Lopez Sound — A working Farm for the Future

In 2020, Lopez Community Land Trust was offered the opportunity to purchase 118 acres of farm and forest land on Lopez Sound Road. Through friendly loans, gifts from generous donors, and by working on a plan with the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank, LCLT made the purchase. In 2021, LCLT sold 75 acres of forest land, to the SJC Conservation Land Bank, thereby expanding the existing 400-acre Lopez Hill Preserve.

In 2021, LCLT selected Andrew and Lena Jones for a long-term lease at Lopez Sound Farm and Forest Preserve. In 2022 LCLT and Lena and Andrew signed the ground lease and began developing Still Light Farm LLC. 

Lena and Andrew are long-term thinkers, committed to stewarding the land and increasing food security on Lopez Island. They are exploring the viability of perennial fruit and nut trees and annual staple crops such as oats, beans and edible seeds on the farm. They anticipate drawing from regenerative organic principles, permaculture systems, ecological landscape design and agroforestry traditions to improve soil health and sequester carbon.

Lena and Andrew spent their first year getting to know the land and planning the farm while settling in on Lopez.

The long-term farm lease is possible through the LCLT program, Lopez Island Farm Trust (LIFT). Learn more about the LIFT program here .