On October 5th, tribal members, farmers, and community leaders walked Todd Creek together, exploring salmon habitat restoration partnerships and riparian zone coordination. The afternoon concluded with a watershed feast and storytelling at The Commons in Bellingham, including the premiere of several short films and paintings capturing connections made when diverse neighbors gather with open hearts along the Nooksack.

Lummi fishers, Nooksack storytellers, Punjabi farmers, and local leaders gathered for a day of shared stories, river walks, and farm feasts along the Nooksack—captured by a film crew who blended seamlessly into the magic. From berry fields to river sandbars, participants left titles behind to listen deeply to each other and the land, forging connection and understanding. By sunset, a sense of stewardship and hope filled the circle, as heartfelt apologies and blessings were exchanged over a meal sourced from the watershed itself.

Tribal fishers brought salmon. Farmers brought potatoes and berries. Rich Appel invited Free Borsey to fish his land. Jay Julius shared his lineage back to the 1855 treaty. Something shifted.

Brad Rader and Free Borsey stood up together at a food systems conference. No script. Just neighbors finding common ground in front of their peers.