Friends of the Farm
Companion plants are plants in the garden that help each other and grow better together. Small businesses can work together the same way — when our aims are aligned and we team up, we can help each other grow. Here are some businesses that work with the farm (or with which I have direct experience) that I think you should check out.
Partners
They work with the farm or support the community directly.
Kaneel runs guided mindfulness workshops, courses, and retreats that invite you to reconnect with nature. Its guides use the patterns and rhythms of the natural world to teach the patterns and rhythms of embodied and mindful living. Kaneel hosts annual events at the farm, often with discounts for CSA members. I could not imagine a more mission-aligned business, and I am grateful for the privilege of working with Davinica and Cassiah to create experiences in nature and community at the farm.
Mike’s Rec: The Slow Leaf Peeping course, when it’s next offered. Simple, relaxed, thought-provoking, and inspiring.
Friends
They support the farm by supporting me. I recommend them with the highest praise.
Una is my favorite yoga studio in Portland and where I practice most often. The space is beautiful: a warm and comfortable sanctuary that invites presence, connection, and play. The teachers are expert and extremely qualified, and the community is welcoming and supportive. Whether you’re a beginner or already have an established yoga practice, you’ll find high quality instruction and probably a new friend here.
Mike’s Rec: Restorative class with Devon. Restorative yoga is a simple but transformative practice, and Devon’s teaching elevates it to a non-negotiable weekly priority for me that keeps my body and mind healthy.
Without Marie’s care at Luna Ayurveda, I truly don’t think I would have succeeded in opening Plant Food Farm. She is a uniquely talented healer who blends the tools of massage, Ayurveda, yoga, and Jyotish to treat not only the body but the whole person. More than any of that though, the genuine compassion that radiates from her every session is second to none and healing in its own right.
Mike’s Rec: Indulgent 120 minute massage. You will appreciate every minute and at the end wish it was twice as long. I also recommend trying any Ayurvedic treatments Marie suggests, or if it interests you, doing a Jyotisha session.
I’ve been going to Double Great daily for nearly two years, and these people rock. The coffee’s excellent, but the mystery and magic is how a small, no-wifi cafe has managed to grow such an interesting, dedicated, tight-knit community in such a short time. Definitely check out the cafe but be careful—before long you’ll likely be a regular, too.
Mike’s Rec: Hot Oat Milk Latte. For the more adventurous, the Cardamom Rose Chai Latte. And the cafe is kid friendly with a corner full of books and toys.
