Terra Farma

05/13/2026

Big changes at Terra Farma

Hi Folks,

We've been steadily working towards building a farm that is working for us instead of us feeling like the farm controls everything we do. With that, we have some upcoming changes to our offerings that we will go into detail about below. As often happens, life has a way of throwing wrenches into plans, so you'll want to keep reading to hear about something that could drastically change our plans.

Chicken orders are open
One change we are experimenting with this year is to reduce the number of processing days, so we will only have three on-farm pick-up days this year: May 31st, July 12th, and September 13th. We will do a similar number of birds; we are just trying to be more efficient with our time. Click the online store button at the bottom of the page to reserve your chicken.

Eggs and Meat CSA
Our most impactful change will come at the end of the calendar year, when we shut down our meat CSA and egg production. We'll still raise and sell meat; it might just look a little different next year. We will update you more as the plans come together.

Raw Milk is back on the menu!
We know many of you have been looking for a reliable source of raw milk since we ended production. We are so happy to report that we have found a source for you!

Grassward Dairy is based in Lebanon, Oregon, and will be making weekly deliveries to the same pickup location that we used in Woodstock. I have been to the farm, met the cows, and know the owners - and I give their dairy products my unequivocal blessing. We will even be getting our milk from them.

Their business model is a little different than ours was, as they operate as a herd share. You can find out more and sign up with this link (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NTiqU9O0-A_vE_M0M_hbDGKw-mGnwy6s/view?usp=drive_link) . Make sure you tell them that you were referred by Terra Farma.

That location is also the home of 47th Ave Farm (https://47thavefarm.com/) , which is one of the longest-standing CSAs in the Portland area, and we also give them our full endorsement. Their summer season starts next week, on May 19th.

A bigger and better Terra Farma?
Here's where the monkey wrench in our plans comes in. We very recently learned of an opportunity that is making us rethink everything, as it could involve us selling our current property and relocating (nearby) to another farm with tremendous potential. There is a significant valuation gap between the two properties that we are working on ideas to close, but it's far from a done deal.

If we can find a way to make it work, Terra Farma could finally live up to its potential and become a true community asset. I don't want to say too much more, because there is much that will need to happen just right between now and then. If you have any creative financing ideas, or maybe want to invest in farmland yourself, let's talk.

Click here for an update from Terra Farma!

04/06/2026

Zuri is such a good dog. This ewe brought her two-day-old lambs out to the field for the very first time, and even though the rest of the flick was in the barn after a morning of grazing, Zuri sat right there to make sure these two were safe.

03/22/2026

Our new calf has a prairie dog on his head!

02/26/2026

Look at this February grass! Isn't it beautiful?
I just returned from an amazing advocacy training in North Carolina (I'll write more about that soon), and what a treat to come home to these spring-like conditions!

01/17/2026

Planning for the Future

"The only constant is change." So the old saying goes, and that is certainly true at Terra Farma. Read on to learn about the changes, when they will take effect, and how they may impact you.

The big news
The most significant change is with our meat CSA, as 2026 will be its final year. We've been part of an amazing cohort of 4 other farms around the country, and they helped us realize that this was a change we needed to make. I won't go into the details, as many factors played a part, and it was not an easy decision, but we feel it is the correct one. So, if you have been thinking about joining, you best get on it! Go to the online store button below.

January pickup dates:
Corbett 1/18
Woodstock 1/20
Kenton 1/22

What's Next?
The end of the CSA does not mean the end of Terra Farma. Our plan for 2027 and beyond is twofold. First, we will focus on what we do best: building soil health and producing nutritious meat through managed grazing, and producing the tastiest pastured poultry. Second, we will become a teaching farm to help up-and-coming livestock producers get a head start to avoid costly mistakes early in their careers.

The grazing plan will include a year-round flock of sheep and a seasonal herd of cattle. Instead of selling meat by the cut as we do now, we will go back to how we used to do it, selling quarters, halves, and whole animals. We will likely even have some of these available at the end of 2026.

We are still planning on raising our pastured chickens and turkeys, though likely fewer in number than in the past.

Except for the year-round flock of sheep, this plan gives us a much-needed "off-season." We might even be able to take vacations together more than once every 5-6 years!

What about eggs and pork?
We are also planning on bringing that enterprise to a close at the end of the year. We are looking at some options with some nearby farms that might be willing to take over that portion of our operation.

But if you are interested in getting eggs from us in the meantime, and are near the Woodlawn neighborhood in NE Portland, we do have a few openings for our weekly egg drop-off there. Send us an email for more info.

As for raising pigs, that is still a bit up in the air. We will certainly end our breeding program this year, and we may raise a handful of pigs in future years, but that is very much still TBD.

We have been proud to provide you with amazing food and farm experiences for these last 20+ years, and we will continue as long as we are physically able. We hope you will stick with us on this wonderful journey!

Sincerely,
Mike & Linda

Click here for an update from Terra Farma!

12/28/2025

Another set of lambs today! I think this is the first time we've had a pair of all black twins (none of our ewes, or our ram, are solid black).
I guess it's easier being the black sheep of the family when you've got company.

12/26/2025

Christmas lambs born last night!

12/18/2025

Christmas turkeys!

Are you looking for a small heritage, pasture-raised turkey for your Christmas meal? We don't often have birds available this time of year, but we do have a handful of them in the freezer this year!

Just like at Thanksgiving, you can reserve one with a $25 deposit and then pay the balance when you pick it up this weekend on either Saturday or Sunday, 3-4 pm.

Click here for an update from Terra Farma!

12/16/2025

Looking for turkey for your holiday meal, look no further! Holiday turkeys, 8-10lbs available this weekend. Dont miss out on reserving one at our online store today!

12/04/2025

You are invited!

We would love it if you could join us for an amazing event happening next week!

If you value our incredible local food system, you probably already know that Friends of Family Farmers (FoFF) is the most effective advocate for farms like ours. In fact, our ability to legally process chickens on our own farm and sell them directly to you is permitted only because of the actions of FoFF to pass a state law allowing that to happen.

We first became aware of FoFF in 2009 and developed a lasting relationship so strong that I (Mike) joined their staff last year as the Program Director for the Oregon Pasture Network.

Now, in 2025, FoFF is celebrating 20 years as the only statewide nonprofit working to level the playing field between family farms and industrial agriculture. But we need your support to continue that work, and we would love for you to demonstrate that support by joining us at Abbey Road Winery in Carlton on December 13th. Both of your Terra Farmers will be there and we would absolutely enjoy the chance to hang out and share a meal with you.

Food from Comida Kin (I've had it several times, and it is fantastic!) is included in your ticket price, along with one beverage ticket. There will be raffles, a wine wall with bottles you can take home, inspiring speeches, and fun all around.

Click here for more details. (https://friendsoffamilyfarmers.org/growing-together/)

Check out our event on Saturday, Dec 13, 2025.

Click here for event details from Terra Farma!