In 1972, when Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies was still a new institution, students moved to the historic Burns cabins on the ridge above what is now the Outback Farm at Western Washington University and started farming. They built a barn, raised goats for milking and pigs for eating, planted a few fruit trees, and grew vegetables. In the five decades since then, the farm program has grown and now hosts dozens of classes and independent projects, a staff of eight students, a food forest, and 60 Community Garden plots.
This year marks 50 years of farming, experimentation, ecological restoration, cooperation, and community in the Outback, and Western is celebrating with a weekend of free events May 21-22, including workshops, presentations, live music, food, an info fair, and work parties.
Join a bird walk, meet the bees, clear some weeds, go foraging, or learn about Indigenous food sovereignty, farm resilience, fermentation, and so much more. See the full schedule for the Outback’s 50th anniversary weekend and RSVP for events at http://ow.ly/48Q150J0MC5
Photo by Luke Hollister/WWU.
Original source can be found here.
