Broadfields Farm's Reclaimed Farmland Cultivates Community

Beyond nourishing bodies with their free-range eggs and grass-fed beef, Broadfields Farm is on a mission to nourish the local economy in the Olympia region by supporting other local farmers and amplifying the region’s identity as a beacon of agricultural success. Their commitment to sustainable practices not only preserves the land they’ve restored but also educates and inspires others. Discover first-hand how Broadfields Farm is developing a more harmonious and sustainable relationship with nature with a visit to the farm.

Before it was Broadfields Farm, the property, located just over 10 miles from the heart of downtown Olympia, was home to a 1,000-head dairy farm that had so polluted the groundwater they were forced to close. Kevin and Chris Cornell purchased the property in 2016 and immediately started the labor-intensive work of restoring a solid infrastructure, leasing their pastures out to local cattlemen until 2021 when they bought their first herd.

Kevin will tell you he got into farming because he was afraid that retiring would give him too much free time on his hands. Growing up in the outskirts of the suburbs, he spent his summers working on farms and decided in his mid-50s that he wanted to get back to farming – to create a place where he could see his grandchildren experience farming and foster in them the same love of the land he grew up with.

Using as much of the remaining materials, equipment, and infrastructure from the previous farm as they can, Kevin and Chris are working hard to make their farm a closed-loop and carbon-neutral operation.

What exactly is closed-loop farming? It has a lot to do with that trendy phrase: farm-to-table. Often hailed as a beacon of sustainability, closed-loop farming epitomizes a circular approach to agriculture, designed to minimize waste and maximize efficiency by utilizing resources within a closed system. It integrates various practices like composting, crop rotation, and regenerative agriculture, aiming to reduce reliance on external inputs such as synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. By reusing organic matter, conserving water, and fostering biodiversity, closed-loop farming not only promotes environmental stewardship but also enhances soil health, mitigates greenhouse gas emissions, and contributes to more resilient and productive agricultural systems for a sustainable future.

A visit to Broadfields Farm is an opportunity to learn more about the process of getting the cows from their farm to your dinner table. All the cows are born and raised on the farm and then finished on rolled corn and spent grain provided by the South Puget Sound Community College’s brewery program located just 10 miles from the farm. While the farm isn’t certified organic, they stay as close to organic as possible, using antibiotics only when necessary and on an individual basis. In the spirit of organic farming, the goal of Broadfields Farm is to reduce the amount of chemicals that are commonly entered into the food supply. They do not use herbicides or pesticides on their pastures, using fertilizers only if the soil dictates it, and even using composted manure whenever possible.

Closed-loop efforts also extend to Chris’s devoted flock of chickens as well. (The family jokes she has more chickens following her than she has followers on Instagram.) Whenever possible they use food scraps and fruit pulp from local businesses like Zoe's Juice Bar in Olympia. “They absolutely love it and it's got ginger in it and ingredients that help with any type of bugs that might be bothering them,” Chris laughs. They also have a source for old bread that would instead go to waste. “The variety of different food gets them pretty excited which we love to see,” she shares, “Plus it helps us keep our food cost down so we’re not charging $10 for a dozen eggs.”

While the farm isn’t 100% closed loop just yet, their goal is to reach 90% by also offsetting their energy costs. They’re currently installing solar panels to cover the costs of irrigation as well as being able to produce enough energy to cover the energy costs of their home. Reducing their carbon footprint and engaging in practices that are sustainable and not polluting the environment are paramount to their mission.

You can purchase free-range eggs year-round at the farm, but the seasonal specialty here is their grass-fed, and grass- or grain-finished beef available directly from the farm as well as through Delmonico’s Heritage Butcher Shop in downtown Olympia.

The cows, born and raised on the farm, are slaughtered and butchered once a year. “When we get a little bit bigger and our herd gets a little larger, we may be able to stagger it to a twice-a-year option,” Kevin explains, “but right now, it's once a year in the fall.”

Kevin and Chris raise Black Baldies, a cross between a Black Angus and a Hereford cow. Their name is descriptive of their usually black bodies with white heads and faces, though some cows present as completely black (Angus) or will have more of the red and white coloring of a Hereford.

