The Farm
Three Goats Farm is a secret gem overlooking the Clackamas River. Set among towering fir in a serene park-like setting, we currently have half of an acre in vegetable production and fifty young fruit trees. Below the farm are thirty wooded acres with one mile of scenic trails and a sandy beach to get your feet wet. Tucked away in the woods are our mushroom production logs. It is our commitment to work towards a more regenerative farm through building our soil as well as community.
Our Story
John and Gabriella and their two boys, Ethan and Andrew, are joined by our dedicated farmer Levi, as well as Nicholas and Sasha, who come with a background in permaculture, gardening education, and food pantry management. We all share a dream of a community centered around sustainability and regenerative food systems.
In the summer we host volunteers from all over the country through the program, WorkAway. They bring their skills and talents and leave with real life experience.
We are now in our fifth year, with over 60 fruit trees, pigs, chickens, ducks, and four goats (yes, you read that right, we have four).
Better Than Organic
The organic label doesn’t necessarily tell you what you need to know about a farm’s practices. Even “organic” fertilizers and pesticides can still be harmful to beneficial insects, wildlife, river habitat, and even you! So what you use and how you use it, or avoid using it, is important.
Insect netting, stale seed beds, crop rotation, drip irrigation, and variety selection are some of the things we do to minimize pest insects and fungal infestations and maximize production.
Soil health is key
The soil is alive! Soil is full of microbial life that has a symbiotic relationship with the plants growing in it. We build up our organic matter by using minimum tillage, cover cropping, incorporating plants back into the soil when possible, and foliar feeding plants with compost tea. We also have perennial beds of flowers and herbs that attract beneficial insects.