Program Results

Thanks to our incredible volunteers and program participants, approximately 92,000 pounds of produce raised at the 78th Street Heritage Farm were donated this season to the Clark County Food Bank and other local agencies in 2016.

Organizations coordinating major programs at the farm, and 2016 highlights, include the Clark County Food Bank, Partners in Careers and Washington State University (WSU) Clark County Extension.

Clark County Food Bank
Vegetables harvested from the 78th Street Heritage Farm.

Acres: 8 acres cultivated
Volunteers: 7,269 people 17,939 volunteer hours
Donation: Churches in Partnership harvested 8,378 pounds of mixed vegetables; Clark County Food Bank volunteers harvested 76,400 pounds of produce. Clark County Food Bank and its 34 partner agencies distributed all donated produce to Clark County families in need.

Partners in Careers - Roots to Road Program

Acres: 1-2 acres cultivated.
Participants:  4 
Donation: Participants harvested 6,010 pounds of produce and donated it to the Clark County Food Bank

WSU Clark County Extension

WSU Clark County Extension conducts a number of classes and hands-on trainings at the 78th Street Heritage Farm. Programs include Diabetes Prevention, Food Preservation/Food Safety, Person In Charge Food Safety, WSU Master Gardeners, Small Acreages/Small Farms and 4-H Youth Development. 

Accomplishments in 2016 include:

  • 34 people participated in the diabetes prevention program learning about healthy food choices, portion sizes, food labels, low-fat foods, daily physical activity, stress management and how to interact with people who may influence you to make poor choices.
  • 298 people participated in 16 food preservation classes and 7 pressure gauge clinics. These were supported by 12 volunteers who committed 451 hours of volunteer time to instruction.
  • 124 people participated in the Person In Charge Food Safety course that uses Washington State Department of Health-approved curriculum. The course enables participants to receive a 5-year food handler’s card, upon renewal of their current one.
  • 48 to 135 people participated in Master Gardener Program training, included blueberry pruning, plant problem diagnosis, plant propagation, vegetable gardening, fruit tree care, and composting. Seventy two Master Gardeners also were trained on a variety of topics so they can volunteer to serve on the Answer Clinic, which responds to questions from the public regarding gardening and home landscapes. More than 900 questions were responded to through the Answer Clinic in 2016.  Six individuals also participated in a Mason Bee cocoon cleaning workshop.
  • The Small Acreage/Small Farm program constructed a new 30-by-96-foot tunnel greenhouse on the farm to use for applied research and education for area growers.  Other research and education facilities on the farm include a 0.75-acre heritage apple orchard, a 3-acre organic garden and an insect trapping program that assists in tracking and controlling the apple maggot in the region. There is also a small native riparian planting demonstration garden on the farm.
  • The Small Acreage/Small Farm program also hosted workshops addressing Women in Agriculture (22 participants in 2016), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Value-Added Producer Grant Program (15 participants) and Raising Poultry for Meat (28 participants). One hundred and nine people also participated in the Small Acreage Expo in 2016.
  • WSU Clark County Extension also supports several 4H programs at the farm. Four hundred youth and adults participated in  96 club meetings, trainings, leader meetings and summer camps in 2016. They were supported by 125 adults providing 180 hours of service.
  • Through the Restorative Community Service Program, 93 juvenile offenders completed court-ordered community service by working at the Community Service Garden on the farm. The youth were supported by 30 adult mentors contributing 60 hours of volunteer service. In 2016, 1,235 pounds of produce were harvested at the garden and donated to the Clark County Food Bank.
  • The 4-H/Health and Wellness Farm to Fork program engaged 595 youth in hands-on learning about food systems and the role agriculture plays in their everyday lives. Twenty adult teachers and 40 volunteers contributed approximately 10 hours of service to support the program.  

Clark County Public Works Volunteer Program

  • Four volunteer events were staged at the farm in 2016. Forty-five volunteers contributed 70 hours of service cleaning tools, spreading wood chips in the community garden, removing weeds in the orchard and community gardens, cleaning the tool shed and planting riparian vegetation near the stream.
  • All 84 community gardening plots were leased in 2016 by county residents.

Related links

Want to see highlights from the September 2012 Harvest Fun Day and Food Drive at the Heritage Farm? [video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZPU5fHHnOY]