Our Farm…
Welcome to the Redwood Coast…
Here in the far northwest corner of California we are blessed with a prime environment to grow high quality medicinal herbs. We are surrounded by natural beauty and pristine wilderness and we think that wildness finds its way into the plants we grow here.
Our farm is located in the Eel River Valley, just south of the Humboldt Bay. We share this valley, almost exclusively with organic dairy farmers creating a pesticide free buffer in which to grow our herbs. As part of our mission to bring you wholesome and pure products, we will always strive to grow our herbs away from highways or other sources of contaminants.
Our Philosophy
For millions of years animals and plants have coevolved to rely on each-other. Humans have used plant-based medicine to heal and help keep ourselves healthy for as long as we have existed. Modern science has only reinforced what so many have known for centuries, that plants can produce a wide variety of bioactive compounds that can help the body reduce inflammation, increase cognition, vitality, circulation and strengthen the immune system. Here at Five Finger Farm, our goal is to grow these many plant species with care and integrity in order to produce the most powerful plant medicine.
We use organic and microbiologically vibrant farming processes. This means that we take special care to maintain and enhance the soil on many different spectrums.
The first is how we physically treat the soil, and while we do use tractors and mechanical cultivators, we minimize the damage and frequency by monitoring soil moisture and consistency very carefully. Secondly, we use only organic amendments in a diversity of forms and sources. This diversity of inputs provides a buffet for soil microbiology and local insects and pollinators. By feeding the soil a complex diet, we hope to end up with a complex ecosystem.
We also work to make sure that our farm serves as habitat to local insects, birds, amphibians and other small animals. To do this, we leave certain hedges and margins with tall flowering plants and miscellaneous native plants. This provides shade and shelter, which encourages biological communities. Our goal is not just to have a farm, but a wonderland of biology and nature, because nature produces the best results every time.
Our Journey
Isis Walls and Jacob Ferdman founded Five Finger Farms officially in 2019. After 4 years of trials and planning, the two launched a Kickstarter Campaign to raise money to rent a 10-acre parcel to grow medicinal herbs. Thanks to the generous contributions of 72 people, the farm was funded and ground was broken in April of 2019.
Most of 2019 was dedicated to setting up essential infrastructure and running large scale trials. However, with all the success and failures of starting any project from scratch, the farm was able to grow a large and healthy crop of Calendula flowers, our flagship herb.
Calendula is well adapted to our environment here along the north coast and Five Finger Farms will soon be positioned to be harvesting and shipping calendula year round! Herbalists and small business owners are encouraged to contact the farm for large orders or product reservation. Our goal is to supply our local producers with the herbal materials they need at competitive prices.
Hope to hear from you soon!
- Jacob Ferdman and Isis Walls Five Finger Farms
