Photos: Ellie Lillstrom
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FEATURED IN DWELL + SCHOOLHOUSE ELECTRIC
One of the most challenging bits about starting and maintaining a small farm is having stable income to invest in infrastructure, buildings, equipment...and sleep well. On seven acres, we have to be creative about how we support ourselves, especially since most of the earnings on produce happens by the seller and not the grower. Just look at the price of eggs and milk in the grocery for proof that food is still fairly cheap in the United States, and many small farmers remain quite poor. We have had to be innovative in finding ways to support ourselves that both fit our ethics and our lifestyle, so sharing this beautiful, bright, modern space has been a big piece of the puzzle for us. Please come stay, enjoy the unobstructed views of Mt St. Helens and our farm animals (alpacas, sheep, goats, and our blind cow all sit just 30 feet away from your bedroom window), listen and watch the migratory birds overhead, sample our honey, and help support your local farmer. You can email us about booking the space ([email protected]), though we book almost exclusively with Airbnb: click here
We started the farm by buying raw land and developing it, mostly doing the work ourselves. Greg often remarks that he is already buried here, an homage to the blood, sweat, and tears he has invested in creating this magical space. We worked with the county we live in for over a year to get permission to host guests in our farm suite (pictured below), Tu Casa, and part of the challenge was convincing the powers that be that farmland-use laws must be flexible enough to support creative financial support systems (that don't interfere with farming) for young, new farms and farmers. It was an arduous process, but here we are: we are relieved and delighted to be living this life we have worked so hard to create, and sharing it with others is the icing on the cake.
One of the most challenging bits about starting and maintaining a small farm is having stable income to invest in infrastructure, buildings, equipment...and sleep well. On seven acres, we have to be creative about how we support ourselves, especially since most of the earnings on produce happens by the seller and not the grower. Just look at the price of eggs and milk in the grocery for proof that food is still fairly cheap in the United States, and many small farmers remain quite poor. We have had to be innovative in finding ways to support ourselves that both fit our ethics and our lifestyle, so sharing this beautiful, bright, modern space has been a big piece of the puzzle for us. Please come stay, enjoy the unobstructed views of Mt St. Helens and our farm animals (alpacas, sheep, goats, and our blind cow all sit just 30 feet away from your bedroom window), listen and watch the migratory birds overhead, sample our honey, and help support your local farmer. You can email us about booking the space ([email protected]), though we book almost exclusively with Airbnb: click here
We started the farm by buying raw land and developing it, mostly doing the work ourselves. Greg often remarks that he is already buried here, an homage to the blood, sweat, and tears he has invested in creating this magical space. We worked with the county we live in for over a year to get permission to host guests in our farm suite (pictured below), Tu Casa, and part of the challenge was convincing the powers that be that farmland-use laws must be flexible enough to support creative financial support systems (that don't interfere with farming) for young, new farms and farmers. It was an arduous process, but here we are: we are relieved and delighted to be living this life we have worked so hard to create, and sharing it with others is the icing on the cake.
Photo: Anna Caitlin
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