Peaceful Morning Farm,
Bainbridge Island
A Local Farmer Profile, by Heather Burger
Executive Director, Friends of the Farms
Photo by Evan Gray
Photo by Evan Gray
Meet John Martin Chang
Owner/Farmer, Peaceful Morning Farm
Day job: Software Engineer
Food fave: A salad of his own invention: potatoes, beets, and radishes
Guilty pleasure: Netflix soap operas (he and is sister were Days of our Lives devotees in high school)
Secret he won't divulge: Recipe for his proprietary salad dressing
Three things that inspired him to become a farmer: A mango, a cycling club, and "the best six months of my life"
John Chang was four years old when, on a summer day, he tasted his first homegrown food – a mango, grown by his grandmother in Oahu, Hawai’i. “ I never knew you could just pick and eat something so delicious!” In that moment, a seed was planted in his soul.
Born in Wisconsin, John lived near Milwaukee for 18 years. While participating in an extension program at UC Santa Cruz, he signed up for a farm internship, an experience he describes as “the best six months of my life.”
Photo by Evan Gray
After college John took a job at Yahoo, but farming kept calling. At that point in his life, with a wife and young son, he was ready to leave the Bay Area. As luck would have it, he heard of an organization on Bainbridge Island called the Trust for Working Landscapes (now Friends of the Farms) and met two of its founders, Candace Jagel and Ryan Vancil. Not long after, the Chang family moved to Bainbridge Island, which John describes as “a very cool place.” In 2005 he began growing organic produce on publicly owned land at Morales Farm, a property managed by Friends of the Farms.
In the early days John sold his crops at Farmers’ Market and through community-supported agriculture subscriptions. He realized pretty quickly that he was not going to be able to earn a living as a farmer. Undeterred, he continued on with a career in technology and dedicated his farm to growing food to donate to food banks. It is a tenet of John’s that all people, including those struggling financially, should have fresh, nutritious food for themselves and their families.
Enter Helpline House. Each year before planting season, John sits down with the foodbank manager and they work out a plan for what he will grow and donate. Helpline supports his efforts by buying seeds and supplies.
Photo by Evan Gray
John likes being a part of Helpline House as their approach resonates with him. Much more than just a food bank, they address the needs of the whole person through social services and treat vulnerable people with dignity.
Peaceful Morning Farm is relatively small at .67 acres, but it is prolific and becoming more so every year
-- increasing from 2,353 pounds of food harvested in 2015 to 7,760 pounds of food in 2020. Of that, 90% went to Helpline’s foodbank, the remaining 10% gifted to the farm’s volunteers. In 2021 John was able to grow enough food to expand his reach beyond Helpline to foodbanks in Bremerton and Poulsbo. He is currently working with the Kitsap Conservation District on their Farm to Food Pantry, named the GRACE Project.
Photo by Evan Gray
John loves working with his volunteers, who range from 5th graders to retired folks. Everyone has something to contribute. He attributes the farm’s growth in food production to their efforts and says it’s more fun than working alone. He welcomes new ideas and is eager to experiment and gain wisdom from others.
John’s commitment to community and working with young people comes from a surprising place…The Hampshire Cycle Club in Wisconsin. The club founders had created a welcoming and safe space for people of all ages and abilities. They were coaches to John and others, but they were also mentors, helping young adults become accomplished at something that interested them.
Photo by Evan Gray
John brings this experience to his work at Peaceful Morning Farm by mentoring volunteers. He strives to build a healthier community through regenerative farming practices and addressing food insecurity, bringing people of all ages and abilities together for a common good. He hopes that anyone who comes to his farm, be it for a day, a week, or a season, will have a positive experience.
Inclusivity, diversity, and equity are important at Peaceful Morning Farm and that is reflected in John's desire to adapt his farm to be accessible to people with disabilities.
Inspired by the success of Outdoor for All, a volunteer organization providing opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in activities like downhill skiing, cycling, rock climbing, and hiking, John is working with Friends of the Farms to find a location for a new greenhouse at Morales Farm that he will lay out to accommodate people in wheelchairs. This effort aligns with Friends of the Farms’ reHOME project, also at Morales Farm, where one of three tiny homes we are building for farm interns and new farmers will be constructed to be accessible to a person with disabilities.
When asked if he is hopeful about the future of farming on Bainbridge, John answers without hesitation “It’s going to be good. People are going to keep growing and producing food. It’s probably going to be a different type of good, not like the black and white photos from the 50’s. But still good.”
Photo by Evan Gray
John was quick to call out others who helped make the farm happen, including Friends of the Farms, Helpline House, Bainbridge High School Honor Society, Island churches, other farmers and their interns, and Bay Hay & Feed.
John’s parting thought before hopping on his bike to head home after our interview was one of gratitude…a thank you to all who made Peaceful Morning Farm the success it is today and who will carry it forward to the next generation when he retires. But not anytime soon.
How you can help
Attend the 2022 Annual Farm Tour and Dinner Fundraiser. Details coming soon at the Peaceful Morning Farm website.
Make a financial contribution or donate tools.
*Note: Peaceful Morning Farm is awaiting approval of its 501c3 application. If a tax deduction is desirable, you may donate directly to the farm through this link at Helpline House.
Get involved:
Become a volunteer! If Peaceful Morning Farm’s mission resonates, John will find a place for you. In addition to hands-on work at the farm there are opportunities for marketing, website and media development, nonprofit development, grant writing, community outreach, and more.
The author of the images posted here is Evan Gray who volunteers at Peaceful Morning Farm and is senior at Bainbridge High School. You can see more of his images on the Peaceful Morning Farm website: https://www.peacefulmorningfarm.org/
The photographer featured in this article is Evan Gray who volunteers at Peaceful Morning Farm and is currently a senior at Bainbridge High School. You can see more of his images on the Peaceful Morning Farm website: https://www.peacefulmorningfarm.org/
