Wannabe
Farmers started our market garden project in an effort to put into practice the skills and
knowledge we gain through our workshops and book group discussions. We currently lease land on an organic
farm in East King County. Ongoing planning meetings enable us to refine our goals and keep the
project on track. We make a conscious effort to involve every active member in decision making
where feasible, as we feel this is an important part of the educational component of our project.
In 1999, we joined with an urban CSA in West Seattle. At both sites, we grow vegetables, flowers
and herbs for sale at Seattle farmers markets and for the CSA. Since most members are working full
time jobs, we generally visit the sites on weekends to sow, water, weed and harvest.
Take the West Seattle Bridge, Delridge exit. Veer left. You will end up heading South on Delridge. Go south for about 3 miles. Look for a yellow crosswalk sign hanging across the road, the next street will be Willow. (if you get to Texaco/AMPM/Kmart you went too far) Turn right on Willow, go 2 blocks to 24th, turn left. The farm is on the left about 1/2 way down the block. There is no adress, it is the 6900 block of 24th Ave SW between Willow and Myrtle.
Go East on 520 to the Redmond - Fall City Road exit (Hwy 202). Turn right at the light, which is southeast on 202. Go several miles (you will pass the Gray Barn nursery on the right, further down is Ames Lake road on the left)Turn left onto the next major road,Tolt Hill Road. Go up and over the ridge, as you approach the bottom on the other side there is a right turn which is Snoqualmie Valley (or River) road, turn right (if you cross a bridge, you went too far.) Jubilee sign conveniently located here. Go on this road a few miles, the road jogs a few times, you will recognize Jubilee by the big white barn on the left just past the big red chicken house on the right. Ok to park in the lot.
Our book group meets approximately every 6 weeks to discuss works relevant to learning the basics of organic agriculture. We read a mix of "how-to" books and more philosophical works.
Books we have read:
- Rebirth of the Family Farm, Bob and Bonnie Gregson
- Backyard Market Gardening, Andrew Lee
- The New Organic Grower, Eliot Coleman
- The Unsettling of America, Wendell Berry
- Becoming Native to This Place, Wes Jackson
- Epitaph for a Peach, David Mas Masumoto
- How to Grow More Vegetables (...), John Jeavons
- The Soul of Soil, Grace Gershuny
- Living the Good Life, Helen and Scott Nearing
- On Good Land (the Autobiography of an Urban Farm), Michael Ableman
- Silent Spring, Rachel Carson
- The Contrary Farmer, Gene Logsdon
- Farms of Tomorrow Revisted: Community Supported Farms, Farm Supported Communities, Trauger Groh and Steven McFadden
- Buying and Setting Up Your Small Farm or Ranch, L.R. Miller
- Sharing the Harvest, a Guide to Community-Supported Agriculture, Elizabeth Henderson with Robyn Van En
- Sex, Economy, Freedom and Community, Wendell Berry
Since our inception in September of 1996, Wannabe Farmers has held workshops on topics such as community supported agriculture, apprenticeships, new farmers experiences, marketing and soil preparation. Available resources include a Wannabe Farmers Directory and Resource List of books, magazines and web sites related to organic farming. We also have a flyer with information on how and why to support agriculture.
Updated: Jan 11, 2000