Frequently Asked Questions

Our cooperative member growers are not certified organic at this time, on purpose! The organic certification is often geared toward large-scale farms selling to grocery stores and the cost can be prohibitive for small, independent producers. But just because a product doesn’t carry the “organic” label doesn’t mean it wasn’t grown sustainably or without chemicals. Many of our farmers use regenerative and ecologically sound practices that meet — and often go beyond — organic standards.

In addition, we partner with the Western Montana Growers Cooperative to bring in certified organic produce, and some of our value-added products are certified organic as well. Transparency is central to our approach: each product lists its producer, and you can learn more about their farming and ranching practices. 

This lets you choose what producers align best with your values — whether that’s grass-fed beef, sustainably raised vegetables, or artisan products made with organic ingredients.

When placing your order, you’ll need to select your preferred pickup location or delivery option at checkout, or you can select it when you’re browsing our online market’s products. 

Orders are aggregated to our storefront every Thursday and made available for pickup at select locations across Billings and one in Red Lodge, including our retail store in Billings. You’ll need to decide on your pickup site before Tuesday night, when our market closes for the week (that allows us to aggregate products and for our farmers to harvest).

The best part? You can change your pickup site week to week depending on what works for your schedule. We encourage you to review our list of pickup locations and times to find the most convenient option for you. Ordering is flexible — you can shop any week you’d like with no long-term commitment.

Our staff is always happy to help if you need to make a last-minute location change or run into a pickup conflict. We want to make sure shopping locally is as easy and accessible as possible.

Learn more about pickup locations and times.

Orders are aggregated every Thursday and available for pickup at select locations, including our retail store in Billings. We also offer local delivery to certain areas across Billings and Laurel for an additional fee.

When placing your order, you’ll select your preferred pickup site that has a time range when the orders are available.

Once you arrive at your pickup site at the designated pick time-range, look for the white food coolers — that’s how you’ll know you’re in the right place. Our staff and or business partners will be there to help. Just let them know you’re picking up a Yellowstone Valley Food Hub order and give them your last name and they’ll help you find your bag labeled with your name and invoice stapled to it inside a cooler.

At some locations, like Evergreen Ace Hardware and Red Lodge, we set up outside in the parking lot. In those spots, you can simply drive up, and our staff will hand your order right through your car window. Look out for white coolers and our white delivery van or truck in Red Lodge!

Learn more about pickup locations and times.

Our retail store is only open for in-person shopping:

• Thursdays 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

• Fridays 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The retail market is a small space with just the essentials stocked, perfect for grabbing our customers favorites like frozen ground beef, eggs, pulses and grains, or a few seasonal veggies.

We love welcoming folks who stop by on Fridays — it’s a great chance to chat with our staff, learn more about how the Food Hub works, and connect face-to-face. Visit us at:

2115 Lampman Drive Ste. A
Billings, MT
(Get directions)

Because we work hard to be a nearly zero food waste business, we don’t stock large amounts of perishable produce in our store. For the best selection and variety, we always encourage shopping online, where you’ll find the full range of seasonal products from all of our member farms.

The easiest and fastest way to get help is to reply directly to your order confirmation email. This allows our staff to quickly identify your name, order, and pickup/delivery details so we can assist you right away.

Because our team is often out of the warehouse aggregating food and helping farmers, we don’t always catch phone calls in real time. For consistency, all correspondence is handled by email. If you’re unable to find your confirmation email, you can reach out with your question.

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares are prepaid subscriptions that give you a rotating bag of seasonal items over several weeks. Our online market, on the other hand, lets you choose exactly what you want each week with no subscription required. Many of our customers like to do both!

Learn more about our different ways to shop.

A food hub is a collaborative marketplace where multiple farmers and ranchers work together to sell their products in one convenient place. Instead of shopping farm by farm, customers can access a wide variety of local foods through a single online store or retail outlet. Food hubs make it easier for communities to eat locally while helping small producers reach more customers.

The Yellowstone Valley Food Hub is a farmer-owned cooperative of more than 35 farms, ranches, and food artisans across South-Central Montana and Northern Wyoming. Based in Billings, we also serve Red Lodge and neighboring counties, and we partner with other regional co-ops like the Western Montana Growers Cooperative to expand seasonal offerings.

Our goal is to reimagine what eating local looks like — showing that with the diversity of food grown here, it’s possible to build a diet almost entirely from Montana-grown ingredients. (Though we’ll admit, avocados still don’t grow in Montana!)

Our online farmers market makes local food accessible, fresh, and sustainable. Customers can conveniently shop from Billings, Red Lodge, or anywhere in the Yellowstone Valley, selecting exactly what they want each week. Pre-ordering ensures vegetables are harvested the day before or the day of packing, baked goods are made to order, and unsold inventory is minimized—reducing waste and supporting fair pricing.

This cooperative model also allows farmers and food artisans to share resources and maintain fair wages for their products. By shopping online with the Yellowstone Valley Food Hub, you’re supporting local farmers and producers, enjoying the freshest seasonal produce, and helping build a vibrant, resilient Montana food system.

We do! Learn more about what we offer chefs, caterers, restaurants, and food banks across the Greater Yellowstone Valley.