The Cloud Mountain Farm Center Team

Tim Poole

Operations & Facilities Manager
tim@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org
(360) 966-5859 x1026

I became our Operations & Facilities Coordinator in October of 2016, after completing a season as a nursery-specific intern; I have been Operations & Facilities Manager since 2020. Previously, I worked as a laboratory and field research assistant for the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin Madison Peninsular Agricultural Research Station. I would rather be eating Mexican food while practicing Shinrin-yoku under the Oaks and Beeches of Washington Island, Wisconsin. My favorite thing to grow is a mustache.

Edward Johnson

Nursery Manager
edwardj@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org
(360) 966-5859

I’ve been living in Bellingham since graduating from WWU with a degree in environmental science. My main passions as a student were working at the Outback Farm as the Permaculture Assistant Coordinator and studying terrestrial ecology. As an intern with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, I monitored riparian habitat restoration and helped run a native plant nursery. I also enjoy meteorology, gardening, and being outdoors. My favorite fruits are figs and quince! My goals are to engage people with perennial food systems, to learn as much as I can about plants, and maintain the beautiful landscape at CMFC.

Maia Binhammer

Fruit Program Manager
maiab@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org

I started working here at Cloud Mountain in 2020 as an apprentice, after having previously farmed in Pennsylvania. While I’ve been farming for a handful of years now, I’ve been an avid fruit enthusiast since I was old enough to pluck a wild strawberry from the lawn. I have a particular passion for unique and obscure fruit varietals, and enjoy getting to share all of the fruits of our labors here at the farm with the surrounding Bellingham and greater Western, WA community. When I’m not in the fields pruning/picking/packing/cultivating, you might find me hiking, out with my camera, or enjoying a local Whatcom-brewed beer.

Jacob Mills

Field Manager
jacobm@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org
(360) 966-5859

I grew up in Northwest Indiana and discovered a love for agriculture while studying Sustainable Food Systems at Indiana University Bloomington. A desire to escape the harsh Midwestern winters that kept me from doing farm work year-round brought me to the Pacific Northwest in early 2020. My experience prior to Cloud Mountain Farm Center is in annual vegetable farming on a variety of scales ranging from 1 to 25 acres. My love for growing food sustainably is constantly reinforced by observing the diverse forms (insect and beyond) of life that show up on, in (for better or worse) and around the food I grow with my coworkers. Growing fruit is new to me but as an avid consumer of fruit I am eagerly awaiting my first harvest at Cloud Mountain. On and off farm I love being outside, rain or shine, and listening to podcasts and audiobooks about politics, philosophy and the paranormal. My partner and I live in Bellingham and spend most of our time walking our dog, eating and playing video games.

Blanca Castillo

Ag Education Manager
blancac@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org

Growing up in Eastern Washington I sought out an alternative route in finding connections within my community. As a high school student, I found an opportunity to work at a garlic farm to help save up for college and connect with new people. In working with this great group of farmers I found a deep connection and appreciation for working with the land and an eclectic farming crew. I traveled across the Cascades and fell in love with the Bellingham area and was lucky enough to study and graduate from Western Washington University, but even then I continued to venture back to the Okanogan to farm with my garlic crew. I continued building my farming experience, back home and in Bellingham, which has given me 7+ years of farming intel, from growing garlic, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, asparagus and so much more. Working with Cloud Mountain Farm Center brings me so much joy – to be able to work in this wonderfully lush area and to help manage a new program at CMFC in Ag Education, is something I’m working hard to create and establish as it once helped me, in Whatcom County.

Emily Erickson-Mills

Outreach Coordinator/ Fruit Program Lead
emilye@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org

I like to think that my love of plants was inherited from my grandma Jean. My respect for the natural world comes from my dad. I’m constantly seeking to balance the wild and the cultivated in my own gardening and farming adventures. After a long day working with the trees and vines of Cloud Mountain, I drive up the hill to my home in Maple Falls and continue working the land. My partner and I are building a house and small farm from the ground up. The to-do list is never-ending, but nothing beats the satisfaction of seeing the dream become reality. When I’m not tending plants, I enjoy making up recipes in the kitchen, paddleboarding in the summer, skiing at Mt. Baker in the winter, and cuddling up with my cats just about any time of the year.

Hanna Wolff

Production & Propagation Lead
hannaw@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org

My love of food systems and sustainable agriculture blossomed in 2017 while working and living on an ecological farm abroad. I became engrossed in all things farming and permaculture. I spent two formidable years on that farm, planting seeds and watching them and myself flourish and grow.

I later found myself back in the states working in outdoor education and living in Portland, OR., then the pandemic hit. With life as we knew it shifting and shutting down, my partner and I headed up to Whatcom County for what was meant to be a quick weekend getaway and the rest is history. I found my way back into working with plants here at Cloud Mountain at the start of the 2021 season.

When I’m not at work, I’m typically hiking with my dogs, listening to music, or finding too many cool rocks along the river.

