"Food can be a vehicle for social change. It brings people together in a way that very few other activities can." Anim Steel
Our Growing Practices
Our sustainable farming philosophies are constantly adapting as we learn more and as we respond to an ever changing farm environment. We are committed to growing diverse and unique crops following organic practices, aiming for the most flavorful and nutrient-dense end-product. We prioritize environmental health by using minimal tillage methods to foster living soils, creating thriving habitats for pollinator communities, and strive to strike a balance between human-scale, hand work and some mechanization. Many of the buzzwords used in the ‘sustainable agriculture’ movement do not necessarily feel authentic to us and we do not farm according to any single prescribed set of practices. We are excited about experimenting more with dry farming and collectivized farming models because our future requires that we figure out how to grow food in both changing social and ecological climates.
Our values
Equity
We are a small team, but without our employees there would be no farm. We strongly believe that all farm employees should be paid a fair, living wage and treated with respect. We are always looking to improve our role as advocates for fair labor practices across the agricultural sector. We all should ask ourselves who touched our food and how those people were treated.
Equity also comes in the form of giving back to the community. Through a combination of donated time, money, vegetables, and other resources, along with accepting a variety of payment options for our CSAs, we are constantly asking ourselves how to strengthen and renew our mission for social justice and empowerment on our farm. We believe that everyone in our communities, no matter their life circumstances or identities, should have access to locally-produced, high-quality vegetables (what once might have been referred to as ‘chef’s quality’ produce.) We partner with Growing Gardens and Urban Gleaners to distribute the finest, tastiest, and freshest crops to all of our eaters.
Mentorship
We learned farming the hard way: on our own! Therefore, we love to pass on what we have learned from over a decade of farming and share the realities of farming as a career by empowering our employees and aspiring farmers around us to develop their farming careers. Nothing makes us more proud than a past employee being empowered to start their own farm/garden project! We also pass on knowledge by hosting Rogue Farm Corp classes on the farm, sharing knowledge with other farmers in the community, and participating in community events where we can share our knowledge.
The 2024 wild roots farm crew line up
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Mary Colombo - Farmer/Owner/Manager
I have always kept a garden and I was previously a geologist before I made the jump to be a full-time farmer in 2009. In farming I've found my community and space where I felt I can be my full self. I love being able to use a combination of instincts and science in farming - striving to work with mother nature as much as possible. Working daily with my hands, heart, mind and soul is the most rewarding part of farming. I also just really love food, cooking, and sharing a meal made with produce from our farm with others. In my "spare" time I make ice cream, cook, read, run, go camping, snuggle with cats, watch bad TV, and try to find water to jump into. The vegetable I most relate to is garlic because I strive to make everything brighter, bolder, and have a real zest for life. Legend has it that Roman soldiers ate garlic to inspire them and give them courage. That is what I seek to do for those around me (including nature) - I want everyone to see all the beauty I see in and around them. My goal for 2024 is to keep learning to play the drums and validate my needs. |
Bailey Allegro - Market manager
Originally from the DC area, I made my way out to the west coast 3 years ago to farm and started my farming career up in Washington on Bainbridge Island. I was drawn towards farming by my absolute love of food, and I've found a world within farming that ties together so many things about food that bring me joy--eating it (duh!), feeding and nourishing the bellies and souls of others, and using my physical body, the Earth, and the elements to create something tangible and delicious!
A vegetable I can relate to are tomatoes. They need care and tending, but they're also incredibly strong, both as plants in how they carry themselves, and as fruits in the flavors they produce and share with the world.
My goals for this season are to find and create more pathways in my life where food, art, and farming can connect. I am also setting the goal for myself to host one dinner party for my friends where I create a menu from entirely farm/farm-adjacent ingredients and curate the entire dining experience (setting, music, presentation/table decoration, menu illustration, beverage pairings, etc.) This has been a dream of mine in the past but always seems to get lost in the craziness of the farming season...so I'm putting it down here to hold myself accountable!
Originally from the DC area, I made my way out to the west coast 3 years ago to farm and started my farming career up in Washington on Bainbridge Island. I was drawn towards farming by my absolute love of food, and I've found a world within farming that ties together so many things about food that bring me joy--eating it (duh!), feeding and nourishing the bellies and souls of others, and using my physical body, the Earth, and the elements to create something tangible and delicious!
A vegetable I can relate to are tomatoes. They need care and tending, but they're also incredibly strong, both as plants in how they carry themselves, and as fruits in the flavors they produce and share with the world.
My goals for this season are to find and create more pathways in my life where food, art, and farming can connect. I am also setting the goal for myself to host one dinner party for my friends where I create a menu from entirely farm/farm-adjacent ingredients and curate the entire dining experience (setting, music, presentation/table decoration, menu illustration, beverage pairings, etc.) This has been a dream of mine in the past but always seems to get lost in the craziness of the farming season...so I'm putting it down here to hold myself accountable!
Cal Payne - CSA manager
A hundred years ago, one in three Americans worked on a farm. Today it’s more like one in fifty. And only one acre in a thousand is stewarded by a small (<10 acres) farm. I feel so fortunate to get to be part of this tiny, crazy, magical club of people coaxing beautiful food from lovingly tended land. And I believe in both rural and urban farms as important sources of community building, nurturing generosity, healing, and abundance; when I’m not at Wild Roots you’ll find me volunteering with urban farms in the city.
A vegetable I relate to is asparagus - I like to pace myself and build strength slowly, but enjoy erupting in spring with weird and tender energy.
My goals for this season are to become a better farmer, a better gardener, a better landscaper, and a better neighbor. “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” - Maya Angelou
A hundred years ago, one in three Americans worked on a farm. Today it’s more like one in fifty. And only one acre in a thousand is stewarded by a small (<10 acres) farm. I feel so fortunate to get to be part of this tiny, crazy, magical club of people coaxing beautiful food from lovingly tended land. And I believe in both rural and urban farms as important sources of community building, nurturing generosity, healing, and abundance; when I’m not at Wild Roots you’ll find me volunteering with urban farms in the city.
A vegetable I relate to is asparagus - I like to pace myself and build strength slowly, but enjoy erupting in spring with weird and tender energy.
My goals for this season are to become a better farmer, a better gardener, a better landscaper, and a better neighbor. “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” - Maya Angelou
