For the Love of Farming

In today’s episode we’re visiting a small farm tucked into the rolling hills of Yamhill County, where oak trees lean over the road and the landscape opens into sloped pasture and woodland. This is Wee Family Farm (https://www.weefamilyfarm.com/home), a diverse ten‑acre property where animal welfare, ecological diversity, and deep connection with customers guide every decision. Sheep, pigs, laying hens, and broilers have grazed across the south‑facing slopes, At the heart of it all is Ann Partridge, a horticulturist‑turned‑shepherd whose journey has taken her from New Zealand to the Pacific Northwest, and finally to this piece of land she now calls home.  Anne named her Farm after her love of the word wee — the name of her creek, the French oui of yes, the “wee” that means little, and the meaning of togetherness. That playful curiosity shapes the way she farms. We talk about her evolving dairy‑sheep breeding project, her experiments with pasture‑based pigs, the rhythms of milking and cheesemaking, and the art of building a flock with both temperament and udders in mind.We also explore what it means to arrive in a new rural community — through neighbors who become mentors, through shared work and traded skills, through Extension workshops, NRCS projects, and the kind of mutual support that makes small‑scale farming possible.Join us as we learn how one farmer is shaping a life and a landscape with intention, curiosity, and a whole lot of heart. This episode was recorded in march of 2026

In our first episode of Season 3, we are brought into the fast, physical, deeply skilled world of professional sheep shearing. We sit down with Phoebe Smith, the only woman in Oregon shearing full‑time at a commercial scale. I arrived curious and left humbled, grateful to be invited in.Shearing is essential to Oregon agriculture, yet often invisible. Phoebe opens that world, sharing what it takes to shear for both fiber and meat producers, what she’s learned from shearing across the U.S. and abroad, and how she found not just a trade, but a calling.She traces her path into the work, the passion that keeps her on the road, and the realities of a profession that demands athletic strength, technical precision, and grit. It was a joy to learn from her and to place her voice and work within Oregon’s broader farming story. I am in awe of her fierce dedication, for the remarkable skill she brings to this work, all delivered with a humility that makes her even more extraordinary.

In this episode of For the Love of Farming, we sit down with Kelly Huckestein of Spring Up Farm, just 14 miles east of Astoria. After years of working on other farms, Kelly and her partner founded Spring Up Farm in 2016 on marginal land—while raising a child and building community ties. Now, ten years in, Kelly reflects on her identity as a farmer, lessons learned, the courage to pause vegetable production for a year to plan and rest the land, and her vision for the next decade. Produces: Certified organic vegetables for CSA and local markets. Starting from scratch, raising a family, and reimagining the future—Kelly Huckestein’s story is one of resilience and renewal.

Join us in Brownsmead, Oregon, where Ed Johnson has farmed tidal floodplains for nearly 50 years. From pole beans grown on repurposed gill nets to U-pick berries and Christmas trees, Ed’s story is a living history of coastal farming. He shares the joys and challenges of raising ten children on the farm, adapting to market shifts, and welcoming neighbors into his fields. Produces: U-pick berries, pumpkins, Christmas trees, and a flock of breeding ewes.Fifty years of farming tidal lands, raising a family, and keeping community traditions alive, Ed Johnson’s story is pure coastal resilience.

Nestled in a misty valley of Siletz OR en route to Depot Bay, Sara O’Neill runs a 117-acre regenerative livestock farm. She raises cattle and sheep, manages riparian zones for salmon habitat, and operates a one-woman show selling USDA-certified meats and seasonal produce. Sara shares her journey from academic research to ecological stewardship—and the confidence it takes to farm in a high-rainfall environment. Produces: Grass-fed beef and lamb, meat shares, and seasonal produce. Trading archives for pastures—Sara O’Neill’s story is about grit, grace, and regenerative farming on Oregon’s coast.

