21 Acres is transitioning from the vision, design and planning phases to actual implementation. During these winter months, greenhouses are being readied, a second cover crop is being sown, seeds are being selected and calendar days are filling up fast.  New personnel is being hired getting ready to grow exceptional, quality organic food for our schools, farmers markets, and local restaurants. 

Committees and teams are in place and we’re all working toward breaking ground in May to build a LEED Platinum certified agricultural support center.  This facility will house a year-round Puget Sound Fresh certified farmers market. Auxiliary classrooms and a commercial community kitchen will add to the diversity with a storage cellar continuously filled with farm fresh staples.

We welcome your involvement and need your participation at all levels along the way be it on a committee or in the field.  Opportunities and Activities include:

• upcoming FORUM SERIES on the Farm Bill; Changing Climate; and Urban Agriculture with Michael Abelman
  
• weekly tours
• feeding the resident goats
• admiring the Community Gardens
• Special Events and seasonal celebrations.
  

Come share with us the multi- faceted, rewarding journey as we support our local agricultural community. Now that the power is back on and we’re in a respite from inclement weather, continue to remember how, by working together, we can responsibly, thoughtfully and effectively utilize and steward our natural resources. Let’s bring back locally grown food to our dinner tables!

Miles per Square Meal

 How far does your food travel to get to your plate?  It is estimated that the average American meal travels over 1000 miles to get from farm to plate.  By supporting local farmers today, you can help ensure that there will be farms in our community tomorrow, and that future generations will have access to nourishing, flavorful, and abundant local food.

Choose Locally Grown Food

Whenever citizens buy a food that is grown locally, they expand local jobs, enlarge the tax base, and strengthen the local economy.

Buy Locally Made Food

Citizens, local governments and businesses can buy goods and services from local resources.  Purchasing is more powerful than investment because it recirculates our dollars.

Celebrate Local and Seasonal Food

There has been a slow, but steady shift away from the old food economy, where "cheapest is best" - no matter what the cost is to society.  Today local citizens want to support their regional farmers whenever possible by buying their products.  Fresh produce and local food products offer healthy pleasures that you can see, touch, smell and taste.  Celebrate real food!

Be A Local Hero

A new food economy is developing from the work of the local heroes who produce and sell us fresh, wholesome, safe , and nutritious food.  You can be a hero with each dollar you spend on locally grown food and each seed that you plant in our own backyard.

Be An Angel to Yourself

Choose foods that nourish you!  Choose whole foods!

Be A Steward of the Earth

By choosing local food you use less fossil fuels. 
                                                                                                        Submitted by Shelley McIntyre

Forums at 21 Acres

Recognized as a major educational resource in the community, 21 Acres is built upon a common thread - the sustainability and well-being of our community. We are facilitating education about the environment, farming practices, sustainable food production systems and better eating. As our program goals advance, we are creating a living, breathing center for community and environmental interaction.

For more information on our upcoming Forum Series (Farm Bill; Changing Climate; and Urban Agriculture with Michael Abelman), contact us at generalinfo@21acres.org or call 425-788-9846.

Thank you Volunteers and Donors

Volunteer opportunities abound in 2007. Contact generalinfo@21acres.org for current opportunities. Thank you to all the organizations, businesses and community partners that have generously contributed a gift of time, cash or in-kind donation. Here are but a few:

Boy Scout Troop #574
Eagle Scout candidates Patrick McCurry, Matthew Williams and Andrew Litchfield
Secondary Academy of Success (SAS) students, teachers and staff
Comcast employees, families and friends
Top Food - Shoreline
Timbercrest JH National Junior Honor Society students Patrick Lenning, Corrine Snow,
    Kaitie Ivory, Devynn Braun and Eva Jacobson
Starbucks
Albertsons
Woodinville Farmers Market
Vinnie DiGuilio, Bothell Masonic Lodge
University of WA - Bothell Business Strategy students Johnny Blaga, Ryan Edwards,
    Nramdi Ezebube, Kevin Haines, Nathan Peters, Joe Vreedenburgh and Michael Wang
Kristen Spangler, University of WA - Bothell  Business Development Center
PCL Construction
Second Use Building Materials
King County Department of Natural Resources
Chinook Lumber
Mason Construction
JD Tree Service
Nick Whitman, Landtek
Wolfgang Mayr, Landscape Stewards
Mallory Paint Store, Benjamin Moore Paints
Cadman Concrete
Vince Carlson, Evitavonni Architecture
Sunny Tan
Upper Bear Creek Community Council
Washington Women's Foundation
Herbfarm Restaurant
Covington Cellars