Sound Food

Nikki Johanson: A Farmer Activist

Written by Theresa Collier

Wednesday, 01 February 2012 11:30

Tucked in a corner of Silverdale, WA, Pheasant Fields Farm is a fifteen-acre farm located just north of retail big box stores. The farm was originally part of a homestead purchased by Pete Peterson in 1885, back when Silverdale was all farmland. The Petersons purchased wood from Port Gamble mill in 1927 for three dollars a sling, and built the house that Nikki and Allen

Johanson reside in today.

When asked about the history, Nikki said, "By the early 1920's, Silverdale was known as the Egg Capital of the world." The Cloud family purchased the farm from the Petersons in 1942, and in 1948, Nikki's parents purchased th

Allen and Nikki Johanson

e farm from the Clouds and renamed it Clear Creek J Farm. They produced thousands of chickens and eggs all housed in five buildings built for the chickens. At one time there was capacity for 5,000 chickens but since then they've scaled down and diversified the farm.

In 1987, Nikki and Allen were set to retire. "We thought retirement would be too boring, so we took over the operation of the farm." At that time, the farm had diversified and Nikki's parents had added vegetables, cattle and other animals. They no longer have the cattle but currently have chickens of the Golden Sex

Link variety. Nikki says, "I'd like to add Barred Rock chickens to our assortment because they are larger, eat less feed and make great stewing chickens of the five to six pound variety." Nikki sells the chickens in live weight and is investigating certification by USDA to sell the chickens butchered. "Asian and Hispanic customers love to purchase the live chickens because they utilize every part of the chicken with minimal waste."

In 2004 Nikki and Allen created a CSA (community supported agriculture) program for the farm. Two years ago they began using a new subscription model and it has greatly benefited both the farm and their customers. The program allows customers to purchase a certain dollar amount and receive credits at a discounted price. Customers can then redeem their credits anytime at the Bremerton, Silverdale or Poulsbo farmer's markets or at Pheasant Fields Farm. The credits can be redeemed for any of their products: eggs, chickens, vegetables, flowers, or entry to their spring egg hunt or autumn events. No more throwing out unused produce or worrying about leaving a box of produce while you go on vacation!

Like other local farms, Nikki and Allen have looked at ways to diversify their farm to keep it viable. Their spring and autumn events generate a lot of business and are fun for the community. Nikki has a Farm Day Camp program for young kids and is working on a second program for kids ages twelve to sixteen years old. "The opportunity to see a working family farm is so rare these days. It gives children a chance to learn about responsibility, nature and work ethic."

When asked to help decipher the difference between organic, vegetarian and free-range titles listed on store bought eggs, Nikki says, "Just know your food source. That is the best way to assure you're getting the best quality food." Pheasant Fields Farm uses certified all-organic feed grown in Eastern Washington for its chickens. Nikki's mentors are Michael Pollan, Barbara Kingsolver and Joel Salatin - all advocates of the local food movement. She opposes

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Food Processing ideas shared at "Local Food Roundtable"

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Written by Carolyn Goodwin
Thursday, 19 January 2012 19:13
A group of local farmers, ranchers, food professionals and government representatives gathered at the Bainbridge Island Grange Hall on January 5 for the third in a series of Local Food Roundtables. The focus of this session was on Processing, the second element of the local food system. Opening remarks: Charlotte Garrido, Kitsap County Commissioner, spoke to the group about food-related priorities and initiatives in Kitsap County. * According to Charlotte, less than 1% of the food consumed in Kitsap County is sourced locally. * In difficult financial times, one way to save money is to pay attention to the energy costs related to food. * The County is working on several initiatives to support local food production and distribution, and reduce energy use in agriculture: o The Kitsap Food Chain, created under the direction of the County Commissioners in 2010, brings together farmers and food-related businesses, consumers, non-profits and local government to help build a sustainable food system in the County. o The agriculture component of the Comprehensive Plan is being updated to codify the County's goals relating to food, based on recommendations from the Food Chain group. o Shannon Harkness from WSU and the Food Chain said that the Comp Plan updates have the flexibility to respond to new priorities. o The Food Chain received a grant to write a Farmland Preservation Plan. o Another grant will help reduce agriculture's carbon footprint in the County (and was used in part to purchase a no-till drill). o Garrido stressed that input from the food community was needed to help the county Commissioners "push the envelope." "We can create a healthier way of thinking about food locally," she said. * Energy Audits: The County has funding to do energy audits of food producers, processors, composters and distributors. o The County will complete 10 such audits o The County and PSE will then subsidize upgrades and purchase equipment recommended in the audits. * No-Till Drill: Another initiative to reduce the environmental and carbon impact of agriculture is the County's acquisition of a no-till drill, which reduces soil erosion and fuel consumption. o The County will rent the drill to producers, and train them how to use it. o Interested producers should call the County WSU Extension office for details. Cottage Food Law Carolyn Goodwin of Sound Food did a brief update on the status of the Cottage Food Law, which will allow small producers to sell food made in their home kitchens. The new legislation is currently going through the Rules process at the Dept. of Ag. * Draft rules should be available in January * Public hearings will be held in early spring * Applications and kitchen inspections will begin shortly afterward * The goal is that the law will go into effect prior to the start of the summer Farmers Markets. * Those interested in becoming Cottage Food producers should write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to be added to the list for updates. * More information on the new law and updates about status can be accessed on the Washington State Cottage Food Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-State-Cottage-Food/212823708752853 Group Discussion The group was asked to discuss the obstacles and opportunities facing farmers on Bainbridge Island and in the rest of Kitsap County related to food processing. * Allowed uses: Marilyn Holt (Abundantly Green Farm and Kitsap Food Chain) said that one example of new policies needed was to clarify whether producers can do processing and warehousing on their farm properties. * Dairy: Also needed are large-scale milk processing facilities for cheese making. o There are currently 5 dairies in Kitsap: Port Madison and Hansville (goat) and Hillcrest, Blackjack Valley and Fernwood (cow) Add this page to:
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