West Farm
Trout Lake Farm’s journey began in 1973 in the beautiful Trout Lake Valley, at the base of Mt. Adams, with a passion to bring organic botanicals to a new generation seeking holistic wellness.
Our vision started with a desire to produce the industry’s highest quality medicinal herbs, using only organic & sustainable farming methods, to a rapidly growing, health-conscious market. This remains our mission today!
The Trout Lake Valley (West Farm) hosts a temperate climate with nutrient-rich volcanic ash soils, glacier-fed irrigation water, and isolation from pollution. At over 300 acres, the West farm is the ideal climate for crops that prefer higher precipitation and cooler temperatures. Some of the botanicals grown here include Dandelion, Marshmallow, Oatstraw, Skullcap, and Valerian.
Meet Danielle Kruse – West Farm Manager
The queen of compost and sustainable farming! Danielle has been an integral part of the farm since her arrival in 2009. She is responsible for all farm & warehouse operations at our West Farm site, personally overseeing every last detail to ensure the highest quality. Danielle has been a leading force in the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) helping to make TLF an industry leader in food safety standards.
East Farm
In the early 1990s, Trout Lake Farm expanded to the Columbia Basin in Ephrata, WA (East Farm) in search of a climate that mirrored the primary herb-growing regions of Eastern Europe.
The high desert climate of the Columbia Basin, with nutrient-rich soil, ample water (thanks to the Grand Coulee Dam, constructed in the 1930s and 1940s, bringing water to this desert region), and a long hot growing season, make this the ideal environment for many of our crops. We are currently farming almost 800 acres at this location. Some of the botanicals grown here include Burdock, Catnip, Dandelion, Echinacea, Peppermint & Spearmint.
Meet Phil Hintz – East Farm Manager
Meet Phil Hintz – East Farm Manager
Born and raised on a farm in the Columbia Basin, Phil has a lifetime of agricultural experience. He was recruited in the spring of 1998 to manage Trout Lake farm’s East location. He is responsible for all farming operations, including an expanse of field-dried crops which rely on his significant expertise. During his tenure, Phil has been a strong proponent of modernizing Trout Lake Farm through innovation and technology.
Soil Nutrition
Healthy soil is an integral part of organic farming and essential in producing our desired yields. Crop rotation plays a huge part in this process by improving soil health & soil structure, reducing soil erosion, reducing pests, and providing disease control. All crops, which are not required for sale, are composted and added back into the soil.
Traceability
We maintain full control of the items we sell from seed to sale, making every lot fully and easily traceable. These steps include managing & documenting seed source (often our farm), documenting field location & planting date, harvest date, drying time & temperature, date of production & steam treatment, and finally, QC release for sale.
Organic Farming Practices & Sustainability
Innovation & Technology
In this modern day of agriculture, it would not be possible to remain competitive without technology. We are proud of the unique advancements that we have made, specific to our craft, that allow us to consistently deliver the crops that our customers rely on. This has been represented through modified combines for the harvest of Catnip & Peppermint, custom cultivation technology allowing us to cultivate within an inch of the plant, and new technologies coming soon, like laser weeding, which prevent soil disturbance during the growing season. All of these make us more efficient and able to achieve our target of 99% weed free at the time of harvest!
Human Factor
We must always consider the human factor. In organic farming, it is a symbiotic relationship between our people and our farm. It is our mission to inspire growth within our people, who in turn nourish our farm ecosystem. This ensures our business is a viable operation that will provide economic security and sustainability for the families who depend on it and have influential impact within our community.
