Big Changes at Heathen Farms: New Growing Beds, Neighbor’s Harvest & Farm Expansion

The 2027 growing season may still feel a long way off, but here at Heathen Farms, the work has already started.

This week, we’re taking one of the biggest steps forward our little family farm has made yet.

A large new section of ground is being prepared for growing, giving us roughly five times the growing space of one of our current backyard garden areas. At the same time, the Neighbor’s Harvest community growing bed is being prepared right alongside our own production beds.

We want the Neighbor’s Harvest space to receive the same attention and soil-building work as everything we grow for the farm.

Before the ground is worked, we’re spreading aged leaves and horse manure across the growing areas. Afterward, we’ll seed forage turnips and other cover crops to protect and improve the soil through fall and winter. The goal is simple: when spring arrives, we want these beds as healthy and planting-ready as we can possibly make them.

Neighbor’s Harvest Is Growing Too

Neighbor’s Harvest is becoming much more than a garden bed.

We’re planning a dedicated entrance surrounded by reclaimed white fencing, with a cattle-panel arch covered in flowers leading into the growing area. Eventually, this will become a welcoming space where locally grown produce can be distributed directly to families in our community.

The money donated specifically to Neighbor’s Harvest will remain dedicated to that project and can help cover things such as compost, mulch, and other materials needed to keep the bed productive.

Building the Farm With What We Have

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned while building Heathen Farms is that growth doesn’t always mean buying something new.

Recently, we were given a large shed in excellent condition that we hope to turn into a future wash-and-pack station for harvested produce.

We were also given roughly 1,200 square feet of concrete pavers along with river stone. We’ve been hauling the pavers home one load at a time, and they’ll eventually be used throughout the farm for cleaner work areas, paths, and infrastructure.

Every reused material saves money that can instead go toward seeds, compost, equipment, growing supplies, and the things that directly help us produce food.

Farming Is Rarely Predictable

Of course, progress doesn’t mean everything goes perfectly.

A recent storm damaged much of our lettuce crop, which means we’ll have a temporary gap in lettuce availability at upcoming markets. That’s frustrating, especially because lettuce has become one of our stronger market crops.

But farming teaches you very quickly that you don’t get to control everything.

You adjust, replant, rebuild, and keep going.

And that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Looking Toward 2027

Between the expanded growing space, improvements to Neighbor’s Harvest, reclaimed materials, and plans for a dedicated wash-and-pack area, Heathen Farms is heading into the next growing season with more infrastructure and more potential than we’ve ever had before.

There’s still a lot of work ahead.

But the ground is getting prepared now.

And by Frey’s Hand, bounty grows.

— Heathen Farms