From Farm to Family in Puyallup, WA

Courtesy of Krista Linden

Krista Linden takes the term farm-to-fork a step further: She calls it farm-to family. Her restaurant, Farm 12, in Puyallup is just one part of Step By Step, which she founded in 1997. The nonprofit in Puyallup helps provide babies with a healthy start and gives mothers the skills they need to thrive. Livability chatted with Linden about the latest happenings with Step By Step.

How does Farm 12 support Step By Step?
One is job training. When we first opened, we hired about six Step By Step moms. They are still working for us. Then in 2022, we started a 16-week DreamsWork program where moms have to spend 100 hours in a place of employment. We pay for those hours, whether they are at Farm 12 or one of our 15 community business partners. It’s a great opportunity for our moms to get their foot in the door and pursue an occupation or career they have an aptitude for or interest in.

You’ve been busy buying more land, right?
Yes, in March 2023, we purchased six more acres across the street from Farm 12 for an Early Learning Center. It’s probably the most important project I’ll do in my life. It will be an outdoor, nature-based preschool for 60 kids who are 2.5 years and older. My hope is that children will spend their time outside exploring, being on a farm – all the things that kids are missing these days.

We’ll also build an indoor child care facility for 140 babies and toddlers. It will be open by the fall of 2025. We also have 10 more acres under contract for housing. In the future, I hope to create some kind of path to home ownership. I would love to see our families who are working so hard be able to buy an affordable home.