Nourishing people and working closely with the land are two of Kim Kambak’s and Dennis Kostelecky’s most important priorities. The husband and wife team run The Last Stand Farm in Prineville, Oregon which offers CSA boxes brimming with salad greens, cucumbers, melons, potatoes, tomatoes, root vegetables and much more. These boxes cost $550 per season ($638 with eggs). The Last Stand Farm offers 16 shares per season, with a semi-flexible share purchasing deadline of May 1st. (If there are still shares available, LSF will offer these to customers after the deadline date.)
As with most small farms, LSF’s boxes will generally feed a family of four. The boxes will be available for pickup at the farm or at the Kostelecky-Kambak home in Prineville, and probably at one or more locations in Bend.
What makes The Last Stand Farm special? It operates as a “whole organism,” says Kambak. The chickens create manure, which goes into the compost. The soil is fed with this compost, and biodynamic preps. This rich, healthy soil nurtures biodynamic and heirloom seeds, providing a plethora of beautiful, organic produce for LSF customers. Kambak is passionate about biodynamic farming. “[It] heals the earth,” she says, “and provides nutrient dense food to nourish people.”
Kambak retired from a career in education to follow the call of farming. The connection she and her husband have to the land runs in their blood. They love the work involved, the relationship between the farmer and the fields, the early morning chores, and the tangible rewards of their efforts.
Kambak states that small farms and businesses are “the essence of a healthy community.” The Last Stand Farm is certainly a testament to that, existing not only as a natural sanctuary in a rapidly-growing county, but as a gathering place for friends, family, and customers who come to learn, and to interact with the land and animals around them. “We love work days when we share our gardening/farming tips with others and help people become more secure about their food and able to grow more food for themselves.”
For more information about Last Stand Farm, or to purchase a CSA share, click here.
If you liked this article and want to be informed when future articles are published, please click on the Subcribe button above.
Comments
Wonderful article, Y! I could almost taste the food as I was reading it. Is this place close to you? I wonder where I should look (as far as an internet search) to see if we have something like this close to us.
Hi Heather!
Thank you. And in answer to your question, there is a national website called Local Harvest which keeps a list of many small farms around the US. You can even look up what you want by subject (CSA, for example). It is a fantastic resource!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!