Ten miles inland from Seal Rock, Rita Ruddiman turned a pandemic layoff into a thriving flower farm and soap-making business. Beaver Creek Blooms reflects her creativity and commitment to sustainability, growing seasonal flowers without chemicals and crafting botanical soaps inspired by the land. Rita shares her story of returning home, building infrastructure by hand, and finding joy in beauty and resilience. Produces: Seasonal cut flowers and botanical soaps.From library work to flower farming—Rita Ruddiman’s story blooms with creativity and sustainability.

 In the lush Siletz River Valley, Tim Miller carries on a third-generation cattle operation. After military service and years of off-farm work, Tim returned to raise grass-fed beef entirely on-site using rotational grazing and homegrown hay. His quiet wisdom and deep commitment to land and livestock offer a powerful reflection on heritage and perseverance. Produces: Grass-fed beef born and raised on the farm. 🎧 “Heritage, resilience, and grass-fed beef—Tim Miller’s story is a testament to coastal farming values. Hear his journey!

In today’s episode, I sit down with Lydia Brennan of Rainbow Acres Community Farm near Cottage Grove, Oregon. After two decades of building farm businesses, integrating goats and horses, and engaging the community—all while navigating unstable land access—Lydia nearly gave up on farming altogether. Then came a surprising opportunity: a sloped, forested property that wasn’t traditional farmland but offered space to nurture the farm vision they’d long held. Despite ongoing setbacks from climate change and unpredictable conditions, Lydia’s love for their animals and passion for socially engaged farming continue to drive them. Their story is one of resilience, vision, and community—a testament to what it means to keep showing up for a dream. This episode was recorded in March of 2025

In this episode, we have the pleasure of sitting downwith orchardist and consultant Ashley Lindsay of Pleasant Valley Cider Apples. In 2015, Ashley and her husband, Brian, started the process of  transforming a 40-acre fallow farm in the Willamette Valley into a thriving orchard, dedicated to sustainably farmed heritage ciderapples and pears. With vision and care, they planted 32 acres of French, English, and American cider apple varieties, Perry pears, red-fleshed apples, and other unique Northwest fruit; at a time when these varieties wereincredibly rare or nonexistent in Oregon.Today, Pleasant Valley Cider Apples supplies premium-quality, sustainably grown fruit and juice to cideries across the West Coast and beyond. Ashley has been a driving force in bringing heritage cider varieties to Oregon and continues to uplift fellow orchardists by providing nursery stock andinvaluable expertise.As their business continues to evolve with theever-changing needs of the cider industry, Ashley’s insight and generosity shine through. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to share her journey with you, and for her openness, wisdom, passion, and dedication.

In this episode we sit down with Adrienne Lulay of Lulay Livestock Company and Ostara Livestock Services. Adrienne manages beef cattle and breeding stock on 60 acres in Scio and runs an AI – That is Artificial Insemination company that serves cattle herds of all sizes across Oregon, as well as a few goats too. From teenage alpaca shearer to University instructor teaching Applied Reproduction of Farm Animals and then taking over well established AI business, Adrienne shares her diverse and engaging journey into faming. We are grateful for Adrienne's direct communication, openness and generosity. This episode was recorded in April of 2024.

In today’s episode we sit down with Amber Lippert of Camas Swale farm located on 16 acres of river bottom land north of Coburg, Oregon in the Willamette Valley. Camas Swale Farm is a family operated certified organic vegetable farm.  Amber and her husband, Jonah,  along with an experienced crew grow vegetables, herbs, berries and flowers for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and sell wholesale.  Amber and Jonah started Camas Swale Farm (https://camasswalefarm.com/) 13 years ago, and have been on their current home farm site for the past 10.  Amber shares their journey learning on other farms in the region, leasing land, navigating the business with children and some of the strategies they implement to keep the farm going.  It was an honor to sit down with Amber as she shared her farming story with vulnerability and joy. I am grateful for her wisdom and openness. This episode was recorded in March of 2024. 

