Organic carrots grown at Three Sisters Community Farm in Campbellsport
Jeff Schreiber and Kelly Kiefer, the husband and wife team behind the certified organic Three Sisters Community Farm (W3158 Highway 67, Campbellsport), savor the joy and privilege of working in the natural world. Now in their ninth season, they grow an array of different veggies, offering up to 15 different items per week in their community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes.
During his early 20s, Schreiber had worked on organic farms while travelling abroad. He found that farming presented itself as a passion and possible career path. Kiefer grew up in rural Campbellsport, Wis., and was connected to the farming lifestyle from childhood on. She had worked as an educator and later at Outpost Natural foods, where she met Schreiber. The couple followed their passion for good food and farming to Wellspring, a nonprofit farm-based education center in Newburg, Wis.
After working at Wellspring, they left to start their own farm. With a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) beginner’s farm loan, they purchased the small farmstead next door to Kiefer’s childhood home. The name “Three Sisters” serves as a metaphor for the kind of work they do, as three sisters is a Native American method that entails the planting of corn, beans and squash to harmoniously work together. And Kiefer does have two sisters; however, they’re not really involved in farm operations.
Three Sisters Community Farm is certified organic, which required some extra paperwork and fees. Schreiber notes the additional work is not overly onerous and is a small price to pay for the peace of mind they know it gives their supporters. They also experiment with biodynamic farming.
“The biodynamic farmer asks, ‘what is health?’ He or she strives to create the conditions for health through practices like meeting the farm’s fertility needs from within the farm itself, instead of over-relying on off-farm inputs,” Schreiber explains. “The ideal biodynamic farm is a biodiverse, living place, almost an organism unto itself. Three Sisters isn’t there yet, but we keep trying! Biodynamic farmers imagine and cultivate innovative social endeavors. Many of the first CSA farms were biodynamic farms.”
Through their CSA, Schreiber and Kiefer offer a diverse assortment of seasonal vegetables for their members, everything from arugula, celery, cucumbers, garlic, kale, lettuce, radishes, spinach, tomatoes and more. “About five years ago, we began allowing members to choose the contents of their box through an online e-commerce platform,” Schreiber says. Their weekly rhythm involves walking the fields on Saturday and then posting their best guess as to what will be available the coming week. Members have a couple days to order. On Wednesday, Schreiber and Kiefer harvest only what was ordered, which minimizes waste. On Thursday, they pack their members’ customized, picked-to-order boxes and deliver.
Schreiber describes the farming life as endlessly humbling, and Kiefer enjoys the seasonal rhythms. “Farming is socially foundational, and new agricultural models might help stimulate larger societal change,” he says. “So many are doing such awesome work in the local food scene in Milwaukee, but the forces aligned against such work can seem overwhelming, especially over the past few years. For me, the principles underlying the CSA movement point to a path forward; what if we viewed a farmer’s work, and supported them, as we do for teachers or doctors? What if food was free, a gift given by responsible, skilled and trusted agricultural stewards to those who support their work? Just some food for thought!”
For more information, visit threesisterscommunityfarm.com.
