Meet the Staff: Makena, Co-Founder

Makena: Co founder

Makena is one of our incredible #co-founders, and her journey with #AroundTheBendFarms has been nothing short of inspiring! Makena has worn many hats under our organization’s umbrella like urban farmer, project director, and operations. But above all, it's her passion and unwavering commitment to our mission of providing fresh, healthy food to the people of our community that truly stands out.

Originally from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Makena now calls Bend home, where she and our other co-founders came together with a shared vision: to enhance access to nutritious food in the high desert.

When she's off the clock, you’ll likely find Makena enjoying a strength workout, spending time with her adorable 14-year-old kitty, or foraging wild plants to create food and natural medicines.

We are beyond grateful to have Makena as part of our mission. Her drive and dedication inspire us all to do more and care more deeply about the people we serve.

Meet the Team: Executive Designer - Russell

Russell moving a wheelbarrow, getting our farm into growing shape! 

Another team member highlight our fantastic Executive Lead Designer, Russell! Always an extremely valuable part of the Around The Bend Farms team, Russell is originally from New Jersey. After earning a master’s in architecture, the search for ways to contribute to the modernization of farming led to joining the farm. Initially working with the indoor hydroponic lettuce operation, Russell now handles all design-related tasks on the farm, from planning layouts, building the new shed, making deliveries to Warm Springs, and much more!

Outside of work at ATBF, Russell operates a waste recycling program called Reuse All Detritus L(@rad_llc) turning waste into something wonderful. Anyone with an excess of plastic bags at home can donate them to Russell for recycling! Off the clock, Russell can be found at the Unity Spiritual Community and Bend Ecstatic Dance

Russell's dedication to this work stems from the belief that "growing food for people is fundamentally Good!"

The team feels incredibly fortunate to have Russell as part of #AroundTheBendFarms!

Meet the Team: Farm Manager, Josh!

Josh on Braided Roots Urban Farm holding a head of lettuce! 

Meet Josh, our fantastic Farm Manager!

We’re thrilled to have Josh on the team at Around The Bend Farms! If you’ve volunteered on the farm or admired our produce in photos, you’ve likely already met Josh!

Originally from Bainbridge Island, WA, Josh discovered his passion for urban agriculture while studying at the University of British Columbia. His experience there and his hands-on work at other farms have made him our go-to for all things planting, growing, and harvesting! Since living in Bend he has enjoyed disc golf, snowboarding, rock climbing, and learning to play the harmonica.

Josh brings an unbelievable passion and enthusiasm to the farm that we couldn’t go without!

He believes that projects like ATBF are "essential for building a more sustainable future," and we couldn’t agree more!

Spring Blossoms at Around the Bend Farms

Volunteers Milsia, Ron, and Farm Manager Josh

The ATBF team has been hard at work this spring, gearing up for the Summer VeggieRX program. Seeds are in the ground, more Warm Springs residents have signed up for vegetable deliveries, and we are thrilled to announce that we received a generous grant from OnPoint Community Credit Union for a company van!

Fresh compost on the Farm fields

Land Systems Nursery delivered eight truckloads of organic compost to our farm. With the help of our dedicated team of executives and volunteers, led by our Farm Manager Josh, we spread the compost across a quarter acre of fields. Despite the cold spring, we planted seeds in the greenhouse and potato tubers in the fields. The sprinklers are running, and we're starting to see seedlings and green leaves emerging.

ATBF & HDFA tabling at Warm Springs

In April, ATBF and HDFFA visited Warm Springs to promote the VeggieRX program. We set up a table outside the Family Resource Center and met with many residents, resulting in over ten new sign-ups for the program!

Makena, Russell, and Josh of ATBF receiving an oversized check from OnPoint CCU for a new company van!

We are also excited to share that OnPoint Community Credit Union has awarded us a $25,000 grant to purchase a company van! With these funds, we bought a Ford Transit from Wholesale Auto Connection, a local used car dealer. This van will be instrumental in our farm work and in delivering vegetables to Warm Springs for the VeggieRX program and other healthy food donations.

Executive Lead Designer Russell with the new ATBF van.

Starting next month, we will take over responsibility for the VeggieRX deliveries to Warm Springs. We are partnering with AgConnect to ensure smooth deliveries, even if we face challenges in our first growing season. We're grateful for the financial support from local businesses and the tireless efforts of our passionate community of volunteers and staff. Together, we are making this farm a blooming success!

Cultivating Wellness: Our New Journey - Supporting Food Security at Warm Springs

Around The Bend Farms (ATBF) is thrilled to announce an alliance that promises a harvest of health and hope. We've recently embarked on a mission with the High Desert Food & Farm Alliance (HDFFA) to fulfill the VeggieRX program, aiming to nourish the lives of at least 30 members of the Warm Springs Reservation community, weekly throughout the harvest season of 2024. We are also working with administrators at the Health & Human Services to facilitate a healthy food system on the reservation.

Our newly leased .4 acre of fertile farmland in Deschutes River Woods stands as the canvas where our shared vision will flourish. Currently, the land is being tenderly prepared to over-winter, ensuring that when spring breathes life back into the earth, it will be ready to burst forth with a bounty of nutritious vegetables. This meticulous preparation has involved local goats happily eating weeds and volunteers generously contributing their labor efforts, as a testament to our commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly efforts.

The VeggieRX program is a beacon of wellness, where vegetables are prescribed to promote health, prevent disease, and nourish the body and spirit. In collaboration with HDFFA, we are dedicated to cultivating not just produce, but a thriving community where access to fresh and local vegetables is a reality for everyone, particularly the residents of Warm Springs.  Members will receive the vegetable boxes for free, included in which are accessible recipes for preparation of hearty meals.  Excess food grown at our farm will go to the Warm Springs Food Bank and Homeless shelter.

We stand on the grounds of reliability, organization, and ethical goodness. Our hands are in the dirt, but our vision soars high - envisioning a community empowered by access to healthy food. We invite you to join us in this meaningful journey. Your support and belief in our mission play a crucial role in sowing seeds of change and wellness in our community.

Together, let’s cultivate a garden where wellness blooms and communities thrive.

Successful food farming at The Giving Plate

The indoor hydroponic farm at The Giving Plate will be seeing some very exciting changes over the next several months. Our team is planning to increase the yield so that we can offer even more fresh produce to families in need in Oregon. We knew that this project would initially be a “test” to see how well the installation would perform, and it exceeded our expectations.

We thank KTVZ News for covering our story!

Now, we are at the point where we need to look at future growing capacity. The Giving Plate has seen their food demand increase tremendously over the past 2 years, and it’s safe to assume that the projection will show a continued increase. Our team is working collaboratively with The Giving Plate to ensure that fresh produce is widely available to their very deserving guests.

We Completed Our 2020 Project with a local Food Pantry in Bend

We started this project with the idea that we could help a local food pantry grow and serve fresh greens to their clientele. What we didn’t know was what would unfold during the process - a major pandemic that threatened the entire fate of the project. But…we were able to stay on track with it, and today that local food pantry is successfully growing lettuce and kale inside of their facility! It has also been a joy to work with The Giving Plate, and we look forward to continuing to support them in their endeavor to offer fresh produce to their guests. I am so proud of our team, and their level of hard work and commitment to see this project through is something that I hope to never forget.

You can read about our project in the Bend Bulletin.

There’s something really amazing going on inside of this room.

Our Project Manager uses a deft hand to transplant some lettuce seedlings. She uses the force to do everything else.