Friends of the Farms
Friends of the Farms is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation in Bainbridge Island, Washington founded in 2001 with the mission to preserve and enhance local agriculture, increase farmland, and support the farming community.
We believe where and how food is grown affects our health, the health of our land and water, our atmosphere, the ability of people to make a living wage, and for our community to thrive.
We envision a community-based food system on Bainbridge Island where:
As much food as possible is grown, produced, processed, sold, and consumed locally
Nutritious, fresh, local food is accessible and affordable to everyone
Farms and related businesses are economically profitable for this and the next generation
Food is grown and produced using environmentally beneficial agriculture and clean aquaculture
Money stays on the island all across the supply and distribution chain
What and how we eat is integrated in our culture
We work to create system-level change for long-term impact through:
Permanent protection of the existing and potential agricultural land base
Affordable housing and farmable land for the agricultural community
Public and private investment in infrastructure and commercial services
Committed and empowered local government, food-related businesses, and institutions
Informed food citizens through a multi-disciplinary approach to food studies for children and adults
Connecting human health with a farm-driven diet to grow a healthy population
Experimentation, innovation, and education to attract the best and brightest of the next generation of farmers and food producers
