Walker Farms

PO Box 575
Siletz, OR 97380
541-444-2445
*2010 Farmers Market Board Member
www.walkerfarmssiletz.com

Walker Farms
grass-fed, humanely raised meats
newport

Some farmers are born. Others, like Sarah and Randy Walker, are made.
For the past four years, the Walkers have been working to create their vision of a responsible small farm in the Siletz River Valley. They grow produce for local restaurants and raise pastured lamb, pork and poultry for sale at the Newport Farmers’ Market, all without using herbicides or pesticides.
Randy, who was raised on an oyster farm in Washington State, had a little experience, but Sarah had none. This native of St. Louis, Mo., has never even had a garden before. Driven by a passion for sustainability and a rejection of the industrialized food system, they’ve taught themselves to be farmers, all while holding full-time jobs in Newport.
“It all began when we were looking for property, just so my grandson’s puppy could run. And it hit us that there wasn’t much agriculture in Lincoln County,” Randy said. “We thought it would be great to raise our own food, and maybe raise food for other people, too. We read ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’ and we haven’t quit reading since.”
“It’s been an adventure — a big messy one,” said Sarah. “My family still can’t believe we run a farm. They think it’s cool, but they also think we’re nuts.”
The produce operation is part of the Walkers’ quest for agricultural diversity, which they believe is the key to responsible use of both land and water. Turned out to each field in rotation, their livestock feed on the grass and leave behind manure. The manure helps keep the grass healthy, which prevents excess water runoff in the rainy season, and becomes part of a rich compost that can be used on the vegetables. Farmers’ market customers, who sidle up to the Walker Farms trailer at the farmers’ market, complete the cycle when they buy all-natural chicken, duck, pork, lamb, eggs and produce for their family table.
The Walkers have learned a lot, and not all from books. They’ve figured out how to protect their young chickens from the elements as well as predators, including ruthless raccoons and crow gangs. They know how to spot a stressed-out ewe and when to call the hatchery for the next delivery. How much Hamm’s beer per slug trap? Will Cornish Cross chickens expire from excess heat? Once beginners, they’re becoming experts.
This year, Randy is the president of the Lincoln County Small Farmers Association, which organizes the Saturday market in Newport.
“We’re very proud of the fact that we’re a local producer and that our product is made and consumed, for the most part, right here in Lincoln County,” Randy said. “And it feels really necessary, really important, for our county to have its own agricultural base. We have been very helpful to other farmers who are just beginning, and hope to encourage them, even if they’re competition. We want everybody who wants to do this to be successful.”

Thanks to Oregon Coast Today for Images and Text

oregoncoasttoday.com