SPOTLIGHT
FARM
Strategies
• Producers share growth strategies, decision processes and turning points •
Kimberly McClellan for Ag Proud
Q As you look back, what’s
something that just went well
for you (within the past 10 years)?
A We found our own variety of hops
called Idaho Gem. We were able
to capitalize on that variety being a little
bit different and providing something
new to the brewers and to consumers. It
takes a while to develop a new brand and
a new type of hops, so that was a really
good thing for us and the industry.
Another big thing for us is: We
attended a soil health academy class,
and we have really switched the focus
on the farm. We still focus very much
on yield, but right now we are focused
more on regenerative agriculture. We are
trying to do things that make it so future
generations down the line can still farm
good ground, and that the soil is healthy
and full of life and organic matter.
Q What’s something that’s been
a turning point?
A A big turning point has been when
we started using the H-2A
program. Through the program, we have
guest workers who come in on temporary
work visas. Having people we can depend
on to constantly be there and know
they’ll be at work and know they’ll do a
good job has really been a game-changer
for us. It’s allowed us to increase our
efficiency and our throughputs.
Cover cropping, from the agronomy
side, has been really a significant factor,
too. That’s allowed us to reduce the
amount of soil erosion we have and
overall master the cycle that we are
trying to do and sequester carbon. Cover
cropping has really changed how we
manage our crops.
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22 AgProud.com | Idaho
Q Where would you like to go
with the farm next?
A We would like to continue
expanding (we farm in southwest
Idaho, and we have land in eastern
Oregon as well), so just slowly continuing
to expand our footprint and diversify. We
also have a retail front called Red Top
Market. We are trying to provide fresh
produce and meat to our local community
and have formed an outdoor event space
because COVID-19 has made things
really difficult for everybody. I really see
Red Top Market expanding in a positive
way for our rural area and the people.
Q What’s the decision
process for the farm?
A If we are trying a new crop, we’ll
do small test plots of it. Most
everything we farm is under irrigation, so
we are able to do a bunch of smaller plots
if we try a new crop or experiment with
something a little different. The
decision-making process involves a team
of people. Our father is nearing
retirement, so he is still involved in the
periphery. As far as day-to-day decisions,
myself and my two sisters, and our
manager, Matt Brassfield, are really the
big-picture people.
We have great staff who help make all
those things happen. When we come
up with crazy ideas, we talk to our shop
manager, and he says, “OK, I’ll figure
that out.” We are really lucky to have a
great team. My older sister, especially,
has been on the farm for the better part
of a decade and has a great vision for the
future. We’re all good supporters of each
other and share that common vision of
what we’re trying to do with the farm.
Photo courtesy of Gooding Farms Inc.
Left to right: Diane Gooding, Mike Gooding,
Michelle Gooding and Andrea Gooding
FARM:
Gooding Farms Inc.
NAME:
Michelle Gooding
LOCATION:
Parma, Idaho
WEBSITE:
www.goodingfarms.com
CROPS:
Hops, beans, wheat, alfalfa
and pastureland
Delegation of certain aspects to certain
people has been a strength for us.
Q What was one of the
toughest things you dealt
with last season?
A There were two things: The first
was COVID-19. We tried to
maintain the 6-foot spacing and facial
covering and all of that. It was an
uncertain time for everyone. It was pretty
scary, and luckily everybody came to
work. We were very fortunate on our
farm.
We encountered a severe weather
event on Labor Day. We had sustaining
30-mph winds for about 10 hours. It was
really devastating to the crop. We saw
much lower quality than we would prefer
after that point because it was such a
terrible storm.
I think everybody is ready for 2021 to
be better. We are off to a strong start,
which is exciting.
Kimberly McClellan is a freelancer.