Winter 2021
Venise (Drllevich) Cunningham
Simple Goodness Sisters crafts specialty syrups for cocktails and mocktails. » More ...
Small farms
Winter 2020
WSU, small farms, and the pandemic
“This pandemic has exposed every weakness in our food system,” says Nicole Witham, statewide coordinator of the Washington State University Food Systems Program. “It has exposed every supply chain issue”—especially early on.
“Food wasn’t showing up at food banks,” says Witham (’10 Int. Des). “Grocery stores were experiencing shortages. All of a sudden, our team was doing food-system response work,” including involvement with a statewide task force.
When lockdown orders first went into effect, Witham says, Washington state’s small farmers “lost all of their restaurant accounts and many of their wholesale accounts right off the bat. Many had to switch to online farmers market platforms or online sales.”
While traditional … » More …
Winter 2020
More faces of small farms
Meet more of Washington state’s small farmers here — from the godmother of the modern small farms movement to the owner and operator of a 100-percent grass-fed dairy and more.
Introducing: Lora Lea Misterly (Quillisascut Farm), Jill Smith (Pure Éire Dairy), Martin and Charlotte Frederickson (One Straw Ranch), and Jason and Margaret Parsley (Omache Farm)
Read about small farmers and WSU support.
Lora Lea Misterly
Quillisascut Farm, Rice
Lora Lea Misterly was a 4-H kid. Growing up on a small farm near Leavenworth, she raised dairy calves and livestock … » More …
Winter 2020
The faces of small farms
Despite the hurdles, a new crop of Washington small farmers are finding their way into the field. » More ...
Winter 2020
Symbiosis
The editor's letter in Washington State University's magazine examines how symbiotic relationships, from microbes and crops to farmers and consumers, are a foundation of our world. » More ...
Winter 2019
Gallery: Wild Rose Prairie
Winter 2019
Not just the goose of holidays past
Goose has lost its luster for holiday feasts in the United States. It might be time to reconsider goose. » More ...
Winter 2019
Little farms on the prairie
Small farms are a big draw through agritourism supported by Washington State University Extension. » More ...
Fall 2018
Peonies from heaven
Come late summer, Alaska’s farmland blooms with romance and colorful ruffles. It’s the season for peonies in the north country—an unlikely floral industry that, thanks to bridal demand, has given rise to a surprising horticultural gold rush.
The lure is especially tempting for those with small parcels of land. Wayne ’76 and Patti ’75 Floyd, for example, joined the stampede in 2011 with only two acres, and have since created a successful business claiming both national and international markets.
“We’d had this farm bug in our hearts from the beginning but we were never in a place that we could do that,” says Patti. … » More …
Fall 2018
Video: A quick ride around Cool Cache Farms
Take a peek at the peonies on the Cool Cache Farms in Alaska, owned by Wayne and Patti Floyd.
Read about their peony venture in “Peonies from heaven,” Fall 2018.