Wording the Land is a collection of poetry sponsored by Jefferson County Farmers Markets Organization in partnership with Finnriver Farm and Cidery in Chimicum, Washington. The Wording the Land project proceeded with a sincere desire to bring poets and writers to the farms surrounding this community, and to find those already there. Over the course of Farm Tour's 2019 weekend, we invited visitors to take a moment and consider their own relationship to the land, the food it produces, and the people who work its soil. We also solicited writers throughout the Fall-at the local Farmers Markets and through general outreach-to contribute poems. With the help of four distinguished poets-Afrose Fatima Ahmed, Gary Lilley, Carol Light and Matt Nienow-whose work is featured within, we held a series of workshops and readings along this theme. From community contributors of all ages and poetic experience, we have compiled this small and precious journal. Proceeds of the sale of Wording the Land will be contributed to Jefferson County Farmers Markets food access programs, which provide matching funds for shoppers when they use SNAP and other federal food assistance dollars at the farmers markets.
