By Denise Baggett
People in Thurston County are hip to the benefits of organic products and shopping local. We exercise a lot of influence when we shop. When shopping local we invest in our home community. In choosing local, natural organic products, we show we care about ourselves, our environment, and each other. Locally owned businesses not only stimulate our economy, they showcase the local color, and flavors, that make a sense of place; they connect us with each other. They are essential to our community identity. Locally owned Bayview and Ralph’s Thriftway stores are microcosms of the rich local flavors of Thurston County where you will find numerous items from locally owned businesses.
The grocery department carries unique local natural, organic, and environmentally friendly products in all areas of the store, from dairy to frozen and canned foods to cleaners, paper goods, and greeting cards by local artists and photographers.
If it’s natural or organic local products you want, Bayview and Ralph’s have integrated those products into the aisles so you don’t have to continually return to a specialty section. When selecting soup brands, you’ll find natural and organic soups right next to other popular brands. In the coffee aisle, local Batdorf and Bronson coffee sits aside the national brands.
Read about a few of the local products I found on the aisles this week.
Looking for unique beer and wine? Their wine departments are sure to satisfy. Quality Washington wonders are featured at a value. They have one of the area’s largest selections of specialty and micro beers including Olympia’s Fishtail Brewing Company. Bayview and Ralph’s stock the award-winning Fish Tale Organic Amber Ale, Organic Pale Ale, and Organic IPA along with seasonal varieties.
Earthy mountains of our local Ostrom’s mushrooms in produce: white, portabella, crimini, shitake, oyster, and enoki, yum! Ostrom’s has been a Thurston County business since 1928. They use agricultural waste products that would end up dumped or burned, such as wheat straw, canola meal, and sugar beet lime to make their compost. Their spent compost is sold for wholesale and retail use. They recapture water run-off for reuse. They also recycle cardboard, pallets, and plastics and use recyclable retail packaging that is not produced from petroleum products.
Learn more about how Bayview and Ralph’s Thriftway buy from local farmers in this article.
Get 100% organic and cage free eggs from Wilcox Family Farms, a 100-year-old farm along the Nisqually River. Their hens are Food Alliance certified, Certified Humane, Salmon Safe, and certified organic by Oregon Tilth.
From a little farther up the road, the Essential Baking Company delivers fresh-baked organic artisan breads, pastries, crackers, and desserts daily.
Throughout the stores you’ll find Nature’s Path USDA Certified Organic products. They make a line of healthy snacks, Envirokid cereal, such as the Panda Puffs and Gorilla Munch my son always begs for, and more.
Both stores donate products to the local food bank and to farmers for feed. Eat local!
Bayview Thriftway
516 4th Ave West in Olympia
360.352.4897
Ralph’s Thriftway
1908 East 4th in Olympia
360.357.8011