Lynette Machinksi

Nursery Assistant
lynettem@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org

I’ve always loved to dig in the dirt and so I earned my B.A. in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia. But I took a little detour and flew planes for the Navy after college. I’ve recently retired from the Navy Reserve and am now returning to my roots and loving getting my hands in the soil and learning all I can about plants! When I’m not at Cloud Mountain I enjoy trail running, hiking and camping with my family. And seeing what I can grow and eat from my 96 square foot sidewalk garden.

Annika Sampson

Communications & Events Coordinator
annikas@sustainableconnections.org

I came to Cloud Mountain Farm Center & Sustainable Connections in 2021 with a deep love of community, food, justice, and sustainability. I gathered these interests as a gardener/landscaper on my home island in Maine, an educator with nonprofits and public schools, a Fulbright Scholar in India, and an engaged public citizen in Bellingham. I run the communications & events side of the farm, and love bringing folks out to celebrate all the beautiful fruit that grows here. When I’m not at work, I’m off in the mountains, on my bike, swimming, or reading.

Kristin Almskaar

Nursery Sales and Production Assistant
kristina@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org

I was born and raised in Whatcom County. A childhood spent exploring our forests, riverbanks, and mountain trails left me with a deep love for the natural world, and a desire to learn as much about it as I could. I studied biology and anthropology at WWU and went on to complete a PhD in biological anthropology at Temple University in Philadelphia. Eventually, I found my way back home to Bellingham, and started to put down roots, buying a house and planting a garden filled with fruit trees, berry bushes, native plants, and of course, lots of flowers. I worked at several local wholesale nurseries and organic veggie farms prior to starting at Cloud Mountain Nursery. Here at CMFC, I’m excited to be able to help our customers find joy in gardening, growing their own food, and making their outdoor spaces more lively , diverse, and beautiful!

Ryan Connop

Nursery Sales and Production Assistant
RyanC@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org

I moved to Bellingham from Vancouver, Washington in the summer of 2023. I had always been infatuated with the natural environment since I can remember. My introduction to working with plants took place in the fall of 2020 when I started a job at a plant nursery down in Southwest Washington. I quickly fell in love with the nature of the work (no pun intended) and from that point on I knew I wanted to continue a career concerning environmental stewardship. I feel extremely fortunate to work for such a great organization with mission–oriented goals. I am excited to develop and build on my skills regarding plants here. When I am not tending to the plants here at the nursery, I enjoy spending time outside in any facet whether it be snowboarding at Mt. Baker or hiking in the backcountry.

Zinny Hansen

Nursery Sales and Production Assistant
zinnyh@cloudmountainfarmcenter.org

Growing up in the PNW, I have been very fortunate to have so much access to the natural world. As a kid I spent most of my days running around in the woods, hiking in the Cascades, swimming in lake Washington, and doing whatever I could to get outside. I moved to Bellingham to attend WWU where I studied the different ways in which humans interact with plants and learned how to identify our native species. I fell in love with ethnobotany and after college started working in local plant nurseries and on farms growing food for my community. During this time I realized my true passion was actually growing the plants. This lead me to getting my Horticulture degree from the Lake Washington Institute of Technology where I learned about the ins and outs of a plant’s life cycle, the equal importance of soil, light, water, air, and nutrients, and the magic of propagation. When I’m not playing in my garden or taking care of my house plants you can catch me backpacking in the mountains or at home needle felting and hanging with my cats!

In 2019, we merged with Sustainable Connections to maximize our impact in the community. Meet the rest of our incredible Bellingham-based team here and learn about our board of directors.

Farm Founders

Cloud Mountain Farm Center was started in 1978 as Cloud Mountain Farm. For over thirty years, Tom and Cheryl Thornton dedicated themselves to building a diverse, accessible, and inspiring farm–their legacy is one of outreach, innovation, creativity, and hard work. While the Thorntons retired from farm center operations in 2022, they both continue to be active in grower support, farm to school advocacy, and in the rural Whatcom county community.

Tom Thornton

Founder
thorntontom54@gmail.com

I have spent 40 years as a student in annual and perennial cropping systems. I that time I have also attended countless agricultural workshops across the country. It’s been very satisfying to share the valuable lessons I have learned in crop production and in running a small business with the next generation of farmers who participate in our educational programs. I never get tired of the journey you must take every year through the seasons to grow successful perennial crops. I enjoy making wine, listening to music and spending time with family. My favorite thing to grow changed every year. Peaches have been the favorite for a while now, because they are the true local crop. When you pick them at their best they don’t ship very far. Peach plum is an obscure plum we’ve grown for 30 years, it will make you smile every time!

Cheryl Thornton

Founder
thornton.cheryl4277@gmail.com

I have worked in the agricultural field and food system world for over 37 years. My work has ranged from business owner to educator to marketer and financial manager. My favorite part of the work here is building relationships between different sectors of the community with an agricultural focus. Community building through education and providing products grown here at the farm is my main passion. I farmed in Norway for 2 years and learned about small agricultural communities and the role that agriculture plays in those communities. I also worked in the Alaskan Arctic and also learned about how natural resources plays such a vital role in peoples’ lives there. My favorite thing to grow is flowering perennials and an assortment of vegetables in a home garden.