When you think high desert, you may imagine vast expanses of dry volcanic soil, scorched Earth-style lava rock, and very little biodiversity. It’s no wonder swaths of sharp basalt outcrops were used in the sixties to train for moon landings. Receiving less than eleven inches of rain per year, a post-apocalyptic landscape might be what most see when they look at the land. Since time immemorial, indigenous populations only traveled through the high desert seasonally when wild gathered resources were in season because the land could not sustain a population year-round.

Although there are agricultural hurdles in Central Oregon, not to mention the ever-expanding wildfire season, farmers like Sarahlee Lawrence and her husband Ashanti Samuels of Rainshadow Organics, know that the challenges are formidable because the rewards are paramount. With their eyes on regional food security and a whole lot of hard work mixed with good old-fashioned farm ingenuity, this couple will stop at nothing to cultivate soil that gets stronger and healthier every year and educate an entourage of locals, visitors, farmers in training, customers and the general public along the way. “If everybody is focused on feeding their communities, then everyone gets fed, and hunger is a thing of the past,” Lawrence said in an interview with Filson.

Nestled in a glacially carved valley between Sisters and Terrebonne, less than an hour from Bend, Rainshadow Organics farm is an oasis of fertility in a sea of desert. By design, Lawrence has taken the sandy loam, volcanic-rich till beneath her feet and nurtured it into fruitful soil where over 250 varieties of plants are now grown seasonally. Certified organic vegetables, grains, herbs, berries, flowers, pasture-raised, non-GMO, and chemical-free pork, chicken, eggs, turkey, and beef are all produced on land that has been in Lawrence’s family for three generations since the 1970s.

Born into a family of modern homesteaders, her grandparents owned and farmed the 265 acres south of the present Rainshadow Organics plot. Her parents David and Chris Lawrence leased and eventually bought the adjoining eighty acres from Priday Holmes. Through her childhood, attending Redmond High School, Lawrence’s family grew hay and cattle. Three generations of her family reside on the farm now.

“When Sarahlee got the bug to come home to the farm and start growing food, I was very skeptical, having lost more than a few gardens to a summer frost,” said Lawrence’s mom, Chris. “She got the bit between her teeth and started growing food and never looked back. Every year she adds new crops and varieties to the farm’s repertoire.”

Since first launching in 2010 as an organic garden farm, Rainshadow Organics has focused on creating rich soil which has led to their stronghold as one of the few local farms supplying organic food year-round in the region. They use sustainable organic farming methods, ones that were common before the advent of commercial farming. “We focus on creating healthy living soil that gets stronger every year, not weaker,” said Lawrence. “It’s our passion and the foundation of our farm.”

One of the methods Lawrence and her apprentices employ is fermented plant juice, also called comfrey or liquid fertilizer. It’s a special concoction tailored for and completely comprised of organic components from the farm. Using this approach, the cycle from planting, growing, harvesting, to rejuvenating the soil and starting all over is a closed loop cycle which dramatically lowers the eco footprint of the farm. Lawrence also looks to Korean natural farming techniques, Vandana Shiva’s organic seed saving practices and Letters To a Young Farmer for inspiration.

An author in her own right, Lawrence holds a master’s degree in environmental writing and is an expert oars woman and commercial raft guide. You can read about how these worlds collided with her drive to manage her family’s farm in her autobiography, River House: A Memoir.

On her most recent winter adventures rafting down the Grand Canyon, she brings her farm staff and provisions grown and prepared on her land. If you know anything about outfitting an expedition like a three-week winter rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, you know this is unheard of. One thing Lawrence makes a point to bring on her river expeditions, something she can’t live without: farm fresh milk.

Other critical practices which contribute to the health of Rainshadow’s soil include farming in support of microbial communities and using cereal grains as a rotating ground cover which have the bonus of feeding migratory birds as they fly through. Lawrence wants consumers to know, “the food you eat encompasses your biggest impact on the planet, so choose wisely.”

With a strong footing in the soil, Rainshadow has built out many services and farm offerings in the thirteen seasons they’ve been in operation. The extensive network of markets, restaurants and grocery stores Lawrence supplies with food is a testament to the enduring connections she maintains to her land and community.

