Join the CFLT staff and board for the Annual Meet-Up at Mercato Ristorante.
Mercato Ristorante
111 Market St NE
Olympia, WA 98501
Across from the Olympia Farmers Market
Stop by before or after your market trip anytime between 2-4pm!
Hello Community Farm Land Trust members and friends:
The revolution around the sun brings us again to our Annual Meeting where we will celebrate our work, build our community, and herald what is coming up for the new year. Please join us on Saturday, April 6th, 2024 from 2:00 - 4:00pm at Mercato Ristorante, across from the Olympia Farmers Market.
Our Annual Meetings are informal, drop-in gatherings of our Community Farm Land Trust membership and friends. You will have a chance to meet some of our Board members, our wonderful, hardworking staff and volunteers, and farmer members. We will provide a selection of appetizers and you can get a drink from the bar. We will have plenty of copies of our 2024 Fresh From the Farm Guide for you to take home. Please come celebrate and build community with us.
Keep reading below for the 2023 Annual Report and Online Election of Board of Directors for 2024!
Community Election of the CFLT Board of Directors
Because we are a Community Farm Land Trust, our Board of Directors, both new and continuing, are elected annually by the membership. If you are a supporter, you are a member.
VOTE FOR BOARD CANDIDATES
Please vote to approve or disapprove this slate of board candidates below.
Colin Barricklow – Owner/farmer, Kirsop Farm (2nd year of a 3-year term).
Gabriel Marks – Youth Program Manager, GruB (2nd year of a 3-year term).
Pat Labine – Clerk, Faculty Emeritus, Ecological Agriculture Evergreen State College,
(3rd year of a 3-year term).
Rachel Freidman – Chair, Retired Business Owner, Motion in Balance Studio (3rd year
of a 3-year term).
2023 Community Farm Land Trust Annual Report
Each year, the Annual Report gives us the opportunity to reflect back and see how we continue to accomplish the mission and vision of the Community Farm Land Trust. This Annual Report will give a snapshot of some of the important accomplishments in 2023 of which we are very proud. We continue to promote local food and farming systems through preservation strategies, outreach and partnerships.
Anna Min-Thurston County Food Bank, Children and Teen Services Coordinator
Our Fresh from the Farm Guide (FFTFG) continues to be the centerpiece of our educational outreach. The 2023 Guide had 80 pages that showcased 89 farms in Thurston, Lewis, Mason, and Grays Harbor counties. Because everyone deserves to eat healthy, local food, we expanded our food bank guide to include some essential information about food insecurity nutritional assistance programs. Thirteen thousand free copies of this publication were printed and distributed throughout the four counties. We distributed 1500 guides to the farmers markets and 1500 to food banks in the four counties.
The Board remains extremely proud of the quality of this publication and of the passionate and talented staff that produce this Guide. In addition, the Board is proud of the marketing assistance that this Guide provides to small farms. The success of our small regional farms provides resilience and food security in all of our communities. A special thanks to the Nisqually Tribe who helped to fund the printing of the publication!
Our Growing Commitment to Reach Out and Work with Other Community Groups
CFLT is finding more ways to work with like-minded organizations in order to amplify our advocacy for local farms, local food and regional food self-sufficiency.
CFLT participated for more than two years on the City of Olympia Parks Department’s Workgroup on Olympia Farmland, implementing an Urban Agriculture Plan. One result of the committee’s work has been a cooperative project of Olympia Parks and Thurston Conservation District to build a community garden at the site of the old courthouse.
CFLT has a presence at many County meetings and community events. This fall we tabled at TCD’s Fall Harvest Fair, a popular event with a pie contest, cider pressing, activities for kids and more. Many representatives of local non-profits and environmental government agencies tabled as well.
Board members Pat Labine, Marcie Cleaver, and Toby Schofield spent the day talking with people about the Land Trust and signing folks up for our newsletter. The day also gave us a chance to talk with many old friends.
A CFLT Farm Project More Than Two Years in the Planning and Now Heading for Implentation
Road flooding problems at Scatter Creek Farm and Conservancy on the mend:
Over the years, beaver activity has increasingly obstructed water flowing through a culvert under the main farm road. During the winter, the seasonal stream now frequently overflows the road, and consequently, the road surface has degraded to the point of impeding farm equipment access.
Engineers from Mason and Thurston County Conservation Districts have generously worked with CFLT to help solve this problem. The Land Trust now has an engineered plan for a “beaver–deceiver” and if necessary, a new culvert.
Full implementation of this plan will be a heavy financial lift for the Land Trust. Assistance from our supporters to complete the project is needed and encouraged.
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Belonging (JEDB)
The Trust revised and updated its charter for Diversity Equity and Inclusion. The new charter recognizes that the issue of belonging in community is equally important as diversity, equity and inclusion. As such, our standing Committee and its revised charter are now referred to as Justice, Equity, Diversity and Belonging. The goal of the revised charter is to increase access and inclusion to opportunities and resources for all members of the local farming community. The Board is proud of the work that it has done to date and looks forward to implementing our vision of justice, equity, diversity, and belonging that represents the entire CFLT community.
Financial Report
CFLT 2023 Income
Membership and
Donations-$95,810
Grants-$1,400
Fresh from the Farm
Guide-$30,950
Events-$35,008
Other - $25,273
$13,892 (structure rent)
$11,381 (land rent)
Total - $188,441
CFLT 2023 Expenses
Programs-$97,500
Professional
Services-$18,497
Administration-
$19,610
Misc.-$12,987
$7,002 (taxes &
insurance)
$3807 (office rent)
$2178 (technology)
Total - $166,969
Call for New Board Members
The Board is currently seeking new members to help in our work. It is essential for us to have a board with many talents that represents the diversity of our community. You can learn more about volunteering at communityfarmlandtrust.org. Or you can speak to any Board member.
Look for the 2024 Fresh from the Farm Guide coming soon to a town and a business near you. We will be distributing guides in our four county region over the next few months! Check out your favorite local spots to see where you can pick up your guide.
If you would like copies of the guide at your business or want to help with distribution, please contact us at FFTFG.
We are seeking local businesses to partner with us in preserving farmland in South Puget Sound.
Business are asked to donate a portion of their sales for the day. Parameters of these donations are set by each business. (ie. 10% of sales, 10% of food sales, $1 per drink, etc).