by Jeni Nugent, March 2026

Our ears are ringing—and we couldn’t be more grateful.

The Northwest Seed Production Farm team recently identified a need for consistency and community connection and reevaluated how our community had been engaging with IAE’s seed amplification program . What we heard was clear: people were passionate, eager to help, and looking for a place to put that energy. In response, we launched a consistent volunteer opportunity—every other Tuesday from 9 am to noon at our farm facility—inviting folks to share their skills, knowledge, and time in support of native seed production. What started as an experiment quickly became a cornerstone of our 2025 growing season.

In just one year, the impact of our community has been remarkable, contributing over 400 hours of collective effort. Volunteers have helped prepare new fields, plant thousands of plugs, maintain production areas, and support many hours of greenhouse and shadehouse work. The farm volunteer program simply wouldn’t exist in the way it does without the people who show up, sleeves rolled, ready to learn, work, and share. 

When the program first began, I was a very new volunteer coordinator with a productivity-first mindset. I imagined our volunteer days as opportunities to complete tasks efficiently while learning a bit along the way. But as people continued to show up—week after week—and as I listened to their stories, that perspective quickly shifted. I came to realize that the experience wasn’t about working while learning; it was about learning together while working. What emerged was something far more community-focused, and that is the lens I’ve learned to lead with ever since.

When it comes down to it, the value of volunteer work is not only measured by the tasks completed or the number of plants put in the ground. Volunteers are not just helping hands; they are the heartbeat of the program. Through their individual skills, interests, and curiosity, they continually enrich the work we do and the way we do it. While the farm makes a meaningful, on-the-ground impact through native seed and plug production, a deeper impact comes from something less tangible.

More Than Just Work

Of course, the work matters. But equally valuable are the attitudes, ideas, and questions volunteers bring to the field. One of the most significant outcomes of volunteer participation has been sharing.

Sharing space and time with others.
Sharing individual stories and perspectives.
Sharing IAE’s story beyond the farm fields.

This sharing often happens in simple, everyday ways: inviting a friend to a volunteer day, sharing photos of a plant species they helped harvest, or discovering a new appreciation for a plant they once overlooked. Their excitement carries the message forward: getting involved in restoration and conservation can be accessible, meaningful, and, yes, fun. 

A Community of Many Kinds

As the program grew, so did the diversity of people drawn to it. Volunteers came from a wide range of occupational and personal backgrounds: landscapers, tech specialists, environmental activists, part-time and retired teachers, students studying environmental science, students studying vastly different subjects, members of several other volunteer-based and non-profit organizations, and beyond. 

The farm also welcomes varying levels of commitment. Our episodic volunteers join us a few times a year, whenever life allows. Hardcore volunteers who have been part of the organization for 10 years or more, forming the backbone of the program. And one-time volunteers who may only visit once but still leave a lasting impact. Some volunteers want to understand the “why” behind every task, while others are happy to jump in and learn by doing—focusing on the “how” and “what.” Regardless of approach or background, the farm became a shared space for people with different skill sets, experiences, and motivations, all united by a desire to contribute, learn, and dig in the dirt. That passion is the foundation of the farm volunteer program.

A Call for Action 

What volunteers show us time and again is that having a hand in restoration doesn’t require expertise—just curiosity, care, and a willingness to take action. Together, we create something bigger than any single planting or workday: a shared experience rooted in learning, connection, and stewardship. Personally, connecting with the public within the realm of conservation has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my work at the Institute for Applied Ecology. There is so much to learn from the way people engage with the land, with each other, and with the mission.

So yes, our ears are ringing—from laughter, conversation, questions, and stories carried far beyond the IAE farm fields.

We are endlessly grateful to everyone who got their hands dirty with us. This work would not be the same—nor nearly as joyful—without you. Thank you for being part of our community and for helping make 2025 such a meaningful year. We hope to see many familiar faces return next year, and we can’t wait to welcome new volunteers into the fold. There is always room at the farm for more hands, more stories, and more shared purpose.