Approaching a significant business milestone.

It is said that 50% of all small businesses close within the first five years. In March of 2024, Chesed Farms will begin its fifth year of operation. It is humbling to have reached this point, and the statistic brings an extra pause as we look into 2024 and make plans to ensure we put a mark on the win side for that small business statistic.

If you familiar with our journey up to this point know that we are a passionate and ambitious group. Launching Chesed Farms in March of 2020, growing mushrooms in my garage. And, thanks to you, our amazing customers that value fresh, high-quality, local produce, we were able to grow really fast. First moving the mushroom operation out of our garage and into a warehouse. Then, we added microgreen production at the end of 2021. In 2022, we acquired a beautiful greenhouse on 14-acres and added tomatoes, herbs, and even chickens.

All of that growth and growing is fun, but the most rewarding part has been all the people we have connected with.

• Subscribers to the Chesed Mushroom Medley have been a backbone since we began. Many of our current subscribers have been with us since the beginning!

• We cherish the interactions we have at all the farmer’s markets we have participated in. This includes: College Place (our first farmer’s market), Downtown Walla Walla, Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco. What a privilege to get to know so many people directly, especially all the amazing ways you enjoy our mushrooms!

• The produce and store managers of all the stores that have given our products space on their shelves, both physical and virtual. Blue Mountain Station Coop, Andy’s Market, Walla Walla Food Hub, Southgate Market, Highlands Organic Market, Frog Hollow Farm, A.R. Teal, Foodscape Walla Walla

• The restaurants that have featured our mushrooms and microgreens. Locally Nourished, Walla Walla Pasta Factory, Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, The Marc Restaurant, Walla Walla Steak Co., The Walls, The Kitchen at Abeja, Barnard Griffin, The Green Lantern Tavern, Castle Event Catering, Hedges Family Estate, The Vine at Cameo Heights, The Bonfire Trailer, Fat Rolls, Waterbrook, Hattaway’s on Alder, American 35, Bar Bacceto, Valdemar Estates, Eritage Resort, and Bon Appétit at Whitman College.

• Everyone that has attended one of our annual Wine and Mushroom events Barnard Griffin.

• Making regular donations to the Christian Aid Center and the Walla Walla Senior Center.

• Being a finalist in the Verge Conference 2023.

• Collaborating with other local producers and artisans in the creation of the Persistent Local Market and Valley to Table.

• Parntership to launch two new small businesses: Balsamroot Design -Permatculture Based Landscape Design and Paradise Cravings - Dehydrated Fruit Delights.

• Recognition we have received. Washington State’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2022, by the Washington State Main Street Program.

• Collaborating with All Things Artisan in Milton-Freewater to create freeze-dried mushrooms and mushroom powders.

• Last, but certainly not least, the partners, employees and interns that have put in the effort to move Chesed Farms forward. Jonathan, Noah, Arnold, Janice, Heather, Sarah, Casey, Tristen, Anthony, Anthony, Juliette, Ian, Kari, Kristopher, Abigail, Christian, Christopher, Grady, Dakota, Lydia, Mario, Wendy, Mason, Michael, Michal, Nathan, Richard, Cyrus, Theresa, Jason, Jen, and Rami.

All of these various efforts and accomplishments came by overcoming many significant challenges. The efforts ultimately stretched myself way to thin. I am grateful for the support group of people in my life that have spent the time and interest in helping me critically examine the business of Chesed Farms to create a strong plan to maximize the impact we have on our community, the region, and our families.

To reach our goals, and create some balance with my family life, we will focus on the core enterprises that make Chesed Farms successful. When we look back on our historical sales, 90% of our business comes from our mushroom production. So we have taken a critical look at the production for all the other crops and come to the decision that we will shutdown those operations.

There are five mushrooms that make up the lion share of those sales. Both from a production standpoint, and customer demand. Those varieties are: Lion’s Mane, Chestnut, Pearl and Blue Oyster, and the Royal Trumpet. Almost all of our mushroom production will shift to these varieties, and we will focus on growing those to the highest quality.

We also believe that variety is the spice of life. And, we love trying to grow different mushroom species. So, we will periodically make limited runs of new and familiar varieties not in standard production. These varieties will be included in the mushroom meldleys for our subscribers, and available at the farmer’s markets.

While we narrow our focus on what we grow, we are not loosing our drive to expand our production and distribution. As far as we know, we are currently the largest mushroom producer in the within 3-hours of Walla Walla. For 2024, we will make continued efforts to bring our mushrooms to more communities in the region. One part of this effort will be attending the Pendleton Farmer’s Market to start building a presence in that area! Check out our Where to Find Our Products page to see the stores, farmers markets, and restaurants we are working with.

Thank you for being on this journey with us.

In love & kindness :)

-Sundown and Team Chesed Farms