SONDER
The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
SMALL SCALE FARMING
We cultivate just a half-acre of vegetables and flowers in Acme, Washington, on the South Fork of the Nooksack River.
We utilize a no-till method on the farm, using a BCS walk-behind tractor for bed prep and many hand tools for planting, weeding and harvesting. Our approach minimizes tilling, opting instead for light harrowing—stirring just the top few inches of soil. This preserves soil biology and prevents disruption of the soil structure.
On this small-scale operation, we’re able to grow more produce in less space. By planting in permanent raised beds, we maximize our yields while minimizing our footprint.
Low impact on our healthy soil!
an off-grid operation
Sonder Farmstead operates as a fully off-grid market garden.
Our electricity is wrangled from the sun to our solar panels, fueling everything from the irrigation pump and water filter to the salad spinner and the barn lights. Our irrigation water comes from a deep well on the property.
OUR GROWING PRACTICES
Farming with our hands is at the heart of what we do. Most of the work on the farm is done by hand, and we really love it that way. By sowing seeds, transplanting starts, hoeing weeds, and harvesting crops manually, we develop a deep connection with each plant.
We are committed to being thoughtful stewards of our land, growing healthy food with a focus on sustainability and care for the environment. We focus on soil health, crop rotation and biodiversity. We believe synthetic fertilizers and chemicals harm the ecosystem we are working to build, so we choose not to use them.
Instead, we feed our plants with nutrient-rich compost and organic soil amendments, promoting biodiversity by growing a variety of crops and creating habitats for beneficial insects and the bees. We take a natural approach to pest management, using row covers for pests and never spraying any pesticides.
We are officially Certified Naturally Grown!
This is a really rad way to let the folks buying our produce know that we’re serious about growing to organic standards. Our seeds and inputs are certified organic.
We apply these same principles to the makings in our apothecary. Most of the herbs and medicine we use are grown right here on the farm. Harvested and dried, they are then infused into organic and fair-trade oils before handcrafting in our goods.
We’re in it for the shared stories and the communal dinners. The pigs raised on pasture around the corner. Trading soap bars for sourdough loaves. Homegrown salad. Preserving the flavors of summer berries for a spread on winter toast. For our neighbors and our community. For the sense of being a part of something great, and the hard work necessary to live a life worth living.
this is what ‘farmstead’ means to us.
