Atthewood Farm

About the Farm

Atthewood farm was established in 2006, shortly after we moved to northwest Washington from Connecticut. We have initiated a new breeding program for our three female Poitou donkeys, Nova, Olympia and Rhapsodie. Nova (6 years old) and Olympia (5 years old) arrived in October, 2006 from Vermont and Rhapsodie (2 years old) arrived in July from Texas. Nova and Olympia will be bred in early 2008. We also grow a variety of organic vegetables and fruits in our garden and greenhouse from March through the first hard freeze in December or January. Our goal is to grow vegetables year round by utilizing our greenhouse and cold frames.

Our ten acres of land was once covered by a forest of fir trees that were clear-cut about 15 years ago. The land was replanted with a variety of conifers and we have a forest management plan for these trees, allowing the land to be designated as rural forest. Trees are important to us as buffers from the strong west winds as we live on a hill overlooking one of the small and beautiful farming valleys in central Whidbey. The winds are regular and very strong, especially during winter storms. We have several natural open areas that we utilize for pastures and gardens. The soil is poor for growing vegetable plants and very sandy so we are enriching it with donkey compost and organic soil amendments.

History

I have been growing organic food for over 25 years on small acreage and acquired much of my working knowledge from New England's small farms and farmers. I have investigated many alternative farming methods such as those of Rudolf Steiner and Bill Mollison, author of Permaculture One and Permaculture Two. Bill Mollison's books stress the importance of water, grasses, insects, wildlife, livestock, species relationships, and siting in the overall planning of an agricultural landscape. Reading Mollison's books convinced me that healthy agricultural systems require animals for manure to enrich the soil. This inspired me to have farm animals from chickens to goats to donkeys. Without animals a food system is incomplete. This philosophy felt familiar to me since my earliest farming experiences had included a variety of farm animals. Growing up on a farm in Northern Illinois, many of my first friends were ducks called Mike and Ike, Felix the Hampshire pig, Snowspeck the old Appaloosa horse, a herd of Holstein dairy cows, and a variety of chickens. Today, local food systems are as important to me as farming, because you can't have one without the other.

Local Food

By growing local food much of the processing, packaging, transportation, and retailing cost is minimized or eliminated. How local is local? You can define local as one hour from your home, or from 100 to 250 miles from your front door. Whichever way you figure it, this is better than the average 1500 miles most food travels to your mainstream grocery store.

Here's what Atthewood Farm is doing as we strive to practice the principles we believe in:

  • We are committed to biodiversity and organic seeds.
  • We do not support or use genetically modified seeds, plants or animals.
  • We grow organic fruits and vegetables, enhancing the soil's living and non-living components.
  • We are members of a local CSA, a community supported farm producing vegetables and herbs for over 40 families and many local restaurants.
  • We eat locally and seasonally.
  • We harvest wild berries, vegetables, and fruits in season, preserving them by freezing and canning.
  • We purchase local farm-raised beef, chicken, pork, and lamb, as well as, locally caught fish and crab from Puget Sound waters.
  • We supplement our food with vegetables and fruits from other local farms at the Farmers Markets.
  • We are members of a food-coop just off Island and are working to create a Whidbey Island food-coop.
  • We are part of a Sustainable Whidbey group working to bring focus and energy to agricultural challenges and opportunities to growers of all sizes.
  • We have three donkeys that contribute generous amounts of manure that is recycled and used to enrich our soils.
  • Composting! We support worms and great soil by composting food wastes from our table, gardens, and donkey manure.


  • We support slow food by eating at locally owned restaurants and encourage them to create their menus from locally caught or produced plants and animals.

Energy and Water

  • We live in a 2,000 square foot house and have begun to scale down our energy needs.
  • We are slowly replacing our energy infra-structure with renewable systems as we can afford to do so.
  • We use a drip irrigation system for our gardens.
  • We have designed a water catchment system for our pasture and gardens by capturing winter rains off of our roofs into holding tanks.
  • We are saving for alternative energy systems including wind and solar power to generate our household energy needs.
  • We drive a bio-diesel car.
  • We recycle bottles, cans and paper at the local recycling center.

Invitation

Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul, suggests that a deeper relationship with our food can lead to a "re-enchantment of everyday life." Moore's words serve as a powerful reminder that food nourishes both body and soul. He suggests that "re-membering" the soul of food - in shopping for it, planting it, preparing it - is one significant step toward the re-enchantment of everyday life.

Finally, what we eat, where it comes from, how it is grown, and the process of obtaining it -- all of these factors leave their impact upon us and the earth.

Atthewood Farm is one of many small family farms engaged in changing current farming practices. We invite you to become partners in making better food choices that will shape the nature of farming.

Please contact us to arrange a tour.