I’ve been wanting to highlight the Lums for a long time. Eric and Amy are staples here on the island, known for all of the myriad ways they work the land and help others learn basic skills. When I think of Eric and Amy, I see two knowledgeable people who never stop working and have made a life they love. Crash on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean and hope that those two are on it! If they are, you’ll not only survive, you’ll thrive!
For those of us who have “crashed” here with no hands-on knowledge or experience with raising farm animals, growing food, making cheese, shearing sheep, processing beef – and the list goes on endlessly – it’s good to know that someone out there has a lot of important life skills!
Recently, the Lums moved onto the Coffelt Farm Preserve in order to manage the land.
To help ensure a future of local agriculture, the Land Bank purchased Coffelt Farm on Orcas Island. The 185 acres spans Crow Valley, encompassing an expanse of scenic open-space, habitat resources, and productive agricultural land. In 1995, Vern and Sidney Coffelt worked with the Land Bank to place a conservation easement on their farm to limit development and protect special features of the land. The easement was an important step, but it did not ensure that future landowners would continue to farm the property. After 60 years of working the land, and with a conviction that it must be made available to future generations of farmers, the Coffelts sold the bulk of the farm to the Land Bank in 2008. Ten acres remain privately owned under the conservation easement. The terms of the easement allow for one residential dwelling and protect farm fields and views.
Coffelt Farm has been a staple here itself. Over the years, we’ve enjoyed visiting the farm stand for seasonal foods grown the right way. We have memories of munching gobs of ground cherries and taking an outdoor course in beekeeping. Locals have been buying their processed meats there a cow at a time, sharing the cost and goods with other families in order to have meat from happy, healthy, grass-grazing animals who lived on beautiful land and enjoyed a good, well-cared-for life.
Eric and Amy welcome you for a visit to the farm store or for some goat-petting on a farm tour. We got a chance to soak it in, so come along on our experience…
This is one of their daughters, Martha Lum 
This is Mandy Troxel, farm stand and marketing manager 
The old farmhouse 
This is Amy Lum 
And here’s Eric Lum 
Here’s what Eric and Amy have to say on their website (click the link to see the cute pictures of their family):
Lum Farm began as a family farm: Eric, Amy and daughters Martha and Rachel. As the farm has grown, so has the farm family, which now includes a few hard-working island residents. As with any farm, there is never a dull moment, or a lack of things to do!
Eric Lum grew up on Orcas Island. He is the farm’s mechanic, manages the fields and compost and does the heavy lifting. Eric can be seen on his tractor all around the island baling hay in the summer months and enjoys working the land, having made a bit of a name for himself with his garlic-growing abilities.
Amy’s truest calling on the farm is caretaking the animals. She has a background in animal health, is our resident sheep shearer and is usually one of the first people island residents call when they need some animal advice. Amy is also an artist with Bossy’s Feltworks, a needle-felting business that she shares with two partners.
Amy and Eric have always had a heart for community outreach and are farm consultants and mentors for new farmers on the island. Amy is the 4-H Leaders Council president and has lead farm-focused programs with local schools. Eric is on the Island Grown Farmers Cooperative board and helps coordinate the mobile slaughter unit.
Daughters Martha and Rachel have lent a hand where needed, and have each found their own niches in farm life. Martha is currently attending Washington State University with a major in Agricultural Economics. Rachel is finishing up high school and is happiest on the farm when she’s around the goats. She is our most adept milker with enviable speed!
We love our extended farm family: Mandy Troxel manages the farm stand and marketing, and also loves stepping away from those roles for farm chores. Crystal Mossman is our mad scientist in the cheese room. Benson Laurie has convinced us he is at least three people, due to the amount of work he is able to get done on the farm in one day. Kyle Jepson can build fences, coops, and whatever else can possibly be fashioned from found materials. Nisha Woolworth and Lucy Troxel are our youngest farmhands, and can sling hay bales twice their size with superhuman strength.
Amy and Eric offer on-site homesteading consultations. Click HERE for more info.
The mission behind all our hard work on the farm is to create connections: people feeling connected to the land, to the food they eat, and to each other. We encourage you to stop by the farm stand for a visit and soak up some of the rich history that is food and community.
Lum Farm on Coffelt Farm Preserve is a convergence of kind, humble, helpful people working on beautiful land, with the aim to produce food, experiences, and products done knowledgeably, healthfully, and humanely.
Farm stand hours are Thursday-Saturday, 2:00 – 5:30 PM, at 1071 Crow Valley Road. To book a farm tour, click this link and scroll to the bottom.
SO beautifully done!
Every drive by and visit a reminder of our good fortune in this cooperative venture.
Thanks so much, Milly!!