Sovereignty Farm’s Victoria Plumage reflects on the project’s first year

“I want to see small gardens all over the city,” says Victoria Plumage, coordinator at Sovereignty Farm.

Located near Tukwila, Sovereignty Farm is a new project of the Chief Seattle Club’s Native Works program. 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.

Read more about Sovereignty Farm's first year.

Pacific Coast Harvest and Farmstand Local Foods: Sending out and scaling up local food

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.

Chris became owner of PCH in 2017, and says he began his management strategy by considering the question, “How do you authentically and legitimately engage with producers in a way that's helpful, to build partnerships and long-term win-win situations?”

Read more about how Pacific Coast Harvest is connecting consumers to farms.

Funding opportunities

Check out these upcoming opportunities and deadlines for grants that fund food programs. - Oct. 29: The Fresh Bucks Public Lottery Application - Nov. 2: American Health Association Bernard J. Tyson Social Impact Fund - Nov. 15: Washington State Department of Agriculture Flexible Funding Grants - Nov. 30: United Way of King County Food Security Assistance Program Grants - Nov. 30: City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods & Sweetened Beverage Tax Community Advisory Board Food Equity Fund   - Dec. 7: The Reinvestment Fund America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative Targeted Small Grants Program

USDA rolling out new insurance policies for small farmers

Starting in 2022, “micro farms” will be able to access expanded insurance coverage across the country. The new, updated insurance policies—offered through the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection— will be available to farmers who report less than $100,000 of revenue per year, rather than having to define what constitutes “local selling.” The Risk Management Agency’s research shows that 85 percent of small producers report less than $75,000 in gross sales, so they set the revenue limit with the goal of including as wide a portion of small farmers as possible.

Read more on the USDA website.

Pumpkin patches and other seasonal activities

Fall is the perfect time to get out and explore local farms. From pumpkin patches to U-pick apples, many farms around King County welcome visitors to enjoy classic autumn activities during this harvest season. Check out the Eat Local First tool to plan a great fall day enjoying local food.

Check out pumpkin patch locations here.

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!

If you have a relevant local food news story or article you would like us to share, please email us at jirobinson@kingcounty.gov.

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Cheers, Local Food Initiative team