HomeMy WebLinkAboutWORKSHOP re Regional Small Farms Program WSU JCXJEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Kellie Henwood, WSU Extension Regional Small Farms Coordinator
DATE: June 12, 2023
SUBJECT: WORKSHOP re: Overview and update of Regional Small Farms Program
activity for 2023, including Food Access programming
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
After a WSU Extension county department brief in April 2023, the Regional Small Farms Coordinator
would like to expand upon and inform the BOCC with program updates regarding agriculture in Jefferson
County and the food access work happening across the North Olympic Peninsula.
ANALYSIS•
RECOMMENDATION:
An opportunity to have 15-30 mins to present our collective Food System programmatic work.
REVIEWED BY:
Mark McCau , County Administrator Date/
REGIONAL
SMALL FARMS
PROGRAM
2022
BY THE NUMBERS
• A total of 115 farmers provided
technical assistance
• 10 total Class/Educational offerings
in 2022 (5 virtual events, 1 ten -week
Cultivating Success course and 4 in
person farm walks)
• A total of 160 attendees accessed
online and in person classes
QUU I tS
Nice to have an in -person
Dirt Talk and really be able to
see what other farmers are doing and
how their crops are responding. Can be
a challenge at times with the online
format"
- Farm Walk Attendee
So glad to have attended. I
appreciated the
encouragement tempered with realism
throughout the event, and I'm looking
forward to signing up for more on this
topic."
- Farm Walk Attendee
ISSUE
The WSU Regional Small Farms program serves Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap Counties and
strives to support a thriving food and farming sector in our region. Comparing past data,
there is a trend in the number of farms increasing in our region while the size of those
farms has continued to decrease. In
2017, there was a reported 698 farms in
Kitsap County with the average farm size
being 13 acres. In Clallam County, there
was a reported 528 farms with an
average size of 33 acres, and in Jefferson
County a reported 221 farms with an
average of 62 acres.
The increase in the number of farms in
our region has created a need for more
small farm education, technical
assistance, experiential opportunities,
The increase in the
number of farms in our
region has created a need
for more small farm
education, technical
assistance, experiential
opportunities, and
resources for our area
farmers.
and resources for our area farmers. In 2022, the program saw an increase in farming
needs to include more pest identification and management assistance as well as the need
for livestock technical assistance. Additionally, it was noted that farmers began to want
more in person opportunities for learning and networking.
RESPONSE;
WSU Regional Small Farms has actively been supporting new and beginning farmers needs
as well as strategizing how to continue to provide exceptional programming and services
across our region. In 2022, Jefferson County was able to continue to support a full-time
regional small farms coordinator for the program. Kitsap County was able to continue to
provide a full-time food systems coordinator working with the program. Clallam County
was able to continue supporting a part-time integrated pest management specialist to the
team and secure funding to hire a new livestock specialist that started in early 2022
serving the region.
Kellie Henwood, Regional Small Farms Coordinator (Jefferson) - kellie.henwood@wsu.edu
Jess Sappington, Food Systems Program Coordinator (Kitsap)- jess.sappington@wsu.edu
t
AtA S
In 2022, the Regional Small Farms program was able to continue providing
educational opportunities and resources to small farms in Clallam, Jefferson
and Kitsap counties, both virtually and in person. Some highlights from the
year include:
• Delivered five online educational events. Topics included: Downy
Mildew, Slugs & Snails, Agritourism, and Meet Your Livestock Specialist
(2 events).
• Launched new in -person farm walk opportunities called Dirt Talk Farm
Walks. Facilitated a total of four farmer hosted events connecting
farmers on topics such as: High Tunnel Production, Low -till for Small
Farms, Meat Goat Production & Pasture Management, and Collaborative
Farm Enterprises and Land Sharing.
• Offered regional participation and facilitation for 12- week Cultivating
Success Whole Farm Planning course. Farmers were provided instruction,
resources and networking to build a solid plan for their farming or food
related business.
• Engaged a total of 160 farmer participants in Regional Small Farms class
and event offerings across Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap counties.
• Provided technical assistance to 115 farmers across Clallam, Jefferson
and Kitsap counties. Assistance was delivered in person, via phone and
through email. The top inquiries for 2022 included:
=> Integrated Pest Management
=> Animal Agriculture
=> Crop Production & Soils
=> Access to Land & Farmland Succession
=> Farm Business Planning
• Provided additional assistance and partnerships in community events
such as:
=> Jefferson Farm Tour
=> The Sawtooth Ranch Guided Tour
=> Two Bears Garden Tour
=> Lavender Connection Essential Oil Extraction
=> Clallam County Harvest Festival
=> The Western Meat School
Additional Projects:
• Provided farmers resources through Small Farms
website and monthly agriculture focused
newsletter.
• Acquired certification and began planning for
Produce Safety Producer Trainings 2023.
• Provided farm -to -school technical assistance to
partners in Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap counties.
• Administered Kitsap Farm Mentor Program -
supporting 8 farmers through group class offerings.
• Provided support and technical assistance in food
access programming to Farmers Markets & Farm
Stands.
• Supported continued expansion and outreach of
Eat Local First marketing campaign and online farm
directory.
• In conjunction with North Olympic Development
Council and the Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
provided 9 farms and both Clallam farmers markets
with professional photos for use in marketing their
businesses.
• Conducted on -farm sweet potato trials with 7
farms across the region.
• Coordinated visit with specialist Dr. Chakradhar
Mattupalli and Dr. Lisa DeVetterto tour 3 blueberry
farms located in Kitsap and Clallam Counties.
• Acted in an administration, facilitation and/or
advisory capacity for multiple community
partnerships/groups, including:
=> Jefferson LandWorks Collaborative
=> Know Your Cost to Grow Program
=> Kitsap Agritourism Group
=> Kitsap Food Systems Round Table
=> Kitsap Farmland Preservation work group
=> Clallam AgWorks
=> Clallam County Conservation Futures Board
Kellie Henwood, Regional Small Farms Coordinator (Jefferson) - kellie.henwood@wsu.edu AI WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Jess Sappington, Food Systems Program Coordinator (Kitsap)- jess.sappington@wsu.edu EXTENSVION