Hy-Grass Farms and Gwerder Brothers Bring Fresh Milk to Federal Way Food Bank

Hy-Grass Farms, a family-owned dairy farm located on the Enumclaw/Auburn Plateau in Auburn, has formed a partnership with Multi-Service Center's (MSC) Redondo Heights Food Bank Market in Federal Way to provide fresh milk to those in need. The farm, operating under the brand Gwerder Brothers, began delivering healthy, unprocessed milk to the food bank at 27614 Pacific Highway S., according to a June 11 press release from the organization.

This collaboration is made possible through the Washington state legislative initiative Farm to Food Pantry (F2FP), which allocates funding for food banks to purchase produce and other products directly from local farms. The arrangement benefits both the community and the Gwerder Brothers, who gain a steady market for their dairy products.

"The relationship we are building with Hy-Grass Farms and Gwerder Brothers is exactly what was intended by the grant and it's truly mutually beneficial," said Steven Curry, MSC's Food Bank Director. Curry played a key role in connecting the Gwerder Brothers with other local food banks and the South King County Food Coalition, a network of food banks and hunger resources in the region.

As a result of this partnership, Gwerder Brothers now supplies milk to several food banks throughout South King County and into South Seattle, with additional partnerships in development. Jason Gwerder, co-owner of Gwerder Brothers, highlighted the significance of the collaboration.

"Our family has been farming in this area, as my grandfather liked to say, since I-5 was a dirt road," he said. "It's a rewarding way of life," added Mark Gwerder. "I get to work with my kids and my family."

The family's deep roots in dairy farming trace back to Dick Gwerder, the father of Jason and Mark, who learned farming from his own father. Dick Gwerder emigrated from Switzerland to the United States for a job milking cows on a farm in Tukwila.

His grandmother also came from a Swiss dairy background, and her family operated a dairy farm in the Kent Valley as early as 1911. After working for others, Dick's father eventually rented and later owned farms, building a successful farming business.

The Gwerder Brothers operate one of only about six dairies remaining in South King County. All milk produced is fresh, unprocessed, and unhomogenized.

"Our customers at the food bank love the milk and we love being able to support local farmers," Curry said.

The partnership exemplifies the F2FP program's goal of strengthening local food systems while addressing food insecurity. The milk is now available to residents visiting the Redondo Heights Food Bank Market in Federal Way.