About the Farm

The longer I farm, the more I realize that farming is a magical experience. It requires a great deal of faith in the soil, in the seasons, in the seeds, and in ourselves. We plant and transplant, weed and water, and hope for the best. We are not so much producers as caretakers. The weather does what it wants, the plants respond accordingly, the equipment either agrees with us or it doesn't, and we do what we can to make everything go smoothly. It is an awesome and humbling experience.

Here in the Northwest, we have a long, mild growing season that accommodates hundreds of varieties of crops. Our direct sales, through CSA and farmers' markets, allow us to showcase the vegetables and fruits that grow in our region. Because we grow vegetables specifically for consumption (not shipping or shelf life), we have the freedom to grow the tastiest varieties available. Our produce arrives at market very fresh and in season, which maximizes flavor and nutritional quality. We also enjoy a direct connection with our customers, allowing us an ongoing dialogue about our produce and our farm.

Selling our farm products locally also gives small farmers like us a chance to grow life-sustaining food in a manner that is healthy for our soil and surroundings. We aim to better our soils, maintain habitat for wildlife on our farm, and treat our workers fairly. We choose crops that suit our climate, promote healthy plants to prevent major pest damage, and cultivate a variety of crops to provide habitat for beneficial insects. We also rotate our crops to balance soil nutrients and plant cover crops to minimize nutrient loss and maximize nitrogen & organic matter in the soil. Our reward is a rich, living soil that produces a bountiful crop of vegetables.

By choosing to buy produce from us, you are supporting the tradition of working with the soil and the environment so that the land will be better in years to come. You also make the choice to support our farm instead of buying from distributors, big business, and factory farms, where workers and environment may be set aside in the name of profit. For that we genuinely thank you.

While organic certification is a step in the right direction, the acreage of the farm is also a consideration. Although mainstream organics are an excellent alternative to conventional farms in terms of your health and the environment, they are routinely using approved materials that knock down as many honey bees as aphids. Large-scale farming practices by necessity are geared toward efficiency and profit. This means routine application of materials, mono cropping and many other practices that are no different than other agri-business.

Small farms like ours are so diverse that if one crop shows signs of damage we can move on to the next. We maintain a personal relationship with our crops as well as our customers. We are able to keep close tabs on each crop and use preventative measures and careful attention to each crop's particular requirements to maintain a healthy plant. We feel a very deep sense of responsibility to the land that we farm and the wildlife, insects, birds and fish with which we share this valley. In short we care, we love what we do, and it shows.

If you are excited about what we are doing here at the farm, and would like to continue to support us, please visit us at the Farmers' Market or sign up for our Community Supported Agriculture program. Also, please mention us to friends or neighbors who might be interested in our program. We find that our best advertising is word of mouth; there is no better reference than a satisfied customer.

We look forward to hearing from you.