About us

Stone Soup Garden is a small-scale, regenerative farm in south-central Montana led by young farmers striving to cultivate healthy soil, food, and community. We believe that healthy soils grow healthy food to nourish healthy people who can thereby create vibrant, equitable, and resilient community.

Our Story

Stone Soup Garden is the culmination of a decade of experiences in local food, organic farming, and building intentional community. I like to think I’ve been preparing since grade school when I learned about growing vegetables in our family garden. My childhood interest turned into a passion in 2011, when I switched college majors to study Sustainable Cropping Systems at Montana State University. For my senior internship, I worked on an organic vegetable farm in Bridger, Montana - not far from where I type this now. 

It struck me then as it does now that Billings - the big city - presented a great business opportunity given the sizable population, fertile soils, and hot summers of the Yellowstone Valley. In the eight years since that internship, I’ve worked, studied, and built a network of friends and mentors in agriculture. From organic ancient grain farming in Big Sandy to aquaponically raising catfish, tilapia, and lettuce in Hawaii, it‘s been a wild journey, but a constant desire throughout it all has been to find a place to put down roots and call home.  

Today, I find myself back on the edge of the Great Plains, not far from where I interned in Bridger, more excited than ever to grow nutritious food for a living. After three years of searching for land in the Billings area I've finally found an awesome land-owner who shares my vision and is willing to give me the reins. Now we've got seeds in the soil and are excited to be providing high-quality, locally-grown produce of all kinds for the Yellowstone Valley.
I hope to see you at a farmer's market soon!

- Patrick, founder and lead farmer

Why "Stone Soup"?

Much like the old parable, Stone Soup Garden is committed to sharing as a means of creating resilient community.  When we care and look out for each others’ well-being, we create a community that’s better for everyone.  And let's be honest, I would have never made it this far if it weren't for generous friends, family, and mentors. 

Another reason for the name - I want my community to feel a sense of pride and ownership over the farm's development and success. The farm is a place where you can come get your hands in the dirt and share in the joy of harvesting your own carrot. Stone Soup Garden's vision has never been to enrich one person but to create a community centered around healthy food! And we want you to be part of it all.

 

Resources 

If you've picked up some of our plant starts, here are some of our preferred guides for how to care for them and help them grow: