Kelly Kingsland and Russell Poe did not originally go searching for Affinity Farm in Moscow.
“We kind of got found by this place,” Kingsland said.
Prior to opening Affinity Farm in 2001, Kingsland said she worked with the Moscow Food Co-op, while Poe worked for another North Idaho farm. They have been part of the locally grown food scene for most of their lives, which have been spent on the Palouse.
To show the knowledge they have gained during their time in the area, Kingsland and Poe open their farm to community members once a year.
As part of Moscow’s Buy Local program, Kingsland and Poe partnered with Rural Roots, University of Idaho Extension and the Palouse-Clearwater Food Coalition to share their experience harvesting crops in a sustainable capacity.
To kick off Buy Local’s Eat Local Month, Affinity Farm was the first farm tour on the calendar of events. About 20 people attended the Monday night event, which began at the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute Nature Center.
Hailey Stewart | Argonaut
Palouse community members hike the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute trail to Affinity Farm Monday evening.
A quick hike on the institute’s nature path leads to Affinity Farm — a five-acre area — where attendees met with Kingsland and Poe to learn about their farming operations and ways to sustainably grow fresh vegetables.
During the tour, Kingsland and Poe showcased a variety of their plants and planting styles. The two explained how they best utilize small spaces and reuse farming products year after year.
Iris Mayes, a UI Extension educator of small farms and horticulture, said these kinds of farm tours are geared toward local farmers and educating consumers.
“Often consumers do not have access to farms or get to see how local food is produced,” Mayes said. “A lot of work goes into each and every vegetable. We want consumers to understand that, so they value what they are buying and eating.”
Sarah Stolberg, the owner of a small, local organic orchard, and her five-year-old daughter, Ellen, a gardener in practice, visited Affinity Farm with the hope of learning more about growing tomatoes.
“My daughter is getting old enough to sort of understand where our food comes from and how to grow it herself,” Stolberg said. “So, this is interesting to come to and learn about how others are doing what they do.”
Poe said yearly tourists might notice some changes in their farming practices. The pair’s operations have evolved throughout the years, Kingsland said, to reflect changes in climate and farming technology.
“We’ve always grown just an acre, but over the years with experience, innovation and efficiency, we are able to produce more and more,” Poe said.
While the pair know how to grow a greenhouse full of tomatoes and a flourishing patch of winter squash, Kingsland said they are always reading up on new practices to help their farm stay as environmentally sound and as profitable as possible.
“Three years ago, we would have been talking about something else we were into,” Kingsland said. “But that’s just a part of gardening. Come back in three years and we might be into something else.”
Marci Miller, the executive director of Rural Roots, said the organization’s goal is to support and enhance sustainable agriculture and local food systems in Idaho, particularly the Inland Northwest. In doing that, Miller said she has seen an increase in community members buying local and keeping that sustainable momentum going.
Hailey Stewart | Argonaut
Kelly Kingsland showcases her greenhouse full of tomatoes to Affinity Farm tourists Monday evening.
“Each year we see more and more people coming to the Moscow Farmers Market and more restaurants buying local produce,” Miller said. “We see the demand for local food increasing more and more and it’s our goal to help more farmers meet that demand.”
Kingsland said she has also noticed the growth of involvement from community members and local businesses working with farmers.
“It is a great wheat and legume growing area,” Kingsland said. “But, the Farmers Market, the Co-op, local restaurants and a lot of people with great food awareness, make it great for small scale vegetable farmers, too.”
Hailey Stewart can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @Hailey_ann97