Good Rain Farm

06/04/2026

I know, I know, I KNOW we are a vegetable farming. Partly because my soul can't handle the requirements of even bulk/wholesale slaughter let alone the massive size of Confined Animal Feedlots (CAFOs) and the like. But my soul and body are okay with this intimate relationship, there is comfort, solace, deep knowing in hatching, raising then eating these cuties. There is unease in the sanitized distance, the see no, hear no, speak no... Cognitive dissonance that the elite encourage to exist within.

Honestly plants are exactly the same way. And we eat way more of those plant lives, killing them for decorations. Somehow it's different but I really don't think that it is.

So I know I am a vegetable farm preoccupied with livestock. But ultimately the ecosystem, our agroecology, agroforestry is all interconnected. The lessons are transferable, the whole systems thinking is where I thrive.

05/02/2026

Farming is a series of observations, learning so as to know, knowing is a relationship. We get to know each other's habits, interests, behaviors and personalities. What makes us tick? We can mechanize and automate all that we want but we still gatta put eyes on it all- observe for changes, breakages, failures and make adjustments as necessary. Adjustments, concessions, compromises. There's what I planned, what I had hoped for, my goals and dreams Then there is reality- never linear, never on time, never as scheduled. There is no mystery why farming has a mental health crisis. There's actually very little we humans actually have control over. Predictive modeling is just an automation tool, a guideline, an educated guess. It's never the hands in the soil reality. I actually don't blame agriculture for these woes- capitalism and our current social structure is what I blame. I love the rooted in reality, unpredictability, mind challenging problem solving and physically challenging work of farming. I loathe money stress and bureaucracy- hierarchy.

🌱🌺🌱🌻🌱🪻🌱🏵️🌱🌸🌱🌹🌱🌼🌱🌷🌱🪷🌱🍁🌱🌾

I'm traveling to visit family at an inopportune time. Classic, as to be expected, of course. I tried to automate around the farm and I have ideas of further automation. But ultimately it doesn't replace needing to and having a person on the farm to go observe all the checkpoints. Lucky to have such an amazing group of folks to help drive me to/from the airport, to farm/house/dog sit, to be available in case of emergency. You only have one season to observe the plants flowering- if we are lucky we have only 80 of those chances. 6 billion bajillion dollars can't buy you more bloom seasons (or harvest, or holidays, or cozy times, etc). Enjoy the ones you have. 💕

04/25/2026

My anxiety found a release valve today. I took a slow morning, went and got coffee and walked around little Troutdale. Then I came home, cleaned the house gutters, did the finishing details of sealing in our new carport supports with pine tar (smells so good), mowed our lawn/septic field grass (dreams of eliminating this lawn but untill then), I got our soil sensors through the first of two wet/dry calibration cycle. Remembered to feed myself and water our propagation house. About to go run this doggie 🐕.

😮‍💨

Folks often talk about the career choice of farming as a Lifestyle more than just a career. In so many ways I understand how we got here. Society at large is disconnected from the natural resources that are the continued foundation to our cyber/technocracy. No matter how many new inventions, technologies or new theories of thinking or social structuring one thing stands out so damn clear to me. Soil, Air, Water will also need tending to and the honest truth the mysterious anomaly that is Earth, that is life in the universe, that are complex ecology webs are some of the most unknown, complex, genius and smart mechanics that we are no where near to understanding let alone replicating. In fact in our quest all we really have done is destroy and break 💔.

It's toxic, a career being a lifestyle especially in today's context. But it's true too that it's toxic to be so disconnected from life's fundamental operations. And it's true that this career, more clearly than others, exhibits the need of the person to adjust and radically shift their lifestyle choices in order to succeed.

In one week my partner of 20 yrs underwent heart surgery (power of attorneys and DNR were discussed), my brother woke up with a broken back in Germany (my mom flew out yesterday), my paternal Grandma is in hospice (father and I have a trip planned). And all I could do was cry, wash my face, and get up and go till, feed and water plants and animals, breath in, breath out and keep going. There's no easy path, but there is a brave way forward. Farming wakes me up every day. Farming keeps me constantly grounded. Farming gives me purpose and connection.

04/19/2026

Yesterday was a long day. A really beautiful day full of learning and caring. These days death is intimate and imminent in my life. From the human family, our pets, livestock and plants, ecosystems, global. It swirls around and brings us such a mixture of emotions. Gratitude, sadness, appreciation, grief, confidence, guilt, resolution, shame, joy, wonderment, melancholy, awe.
✨
Hosting a workshop on the care, approach, stewardship of livestock and then supporting folks through the dispatch process was a gift. One I was nervous and anxious about. I don't take death lightly. But this intimate act of taking a life to nourish and sustain our own is an experience so full of wisdom that so many today miss out on. It deepens and illuminates our lives in polychromatic iridescence.
✨
Such a beautiful group of thoughtful, engaged, curious explorers of life attended the workshop. I couldn't be more grateful in the community I was able to host out on the farm for this hands-on workshop. I am so honored these individuals trusted in me and grateful in myself for taking this leap and trusting in whoever signed up and attended that they would arrive with good hearts and respect. I think one person walked away resolute in becoming vegan, I think we all walked with deeper appreciation for the work farm workers do and the food we eat.

