Meet the Farmers

Simple Goodness Syrups begin on the farm.
Meet some of the farmers who we've sourced from this year:

  • When we started, we grew the majority of our ingredients on our 10-acre family farm, in Buckley, WA. As we've grown, we've outpaced our capacity to grow everything ourselves, but are no less dedicated to responsible sourcing.
  • So how do we make these sourcing decisions when we need to? Do we only buy organic? Do we buy local? Do we buy direct from the farmers? The answers are sometimes, sometimes, and almost always.
  • Our syrup sales help support the agricultural economy in Washington state, a place where climate pressure, land and labor prices, and cost of living contribute to a loss of two family farms every day (Washington Farm Bureau.)
  • It isn’t as easy as saying, “we will only source from organic farms,” or “we only source from Washington farms”. These labels, while convenient, tell only part of the story of how a product is grown, how the land it is grown on is stewarded, who grows the fruit, whether it is even possible to grow certain things in our region, and who benefits from the product’s sale.

In order to get the real, complete story, you have to get to know the farm, and the farmers behind them. Here are some of the farms who you support when you buy Simple Goodness Syrups.

Simple Goodness Farm (Buckley, WA)

The Simple Goodness Farm grows herbs, edible flowers, pumpkins, and rhubarb on 10 acres. Like many of the family farms in our area, we have foregone the expensive certification process to label our foods as organic, however stewardship while growing healthy, quality food has always been our top priority. The farm is the family home of Venise and Ross Cunningham and their family's health as well as maintaining farmland in an area blighted by urban sprawl are key motivators to farming.

The Simple Goodness Farm uses regenerative agriculture practices such as crop rotation, heavy duty weed fabric to reduce plant competition with weeds and prevent spraying chemical weed killers, and drip irrigation to reduce water use and prevent plant disease, all typical "organic" practices. However, these practices alone do not qualify us to be officially labeled as an organic farm, which would require a significant monetary investment.

Sidhu Farm (Puyallup, WA)

The Sidhu Family’s ancestral homeland is Punjab, India. Founder, Owner, Operator and Father, Chet Sidhu, moved to the United States in the early 1980’s. Chet brought along the rich legacy of generations of farming in India going back further than they can trace. This thriving tradition continues today with the family-run farm in Puyallup, WA, where the Sidhus have been farming since 1997. Beginning with an existing plot of land growing natural blueberries, the Sidhus began selling their fruits at the famous Pike Place Market and expanded to markets throughout the region, becoming known in the community for producing exceptional berries, practicing the most natural farming ways and their family-centered operations.

The farm is nestled in the heart of the Puyallup Valley, appearing to be directly at the base of stunning Mt. Rainier. Sunsets on Sidhu Farms are breathtakingly beautiful. Today, the farm is still run by Chet and his three sons, Kamal, Sunny and Sarge, along with their wives and extended family. As the family grows, so does the operation. Although they specialize in berries, they also grow row crop vegetables, pumpkins and rhubarb.

Knutson Farms (Puyallup, WA)

With three generations of family stewardship, a consistently high-quality team, and great effort, Knutson Farms produces amazing rhubarb, beautiful cut flowers & hanging baskets, and hosts memorable family-friendly events, for every season throughout the year.
Knutson Farms is one of the nation’s largest producers of rhubarb, both field and hothouse grown. Additionally, their field flower operation grows tulips and daffodils. In greenhouses, the farm grow tulips, zonal geraniums in 4" pots, and supertunias and ivy geraniums in 12" cedar baskets.
 
Roger Knutson was born and raised on the property, and guides the farm. Roger’s son-in-law, Brian Anderson, manages and runs daily operations. Today the farm is also known throughout the valley for their family-friendly agritourism events.
 

4 Elements Farm (Puyallup, WA)

Farmers Amy and Agustín have been farming together since 2005. They moved to Pierce County after our first child Gabriel, was born, and love the hustle and bustle of the farming season. Their son Hector loves to learn about the machinery, while Gabriel aspires to manage the farm business.

Products ranging from pumpkins and flower bulbs to Christmas trees and cattle have thrived on what is now the Four Elements Farm in the Puyallup Valley. The farm is in conservation by the Washington Farmland Trust (in collaboration with Pierce County) so that it remains in agriculture forever. Four Elements Farm has over 50 farmable acres, 70+ year old blueberry plants, and riparian habitat along Ball Creek (a tributary of the Puyallup River).