When the Kitsap Mall was built in 1985, downtown Bremerton cleared out and the paving ramped up in Silverdale.

As Silverdale continues to take the center of Kitsap County and make it the center of, well, the county, it would behoove residents to recognize and treasure what lies beneath the cement.

There still is agriculture in Central Kitsap, and the Petersen Farm, pieced together from the original homesteads in the area, needs help.

The Great Peninsula Conservancy, a Bremerton-based organization dedicated to preserving our natural heritage, is trying to raise enough money to ensure the farm will always remain a farm.

On August 22, the farm located off State Highway 3’s Trigger Avenue exit, will host a “Farm Day.”

It’s not only a history lesson for families, and a chance for hayrides, games and other fun, but a fundraiser.

It’s up to residents to ensure this remaining slice of Silverdale history is preserved.

Now is your chance.