Our Story

Photo by Amos Morgan

We, Annie Jesperson and Nathaniel Talbot, have raised vegetables, seeds and flowers together on Whidbey Island for ten glorious farm-seasons. We moved from Portland, OR, where Nathaniel played in three bands while working in environmental education and Annie helped folks on the streets get into and maintain permanent housing through a rad organization called JOIN. In spite of a deep love of our city, we both caught the farming bug, so we started taking as many organic gardening, seed saving, and urban farming courses as Portland could provide. Still, our interest in agriculture couldn’t be sated in the city, so in 2010 we moved to Whidbey for an 8-month, hands-on farm-training program where we’d ascertain the technical and business skills necessary to run a farm business. After the farm training, we leased a small, certified organic farmstead that was in need of some short-term managers. Since it was already a fully functional organic farm with an irrigation system, barn, greenhouses, and well-loved soil, it was the perfect place to grow our business and save money so we could, one day, buy a farm of our own. A multi-year land hunt and long-shot letter writing campaign to local landowners resulted in us finding a beautiful, sunny 20-acre parcel overlooking Mutiny Bay with a willing seller. Still, we couldn’t have sealed the deal without the help of a passionate realtor friend, loans from the Farm Service Agency and NW Farm Credit Service and dear farmer pals who were willing to split the purchase with us. In the spring of 2015, we were able to buy a 10-acre farm, in Freeland, WA. Woohoo! We’re so grateful to have been able to build a home, barn, and greenhouses; and plant hedgerows, fruit trees, and perennials on a plot that is well suited for decades of farming. For us, the farm life is the good life and we couldn’t be happier to provide organic seeds, produce, and flowers for our supportive and beloved community.