebird stocks products in PCC Natural Markets, Metropolitan Markets, Town and Country Markets , and Whole Foods Markets).

Self-proclaimed “city kids” from the Chicago area (her) and the San Diego area (him), both Lidija and Mike say they grew up with little connection to their food. They’re now self-taught cooks and bakers who “seek out recipes that focus on whole grains and seasonal fruits and vegetables,” says Mike. Using Lidija’s seasonally rotating recipe collection that grows bigger each year, the couple sources locally-produced organic or certified naturally grown ingredients, and they buy direct from area farms whenever possible, including subscribing to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and buying a share of a grass-fed cow each year from Changing Seasons Farm in Carnation.

While some are content to use Bluebird’s milled products, these city kids became interested in milling their own grains for artisan breads. When Mike discovered Bluebird’s Hard Red Wheat in whole grain form at their local PCC market, he began milling it and got a sourdough starter going; he now makes delicious breads with Hard Red, Hard White, and various combinations of both, says Lidija, adding “The flavor and texture of breads using Bluebird Grains simply cannot be beat!”

It was an attraction to the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest that brought the Kamanskys to the Seattle area in 2004, after meeting while rock climbing in Southern California, and it’s a thirst for adventure that keeps them here; they can often be found exploring different regions of Washington. They love hiking and backpacking, fly fishing, Nordic skiing, and outdoor photography (you can find Lidija’s breathtaking images of natural places at The Living Mountain).

They also love to cook (“we love to cook amazing food,” Lidija clarifies). In addition to their artisan breads, the Kamanskys bake Almond Butter Blueberry Banana Bread, Pumpkin Millet Muffins, and Cranberry Ginger Bread. Some of their favorites can be found on Bluebird’s online recipe stash, but they’re open to any delicious quick or yeasted bread recipes in which emmer flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour. They also enjoy making savory dishes made with whole grain emmer, such as Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Farro Risotto and Farro Caramelized Onion and Wild Mushroom Stuffing. And next up? Chickpea Porcini and Farro Soup and Farro Tabbouleh Salad. Reading the Kamanskys’ menu, one might be led to believe that everything they cook involves a Bluebird product.

East 20 Pizza’s use of Bluebird’s hard red and hard white wheat flours inspired Mike, the baker in the family, to make his own whole wheat pizza crust, which he tops with—depending on his mood—kale, chorizo and manchego cheese, or roasted potatoes with sun dried tomato pesto, or wild mushrooms with sage, fontina, and parmesan. And in his spare time he uses the Bluebird’s hard white flour to make chocolate chip and blueberry bagels. No Domino’s Pizza or Lender’s Bagels for this guy!

“We continue to choose and expand on our use of Bluebird Grain Farms products,” says Lidija, “because the quality and flavor is second to none.” And, she adds, “we strongly believe in supporting local farmers, particularly those growing wholesome foods and practicing responsible farming.”

Even in the backcountry the Kamanskys don’t give their meals short shrift. “We tend to go fast and light,” says Lidija, “but last year we started experimenting with making our own meals using dehydrated foods” instead of buying pre-packaged freeze-dried meals. Using Trail Cooking for inspiration, the Kamanskys are looking forward to trying out more of their own meals in the mountains this year.

Another member of the Kamansky family who is looking forward to some of those backcountry meals is their dog, Lola, who joins Mike and Lidija on all of their adventures. And while the Kamanskys pick up their post-hike dinner from East 20 Pizza, Lola gets treated to a scoop of ice cream at Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe, and was even featured eating a cone in a Ravensburger jigsaw puzzle ( “pooches and cream” she’s on the lower right), in a photo snapped after running a 10k loop in Mazama with Mike and Lidija. “Lola’s favorite place is the Methow Valley,” says Lidija. “She sometimes refuses to get in the car when she knows it’s time to go back to the west side.” Mike and Lidija sometimes feel the same way, but with their car stocked full of Bluebird Grain Farms products, at least they carry edible memories of the Methow with them wherever they go.

In 1975, a small grocery store in the Methow Valley was poised to fold. Located on the current site of the Confluence Gallery, the tiny affiliate of United Retail Merchants (URM) was just not making it in the underpopulated rural area. But Hank Konrad, then working at another URM store in Orfino, Idaho, had a vision, and without any prior connection to the Methow Valley, he and his wife Judy, then pregnant with their first child, decided to put every penny they had into a grocery store business venture and move to the valley.

