KCAA Hosts Soil Testing & Health Class in Partnership with Fat Turnip Farm

On January 23, 2025, the Kitsap Community & Agricultural Alliance (KCAA) hosted a Soil Testing and Health class in partnership with Fat Turnip Farms. The class took place at the Village Green Community Center in Kingston and welcomed over 60 attendees!

The workshop focused on familiarizing new and beginning farmers with the importance of testing their soil. Bryan Custer, farmer and owner of Fat Turnip Farm in the Hansville/Eglon area, guided participants through how to collect soil samples, interpret test results, and apply that information to improve soil health through effective amendments.

Bryan has been farming in Western Washington for many years and is deeply committed to sustainable practices that build long-term soil vitality. At Fat Turnip Farm, he operates a year-round farm stand offering fresh produce, flowers, and a welcoming space for community learning. Bryan believes that the next generation is the future of farming — and that teaching young farmers to be strong in body, mind, and spirit is essential to sustaining the hard but rewarding work that keeps our food system alive.

This event was part of a social networking and educational series for Kitsap farmers, producers and homesteaders - supported by the Russell Family Foundation Food for Climate Solutions Grant. This class is one part of an in-person series of social networking events offered by the Kitsap Community & Agricultural Alliance (KCAA), with support from WSU Kitsap Extension. These networking opportunities will run from May through January 2025 with the goal of bringing Kitsap Farmers together to network, build community, create new business connections and friendships, and provide education and mentoring opportunities. The events will give farmers in Kitsap a venue for peer-to-peer discussion, and encourage them to become more connected as a farming community.