Your name and the name of your farm

Steve & Kevin Mader GP

Location of farm

Our farm operations span across the south east part of Washington State and are headquartered in Pullman, WA.

History of your farm

Five generations ago the Mader's homesteaded and started farming in Western Whitman County near Dusty, WA. Today operations have moved north of Pullman, WA. Steve and Kevin manage the farm - although the sixth generation, Vince, has arrived - at less than 1 year old he is not putting in full days yet - however we do include him in conversations around the dinner table.

Why do you think direct seeding is important to the future of agriculture?

Our family has seen tremendous changes in farming since the late 1800's and definitely have some good stories accumulated throughout the years that would give anyone a chuckle. Direct seeding is important to our family because we want future generations to have the same great soil to produce premium foods as we do. Our family believes in taking care of our soils. Since 1982 when we made the decision to no-till we have been saving and improving our soils. We are continuously evaluating new practices and techniques so that we can preserve our rich soils.

Why are you involved with Shepherd’s Grain?

We believe that Shepherd's Grain produces a superior product. We are proud and honored that Shepherd's Grain trusts us to grow a premium product for their flours. We enjoy working together to come up with flours that make consumers happy. We really like having another way to market our premium quality crop other then the traditional commodity channels.

Why do you think it is important to develop relationships between the grower and Shepherd’s Grain customers?

We love the ability to meet with other growers that share the same values and perspectives of our family. Shepherds Grain also brings the end users of the products to our farms during harvest. Often times people in cities and rural areas don't get to connect and the time we spend learning about what the bakers/end users are looking for enable us to better understand the consumer environment and qualities they are looking for in wheat. We are continuously in an education process and Shepherd's Grain helps bridge the gap between consumers and farmers.