King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks Blog
“I want to see small gardens all over the city,” says Victoria Plumage, coordinator at Sovereignty Farm. The farm launched this year with the goals of providing a space for Native American residents of King County to grow culturally significant foods and employing several members of the Chief Seattle Club as apprentices.Continue readingSovereignty Farm’s Victoria Plumage reflects on the project’s first year
As many farmers markets across King County wind down until next summer, the Local Food Initiative team wanted to share another way you can source fresh, local produce, and even have it delivered to your doorstep. We spoke with Chris Teeny, co-owner of Pacific Coast Harvest (PCH) and Farmstand Local Foods, about what these brands are doing to make it easy for individuals – and for larger customers such as restaurants – to support local growers.Continue readingPacific Coast Harvest and Farmstand Local Foods: Sending out and scaling up local food
Rows of kale, eggplant, corn, and other late summer vegetables extend for nearly 5 acres across one corner of Horseneck Farm in early September, located just a few miles south of downtown Kent. On a clear day, Mt. Rainier towers behind the trees in the distance. This setting – a small, green retreat within a hub of manufacturing – is just one of five King County-owned farms leased to area farmers through its Farmland Leasing Program. The goal is for marginalized and beginning farmers to have land access to grow their agricultural businesses despite increasingly expensive property prices across the county.Continue readingHorseneck Farm: Preserved for agriculture, now increasing access for diverse growers
epartment of Agriculture. While beekeeping is often done in rural areas, with some hives being transported farm to farm to foster pollination, a small company is supporting local farms and bottling honey produced in the Seattle metro area through a network of beehive hosts.Continue readingRainy Day Bees partners with local farms, other hive hosts, in creative approach to local honey production
On a typical day, you can find Caitlin Ames harvesting vegetables, guiding interns and volunteers, and generally keeping tabs on the ever-evolving to-do list at Matsuda Farm, where they have been manager for five years.Continue readingMatsuda Farm growing food and community on Vashon Island
According to the nonprofit ReFED, over a third of food products in the U.S. went to waste in 2019. From crops that are unharvested, to grocery stores that stock excess inventory, to shoppers who buy more than they can use, food waste propels climate change and harms the budgets of key players in our food system.Continue readingKing County joins West Coast states and cities to reduce food waste
As temperatures spiked above 100 degrees last month, many Pacific Northwest residents struggled to keep cool, seeking respite in the water or in air-conditioned spaces such as cooling centers. For farmers across King County, these extreme temperatures presented additional challenges of working safely outdoors and protecting vulnerable livestock and crops.Continue readingPreparing King County farms for extreme summer conditions
Don’t miss this free event at Marymoor Park on Aug. 21! Enjoy a farmers market, live music, local food vendors and booths with interactive, sustainability-themed activities.Continue readingKing County Parks cancels Aug. 21 food celebration CHOMP! to protect health as delta variant COVID-19 cases surge
A new farmers market opened earlier this month with a special purpose: to provide culturally relevant, locally sourced food for the African Diaspora and immigrant community, and to uplift BIPOC farms and food businesses. It takes place the second Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., June to November, at the Hope Academy in South Delridge.Continue readingSouth Delridge Farmers Market launches with special focus on BIPOC communities
A bike ride that takes you by a farm stand in the summer. A trip to a small museum that lands you next to an independent restaurant serving locally sourced vegetables.Continue readingSavor Snoqualmie Valley supporting local food and economic vitality in Snoqualmie Valley