Welcome to the FFAB - Coming Soon!
At the FFAB, we're nurturing a vibrant food forest in Ballinger Park where community spirit and nature grow together.
We are currently in the fundraising phase, and hope to install the food forest in Fall 2026.
Community Roots
Open Harvest
Our food forest thrives through volunteer care and offers open harvest to everyone who stops by to enjoy.
An open harvest site allows anyone to forage freely.
Take only what you need, leave some for others.
Open harvest helps eliminate food waste and prevents fallen fruit that could attract pests.
Our Vision
The Food Forest at Ballinger serves as a vibrant sanctuary for the community where we cultivate a diversity of perennial food plants. Through education, collaboration, and sustainable practices, we empower everyone to grow, share, and celebrate the abundance of our shared resources. Here we inspire a lasting stewardship of the environment, develop meaningful relationships, and ignite a passion for growing food that expands possibilities for a healthier, more resilient future.
Our Mission
The Food Forest at Ballinger is a volunteer-driven community food-growing space that nurtures a diverse ecosystem of perennial foods. We empower individuals to open harvest, explore nature, and learn sustainable gardening practices, all while promoting food security, environmental stewardship, and community connection.
Cultivating Community
Join us in nurturing a thriving food forest for all to enjoy.
Volunteer
Help plant, maintain, and harvest in the food forest alongside neighbors.
Learn
Take a class and learn to start growing your own food.
Rest in nature while tasting the fruits of community effort.
Enjoy
Our Roots
A community coming together to grow.
Growing Together
The Ballinger Park Master Plan provides a comprehensive outline for updating Ballinger Park and was adopted by Mountlake Terrace City Council in September 2015. The Master Plan identifies growing areas including a community garden and orchard as part of the Community Terrace Zone, located in the center of the park between Lakeview Drive and Ballinger Center. In 2025, the Mountlake Terrace Community Foundation (MLTCF) became focused on developing the FFAB to fill this role.
Community Space
In planning for the FFAB, the MLTCF toured local food forests, met with City of Mountlake Terrace Parks Department staff, and presented ideas to the Recreation and Park Advisory Commission. The MLTCF conducted outreach to residents at seed share events, the 2025 National Night Out, and hosted an open house at Ballinger Park to discuss the project.
In December 2025, the MLTCF presented the FFAB and BOG plan and budget to City Council.
Outreach and fundraising efforts continue into 2026.
Our Home
Nestled in Ballinger Park, the FFAB is a community food forest where everyone can gather, volunteer, and enjoy fresh harvests.
Location
Ballinger Park, Mountlake Terrace
Hours
Open daily, dawn to dusk
Contact Us
Reach out to join our volunteer community or ask about the FFAB’s growing food forest.
Connect
Join us in growing food and get rooted in community.
Support
ffab@mltcf.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
The Food Forest at Ballinger is maintained by volunteers and managed by the Mountlake Terrace Community Foundation, a 501c[3] tax-exempt organization, with support from the City of Mountlake Terrace.