In this episode we sit down with James Miller from Sunwave Farms, a dahlia and vegetable farm near Elmira, OR. James is entering his 5th year farming and their third year farming on their own 5 acre property. James came into farming with a background in military service as an aircraft rescue firefighter and EMT, an ongoing career in in firefighting, working in Veteran support services, and running a café at the Veterans Hospital with his wife. What started as an exploration of how to grow and make their own salsa for their café turned into an exploration of farming as a way of life for their family.  James shares how they were able to access land through an owner carry finance model, how they have made a sloped and forested piece of property work in their favor, how he fell for the beauty of dahlias just driving down the road,  and how he aligns farming with his goal of peace, tranquility, and overall well-being. We are grateful for James’s open communication, generosity of time, and for trusting all of us with his story. This episode was recorded in October of 2023.

In today’s episode we sit down with Christine Anderson of Cast Iron Farm (http://castironfarm.com/) in McMinnville, OR and Sarah King of Godspeed Hollow (https://www.godspeedhollow.com/) in Newburg, OR. Both are micro dairy farmers that sell raw milk directly from the farm through a Herd Share model. Christine and Sarah share how they came into milking, how they navigate the many challenges associated with raw milk production, how they support one another to keep milking, and how they integrate their families into the farming business. You will hear them talk about RAWMI, short for the Raw Milk Institute which can be found at https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/. Both Christine and Sarah are deeply passionate about keeping raw milk accessible to their customers, their passion has led them to engage in policy work as well as daily consumer education in their communities.  I am grateful for their candid sharing and admire their friendship and farm partnership. This episode was recording in April of 2023.

In this episode we sit down with Shannon and Chris of Winter Green Farm (https://wintergreenfarm.com/).  The farm is an integrated livestock and vegetable operation on 171 acres in Noti, OR.  About 25 acres are devoted to mixed vegetables and berries for their CSA, farmers’ markets and wholesale accounts. About 90 acres are dedicated to sheep and cattle for pasture, hay, and bailage. The remaining acres are oak groves, riparian areas, and wetlands for wildlife habitat. They embrace biodynamic farming methods, and view the farm as a living organism. The vast majority of their fertility is produced on-farm.  Shannon and Chris came to the farm as farmworkers and then transitioned into farm partners as they took over the vegetable business. Shannon and Chris share how they fell in love with farming and with one another through farming and how they came to be business owners through a farm succession process.  They share about raising their kids on the farm, how they take care of themselves and we explore a current challenge, which is finding and retaining farm labor. We are grateful for their open hearted sharing and generosity. This episode was recorded in January of 2023. 

In this episode we sit down with Beth Hoinacki of Goodfoot Farm (https://www.goodfootfarm.com), a small family farm located in the Hoskins area of Kings Valley, Oregon (20 miles NW of Corvallis).  A certified Biodynamic, diversified fruit and vegetable market farm that integrates livestock. They sell through a CSA and at the Corvallis Farmers Market.  Beth shares her journey of self discovery from plant pathology to farmer and community leader. I am grateful for her willingness to share her wisdom, her humor, and her systems thinking approach. This episode was recorded in January 2023

In Today’s episode I sit down with Erik Dietz of Fat Cat Farm (https://www.fatcatfarmdx.com/) in Dexter, OR located in the Southern Willamette Valley. The farm has 2 acres in diverse vegetable production. The farm is made of 1 1/4 acres on the home farm and another acre leased nearby. They farm on a hand scale, meaning they rarely use tractors and have been practicing limited tillage. They have sold through CSA, farm stands and farmers markets. They are currently adapting their marketing channels to meet the changing needs and new challenges of the farm. Erik shares his farming path, which included several years working on other farms as they searched for land. He shares the ongoing need for balance as he builds the farm business into its 4th year and makes time for his family and wellbeing. I am grateful for Erik’s open-heartedness and honesty as he steps into the most common make or break period (the first five years) for farm businesses. This episode was recorded in August 2022.

