As part of the King County van donation program, Councilmember Kathy Lambert of District 3 donated a “retired” King County Metro van to Carnation Farms. The retired, but still usable van, will help the farm transport kids to and from their educational programs.

Carnation Farms is a nonprofit organization on a mission to transform the way people eat, according to its website. The 818-acre organic property serves both as a working farm and an outdoor classroom. As a certified organic garden, the organization grows a variety of vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries and flowers.

The farm also offers various summer camps, classes, farm-to-table events, and programs for people of all ages.

According to Strategy and Sales Director Hannah Cavendish-Palmer, the farm employs 20 to 30 students as part of its Rooted Teen program. The seven-week summer agriculture-based program pays teens to work on the farm and gain a first-hand understanding of farming. Teens work outside and within the farm harvesting produce, weeding, collecting eggs and learning the basics about farm economics. Half of their time involves hands-on agriculture work, meanwhile the other half of their time is a collection of educational workshops, community service and skill-building activities.

“It was thrilling to receive the van,” Cavendish-Palmer said. “We are super grateful to King County. We really appreciate their support.”

The donated van will help provide more transportation to and from the farm and it will make it more accessible to provide transportation to summer camps. The van will help the farm be more accessible to a wider audience.

“We were really happy about the van donation,” she said. “We have [nearly] 50 kids during the summer months, so it’s meaningful to have the ability to [transport] them.”

To learn more about Carnation Farms, visit the organization’s website online at www.carnationfarms.org.