Evergreen's Organic Farm
Evergreen's Organic Farm recovers from tragic fire
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Dear friends and supporters of sustainable agriculture,
The organic farm recently suffered a substantial loss due to arson – including damage estimated at up to $50,000. Luckily no one was injured, the surrounding forest escaped undamaged, animals avoided harm and many of the plants were saved.
Still what was destroyed is exceedingly difficult to replace. Tools and a greenhouse were destroyed, including student projects such as efforts to grow native blueberries for community benefit. Currently the native blueberry patch that provided the plants destroyed by the fire is in danger from flooding and loss.
The organic farm engages in community supported agriculture, works to achieve better, more sustainable farming methods, and serves as a teaching space for students learning to develop a more beneficial way of working on issues of food, nutrition, landscape use, and preserving natural habitat and biodiversity. These are issues of critical importance for anyone who cares about what they eat and wants the world to produce not just more food, but better, more healthy food.
If you are considering a donation to the farm, we have set up a special account.
Give online or send us a check to:
The Evergreen State College Foundation
2700 Evergreen Parkway NW
Olympia, WA 98505
Include a reference to organic farm in the memo line.
Call Chris Hanger at 360-867-6322 to learn more.
About the Organic Farm
The Evergreen Organic Farm annual crop production area comprises 38,000 square feet, just 5,000 square feet shy of an acre. The perennial crop production area is in addition to this. The production from this area is sold to Aramark, from a farm-stand on Red Square every Tuesday and Thursday from 11am to 5pm during the growing season, and in CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). All of the excess is given to the Thurston County Food Bank and local charities, or composted.
Proceeds from the sale of the crops are used to finance farm projects and purchase seeds and equipment. Two of the greenhouses, the cooler, compost shed, farm fencing and orchard are just a few projects made possible from farm sales. Another use for money generated on the farm is to fund student projects. Many of these projects are related to horticultural aspects of food crops.
The farm production area is divided into sections that are used to delineate cropping areas for specific types of crops. The farm practices a strict five year crop rotation. The rotating of crops creates plant diversity over time as opposed to plant diversity in space. The rotation has four general crop categories with each category occupying a given space for one growing season.
Crop rotation is just one method the farm uses to maintain diversity in the field. Other methods employed are the use of undersown ground covers and inter-cropping different types of vegetable crops. Creating diversity in the field is one of the cornerstones of sustainable agriculture. Diversity provides non-toxic, sustainable crop protection against plant diseases and insect pests.
Give Online to help us Rebuild!