Everything starts with soil.

Acania is a living landscape where soil, farming, and research come together to nourish people and possibility.

Where land & people thrive together

We believe soil health is the foundation of resilient farms, nourishing food, and long-term well being.

Acania is a 93-acre diversified ecological farm and field research site in Helvetia, Oregon with vegetable gardens, orchards, vineyards, herb gardens, pasture, and forest. We grow food for our community while documenting how living soil shapes plant vitality, food quality, and human well being.

Onions from the market garden
Chickens among the blackberries
Fresh picked fruit ready for market
Poppies in the Herb Garden
Cucumbers from the Market Garden
Onions from the market garden
Chickens among the blackberries
Fresh picked fruit ready for market
Poppies in the Herb Garden
Cucumbers from the Market Garden
What we do

We grow seasonal vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, and eggs using organic practices guided by soil biology and ongoing field trials.

Care for land with Careful observation

Field Trials & Soil Studies

We measure, observe, and adapt while collaborating with soil consultants and experienced growers.
food for our community

Beyond Organic Produce

We grow for restaurants, market customers, and partners who care about flavor, transparency, and knowing the farm behind their food.
Regenerative Thinking & Practices

A Long-Term Ecological System

We are investing in soil health, infrastructure, and relationships with the intention of contributing to this community for many years to come. Agriculture can simplify ecosystems or restore them. We choose practices that rebuild soil, increase biodiversity, and leave the land more alive than we found it.
Our Commitment to soil Health & stewardship

Healthy soil supports healthy communities. When soil functions well, plants are stronger, crops are more resilient, and food carries deeper nourishment.

We're Growing for

Local Chefs & Market Partners

Our produce is grown for depth of flavor, consistent quality, and full transparency about how it was raised. We provide produce to restaurants in the Portland area. We also partner with Impact Northwest to help bring fresh, nutritious vegetables to our local community.
Carrot
calendula with bee
We're Growing for

Our Neighbors

Our land is actively stewarded, with soil building, habitat support, and thoughtful long term management at its core.
We're Growing for

Other Growers

We're sharing what we are learning in real time about practices that improve soil health and crop performance.
baby ginger
Our Market Garden

Acania Farm Market Garden is a space where we celebrate soil health, plant diversity, and sustainable growing practices.

We foster a healthy plant/soil microbe/microfauna community through cover crop use, minimal soil disturbance, and farm-crafted compost. The garden is home to perennial fruits including blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and apples; flowers, native plants, and a wide range of vegetables and herbs. Our flock of pastured laying hens rotates throughout the garden, helping us manage soil fertility and pest pressure.
Good food comes from good soil

We are not only growing food. We are studying how soil health impacts plant vitality and nutrient density over time.

Our market garden is home to a long-term soil health trial where we are growing seven popular and nutrient-dense vegetables under two management systems.

(1) USDA Certified Organic Standards
(2) Regenerative System
In this soil health trial, we assess soil biological activity, crop yield, and crop secondary metabolite content. Secondary metabolites like polyphenols and carotenoids boost human health through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects.
Tomatoes From our market garden
What We're Growing:

Carrots, tomatoes, onions, spinach, broccoli, red cabbage, and beets.

Our regenerative system builds on the USDA Certified Organic Standards to truly prioritize soil biology health. The regenerative system is designed to mimic ecological processes.

Core strategies of the regenerative system:

Minimize soil disturbance to the greatest extent possible

Protect the soil with biological mulches and cover crops.

Provide regular additions of biology-rich inputs like compost and compost tea.

Intercrop with insectary plants to encourage native pollinators and beneficial insects.

Incorporate pastured chickens during the winter months to imitate ecological succession.

Regenerative plot in the market garden
About Acania

Acania was born from a desire to carry forward a family legacy of stewardship while deepening our understanding of soil health.

We are both students and practitioners, committed to learning how living systems function and how farming can restore rather than deplete.
Rooted in a long family history of stewardship, Acania continues that story through hands-on farming, observation, and shared learning.
Contact us
Connect with Rachel, our soil biology program manger and farmer at Acania.
We'd love to connect with you if you're interested in learning more about our farm, field trials, practices, or partnering with us.
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Watering seedlings in the greenhouse
Acania
Acania is a diversified ecological farm in Helvetia with vegetable gardens, orchards, vineyards, herb gardens, pasture, and forest. Rooted in a long family history of stewardship, Acania continues that story through hands-on farming, observation, and shared learning.
So many more good things to come...

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