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Urban Farms

We are expanding how we cultivate community by stewarding two of Bellingham’s beloved urban farms: York Community Farm and City Sprouts Farm.  

Gathering around food is a universally human experience. The way we grow food, cook food and share food varies greatly from person to person and culture to culture. It provides a rich opportunity for us to come together, learn from one another, create ritual, and build more resilient communities. 

The Center for Community learning is developing place-based experiential programming focused on food production, food justice and farm education. These new opportunities and programs on urban farms respond to WWU’s Sustainability Action Plan priorities, and the focus on equity and place-based learning in WWU’s Strategic Plan. 

   Beginning in 2023,  Ellie Duncan joined the CCL team, bringing with her over a decade worth of experience in sustainable farming, food access and food systems work. This spring we began managing the two urban farms, establishing partnerships with other food systems players, and providing opportunities for students to contribute to and learn about food access efforts, sustainable farming methods, and developing a connection with place through our food system. 

To learn more about each farm's story, projects and ways to get involved, see the websites  below:

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In the summer of 2023 a group of six Western students spent 14 weeks working at two urban farms run by our farm manager at the Center for Community Learning. We spent a July afternoon talking and writing about what urban farming has provided to us. The words above were shared in this activity.
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