Gretchen Garth, 21 Acres President

Community activist, philanthropist and 21 Acres visionary, Gretchen is a committed volunteer serving 21 Acres in many capacities.

Gretchen also serves as Board Chair of HumanLinks Foundation, which focuses on Sustainable Agriculture, Health Care and Education Reform.  She helped create the Woodinville Farmer Market in 1994, which was her introduction to issues surrounding small family farms. Serving on a search committee to find a permanent location for the Farmers Market, actions led to the purchase of 21 Acres from King County in 2004.

Dr. David Muehleisen PhD, 21 Acres Board Member

Dave is 21 Acres educational farm expert. He shares practical experience and hands-on expertise relating to  all aspects of sustainable agriculture and environmental learning. He is currently an Academic Faculty member of Evergreen College's Practice of Sustainable Agriculture program and the Center for Ecological Living and Learning (CELL) program. Dave serves as a volunteer on the Board of Directors.
      Previously Dave worked as a Research Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist for the Small Farms Program at Washington State University and as the Outreach and Research Coordinator for the WSU Small Farms Program.
     He received his Ph.D. in Entomology (IPM/Toxicology) at Texas A&M University, his MS in Botany (Mycology) and his BS in Zoology from Clemson University.

Dale Nelson, 21 Acres Board Member

Dale brings to the table 25 years experience in the food industry and a true passion in the artisan food environment. Dale serves as a volunteer on the Board of Directors. 
     Dale is owner and founder of Food Concepts, Inc.  (a full-service specialty food development company in Washington State) and Woodring Northwest. Founded in 1991, the company drew upon Dale's expertise in product innovation, new product development and a desire to create a quality specialty food experience, establishing the diverse organization that exists today.

Claire Thomas, 21 Acres Board Member

Claire serves on the Board of Directors in hopes of strengthening our farming operations at the 21 Acre site. The future plans regarding advisory help for small farmers in our region will help to keep our  small market farms economically viable and give much needed encouragement to new farmers. Claire serves as a volunteer on the Board of Directors.
     Claire is the General Manager of The Root Connection CSA farm, which she started in 1986. The Root Connection uses sustainable intensive farming practices and now feeds over 600 families with 8.5 acres under cultivation. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Sammamish Valley Alliance, and the Management Committee of FARM, LLC which owns and farms The South 47 farm.

Kathy Kill, 21 Acres Board Treasurer

Kathy serves 21 Acres in a vital role as treasurer, financial planner and advisor. She is Branch Manager at Banner Bank of Woodinville. Kathy is also a volunteer on the Board of Directors.

To contact the Board of Directors, Program Committee  or Consultants e-mail: generalinfo@21acres.org