A land trust purchase of the former Matsuda strawberry farm makes sense all around. At least, it would preserve some meadow habitat near town and near Island Center Forest. It would build on a wider island trail system the land trust and King County are trying to grow. And it would protect a place full of local history — the Matsuda family, whose home is still there, had one of the island’s most successful strawberry farms and was interned during WWII. At best, the land trust could one day turn a hay field into community farmland, partner with the Vashon Island Growers’ Association and give a boost to the island’s agricultural economy.

A successful purchase such as this requires three elements: a plan, a willing seller and funding. In this case, the land trust has all three — a county farm preservation official confirmed that the nonprofit shouldn’t have trouble finding government funding to cover much of the purchase. Wouldn’t it be nice if the same pieces fell into place to protect or even revive some other places on the island?

The land trust tried to start the same farmland preservation conversation last year in regard to Misty Isle Farm, a spot with no foreseeable future as a residence but potential for community farmland. The county had even been involved in the talks when Misty Isle’s owner asked them to stop, essentially putting an end to the effort.

The 12-acre Matsuda farm has a clear view of the back of the K2 building, another place with unrealized potential. Renewed activity at the farm could focus more attention on the derelict factory on Vashon Highway. K2 also had a willing buyer at one point, a marijuana edibles company, but the investors left the island when their plans and permits didn’t fall into place as they’d hoped.

An islander recently commented that every small town has a white elephant, an old building or property that once contributed to the community but has been vacant for years, with no use on the horizon. Our island has at least two. White elephants can be transformed, but as Vashon Islanders have found, it’s usually not as easy as the Matsuda farm plan appears to be. Our island is full of creative and smart people, some of whom are on board at the land trust and at VIGA. Innovation could spawn similar projects. If anything, the land trust’s foray into farmland preservation should encourage us to not give up on our white elephants.