The Evolution of Working Theory
TODAY
We cultivate community partnerships to connect with youth who have barriers to thriving within traditional systems.
The day-to-day work of farming offers many opportunities for building personal and social responsibility. As youth gain confidence and competence in the work, we trust them to steward the care of crops and livestock alike, and as a result develop a sense of responsibility and investment in the outcomes.
We invite corporate volunteer groups to the farm, exponentially increasing the productive labor force and creating an opportunity for young people to act as leaders among an audience of adult professionals, demonstrating their expertise and building soft skills along the way.
As a consequence of these efforts we produce a massive amount of quality food, the bulk of which will be donated to and through our community partners.
OUR STORY
Back in 2010, farm founder Justin Green left a career as a public high school teacher with the hope of leveraging his experience with struggling youth in an urban context through the development of a farm-based education program. He imagined opportunities for building personal and social responsibility through the day-to-day work of a farm, trusting and empowering young people through the stewardship of crops and livestock.
After a year-long apprenticeship on an educational farm, Justin established Working Theory Farm in 2011 with the hopes of further building experience to first become a better farmer and then eventually to invite youth and community volunteers to join in the effort.
He first landed on a rocky piece of soil in Vancouver, WA and taught himself how to start a farm from scratch. He marketed produce directly to consumers through a one-man farmer’s market, driving around greater Portland in a step van. (see video) He worked 18 hours a day and, in hindsight, did just about everything the hardest way possible.
In 2013 he found himself in the right place at the right time, and moved the farm to its present location -- 24 acres of leased land in SE Hillsboro, OR (more about the land later) -- which is just inside of Portland’s Urban Growth Boundary, minutes away from the corporate headquarters of Intel, Nike and dozens of other international corporations.
While we have witnessed suburban creep come right up to the edges of our fields, the farm remains a haven. Although our immediate community is now best known for growing subdivisions, the soil here is among the most fertile in the world. The water in the creek is clean and plentiful, and the wildlife abounds. We have pollinators galore thanks to immense biodiversity between the forest, the fields, the creek and, honestly, the abundant flower gardens of our new suburban neighbors.
We have several acres of annual veggies, a couple of acres of perennial fruit, and two orchards with fruit trees ranging from two to 72 years old. We raise hogs, lambs and chickens on pasture, which we process on farm and sell directly to individual buyers. We have UPick flowers and raspberries, as well as a small roadside stand where we market veggies, eggs and Halloween pumpkins to our immediate neighbors, who continue to grow in number.
Without any real plan, Working Theory grew over seven seasons to look exactly like the idyllic, diversified operation folks likely imagine when they dream of starting a farm.
“But,” you might ask, “what about the youth!?” In truth, we got caught up in the seasonal iteration, improvement and exploration of farming, and never came up for air long enough to reexamine what we are trying to accomplish out here. 2019 marked an end to that pattern, with the hiring of a farm manager and the transition to a non-profit model focused on youth education and being a low/no cost community food source.
In 2019 Capers Rumph was brought on as farm manager to dedicate herself full time to growing food and community partnerships. We officially became an Oregon state non profit, and began working together with Harkins House, Centro Cultural, Meals on Wheels, and Edwards Center. Read more about our community partners here.