We're a permaculture paradise for suburban families
We're on a mission to inspire a generation of young people deeply connected to nature, passionate about sustainable living, and equipped with the practical skills necessary to create a brighter, more resilient future.
H A W T H O R N F A R M | W O O D I N V I L L E, W A
A teaching farm with great food, practical skills, and memorable stories.
Raising kids in a suburban environment can be challenging, but we believe that by providing access to farm skills, gardening, nature connection, archery, and homesteading skills, we can help you create a vibrant, sustainable, and regenerative community right in your own backyard.
Want us to speak at an event?
That’s one of our favorite things to do. We love telling stories about connections between people, history, and landscape. Our inspiring farm pictures and hopeful story have been warmly received at book groups, garden clubs, churches, and retreats. We bring real-world perspective to local food discussion.
Winter Wren Woods
These 4.23 acres joined the farm in 2014. 4 acres are in a forest stewardship plan, where the goal is to have old-growth cedar forest in 200 years. Daniels Creek runs through it—the creek was named that even before Daniel started visiting it every day. The woods graciously host many of our programs.
Gardens
This is where the magic happens. The sunlight that falls on this ground turns into tasty food. What! With greenhouses and plenty of space, we are able to grow food for us and our animals. The Farmily eats well from the garden all year long.
Campsite in the forest
If your family just can't get enough Hawthorn Farm time, reserve our campsite and spend the night! Be part of the farm scene, and roam the forest to your heart's content.
​
O U R S T O R Y | T H E F O O D C H A L L E N G E
Daniel said, “Do you think we can eat only food we’ve harvested by hand for the next two days?”
We did. Then we did it again during his next visit. Six years later, we spent an entire year eating hand-harvested food. Talk about a specialized diet. No eating out. No bought food, no need to set foot in a grocery store. If we wanted salt, we went to the sea.
Countless Hours Researched
We learned. A lot. We learned how to grow a garden, not to leave beets exposed during a freeze and where it’s legal to pick up road-killed deer.
PB
Peanut butter cravings
We pretty much gave up sweeteners, caffeine, and alcohol. With only a few moments of missing peanut butter and a couple of (unintentional) slip-ups.
We got married!
We had an incredible celebration of connected community, and many hands prepared the food.
Abundance of Food
We could have done it more simply. Now we are better at growing just what we need. We don’t go to the grocery store very much anymore.
Where we are today...
Daniel and Alexia are longtime educators with a passion for authentic earth-based skills. As suburbia grew up around them, it made sense to share these skills with people eager to learn. With help from an amazing "Farmily" and a lively crew of program helpers, Hawthorn Farm has offered learning opportunities for the past 15 years. We value long-term relationships with the families we serve, and strive to live our ideals of good food within walking distance for everyone.
Alexia Allen (she/her)
Alexia Allen has been living at Hawthorn Farm since 2003, creating her ideal world with beautiful gardens, wild space, happy farm animals, and strong human relationships. With 20 years of nature study, Alexia appreciates the interconnectedness between ecological and human communities. Creativity drives her life, from stylish felt vests to delicious goat cheese.
Ponies
Duke is our retired Amish pony. Flanked by JJ and mini Nutmeg, the ponies provide manure, traction, mowing services, self-reflection, and joy.
Goats
We've been milking goats since 2012, and settled on Nigerian Dwarf goats for their small size and creamy milk. Freya, Pumpkin, and young Pipsqueak are like friendly dogs--but with goat cheese benefits! They convert blackberry brambles into rich yogurt and buckets of cheese.
Rabbits
These fuzzies convert weeds into tasty protein, and provide manure for the garden. They grow a lot on food grown on site, making them a more sustainable choice than chickens. The American Chinchilla breed is calm, friendly, and worth preserving.
Animals on the Farm
Hens
Our flock of 24+/- Delaware breed layers scratch and fertilize our gardens in the winter, and mow our pastures in the summer. A steady stream of brown eggs flows from their pens. We hatch our own eggs to develop a strain of robust, locally-adapted birds.
Ducks
If we had to choose a perfect partner for Pacific NW gardening, we choose ducks. They bask in rain, rejoice in puddles, and can even swallow slugs. It’s only possible for us to grow kale and cabbages because ducks roam the garden borders on daily slug patrol. They also produce rich pasture-powered eggs.
Wildlife
We take our role as ecosystem stewards and habitat creators seriously. Mason bee houses, native plantings, hedgerows... Check, check, check. A functioning ecosystem provides huge benefits, from soil health to pollination. And drama! What does it sound like when a bobcat is sneaking past the farm?