Conservation Land Bank seeks farmer to move to Coffelt Farm Preserve on Orcas Island

The San Juan Coun­ty Con­ser­va­tion Land Bank is look­ing for an expe­ri­enced farmer or farm orga­ni­za­tion — pos­si­bly from San Juan Island — to move their exist­ing oper­a­tion to Orcas Island.

The Land Bank has issued a request for pro­pos­als for a five-year farm lease on its 150-acre Cof­felt Farm Pre­serve, with a five-year renew­al option. The prop­er­ty includes pas­ture land, a house, and exist­ing farm infra­struc­ture. Accord­ing to the RFP:

Since the Land Bank acquired Cof­felt Farm Pre­serve [in 2008], farm oper­a­tions were man­aged first by a non-prof­it, Cof­felt Farm Stew­ards, and cur­rent­ly by Lum Farms LLC under an inter­im lease through 2022. These oper­a­tions have main­tained the farm as a diver­si­fied, though pri­mar­i­ly live­stock-based oper­a­tion. In addi­tion to advanc­ing its stew­ard­ship goals, the Land Bank seeks to main­tain the farm as a mod­el for small-scale, com­mu­ni­ty-ori­ent­ed agri­cul­ture and as a wel­com­ing place for vis­i­tors and all mem­bers of the community.

Pro­pos­als are due by Wednes­day, June 1.

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