<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.666666984558105px;white-space:pre-wrap">We're hoping to fill Burns St. Bistro and show the strength of our local food system as we hear from five Western Montana food businesses working to fund their crowdfunded loans. Please join us on Thursday! </span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">------</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Community Food and Agriculture Coalition (CFAC) will host the 3rd Annual Farm Fresh Pitchfest at Burns St. Bistro on <b>Thursday, February 21st, from 6-8 PM</b>. CFAC has selected five western Montana farmers & food businesses for public funding through Kiva.org’s online microlending platform. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">At the <b>free live event</b>, the selected businesses will present live pitches for their 0%-interest loans. Each loan will allow the businesses to invest in infrastructure upgrades and expand their operations. Attendees will have opportunities to contribute to the loans at and after the live event. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Burns St. Bistro will provide a <b>complementary tasting menu</b> using selected ingredients from the pitchmakers’ farms and businesses. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Featured businesses: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tucker Family Farm (Victor, MT) </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">House of Ferments (Hamilton, MT) </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Southbound Flowers (Florence, MT) </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Little Dancing Dog Farm (Stevensville, MT) </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Front St. Fungi (Missoula, MT) </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This event is free and open to the public. More information is available at </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Verdana;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://www.farmlinkmontana.org/farm-fresh-pitchfest-2019/" target="_blank">CFAC’s website</a><font color="#000000">, or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/2290901724476067/">Facebook event page</a>. </font></span></p></div></div>