Hidden at the end of a lightly traveled road in Port Gamble is a humble metal gate. Beyond it lies a little-known North Kitsap treasure: Babcock Farm, purchased by Olympic Property Group early this year.
Pass through the gate – remembering to close it behind you – and you’ll find a golden lowland meadow ringed by tall conifers. To the right the terrain is steep, the hill blocking your view of what’s above; to the left, acres of bottomland grass roll down and away, their seed heads waving in the wind. In the fields, swallows dive and call, their voices traveling easily over the rustling grass.
Ahead, the gravel road curves right and disappears, and as you cross the lowlands and follow the switchback to the upland fields, the sounds of 21st century life recede. The road ascends, coming to an end at a collection of outbuildings high atop the hill; standing there, in the remnants of an old orchard, it is easy to imagine Port Gamble in 1892, the vibrant center of commerce and culture in North Kitsap.
Babcock Farm was part of that vibrant center. Homesteaded in 1892 by Charlie Babcock, and managed by Charlie and his brother Frank, the farm grew from its original 40 acres to more than 300 by the 1930s, producing milk, eggs, poultry, and a variety of produce – including fruit from a 7 ½ acre orchard – for the residents of Port Gamble.
This model of agriculture, in which food was grown and consumed locally, was common throughout the United States at the turn of the century, when 60 percent of U.S. residents lived in rural areas (U.S Census, 2001) and the country was dotted with small towns ringed by farms.
But in the 1930s, things began to change.
“During the depression a lot of people couldn’t afford to buy milk anymore,” recalled Harvey Babcock, grandson of Frank, “and my grandfather would take the vegetables and distribute them to family members around town. The farm changed.”
By mid-century, the advent of refrigeration, large-scale, single-crop farming, and long-range transportation systems made it difficult for small, local farms to compete. Gradually, Babcock Farm transitioned from agriculture to timber – at one time the family had more than 4,000 acres in forestlands – and Harvey and his siblings moved away, or took jobs in town.
In the 1950s, after a stint in the Army, Harvey came back to Port Gamble and took over the farm from his father. He grew hay and kept a small herd of beef cattle, importing alfalfa from western Washington to feed them. “But I also worked 30 years as a longshoreman,” he added.
Over time, the Babcock Farm holdings were reduced. In 2005, Harvey retired from farming, and in early 2007, Olympic Property Group bought the farm from him.
Today, only a few of the original buildings remain. Gone is the octagonal barn built in the late 1890s: all that’s left of it is an oil painting in Harvey’s living room. Also gone is the former Port Gamble Saloon-turned six-bedroom farmhouse.
But even without them, the place has a strong, undeniable presence to it: if you stand on the hill looking down toward Port Gamble and the bay, it is possible to imagine sailing schooners in the distance, people walking along busy sidewalks, the smell of almost ripe strawberries, and the crowing of a rooster. Is this a past or future vision? Only time will tell.
Babcock Farm revisited:
A jewel in the “String of Pearls?”
Initially, Babcock Farm did not seem like a good prospect for Olympic Property Group to take on, said Jon Rose, OPG President and Director of Real Estate. But as he and his staff explored the idea, exciting possibilities began to emerge.
“We have a strong commitment to preservation and to education,” Rose noted. “We see Port Gamble as a community centered around life-long learning, and Babcock Farm has a role to play in that.”
Planning for the farm is still in the early stages, but Sue Schroader, OPG Project Manager, plans to integrate a number of sustainable design elements into the Babcock Farm project, including using an innovative on-site wastewater treatment system, known as a membrane bioreactor, or MBR, to provide reclaimed water for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
Also under consideration is using development Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions to mandate a portion of homeowner dues for growers’ fees or maintenance of CSA lands. “The CSA model can provide residents with organic, locally-grown food,” said Rose, “as well as educate the community about food systems and their role in fostering a healthy community. We think that is worth paying for.”
Other ideas for the farm include guest cabins, a winery, and an education center, with preservation remaining a top priority regardless of what the final development picture for the farm looks like.
“Historic presence, physical beauty, lifestyle ambience, and educational opportunities exist at Babcock farm,” said Rose. “We’d like to develop them further, and we are committed to sharing what’s already there with the community.” They are working with Washington State University to explore appropriate plants and horticulture for the farm.
Growers interested in leasing property are encouraged to contact Jon Rose or Sue Schroader at Olympic Property Group, (360) 697-6626.
A (very) brief history of
Community Supported Agriculture
“In basic terms, Community Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Members or shareholders of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer’s salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land. Members also share in risks, including poor harvest due to unfavorable weather or pests.” (U.S. Department of Agriculture’s definition)
Community Supported Agriculture is a unique model of local agriculture that began in Japan in the 1960s, when a group of women concerned about an increase in food imports (and a related decrease in the farming population) initiated a direct growing and purchasing relationship with local farms.
This arrangement, known as “teikei” in Japanese, translates to “putting the farmers’ face on food.” The concept quickly traveled to Europe, and in 1985 was introduced in the United States under the banner of “Community Supported Agriculture” at Indian Line Farm, Massachusetts.
CSA falls into two general types: Subscription CSA is managed by a grower or grower’s cooperative, which organizes and runs the CSA, while Shareholder CSA is operated by an existing “core group” that organizes subscribers and hires growers.
The strategic goals of CSA include developing a regional food supply; strengthening the local economy; connecting local farmers with local consumers; maintaining and improving a sense of community; encouraging land stewardship; and honoring the knowledge and experience of small-to-medium farm growers and producers.
As of 2002, there were more than 1,000 registered CSA farms in operation across the United States and Canada.
For more information about CSA, visit the Washington State University’s CSA page at http://smallfarms.wsu.edu/marketing/communitySupportedAg.html. If you’re interested in contacting Kitsap CSA groups, check out the national CSA search engine at www.localharvest.org.
