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John Brown: A Passion for Soil Health
John Brown views his life in cycles. He categorizes his life into different phases that have all been integral to form who he is today and how he came to be so devoted to soil health in this cycle of his life. Looking out across grassy, northern plains pastures in Shepherd, Montana, John explains…
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Christine Hampshire: The Wyoming Food Freedom Act and Raw Milk
Above: Christine Hampshire at Cross E Dairy. Christine runs Cross E Dairy, a raw milk operation, in Leiter, Wyoming on the family beef cow and calf ranch. Leiter, Wyoming is wide open country nestled along Clear Creek in eastern Sheridan County. Although Wyoming is not known as a major dairy producing state, the openness…
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Landless Farmer: Patrick Certain’s Story
Above: Farmer Patrick Certain at his downtown Billings, Montana apartment. Patrick has been searching for farmland for the last two years. He’s determined to find his own place soon and start planting this summer. Patrick Certain is one of the thousands of new farmers looking for farmland. Patrick sat in his downtown Billings, Montana…
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Wyoming Food Freedom Act Provides Opportunity for Producers
Above: Joe Wesnitzer in his hydroponic greenhouse in Sheridan, Wyoming. Joe Wesnitzer was surrounded by the gentle hum of a heater while working in his greenhouse harvesting fresh lettuce in late October — a rarity in Wyoming. Outside, his herd of Scottish Highland cattle grazed the frosty ground. The sun was just beginning to…
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Bill and Kate Harwell: Sky Island Farm
Above: Kate and Bill Harwell own and operate Sky Island Farm in Hoquiam, Washington. It’s 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, rain or shine. “Every single season,” Bill Harwell said, as he sorted heirloom tomatoes in the late September sun in Hoquiam, Washington. First generation farmers Kate and Bill Harwell own and…
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Steve Helling: Prairie Hillside Garden
Above: Steve Helling at home in Brookings, South Dakota. “I want to tell my story because I think it’s important for other people considering starting out in smaller scale agriculture to see an example of what can happen down the road. Since we’ve been doing this and living this for 38 years, it has…
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Doug Lewis: Transitioning to Organic
Through education, patience and practice, farmer Doug Lewis has succeeded in keeping his family’s farm in business. Today Doug and his wife Mary run Agristar, an organic farm in North Powder, Oregon. Agristar was born out of the Farm Crisis of the 1980s and the Lewis’ have fought methodically and strategically to be where…
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Nash Farms:Farming with Family
Above: Tom Tschida at Nash Farms in Carbon County, Montana. Rusty, but functioning, antique tractors and a modern solar array frame Tom Tschida as he describes the unlikely way he became a rancher. “I’d been away working for a long time when [my parents] bought this place and started building it up. A few…
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Hyatt Family Farm
Above: Sean and Denise Hyatt run Hyatt Family Farm in Milbank, South Dakota. Sean Hyatt is a sustainable and organic hog producer in Milbank, South Dakota, two hours north of Sioux Falls. “In my mind there wasn’t any other way I wanted to farm, other than sustainably,” said Sean. Sean’s production methods of pork…
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Ellen Hartstirn: La Grande Community Garden
Above: Ellen stands in the La Grande Community Garden. Ellen Hartstirn spends most of her time at the La Grande Community Garden in La Grande, Oregon. “It’s just a beautiful place to be,” said Ellen standing next to her budding brussel sprouts. “I grew up with parents who were gardeners and I enjoyed gardening…