Jefferson County Farmers Recovery Fund Launched to Support Local Farmers Facing Emergencies
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Janet Aubin, co-founder of Stellar J Farm, is one of the farmers market producers who is eligible for the new emergency fund. Photo by Sarah Wright [/caption]
News by Nhatt Nichols
“There have been times when a farm business goes through an economic setback that changes the whole nature of their business,” Jefferson County Farmer’s Market Director Amanda Millholand said. “We had a mushroom farmer that had a failure of their fruiting chamber. And it wasn't just that, but they ended up moving out of regular production of mushrooms.”
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Red Dog Farm is another producer who could benefit from this fund. Photo by Rodney Just [/caption]
Disasters like that are why Millholland helped create the Jefferson County Farmers Recovery Fund. Inspired by the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance's Good Farmer Fund, this small grant program supports farms that participate in the Port Townsend and Chimacum Jefferson County Farmers Markets by assisting farmers in overcoming urgent, unforeseen challenges that significantly impact the viability of their businesses.
“This is the first time in our community we've actually had a formalized mechanism for making sure that support is already there, instead of having a farmer try and scramble to find it all on their own when they're in the middle of a crisis,” Milholland said.
The grant application opened earlier this month and is available on an ongoing basis, allowing farms to submit applications as needed. Applications will be accepted continuously, with the goal of providing funding within that same week.
To qualify for a recovery grant, farmers must currently sell their produce at a Jefferson County Farmers Market, and the emergency must be beyond the farmers' control.
A Community Funded Program
To raise initial funds, the Jefferson County Farmers Market (JCFM) hosted a screening of the film "Common Ground" in partnership with the Port Townsend Film Festival and Color of Sound on July 18.
After the film screening, a panel of local farmers shared their stories of emergencies that threatened their businesses. Roxanne Hudson and John Bellow of SpringRain Farm and Orchard recounted the devastation they experienced as new farmers in Jefferson County when their barn was destroyed by fire.
They had incorporated over 50-year-old shingles from Roxanne’s grandfather into the barn, which made the loss even more difficult to bear. Thanks to the support of their community, they were able to rebuild the barn. Friends, neighbors, and community members they had never met came together to help, reducing the financial burden of the loss and creating a strong support network that uplifted John and Roxanne during this challenging time.
Their story resonated with people at that event, and has led to additional community members making contributions towards the fund
“I knew that if there was an invitation, there was a good chance that the community would step up and support the project. And they did. We're starting this year with $16,000,” Milholland said.
To donate or learn more about the fund, visit https://jcfmarkets.org.
