A beautiful morning visiting our partners at Friends Farm
A faint buzz sounded as airborne grasshoppers escorted me toward a greenhouse at Friends Farm in Lafayette. It was a beautiful day, made even more so by the abundance of sunflowers lining the way. It was peaceful—a good start to the day
Oliver, Sam, and Kevin were just starting their day—a late one by their standards. The trio had started Friends Farm just this year after working together on the same farm last year. After securing 2 acres of land from Nyland Cohousing Community, they set out on their mission: to bring community back to farming.
Oliver explained that this first year on the farm had been a learning experience. Making an efficient irrigation system took a lot of trial and error, as well as several infrastructure changes. Couple it with the highest grasshopper numbers in years and, at times, it was a challenge.
From my perspective, you couldn't tell. All I could see was rows of beautiful eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. Like most farms, they offer a CSA, but Friends also offers a u-pick harvest experience, educational classes, volunteering opportunities, and, of course, their fresh produce through PineMelon. They're actively working to create more community engagement events.
After a quick chat, Oliver left to do his daily work in the field, allowing me to wander about the farm taking photos. A cool farm truck and rows of gorgeous tomatoes gave way to a lively bee colony. Because Friends is a biodynamic farm, they utilize regenerative techniques that leave the soil healthy, their food free of pesticides, and the local pollinators happy and healthy.
"Hey, come check this out!" Sam motioned me over from a row of peppers. Nestled in a plant was a giant, albeit very cute moth clinging to a shishito pepper. This truly was a thriving ecosystem.
Before leaving, Sam told me to grab some peppers, garlic, and cucumbers for the road. I left realizing that it wasn't just their friendship that inspired their name, but that Sam, Oliver, and Kevin truly are friendly and want to give back to their community.
These visits remind me of the importance of supporting our local food scene. Not just because of the food, but for the people and ecosystem that we often forget are the backbone of our food system. If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend a visit to Friends Farm. You can sign up to volunteer or check for upcoming events on their website; I promise it's a great way to start the day. And next time you're shopping PineMelon, see what fresh produce they have available.