Why we do it:
Our motivation stems from our love of cooking, eating, and sharing the harvest with others. In the kitchen, as in the field, we love to experiment and try new things. Our experience is rooted in growing for professional and home cooks who share our excitement for delicious locally- and sustainably-grown produce. We devote ourselves to responsibly care for the soil and the bounty it provides us by using organic methods and diligent land stewardship. The pursuit of nutritious, delectable and unique foods will always be guiding principles for our farm.
Thank you for your support,
Brian Shipman and Mary Colombo
Where you can find us:
You can source our goods through our CSA program and wholesale delivery to restaurants.
Who we are:
When we planted out our first incredibly sad garden in Corvallis, Oregon after college in 2004, we had no idea that we would eventually turn in to farmers! Back then, Mary worked as a geologist for an engineering firm and Brian had various jobs that had nothing to do with his English degree. After several years of growing together, in life and in the garden, the two of us both decided it was time for a change in 2009. Why not try turning our passion for good food and working hard outside in the garden into a rewarding career in farming? We had been reading books by Michael Pollan, shopping at Farmers Markets, and loved cooking meals with produce we grew. Let's be part of the young farmer movement, Mary proclaimed!
The search for a farm internship started, so that we could learn the trade since we had NO farming background whatsoever. We landed on a 30-acre produce farm in Petaluma, California where we lived in a tiny yurt, learned SO much and met some totally amazing people. Those times were the genesis of our dream - to own our own farm some day. After nine months on the farm, we were offered a great opportunity to manage a 3-acre restaurant farm in the Santa Cruz mountains in California. In 2010, we moved out to the farm and started farming. Those first two years were tough and we learned some hard lessons. There was no tractor at the farm, and it was all much harder then Eliot Coleman made it sound... We were kicked down in the dirt, but felt so rewarded at the end of a day of work and kept on keeping on. In 2012, we bought a tractor, applied everything we had learned the first two years, and successfully made a profit. By the time year four rolled around, we knew that we could do this! Our hearts have always been in Oregon (especially Mary, a native Oregonian), so after the 2013 season ended, we made the trek back home and started pursuing our farm dream in 2014.
Thankfully, we discovered Headwaters, a farm incubator program, in Gresham. In 2015, we were accepted in to the program and started farming our 1-acre plot with our trusty orange Kubota. The first two years, Mary had a full time job and Brian managed the farm with an intern, but in 2017 Mary quit her job and became a full-time farmer alongside Brian. We are now up to 3-acres with a greenhouse with two full-time seasonal employees and are both so excited to be running our own farm business, which was just a twinkle in our eye back in 2009. Our love of farming has grown over the years and we look forward to sharing our harvest with you.
Our motivation stems from our love of cooking, eating, and sharing the harvest with others. In the kitchen, as in the field, we love to experiment and try new things. Our experience is rooted in growing for professional and home cooks who share our excitement for delicious locally- and sustainably-grown produce. We devote ourselves to responsibly care for the soil and the bounty it provides us by using organic methods and diligent land stewardship. The pursuit of nutritious, delectable and unique foods will always be guiding principles for our farm.
Thank you for your support,
Brian Shipman and Mary Colombo
Where you can find us:
You can source our goods through our CSA program and wholesale delivery to restaurants.
Who we are:
When we planted out our first incredibly sad garden in Corvallis, Oregon after college in 2004, we had no idea that we would eventually turn in to farmers! Back then, Mary worked as a geologist for an engineering firm and Brian had various jobs that had nothing to do with his English degree. After several years of growing together, in life and in the garden, the two of us both decided it was time for a change in 2009. Why not try turning our passion for good food and working hard outside in the garden into a rewarding career in farming? We had been reading books by Michael Pollan, shopping at Farmers Markets, and loved cooking meals with produce we grew. Let's be part of the young farmer movement, Mary proclaimed!
The search for a farm internship started, so that we could learn the trade since we had NO farming background whatsoever. We landed on a 30-acre produce farm in Petaluma, California where we lived in a tiny yurt, learned SO much and met some totally amazing people. Those times were the genesis of our dream - to own our own farm some day. After nine months on the farm, we were offered a great opportunity to manage a 3-acre restaurant farm in the Santa Cruz mountains in California. In 2010, we moved out to the farm and started farming. Those first two years were tough and we learned some hard lessons. There was no tractor at the farm, and it was all much harder then Eliot Coleman made it sound... We were kicked down in the dirt, but felt so rewarded at the end of a day of work and kept on keeping on. In 2012, we bought a tractor, applied everything we had learned the first two years, and successfully made a profit. By the time year four rolled around, we knew that we could do this! Our hearts have always been in Oregon (especially Mary, a native Oregonian), so after the 2013 season ended, we made the trek back home and started pursuing our farm dream in 2014.
Thankfully, we discovered Headwaters, a farm incubator program, in Gresham. In 2015, we were accepted in to the program and started farming our 1-acre plot with our trusty orange Kubota. The first two years, Mary had a full time job and Brian managed the farm with an intern, but in 2017 Mary quit her job and became a full-time farmer alongside Brian. We are now up to 3-acres with a greenhouse with two full-time seasonal employees and are both so excited to be running our own farm business, which was just a twinkle in our eye back in 2009. Our love of farming has grown over the years and we look forward to sharing our harvest with you.
