Home Farm is a family-run farm in Birch Bay dedicated to bringing good food and good fun to their community. They’re passionate about providing education about where food comes from, whether that’s through their u-pick blueberries, pumpkin patch, farm stand, or events.
Bridgette DiMonda and her husband Dan Burdick have been growing and stewarding Home Farm since 2017, when they moved to Whatcom County from Snohomish. What began as a “hobby farm” dream has turned into a 25 acre farm, beloved in the community and beyond for their passion for education, their forest-raised pork, delicious berries, and darling farm stand.
As Bridgette says, “We didn’t know what we were doing when we started. I think we can be a good example to other people that you can decide to do it and just go for it. We’re bringing that connective aspect. We invite people to our farm and say, ‘Look at where carrots come from. Let me show you how potatoes grow. Let me teach you. That’s what’s unique about us.’”
You’ll have a chance to experience Home Farm for yourself on the Whatcom County Farm Tour on September 14 from 10 am – 4 pm. This free, family-friendly event invites locals and visitors to explore farms, hear from farmers about their experiences, and learn about agriculture in a hands-on environment.
For Home Farm, that exploration and education is built into their business, year-round. Their farm stand showcases local goods, as well as their own produce and pork, and their pumpkin patch and u-pick berries give folks an opportunity to join the harvest. “I wish people, especially kids, understood more where their food comes from,” Bridgette shares. “That’s why we love having kids out here.”
The DiMonda/ Burdick family’s joy in sharing their farm is balanced by hard work, and a lot of it. “I think people need to understand just how hard farmers work for such a pittance. I don’t think any farmer is rich from farming. We do it because we love it. We know there’s a need for it. I wish more people knew that. I also wish more people would take the chance. I think more and more people now are growing gardens and trying to be more sustainable themselves.”
Bridgette and Dan find their work deeply gratifying. “It’s so rewarding to see people come out here and have fun and see how a farm actually works. It’s important for us to make it accessible for people, since not everyone can afford to come out to a farm and spend tons of money. We have a pumpkin patch where kids can just explore, or run through a corn maze and not have to pay extra.”
Explore Home Farm for yourself on the Whatcom County Farm Tour or visit their farm stand or farm during open hours. You can also check in on the Farm to Table Trails and turn your adventure into an agricultural excursion throughout Whatcom County!
