Thurston Conservation District is bringing community members together to learn about agroforestry practices while benefiting local farmers. In partnership with WSU Extension, Thurston CD recently hosted educational events at two nearby farms, where participants explored different types of agroforestry practices, discussed site preparation and maintenance, dug into planting plans and spacing, and learned how to install plants for long-term health.
Dancing Goats and Singing Chickens Organic Farm, one of the farms that hosted an event, expressed their gratitude to Thurston CD and WSU Extension, saying, "...we had approximately 35 volunteers who planted 400 trees in approximately five hours, including the cardboard and wood chips for the mulch. All the trees got special tubes for protection, and the big oak trees got steel fencing to protect them from browsers like deer, sheep, or goats. All the volunteers worked so happily, and we made several new friends. It gives us warm fuzzies in the heart that there is so much goodness in humanity and that so many people came out to help."
Great work, Thurston Conservation District! It warms all our hearts to see community members coming together to support conservation efforts.
Generations of farming along Hangman Creek have faced erosion and water quality challenges. Through a partnership between the Spokane and Pine Creek Conservation Districts and the Washington State Department of Ecology, local landowners are restoring natural stream channels, planting native vegetation, and stabilizing creek banks, all while keeping working lands productive. Together, they’re proving that voluntary conservation benefits both farms and fish.
Generations of farming along Hangman Creek have faced erosion and water quality challenges. Through a partnership between the Spokane and Pine Creek Conservation Districts and the Washington State Department of Ecology, local landowners are restoring natural stream channels, planting native vegetation, and stabilizing creek banks, all while keeping working lands productive. Together, they’re proving that voluntary conservation benefits both farms and fish.
Established in the 1890s and donated to Washington State University in 2020, Vetter Farm is jointly managed by the Stevens County Conservation District and WSU Extension. This 158-acre property serves as a working demonstration farm, supporting soil health research, agroforestry trials, and educational field days that bring local producers together to share ideas and test new approaches.
