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The 60 acres of orchards not only provide a scenic foreground for stunning landscapes of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams, but also offer an insider's view of a working farm that produces 1.2 million pounds and 20 varieties of apples and pears each year. In fact, the Hood River Valley's farms grow 30 percent of the nation's winter pears.
Although the farm dates to the turn of the century (the main farmhouse was built in 1904), John and Brady Jacobson began working the orchards in 1981. Inspired by European techniques and committed to sustainable land use, the Jacobsons undertook an extensive orchard renovation and transition to organic farming that resulted in full organic certification in 1989 - the first farm in the valley to achieve this status. Numerous publications from The Oregonian to the Good Fruit Grower have written articles about the farm, and the BBC and PBS have also interviewed and filmed here.
As better reflects their view of the importance of the integration of the natual landscape and wildlife into their farming practices, and returning to the deeper origins of the organic movement, Brady and John are pursuing certification as Biodynamic® growers. They also take pride in selling directly to loyal customers of the farm, as well as to regional markets, and donate a portion of their produce to School Aid®, a program in partnership with local markets and the Oregon Food Bank.
