Wedge Co-op- Q&A Regarding Gardens of Eagan Purchase

What is Gardens of Eagan?

Gardens of Eagan (www.gardensofeagan.com), located in Farmington, Minn., is a certified-organic farm about 40 minutes southeast of Minneapolis, owned by Atina and Martin Diffley. The Diffleys have devoted their farm and their lives to growing produce organically for the Twin Cities community, friends and their family. Gardens of Eagan’s popular organic and local produce — including sweet corn, tomatoes, melons and a variety of other crops — is available in season at the Wedge and other Twin Cities’ natural food co-ops and other area stores.

Why is the Wedge buying Gardens of Eagan farm?

The Wedge is proud to help members, shoppers and the broader community connect as closely as possible with the farmers who produce their food. The co-op is always looking for innovative ways to expand on its mission to deepen its members’, shoppers’ and the broader community’s understanding of where their food comes from, and how production, distribution and purchasing decisions effect the environment, community, people and the world.

Owning an organic farm, particularly one so close to the city, will allow us to broaden our educational outreach – through organic farming internships, tours and other learning opportunities.

Gardens of Eagan already is focused on community education. We want to greatly enhance this outreach, inviting more schools and groups to visit and tour and get hands-on farming experience, increasing guided tours, in-school education and more.

Through this work, we’ll seek to help people better understand the social, economic, community and healthful benefits of organic farming. We’ll seek to inspire and educate the next generation of farmers.

Organic farming is about 1 percent of agriculture in the nation today.  That should grow, and we look forward to helping make that happen. 

Similarly, Atina and Martin Diffley want to devote more of their life’s work to educating others on organics – through research, writing, hosting tours, and other activities.  We’re delighted that much of these activities will be centered around Gardens of Eagan.

And, our desire is to ensure a secure source of organic produce to our co-op and our fellow co-ops. So, of course, we look forward to playing a more in-depth role in providing the community with nutritious and delicious produce – whether it’s through the Wedge, the 11 other Twin Cities co-ops, and other outlets. 

Who will manage the farm and this outreach?

Garden of Eagan will have a new farm manager, Linda Halley, who has farmed in this area for more than 20 years. She will be coming here from the Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens in Santa Barbara, Calif., a non-profit, 100 year old organic farm dedicated in part to educating the community on the viability of organic farming. As the farm’s manager, she educated school children and community groups on organic farming and sustainable eating. During her tenure at Fairview Gardens she established teaching partnerships with the University of California – Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara City College, redesigned the farm apprenticeship curriculum, and doubled the number of families who participated in Community Supported Agriculture.

Previously, Halley co-owned and operated Harmony Valley Farm in Viroqua, Wis., a celebrated and diverse organic produce and Angus operation. In 2003, the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service named Halley Farmer of the Year as part of her co-ownership with Harmony Valley.

In 2003, the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service named Linda Farmer of the Year as part of her co-ownership with Harmony Valley.

We’re excited to be playing a role in bringing Linda back to the community to continue her good work.

How did the Wedge’s purchase of Gardens of Eagan come about?

The Wedge has long had a strong and trusting relationship with Martin and Atina Diffley and their Gardens of Eagan. We are in constant communication with one another. In recent years, through ongoing conversations, their interest in easing out of farming naturally presented itself through ongoing conversations.

According to Atina:

“In 2000, Martin turned 50 and we started to think about the future of the farm. We knew we didn’t want to keep farming into our senior years. And, we knew that our children did not want to take over the farm. 

“So, we asked ourselves, ‘what can we do to ensure Gardens of Eagan keeps its tradition of growing organics and educating others?’ ‘How can we protect the integrity of the farm without owning it?’ ‘How can we ensure the area co-ops will still have a supply of local, organic produce?’

“We decided that whatever we did to ensure this, it should serve as an inspiration for other organic farmers nationwide in similar situations.

“About 18 months ago, we shared our feelings with the Wedge, our largest customer.  Just as they do whenever we presented an idea to them, they responded, ‘What can we do to help?’ Their purchasing our farm was one of the solutions we suggested.  That conversation evolved into the agreement we’ve reached today.”

What’s the timeline?

The Wedge will begin transitioning its ownership of Gardens of Eagan on Jan. 1, 2008. Beginning Jan. 1, 2008, a two-year lease will go into effect and within those two years we will exercise our option to purchase. The farm will be owned and operated by the Wedge as Gardens of Eagan in the form of an LLC. 

Will Atina and Martin Diffley still be involved? What about other farm employees?

Yes, the Diffleys will continue to be involved. Other employees who have worked hard to help grow Gardens of Eagan will continue their work on the farm.

Linda will begin working with the Diffleys on Jan. 1, the same day she becomes farm manager. Linda has been friends with the Diffleys for years. They are like family.

Gardens of Eagan supplies many grocers – co-ops, natural food stores and mainstream grocers – throughout the Twin Cities. Will this change?

The farm looks forward to continuing to supply all of its current customers with the same level of service and delicious organic produce they’ve come to expect from Gardens of Eagan. 

It will be the same routes, same prices, same crops and the same faces. 

Will the organic crops currently grown on the farm continue to be produced?

Yes, the wonderful array of fresh produce, including the farm’s famous sweet corn, will continue to be organically grown. If anything, the number of organic crops planted will be expanded.

Will the Wedge grow other organic crops on the farm?

The Wedge will continue to support and purchase produce from other farms, we hope our direct involvement in farming will strengthen our ability to support other existing farms.

Successful farming requires flexibility. We’ll continue working with other area organic farmers in cooperation, and adjust our crop based on that cooperation.

Does this mean the Wedge has no plans to open another store?

While the Wedge can’t predict the future, the co-op currently does not believe it makes good business sense to open another store.

Do you hope other grocers or cooperatives will follow the Wedge’s lead?

One of the Wedge’s core principles is “concern for the community.”  By purchasing Gardens of Eagan, we are ensuring the farm will not be bought by an entity that would convert the land to conventional farming and/or develop the land for something other than farming.

We like to see this as a pilot program for other co-ops nationwide. What becomes of retiring organic farmers who do not have a family member or trusted friend willing to assume the ownership and preserve the land?

In these situations, we hope other co-op grocers will consider purchasing them. We’d like to think it’s much better for a co-op to purchase an organic farm than a conventional farm corporation or – heaven forbid – a condo developer. or Pro