Named 2016 Organic Farmers of the Year by MOSES!
We are Beth Kazmar, Steve Pincus and our two children Ari and Sophie. We raise 45 acres of organic vegetables near Evansville, WI. Steve began farming in 1975 and Beth joined the operation in 1999. We purchased our current farm in 2001. We chose this particular farm because it has sandy soil that warms quickly in spring and allows us to get an early start on the growing season. As a result, our CSA begins weeks earlier than others. It helps that we are in southern Wisconsin, about 15 miles from the Illinois border.
Our farm and crops are certified organic. That means that we are biological farmers, interested in understanding the biology of our 45 crops so we can grow them better. Crops are fertilized with cover crops, rotten leaves and composted manures. Pests and diseases are controlled through pro-active management and gentle natural materials.
Half of our farm’s sales are through our CSA. The remaining sales are to natural food stores in Madison, Milwaukee and Janesville. If you shop at any of our wholesale customers below, then you may already be familiar with our produce. Willy Street Co-op East and North stores in Madison Willy Street Co-op-Westin Middleton Basics Co-opin Janesville All four Outpost Natural Foodsco-ops in Milwaukee, Mequon and Wauwatosa Good Harvest Marketin Pewaukee.
We are joined in our farming endeavor by many long-term employees. We rely on each of them. Do you have a favorite vegetable? So do we. Think about our hardworking field crew when you enjoy one of their favorites. Here are our workers, the year they started working for us, and their favorite crop from the farm.
Ava Ahnen (2022)My favorite vegetable is cucumbers because of the different ways they can be used! You can put cucumbers in salads, make pickles, or eat them fresh with dip. Bailey Boudreau (2023). Raul Casique Montes (2017)“Hot peppers because I like adding them to everything I cook.” Raul runs his own vegetable farm and makes amazing hot sauce from home grown chilis. Katie Eastman (2023)“Peppers, because they are fresh, crisp and sweet. I eat them like an apple and have always done that.”Mary Ann Eastman (2023). Aly Fry (2023). Charlotte Hammond (2016 – 2018, returned in 2021)“Romanesco cauliflower because it looks crazy and is delicious. I actually planted some in my home garden just in case. Some years we don’t get much here at the farm and I need it. Sometimes I look up Romanesco photos online just to stare at it.”Pete Hartman (2023)Pizza. Ken Kelly (worked for us many years, then returned in 2021)“That depends on the time of year. Watermelons for sure. During watermelon season, I’ll do a melon fast for a few days. Keeps you hydrated!Me: “Do you eat the seeds?”Ken: “Absolutely!”Vern Mahlkuch (2014, 2020 – 2023). Lizzy Neuenschwander (2023). Karen Nicholson (2013) Winter squash, because they signify the change of seasons. She appreciates the switch to cooking fall comfort foods that comes with winter squash. Most of all, she loves the ethereal light during fall squash harvests. By that time of year, we are racing the light during harvest but she loves the elongated shadows and finds the gold and silver colors poignant. Simone O’Donahue (1999)Simone loves peppers. She appreciates the variety of colors. A favorite job is re-potting the young plants in the warm, sunny greenhouse. She appreciates seasons when they are prolific, and has an affinity for this crop that grows well in hot summer weather. Disclaimer; Simone runs our pepper harvest crop. It’s a natural match. She also loves poblano chiles for their acoustics. They make the best rattling sound when you shake the plant or when you drop them in the basket. Ida Schley (2023). I forgot to ask Ida before she left for school but I can tell you she looked very happy during watermelon harvests!Maggie Schley (1999?)Maggie loves carrots and watermelons best. Tipi carrots are a big part of Maggie’s life.
