Taylor Shellfish Farms is a 5th generation family-owned company producing Olympia, Kumamoto, Pacific & Virginica oysters, Manila clams, Mediterranean mussels, geoduck, & shellfish seed for national & international markets.

Back in May 2018 Taylor Shellfish and some of their best shuckers traveled to China for the World Shucking competition. Ahi (front in photo) came in 2nd place in the World!

We are thrilled that Taylor is sponsoring Farms Forever again this year by providing fresh raw oysters for your pleasure and providing this 'World Famous' shucker to be our Oyster Bar Server Extraordinaire!

About Ben by Ben:
My passion for food started at 11 years old when, having been drafted to help with preparations for a big dinner, I cracked open Julia Child's The Way to Cook to her recipe for Floating Island and saw that, according to Julia, among all other ingredients to make that dish, "you must have courage." I have spend most of my cooking career seeking out the adventures and challenges that Julia promised in those four words, working and studying in San Francisco, London, Napa Valley, Florence, Seattle, Philadelphia, and Portland. I found my most recent challenge in training young chefs for careers in the food industry through the Pierce County Skills Center. I am excited to be preparing the dinner for Farms Forever for the second year in a row and getting to work once again with so many incredible, passionate, and hard working farmers and volunteers.

About the menu:
It may sound simple, but this year's dinner is inspired by the extraordinary farmers and local food producers in our community. As a chef, what I do is only made possible by the products that their hard work, diligence, and dedication cultivate and craft. Each dish is a reflection of a locally produced food that I feel highlights the best Pacific Northwest traditions of humble craftsmanship and exceptional culture around food, growing, and eating.

We are deeply saddened to share the news of the death of our long time board member, ​Stephen Hallstrom on July 1, 2018.  Steve and Cecelia have been members of SSCFLT since 2010. Steve was an active board member for many years, including being the Chair of the Farmland Preservation Committee. 

Steve was a passionate force in the local farming community not only running Let Us Farm including a longstanding internship program to help aspiring farmers, but working closely with several local conservation districts, land trusts and other local farmers. Steve was always willing to speak out when he saw a need in the farming community, whether there was a policy that needed changing or a farmer that needed a positive word or a helping hand.

Steve has left a legacy behind not to be forgotten.
Let Us Farm was recently protected with a conservation easement with PCC Farmland Trust; in 2010 the farm won the Vim Wright Stewardship Farm Award and you can view the video about the farm here.

Steve requested there not be a service, however his family has provided a beautiful obituary where you can leave messages and memories. Some of our board members sentiments are below, you are welcome to comment here as well. 

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 ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be a volunteer with Steve these past 5 1/2 years since he joined the SSCFLT board.  I am humbled by his choice to continue sharing his wisdom and counsel, expertise and financial support with our small non-profit during this past year when he knew life for him would soon come to an end. ... I see in my mind’s eye the chair that will be empty each time we meet. I feel the sorrow at our loss. --  Loretta Seppanen

He was ours, and we are all so deeply blessed to have had him in our lives. I have never before witnessed that level of commitment to a life of dignity and integrity. He was there for others until the last moment of his life. What a thing of true beauty. I will carry him forward in my own life, and I needed his example dearly. -
Patricia Hickey

I’m beyond sad to hear Steve’s passing.  He was an amazing human being. I’ve learned much from him in the past year.  – Lainie Kertesz

We are sad to announce that Mary Ann Swain has retired from her position as Director of Farmland Preservation with the Community Farm Land Trust (CFLT). 

Mary Ann was hired at CFLT in April 2011 to be the grant writer and project development coordinator. Prior to 2011 Mary Ann was a founding member of the board in 1997, and again served from 2004-2007.  Throughout her time with CFLT Mary Ann’s skills in land acquisition, government and foundation grant writing, and nonprofit organizational development have been essential to all of our preservation achievements.

​Mary Ann has a heart for the community and farmland preservation in particular.

While we miss her compassion and skills, we are happy that Mary Ann is able to have this time to enjoy her own land and time with friends.

Name suggestions are no longer being accepted.   Below is the complete list of suggested names. 

