Food Farmer Earth: Diversifying Helps Small Farm Thrive

"Diversifying my markets as a farmer has really helped me keep a cash flow coming in," said Theresa Draper of Draper Girls Country Farm in Parkdale, Oregon.

The second part of my interview with Theresa explores how she expanded her business from selling fruit at the family's farm stand to offering a u-pick option, and how she developed value-added products like cider, dried apples and jams. From there she started vending at farmers' markets, added a farm stay in the old family farmhouse and even sells the meat from her lambs.

Watch Part One of my interview with Theresa Draper of Draper Girls Country Farm. Read more about her and her farm.

Food Farmer Earth: You Pick, Everyone Wins

In this interview for Food Farmer Earth, I talk with Parkdale farmer Theresa Draper of Draper Girls Country Farm about why she finds it so much more satisfying having people harvest their own fruit from her orchards than selling her fruit to a packing plant.

Theresa Draper smiles when she talks about growing up among the orchards and fields of her family’s farm outside of Parkdale, Oregon. She remembered loving the feeling of picking fruit right from the trees whenever she wanted, and of helping on the farm driving tractors, changing sprinklers and thinning the fruit. These days she loves sharing the joy of the harvest with the families who come to pick fruit at her Draper Girls Country Farm.

Read the rest of my story about Theresa and her farm.

In this week's cooking segment, get the goods on three nutritious school lunches your kids will love. To find out more about this series of interviews with local food producers, and to get some terrific recipes featuring the ingredients discussed, consider a free subscription.