In the last two years with the launch of Pitchfork T, their own beef brand label, husband Samuels has significantly expanded cattle capacity. Acquiring two ranching plots and increasing to over 300 head with plans to butcher 75 yearly, all Pitchfork T beef is grass-fed, pastured, GMO and chemical-free, and available year-round. Having filtered through many generations, calves are born, raised and live their entire lives on the ranch.

All the crops and offerings are grown and distributed within fifty miles of Rainshadow Organics through CSA programs including a summer, winter, and full diet year-round CSA. In addition, Rainshadow produce is available at the Farmer’s Market in Bend. Stop by and say hi to Sarahlee and her team. For a full listing of what’s included on each CSA, what veggies, grains and proteins are grown on the farm and suggested recipes, visit the Rainshadow Organics website. As a writer and farmer, CSA members enjoy Lawrence’s colorful farm newsletter, which anyone can sign-up for at no cost.

In 2017, Rainshadow Opened their Farm Store. The epitome of farm to table fine dining in the high desert, the kitchen is run by a professional chef who serves a long table dinner on Friday or Saturday nights (with a farm tour lead by Lawrence) and a Sunday brunch on the store’s enclosed porch. The store also hosts an assortment of canned goods from farm made tomato sauce to pickles. And in the summers, lunch is served to passersby. Rainshadow also hosts weddings, events and the odd traveler venturing along the Three Sisters Scenic Bike Route.

Jackson’s Corner near Downtown Bend has been a longtime supporter of Rainshadow (and farm to table offerings in general). They highlight Pitchfork-T beef and seasonal veggies on the menu at their European cafe style, neighborhood eatery. In fact, if you’re looking to track Lawrence down, if she isn’t on the farm, try to catch her post market in the summer or post CSA delivery in the winter at Jackson’s Corner. She’ll be enjoying the Thai salad and getting a pizza to-go for husband Samuels.

“Sarahlee, her husband Ashanti, and Jackson’s Corner really sort of grew together from the very beginning. At this point we have partnered on many things from potatoes, grains and flour, and beef for over a decade,” explains Jackson’s Corner owner and Executive Chef, Parker Vaughan. “It’s really a larger thing than just buying beef locally. My wife and I spend as much time as we can giving a helping hand to the beef operation which is awesome because I get to have a little time fulfilling my childhood dream of being a cowboy! So, you could say it’s about being a family, supporting each other in growth, and growing the local food economy in a way that doesn’t have to rely on much outside of the Central Oregon region. Rainshadow Organics and Pitchfork T are truly extensions of our families and businesses, and I know they see it that way as well.”

And, when Vaughan opened Blue Eyes in the Orchard District this winter, featuring take-away burgers, fries, shakes and cocktails, it was an easy decision where to source local ingredients. “Blue Eyes really exemplifies this in a very streamlined way. The back end of our business is truly about stimulating as much agriculture as we can support, and burgers and fries are great avenues for that. We are really good as a region at growing potatoes & onions and raising cattle; and I want to showcase that and celebrate that. Sarahlee, Ashanti and their families are some of the most amazing people I have ever met.”

After you visit Rainshadow Organics, we know you’ll have the bug and want to dive deeper into the Central Oregon agriculture scene. Here’s a listing of favorite locally grown marketplaces and farms to check out. For more information, contact the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance.

Central Oregon Locavore

Encouraging those in the region to shop local first, Locavore is a year-round, indoor farmers market with a bounty of local products. Food, produce, meats, locally crafted goods and more are under a centrally located roof on NE 3rd Street.

High Desert Food Trail

Featuring itineraries focused on craft beverages, farms and ranches, eateries, farmers markets and more, it doesn’t get much more local than this.

Sakari Farms

Experts in Inupiaq lineage, Sakari Farms offers a unique and diverse cultural perspective on the use of historical food systems ranging from Alaska to Oregon and regional tribal lands on Turtle Island.

Boundless Farmstead

Dedicated to the earth, to the community, and to growing the best food they can, Boundless is a beautiful family run farm in Alfalfa. They offer unique views on the concept of operating a “farmstead” and sell their produce through CSA options and at the local farmers markets.

The Central Oregon Seed Exchange

Gathers and saves seeds from Central Oregon to be grown in Central Oregon.