Appointed Position #2
Current Term: May 2022 – May 2025
Betsie has lived on her farm situated on the Chehalis River floodplain in Independence Valley (Rochester) since 1983. She was an organic produce farmer for 20 years, selling wholesale through a growers cooperative she helped found and retail through the Olympia Farmers Market and CSA. She also grew tulips for an additional 18 years until her retirement in 2018. She has 6.5 acres of native trees and shrubs that were planted as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and leases acreage to other organic farmers.
Betsie grew up in Michigan and attributes her interest in whole food and outdoor recreation to her parents. She received a Bachelor of Music degree from Western Michigan University which she used to practice as a Music Therapist before finding her true calling in agriculture. She stays involved with farmers by helping them manage their payroll. She’s excited to participate in a citizen science program that is surveying bumblebees (PNW Bumblebee Atlas) and notices them everywhere now, as she maintains her flower garden and walks her property with her dog and husband.