Episode #52: Christine Deck - Deck Family Farm, Willamette Valley, Oregon

MICROCOLLEGE: The Thoreau College Podcast

This week on the Microcollege podcast we explore the deeply important and little discussed question of who the farmers of the future will be and how they will be educated. Our guest is Christine Deck, co-owner of the Deck Family Farm in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Together with her husband John and their 5 kids, Christine runs a diversified organic farm that is also a remarkable residential hands-on school for aspiring young farmers, which gives students a chance to try out entrepreneurial ideas and even pays them a meaningful stipend while they do it.

Christine Deck's journey as a farmer has been built out of determination, and a deep-rooted passion for sustainable farming. Raised in the farming heartland of California's San Joaquin Valley, Christine grew up in a farming family that stretched back through generations. Her paternal grandfather tended to beef herds and walnut groves, while her maternal grandfather dedicated himself to dairy farming. However, the landscape of farming changed in the early 1970s when policies favoring large-scale corporate farming left small family operations like theirs struggling to survive. The trend was "Get big or get out!"

Despite seeing her family legacy lost to big AG Christine held onto the dream of traditional, sustainable and organic farming. Pursuing higher education at UC Davis as an animal science major, she initially aimed to attend medical school, viewing it as a means to gain the financial resources necessary to fulfill her farming aspirations. It was during her time at UC Davis that she met and married John Deck, and their shared vision for their future began to take shape.

As their family grew to include 5 children, so did their dreams of farming. By the time Christine graduated from UC Berkeley in Neurobiology and John completed his Master's in Environmental Science, it was obvious that the high land prices and barriers to entry in California's farming scene required them to seek opportunities elsewhere.

In 2004, the Deck family made the decision to relocate to the Willamette Valley of Oregon, where land was more affordable and conducive to their farming ambitions. There, they founded Deck Family Farm, a thriving operation encompassing a diverse range of endeavors. From raising beef, hogs, and meat birds to producing cheese, butter, and eggs, the farm has grown to encompass a market garden, orchard, and tree nuts.

Deck Family Farm is not just a business; it's also a community. With over 500 acres of grazed and cultivated land, 30 dedicated employees, and an education program welcoming 8-10 students annually, the farm is home to many of the “Farmily” members and a beacon of sustainable agriculture. From attending farmers' markets and running a CSA program to supplying grocery stores, institutions, and wholesale accounts, Deck Family Farm embodies the values of stewardship, quality, and community enrichment that Christine and John hold dear.

Now in their late 50’s with adult children and grandchildren on the farm the Deck’s are looking at the future and with the farm trainee program they continue to answer the question of who will be the next generation to hold the practice of environmental stewardship, food sovereignty, and community engagement. Christine’s hope is that her work will ignite and inspire more young farmers to invest in the farming lifestyle for generations to come.

Deck Family Farm: https://www.deckfamilyfarm.com/

Thoreau College: www.thoreaucollege.org

Driftless Folk School: www.driftlessfolkschool.org