How to Order

Kevin recommends folks buy just a quarter to start with and determine how much meat that actually is for them and how long it will take them to get through the meat. It takes a substantial amount of space in a freezer to store a quarter or half side of beef, so it’s important to plan correctly to make sure you’re making the most of your investment.

You can order your beef directly from Kevin and at the farm, or you can order through Brian at Delmonico’s. If you’ve never purchased your meat directly from a farm, there’s no need to feel intimidated. Kevin and Chris take a very hands-on approach with customers who’ve never done this before. “We like to spend time talking to our customers about the amount of meat and the cuts that are going to work best for them, so we provide a cut sheet for them.”

Those cut sheets are sent directly to the butcher at Finn’s Custom Meats in Onalaska. For one flat fee, customers pay for the product and the processing directly to the farm.

Grass or Grain Finished?

The farm has the potential to offer both, but they like to discuss this directly with customers because grass-finished beef produces leaner, less fatty cuts, and has a deeper flavor that most people aren’t accustomed to. If you use a lot of ground beef and stew meat, the grass-finished cow is the right choice. If you’re more of a steak connoisseur, you’ll probably prefer a grain-finished cow as the meat is more marbled and has a milder flavor.

Both Kevin and Chris spent most of their careers working for local state and government entities, so they already had a lot of resources, support, and a fundamental understanding of what was available to them when they decided to start farming. Being able to pass that knowledge and those resources on to other small farmers in the region is important to them.

“There are so many young farmers out there who are just getting started,” says Kevin. “They have limited funds, but they have BIG hearts and are open to trying and learning new things.” That’s where state entities like the Washington Farm Bureau, the Thurston Conservation District, and the Washington State University Extension come in. Their goal is to help make small farms successful. “They’ve given us advice and have helped us understand how we might best optimize what we have here,” shares Brian Cornell, Kevin’s son, and the farm’s unofficial marketing manager.

They’ve also received grants from sources like the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRSC), which is a branch of the USDA, and USDA’s Rural Development which gave them a grant to install solar panels this coming January. A lot of first-time farmers aren’t aware of all the resources that are available to them, so Kevin and Chris make it their mission to pass on these connections they’ve made.

“Naturally we want the farm to be financially successful,” says Brian, “but we also want to be a resource to the community and a place to learn about farming.” Partnering with other farmers (or potential farmers) is a high priority for Broadfields Farms. When they discovered their neighbors had a passion for running sheep but didn’t have the pasture, they reached out and offered to let the sheep graze on their property.

“Cows can be finicky eaters,” explains Kevin. “They like to eat certain things and don’t like other things.” By incorporating rotational grazing into their plans, the sheep rotate through the pasture after the cows and help keep weeds and less desirable plant species down in the fields.

“We're only as successful as the community enables us to be,” admits Chris, “so building those partnerships, not just with the government agencies, other farmers, and our neighbors but with anyone in the community who wants to buy local is important to us.”

Kevin and Chris welcome visitors to the farm and are more than happy to show them the work they’re doing. “When you come out here and see the farm, you can’t help but fall in love with it the way we have,” Chris shares.

Delmonico’s Heritage Butcher Shop recently hosted an event showcasing the farm’s operation. Guests were invited to spend the afternoon enjoying a barbecue put on by Brian and the Delmonico team while learning more about how the cattle are raised, and the work Kevin and Chris are doing to make their farm a closed-loop and carbon-neutral operation.

Broadfields Farm is the perfect place to reconnect with the land and if you want some first-hand experience learning farming, they’ll be sure to put you to work. If you just want to relax, unwind, and reconnect with nature, come play a round of disc golf on their 9-hole course or take a walk up the hill on the southwest corner of the property where a wild grouping of trees is being tamed into a beautifully forested area with views of Mount Rainier on clear days.

The farm is also the perfect place to bring a group, celebrate a family reunion, or have a wedding. If you can dream it, Broadfields Farm is willing to help make it happen.

As with any of the open farms in Thurston County, we recommend you reach out directly to Broadfields Farm to inquire about availability and to make an appointment for your visit.

Broadfields Farm

5047 Gifford Rd SW, Olympia, WA 98512

(360) 601-2233