Our Story & Information

Mission Statement

Our mission is simple: respect the land and nature at all costs.

Everything we do on the farm is guided by the goal of leaving the smallest footprint possible on the land and the surrounding ecosystem. We operate as an organic farm and are continually working toward becoming as regenerative as possible. That goal is easier said than done, but it is a commitment we take seriously and work toward every season.

The Idea

The idea behind the farm was straightforward: take a piece of land in the middle of nowhere and see if it was possible to build a farm from scratch.

There is no doubt about the location — we are truly in the middle of nowhere — and there is no doubt we are building a farm.

The real motivation has always been learning. In my case, the journey started with very little knowledge of farming. Over the past few years that has slowly grown into a deeper understanding of soil, plants, weather, and the realities of working the land.

Farm History

This is our third year of farming.

• Year One was a complete mess and failure. Like many first attempts, we learned a lot by doing things wrong.
• Year Two improved dramatically after receiving training and incredible advice from the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA).
• Year Three brought another leap forward. Through work at Spring Rain Farm in Washington, I discovered Johnny’s Selected Seeds, which has become our primary seed source.

During this time we also introduced a low-water soil program and began protecting young plants until they are strong enough to survive the harsh environment.

Most importantly, we learned to respect our native soil and work with it rather than fight against it.

Soil and Chemicals

We use zero pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides on the farm.

The only fertilizer used is a simple organic nitrogen source along with occasional additions of topsoil when necessary.

Our soil contains plenty of natural nutrients, but it lacks healthy microbial life. When it gets wet it turns into peanut-butter mud, and when it dries it becomes hard like cement. Because of this, most soil preparation is done by hand.

I typically break the soil using a shovel and then cultivate it with a simple hand cultivator.

Water is our most limiting resource, which means the farm is intentionally kept small. Currently we maintain about 2,000 square feet of planting soil.

Buildings and Structures

Along with building the farm, we also had to build the basic structures needed to live and work here.

These include:

• A small office and living space
• A modest sleeping area
• A storage and tool barn
• A small kitchen

Nothing on the property is fancy and most projects are close to finished but never truly complete.

Nearly all of the construction, land work, and farming is done by hand and by myself. I rarely hire outside help except for very large projects. Fortunately, a great group of friends volunteer their time a few times each year to help move things forward.

Weather and Environment

The environment here can be harsh.

Winds regularly reach 70 miles per hour, making both farming and daily life difficult. Winters can be severe, especially from late November through February.

Heavy snowstorms can trap us on the property if we are not careful to prepare with enough food, fuel, and supplies. Some winters bring deep snow, while others bring very little.

Storms, fire risk, and extreme weather mean you always have to stay alert and prepared when living on the land.

Water

All farm water comes from two sources:

• City of Elko water
• Rain and snow collection

Rainwater is tested regularly by Thurston Labs in Elko, Nevada.

Our goal is to eventually supply 100% of farm irrigation water from collected snow and rain.

All drinking and cooking water comes from filtered water purchased in Elko.

Seeds

Nearly all of our seeds come from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, which has provided excellent service and very reliable germination rates.

Some items such as bulbs and seed potatoes are purchased locally from IFA in Elko.

Nevada Department of Agriculture Permit

The farm operates under a Producer Certificate issued by the Nevada Department of Agriculture.

Producer Certificate: #5407 (2026)

A new certificate has been approved for 2026. Crop volumes increased slightly, but our overall crop selection will remain largely the same.