Meet the Farming Team
We love what we do because creating healthy soils, growing healthy food, and caring for the communities we live in is at the heart of our farm's life and mission
Don and Jane
Having a farm has been a dream of Jane and Don’s ever since moving to Seattle in 1976. You could say it’s in their blood. Jane’s Ohio father and grandmother were master gardeners who loved growing tomatoes, harvesting corn, and canning fruit. Before Jane’s father died, he and a friend had an acre garden where they raised beautiful produce mostly for the local food bank. The German side of Don’s family came from farms in Missouri and Illinois. He too, like Jane, grew up loving the seasons and beauty of the outdoors.
Not having children of their own, Jane and Don have concentrated their energy on making their neighborhood in Seattle (where they have lived for over 40 years) and First Light Farm into communities where friendships are deeply valued.
Now with climate changes affecting our environmental landscapes coupled with the recent population growth of the Puget Sound area, Jane and Don have widened their farm’s mission to more clearly focus on sustainability – deep care for the soil, a financial commitment to farm staff to respect their knowledge and work by paying a living wage, and care for the overall financial health of the farm itself.
Not having children of their own, Jane and Don have concentrated their energy on making their neighborhood in Seattle (where they have lived for over 40 years) and First Light Farm into communities where friendships are deeply valued.
Now with climate changes affecting our environmental landscapes coupled with the recent population growth of the Puget Sound area, Jane and Don have widened their farm’s mission to more clearly focus on sustainability – deep care for the soil, a financial commitment to farm staff to respect their knowledge and work by paying a living wage, and care for the overall financial health of the farm itself.
Warren
Warren was born in Seattle, and spent his years of growth here and in Japan. He spent many-a-hours watching his Japanese Mama tend lovingly to their garden, and many more hiking the trails of the Northwest with his hippie Papa. These experiences helped ingrain an affection for a variety of natural landscapes which he sought to explore during his time in China as a Peace Corps volunteer, and then his time learning about farming in Southern Arizona.
When he returned to his hometown, the process of readjusting was a fortuitous blending of some of the different values he’d learned over his previous experiences. Working for a sustainably minded farm such as First Light helps nurture a natural ascetic, but doing it with Jane and Don -- his community-minded neighbors for over 25 years -- has helped foster a greater understanding of what it takes to build a sustainable community as well. Perhaps these ideas together can holistically help solve the problem of food and community in the United States.
When he returned to his hometown, the process of readjusting was a fortuitous blending of some of the different values he’d learned over his previous experiences. Working for a sustainably minded farm such as First Light helps nurture a natural ascetic, but doing it with Jane and Don -- his community-minded neighbors for over 25 years -- has helped foster a greater understanding of what it takes to build a sustainable community as well. Perhaps these ideas together can holistically help solve the problem of food and community in the United States.
From the Phinney Neighborhood Review Winter 2017-18
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