Submitted by South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust (SSCFLT)
On June 26, 2015, the South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust (SSCFLT) successfully completed its efforts to permanently preserve 1.18 acres of urban farmland in West Olympia. The land will be used by non-profit Garden Raised Bounty (GRuB) for their nationally recognized youth programming. GRuB brings together youth and people who identify as low-income to grow themselves good food and community.
Funded by Thurston County’s Conservation Futures program, SSCFLT’s acquisition protects an irreplaceable parcel of land that yields over 10,000 pounds of produce annually. Food grown on the land is donated to the Thurston County Food Bank, goes home with low-income youth, and is sold through a farm stand and farmers markets to support GRuB’s operations.
The acquisition not only helps GRuB continue its important work, but also furthers SSCFLT’s mission to preserve working farmland and keep it accessible and affordable for local farmers. The average age of farmers in the U.S. is 57 and rising, and over two-thirds of the country’s farmland is expected to change hands in the next two decades. SSCFLT views its partnership with GRuB as a way to help train and empower a new generation of farmers and farmland stewards.
GRuB’s alternative school model brings low-income and disengaged youth to the urban farm for a unique hands-on learning experience and vocational training. Their innovative curriculum creates opportunities for youth to grow food, learn about leadership and life skills, and contribute to community food solutions. GRuB students gain deeper leadership skills by hosting younger students in GRuB’s field trip program or being employed as second year summer crew leaders. In addition, GRuB’s pollination program now teaches its youth program model and provides technical assistance so other communities can replicate it.
GRuB’s Kitchen Garden Project also gives low-income people access to resources and community connections by offering them backyard gardens, training and mentorship. Lastly, GRuB relies on volunteers to accomplish much of its work. Inspired by its success with youth, GRuB trains its volunteers and stakeholders to increase their awareness, self-advocacy, communication skills and leadership so they may more deeply engage in GRuB’s programs, the community, and the broader Food Movement.
SSCFLT’s preservation of the 1.18 acres of farmland ensures that GRuB can continue its programming in perpetuity. SSCFLT is proud to support the important role GRuB plays in the South Sound community. For more information about SSCFLT and its work to preserve local farmland, visit www.farmsforever.org. For more information about GRuB, visit www.goodgrub.org.
