GRuB is a 3 acre oasis on the Westside of Olympia, just moments from busy shopping centers and backed up traffic.
Can you find GRuB in this aerial photo of West Olympia?
Can you find GRuB in this aerial photo of West Olympia?
In 2008 GRuB was able to purchase the 2 acres that the main Farmhouse and fields stand on. In 2015 South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust was able to help obtain the funding needed to purchase the additional 1.18 acres GRuB was leasing from a neighbor, thus assuring that GRuB will be able to continue to farm the land forever.
When you first step into the gorgeous farmhouse you will start to pick up the sense of restorative purpose and community that is the foundation of everything that happens here. There is a place for everyone at GRuB: young children or families, high school students, college interns, veterans, and seniors – depending on the day that you visit you may find any combination of folks meeting and working around the property.
In 1996 GRuB started a youth garden project focusing on drop-out prevention, mentoring, and nutrition programs for low-income youth. It has grown and evolved to the point that they now have credit based programs with 3 of the local high schools. Just one youth farm grew over 10,000 pounds of produce for it’s school district in 2015. GRuB has CSA programs for its students, the Olympia food bank and local seniors through Senior Services of South Sound.
In addition to the farm itself and the multifaceted education program, for over 20 years GRuB has been industriously helping low income families learn to grow their own food by installing backyard gardens and providing the materials and know-how to make them successful. I received my ‘Kitchen Garden’ from GRuB in 2005 and expanded it bit by it as I learned more about gardening and what my family liked to grow. Over the years GRuB has installed about 3000 gardens in our community! The Victory Farmers (another successful GRuB program!) will be heading up the garden project now.
As you can see from this closer view the acre plus that SSCFLT was able to preserve would have been a huge loss as the whole space is farmland. GRuB is making amazing use of this land to feed our community.
Greenhouses for season extension and rows of lush vegetables are bordered with an old orchard, the composting center (soon to be updated!) , bee hives and the chicken coop.
Greenhouses for season extension and rows of lush vegetables are bordered with an old orchard, the composting center (soon to be updated!) , bee hives and the chicken coop.
Take a brief tour of the farm via the pictures below (best viewed larger); as I wandered the farm I was struck by the calm and quiet in the midst of the city. I am sure it is bustling when full crews are there working, but the time I went was quiet and it was wonderful to see the fruits of their labor. There are many hidden treasures on the farm as well - climbing roses gone wild and blooming amidst the branches overhead for instance.
Take a look at this oasis and know that this is YOUR FOREVER FARM.
Take a look at this oasis and know that this is YOUR FOREVER FARM.
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