Community members may notice agricultural work taking place this week on the school district-owned property adjacent to Hockinson Meadows Park, near the intersection of NE 172nd Avenue and NE 119th Street.

Hockinson School District contracts with a local farmer to maintain the property, control noxious weeds, and generate agricultural revenue from the harvesting of cereal grains that helps to offset the cost of the land maintenance. This week, the contracted farmer is replacing and maintaining the existing drainage structures including ditches, culverts and subsurface pipes. 

The work prepares the property to grow barley, rye, winter wheat and eventually hay. It will also address areas where shallow water has accumulated due to past cattle grazing and changes to drainage patterns following construction of the walking trail along the property's eastern edge. The goal is to restore the property's drainage, after years of intensive cattle grazing that occurred when the property was under different ownership.

The district is obligated to mitigate noxious weeds, and the district offsets the cost of noxious weed mitigation with the farming contract. This saves the district approximately $15,000 to 20,000 per year.

This 40-acre parcel was purchased using HSD Capital Project Funds for $720,000 in 2024. The property has been continuously used for agriculture for more than 60 years. The current improvements are consistent with normal agricultural practices and will help ensure that the land remains well-maintained and free of noxious weeds.