A bit about Village Provisions

Village Provisions Market was born out of a vision of re-weaving the web of community, food & health.

As a mother-daughter team, it is our mission to provide a community-based nexus for health-centered, foods, goods and services, sourced from exceptional local providers, creating sustainable, reliable, and independent access to fundamental daily necessities.

We understand the interdependence of our health, with the health of the soil, and that of the greater ecosystem from which we source the foods and goods that sustain us. From this understanding we’ve made it our goal to source foods and goods that are grown, raised, and made with the whole hive in mind. This translates to a focus on organic and regenerative practices that embody social and environmental responsibility.

We look forward to bringing together a community of people who share the same love of the land, exquisite ingredients, shared meals, and vibrant wellbeing.

Meet the Worker Bees

Julie Shivley, BS, DEM, MS

Founder

Growing up in a large Italian family, my childhood was rich with food and community. Gardening, cooking, and long tables with beautiful food and faces, inspired my love of gathering and feasting. This is how I raised my children and for me, continues to be at the heart of what embodies health and wellbeing.

After completing a BS in Finance from the University of Illinois, and working 6 years as a research analyst, health challenges took me back to my roots and a focus on healthy living. In 1993, a US camping tour inspired my move to Portland and the pursuit of education in the healthcare field. My family grew, I studied midwifery, herbal medicine and nutrition at Birthingway College of Midwifery and became a homebirth midwife and a nutritional consultant. In 2015 I volunteered in a birth clinic in Haiti, fell in love with the people, and today I continue to be involved as a board member and volunteer for a non-profit called MamaBaby Haiti.

I’ve consulted with clients in private practice for 30-years and practitioners for 20 years, as an independent field representative for a whole-food nutritional supplement company called Standard Process (2003-2022). In 2017 I completed a Master’s in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine through the University of Western States. In addition to private clinical work, I continue to present educational seminars on current health care topics to clients, students, and practitioners across all healthcare modalities. I am the author of the Chinese Medicine Clinical Reference Guide, the Functional Nutrition Reference Manual, and a PCC course – Nutrition in the Childbearing Year.

It is my goal to bring about a shift in the foundational understanding of vital health through diet, lifestyle, and nutritional/herbal support in local and global communities. Village Provisions brings a confluence of all the key ingredients – healthy food, sustainable/regenerative practices, nutrition, gardening, and community together in one hub. This is one of those moments when all the pieces come together and you know you are right where you need to be. I look forward to sharing this with you!

Alaina Shivley, BS

Co-Founder

I grew up here in Oregon amongst the Douglas Fir, Sword Ferns, and Salmon berries. I think it’s safe to say that a majority of my favorite childhood memories involve berry stained fingers, being outdoors, and belly laughs with friends and family.

In 2016 I discovered my love of gardening, in tandem with the discovery of the therapeutic qualities of two hands in the soil and the sight of sprouts emerging from newly planted seeds. Running a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) season with my friend that year, was the catalyst for my decision to attend Oregon State University for a Bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Horticulture, which I completed in 2020.

Shortly after graduating high school I took a deep dive into learning about the ins and outs of our food system. I came out the other side with a whole new perspective about the disparity between our current food system and the changes needed to create one that is conducive to human health and the health of the larger ecosystem it exists within. Enter my love of farmer’s markets!

Knowing where my food comes from and the stewards involved, has become oh-so important to me. I haven’t yet discovered a quick fix to solving our food system troubles, but I came away understanding that it will take many people coming together to create and support a thriving local food system. I look forward to seeing what we will create together with this Village Provisions community.