Rising RiverFarm

What Rising RiverFarm does

Rising River Farm is a privately held, certified organic family farm operating on 20 acres (with 10 acres under cultivation) in the Independence Valley of Rochester, Washington. Founded in 1994 by Jim McGinn with partners Chris Farmer and Tom McRoberts, the farm has been co-owned since 1997 by Jim McGinn and Jennifer Belknap, who divide responsibilities between field operations (Jim) and administration, CSA management, and greenhouse work (Jennifer). The farm produces over 60 varieties of vegetables and herbs, more than 100 varieties of plant starts, and a specialty line of pickling cucumbers sized for distinct preservation methods (gherkins, whole dills, spears, chips, relish).

The business operates through five channels: a year-round presence at the Olympia Farmers Market, a CSA subscription program managed by Jennifer, on-farm direct sales during seasonal hours, wholesale distribution through the SW WA Food Hub and two Olympia Food Co-op locations, and bulk purchases for canning, freezing, and winter storage. Pricing is unit-based and transactional, with published wholesale rates for items such as pickling cucumbers ($3-$5/lb by size), basil ($16/half-pound to $30/pound), tomatoes ($45-$60 per 20 lb grade), and storage crops. There is no online ordering, mobile app, or e-commerce functionality.

Production practices rely on certified organic methods including cover cropping, careful crop rotation, fallowing, and natural fertilization. Land access combines the 20-acre owned parcel purchased in 2004 with a long-term 14-acre lease from Dick and Nancy Erickson on adjacent flood-plain acreage that cannot be developed for non-agricultural use. The farm has held continuous WSDA organic certification since 1994 and builds customer relationships through community content (recipe database, vegetable identification guide) and referral ties to South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust and five neighboring meat-producing farms.

Name

Rising RiverFarm

Legal name

Rising River Farm

Website

https://risingriverfarm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rising River Farm is a certified organic, family-owned farm in Rochester, WA that grows and sells vegetables, herbs, plant starts, and specialty pickling cucumbers to greater Olympia consumers via farmers markets, CSA subscriptions, wholesale accounts, and bulk preservation sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Vegetable Farming

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organic Greenhouse & Protected Crop Farming (High Tunnels, Greenhouses) (AFAGAKAD), Fresh Organic Produce Wholesale (AFAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Organic vegetable farming
• CSA subscriptions
• Farmers market produce
• Organic plant starts
• Pickling cucumbers wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct Produce Sales: Farm sells produce directly to consumers at farmers markets and through farm pickup. Seasonal hours vary with Monday/Wednesday/Friday afternoon availability for on-farm sales.
2. CSA Subscriptions: Community Supported Agriculture subscription program where members receive regular produce shares. Jennifer manages the CSA program.
3. Wholesale Produce: Wholesale pricing offered to local stores, restaurants, and catering services. Weekly fresh sheet email list for wholesale customers.
4. Plant Starts Sales: Organically grown vegetable, flower, and culinary herb plant starts sold March through June at Olympia Farmers Market and Olympia Food Co-ops.
5. Bulk/Preservation Sales: Bulk purchases for canning, freezing, and winter storage including pickling cucumbers, basil, beets, cabbage, carrots, dill, potatoes, shallots, tomatoes, and winter squash.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rising River Farm grows and sells certified-organic vegetables, culinary herbs, plant starts, and pickling cucumbers on a 20-acre family farm in Rochester, WA. Products are sold directly to consumers through year-round presence at Olympia Farmers Market, on-farm pickup, and a CSA subscription program, and are also supplied wholesale to local restaurants, stores, caterers, the SW WA Food Hub, and Olympia Food Co-ops. The farm has been certified organic by WSDA continuously since its founding in 1994 and specializes in bulk preservation produce and pickling cucumbers with detailed sizing guidance.

