Family farm faces changes

Published 10:58 pm Monday, October 22, 2007

ARLINGTON — The pumpkin patch, corn maze and vegetable slingshot at Laurin Foster’s old dairy farm are drawing families looking for some fall fun.

But like the seasons, the future of Foster’s farm is in flux.

After years of controversy, the state decided earlier this year to allow Foster to carve off a 7.5-acre chunk of farm land on Highway 530 for commercial uses. The property is on the market for several million dollars, said Foster, 74.

Arlington annexed the commercial land this year, and Foster doesn’t know what will be built there.

The family has about 50 acres of fertile land still in farming, Foster said.

“I don’t intend to do anything with that,” Foster said. “I’ll probably just leave it to the kids and they’ll operate the fruit stand and raise their crops there.”

Last spring, Foster was suffering through cancer treatments. Now he said his cancer is cured, but his treatments continue to keep it from returning.

The next generation is keeping things going with a produce stand.

There was talk about protecting the fertile farmland from development by selling off Foster’s right to build homes on his land. Foster said no progress has been made on that idea.

“I’m not sure you can actually save (the farm) in a situation like this where the urban growth is going to be so phenomenal,” he said. “Just since I was a kid it’s crazy how things have changed. The next 50 years it’s just going to get worse. If it get’s that bad, it will be pretty hard to farm.”

— Reporter Jeff Switzer

Foster’s farm

Foster’s Produce and Corn Maze, 5818 Highway 530 NE, Arlington. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily to Oct. 31. Phone: 360-435-5095. Web: www.fosterscornmaze.com.