Deeply Ingrained Collaboration
By Allyson Meyer • Photos by Dave Meyer
Barn swallows flit through the pre-dusk light, their quick, almost spontaneous movements, juxtaposed with the stillness of a pre-storm summer evening. Standing on Ebey Road Farm, taking in the sweeping views of the Olympic mountain range and the sprawling fields, it’s almost as if you’re stepping into a bygone era of farming, where the history is palpable with each breath. But although the past may be evident everywhere you look on this six-generation family farm, these islanders are committed to an agricultural future that ties in collaboration, entrepreneurship, and environmentalism.
“The cool part about being a sixth-generation farmer is you do understand the ethic it takes to continue operation. You’re caretaking this place for another generation. And part of that is running a successful business,” said Clark Bishop. “On the one hand, it’s super unique. On the other hand, it’s just like any other farm—it has a host of challenges.”
But with those challenges, come opportunities for problem solving and flexibility that have been a part of the farm’s century-plus existence. On their land within Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, purchased by the family’s ancestors around 1886, Clark, and his wife Danielle, are carving out a new farming path that puts the future front and center, all while taking a cue from the past.
