Everson, Wash. – Tour Alm Hill Gardens, a 35-year old diversified, fresh-market organic farm and learn about an emerging, cooperative business model that is gaining interest around the state and country.
The July 28 farm walk, offered in both English and Spanish, will highlight the practices in the field and at the market that make Alm Hill Gardens unique. From one of the original year-round, direct-market farms at Pike Place Market, Alm Hill has transformed into a worker-managed cooperative that sells at 17 farmers markets per week, supplies dozens of northwest Washington restaurants, schools, and grocers, and participates in community-supported agriculture (CSA).
Participants will learn about approaches to season extension and year-round farming, crop diversity (annuals and perennials), mixed berry production, and direct marketing strategies. Research taking place on the farm in cooperation with WSU will be highlighted, including integrated pest management and field trials of several varieties of fruits and vegetables.
Join the Alm Hill Gardens team for a day on a blossoming cooperative powered by new generation and Latino farmers. Learn how Alm Hill Gardens serves as a model for farm succession and community building. In collaboration with the non-profit organization Growing Washington, the farm also serves as the hub for northwest Washington’s farm-to-school efforts, a multiple farm CSA, a farm stand in downtown Bellingham, a collaborative I-5 corridor farm-to-restaurant system, the Whatcom County Food Bank Farm, and other community projects.
This farmer-to-farmer learning experience allows time for questions and answers at an advanced level, and an opportunity for farmers to share information about practices and the logic behind them.
The farm walk is Monday, July 28 from noon to 3:30. The cost is $10.00 for Tilth Producers of Washington members and $15.00 for non-members. Register on-site or pre-register by mailing a check to Tilth Producers, PO Box 85056, Seattle, WA 98145. A brown bag lunch is recommended. Beverages will be provided. The farm walk will be offered in both English and Spanish.
Details about all Farm Walks are available at www.tilthproducers.org and www.smallfarms.wsu.edu. The Farm Walk is sponsored by Tilth Producers of Washington and the Washington State University Small Farms Team.
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