"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 the 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
Biodiversity and seed sovereignty
To ensure a balance of exceptional taste and reliability in our crops, we source a mix of open-pollinated and hybrid varieties (click here for a brief breakdown of the difference between the two) with an emphasis on organically grown seed. We prioritize sourcing from local and regional seed producers and continuously strive to grow out new and old varieties.
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 Outside In to distribute the finest, tastiest, and freshest crops to all of our eaters.
Community Partnerships
We believe in cooperation over competition. We work with other food producers to provide staple goods to our CSA members through an online marketplace. Once you are a CSA member, you can add products from Campfire Farms, Laney Family Farms Beef, Fawn Lily Farm, Real Good Food, Kiyokawa Family Orchards, and Tostado Coffee.
We also love contributing to the wider agricultural learning community by participating in variety trials, community events, workshops and campaigns to get people excited about biodiversity and flavor!
Empowering Female Farmers
We are proud that our farm is powered by a majority queer, female crew and is a space that invites expression of all gender and sexuality identities. We take empowering female-identifying farmers very seriously by creating opportunities for personal growth and professional development in all areas of farming for our employees.
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 are 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.
To ensure a balance of exceptional taste and reliability in our crops, we source a mix of open-pollinated and hybrid varieties (click here for a brief breakdown of the difference between the two) with an emphasis on organically grown seed. We prioritize sourcing from local and regional seed producers and continuously strive to grow out new and old varieties.
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 Outside In to distribute the finest, tastiest, and freshest crops to all of our eaters.
Community Partnerships
We believe in cooperation over competition. We work with other food producers to provide staple goods to our CSA members through an online marketplace. Once you are a CSA member, you can add products from Campfire Farms, Laney Family Farms Beef, Fawn Lily Farm, Real Good Food, Kiyokawa Family Orchards, and Tostado Coffee.
We also love contributing to the wider agricultural learning community by participating in variety trials, community events, workshops and campaigns to get people excited about biodiversity and flavor!
Empowering Female Farmers
We are proud that our farm is powered by a majority queer, female crew and is a space that invites expression of all gender and sexuality identities. We take empowering female-identifying farmers very seriously by creating opportunities for personal growth and professional development in all areas of farming for our employees.
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 are 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 2021 wild roots farm crew line up
|
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. I love being the crew leader since organizing and getting shit done are kind of my things. My passion for farming is mostly driven by my love of cooking, good food, nourishing others, and a hard day's work. In my "spare" time I bake, read, run, go camping, snuggle with cats, watch bad TV, and travel. The vegetable I most relate to is radicchio because it's hardy, can look a bit rough around the edges, not everyone gets it, but is shining bright on the inside. My goal for 2022 is to set boundaries and to learn to say "No for now" more. |
|
Brian Shipman - Farmer/Owner/Mr. Oddjob Fixit Guy
Farming is rarely easy, and the diverse challenges are what inspire me on the farm every day. I love working with plants and soils, and using our wide array of tools and techniques to produce delicious food. It's so rewarding to have a great farm crew to joke around with while working hard. My goal for this year is to bring more of our community out to the farm to experience the magic of the farm in bloom. Currently, I relate most to carrots because I'm slow to get started but worth the wait. |
|
Caitlin Brigham - delivery driver, master fermenter
I’m a lover of nature who has recently come to farming after spending five years working back and front of house in restaurants around Portland. Experience working with high quality produce as a cook and fermenter inspired a fierce love of fruits and veggies in all their fantastic forms. Currently, I am pursuing a master’s degree in Food Systems and Society through OHSU as a form of activist research. I hope to tie my work at Wild Roots Farm with my graduate education to put social justice theory into practice at the farm and community level. I also want to continue pursuing my personal passion for food preservation with all the bounty that the farm has to offer. For fun I collect bad jokes and goofy puns, climb rocks, sleep under the trees, care for and eat all the plants, and walk, run, or bike while looking at neat things outside. My goal for 2021 is two-fold: to learn about systems of community care that can emerge from intentional farming and to spend as much time as possible playing in the dirt. |
|
Maya Robbins - Field crew and tech helper
I joined the Wild Roots Farmily in 2021 as a full-season intern through Rogue Farm Corps, and am now lending a hand weekly for the 2022 season. After getting a taste of farming and Wild Roots, there was no turning back for me. I love the community and environmental tending inherent to farming, and appreciate the (many) challenges in farming that make me into a better human and plant ally. I most relate to garlic because I need a lot of underground time resting my roots before emerging to offer deliciousness. |
