Orting Valley Farms

- PCC Farmland Trust announces the preservation of 100 acres in Pierce County -

"As you make the drive down state route 167 and through the Kent Valley toward Orting, you can see a dramatic evolution of place occurring throughout Washington, and, in particular, areas just outside of Seattle. Preserving Orting Valley Farms means 100 acres of farmland will be producing organic food. Organic farming methods protect water and air quality, prevent soil erosion, provide food and cover for wildlife, and eliminate the problems created by petroleum-based, high-nitrogen fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals used in industrial farming.

In the United States, every minute of every day we lose about two acres of agricultural land. Why should we be concerned about losing large expanses of dirt to concrete and buildings? The American Farmland Trust states it succinctly" 'No Farms, No Food.'

Every year our food becomes less safe. We open our newspapers and Web browsers to more stories about food scares from a massive industrial food system. Add to the mix a vanishing way of life for American family farmers, and a dwindling ability to sustain our country's rich, rural agricultural heritage, and we have created a series of preventable tragedies.

Preserving farmland ensures local, organic food production, opportunities for small farmers into the future, and allows the public to know HOW their food is grown. If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week made from local, organically grown produce, we would conserve one million barrels of oil in one week. Equally as important, research done by Sustainable Seattle found that shifting just 20% of our food dollars to local choices more than doubles the number of dollars circulating among local businesses.

To date, Orting Valley Farms has two of its (eventually) three farm families on the property, already growing an array of produce. Kim and Dan Hulse of Tahoma Farms and Terra Organics were the first to break ground on their 40 acres last Spring, growing a variety of vegetables. Ken and Carrie Little will operate their Little Eorthe Farm on 30 acres, growing berries, flowers, mixed veggies, honey, eggs and organic sees, as well as ingredients for beer, wine and mead. The final parcel is in advance negotiations, and those farmers will be planting in 2010.

Stay tuned for details about a 2010 tour of Orting Valley Farms."

PCC Sound Consumer, 12/09.

For more information visit http://www.pccfarmlandtrust.org/ - "Saving local organic farmland forever."