Thus, it seems like a natural evolution to attempt to combine the more formal research I do as a professional with the biggest passion in my life: food and farming. The combination is the Institute for Thoughtful Food (the name for now--but it may change!). The goal of the institute is to address questions and challenges facing small to medium scale farmers in the Puget Sound region. I feel this narrow focus keeps me engaged in the area that I care the most about.
We already have a small project that we'll be working on this fall and winter that was funded by the Human Links Foundation (information on the Institute page). I'm working on two larger grants as well: a SARE Grant focused on assessing the transportation costs saved if more farmers use the Puget Sound Food Hub and a grant through the King County Conservation District to assess the current state and potential capacity of meat production in King County.
This idea is still in its infancy, but we're optimistic it could become an important part of our business in time. As anyone who's ever tried to farm knows, you need to keep an open mind and constantly search for new opportunities to make the farm an economic success.