The diverse aquaculture system at 21 Acres demonstrates the relationship of aquatic farming practices to natural features such as streams, ponds, and marshlands. In addition to carefully selected harvestable crops, native plants are strategically integrated into the landscape as complementary features to the ecosystem as it continues downstream.

The man made pond adjacent to the Garden Shed

These ditches flow into the Sammamish River (or Slough as it’s sometimes known). You’ll see different maintenance plans along the ditches throughout the Farm. Water has not flowed through here for many years. In fall of 2006 Comcast chose 21 Acres for its annual Community Service Day and more than 200 employees, friends and family worked on a variety of projects. One of the main accomplishments was cleaning out and planting along the ditches. Several different approaches are being used for ditch maintenance; a major area of interest for King County’s department of Natural Resources. You’ll see some of the areas planted with jute for weed control, some with native plants and harvestable crops and some left natural.

Water actually flows through the ditches now (perhaps not  during some of the hottest weeks of the summer) and we’ve viewed a variety of wildlife enjoying the stream.