WSU EGGERT FAMILY ORGANIC FARM

By Terri Schmidt, Co-op volunteer writer

The Eggert Family Organic Farm at Washington State University was started in 2003 just west of the airport. One year later, Brad Jaeckel took over management and has been overseeing the farm and teaching students ever since. Brad has worked on farms since the late ‘90s and has his own organic acreage.

After the initial grant funding ended, the farm supported itself selling CSA boxes to the community. Garden space was limited at the old site, so in 2010 the farm moved to 30 acres on Animal Science Road. Currently, the certified organic farm utilizes ten acres. Amenities include four hoop houses, a climate controlled greenhouse, a harvest pavilion, and an irrigation system. The land was originally a cow pasture, so it had been fertilized naturally by manure. Brad said it’s common knowledge that “grasslands make the best soil.”

Brad said the advantage of organic farming is primarily environmental. They are limited in what they can apply to control weeds and pests and use organic materials whenever possible. They grow beneficial flowers, which attract insects. The healthy habitat also attracts advantageous birds like kestrels, owls, and hawks. Organic practices not only reduce pesticide ingestion, they also produce crops that are as high as they can be in nutrients and vitamins. “Our diet is one thing we can control to be healthier. I’m a big believer in health through nutritious food,” Brad said.

The farm grows a variety of vegetables and herbs and has an organic fruit orchard with trees bearing apples, Italian plums, peaches, pears, sweet and sour cherries, and five different nuts. On Fridays from 3 - 6 p.m. people are invited to purchase produce at their farm stand. There is an online ordering system if you want to order ahead. The farm sells a majority of it’s crop to the Moscow Food Co-op. They also sell to the Local Council on Aging, the Community Action Center, the WSU Food Pantry, and donate food to Food Not Bombs.

The farm is named for Chuck and Luanna Eggert, WSU alumni and owners of Pacific Natural Foods. They gave a very generous donation saying, “This gift reflects how much our whole family appreciates what the university is doing to prepare future leaders in the food industry, and in particular, the organic students.”

The WSU Eggert Family Organic Farm is a state-of-the-art teaching and research facility. Brad and his assistant manager, Garrett Waters, are paid employees of the farm, and the majority of work is done by WSU students. Brad teaches the students organic farming methods, and those majoring in Organic and Sustainable Farming are required to work 90 hours on the farm for college credit. The farm is also available for WSU scientists to conduct research. It is beneficial for researchers to have certified organic land for their experiments.

Brad and his wife, Kate, grow organic food on their own small acreage, Orchard Farm. They raise vegetables, along with herbs and flowers for Kate’s business, Orchard Farm Soaps. Their two children are off at school, so this is their first year as empty-nesters. When they are not working, the couple enjoys rafting and kayaking on rivers year-round, being with friends, and hiking on Moscow Mountain.

To learn more about the WSU Eggert Family Organic Farm, check out their website https://css.wsu.edu/organicfarm and Facebook page www.facebook.com/WSUOrganicFarm