Kaukiki Farm
Warwick and Janice Bryant bought the land for their sons’ sake. They wanted the boys to grow up on a farm, as they had each done – Warwick in New Zealand, and Janice in Iowa. New Zealand is where Kaukiki Farm (cow-ki[ck]-kee) gets its name, from the tallest hill on the farm where Warwick Bryant grew up.
They couldn’t have picked a better spot. A rich web of interconnected ecosystems and landscape features support this farm, which is dedicated to sustainable agriculture. The farm is bordered by more than a thousand feet of estuary shoreline and tidal marshes, fed by a stream where you can find salmon running every fall as they reach the culmination of their life cycle. The stream is shaded by water-loving trees and shrubs, which connect to upland forests in the area. These habitats and refuges provide vital connectivity for the wildlife in the area.
The stream winds through beautiful working farmland dotted with grazing sheep whose wool is prized by local fiber artists. Beneath these fields is some of the richest farmland on the Key Peninsula. The sustainable practices used on this land not only protect and preserve the soil from degradation — these practices also prevent harmful runoff, protecting the stream and the estuary as well.
With 60 acres of working farmland and 54 acres devoted to wildlife, Kaukiki offers the best of both worlds for conservation. On odd-numbered years, look for Kaukiki Farm as a stop on the Key Peninsula Farm Tours!
Project Details
Places like Kaukiki Farm are increasingly threatened by development. Great Peninsula Conservancy is excited to partner with the Bryant family, GPC members, Pierce County Conservation Futures, and Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program’s Farmland Preservation program to preserve this special place for the benefit of wildlife and future generations.
Before the end of the year, GPC plans to purchase a 114-acre conservation easement to help safeguard the wildlife habitat and movement corridors and protect this family farm for generations.
Project Partners
Pierce County Conservation Futures
Farmland Preservation – Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program
