THE FARM

Historic Preservation

Naselle, WA has supported a population of mostly Finnish loggers, fishers and farmers since its inception in the late 1800s.  Before Fred Johnson bought this property, this farm was owned and run by multiple people, mostly to raise cows for dairy, and we are preserving the house and barn as close to their original state as we can manage.

In 2007 a typhoon tore down half of the 100-year-old barn structure and we have been working ever since to reconstruct it historically.  Historical preservation and education are values we hold close to our hearts on this farm, but that doesn’t stop with the barn rebuild.  We believe in returning to a localized food system where this community invests its food dollar into local farms rather than sending it out to big corporations in faraway places. We believe that the food system has been transformed to maximize profits while minimizing the value of taste, nutrition and community support.  To return to our historic local farming roots, it is important that we work together as a community to make the changes we want to see.  We are working hard to produce the food you want, grown with sustainable practices, at prices you can afford. Come check us out and see for yourself.

What is growing this season

Last year we grew a whole slew of delicious produce, and this year we’ll be repeating the successes and adding some new ones!

Beets: golden, bull’s blood, chioggia, ace
Carrots: bunching, baby
Beans: snap greens, Italian flats, French fillets
Broccoli: raab, de Cicco
Cauliflower
Cabbage: head, savoyed, red
Chard: rainbow, rhubarb
Cucumbers:  slicers, seedless, pickling
Greens: arugula, spinach, mustards, mixes, romaine, butterhead
Kale: Toscano, Russian red
Leeks: King Richard, Pandora
Onions: reds, whites, scallions
Peas: snap, sugar
Peppers: pimento, bell, hot chile
Potatoes: Russian fingerlings, blues, yukons, reds
Radish:  reds, French
Squash: pattypan, zucchini, crookneck
Tomatoes: costoluto, early girl, moskvich, big beef, brandywine, rose, delicious, cherry, tomatillo

Farming and Wildlife Preservation

We strive to make every decision as consciously and sustainably as we can.  While we don’t have organic certification yet, we follow the practices that make our food “organic:”

No pesticides/herbicides

Clean soil and soil amendments (natural fertilizers, compost, lime)

Strict and standardized harvest and processing techniques

We also try to inhabit this land with as little footprint as possible.  The Naselle River runs through the property, as well as a smaller stream that used to support salmon life.  A herd of elk use these grounds to range through and numerous birds use the land and the river.

A 7-acre salmon habitat (protective buffer zone between pastureland and the river) has been established with young trees to protect salmon populations in loving memory of Fred’s sister, Amy. We have plans to incorporate other preservative measures for wildlife habitats as the funds becoming available.