1. Support a small family directly

Instead of the money you spend on vegetables being spread out between big corporations, distributors and Big Ag, you are directly supporting our small farm and family. Your support helps us pay our crew, pay our bills and raise our kids!

 

2. Beyond organic practices

We are consciously uncertified because we believe in transparency in our direct relationships with our customers. We want our vegetables to be so safe that our kids can literally pluck something out of the field and eat it right then and there (soil included!). We do not use any pesticides/herbicides/ fungicides, not even organic ones (like the many approved organic pesticides that “Big Organic” uses) or any synthetic fertilizers. We don’t use black plastic mulch, another typical practice used by “Big Organic”. Farming shouldn’t generate that much waste for our planet. We use protective row covers for protection from pests. We use only non-GMO seeds.

  

3. We focus on soil health

We are a compost based farm, focusing on soil health and building organic matter on our land. Industrial farming takes a huge toll on soil health, depleting nutrients and organic matter at an alarming rate, thus the need for Big Ag to fertilize so heavily. We apply loads of organic compost to our land throughout the season, which builds organic matter and helps keep our soil living, healthy and nutrient rich.

 

4. As fresh and local as you can get

Our vegetables reach our customers within 1-2 days of harvesting. You can’t get any fresher unless you grow your own food. The food that’s available in the grocery stores is at least a week old before it reaches your hand. Fresher vegetables not only taste better, but are more nutrient dense. We never use any chemical rinses to keep our food fresh (some vegetables are rinsed in bleach before hitting the shelves).

​

5. We grow 100% of our vegetables in Sandy, OR

We grow all of our vegetables on our farm in Sandy. We do not buy and resell vegetables from other farms. We aren’t a series of farms under one name.

 

6. Crops watered with pure artesian well water

We have the fortunate and unique situation as micro-farmers to have land nestled in the foothills of Mt. Hood. Our crops are irrigated with pure artesian well water from our deep well in the protected Bull Run Watershed.

 

7. True small family farm owned and operated by husband and wife

The USDA defines a small farm as a farm making less than $250,000 in gross sales and having an average of 231 acres. Ha! We are a nano-farm based on that definition. In reality, we run what is called a micro-farm, farming only a few vital acres. We are a husband and wife operation, with a couple of employees and apprentices. We grow on less than 4 acres and we farm thoughtfully and intensively. We do not receive any recognition or subsidies from the government. We farm the way farming used to be before Big Ag, when many more people did it, kept it smaller scale and grew enough to feed a part of their community.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

8. We are dedicated to growing for our immediate community

We have a goal of serving our immediate community and selling our vegetables within a 20 mile radius. We want to feed our neighbors and the surrounding communities that have less access to fresh produce. That means we are not bringing our vegetables into Portland, where most other farms sell. Communities we serve include Sandy, Springdale, Corbett, Welches, Rhododendron, Eagle Creek, Estacada, Boring, Gresham, Troutdale and Fairview. 

 

9. Training future farmers

Apprentices are also part of our farm family. We only select individuals who have a genuine interest in starting their own farm in the future. These individuals are integral members of our farm because they bring openness, enthusiasm and dedication to the farm. They are the future of farming and of the food revolution and we feel honored to be contributing to their experience and embarking on this journey collectively.

 

10. We are activists in the food movement

Becoming a small farmer in today’s world is signing up for one of the least paying, most back-breaking, mentally challenging jobs that exist. We didn’t become farmers for the money. We didn’t become farmers for the “simple” life. As peaceful as it can be working in the soil, there isn’t much simple about farming. We became farmers because we wanted control over the food we put on our table. We became farmers because we felt it was a noble service to be able to provide our community with safe, healthy and real food. We started farming as an active protest against Big Ag and the industrial food system that has required consumers to become hyper-vigilant if they care about what food goes on their table.