Tales from Camas Valley Farms' Seasonal Rhythms

Humble Beginnings

Camas Valley Farms began many years ago in the imagination of a 23 year old girl who had just become a mother for the first time. Holding her baby in her arms she read for hours. No internet, no podcasts, no smartphone. Just the books she could find at the library. She read “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”, “Secrets of the Soil”, and “One Straw Revolution “. She devoured books by Joel Salatin, Barbara Kingsolver and Wendell Berry. This young woman fell head over heels in love with no-till philosophy and Biodynamics. In short this new mother had become a farmer at heart, but there was a problem. She was absolutely broke.

The financial crisis of 2008 left little to no hope for the woman and her family to make significant financial gains. So she found ways to express and experience her dreams by working and volunteering on other people’s farms. She signed up for a work share at Jubilee Farms. Every week the woman would head out to the valley and join community members in working with Eric Haakenson at Jubilee. Farmer Eric was a gifted storyteller and an expert teacher. Farming became art and science with Jubilee as Farmer Eric’s classroom. The experience impacted the woman profoundly. She had discovered her path.

Many years went by and the woman felt as though she had lived many lifetimes. The baby in her arms was 16 and racing towards manhood. The young woman was now a mother of three young children in addition to her oldest and in her late thirties. She was educated, experienced, and doing work that she respected and viewed as deeply meaningful. The woman was helping farmers through information technology and conservation. The woman spent her time gathering and distributing information about agricultural practices and conservation practices but the woman was not a farmer.

A conversation gave the woman pause when she was asked what was on her “bucket list “. The answer was always the same. “I have always wanted to own my own farm “. The fact that the woman was turning 40 in a year made the space following this audible admission even more resonant. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. Later was now. There were no more chances for the right time. She set her intentions in black and white and made a plan.

That woman is me and three years later almost to the day my farm is finally here. So thank you for listening and welcome to Camas Valley Farm’s story.

With love,

Deanna