THE IDEA LIST (as of 2/16/18):

• ​​​Farms Forever (FF)
• Farms Forever: A Community Farm Land Trust
• Community Farmland Trust: Farms Forever
  
• Community Farmland Trust (CFT)
• Community Farm Land Trust (CFLT)
• Sound Farmland Trust (SFT)
• ​​South Sound Farmland Trust (SSFT)
• South Sound Farm Trust (SSFT)
• ​Farmland Preservation Trust (FPT)
• SEA WA Farm Trust (or Seawa Farm Trust)
• Rain Coast Farm Trust (RCFT)
• South Salish Farmland Trust (SSFT)
• Olympic Farmland Trust (OFT)
  

Next step is the board will review the options raised and pick out their favorites.  Then YOU all will get to make the final decision at our Annual Meeting on March 9th - MUST BE Present to vote! 

Annual Meeting/Potluck/Raffle/Celebration will be March 9th from 5:30-8:30 at the Olympia Eagles Ballroom (805 4th Ave, Olympia).  Our partners and community friends will have info tables before dinner, dinner starts at 6pm (bring your favorite dish to share), brief meeting after dinner, then celebration and music!

JOIN US!

South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust . . . so often we hear 'wow that's a long name' or folks stumble over the name or acronym (SSCFLT). 

So this is YOUR chance to give input into what you want to call us!  We are your Community Land Trust and so you have a large say in this decision!  We are collecting ideas for a shorter but still appropriate name.

​Keep in mind that:

• We operate in a 4 county region: Thurston, Mason, Lewis and Grays Harbor.
• We are community funded and directed.
• We ONLY preserve Farmland.

​
​This is an issue that we will be voting on at the MARCH 2018 Annual meeting, so please submit your ideas today.  The list of names will be added to weekly, and you will have the opportunity to vote 2 times: In mid February the Full list will be published with voting options.  At the Annual Meeting the attendees will be able to cast one final vote for their favorite of the top 3-5 names that the Board also approves.


​THE IDEA LIST (as of 2/16/18):

• ​​​Farms Forever (FF)
• Farms Forever: A Community Farm Land Trust
• Community Farmland Trust: Farms Forever (CFT)
• Community Farmland Trust (CFT)
• Community Farm Land Trust (CFLT)
• Sound Farmland Trust (SFT)
• ​​South Sound Farmland Trust (SSFT)
  
• South Sound Farm Trust (SSFT)
• ​Farmland Preservation Trust (FPT)
• SEA WA Farm Trust (or Seawa Farm Trust)
• Rain Coast Farm Trust (RCFT)
• South Salish Farmland Trust (SSFT)
• Olympic Farmland Trust (OFT)

Thanks to Colin Barricklow for taking these photos of the hardworking folk from Skyline Pump & Machine installing the new variable pressure irrigation pump we have all be anxiously anticipating!
​You can see the Osprey Nest that Puget Sound Energy put up last April in the third photo. 

This past Friday (January 19th, 2018) was the grain processing field trip at Scatter Creek Farm & Conservancy.  The hard work of Stephen Bramwell and the WSU Extension team, along with Dalen, Colin, and Brian was evident by the extensive array of equipment on display and the quality of the speakers.
 
The event started with about an hour of lecture on grain handling, post-harvest, with speakers coming from near and farm including Sam Nash from out in Sequim. It was about 30 degrees warmer than last years and for most of the day the rain held off. The event was well attended, with about 45 people on the equipment tour.  
 
The equipment exhibit started with the basics, transporting grain from the field to where it will be processed. As a novice, I learned a lot. Brian shared his extensive knowledge on grain farming from the importance of weight when transporting grain over culverts to sharing machinery tips. Dalen has been most helpful in securing equipment for the event including getting a grain dryer donated to the mill project.
 
The event ended with Colin making chicken food with his roller mill for all to observe while an excellent Extension Agent who specialized in chicken nutrition gave a very informative talk. Stephen and his team were able to get him to attend all the way from Corvallis Oregon. All the chicken growers were engaged and asking a lot of questions about providing an adequate protein mix from locally grown food.  
 
Scatter Creek is such a great community asset and we should all be proud to be part of this organization

​- Marcy Cleaver, Board Member & Volunteer