Farmer Hero Friday: Hedlin Farms in Mount Vernon, Washington

This edition of Farmer Hero Friday is an interview with David Hedlin and Serena Campbell, third generation farmers of Hedlin Farms in Mount Vernon, Washington. We interviewed them back in 2008 and talked about the importance of being stewards of the land on their 400 acres of farmland; half of which is certified organic and half of which is farmed conventionally.

Q: What is the best thing about being a farmer?

A: It's a wonderful way to raise a family—an interesting and diverse circle of friends and acquaintances. When you're harvesting cabbage seed and you realize that every pound of seed that comes into the combine tank will make thirty thousand heads of cabbage somewhere in the world – it could be sauerkraut in Germany, kim chee in Korea, or coleslaw in New York—that’s a good feeling; it’s a feeling of connectedness, it makes you feel like your work is important. At the end of the day, I like sitting down to a dinner of fresh vegetables and knowing that because of our farmstand and our family farm, people all over our county are eating well.

Click here to read the rest of our interview with David and Serena.