A FAMILY FARM - GROWN WITH HEART
Please continue reading below for our family's story and how this affects you.
A FAMILY FARM - GROWN WITH HEART
Please continue reading below for our family's story and how this affects you.
The Fodé Family is on a mission to protect their legacy; a plight they fear more farmers have faced or will in the future. Through multiple venues and years, the Fodé family has fought overreach from a Washington state agency, overreach which threatened their very way of life.
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"The legal consequences went far beyond fines.
According to Ron Fode, defending against the enforcement action required years of litigation, hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal expenses, and tens of thousands of pages of records.
The financial impact has been severe.
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Take a few seconds to sign this petition and help our family and others. Every voice and signature matters. especially all of our voices together. (Click button below)
Below are some links to Share our story, share our website, donate, sign our petition, share our family’s fight so that other property owners don’t face the difficult decisions we’ve had to make just to survive. We’re so grateful for individuals and organizations that have already shown their support: (Click button below)
When responsibility called, Ron Fode answered, returning to his family farm in 1984 to take over the operations for his parents. What began as a decision rooted in responsibility ultimately became a lifelong calling.
Together, Ron and his wife Robin endeavored not only to grow the farm, but also to grow their family. Raising their children on the farm provided countless opportunities for hands-on learning. Through working with animals, operating equipment, and participating in daily farm life, their children developed a strong work ethic and a deep sense of responsibility. Ron and Robin believed that farming was more than an occupation, it was a way of life that could instill values such as integrity, respect for the land, and care for others. Ron and Robin are deeply grateful for their children-Preston Fode, Payton Fode, Pierson Fode and Pharron Fode as well as their grandchild, Nolan Fode.
The Fode Farm along with all its farming endeavors created a space to care for a wide variety of animals, including cattle, horses, ducks, chickens, goats and llamas. The Fode’s love of animals led to the development of a rescue operation with the intent of helping any animal in need.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this time was the opportunity to mentor not only their children but also their employees, helping to shape character and foster a shared sense of purpose.
The Fode family has always been deeply rooted in their community. Their involvement extended beyond the farm into church, youth sports, and local clubs. Ron contributed his time and leadership to several agricultural organizations, including the Washington State Potato Commission, the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, and the Columbia Basin Development League. Through his work with the Potato Commission, he represented local farms internationally in South Korea and Hong Kong, helping promote Washington agriculture abroad. He was also active in coaching youth soccer and supporting school activities.
In the end, the true success of Fode Farms is not measured in acres, but in the family it has nurtured. The values, memories, and lives shaped here will carry on for generations. Farming has been more than a livelihood - it has been the foundation of who they are.
🌾 Why Losing Family Farms Means Losing More Than Just Farms
As family farm owners, we don’t just grow food - we sustain a way of life that feeds, protects, and connects our communities. Every crop we plant and every harvest we bring in reflects a commitment not just to production, but to quality, responsibility, and the future of the land itself. But that way of life is disappearing.
Across the United States, more than 140,000 family farms have vanished in just five years. Washington state lost more than 3,700 farms in that time, an average of two a day.
That loss that is quietly reshaping our food system, our economy, and our communities . What’s replacing them isn’t simply a larger version of the same thing. It’s a fundamentally different system—one driven by scale, speed, and profit, often at the expense of quality, sustainability, and resilience.
And the consequences affect every one of us.
🍎 This Is About the Food on Your Table
Family farms produce food differently—and it shows. Because we work on a smaller scale, we can focus on what matters: healthy soil, careful crop rotation, and harvesting at the right time. The result is food that is fresher, more nutritious, and more flavorful. When farms get bigger, food often travels farther. It’s picked earlier, handled more, and stored longer. What you gain in volume, you lose in quality.
This isn’t just about taste—it’s about what we’re putting into our bodies and feeding our families.
🌱 This Is About the Land Beneath Our Feet
For family farmers, the land isn’t an asset on a balance sheet—it’s home. It’s something we are responsible for passing down, not using up. That’s why many family farms rely on sustainable practices like crop diversity, natural pest control, and careful water use. These aren’t trends—they’re long-term commitments to keeping the land healthy.
When those farms disappear, they are often replaced by large-scale operations that depend on mono-cropping and heavy chemical use. Over time, that approach depletes soil, pollutes water, and damages ecosystems. Increasingly, it raises concerns not just for the environment, but for human health as well.
🏡 This Is About the Survival of Communities
Family farms don’t exist in isolation—they are woven into the fabric of local life. They support small businesses. They create jobs. They keep money circulating within the community instead of sending it to distant corporations. They preserve traditions, values, and a sense of identity that can’t be replicated.
When a family farm shuts down, the impact ripples outward. Local economies shrink. Main streets empty. Communities lose not just income, but connection.
⚠️ This Is About the Stability of Our Food System
A food system built on a handful of massive producers is a fragile one. When production is concentrated, disruptions—whether from extreme weather, disease, or supply chain breakdowns—can affect enormous portions of the food supply all at once. We’ve already seen how vulnerable these systems can be.
Family farms provide balance. They create a decentralized, diverse network that makes our food system more resilient and adaptable. Without them, we are placing more risk into fewer hands.
🌍 And Ultimately, This Is About Our Future
The loss of family farms is not just a rural issue—it’s a national and global one. It means less diversity in what we grow and eat.
It means more environmental strain.
It means fewer opportunities for future generations to stay connected to the land.
And it means increasing control of our food supply by a shrinking number of large entities. Once that shift happens, it’s incredibly difficult to reverse.
🌱 What’s at Stake
Family farms matter because they stand for something bigger than themselves. They represent quality over quantity. Stewardship over short-term gain. Community over consolidation.
If we allow them to disappear, we don’t just lose farms—we lose resilience, independence, and a vital piece of who we are.
Supporting family farms isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about making a conscious choice for better food, stronger communities, and a more sustainable future.
Because in the end, this isn’t just about farmers. It’s about all of us.Together, Ron and his wife Robin endeavored not only to grow the farm, but also to grow their family. Raising their children on the farm provided countless opportunities for hands-on learning. Through working with animals, operating equipment, and participating in daily farm life, their children developed a strong work ethic and a deep sense of responsibility. Ron and Robin believed that farming was more than an occupation, it was a way of life that could instill values such as integrity, respect for the land, and care for others. Ron and Robin are deeply grateful for their children-Preston Fode, Payton Fode, Pierson Fode and Pharron Fode as well as their grandchild, Nolan Fode.
The Fode Farm along with all its farming endeavors created a space to care for a wide variety of animals, including cattle, horses, ducks, chickens, goats and llamas. The Fode’s love of animals led to the development of a rescue operation with the intent of helping any animal in need.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this time was the opportunity to mentor not only their children but also their employees, helping to shape character and foster a shared sense of purpose.
The Fode family has always been deeply rooted in their community. Their involvement extended beyond the farm into church, youth sports, and local clubs. Ron contributed his time and leadership to several agricultural organizations, including the Washington State Potato Commission, the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, and the Columbia Basin Development League. Through his work with the Potato Commission, he represented local farms internationally in South Korea and Hong Kong, helping promote Washington agriculture abroad. He was also active in coaching youth soccer and supporting school activities.
In the end, the true success of Fode Farms is not measured in acres, but in the family it has nurtured. The values, memories, and lives shaped here will carry on for generations. Farming has been more than a livelihood - it has been the foundation of who they are.