SSCFLT has purchased equipment for use by local farmers. The Thurston Conservation District manages the rental of the equipment through their website or contact them at (360) 754-3588 for details regarding rentals.
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For small farmers without the economic means to individually purchase a lime spreader, getting lime onto small acreage soils has not been possible in Thurston County except by time consuming spreading by hand. Finely powered lime cannot be spread like fertilizer because it will "bridge" in the hoppers. Lime requires equipment with strong hopper agitators.
Without lime (a USDA approved Organic amendment), soils turn sour (especially in high rainfall areas like ours), creating an acid soil pH. This reduces soil fertility, tying up nutrients as well as decreasing the activity of earthworms and important soil biota.
Thanks to a grant from the Community Sustaining Fund, SSCFLT was able to purchase a small lime spreader that can be pulled by an ATV or pick- up truck. It can be used by beginning and micro farmers without access to a tractor. and will improve soil fertility, helping increase revenue for local small farms. Once restoration of this small used lime spreader is complete, it will be donated to the Thurston Conservation District where it will be made available to be borrowed by local farmers.
Without lime (a USDA approved Organic amendment), soils turn sour (especially in high rainfall areas like ours), creating an acid soil pH. This reduces soil fertility, tying up nutrients as well as decreasing the activity of earthworms and important soil biota.
Thanks to a grant from the Community Sustaining Fund, SSCFLT was able to purchase a small lime spreader that can be pulled by an ATV or pick- up truck. It can be used by beginning and micro farmers without access to a tractor. and will improve soil fertility, helping increase revenue for local small farms. Once restoration of this small used lime spreader is complete, it will be donated to the Thurston Conservation District where it will be made available to be borrowed by local farmers.
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For many local farmers, raising pastured poultry helps diversify their farm income and fertilize the fields. For community members, it means access to local food. Although many farmers have successful poultry operations, they don’t have access to equipment to process the poultry and prepare it for sale.
To help overcome this barrier, we applied for and received a grant from Heifer International. The award provided match funding for a collection of mobile equipment that farmers can use on-site instead of transporting their poultry or attempting to process by hand. The grant also funds a series of poultry processing workshops this summer at farms in Thurston, Mason, and King counties. Activities and additional grassroots fundraising for the grant have been a joint effort between the South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust, WSDA Organic Program, WSDA Small Farms & Direct Marketing, The Evergreen State College, Homegrown Pastures, and the Mason Conservation District.
The equipment, which can be viewed at http://www.featherman.net/pluckers.html, is now available for rental from the Thurston Conservation District. Please contact them at (360) 754-3588 for details regarding rental and upcoming poultry processing workshops.
To help overcome this barrier, we applied for and received a grant from Heifer International. The award provided match funding for a collection of mobile equipment that farmers can use on-site instead of transporting their poultry or attempting to process by hand. The grant also funds a series of poultry processing workshops this summer at farms in Thurston, Mason, and King counties. Activities and additional grassroots fundraising for the grant have been a joint effort between the South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust, WSDA Organic Program, WSDA Small Farms & Direct Marketing, The Evergreen State College, Homegrown Pastures, and the Mason Conservation District.
The equipment, which can be viewed at http://www.featherman.net/pluckers.html, is now available for rental from the Thurston Conservation District. Please contact them at (360) 754-3588 for details regarding rental and upcoming poultry processing workshops.