A combination of patience, dreaming, hard work, and serendipity has moved Oak Savanna (formerly Mushrooms and Swine, now Mushrooms and Veg) up to trust land in the beautiful region we have always dreamed of farming in: the Driftless, northeastern Iowa.

A big thanks to both PFI and the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT) for the opportunity. Our first year of our very own vegetable production will take place during the 2017 growing season, after nearly a full decade of being involved in and/or managing other farmers’ operations around the country (and for some of us, the globe). We’ve already relocated our hundreds of shiitake logs to the woods of this splendid new property.

Our landowner, Steve Beaumont, donated his land generously to SILT in order to place it in permanent environmental protection and sustainable agricultural food production. In search of farmers to match with the land, SILT and Steve have both accepted us to be the land’s resident farmers, and thus Oak Savanna’s move and transformation was completed!

Our first season will start with 2 ample acres, cultivated right at the very top of a 1200-foot high bluff, with spectacular panoramic views for miles all around of the remaining countryside. Never did we think that our sustainable farming ambitions would climb to such heights, both literally and figuratively! Previously, the bluff-top property was planted and managed in prairie restoration by Beaumont himself for 20 years.

Our plans are to be present at both the Downtown Cedar Rapids and Downtown Dubuque Farmers Markets, and hopefully the Thursday Cedar Falls market to come, with our vegetable produce and shiitake mushrooms grown sustainably and ethically to minimize our impacts the environment.

Stay tuned for more forthcoming news and updates! We are excited to be living in such a gorgeous natural landscape, to finally establish our farming dream, and to be an active part of making our local food system more ethical and sustainable.

To learn more, send us an email or come visit us at our market stands when market season begins!