Current Projects

Local Farms First Campaign

One of our primary roles as a community resource is serving as a matchmaker between farmers and consumers. We do this for individuals, businesses that serve or produce food (stores, restaurants, processors), and institutions that purchase food (schools, colleges, and hospitals). With the publication of our Locally Grown guide (now in its sixth year) we hope to make it easier for all consumers at this end of the valley to buy from Local Farms First. The Locally Grown farm listings and product index are now searchable on-line. Click here to view the guide.

Bean and Grain Project

The Southern Willamette Valley Bean & Grain Project is a consortium of farms, businesses, community organizers and non-profit organizations working to stimulate the cultivation and local marketing of organically grown grains, dry beans, and edible seeds to provide year-round food resources in the Willamette Valley. Local author Dan Armstrong has created an incredibly informative archive of the project on his website: mudcitypress.com/beanandgrain.html which includes project summaries, meeting and event reports, interviews with farmers, and crop reports.) Check out the short video on the Bean & Grain Project by Erik Silverman: http://www.youtube.com/user/BeansAndGrains. In addition, do visit the site of the Ten Rivers Food Web (Corvallis).

The Farms:
Three grass seed farms transitioning to organic food crops:

A2R Farms
7205 Cutler Lane, Corvallis
The Robinson family is working to transition their 800 acre conventional grass seed farm to organic bean, grain and seed crops to supply local markets. This year they have red and white wheat, oats, and several bean varieties planted. Read A2R's blog, corvallisfarmer.blogspot.com

Hunton’s Farm
92194 Purkerson Road, Junction City
A third generation family farm, the Huntons are producing teff, hard red wheat, and a variety of beans and lentils on transitional acreage. The Hunton’s are currently installing a grain mill (Camas Country Mill) to serve Willamette Valley growers.

Stalford Seed Farms
32345 McLagen Road, Tangent
Family owned and operated, the Stalfords took the lead 5 years ago when they began to transition acreage to organic and to experiment with growing hard red wheat. They are currently growing hard red and soft white wheat, oats and dry-land beans.

Additional farms growing grains, dry land beans, and edible seeds:

Lonesome Whistle Farm
2241 River Loop #1, Eugene
Lonesome Whistle specializes in garlic, flowers, and open-pollinated vegetables, as well as heirloom dry beans. The beans are available through a bean CSA.

Open Oak Farm
25079 Brush Creek Road, Sweet Home
On their 18 tillable acres, Open Oak are growing wheat, rye, barely, triticale, dry corn, oats, emmer, quinoa, amaranth and more, as well as a diverse collection of beautiful dry beans. Beans, grains and vegetables are available through a CSA share.

Gordon Farms (Anasazi and Orca beans)

Gorakes, Junction City (oats & sorghum)

Quality Acres (soft white wheat & soy beans)

Al Dong (black beans and Vermont cranberry beans)

Shekina Ridge Farms (black beans pinto beans and hulless oats)

Local Food For All

WFFC is exploring ways to increase access to locally grown food in low-income neighborhoods and to increase availability of subsidized CSA shares and Farmers’ Market Dollars for families in need.