The early December storms and resulting flooding in Oregon and Washington State caused severe damage, sorrow and heartache for many of the area's farms, including several small cheese producers. If you are interested in lending a helping hand to those affected by the storms, there are several ways you can do it.

* DeLaurenti's in Seattle is collecting funds for affected cheesemakers at the registers. DeLaurenti's will match all funds collected.

* Madison Market in Seattle is collecting funds at their registers for farms identified as needing support by Washington Tilth.

* Olympia Food Coop in Olympia, Washington has started a Farm Relief Fund that will benefit farmers and cheesemakers that the coop supports. You can donate at checkouts at both locations.

* Olympia Farmer's Market fund benefits farmers who attend the market in Olympia, Washington. Donations accepted online.

* Seattle Neighborhood Farmer's Market Alliance Good Farmer Fund - these folks had the foresight to create an ongoing fund specifically designed to aid farmers in need. See their web site for details.

* Washington Farm Bureau Farm Relief Fund has already collected $35,000 for the benefit of Washington's farmers affected by the storms.

* Washington Tilth list of donation options including some you may not have thought of, like the American Red Cross.

Also, in Portland, Oregon, a fundraising event to benefit affected cheesemakers is currently being organized. The event, "Cheese for a Good Cause," is planned for Friday February 1, 2008. For more details, have a look at the Pacific Northwest Cheese Project's website.