In today's episode I sit down with Maud Powell of Wolf Gulch Farm in the Little Applegate Valley. Maud and her husband, Tom, have owned and operated their certified organic farm for the past 24 years. Tom works full time on the farm while Maud works part-time and also for OSU Extension, Small Farms Program. They started in diverse vegetable production and have now transitioned to exclusively growing seed. They helped to run Oregon's first CSA cooperative, the Siskiyou Sustainable Cooperative. They purchased their property knowing it was marginal farmland and were excited to implement water conservation, water catchment, and soil building strategies to make it work. While they found success and made it work for over 20 years, climate change, specifically severe droughts in their region, meant that they lost access to water for irrigation in 2021. Faced with the inability to farm their property they have leaned into their farming and rural community to find leased land as an option. They are uncertain how long farming will be viable in their Valley and Maud shares with us her views on adaptation. Maud is a humble community builder and talented storyteller, I am grateful for her vulnerability and willingness to talk about the hard stuff.  This episode was recorded on July 19th 2022.

In Today’s episode I sit down with Sarah Kleeger and  Andrew Still of Adaptive Seeds. A 35 acre certified organic, farm based seed company near Sweet Home, Oregon. They steward rare, diverse and resilient seed varieties for ecologically-minded farmers, gardeners and seed savers. They grow and sell seeds that are adapted to the Pacific Northwest and other short season northern climates. They sell only public domain, open pollinated (OP) seed, as well as diverse gene pool mixes. They are one of only a few seed companies in the country that produce most of the seeds they sell. As seed producers, while their farming season shares some similarities with the farmers they sell seed to - they also have a completely different set of challenges and opportunities seeing the plants through their entire life cycle. You can learn more at adaptiveseeds.com. 

In today's episode I sit down with Kait Crowley of PK Pastures outside of Sweet Home, Oregon on the traditional lands of the Kalapuya people. They raise pigs for meat and chickens for both meat and eggs. They have sheep that are a part of their leader follower pasture management strategy.  As first generation farmers, Kait and their farm partner Pat, now step into their fourth year in business.  Last season they stepped into new landownership of their home farm and continue to lease additional pasture for the pigs.  Kat was able to secure land with a lease to own relationship and by working very closely with their financial lender over time.  In their time on the land they have been focused on renovating the pasture from neglected hayfield to nutrient-dense forage for livestock. Harnessing pig power, they are reseeding with a diverse perennial mix and annual cover crops. It is their goal to raise tasty, ethical meat that’s good for people, critters, and the land we all share. They are proud to be certified Animal Welfare Approved and Non-GMO, and a member of the Oregon Pasture Network. Their animals rotate seasonally through their Oregon Tilth Certified Organic pasture and heritage oak stand. They also receive non-GMO feed from a local mill and organic cull crops from their neighbors.  They sell primarily through a CSA program where they have either a chicken share or a combo share with a mix of meats.  They partner with another farm to add lamb to their combo option. In addition they do sell at a farmers markets and offer Whole/Half Pig options and online ordering.   Kate had a long career of working for other farms under her belt before she took the leap to start PK Pastures.  As climate change continues to have greater impact and  prices for feed, straw, and fuel continue to climb at alarming rates, Kate shares their strategies. I am so grateful for their open heartedness and humor as she generously shares her journey....The realities of being in the first 5 years of business and figuring out how to fit the puzzle pieces together so theu can keep farming, AND farming in a way that fits their values. You can learn more about them at https://www.pkpastures.com/      This episode was recorded on March 29th, 2022.

