“We view the health of the forest and farm as interwoven”
Caring for our Forest
We view the health of the forest and the farm as interwoven. The health of one is essential to maintaining the health and vigor of the other in order for the whole system to thrive. Our forest plan emphasizes long-term vitality while simultaneously utilizing the short-term benefits of by-products such as carefully harvested firewood, chips, poles, and lumber. We also have a simple trail system which navigates the forest and is maintained with close attention to the trees and other forest dwellers. We regularly call on the additional expertise of local foresters and ecologists to guide our forest health assessments used to inform and update our forest management plan.
Strengthening Resources
With the generous support of a grant from the Washington State Organic and Sustainable Farming in 2018, we were able to further develop the nutrient cycle program and strengthen the forest-farm connection. Specifically, this grant supported the development of a biochar system for use in our nutrient cycling program. This includes a custom-fabricated kiln used to process forest material into the charcoal-like substance. The local production of biochar from our forest allows us to supplement our thermophilic compost and vermicompost, which we apply to the fields each year. The biochar serves as an agent for the slow release of the nutrients.
