By Clare Menard, New and Beginning Farmer Education Coordinator, WSU Kitsap Extension
Last Wednesday, October 21st, was a day that held a mixture of old and new. It was the first planting day of Fishline Farm, which recently broke ground at the historic Petersen Farm, which is owned by Great Peninsula Conservancy. This 142-acre property will someday host a number of farmers, as well as be an important habitat for salmon and other wildlife along Clear Creek and its watershed.
For now, Fishline Farm is the sole lessee, managing 2 acres. This farm is run by Fishline Foodbank and all the crops grown there will supply their clientele with fresh, local vegetables grown using organic practices. In 2027, the first third of an acre will be planted. The farm will slowly expand until all 2 acres are in production.
The farm was buzzing with new faces that day, but the work itself was rooted in a tradition generations of farmers have shared: planting garlic in the fall. Volunteers from across the community, joined by WSU Kitsap Master Gardeners and Lowe’s employees, came together to help. The event was organized by Fishline in partnership with Kitsap Conservation District and WSU Kitsap Extension, demonstrating the power of collaboration in supporting local agriculture and food access.
Though the forecast was watched closely by all involved, the day was all blue skies and golden sunlight, perfect for working hard and taking long breaks in the shade. Folks divided and conquered the day’s tasks, starting with carefully measuring and marking rows and pathways. These beds will be permanent, low-till beds, so getting them right the first time is crucial. While one group shoveled compost and shredded wood into wheelbarrows, others hauled the material into the fields. Another group spread organic-approved soil amendments and tilled the material into the beds. Lastly, a group planted the garlic, one clove at a time. All the energy stored in the cloves will be used to push a small garlic sprout above the soil surface, where it will be largely dormant until early spring, when the days begin to warm and grow longer.
Volunteers planted four varieties of garlic: Asian Tempest, Music, Inchelium, and Chesnok. All but the Inchelium are hardneck varieties, which means in late spring Fishline Foodbank will be able to provide their clients with a bounty of garlic scapes. While the fields are empty now, in several months there will be five lush beds of garlic, amounting to over 2,000 plants. And beyond those beds will be many more rows of vegetables, all the food going to Fishline Foodbank. This is how a farm begins and how a farm is sustained: with many hands, some skilled and some simply willing, one sunny (or rainy) day at a time.
WSU Kitsap Extension is proud to partner with Fishline Foodbank and Kitsap Conservation District in bringing new life to this historic agricultural landscape. As Fishline Farm grows, so too does the opportunity to increase access to fresh, nutritious food for community members who rely on Fishline’s services. We are excited to support a vision that honors the land’s farming legacy while cultivating a healthier and more food-secure future for Kitsap County.