Business & Tech
Enumclaw Native Takes Deep Roots and Goes Back to Basics with Mason Jar Farm
Jenni Minnis opens her Mason Jar Farm (40228 278th Way S.E.) to the public in an open farm celebration Saturday, May 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This post was reported and written by Enumclaw Local Editor April Chan.
Tucked away on an unbusy road north of Enumclaw sits the new Mason Jar Farm with its famous John Lennon tree and an unparalleled view of Mount Rainier on a clear day.
The residence and farm, with its chicken coops, rows of produce in the ground and quaint artwork reflecting a simpler time in Enumclaw, is about ready to go public with an open farm celebrationSaturday, May 18. Owner Jenni Minnis answered a few questions for Patch about the farm, why she started it and what she hopes the community can gain from her labor of love.
Why did you start up the Mason Jar Farm? I have always loved digging in the dirt and gardening, canning, etc. However, my aspirations are to help educate children with better eating and the taste of garden goodness! I hope to be a spot that schools or day camps would like to bring children and I envision making jam with the kids or teaching them some garden planting and they can return to see and harvest their labor as well. I very much enjoy watching children getting eggs from the chickens, holding them and digging up potatoes or eating a fresh picked carrot from the garden. I hope to also help parents who want to eat and prepare healthy foods and can grab a premixed basket of garden goods with a quick recipe I’ll provide and help show people that fresh is fast!
What did you do prior to this? I worked for an aerospace company for 15 years--Korry Electronics in Everett. I worked as an inside sales person and export administrator. My grandmother at 89 wanted to move to Walla Walla and open a boutique because she is an artist, and to be close to my sister. I sold my home in Lynnwood and moved to the farm in 2010 and took quite a chunk of my retirement to get the property cleaned up and start my dream. The retirement fund helped build the barn and the mobile chicken coop, as well as fix fencing in the field to prepare for a few grass-fed cattle, and some remodeling in the house. I commuted for about six months and decided I could no longer drive 3-4 hours a day after trying to find a fulfilling new method of income. I just decided to follow my dream.
You have some deep roots in Enumclaw. Can you share as far back as you can how your family is tied to this area? My grandma Zelma is a Robinson and moved here when she was young from Morton, WA. My mother is a Parmenter and was born in a house on 244th and only until 15 years ago moved to Oregon. My grandmother remarried my grandpa Robert Natchsheim after her husband, Keith Parmenter, was killed in the war before my mother was born. I feel sometimes like I’m related to half the town but it has been a great upbringing.
What can people expect to find during the open house? I hope to create a fun experience for everyone inspiring all of the senses--taste, feel, sight, hearing, touch. Inspiring people to enjoy the day at the farm and taste its bounty is always my goal. l will have available for purchase plant starts and some yard art potted plants and some of the Mason Jar crafts. (See also attached flyer)
How can someone find or purchase your products? Currently I will be doing the Orting Farmers Markets–Fridays and Saturdays. I will also be at the Maple Valley Farmers Market. Also the Mercantile store in town is carrying some of my Mason Jar crafts, cards, and plant starts, and potted yard art when I have produce and veggies and eggs. I will be doing a one-time a week delivery to them as well. I hope to sell off of the farm entirely next year or delivery & pickup in a “CSA fashion” by having a drive-through area where your products can be picked up. I anticipate that weekly harvests will have a variety of greens, root veggies, potatoes, etc. containing 5-6 items. I am asking that people simply sign up for eggs or the veggie package. It is a pay-as-you-go for now. I will be at 5 dozen eggs a day around June. People can email or call and I will notify weekly of what is being harvested and when available. It will be a pay-as-you-go type deal until I am comfortable with the number of families / people I can support to go to a CSA system. I will get there!
Did we forget anything? As children, all of us kids and cousins had to go to Yakima with my grandpa Natchsheim's flat bed trucks for his masonry business and be slave fruit pickers for four days. Then we would come home and the women and kids would prep and prepare and can and can for weeks. Hence some of the best working valuable lessons of my life and today why I call it the Mason Jar Farm. I have always been a believer in manifesting your dreams and I used to talk at Korry about starting the farm before I even was here! I know that this is my passion and I hope that others enjoy the fruits of my labors with their family!
MORE: Visit Mason Jar Farm online at plateaugirl.wordpress.com or follow them on Facebook.
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