In today’s episode I sit down with Lili Tova of Flying Coyote Farm in in Sandy, Oregon, located on the unceded territory of the Clackamas band of the Upper Chinook Tribe. Lili Tova owns and manages a 37-acre farm that grows over 100 different varieties of Certified Organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. In addition to 8 1/2 acres in vegetable production they have 10 acres in pasture that they rotationally graze, allowing their meat birds and pigs access to fresh forage with plenty of room to roam. They grow and  distribute their vegetables, herbs and pasture-raised meat through a CSA Program, Farmers Markets, and to local restaurants.  They have 250 CSA members in the summer and around 130 in the winter.  They are dedicated to farming in a way that focuses on soil, animal and crop health as it is our hope to increase the fertility and vibrancy of our land through our agricultural practices. The interview mentions Biodynamic Farming, which is a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach  to farming.  You can learn more from the Biodynamic Association at www.biodynamics.com.  Lili co-owns Flying Coyote with a farm partner and is also part time consulting with other farms to help them create a farm plan and think through system designs. You can learn more at www.flyingcoyotefarm.com This episode was recorded on March 23rd, 2022.

In today's episode we sit down with Katy Stokes of Four Wands Farm.  Katy is 75 years old and has been stewarding and homesteading on this piece of land for the past 47 years.  They provide most of their diet from the land through a large garden, dairy and meat goats, meat rabbits, chickens for eggs and meat, bees for honey, fruit trees and a large variety of perennials.  Katy knows her herbs and is a willow weaver.  She speaks to observations of the land over time and she is looking to the future and transitioning the land to another generation.  

In this episode we sit down with Eden Olsen of Lucky Crow Farm in Monmouth Oregon. https://www.luckycrowfarm.com/  Lucky Crow cultivates 3 acres of vegetables on a family farm in Monmouth and two urban farm sites: one at Edwards Addition in Monmouth and another at Fairview Addition in Salem. They work with Olsen Design and Development to create agrihoods: bringing food production right to front porches.  Eden Olsen was born and raised in the Willamette Valley. After studying sustainable agriculture at Scripps College, she managed farmers' markets in the Bay Area and farmed in California, Washington and abroad. Driven to provide quality, delicious and healthy food for her community, she started Lucky Crow Farm in 2017.

In this episode we sit down with Laura and Robin of Red Bird Acres in Corvallis Oregon.  https://www.redbirdacresfarm.com/ Red Bird Acres was founded in 2013 by Robin and Laura. It is a first generation, pasture based, open sky, certified Animal Welfare Livestock Farm.  They raise poultry, pigs, sheep, and turkeys. 

In this episode we sit down with Eliza Mason of Lilliputopia Farm in Monroe Oregon. https://www.lilliputopia.com/ Lilliputopia is a tiny eco-farm that promotes conservation and sustainability and sells via a farm stand. They specialize in dry farming ; vegetables are grown without irrigation, pesticides or chemical fertilizers. They also have natural building demonstrations and practice rotational grazing with a small chicken flock. They conduct research and collaborate with Oregon State University and offer demonstrations of our sustainable and permaculture practices.

In this episode we sit down with Jack Richardson of Upriver Organics in Leaburg, Oregon. https://www.upriverorganics.com/  A diverse fruit and vegetable farm selling via a Farm Stand, CSA, wholesale, and at Farmer's Markets.  

In this episode we sit down with Ashli and Jeremy of Commonplace farm in Corvallis, Oregon. Their Website: https://www.commonplacefarm.com/ The vast majority of salad consumed in Oregon is shipped in from out-of-state, large scale farms. These road weary greens come with a high environmental cost and alarming carbon footprint. Many Oregonians feel conflicted about buying corporate, out-of-state greens. That’s why Commonplace Farm have worked so hard at to bring our community fresh, local salad. As a local family farm they're working with their community to build a better, lasting local food system. 

In today's episode we sit down with Rosie and Adam of Little Wings Farm in Eugene Oregon. https://www.littlewingsfarm.com/ Little Wings Farm is a 10 acre farm located along the mighty Willamette River.  With red tailed hawks over head and beautiful river loam soil beneath, the farm is a perfect place to grow vibrant healthy food.

Introduction to the For the Love of Farming Podcast Series.