In the 10 years since the Greenbank Farm was sold into public ownership, the one-time “world’s largest loganberry farm” has transformed into a community hub that has been a beacon for Central Whidbey Island.

To honor the folks who spearheaded the farm purchase and development, the Greenbank Farm is holding a celebration marking 10 years of public ownership and recognizing volunteer efforts that have made the farm a success.

“It’s always been moving forward and it’s always been driven by the passion of the people,” said Tom Baenen, president of the Greenbank Farm Management Group.

The party takes place tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 23, from noon to 5 p.m. The event features speakers historical tours, visits to the Master Gardeners’ gardens, speeches by people involved with the farm’s development, and a host of fun, family-friendly activities. A highlight of the day will be when the community gathers in front of the farm to take a photo that will be similar to the one taken in 1997 that marked the day the farm came into public ownership.

The farm started around the turn of the century as a dairy farm owned by the Philips family. By the 1930s the farm had passed to the Maltz family, who began planting loganberries that made the farm famous. The loganberry was developed in 1881 and is a combination of a blackberry and raspberry.

U.S. Tobacco came to own the Greenbank Farm when it purchased winemaker Chateau Ste. Michele. However people were saddened to see the farm deteriorate over the years. Baenen said by the time the farm was sold in the 1990s, the buildings were in need of repair, the berries were pretty much dead and the water system wasn’t desirable.

“To me they had no interest in keeping the vineyard going,” said Vern Olsen, a longtime Greenbank resident who recently moved to Coupeville.

Greenbank residents spearheaded the public effort a decade ago after hearing rumors that the farm was going to be sold and transformed into a self-contained residential development of up to 700 houses.

“All of the people came out of the woods,” Olsen said about the momentum to save the farm from development.

Community meetings were held, petitions were signed, and public sentiment swelled. Eventually the Trust for Public Land jumped into the fray and negotiated the sale of all 522 acres of the farm to Island County, The Nature Conservancy and the Port of Coupeville.

The bulk of the land was reserved for agricultural and recreational purposes while the core buildings that make up the center of the Greenbank Farm were devoted to commercial and community use.

Olsen said it took awhile to change people’s impression about the farm, but now it has become more of a local destination.

A place to gather

“It’s become kind of a place where people will go to meet,” Olsen said.

The opening of Whidbey Pies in March 2001 provided residents a comfortable place to meet and enjoy some really good pie at the same time.

Owner Jan Gunn said that she was drawn to the space because it was so inviting. It did present some challenges when she first started operating at Greenbank Farm. While her spot had a place for people to eat, it didn’t have an area to prepare food. She started preparing her pies out of her commercial kitchen located at her home.

Things improved several years ago when the Greenbank Farm received $1.5 million in state funding to improve its buildings.

When farm members were lobbying the state for the funding, they brought pies down to Olympia to share with legislators, Gunn said. The aroma alone was enough to sway any reluctant legislator.

That funding allowed for the installation of a commercial kitchen. That new facility provides the space for Whidbey Pies to produce 500 to 800 pies a week.

She said business has increased every year. The addition of the gallery and nearby shops has only helped business.

Whidbey Pies Cafe wasn’t the only business to benefit from the state funding. That money paid for the demolition of an old barn and construction of a new barn-shaped building. That sparked more interest in businesses to move to the farm. Currently the building is home to several businesses, including an antique gallery and the Whidbey Camano Land Trust.

In addition to the new building, the middle barn was also renovated and is the current home of a commercial kitchen and a cheese shop.

While the farm has been a boon to local businesses, there are parts that provide a vivid reminder that it’s still a place where food is grown. People can still pick loganberries in the spring and there is a community garden nearby on the farm land that is popular with nearby residents.

Providing a nice complement to the main farm building, the Island County Master Gardeners grow and maintain a several gardens used for educational purposes.

The gardeners started developing the varied gardens in 2002. They decided to go with several different themes so it doesn’t overwhelm gardeners, said Donna Stansberry, a member of the Master Gardeners.

Volunteers were busy this week sprucing up the various gardens so they are ready for the 10th anniversary celebration.

Vibrant farm future seen

While the people responsible for transforming the Greenbank Farm into the popular community center are celebrating their success, there are plans to ensure the farm remains vibrant in the future.

The Port of Coupeville and the Greenbank Farm Management Group are starting work on a master site plan that will provide a blueprint for the future of the farm. Then they are also discussing placing a conservation easement on the farm to add another layer of protection for the agricultural, recreational and agriculturally-sensitive land that surrounds the farm buildings.

Page Gilbert-Baenen, who heads up fund development for the management group, said the group is looking forward to working with the Port of Coupeville in finding grants to help pay for upcoming projects. She added that the partnership will help get both public and private grants that will benefit the Greenbank Farm.

But the first thing they are doing is celebrating all the work that has been done to date. Whether it’s the residents who rallied to save their beloved farm, or the small business owners who have set up shop, everyone is now confident that the Greenbank Farm will continue to be a focal point on Central Whidbey Island for years to come.