Certainly one of Jefferson County’s largest, most well-known, and most efficient cattle farms could also be acquired by the Port of Port Townsend.
The port has entered right into a non-binding “Letter of Intent” with Roger and Sandy Brief, homeowners of the 253-acre Brief’s Household Farm, that provides the port 4 months to barter phrases and value.
Throughout that point, the Shorts have agreed to not market the farm to different consumers.
The prospect of shopping for the farm would align the port and its county-wide financial improvement mission with an agriculture economic system that’s each historic and rising in Jefferson County, mentioned the port’s govt director Eron Berg.
Whereas identified for its marinas and airport, the port has additionally had the mission, in its century-old basis paperwork, to assist agriculture. The farm, if acquired, could be its entry into that sector.
Port Commissioner Pete Hanke, who himself owns cattle, mentioned many port districts in rural counties are immersed in agriculture.
In Walla Walla, Benton County, and Sunnyside, Hanke mentioned, “many issues have been accomplished to supply infrastructure to assist farmers on the bottom.”
Whereas the port can’t function a farm, “we are able to present meals processing services that assist the farmers,” he mentioned.
Hanke first heard the Shorts have been promoting their farm, and initiated Berg’s dialog with the couple.
“The port can have quite a lot of work to do within the coming months to see the way it can play a correct position within the agriculture group,” Berg mentioned.
Previous to a ultimate settlement, if any, the port will research the land, develop a plan, and negotiate with the Shorts.
Any settlement should return to the port fee in public conferences for approval.
“The Shorts have agreed to work completely with the port these subsequent 4 months to see if we are able to do that,” Berg mentioned.
THE PORT’S POSSIBILITIES
Whereas a ultimate buy value is topic to negotiation, Berg estimated will probably be in extra of
$2 million. Most funds may come from current reserves and a line of credit score. Additionally, the port would seemingly pursue grants for acquisition and future enhancements.
“With a group pushed plan, we’ll achieve success with bringing in grant {dollars} with broader assist for no matter which may seem like,” Berg mentioned.
The acquisition of the Brief’s Household Farm by the port would have benefits to the Shorts and to agriculture in Jefferson County, Berg mentioned.
In 2016, the Shorts signed a conservation easement managed by the Jefferson Land Belief that forestalls the farm from ever being subdivided or transformed away from agriculture. The easement means all the 253 acres have to be bought to a single purchaser and should stay in agriculture and open house use. The Shorts have been broadly thanked for taking that step to protect perpetually one of many county’s Most worthy and largest farms.
The easement was funded by the Washington State Wildlife and Recreation Program, the U.S. Farm and Ranch Lands Safety Program, and the Jefferson County Conservation Futures Fund.
Given these restrictions, a possible non-public purchaser of the Brief farm is perhaps a rich individual with horses or another out-of-area proprietor, Berg mentioned.
“I don’t know any farmers domestically who may afford that land,” mentioned Crystie Kisler, co-owner of Finnriver Farm who spoke on behalf of the nonprofit Chimacum Heart, which is dedicated to the well being of county farms.
The port, however, may retain the farm as a part of the county’s working agriculture economic system.
For instance, a storage facility might be utilized by many farmers to arrange produce for market, Berg mentioned, and all farmers would profit from regional advertising and marketing.
Berg pointed to the Port of Skagit, which bought 123 acres in 2018 that as we speak hosts 17 companies and 184 jobs straight associated to value-added agriculture.
One other position the port may play is as a transitional steward, holding the property till a purchaser from the group may put collectively funding, Berg mentioned.
“There’s a transitional position of how you can take one thing and get it the place it must be,” Berg mentioned, utilizing the instance of the port’s help in getting the marina cleaned up the place the maritime middle is now situated.
“On this case, it’s extra a matter of timing than clean-up,” he added.
COMMUNITY CARE
Kisler believes port assist for agriculture may enhance all native farmers.
“We want funding at a scale that small farmers can’t afford,” Kisler mentioned.
Farmers may use chilly storage, dry storage, scaled compost, device share and machine share, amongst different attainable assets, she mentioned.
“As actual property comes in the marketplace at these actually excessive costs, we threat not having agricultural enterprise fashions that may afford to buy that ag land,” Kisler mentioned.
“What are going to be the methods to assist hold these farms operable, to feed group principally?”
Port assist for agriculture means port assist for the group, in accordance with Berg.
“Our main mission is to supply services that assist good jobs,” he mentioned. “We additionally assist the thought of group resiliency by rising meals right here on this county.”
Berg famous that the prospect of port acquisition of the farm is latest, and that particular planning for a way the port would combine the property into its financial improvement mission is but to come back.
RANCH RECORDS
The Heart Valley farm was bought by Norris and Laura Brief in 1945. They known as it Valley View Farm, introduced in dairy cows, and raised 9 kids. That included Roger, the second eldest son. The Shorts have been energetic volunteers with church, 4-H and the Jefferson County Honest.
Beginning in 1970, Roger Brief began transferring into possession, shopping for 88 of the dairy cows and renting half the farm. Over time, Brief expanded to 600 Holsteins and grew forage on 500 acres of owned or leased land.
Roger and Sandy Brief raised six kids on the farm, two of whom — Kevin and Invoice — nonetheless assist out.
Beginning in 2003, prompted by regulatory and financial forces, the Shorts switched from dairy cows to beef cows. The 200-plus beef cattle are all grass-fed Angus whose feed comes from the plush pasture. They’re freed from any antibiotics, grain, progress hormones, or steroids, and have turn into a well-liked fixture for discerning beef eaters.
The Brief’s Household Farm is also called a supply of “Magical Soil,” a mix that features the nutrient-rich peat combination on the flooring of Heart Valley. The Shorts additionally present pure peat, compost, biochar and washed dairy manure.
As well as, the best way the Shorts rotate the grazing of cattle has ensured the return of geese, swans, and different water fowl yearly.
Nearly a mile of the salmon-filled Chimacum Creek additionally runs by the property.
Hanke mentioned further steam-flow work on the creek might be one other advantage of port possession.
Comments