Black Farmers Collective expands Small Axe Farm to Sammamish Valley to grow food and support BIPOC farmers

Access to farmland is a significant barrier for many farmers, especially Black and Indigenous farmers and farmers of color, whether they are just starting out or have extensive experience growing food. Recently, King County partnered with the Black Farmers Collective to assist in expanding their farm operation, Small Axe, on property in the Sammamish Valley, to grow more healthy and nutritious food.

The Black Farmers Collective is a Black-led mutual aid network of BIPOC farmers, organizers, and leaders creating a food system for healthier communities. Their three sites, Yes Farm in the Central District, Brown Egg Gardens in Columbia City, and Small Axe in Woodinville are part of their efforts for land acquisition, BIPOC farmer development, community building, and educational programs.

The Local Food team spoke with Ray Williams, managing director of Black Farmers Collective, and Masra Clamoungou, farm manager of Small Axe Farm, to hear more about the story of Black Farmers Collective, their goals for expanding Small Axe Farm, and their vision for providing local food to the community.

Read more about Black Farmers Collective and Small Axe Farm on King County DNRP's blog post here. Visit their website here for more information.

Plant Based Food Share provides healthy and culturally relevant plant-based meals to communities and families

Creating a community-based organization at the beginning of a pandemic may sound like an impossible feat, but Plant Based Food Share (PBFS) was created in order to show King County residents that it is possible, necessary, and, in fact, a recipe for hope and success. PBFS is a community food program that provides healthy plant-based food boxes to Seattle area families facing food insecurity. PBFS serves low-income, underserved urban communities who live in food deserts and includes African American, Indigenous, Latinx communities as well as BIPOC children, families, elders, and domestic violence victims. PBFS has provided over 22,270 families food and supported local BIPOC farmers incorporating over almost 575,000 pounds of their locally grown produce. PBFS has offered over 30,000 plant starts so that families can grow their own food indoors, 30,000 heirloom seeds, and provided over 2,000 plant based healthy meals from local BIPOC chefs.

Visit King County DNRP's blog post about Plant Based Food Share here. You may also visit their website here for more information.

Cultivating Success: Agricultural Entrepreneurship statewide y en español

Becoming a successful agricultural entrepreneur is not easy! So, set yourself up from the start. Cultivating Success™: Agricultural Entrepreneurship is an in-depth farm and food business planning course. Experts will walk you through the necessary steps to create a business plan for an existing farm-based business or a completely new enterprise. Join weekly online classes with a statewide cohort of new and beginning farm businesses, to include a full line-up of guest experts and farmer speakers while also engaging in regional networking and support in breakout rooms. Come out of this nine-week course with the core elements of a business plan to guide your small business forward. Learn more and register here. En Espanol - statewide.

For general questions or statewide information and assistance, contact Nicole Witham at cultivating.success@wsu.edu.

Farm Walks podcast in full swing with episodes airing Mondays

WSU Food Systems Program and Tilth Alliance have been collaboratively organizing Farm Walks since 2004. These farmer-to-farmer educational opportunities are hosted by organic, sustainable, and innovative farm and food businesses throughout Washington state who are always aiming to highlight farmer hosts and their unique expertise and experiences. The organizers reach new, beginning, and existing farmers seeking education, advice, and mentorship from these experienced farmers, as well as agricultural and food systems professionals, and WSU Extension Specialists. Farm Walks are normally shared on-farm through a guided walk-and-talk style along side our favorite farmer hosts, but due to COVID-19 the opportunity to get on the farm just wasn’t an option. So, Farm Walks have gone podcast!

Listen to the recently released episodes and read more about Farm Walks here. You can also search for the Farm Walks podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Thanks for reading! The Local Food Initiative team shares articles, exclusive interviews, and project updates that tell the story of how we are building a stronger, more resilient local food system. We're happy you've chosen to support local food and learn more about what the Local Food Initiative does here in King County. If you have any questions, check out our website!

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Cheers, Local Food Initiative team