Families Team Up to Open Organic Farm in Kalispell

In recent weeks, for the first time in over 30 years, a tractor tilled the farmland on the historic homestead property along Whitefish Stage Road.

When the Bauer family first arrived on this plot of land in the early 1900s, it flourished into one of the first potato seed farms in Montana.

A hundred years later, the acreage on the north outskirts of Kalispell is revived as two families team up to establish a new organic farm serving the community.

Scott and Megan Lester have partnered with Ted and Julia Wycall to open Whitefish Stage Organic Farms, a 65-acre property that is being cultivated for the upcoming summer. The families have been working vigilantly since January to prepare the farm, which will offer a wide variety of vegetables, from eggplant, peppers, broccoli and kale to carrots, beets, radishes and potatoes.

“It’s progressing really good and coming together faster than I thought it would,” Megan Lester said.

The families hope to attract at least 100 members who sign up for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares this summer. CSAs have become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. The Flathead Valley is home to several farms that offer CSA shares as the farm-to-table movement continues to gain popularity in a state where agriculture is the top industry.

The Lesters, both Montana natives, came up with the idea for the new farm after traveling in France, where communities frequently host markets that provide easy access to fresh, local products. The Lesters saw how local farmers, bakers, butchers and craftsmen could thrive through this community-minded setup while consumers enjoyed quality, affordable opportunities.

“That’s how things have been done for thousands of years in Europe but we’ve lost that in the U.S. because our food system is so focused on efficiency and cost that consumers have unwittingly given up quality and locality,” Scott Lester said.

An unfortunate and well-known stat among producers is that farmers receive only 15.5 cents of the total food dollar. This 15.5 cents represents the value of — or costs of producing — the farm commodities that go into a typical dollar’s worth of food.

Yet, as the farm-to-table movement gains steam and local producers find ways to serve their communities with sustainable business models, farms such as the Lesters’ are surfacing.

“It’s about cutting out the middle men,” Lester said. “You can sell to people at lower prices because you’re cutting out so many middle men and so much transportation costs.”

As fate would have it, the Lesters found the Wycalls, who have been farmers for several years. While Scott and Megan have been working on the business side of their new farm, Ted and Julia have been busy preparing the land for a new life as an organic farm.

“The possibility for teamwork was really nice,” Ted Wycall said. “We were farmers without a farm. But we have all this equipment and the skills. I think we’re going to have a great team.”

The family is planting 7 acres this year with another 7 acres set aside for cover crop. They are using tractors and equipment to work the land but no pesticides of fertilizers. They have already applied for an official organic designation, which will arrive after they begin harvesting.

This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a significant increase in the number of certified organic operations, continuing the trend of double digit growth in the organic sector. According to new data, there are over 21,000 certified organic operations in the United States.

“Organic food is one of the fasting growing segments of American agriculture,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “As consumer demand for organic products continues to grow, the USDA organic seal has become a leading global standard. The increasing number of organic operations shows that USDA’s strong support for the vibrant organic sector is helping to create jobs and opportunities in rural communities.”

Whitefish Stage Organic Farms plans to offer CSA shares June 1 through November. Members will be able to pick up their weekly bundle of veggies at the farm, 2288 Whitefish Stage Road, on Wednesdays and Thursdays from noon to 6 p.m. Instead of being handed a box of food, members will be able to pick out their produce, similar to shopping at a grocery store.

“It’s really cool to have the opportunity to feed the local community,” Scott Lester said. “That’s what’s really exciting about it.”

For more information about Whitefish Stage Organic Farms or to register for a CSA, visit facebook.com/WhitefishStageOrganicFarms.