Saving farmland: in the spirit
by Kathryn Gardow, Executive Director
This article was originally published in September 2007
Saving farmland: in the spirit
What are your early connections with food and where it comes from? Do you remember when you saw your first farm? Or when you grew your first tomato?
As a child, I remember planting tomatoes with my dad, picking high-bush blueberries with grandparents and making blackberry jam from berries picked on the escarpment with my grandmother. Memories of freshly picked corn glazed with butter in the heat of summer are vivid. My daughter has planted her first carrots (which I never have been able to grow) and she is so proud of them.
Join us on September 22 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to experience the glory of the harvest at Ames Creek Farm. The farmers — Michaele Blakely of Growing Things Farm, Andrew Stout of Full Circle Farms, and Phong Cha of Children’s Garden Farm — will be selling their produce and flowers.
You can walk the fields, browse information booths on farming in Washington state, enjoy a PCC Cooks demonstration, or entertain your youngsters with samplings from the PCC Kid Picks Mobile.
Restating our mission and purpose
Five-year vision
- PCC Farmland Trust acquires, through conservation easements or title, as many farms as feasible, consistent with market, financing and internal resources.
- PCC Farmland Trust focuses on securing farms in Washington state.
- PCC Farmland Trust works to ensure a farmer is farming the land using sustainable, organic growing methods.
- PCC Farmland Trust considers natural resource conservation goals when evaluating projects such as support for the wild, natural environment and biodiversity.
- PCC Farmland Trust considers projects that address the triple bottom line — economic, environmental, and social issues — of the project.
Objectives
- PCC Farmland Trust saves farmland by acquiring conservation easements as a first priority and by acquiring title as a second priority.
- Purchased farms are leased to farmers who are provided an option to buy the land. This ensures that generations of local farmers can productively farm the land using sustainable, organic growing methods.
PCC Farmland Trust news
Special thanks
When Barbara Kingsolver came in May to read from her new book, “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle,” Elliott Bay Bookstore decided to contribute their profit of $2,219.82 from the event to the PCC Farmland Trust. This book is about how the Kingsolver family grew and bought local food for a year.
Challenge grant
We’re still in the midst of our PCC Farmland Trust Challenge Grant, supported by major donors who want to save more land for farming.
Until November 1, our donors will match every dollar you contribute to the trust with an additional 50 cents. As of 8/17, we’ve received $18,253.52 in donations, and need another $21,746.48 to receive the $20,000 from our Challenge Grant donors.
Please make a contribution of whatever you can afford to help us reach our goal of $40,000 in individual donations.
PCC Farmland Trust has moved!
We’re now located at:
PCC Farmland Trust
909 N.E. 43rd Street, Suite 208
Seattle, WA 98105
Phone 206-547-9855
Fax 206-547-9734
Web: www.pccfarmlandtrust.org