 Resident Agronomist Nate Martin with some fresh produce. Why Vegetables?While the Martins have been farming traditional field crops for the past few decades, Nate is excited about moving into a new kind of operation. He has been working with cover crops and trying to limit the use of pesticides in his fields. Although the Martins are still mainly a field crop operation, Crooked Creek Farms is an exciting adventure for the family. Nate wants to grow actual food that people can eat straight from his land. It is great to be growing produce to be consumed locally, and is as fresh as it gets. Crooked Creek Farms is excited to be part of the ever expanding local and fresh food movement!
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A Family FarmCrooked Creek runs through the properties where Nathanael Martin and his family currently live and farm. Since graduating from Iowa State in 2000 with a degree in agronomy, Nate has been back home farming with his father. Nate married Anne in 2005. Their children have also been great help in the vegetable patch.
Nate's grandparents Carl and Pat lived for 50 years in a farmhouse where the vegetable stand was originally located. We have since moved our stand to 550 E. 150 N. to be closer to the vegetable plots. The grass-fed cattle can be seen in the pastures around the barn. Carl and Pat Martin moved to Indiana in (1958). Since moving from Nebraska, the family has been farming land east of Valparaiso. Robert (Bob) is a son of Pat and Carl and lives a half-mile upstream on Crooked Creek. Bob married his wife Jean in 1973, and they have been farming since. Bob and Jean raise corn-fed cattle, laying hens, and some of the sweet corn that is sold at the stand. |
