Gretchen Garth

Gretchen Garth is the founder of 21 Acres and Board Chair of the HumanLinks Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to systematic improvements in education, healthcare, and sustainable agriculture. A long-time community advocate for local food, sustainable agriculture, and green building, Garth was the driving force behind the creation of 21 Acres and continues to serve the organization as a committed organizational leader and volunteer.  When receiving an honor, early in the conceptualization of 21 Acres, Woodinville Rotarian John Hughes said, “We can all learn from Gretchen the importance of taking better care of our open spaces and of providing valuable opportunities to maximize the healthful, beneficial aspects of fresh, local produce and farm products. It has not been an easy road to date. Her determination and steadfastness in the face of public doubt and groundbreaking challenges have been exemplary. Gretchen has been able to remain true to her shared vision now being realized that will benefit generations to come.” Gretchen loves to travel – New England, France, and Italy are some of her favorite destinations and she frequently brings back inspiration to 21 Acres.

Liesl McWhorter

Liesl McWhorter co-directs 21 Acres and she leads our farm and Farm Market Teams. Though Liesl brings with her degrees in business and law, she says the experience that best prepared her for her work at 21 Acres was fostered in her Grandmother’s garden, where she would spend hours pulling weeds, digging potatoes, gobbling up “garden candy” (peas) and, of course, relocating the plethora of snails who tried to set up shop in the strawberry beds. Liesl loves working with Washington farmers dedicated to chemical-free growing and enjoys engaging customers in conversation about the many benefits of seasonal eating. Stop in during Farm Market hours for a friendly and, hopefully, inspiring chat.

Robin Crowder

Robin Crowder co-directs 21 Acres and leads marketing and partnership development. Her expertise is in sustainable marketing initiatives, building supply and demand for local foods, and developing new programs with a conscious attention to environmental issues and climate action. Robin’s interests lie in forging relationships with community organizations and exploring entrepreneurial opportunities.

Brenda Vanderloop

Brenda Vanderloop is our public relations consultant and owner of Vanderloop Communications. Brenda’s activities in the local food movement began in the early 1990’s providing promotion and community relations services to the local Farmers Market Board. The ensuing years strengthened her commitment and support in the broader Woodinville area, not only as an advocate for agriculture and farm fresh food, but also with the expansion of educational opportunities through the Northshore Schools Foundation Board; as former director of the Woodinville Chamber’s Tourism Partnership and proponent to small business in the region. Brenda assists 21 Acres in fostering strong relationships in the community and effectively building a diverse audience promoting the many programs and activities within the organization. She juggles many projects including media relations and promotion; developing strategy and content for our social media platforms; and managing and maintaining our website. As one of the few who has been with 21 Acres since its inception, she is often referred to as the organization’s historian.  In addition to her work with 21 Acres, Brenda serves as the Executive Director of the Sammamish Valley Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to preserving and sustaining agriculture in the valley. Having lived many years in Woodinville proper, Brenda is also a long-time volunteer in the community.

Dustin Myers

Jess Chandler

Jess is the Restoration Ecologist here on the 21 Acres campus. Jess has called the Pacific Northwest her home for the last ten years and is still completely smitten with the people, climate and ecology of this area. Jess works to improve the health of ecological systems on campus and find harmony between the built environment, farmland and the greater landscape. You might see Jess using her green thumbs to plant, remove invasives, propagate, and lead volunteer groups. Intentional design, systems-thinking and a love for plant life informs her work and her life.  Jess is a UW graduate of Landscape Architecture and has worked in horticulture for ten years. She describes herself as a rain worshiper and wouldn’t be caught on campus without her knee pads. Jess started at 21 Acres as a UW intern and through her commitment to the 21 Acres mission has continued as a full-time staff member. If you see her bouncing around the grounds, feel free to ask any garden related questions!

Katherine Cole

Katherine is a member of the 21 Acres Soil Team, working as the Habitat Restoration Assistant. She was born and raised in Western Washington and dearly loves the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys connecting with the natural world, whether that be through scientific research, artistic expression, or simply enjoying moments outdoors. Katherine’s interest in the interconnected nature of life is what inspired her to get a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington. She’s elated to be building off of that degree as she observes, interprets, and stewards the 21 Acres landscape in a restorative and regenerative manner. Katherine’s goal is to continue working with the land in an impactful way that focuses on protecting and restoring ecosystems, supporting local food systems, and connecting communities together.

