Why You Don’t Have to Suck at Succulents!  We hear this a lot every week at the Farmers Market, “oh I’m terrible with plants and they don’t like me” while they’re looking at our cacti, succulents and vegetable starts. Here are ten things I’ve learned while raising and selling cacti that might be helpful for those of you who’ve gotten the growing bug:  1. Pick the right variety and specimen.  Most all succulents are in the cacti family, but not all cacti are succulents. Makes sense? No, not to us either except, generally, those cacti with spines are not succulents. [...]

Mitch Lewis had no idea when he scaled Mount Everest that lessons he learned in climbing the highest peaks around the world would help operate a Thurston County regenerative farm and gathering space. But that’s exactly what happened. And today, Summit Farms reflects the values he and spouse Michelle gathered along a global journey that brought them to their farm’s 28 bucolic acres near Millersylvania State Park. “You can’t do it alone,” says Mitch in describing what climbing taught him about life. “You are part of a small team and a bigger team of a global community. You will have a lot of [...]

It is a term I was not familiar with before I became a farmer; this ‘Overwintering.’  As our season concluded near the end of October, it was time to plant garlic, red shallots, and onions for spring reawakening – they will overwinter through rain, cold, snow and reduced light – kind of like us humans.  In my past corporate life, I became very accustomed to the quarterly and yearly ‘Rhythm Of the Business’. Between quarterly business reviews, annual strategy sessions, team-building offsites, industry trade-shows, partner conferences, sales kick-offs, mandatory trainings, performance appraisals and customer meetings, you knew where you were [...]

Update: June 6th: We were beyond excited to be nominated for the annual Thurston County Tourism Awards in the Boldness in Tourism category. Though we didn’t win, our gratitude and appreciation to the Experience Olympia and Beyond team for putting on a fabulous event with aerial performances, amazing food, art and great networking. Thank you Annette Pitts Jeff Bowe Melissa Elkins ! The local economic multipliers of Agritourism are a key element of the County’s sustainable growth plans. Click here to read LinkedIn post   Orignal Article: OLYMPIA (May 22, 2023) – Experience Olympia and Beyond, Thurston County's visitor and convention bureau, is proud to announce the [...]

[Thanks to the magic of A.I. and the emerging field of Biophysics Agra Communications (B.A.C.), -wink- I was able to interview one of my Cherokee Purple tomato seeds, just before they were sown and then reborn.] Farmer Mitch: Good morning seed, what should I call you? Cherokee Purple: Good morning, Farmer and thank you for asking! My Latin name is Solanum lycpersicum, though I’m usually known as Cherokee Purple, but you can call me CP1!  FM: Thanks, can you tell me your origin story? CP1: I am what is known as an Heirloom variety of tomato, which means my lineage must be [...]

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (MARKET) * 2022, 13th Edition Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Summit Farms - Mitch, Michelle, Sadie & DeSoto T’was the night before the Christmas Market, Everybody was last-minute shopping, no room to car-park it, When all through the land, All the creatures were stirring, iPhone 14s in hand. Wishes and dreams were hung by the burn-pile with care, Believing that St. Oly soon would be there. The old folks were nestled all snug in their roles, While visions of produce danced in their souls. Michelle in her robe, and me in my PJs, [...]

1. Location, Location, Location! We are located about an hour south of Seattle International Airport (SeaTac), and less than ten minutes from Interstate 5 (I5); yet the 28 acres of natural beauty will transport you and your team to rural, rustic environment including a century-old homestead, working organic methods farm and a heritage-listed big red barn. 2. Stress-Free Logistics We’d love to work with the meeting planner, EA or project manager to organize every aspect for your group from transportation to local hotels, to on-site tent camping and once on the farm, the white (work)-glove treatment continues.  Our goal [...]