We heart farms - and YOU!

Valentine's Day is just one more time for us to share the love with our supporters. We invite you to stop by our Facebook page next (Valentine's) week, and share with us why you love farms. We want to hear about why they have a place in your heart, and why you're passionate about local farmland conservation!  Click on the heart to follow us on Facebook:

                                                 

Local Chefs for Local Farms: March 11th at Tilth

Join us where Local Chefs for Local Farms began: Tilth Restaurant. Our longtime friend, board member, and creator of the series, Chef Maria Hines, will host another deliciously local evening. Stay tuned for more information about our guest farmer and other speakers. 

Click on the rooster below for details and to register for the event:




 

Spring Restoration Events

Finding yourself getting the itch to get outdoors and get your hands dirty on the farm? Well, luckily we have a few Spring opportunities coming up to look forward to:

• Friday, March 13^th,  2pm – 4pm
• Saturday, March 28^th, 9am – 12pm
• April 11^th, 9am – 12pm, Our special Earth Day event, featuring a large native planting.

Check back later this month for more details and registration for our March and April events on our Volunteer Page.

Supporter Spotlight: Robin Fay

We are thrilled to welcome our new Conservation Manager, Robin Fay!  Robin has a background in farmland preservation, land use planning, and environmental policy.

Please tell us about yourself.
I wasn’t born in Washington but I’ve lived here the majority of my life and consider myself a native. I grew up in San Juan County, went to college in Tacoma at the University of Puget Sound for environmental policy, and to the University of Washington for a Master’s in Public Administration—also focused in environmental policy and natural resource management. I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to do land conservation, and although I originally imagined working to preserve wilderness I have found that concentrating on working lands to be a great fit. Living in the city makes me appreciate the truly wild places that much more, but it has also highlighted the issues of land conservation in our own backyard and the need to protect farmland especially.

Why is organic farming or organic food of interest to you?
My family owns and operates a small scale commercial berry farm that grows Certified Organic strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries for U-pick and direct market.  My parents are "foodies" and pretty health conscious, so I really value fresh healthy food and being close to the source. Growing up on an organic farm, the value of organic food and supporting small scale producers who are taking the extra steps to be good environmental stewards was a no-brainer.

What is your vision for farming and food production in the state of Washington? 
I think people are realizing that farming as an industry needs to make some major changes—both for health of the environment and for the sustainability of the industry itself. At the same time I think people need to realize the value farmland provides and start prioritizing its protection along with other natural resources. I hope that increased interest in local food can be the driver that motivates these changes and that the result is a strong, vibrant food system that supports farmers and promotes environmentally sound farming practices.

What would you most like to see the Farmland Trust accomplish?
To acquire a critical mass of farmland across the state, ensuring a land base for agriculture, and that anyone who wanted to farm could get started on land that was affordable and accessible.

What's your favorite thing to grow?
Oddly enough, it might be potatoes. I never cease to be excited when it comes time to dig them up; it always kind of feels like finding buried treasure. That said, I’m glad my parents grow berries!

If you'd like to get in touch with Robin, you can contact him at robin.fay@pccfarmlandtrust.org

Pierce County Farm Forum, Feb 27

Featuring panels on Agritourism, Farms to Purchasers, network sessions and an ice cream social, the Pierce County Farm Forum is great place for farmers and other agribusiness representatives to exchange and share strategies, experiences, and ideas. 

PCC Farmland Trust will be there, and we'd love to see all of our Southern Puget Sound farmer friends--or anyone else with a business interest in all things agricultural!

Visit the Farm Forum webpage for registration, a speaker list, and more.

January Food & Farms in the News

Last month, we visited some nuns on the ranch, and this month, we bring you Brother Alberic, the Cheesemaking Monk of Manitoba!

Our friends, Dick and Terry Carkner of Terry's Berries are entering a new era, turning over the reigns to Mark and Katie Green and Wild Hare Organic Farm.  We wish them all the very best!

For the young, traveling, and farm-curious, WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) has long been a rite of passage. Modern Farmer provides a great basic "Do's & Don'ts: WWOOFing" for those considering a stint of service.

The issue of aging farmers is always present, but young people entering into farming seems to be especially in the news lately...One idea launched by the National Young Farmers Coalition (petition at link) suggests that the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program include forgiving the educational debts of those choosing to go into farming as a profession.

The National Young Farmers Coalition also recently provided this handy "Farmer's Guide to Working With Land Trusts."  You can also find a link on our PCC Farmland Trust Resources webpage.

Love almonds?  Or maybe almond butter, or almond milk?  Each month there seems to be more concerning news about the staggering resource drain required to grow almonds.  In California, the impact is especially dire.

Since President Obama didn't mention much of anything having to do with food or farms during the official State of the Union, Mark Bittman took it upon himself to address the current State of Food in our country.

Humanity in general seems to be playing with some pretty scary potential unintended consequences these days.  Case in point: nanoparticles, or specifically in this case, nanopesticides.  A mix of interesting possibilities and sci fi horror.

Not at all terrifying?  Farmers coming up with awesome farm names like "Neverdun Farm", "Fruit Loop Acres", or our personal favorite "Second Cloud on the Left Farm".