Submitted by Common Threads Farm
Common Threads Farm, a local organization that helps kids fall in love with healthy food through hands-on cooking and gardening programs, will be relocating its summer programs to the Outback Farm at Western Washington University (WWU).
Since 2007, Common Threads has run fun and educational programs for kids ages 3–12. Farm Camp participants, ranging in age from 3–7 and Camp Pizza and Camp Pasta participants, ages 8–12 have hugged turkeys, chicken and sheep; and planted, harvested, cooked, and eaten an impressive diversity of garden-fresh snacks.
“Kids love our programs because they’re so much fun,” says Laura Plaut, Founder and Director of Common Threads, “and adults love them because their kids come home excited about healthy food and loaded down with new family friendly recipes.”
For the past five years, Common Threads programs have taken place at Bobbibrook Farm, a privately owned site in Happy Valley.
“The Bobbibrook Farm Site has been a magical place for children”, says Plaut, “and we’re so grateful to Bobbi Vollendorff for hosting us. It’s rare that kids get to experience a farm environment right in town, and Bobbi has been incredibly generous in sharing her home space with kids from throughout the community.”
Common Threads’ move to the Outback will strengthen the organization’s already strong ties with WWU. Jack Herring, Dean of Fairhaven College notes, “The Outback Farm has long been a great teaching resource for this university and community, and the partnership between Fairhaven College and Common Threads Farm will give a new generation of students the opportunity to learn to produce food locally, in greater harmony with the environment.”
Each year, 20–30 Western students fulfill service learning or internship requirements by working with Common Threads educational programs. Plaut says the move to WWU will make it that much easier for college students to get involved in Common Threads’ gardening and cooking programs, and she thinks families will love the new space.
Registration for Common Threads summer programs at the Outback Farm is now open at www.commonthreadsfarm.org.
For more information, or to schedule an interview with Laura Plaut, director of Common Threads, call 360-927-1590, or contact Jack Herring, Dean of Fairhaven College at 360- 650-4900.