Nearly 40 years later, customers walking into Hank’s Harvest Foods in its current location in Twisp, WA, would likely have no idea that the retail grocery business ever faltered in the Methow Valley. The produce section features organic and local fruits and vegetables; the cheese aisle, although small, offers olives and cheeses that might be found in a boutique urban supermarket; the deli serves fresh coffee from local roasters, and a full complement of heirloom products from Bluebird Grain Farms can be found on the shelves, from fresh-milled flours to hot cereals to dry mixes. It’s a thriving, bustling market, like one that you might find in a larger city. But different.

The difference? Although some might point to the buffalo head that greets shoppers as they enter the market, or the stuffed warthog on the verge of being consumed by a wild lion that lurks by the cashier stations, it’s not the quirky taxidermy-ish elements of the store that make it special. “It’s hard to put your finger on it,” says Mazama resident and Hanks customer Gay Northrup, “but you can just feel that whoever runs this store cares about the customers. It just feels very local.”

Hank’s Harvest Foods (known simply as Hank’s) is indeed local; it’s family, in fact. All three of Hank and Judy’s children have worked in the store; two—Carlan and Jackson—still do. Hank’s grandchildren have learned the retail grocery ropes in the stores aisles and loading docks, and with Hank’s own father doing occasional shifts, at one point there were four generations of Konrads working in the store. Other employees, while not strictly family, have been with Hank long enough to feel familiar. Cheryl Judd and Barb McCabe have been with the store for 30 years and Jim Gariano, who started as a box boy 38 years ago, has been with Hank since the beginning. “It really does feel like a family,” says Carlan.

As a grocery store, Hank’s goals are to provide the community members with everything they need, at prices they can afford. But the impact of Hank’s transcends the basic supply of groceries; Hank himself feels a responsibility for the community. There is hardly a fundraiser, community event, or benefit that doesn’t have Hank’s mark on it. Whether it’s a donation of cash or supplies, Hank’s Harvest Foods is usually involved in helping others get their needs met.

Carlan Nielsen, Hank’s daughter and long-time employee

Says Carlan, “My dad raised us to recognize that every dollar a customer spends in the store is a dollar that he or she worked hard to earn.” She continues, “’Never forget that,’” he always told us, “’you need to be a good neighbor and respect the value of a dollar.’”

Hank’s good neighbor philosophy was put to the test in July when the Methow Valley was hit by the biggest wildfire in state history. When the power poles bringing the only source of electricity into the valley began to burn, power to the valley was cut and remained off for nearly nine days. Just minutes into the power outage, Hank’s was operating as normal. Outside the store was a blackened landscape, smoky air, and a sky filled with the helicopters and planes of the aerial assault on the fires; inside the store was ice, fresh produce, and air conditioning. “My dad is a planner,” says Carlan. “He always looks ahead. He knew a catastrophe might come some day.”

Looking ahead meant that a few years back, Hank had sourced a generator from a hospital back east—a generator that could power the entire store. “The old generator could only run a few refrigerated cases, some lights, and a couple of registers,” says Carlan. “Then we’d all have to take shifts sleeping upstairs at the store to put more fuel in the generator every few hours.” Not so with the new generator, which allowed the store to operate as normal. In some ways, says Carlan, it was this atmosphere of normalcy that the community needed most during the incredibly stressful time surrounding the Carlton Complex Wildfires. “People needed ice and food,” she says, “but it almost seems like they mostly needed a cool place to have a cup of coffee, share news with neighbors, and feel normal.” Hank’s provided this oasis of calm.

Hank’s employees embodied his spirit of generosity and community awareness during this time, says Carlan. “Everyone was working overtime but no one complained. Our employees were just amazing.” She continues, “I think working gave us all a sense of purpose. We all felt so helpless during this time, but keeping the store running for the community was something we could do.”

Things have calmed down quite a bit since the summer (“We’re only making 100 firefighter sandwiches each day, instead of 2000,” says Carlan), and it has given the Konrad family time to reflect on the community. “We recognize how important this community is,” says Carlan. “There just aren’t that many mom and pop stores out there. We know that people have choices, and we’re grateful that they’re choosing to do business with us.”

For more information about Hank’s Harvest Foods, visit their website.