Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Capener.
Hi Jen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Like many farms, Wild Hare Farms began as a dream—one that took years to finally take root.
Brad and Jen Capener are both educators who never set out to become farmers. What we did have was a love for growing things, a desire to live a little more simply, and a vision for creating a place where good food, community, and a connection to the land could come together.
Long before we had a farm, we were growing food in our backyard. Year after year, we experimented, learned from our mistakes, and discovered the joy of caring for the soil and growing delicious food in an urban homestead. Those years taught us that healthy soil is the foundation of everything—and that growing food can be both rewarding and deeply grounding.
Three years ago, our dream finally became a reality when we were able to purchase a small piece of acreage in Southern Oregon’s beautiful Rogue Valley. We named it Wild Hare Farms and began the exciting—and sometimes humbling—journey from educators to farmers.
We strive to grow food using organic and regenerative practices that build healthy soil, support biodiversity, and work with nature rather than against it. Along the way, our little farm has grown into something much bigger than a place to grow vegetables.
Today, Wild Hare Farms is home to a seasonal CSA, roadside farmstand, pumpkin patch, flowers, goats and chickens, Hipcamp stays, and spaces for gatherings and celebrations. Each part of the farm reflects our hope to create a place that feels welcoming, peaceful, and connected to the land.
We are still learning every day. We’re still figuring things out, planting things that sometimes don’t grow, fighting weeds, chasing water, and celebrating the harvest when it does. But that’s part of the adventure.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our challenges have been great. FIrst of all, no one tells you that EVERY time you try to do something on a farm something breaks! Now we just expect it. We’ve had years when it was too hot and pumpkins didn’t grown, we fight the battle of the bugs daily, and this year we faced drought that cut off our water six weeks early. Farming is not for people that expect a “smooth road”. But, that is part of what we love about farming. As educators, we are used to working hard, doing more with less, celebrating the small wins and problem solving.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We don’t fit these categories because we are professional educators that have a farm business. We are proud of both of these accomplishments.
As a farm, we are known for our ability to connect people to their food source. Know your Farmer and where your food comes from is a guiding value for us. We build the kind of connection with our customers that has them sending us pictures of the 50 quarts of tomatoes they canned from our garden, the delicious watermelon they can’t stop talking about, and what they made for dinner using our vegetables and fruit. They know the names of our two crazy goats that call to them as they pull into the farm and we are watching their families grow as they bring their children to the farm each year. Small scale farming is hard work with a huge reward of connecting with people over a shared love of healthy, delicious food.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
We have felt lucky every step of this adventure. Lucky to find a house on property that we love. Lucky to have won the AGWest New producer grant. Lucky to have each other. The list goes on and on
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wildharefarms.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/wildharefarms
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/wildhardfarms
