Organic Produce & Flowers grown in Hood River, Oregon
Our Story
We moved to our property in Hood River six years ago, with a brand-new baby and a two year old. We had left Portland and a life we loved to try to be more connected with the seasons, and to hone essential skills like growing our own food. Nick brought with him a love of cooking and gardening, and I brought a passion for writing and the outdoors. We were sad to leave our more predictable life in Portland behind, but as NIck mentioned as we wound down our rural road to our new home, This is the story of our life, we might as well make it interesting.
Our plan was to homestead, have a large garden, a few pastured pets, and a life infused with family time and the appreciation of life. At the suggestion of Nick’s Uncle Jack, www.wintergreenfarm.com, we decided in 2005 to start a small CSA to share the abundance from our garden. Also that year, we had an opportunity to buy 3,000 peony plants” dirt-cheap.” Peonies have always been Nick’s favorite flower—a tribute to his mother—and his motto has been let’s grow what we love. Little did we know that planting those peonies led to the digging of a pond (for drainage), the purchase of a sophisticated drip irrigation system, and a tractor. In the coming years we added three more acres of flowers, a walk-in cooler in our barn,and a refrigerated Sprinter Van (for delivery into Portland). 
In the first year of running our CSA we ate only peanut butter sandwiches, hired more help than we could afford, and worked according to daylight hours, which in the summer stretches from 5:30 am to 9:00 pm. Oh yes, and we remodeled our old farm house.
Somehow we survived and have grown and learned a ton through experience and mistakes. Our CSA now has 60 shares, feeding around 80 families. We have also been at every Gorge Grown Thursday Farmers’ Market over the past four years and will continue to have a booth there. We also sell our vegetables to several local restaurants who appreciate and support local, seasonal food: Celilo Restaurant; Nora’s Table and Sophie's Restaurant.
Our flowers have also grown and blossomed over the years. We have a wonderful variety of specialty cut flowers; we are proud to be growing organically and biodynamically and being good stewards of our environment. We also care deeply about the quality of our flowers. Nick seems to have a relationship with his flowers (one that I feel jealous of for most of the summer). Every morning and evening he wanders row after row checking for signs of distress, and for ripeness. He is sensitive to harvest in the cool times of day (even to the annoyance to his family who is having dinner without him) and he stores them for longevity in the cooler.
Several times a week we take our flowers to Portland and sell them directly to florists at the Portland Wholesale Flower Market. We also have a few crops that we ship to national wholesalers. Over the last three years we’ve been selling bouquets in May and June at the PSU Saturday Portland 
Farmers’ Market. More do-it-yourself brides have also found out about us, we sell flowers bunched in buckets to local weddings. Many of these weddings are at parks or private homes, but also at the many beautiful wedding sites around the Gorge including Gorge Crest Vineyards and Mt. Hood Organic Farms.
We are now in our fifth year of farming, have a family of five, and have learned a lot about farming and about running a small business. The economy has been tough, but our passion for healthy food, being connected in a community, and encouraging beauty in our surroundings has strengthened. We look forward to another growing season, building more relationships, and putting our values into action.
Our Location
Our property borders the Hood River. We are located about an hour east of Portland, Oregon. Our young family lives, works and plays on our forty acres. Contact us: Nicholas & Kristin Walrod, 2665 Reed Road, Hood River, Oregon 97031, 541-386-6930, or email eatwell@dancingmoonfarm.com Love is an Action. Kristin & Nicholas Walrod
- To produce healthy and beautiful food and flowers using organic and biodynamic methods
- To be connected and engaged in our community, working collaboratively
- To be challenged and stimulated physically and intellectually
- To be well-balanced and available for family and friends
- To have a family-friendly business
- To be creative thinkers often contrarian in nature to recognize common sense and opportunity
- To make a conscious effort to use local resources and to serve the local community
- To have our endeavors reflect our personal taste and style
- To be sustainable, resourceful, respectful and appreciative of our land and our environment
Resources and Links: Markets, Farming, Restaurants, Weddings
Gorge Grown Food Network
This is a vital community group which coordinates and encourages the local growth and consumption of healthy food. In addition to education and wellness projects, Gorge Grown Food Network has operated a farmers' market. We are proud to be a part of this grassroots organization. GORGE GROWN THURSDAY FARMERS MARKET AT THE HOOD RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL STARTS JUNE 3RD.www.gorgegrown.com
Portland Farmers' Market
We love being at the PSU Portland Farmers' Market on Saturdays! We are selling mixed bouquets (peonies, irises and snowball viburnum. Find our booth: www.portlandfarmersmarket.org
Local Harvest
An excellent site both in look and content which enables searching for locally-grown food in all parts of the United States.
www.localharvest.org
Oregon Tilth
Oregon's leading promoter of organic agriculture and sustainable farming practices. Oregon Tilth is a non-profit organization that provides organic certification to farmers, processors, and retailers worldwide.www.tilth.org
The Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association
A comprehensive site maintained by the non-profit organization which supports biodynamics and CSAs.www.biodynamics.com/
Oregon Biodynamic Group
This site provides lots of information about the local biodynamic organization, which sponsors meetings and events throughout the year. www.oregonbd.org
Winter Green Farm
This is our uncle and aunt's farm in Noti, Oregon, where we draw inspiration and practical resources. They have a 425 member CSA and participate in three Farmers Markets around the state.
www.wintergreenfarm.com
The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers
The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers was formed to unite and inform growers in the production and marketing of field and greenhouse cut flowers. They provide information on growing techniques, marketing strategies, and new developments in the industry. We are excited to be a member of this national organization.www.ascfg.org
Lucy's Informal Flowers
A local florist that we sell to and love to work together with on weddings.
http://www.informalflowers.com
Celilo Restaurant
Chef Ben Stenn is creative in his use of local, seasonal foods. We love providing him with our produce. www.celilorestaurant.com
Nora's Table
Kathy Watson supports local produce and keeps you informed through her blog and newsletters. www.norastable.com
Sophie's Restaurant
A few blocks from downtown, another wonderful place to eat in Hood River. www.sophieshoodriver.com
Mt Hood Organic Farms
A beautiful place to get married. www.mthoodorganicfarm.com
Gorge Crest Vineyards
Beautiful sweeping views, fully equiped for your wedding. www.gorgecrestvineyards.com
Thank you for visiting www.dancingmoonfarm.com.