There's so much more to say and share but for now I wanted to offer up some reflections. To teach the stewardship, dispatch, slaughter and use of an animal was very vulnerable for me, I felt very exposed, but jumped into that discomfort anyways and learned so much and will be slowing growing and unfurling for long after. Aho. 🤲🏼

04/03/2026

We are so stoked to be your farmers this season! We've been getting a ton done around the farm, cleaning up, staging, organizing, building fences, engine maintenance, crunching our soil amendment numbers, preparing our irrigation, learning always! JOIN OUR CSA NOW so that we can be sure to have the veggies ready for you!

03/28/2026

Pictured are this years apprentices working on installing some fencing material! This was certainly not a one person job (I made a folly of an attempt) We closed out our 2nd week together installing this woven wire fencing over the top of the existing 5 strand barbed wire. This property once raised dairy then meat cattle. I was always impressed by the care for the land- there is wear and tear as to be expected but the land was never over stocked or over grazed. Property fence lines are solid, tight, taunt and interior fencing was sturdy and thoughtfully laid out. But my goal isn't cattle so some adjustments are needed for the poultry and future sheep! It's a relief to have the Upper/North pasture fully hemmed in AND we have now corralled the poultry into a safe place to roam without continuing to be a biohazard- they sure do love to p**p EVERYWHERE. 💩 One day we'll build them some mobile house units and get mobile poultry netting to move them through the fields in carefully managed and intentional ways that promote IPM and soil nutrition that's safely within FSMA regulations but for now this is a perfect solution. Together, the Apprentices and I engaged in several large projects this week, working together as a team, problem solving, collaborating and accomplishing all we set out to do! 💪🏼 We talked and took soil science data, often reflecting on the history of this land from my Tribes creation story, the Missoula Floods, to the more recent cattle operation, our current and future veggie farming goals. How do we steward land? Engage in restoration, caring for ourselves and community in the here and now, and what future do we envision? This fencing project took all day but we learned so much and the impact will be so lasting! "Slow is fast, Fast is slow". 🌱💕✨

03/10/2026

Lots happening on the farm I wrapped up a Lot of Computer Admin time this winter and started emerging out into the fields. We got functional end walls on Propagation house, and a sudden bridge repair to navigate- THE only access point to our home & farm, the rainwater catchment is nearly complete! The big catchment cisterns are arriving today! Many other little things are also underway, the barn is now secure from barn swallows, fruit trees are pruned, all these other little things that carry big impact and free my mental load up! Monday- EVERY Monday I go through my checklist of admin. E-mails, Calendaring, issuing Invoices, depositing payments, paying bills, updating our sales database, setting up SNAP & Payment Plans, managing bank statements, trying to organize receipts, organizing and working on Grant submissions, wringing my hands on marketing efforts, writing letters of support or submitting testimony advocating for farms. It takes 3-6hrs minimally but it's all so crucial to keeping this ship up right. Here's to all the farming- in the fields outside and inside on the computer! 😅

02/23/2026

Okay, BUY YOUR CSA'S- payment plans available. These projects don't pay for themselves- literally it's just maintenance and repair around here. I am scrapping, 2nd handing, DIYing and securing grant funds the best I can but farms like ours don't survive without customers and community like you! Please sign up for a CSA now so we can continue farming fresh, local, sustainable food for you! 😁🫵🏼

02/10/2026

Okay, all Tik Tok /Instagram Videos will be attempted to be cross posted to YouTube. I'm using TikTok for the handy dandy features and for the life of me I could not get IG or my Phone to video inverted. I googled, I watched YouTubes, I don't know what to tell y'all it's a pain in the butt.

A new series on the economics of small diversified crop farms in America. please remember that I often speak in generalized terms within averages and from my...

02/03/2026

👋🏼 Hellloooooo! Despite everything happening in the world, we're doing what farmers do best: planning ahead, planting seeds, and believing in what's coming next. Hope in action! 🌱💞

Summer is on its way and so is fresh nourishing locally grown veggies!!! 🥕 🥬 🍅 🧅 🥗 🥔 🍠 🌶️🌽🥦🍆🫛🧄🫘🥒

CSA shares are open! We invite you to join us in savoring the seasons flavors and rooting yourself into place with something good and nourishing for the tummy and soul.

Head on over to our website! As always we believe food is a human right and do everything within our capacity to ensure equitable access!