Ansley Roberts

Ansley Roberts is our Farm Manager here at 21 Acres. Ansley brings her love of working with plants, growing and eating delicious food, and environmental justice to the work of stewarding the farm. Her desire to work towards a more just food system has led her to work on farms and with farmer support organizations from South Carolina to California. She most recently worked with Pie Ranch, in Pescadero, California as a Programs and Operations Coordinator for their 418 acre incubator farm program. Previously, she managed the Transitional Employment Program at Homeless Garden Project, worked as a buyer and marketing representative for Anson Mills, as a crew lead in the horticultural therapy program at CooperRiis Healing Community, and as an agricultural research technician with Clemson University. A relatively new transplant to the PNW, Ansley is very excited about exploring all the natural beauty Washington has to offer. She’s also excited to learn more about Washington foodways and to cook more Washington based food. Though she’ll sneak some southern classics in there too!

Rachel Doelling

Rachel is thrilled to be a member of the Farm Team at 21 Acres this year. Her innate love of nature, combined with her commitment to working towards racial and social justice, has led Rachel to her current regenerative farming path. She recently completed the Rogue Farm Corps beginning farmer apprenticeship program in Oregon and has WWOOFed on small organic farms from coast to coast. A field trip to a landfill as a kid made her profoundly aware of humans’ interconnectedness with the environment, and she hopes to foster that same awareness in others through her work.

Issy Steckel

Val McKinley

Val brings an abundance of creative and administrative experience to her role as 21 Acres Operations Coordinator, happily wearing many hats as she welcomes visitors and supports our staff, volunteers and programs. A lifetime of exploration and play in the natural world has guided her involvement in environmental and social justice issues, and she is honored to now be a part of the important work at 21 Acres. Val delights in living alongside a forested greenbelt, tending a small garden, and making art with her camera.

Karen King

Karen King helps with many activities at 21 Acres and is considered the Operations Support Specialist. She is a long-time Woodinville resident and has been with 21 Acres since the early days, washing dishes, making coffee, and helping keep the kitchen clean.  As 21 Acres has grown, her role has grown as well.  She works as a kitchen assistant when needed and serves as event staff helping to run small events and cooking classes. Occasionally, Karen’s excellent writing skills are called into play and she’s asked to edit miscellaneous written words. Karen has been active in recycling, organic eating/farming, holistic medicine, and water conservation most of her adult life and she finds that her values fit in very well with the work of 21 Acres.

Kari Fetrow

Kari Fetrow creates delicious deli items for our Farm Market. Kari is a graduate from the University of Washington with degrees in both Inorganic Chemistry and Biochemistry. This is where she found her love for sustainability and organic farming. Kari has a restaurant and catering background, so you will usually find her in the kitchen preparing food or in the Market putting together beautiful sample platters or cooking up something yummy for customers to snack on. Moreover, Kari is mother to three beautiful children, whom often can be found running amok in the market on Saturdays or out on the farm feeding our resident goats. 

Jen Horner

Jen Horner is a member of our Farm Market team. Raised on a farm in Iowa, Jen didn’t discover her passion for sustainability and local food until studying Rural Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After having spent years working for food co-ops, vegetable farms, garden nurseries, and research institutes, Jen is happy to now be a Woodinville resident and part of the 21 Acres team. You can find Jen in the 21 Acres Farm Market or working alongside our farmers on the farm. Jen’s many interests include food (cooking and eating), gardening, and exploring this wonderful world. Feel free to stop by 21 Acres and let her know what great book she should read next.

Kaitlyn Cartwright

Kaitlyn is a member of our Farm Market team. She has a background in Culinary Tourism and Event Coordination. She grew up in Woodinville and has always had a deep love for Mother Earth, plants, and animals. Kaitlyn volunteered at 21 Acres once and never wanted to leave…so she didn’t!  Being a part of this organization has given her a newfound passion and appreciation for local food and sustainability. When Kaitlyn isn’t in the market, you can find her out in nature, traveling, dabbling in all things esoteric, and making up “Un-Beet-Able” puns!