Save the Date to Support Farmland Preservation! 
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GiveBIG for Farmland on May 3!

Tuesday, May 3 is GiveBig day! 

We hope you'll consider making a contribution to support SSCFLT, 
and help keep farmland affordable and producing food for our region, forever! 


When you donate through GiveBIG, the Seattle Foundation uses a pool of "stretch funds" to match your gift, making your dollars go even further to support farmland. Your contribution through GiveBIG this year will support our work on our first agricultural conservation easement at a local farm and the whole community served at Scatter Creek Farm & Conservancy - Farms Forever!
                                               
Please mark Tuesday, May 3 on your calendars, and then visit the GiveBIG website to support SSCFLT. 

Thank you for sharing in SSCFLT's vision of a vibrant and abundant local food system! 

New, Improved, and Now All in One Place:  We now have an office!

With many thanks to the Thurston Conservation District, we are pleased to announce that we now have office space on the second floor of the Thurston Conservation District Office in Tumwater.

Our physical address is:  2918 Ferguson St. SW, Building 1, Suite A, Tumwater, WA  98512.  Our office hours are generally Monday through Thursday, noon to 4:30, though we recommend that you call ahead at 360-292-9842.

For the time being, our mailing address remains P.O. Box 12118, Olympia, WA 98508. 

If you just need to pick up some Farm Maps (and we highly encourage you to do so), the Thurston Conservation District Office is open from 8 am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, and their staff can direct you to the Farm Maps if SSCFLT staff is not available.

SAVE THE DATE
 October 8, 2016
Join us:
Donations and Volunteers Needed for Farms Forever 2016
This year’s Farms Forever planning is well underway – help us make it the best ever!

Our farm-to-table dinner and silent auction will take place at a new location, the Lacey Community Center on October 8th, 2016.  We are looking forward to this year’s Farm Forever being a huge success and are currently looking for donations for our silent auction and for volunteers to help us plan this wonderful event.
 
Interested in helping to plan Farms Forever?  Our events committee has openings for any volunteers that may be interested in developing and improving this year’s fundraiser.

When?
We meet every 4-6 weeks with meetings becoming more frequent as we get closer to the event. 
What?
We focus on decorations, the flow of the event, promotion of the event, food donations and finding items for our silent auction.  We also may help at the event with set-up and take down, auction, registration and/or check out. 
Why?
You know why - to help preserve local farmland!
 
If you are interested in cultivating immeasurable abundance for Farms Forever 2016, please contact our Event Coordinator Jeanine Toth at Jeanine@communityfarmlandtrust.org.

Welcome to Sheryl Belcher at SSCFLT’s Interim Director of Development

We are pleased to have Sheryl Belcher join our staff team as the Interim Director of Development.  Sheryl is a 1988 graduate from TESC (and was a student of Pat Labine's in Ecological Agriculture), and earned her master’s degree in 2008 from the Evans School of Public Policy at the University of Washington.
 
She has more than 25 years of experience with non-profit organizations, and is delighted to be working with the Community Farm Land Trust.  She is also very happy to be back in Olympia, particularly during the magic of Olympia’s summer.
 
You can reach Sheryl at sheryl@communityfarmlandtrust.org from now through August, 2016.
You & Olympia Federal Savings Supporting SSCFLT Together
Olympia Federal Savings has supported farmland preservation for many years by being a sponsor for the Direct Sales Farm Map and Farms Forever.  We are pleased to announce that this support continues through a new Olympia Federal Savings program. They are currently offering a $50 donation to a charity of choice for each new checking account opened at their institution. 
 
This is a limited time offer, and is an easy way to support keeping farmland in production.  Open a new account or encourage family and friends to do so.  
 
For more information see olyfed.com/dogood or contact your local branch.
Tilth Seeking Workshop Proposals for Tilth 2016 Annual Conference
Deadline for Requests for Proposals is June 1, 2016

Each year the Tilth conference brings together hundreds of farmers, producers, researchers, and food system professionals for the opportunity to network and learn. This year’s conference, to be held in Wenatchee on November 11 - 13, 2016, will be offering thirty seventy-five minute workshops to meet the educational needs of sustainable and organic growers. Tilth is actively requesting proposals and speaker recommendations for these workshops.

You can submit ideas online here.  Need more information?  Please contact Tilth at 206- 632-7506 or email at conference@tilthproducers.org, or click here.
 
Grants Available from USDA to Help Agricultural Producers Enter into Value-Added Activities
Paper Application Deadline:  July 1, 2016  |  Electronic Application Deadline:  June 24, 2016

The USDA offers Value Added Producer Grants (VAPG) to help generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income.  The VAPG program funds 50% of total project costs up to $75,000 for planning and $250,000 for working capital.  Independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer- or rancher-cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures are eligible to apply for this program.

For more information see http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants
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