When Washington Farmland Trust was searching for a location to celebrate its 25th anniversary with its sixth annual “Love the Land” fundraiser, the MI Funny Farm was the ideal spot to mark the momentous occasion.

Mercer Island’s local horse farm and event space situated on 5.8 acres of land at 6053 Island Crest Way will host the gathering and dinner from 4-7 p.m. Sept. 27.

“It’s just this beautiful property that sort of evokes that feeling you get when you’re out on the farm, where you are surrounded by nature,” said Molly Goren, communications director for Washington Farmland Trust, which was founded by PCC Community Markets.

The event will feature inspiring farmer stories and opportunities for attendees to shape the future of the nonprofit, accredited land trust’s work. Goren said the trust focuses on protecting state farmland from development and keeping it in agriculture, and offers programming that supports farmers to reach success. KEXP DJ Eva Walker will emcee the event.

MI Funny Farm business manager Ryan Webb is thrilled to host the event and noted that the trust’s work resonated with the farm and how it came to be.

“We value the importance of finding ways to keep farmland with farmers. Although we are in the equestrian and event side of the coin, I think (the trust’s) work rings true for us, too. We were able to continue the legacy of the Stevenson Farm, which has a deep history on Mercer Island,” said Webb, adding that they’ve fulfilled their lifelong passion of horse and human connection by providing a lesson program, jobs, volunteerism and event experiences.

“No matter what type of farming it is, this is a way for folks to cultivate a living, continue a family legacy or simply impact their community through farming,” Webb said.

Petrina Fisher, the trust’s development manager and a Snohomish farmer, will facilitate the panel portion of the event. Goren hopes the panel will feature a farmer that the trust has supported through its conservation work and other partners who helped make the land conservation project possible.

Fisher said that through farmland conservation, the trust is looking to help keep agricultural land viable for farming.

“Farmland conservation, that’s just one of our three main programs at the Farmland Trust, and basically it involves working very, very closely with a landowner and helping them through the process of placing a conservation easement on their property. And through that we also work to facilitate funding from various state agencies that provide funding specifically for farmland conservation,” Fisher said.

Goren delved into the message the trust aims to instill in attendees at the “Love the Land” event: “I think living in this place that we are all so fortunate to live in, the land and sort of the landscape around us is such a key feature of why this place is so beautiful and special. It’s really something that we need to invest in with our dollars, with our time, with our care of the environment.”

For ticket information and volunteering opportunities, visit: https://wafarmlandtrust.org/event/love-the-land.

Washington Farmland Trust board president Joan Caine (top) and development manager Petrina Fisher (bottom), who will facilitate the “Love the Land” panel. Photos courtesy of CB Bell / Washington Farmland Trust