Our Farm

Background Your Farmers Staff & Apprentices Pictures

Farm Background

Location

Horton Road Organics is located in the Siuslaw watershed 35 miles northwest of Eugene, Oregon. The 15 acre farm is nestled in the coast range mountains and comprised of friable rich Nehalem and Nestuca silt loam soils. The main access road to the farm is via Route 36, the "old coast road" which was used before 126 linked Eugene to Mapleton. Old timers know the Blachly/ Horton area for Triangle Lake, the largest natural body of water in the coast range famous for its famed "rock slides." Anglers visit Old Mill Pond for canoeing and fishing, or hunt for wild chanterelles in surrounding rolling forested hills. The rural community, built upon the early farm and logging economy, is proud of its connectedness and home to several generations who actively support the local charter school, Grange and fire department at Triangle Lake.

History

Horton Road Organics was started by partners Bill Booth and Debra Seido Martin in 1992 on a shoestring budget and small down payment on 15 acres of land. Having amassed years of experience in the California Bay Area farm world, they decided to begin a small market garden in the Lane County area where land was still affordable for farmers and awareness of sustainable agriculture was well established. The farm was well received by the community, an event that generated the necessary support to begin both the initial CSA experiment of 10 people and the first apprenticeship cohort in 1997. Years of reinvestment in the farm, its community, and organic care of the soil has developed a precious mix of fertile ground and nourished spirits.

Current Operation

Horton Road Organics integrates education, sustainable food production, and community events throughout its main season, April through October. The farm organically grows different varieties of 32 crops which supply a small CSA, three farmer’s markets, several restaurants and a number of local natural food stores. Anywhere from 3—5 apprentices join the farm for the season learning organic techniques and practical farm management skills. Several staff coordinate apprentices, field work and markets and are joined by enthusiastic town staff who help at the farm stand Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Community events include welcome and graduation celebrations for apprentices, annual CSA day, and Zendo events that include weekly meditation, monthly retreats and guest speakers.

Farm Values

Horton Road has developed its own integration of field practices that incorporate mindful attention to care of the land and crops, low impact hand work and simple organic practices that eliminate the need for chemical pesticides. Diversity and crop rotation, loving care and attention in the field, excellent variety selection, and articulate soil building with natural amendments all make up a healthy, fulfilling, and sustainable practice that supports its inhabitants, human and otherwise. The farm is committed to reinvigorating a human scale agriculture, developing healthy community and respectful relationships to its customers. Each year becomes a unique lively unfolding of the season marked by exquisite flavors, wild coast range weather patterns, and festive celebration enjoyed by farmers and friends who come together to experience intimacy with the land, contemplation and reflection, and the satisfaction of mean-ingful work.

Your Farmers

Bill Booth and Debra Seido Martin are married partners who met at Blue Heron Farm in Correlitos, CA, in 1986. Having grown up in rural O’Fallon, IL where his family grew much of their own food, Bill was later drawn to his garden roots after returning from four years teaching agriculture in Loma Hasha, Swaziland through the Peace Corps from 1976-1980. Realizing much of the world’s food insecurities were linked with American choices and agricultural practices, he made a commitment to develop awareness at home regarding local sustainably grown food. After attending the UCSC Farm & Garden program which teaches French intensive biodynamic methods popularized in the US by Alan Chadwick, he continued to farm in the Davis, CA area before becoming a partner with Dennis Tamura at Blue Heron Farm south of the Bay Area. Bill brings the farm a wonderful mix of a steady devoted work rhythm, genuine care and support of others, and wholehearted laugh you can hear an acre away.

While taking a break from activist work in San Francisco in the mid 80’s, Debra fell in love with farming after working at Molino Creek north of Santa Cruz on the California coast. She and Bill later met at his farm in Correlitos and have been life partners since 1988. Farming immediately integrated a diverse set of passions, including progressive social change, holistic health, community building, education, ecology and spiritual inquiry. Debra recently completed a Masters in Couples and Family Therapy at the University of Oregon and currently divides her time between work on the farm, Zen teaching and training, and psychotherapy practice. Though seemingly diverse interests, she considers each practice to be deeply informed by the others in that our insights into human existence is intimately linked to our relationship to nature.

Staff & Apprentices

Horton Road’s staff and apprentices are really the heroes of the farm—intrepid travelers who form a unique lively cohort year after year. Each winter, our program receives dozens of applicants from all over the country, indicative of the increase in awareness of ecological issues for our planet and priority for this next generation. The farm is graced by an amazing array of talent each season as many applicants bring world travel experience, artistic expression, diverse work skills and community activism involving food security issues. Apprentices learn as much from each other as they do from the program and share with one another the season of hard work and a job well done. Staff positions are mainly filled by returning apprentices which involves a challenging role where they have the opportunity of teaching what they’ve learned the previous year.