Red Dog Farm
Red Dog Farm
Acres Preserved:
23
Year Conserved:
2011
Category:
Conservation Easement
Natural Features:
Jefferson Land Trust was instrumental in making this farm a reality, giving me the opportunity to set up my business and ease into farm ownership.
- Karyn Williams, Farmer and owner, Red Dog Farm
A Birds-Eye View
In Chimacum’s beautiful Center Valley, the farming heritage is as rich as the soil — and Red Dog Farm has grown from both. Set on 23 acres, this certified organic farm was founded in 2007, on land that’s been in agricultural production for more than 100 years. (It was originally part of Chimacum Dairy, where Finnriver Farm & Cidery operates today.) Prime soils, creekside water access, abundance of sunlight, and stunning views make this the perfect place to farm vegetables, flowers, and plant starts.
Red Dog also lies along Chimacum Creek, which is critical spawning and migrating habitat for Hood Canal summer chum and Puget Sound coho. With many friends and partners, including the North Olympic Salmon Coalition, Jefferson Land Trust has focused on restoration and protection here in the Chimacum Creek watershed for more than two decades, and has helped protect more than 2000 acres here.
A handful of Red Dog’s neighboring farms — Finnriver Farm & Cidery, Glendale Farm, and SpringRain Farm — are also protected with conservation easements by Jefferson Land Trust.
The Preservation Story
The story of Red Dog Farm marks an exciting and formative moment in Jefferson Land Trust’s agricultural conservation work.
In 2007, when owner-operator Karyn took possession of the property and founded Red Dog Farm — naming it for her red border collie, the late Rupert Dandelion — financing the land purchase through traditional means would have been difficult. So, the Land Trust purchased it by combining its Kilham Revolving Fund with a loan from Enterprise Cascadia (a not-for-profit lending institution now called Craft3) and set up an innovative lease-to-own agreement with Karyn. The loan also allowed her to install necessary infrastructure on the land.
After purchasing the land, Jefferson Land Trust placed a conservation easement on the property that preserves most of the land for agricultural use for all time, and also permanently protects habitat for salmon and other wildlife in and around Chimacum Creek with a 50-foot buffer.
The land was leased to Karyn with the understanding that in five years’ time, her farm business would be in production and she would be able to qualify for a farm loan to purchase the land from the Land Trust. Three years later, after obtaining a loan for first-time farm owners through the Farm Service Agency of the US Department of Agriculture, Karyn was able to successfully buy Red Dog Farm.
At the time, this was a relatively innovative approach to bridging the gap between the next generation of farmers like Karyn and the financing they needed to meet their goals, nourish their communities, and care for the land that sustains us all. The success of our creative partnership with Red Dog Farm attracted great interest and support from our community, and helped lay the groundwork for many more innovative projects we’ve since seen through.
The Protected Property Today and Tomorrow
Today, Red Dog is a well-known farm with a loyal local following. Karyn and her team grow more than 150 different varieties of vegetables, berries, cut flowers, and plant starts. They sell their produce at dozens of retail locations and restaurants, offer popular CSA options, maintain a steady presence at the Port Townsend and Chimacum farmers markets, and keep their farmstand stocked and open 365 days a year.
Farming in cooperation with the natural world has always been part of Red Dog’s mission, and as part of this commitment, they’re now successfully certified under the Salmon Safe program, which looks at the impact that farm operations have on salmon and salmon habitat. They’ve been recognized by the Port Townsend Leader with the People’s Choice Award for Best Farm in Jefferson County several times.
In the years following our successful partnership with Red Dog, Jefferson Land Trust has protected numerous additional local farms. We’re working with many farmers and farming families to help them achieve their hopes and dreams, nourish our lands and communities, and enrich Jefferson County’s economy and agricultural heritage by accessing farmland. This work remains a core focus of our conservation efforts.
More Information:
Visit the farmstand 365 days a year at 406 Center Rd, Chimacum, WA 98325, check out Red Dog’s booth at the Jefferson County Farmers Markets, or look for Red Dog’s produce in local stores.
For up-to-date information:
