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Thursday, April 25, 2013
VOL. 18, NO. 38
Farmland protected north end of reserve By Nathan Whalen Staff Reporter
Island County, the Whidbey Camano Land Trust and several other entities are working with a family to ensure a large swath of property near Penn Cove will remain picturesque farmland. The Muzzall family, the owners of 3 Sisters Beef, negotiated a conservation easement to preserve 113 acres of farmland located north of Penn Cove. Currently the land trust is going through the public process to secure the final $69,000 worth of Island County Conservation Futures Funds to finish the deal. The proposal, which is currently undergoing review, would be the last bit of funding that included a $400,000 Conservation Futures Fund award the Board of Island County Commissioners awarded in 2012 and a $460,000 grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which is operated by the United States Department of Agriculture. Conservation Futures is funded by a 6.25 cent per $1,000 assessed property value tax. Money raised by the can be used to acquire open space, agricultural land and timber land. Owner Ron Muzzall, who is the fourth-generation of his family to farm on Whidbey Island, said the easement will ensure his property remains in agricultural production and will providing the capital needed to invest in his business selling beef directly to the consumer. “After a while, you become attached to the land as a farm,” Muzzall said. The Muzzalls, who sell grass-fed beef under the name 3 Sisters Beef, raises cows, chickens and hogs on 600 acres scattered throughout north and central Whidbey Island. The Muzzall’s operation has changed during the early years of the 21st century. The longtime dairy farm switch to selling grass fed beef directly to consumers in recent years. The family recently opened up a retail store in the San de Fuca school house located on Highway 20 near Penn Cove. Local conservationists are excited See PROTECTED, page 12
Megan Hansen photo
The Perkins House, located on Ebey Road in Coupeville, is a 2013 grant recipient from the Ebey’s Forever Fund. Through the fund, authentic siding will be restored on the home as well as renovation to match original window and door configuration.
Forever fund helping home owners By Megan Hansen Editor
In just three years, the Ebey’s Forever Fund granted $200,000 to help preserve history on Central Whidbey. Having just released the names of the 2013 grant recipients, new projects are already underway. Ebey’s Forever Fund was able to issue double the funds than in previous years. This year $100,000 is being divided between 13 projects aimed at preserving the historical integrity of buildings in Ebey’s Reserve. “We’re really seeing a significant amount of support ripple across the island,” said Mark Preiss, reserver manager. Projects include replacing roofs, windows and siding on many structures including the Comstock Barn, located on Ebey Road near Hill Road, and the Old County Court House on Madrona Way. “Projects help sustain that building for future use, for future generations,” Preiss said.
One project already underway is the Perkins House, which was built in 1890 on Ebey Road. Through new ownership, the house is getting a major makeover to revert it back to its original appearance. Annie Kidd Matsov, historical architect for the reserve, said the Perkins House had some modifications to windows and doors over the years as well as additions. Because of the changes over the years, the home no longer contributes to the historical registry. Once the new owner purchased the home, renovation unearthed some of the original historical integrity.
“It’s like solving mysteries through historical archeology,” Matsov said. By getting down to the original frame, workers found an original door had been closed up and windows had been modified. Part of the Ebey’s Forever Fund grant will help restore the original door as well as bring windows back to their original dimensions. Removing some of the house’s siding revealed the original siding was just covered with new. Which is good, Matsov said, because it’s been mostly protected over the years. The grant from Ebey’s Forever Fund will See FUNDS, page 12