The Ground Up: In Oregon's Willamette Valley, This Ambitious Project Is Reimagining What a Farm Can Be

The electric Rivian comes to a halt outside a barn. "I have a real love-hate relationship with it," Vinny Pinto, my guide, laughs. He explains that the EV, one of several on the property, has GPS that is spotty on these rural roads and a regenerative braking system that’s "taken some getting used to."

But the vehicle is perfect for the task at hand — with its high clearance and all-wheel drive, it’s ideal for roaming the vast properties Pinto was guiding me through on an overcast day in late October. It’s also an apt metaphor for the entire operation. Here in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, a sprawling, ambitious project is implementing a modern, sustainable vision in an industry still dominated by analog, often destructive, traditions.

We’re touring Source Farms, the agricultural heart of "The Ground," a 400-plus-acre ecosystem founded by Frank Foti and Brenda Smola-Foti that seamlessly blends farming with high-end hospitality, wellness retreats, award-winning restaurants, and ecological education. My guide, Pinto, the sales manager at Source Farms (the agricultural arm of The Ground), embodies the spirit of the place. Hired four and a half years ago as a part-time farmhand, he’s since been a dishwasher, event coordinator, and farmers market rep. He’s a "Swiss Army knife" in an organization that demands flexibility.

And "The Ground" is growing. What began with Smola-Foti’s initial 33 acres is now a sprawling enterprise that encompasses a nine-bedroom inn, multiple Airbnbs, restaurants, and a workforce that has ballooned from 10 to over 150 people.

But the soul of it all, Pinto explains, is the regenerative organic philosophy at Source Farms.

"Regenerative" is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but here, it’s a verb. In simple terms, regenerative agriculture aims to leave the land better than it was found. While conventional farming often operates like a bank account you withdraw from — depleting soil health for maximum yield — regenerative practices focus on making deposits. It’s a philosophy of active ecological restoration that rebuilds soil, enhances biodiversity, and improves the water cycle. It means farming with nature, not against it.

And as Pinto admits, it is "exponentially harder" than traditional farming.

"It just takes more time," he says.

Conventionally, cattle can be ready for processing in 14-18 months; theirs take 20-26 months. Poultry can be ready in under a month; theirs take eight to 12 weeks. This is farming in slow motion, an intentional deceleration designed to build, not deplete, the land.

Much of the property is former equestrian land, which Pinto described frankly as a "complete dust bowl" when they acquired it. Years of planting cover crops like crimson clover and adding limestone have transformed the dead soil. Now, the rolling hills are lush fields, complete with vibrant retaining ponds surrounded by native plants.

The 300-some egg-laying chickens live primarily in mobile coops that look like Oregon Trail wagons, moving across pastures to naturally fertilize the soil. In the winter, many of the chickens move into greenhouses. "During the summer, we use these for peppers and tomatoes," Pinto says, gesturing to a large hoop house. "During the winter, we turn this into the Marriott for the chickens. It’s a perfect example of the farm’s closed-loop, multi-use ethos.”

But the most striking example of this philosophy is the piggery. As we approach the enclosure holding some of the farm’s 150 hogs, I brace for the inevitable smell. As more than a dozen lively pigs run around a straw-covered pen, urinating and defecating at will, the foul odor never comes.

"Does it smell like you're in a pig pen?" Pinto asks, knowing the answer.

It’s a Korean-style system, he explains. A deep trench runs beneath the pen, filled with a "working biome" of microbes. The waste falls through, the biome "eats away at it," releases gas, and in the process, generates natural heat that keeps the hogs warm all winter. 

"It really comes down to diet and what is happening below," Pinto says of the remarkable lack of odor.

This regenerative ethos extends to every animal. The cattle are a docile Devon/Dexter breed, an English/Irish mix about a third the size of a Black Angus, chosen for their friendly nature and the rich Omega-3s in their meat.

As we discuss the cattle operation, the farm's hospitality herd — Freddy and BamBam — greet me warmly. Brenda bottle-fed them from infancy, Pinto explains, after their mother rejected them. Now they exemplify the friendly nature of the breed.

When it comes to predators, the farm’s solution is unconventional. Instead of shooting the coyotes that roam the property, they employ “natural offenders.” Donkeys and alpacas are integrated with the flocks, and their protective, aggressive nature is enough to keep predators at bay.

To manage invasive species, they bring in help. A local shepherd's goats and lambs — "monsters," Pinto jokes — are currently grazing through thickets of invasive plants, clearing the land far more effectively than any machine.

This collaborative spirit is at the heart of the operation. In 2022, The Ground partnered with Kookoolan Farms, a respected local farm founded in 2005, to form Source Farms. The partnership allowed Kookoolan to scale its operations and meet demand without compromising its values.

It’s all part of the "farm-to-experience" model. The 200 dozen eggs laid here each week are sold at their Farm Stand in Yamhill, but they’re also served at the inn and at The Ground’s restaurants, like The Grounded Table. The farm isn’t just a supplier; it’s the anchor of the entire brand.

To clarify this connection, a rebrand is underway. "Source Farms" will become "The Grounded Market." The goal, Pinto says, is to "make it less complicated" and show how everything is part of the same mission.

As our sprawling tour comes to a close, Pinto takes me to another property tucked down a dirt and gravel road. I gaze over a 20-acre vineyard — yes, they make wine too — recently planted on a rolling hill, offering more stunning views in a valley spoiled for them.

The five-year plan, Pinto says, is simple: "Get everything to profitability."

The beef program is the "biggest loss-leader." They’re bringing in a Black Angus bull to cross-breed for better marbling, a concession to market demands. The future is about "focusing on what they're good at," like poultry, and expanding their value-added products. Next up is a planned expansion into the upcoming James Beard Market in Portland.

As we loop back, the tour ends where it began, on what used to be a private plane runway. "It's kind of funny to see," Pinto reflects, standing on land that was clear-cut in the 1970s and is now a thriving regenerative farm. "A full-circle moment."

In a world of finite resources, Source Farms and The Ground are betting that the only way forward is to build a new system entirely — one that is slower, more complex, and rooted in the land itself.

Happy saving!
Bryan,
Founder/Publisher,
Stumptown Savings