Our Mission:
Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center inspires people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food and to steward our natural resources for future generations.
Oxbow is located on 230 acres of ecologically diverse forest and farmland bordering the Snoqualmie River in western Washington. The land serves as a living laboratory where we research and practice ecological agricultural methods to improve and protect the ecosystem, grow food and native plants, and educate people of all ages about farming and the environment. Oxbow connects people to the land, to their food, and to the work that we do through a Member program, workshops, tours, school programs, special events, and an organic Farm Stand.
Our History:
Back in the early 1900s, a young Thomas Alberg Sr. began a lifelong bond with the Snoqualmie Valley, when he and his family frequently visited the area to socialize with other Swedish immigrants. Decades later in the 1950s, driven by fond childhood memories, Thomas Sr. purchased 230 acres of land bordering the Snoqualmie River and started a beef cattle ranch. He made weekend trips to work on the land with his own five children, extending his bond with the valley to the next generation.
Thomas Sr.’s namesake son, Tom Jr., also had a special interest in the land. Just as his father did years before, Tom Jr. took steps to maintain his connection to the valley. In the late 1990s, Tom leased the property from his father to preserve and restore it. He removed the cattle, started replanting native flora around the oxbow lake, and hired a farming couple to begin a small, hand-cultivated organic vegetable farm.
Tom and his wife Judi Beck wanted to increase the impact of the work being done on the property, as well as create a space for the community to gather, learn, and make lasting memories. They founded Oxbow as a non-profit organization in 2009, providing the financial support to launch farm-based environmental education programs and construct a native plant nursery.
The land continues to influence Tom’s children, touching yet another generation of Albergs. Tom’s son Carson holds a degree in plant science and works in Oxbow’s native plant nursery; a daughter, Katherine Anderson, maintains an organic flower garden on the property. A row of Swedish heirloom berries grows in her garden, paying quiet homage to the immigrant ancestors who first set foot in the valley, so many years ago.
Through their Raven Trust Fund, Tom and Judi continue to be generous supporters of Oxbow.
