Give Big to CFLT- Donate to our Give Big Campaign-May 2nd-3rdCFLT needs YOUR Help! Farms Forever online auction donation now being accepted. Join us for LOCALvore and so much more!
We need your help! We are 14% towards our goal of $2500. You don't have to wait to donate! GIVE BIG 2023 kicked off on April 18 and will culminate in a 48-hour giving event on May 2nd-3rd. Get that Giving Feeling Today and donate to our crucial work!
We believe that a food system that honors and promotes diversity - - beginning with farmers and ending with food on everyone’s tables - - will build an inclusive, healthy, and resilient community. We continually search for viable farmland to provide marginalized farmers with affordable opportunities to grow their businesses and gain equity. We are committed to partnering with organizations, businesses, and individuals to create a more diverse farming community.
What’s YOUR reason to GIVE BIG?
Our Fresh from the Farm Guide highlights food accessibility by showcasing local farmers markets, food banks, and nutritional incentive programs that help low-income people in our community sustain better access to fresh food. Our local farms and farmers donate thousands of pounds of food each year to our local food banks from excess harvests. When consumers learn more about where their food comes from, they are able to make more informed decisions about their own health and nutrition.
Be a CFLT LOCALvore! Join us in celebrating local businesses supporting farmland preservation in the South Sound. The Community Farm Land Trust (CFLT) is excited to be hosting the 3rd annual LOCALvore event in Olympia, WA. LOCALvore is a Shop/Dine/Drink Out Event where 17 local businesses have committed to donating a portion of their sales for the day to CFLT.
Show your LOCALvore pride. We encourage you to take pictures and share your posts and stories on May 10th. Use the following hashtags on your posts:
We've created some fun routes for you to try for LOCALvore! So grab your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues and become a CFLT LOCALvore! Feel free to choose your own route or try one of the ones below. We will have ambassadors running around on our different routes. Can you find them?
Head over to our LOCALvore Event Page to learn more about our participating businesses and all things LOCALvore. On May 10th, join us as conscious consumers in preserving farmland and local Olympia businesses by shopping, dining, and drinking out! Bring your friends and family and be proud to be an CFLT LOCALvore!
We are gearing up for our Farms Forever Online Auction and trying something a little different this year. The past few years have opened our eyes to many things. Quality time and connections with loved onesare moments we don’t want to take for granted anymore. We have learned our dependency on commerce markets and supply chains. In turn, we have realized the importance of spending our dollars locally in order to strengthen our local economy. When supporting our local farms and small businesses, we can become more conscious consumers knowing that we are supporting the hard work of local families and individuals while reducing our carbon footprint. So with that in mind, we are steering away from lots of items in our auction this year because let’s be honest, we all have too much stuff already. We are focusing more on experiences and a few items that are more related to our mission. That being said, we are currently looking for items that fall under the categories below for our online auction.We urge you to think outside the box. What could you offer as a fun donation item for our auction? Our deadline for all donations is May 19th.
Farms Forever Online Auction Donation Ideas!
Unique Dining and Drinking Experiences- (farm-to-table dinners, tea parties, garden party or luncheons, cocktail party)
Education, Classes, and Workshops- (Everyone wants to learn something! What special skills do you have that someone might want to learn?)
Tickets for Events -(concert, movie, theater, zoo, aquarium, and sports tickets)
Overnight Stays and Day Trips-(cabin and hotel stays, adventure get-aways, destinations)
Farm and Garden Experiences and Farm and Garden-Related Items- (farm tours, goat cuddles, animal visits and family fun, garden tools, gardening baskets, and more)
On a day with a break in our spring rains, volunteers came out to Scatter Creek Farm & Conservancy with their drones. Aerial mapping of the farm was conducted to assess the actual number of acres that are available for farming. Farming activities have set backs from streams and other sensitive area. Drone mapping can measure the actual farmable acres given certain setbacks. The Trust will incorporate this information into lease documents. Such information is important to the Trust to create accurate, fair leases.
Come see the Camas blooming and so much more at the Glacial Heritage Preserve . which is only open to the public this one day a year! Learn about conservation efforts from local organizations like CFLT! Come say hi to us and learn more about CFLT’s role in conservation of local farmland!
Mason County Master Gardener Plant Sale-
Coming soon! Mark your calendar for May 11, 2023 when the Mason County Master Gardeners’ online plant sale portal opens. We have fabulous plants for this year's sale. Many varieties of tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, flowers and native plants that were highlighted during our Through the Garden Gate series this past winter. Pick up your online orders on May 19th from noon-7pm. There is also an in-person sale on May 20th from 10am-3pm.
Colvin Ranch is hiring a part-time Ranch Hand to assist in day-to-day operations of the ranch. You’ll work closely with the Ranch Manager and owners, and have the opportunity to learn new skills related to sustainable grazing, pasture management, and livestock health.
Flexible schedule, competitive pay, and discounts on our beef and pork. If you're interested in learning about raising and selling grass-fed, grass-finished beef, we want to hear from you! Send your resume and cover letter to jennifer@colvinranch.com.
Farmers Market News
Community Farmers Market of Chehalis Plant Sale-May 9th
Don’t miss the Market Preview/Plant Sale at the Community Farmers Market of Chehalis! Stop by Boistfort St. on May 9th to get all of the goodies needed to get your garden started this spring!
The Market info booth will be selling donated plant starts to help fund new equipment we need for this season.
Shelton Farmers Market Returns May 6th
It's finally time! The Shelton Farmers Market returns this Saturday, May 6th at the new location 425 W. Cota St (next to the Shelton Civic Center) and will run each Saturday through October from 10a to 3p.
Don't miss the big kickoff and ribbon cutting ceremony at 10am.