Product overview

Rising River Farm operates as a diversified organic produce farm offering a single integrated product portfolio centered on organically grown vegetables, herbs, and plant starts. The core offerings include fresh produce sold at farmers markets and through CSA, wholesale accounts, and bulk purchases for canning/freezing. Their specialty product is pickling cucumbers, while plant starts for vegetables, herbs, and flowers represent a significant seasonal offering available March-June. All products are certified organic since 1994, grown on their 20-acre family farm in Rochester, WA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Produce (Vegetables and Herbs) Organically grown vegetables and culinary herbs including over 60 varieties (arugula, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, chard, corn, cucumbers, garlic, kale, lettuce, onions, peppers, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and more) sold to consumers and wholesale buyers.
• Bulk Produce for Canning, Freezing, and Storage Bulk quantities of organic produce for home preservation including basil, beets, cabbage, carrots, dill, green beans, onions, potatoes, shallots, tomatoes, and winter squash sold at tiered wholesale-style pricing for canning, freezing, and winter storage.
• Pickling Cucumbers (Specialty) Specialty organic pickling cucumbers graded in mini, small, medium, and large sizes, each matched to specific preservation methods (gherkins, whole dills, spears, chips, relish), sold with accompanying dill bunches and garlic for home picklers.
• Organic Plant Starts (Vegetable, Herb, and Flower) Organically grown vegetable, flower, and culinary herb starts for home gardeners available seasonally March through June, including 60+ varieties of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, herbs, and flowers.
• CSA Subscription Program Community Supported Agriculture subscription delivering regular produce shares throughout the growing season to subscribing households, managed by Jennifer Belknap as a recurring seasonal commitment.
• Wholesale Produce Supply Wholesale organic produce supply for local stores, restaurants, and catering services, with weekly fresh sheet email updates and contact-based wholesale pricing.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dick and Nancy EricksoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Long-term lease on 14 flat and fertile acres right next door to the farm. The land is on a flood plain which ensures it cannot be used for anything other than farmland, providing secure agricultural land access. This partnership is fundamental to the farm's operations and expansion.
• Betsie DeWreede (Independence Valley Farm)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Original land lessor who leased land and equipment to the founders. Eventually the farm bought the equipment from her. Provided tons of advice and support during the early years of Rising River Farm.
• South of the Sound Community Farm Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral relationship for customers needing non-vegetable farm products. Farm Land Trust provides Thurston County Farm Map to help customers find other local farms for meat and other products.
• Local Meat Farms (Bone Dry Ridge, Colvin Ranch, Kirsop Farm, Oyster Bay Farm, Steelhammer Family Farm)minorOthersReferral relationships with fellow local farms for customers seeking meat products. Farm refers customers to these nearby farms for lamb, pork, beef, and chicken when customers need non-vegetable products.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Steelhammer Family Farm: Local family farm in the Olympia/Rochester area explicitly listed as a Rising River referral partner. Comparable small-scale family farm serving the same regional customer base for complementary products.
• Boistfort Valley Farm: Certified organic vegetable and herb farm in Curtis, WA selling through CSA, farmers markets, and on-farm sales — a comparable small-scale diversified organic operation in the Pacific Northwest.
• Wild Hare Organic Farm: Certified organic vegetable farm in Washington serving CSA members and farmers markets with a comparable diversified D2C/wholesale channel mix.
• Kirsop Farm: Organic vegetable farm in the Olympia/Tumwater area selling through CSA, farmers markets, and wholesale. Explicitly referenced as a Rising River referral partner, indicating comparable scale, channel mix, and customer overlap.
• Pitchfork & Crow: Certified organic vegetable CSA farm in Lebanon, Oregon with comparable acreage, CSA subscription model, and farmers market presence — a peer in the broader PNW organic CSA category.
• Helsing Junction Farm: CSA and farmers market organic vegetable farm in Rochester, WA — operating essentially the same CSA + market + wholesale model on a similar acreage, making it the closest direct comparable to Rising River Farm.

Regional players

• Gathering Together Farm: Certified organic vegetable farm in Philomath, Oregon operating CSA, farmers markets, restaurant sales, and an on-farm store. Same diversified organic model serving a different but adjacent regional market.

Broad incumbents

• Suzie's Farm: Certified organic farm in San Diego, CA operating CSA, farmers markets, and on-farm events at substantially greater acreage. Demonstrates the same CSA/farmers market model scaled into a different climate and consumer market.
• Nash's Organic Produce: Larger certified organic operation in Sequim, WA producing vegetables, grains, and seeds through CSA, farmers markets, and wholesale. Same organic multi-channel model at meaningfully greater scale and crop diversity.
• Oxbow Farm & Education Center: Larger certified organic farm in the Snoqualmie Valley operating CSA, wholesale, and farm-stand channels with an education component. Same CSA/farmers market model at greater scale and with an institutional backer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rising-river-farm

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rising RiverFarm