Blue Mountain Land Trust saves Hayshaker Farm through farmland property purchase.
Ensuring long-term land access for first-generation farmers in the Walla Walla Valley.
College Place, WA — Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT) is taking bold action to secure the future of Hayshaker Farm, an 11.53-acre farm and regional food hub on the edge of College Place, WA. With development rapidly encroaching and the current landowner prepared to sell, this property, farmed since the early 1900s, was at risk of being lost to residential development. BMLT stepped up to purchase the property, keeping the land in agriculture and accessible to the farming community. Hayshaker Farm is the second property BMLT owns, the first located in Washington, and a major step to protect local food systems.
Photo courtesy of Hayshaker Farm
At the edge of College Place, on 11.53 acres of prime farmland, a small draft-horse-powered farm has been feeding the Walla Walla Valley and beyond for the last decade. Hayshaker Farm grows vegetables through craft and intention: by hand, by hoof, and with deep respect for the land and the people who care for it. It’s managed holistically, with soil health, ecological systems, biodiversity, and a commitment to core values at the heart of every decision.
The land has been farmed for over a century. But now, surrounded by fast-moving development, it was at risk of being lost. Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT) is working to change that.
To protect the future of this farmland, BMLT purchased the property, ensuring it remains in agriculture and with the people who care for it.
Photos courtesy of Hayshaker Farm
Securing the future of farming
Farmers face significant hurdles: soaring land prices, rising equipment costs, reliance on short-term leases, and unpredictable markets.
For first-generation farmers like Chandler Briggs and Theo Ciszewski, owning farmland outright is nearly impossible. With approximately 40% of America’s farmland owned by those over 65, the urgency for succession planning is growing, yet fewer than 10% of producers are under 35.
In just one generation, the U.S. has lost 11 million acres of farmland to urban and suburban development, highlighting a troubling decline in farmland access and ownership. Without accessible pathways to transition land, many farms risk being sold for development or absorbed by large investors, threatening both farm succession and long-term food security for local communities.
“Prime irrigated farmland in this country, and especially in our community, is increasingly expensive and hard to secure. Top it off with development pressure, increased housing costs, and the cost of living, and we have a recipe for a lack of farmers and a loss of our best farmland,” said Chandler Briggs. “But with BMLT's new acquisition, we can breathe a sigh of relief. Together, we are building a bright and abundant future for our growing community.”
To address the growing challenges first-generation farmers face in securing land, BMLT is working to reduce barriers by making farmland and infrastructure more accessible and sustainable.
BMLT stepped up to purchase the property using a low-interest loan, allowing the organization to offer a long-term, affordable lease to Hayshaker Farm and provide lasting security for their operation. This approach creates a new path forward, one that keeps farmland available and productive, even as the region grows.
“This acquisition was very complicated, and the timeline was tight, but whenever we met a hurdle, I asked myself: what is the value of feeding our community?” said Fraser Moore, BMLT Conservation Manager. “The answer is that we cannot put a price tag on it because food brings us all together. Food heals. Food nurtures. With this to motivate me, I knew we had to do everything to purchase the property and protect Hayshaker Farm.”
Photos courtesy of Hayshaker Farm
The value of feeding a community
This milestone is more than saving a farm. It’s about feeding communities.
Hayshaker Farm sits on land with a deep legacy. Located within the ceded lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, this land has been stewarded for thousands of years. In the early 1900s, Italian immigrants settled on the property and cultivated produce, grain, and livestock for a century.
In 2014, Chandler Briggs launched Hayshaker Farm with a garlic crop and a vision to feed the local community. Starting with eight leased acres, the farm supplied produce to farmers’ markets and a handful of restaurants, quickly earning a reputation for quality and unique crop varieties. Since then, the farm has steadily expanded its team, production, and impact, growing into a key player in the region’s local food system.
Each year, Hayshaker grows thousands of pounds of produce, with 70% staying in the Walla Walla Valley and benefiting over 380 families, restaurants, schools, grocery stores, and food hubs. The remaining produce is sold to regional marketplaces in Seattle and Spokane, with a significant portion supplying eastern WA hunger relief programs.
The farm also owns and operates the Walla Walla Food Hub, a year-round online marketplace offering locally and regionally grown food and farm goods from over 65 producers. It functions as a central hub where food from many local farms is collected, then advertised, sold, and distributed to households, restaurants, grocery stores, schools, and food banks across eastern Washington. The goal is to help small farms reach more people, strengthen the local food system, and make seasonal food more widely available to the community.
“Having recently celebrated 10 years farming on this beautiful property, we are beyond thrilled to solidify a lasting bountiful future on this productive piece of land, and secure an affordable, viable place for ourselves, and other stewards after us, to grow food for our community, “ said Chandler.
Growing the future of local food
The land itself is something special: deep, fertile silt loam, irrigated, and shaped by decades of care. With infrastructure already in place, from high tunnels and walk-in coolers to a farmhouse and barn, the land is ready to continue growing food and support the vision of Hayshaker Farm for years to come.
BMLT is not only securing a viable piece of agricultural land but also investing in the farmers who steward it, the people who eat from it, and the future of the region’s local food system. By protecting Hayshaker Farm, BMLT is investing in a resilient and equitable food system for the Walla Walla Valley and beyond.
This project was made possible through two Washington state-backed programs designed to address the urgent challenges facing working lands. The Washington State Housing and Finance Commission’s low-interest loan made it possible for BMLT to quickly purchase the property, while the Washington State Conservation Commission is helping ensure long-term land protection and affordability of the farm for future generations. What usually takes years to complete, BMLT acted fast and completed the acquisition in six months.
In addition to state-funded programs, the Washington Association of Land Trust legal assistance program was instrumental in navigating the legal complexities of this project. Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson P.S. and FutureWise provided BMLT pro bono legal support, along with guidance from BMLT’s in-house attorney and Executive Director, Amanda Martino.
Together, these critical programs make it possible to pair farmland acquisition with a future permanent conservation easement to ensure the land remains in agriculture, protected from development, and accessible to first-generation farmers far into the future.
“Though Hayshaker Farm is just over 11 acres, its impact on our local food system is immense,” said Amanda Martino, BMLT Executive Director. “Protecting this land proves what's possible when a community comes together to support the next generation of farmers. At BMLT, we rely on individual donations and community support to fuel the time, expertise and persistence these high-value, high-impact projects require. BMLT is incredibly proud that we can leverage these resources to complete the community-driven conservation projects we believe in. Keeping farmland in production and local food systems strong will have benefits for generations to come."
Photo by Fraser Moore
Photo courtesy of Hayshaker Farm
