You’re
driving down a road, changing radio stations and talking on your cell
phone, when suddenly, the question hits you…Is there Prime farmland in
Kitsap County? For the inquisitive few that have had this heady
experience, let me answer a hearty, "YES!". Still,
brainstorms like this beg for information. Let me explain how plain ‘ol
dirt gets this designation and why it matters to all of us.
Prime farmland is land that has the best combination of physical and
chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage and fiber. This
is land that is available for cropland, pastureland, or forestland but not
built-up urban land or water bodies. It has the soil quality, growing
season and moisture supply needed to economically produce sustained high
yields of crops when it is managed. In general, prime farmlands have an
adequate and dependable water supply from precipitation (or irrigation), a
favorable temperature and growing season, acceptable acidity or
alkalinity, and few or no rocks. Prime farmland is not excessively
erodible or saturated with water for long periods of time.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) determines Prime
farmland by soil types. It is consoling to know that the USDA has mapped
ALL the soils in the U.S., leaving little doubt to most of us about what
we are standing on daily. This mapping is surprisingly accurate and all of
the information about soil types, their characteristics and uses, are
contained in an exquisite paperback and bestseller, locally called ‘Soil
Survey of Kitsap County Area, Washington’.
So how much of this great soil do we have in Kitsap? Enough to grow our
food if we needed to or about 15,020 acres! It comes by the name of
Belfast loam, Norma fine sandy loam, Bellingham silty clay loam, Semiahmoo
Muck and more. We could have even more Prime acres if irrigation was used.
Having Prime farmland designation means that these areas are a priority
of the USDA to protect and conserve. The reason? These soils are a living
bank that can grow the crops to feed and clothe communities. Nationwide,
farmland is disappearing at an astounding rate each year due to erosion
and development. All of us should be concerned and turn that concern to
our local interests of becoming sustainable. In our fast-paced, jet-lagged
world we overlook the issue of food security. Locally produced food and
fiber is an insurance policy for the residents of Kitsap. Let’s pay the
premium for that insurance and tread more lightly on this most valuable of
natural resources!
