Submitted by Community Farm Land Trust
The Community Farm Land Trust (CFLT), a nonprofit based in Olympia, is proud to announce the 2021 Fresh From The Farm: A South Sound Food & Farm Resource Guide (formerly known as South Sound Farm Map) is now available for pick up at area businesses and can be viewed online on the CFLT website.
The free, 80-page magazine-style publication is a regional go-to resource filled with listings and maps highlighting local farms, farmers markets, and farm stands in Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, and Thurston Counties. The guide features a produce seasonality guide, community supported agriculture listings (CSAs), food banks, food access, and nutrition incentive program information and is packed with local photos as well as farm and food statistics. Find family, kid friendly, and recreational opportunities too.
Founding CFLT Board Member, Russell Fox, remembers early farm maps began as The Evergreen State College student projects in the 1980’s and 1990’s and were produced most but not all years by students, TESC alums, community members and sponsoring farms and businesses. The 2021 Guide proudly displays 26 covers through the years showing the evolution of the Fresh From The Farm Guide.
CFLT Board President, Marcie Cleaver, and Executive Director, Patrick Rofe, agree that “With social distancing, remote work and schooling, 2020 taught us the importance of community. Our wonderful community turned to local farms and farmers to buy more food locally.”
CFLT Board Member, Loretta Seppanen stated, “The current pandemic demonstrates how unsustainable the industrial food system is. It does not have the flexibility to adjust fast enough to keep flour, milk, and other products on the grocery shelves.” Farmers are resourceful and our local farms quickly adapted to the surge of demand. Thank you to our community for supporting our local farms, farmers, and economy.
The 2021 Fresh From The Farm Guide celebrates our local farmers and the CFLT team is excited to share their stories. The guide has more farm listings than ever before and interesting stories about farms throughout the South Sound counties, including: Sky Island Farm (Grays Harbor), Seedpod Farm (Lewis), Farm at Water’s Edge (Mason), and Lady Berry Produce (Thurston). Our area has a growing community of BIPOC farmers and Haki Farmers Collective shares their vision for food sovereignty. Ojeda Farm’s path to build their niche in flower farming and Olympia’s Octapas Cafe’s commitment to supporting their community are featured in the Farmers Market and Restaurant Spotlights.
Judy Witt, CFLT Board Member, shares how easy it is to support local farms. ‘You know, I’m pretty healthy right now, but it wasn’t always the case. A few years ago, my husband, Peter and I decided to change the way we live. And a big part of that was a CSA from Ladyberry Produce, I buy most of my meat from Colvin Ranch and a lot of other healthy products from the Olympia Farmers Market and South Sound Fresh.”
Proud sponsors for the 2021 Fresh From The Farm Guide include: Nisqually Indian Tribe, OlyFed, Community Sustaining Fund of Thurston County, Heritage Bank, Port Blakely, Olympia Farmers Market, and Organically Grown Co. A special thank you also goes to Octapas Cafe, OlyFed, Port Blakely, and TypeAndStyle.com for sponsoring farm listings in this year’s guide and Scatter Creek Nurseries and Helsing Junction for sponsoring local farms. The Community Farm Land Trust also greatly appreciates the many advertisers and farms supporting our publication.
Support local businesses when you pick up the 2021 Guide at these locations:
- Olympia: Olympia Farmers Market, The Barn Nursery and Great Western Supply, Olympia Supply & Ace Hardware, J&I Power Equipment Inc., Whitewood Cider Company, and Octapas Cafe
- Tumwater: Lattin Country Cider Mill and Farm, Triceratops Brewing Company and Matchless Brewing
- Shelton: Tractor Supply
- Belfair: Valley Feed and Bear Creek Country Store and Feed
- Hoodsport: Hoodsport IGA
- Yelm: J&I Power Equipment Inc., Yelm Food Co-op, and Gordon’s Garden Center
- Rainier: Rainier Grocery and Main Street Cookie Company
- Tenino: Sandstone Distillery, Whitewood Cider Company, and Tenino Market
- Chehalis: The Farm Store
- Montesano: Organics 101 Market Deli & Juice Bar
- Rochester: Scatter Creek Nurseries and Bailey’s IGA Supermarket
Stories about farmers, farmers markets, sponsors, advertisers, and more can be found on Facebook and Instagram.
About Community Farm Land Trust
The Community Farm Land Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Olympia, is dedicated to preserving working, affordable farmland in the South Sound and keeping it farmed forever.
CFLT’s mission is promoting vibrant local food and farming systems through community supported farmland preservation strategies, educational outreach, and partnerships that increase opportunities for farms and farmers to flourish.
CFLT’s vision is abundant, productive, sustainable local farmland providing healthy food for our community and contributing to a vibrant, viable farm economy.
We work to:
- Permanently protect farmland and to provide affordable land security for farmers
- Ensure that farmland remains farmed and continues to support a viable agricultural economy that provides for local food security
- Build a community that appreciates and supports locally produced food, and where farms can provide a good economic return to those who work the land
Since 2013, the Community Farm Land Trust has preserved 215 acres of working farmland and continues to search for land to be farmed forever.
In 2006, CFLT took the helm publishing the farm map to support local farms and businesses and keep purchasing dollars in the area. Now more than ever, community members can cut out the middle man by buying from a farm stand, farmers market or local CSA. South Sound Food System Network declares, “When consumers buy farm direct, more money goes to the farmer. And when farmers have needed funds to put back into the farm, they’re more likely to stay in business and keep growing more food for the community.”
Find more information about CFLT, visit the Community Farm Land Trust website.
To donate to Community Farm Land Trust, visit here.
