One of our recent farm visits brought us to Left Foot Farm, an amazing oasis 40 minutes from Mount Rainier. Owner Jeremy Foust raises goats and chickens on the farm with the help of an ever-rotating crew of WWOOFers (Word Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or travelers who work on the farm in exchange for a place to stay), interns, and his sons.  

 You might know Left Foot Farm for their beautiful goat milk soap that they display at the markets every weekend, but they also sell eggs and raw goat milk. Jeremy’s goats are Nigerian Dwarf and Nubian goats, which he believes are the breeds that produce the best tasting milk. Larger-scale goat dairies use different breeds that produce much more milk much faster, but Jeremy prioritizes the taste and quality of his milk.  

Jeremy also believes that having people around on the farm helps his goats. They need love and social interaction to live the best quality lives that they can on the farm. He has a collection of beautiful AirBnBs on the property, and is working on building another one. Guests of the AirBnB can play with the goats and shop at his Farm Store, which he stocks with eggs and milk from his farm, as well as other locally sourced goodies that he picks up at the farmers markets. 

Before starting Left Foot Farm in 2009, Jeremy had gotten his Masters in Education and was managing a mountaineering camp. This background makes him an ideal host for WWOOFers because he takes the time to educate them about the work that they are doing on the farm, and gets along well with the people who are using the WWOOF program as a means to travel.  

The WWOOF model creates a symbiotic relationship between Jeremy and the WWOOFers. He relies on them to help him keep the farm running, and in exchange he provides them with housing, food, and an enriching experience that they won’t soon forget.  

 Jeremy’s creativity is apparent everywhere on the farm. He has repurposed old street sweeper brushes into scratching posts for the goats. He designed, built, and decorated all of the AirBnBs on his own, and is working on the finishing touches of an art studio for WWOOFers and interns to use during their time at the farm. He used to grow vegetables in a garden for the farm, but says that he gets enough vegetables at the farmers markets, so he’s transitioned the garden to grow flowers that he arranges and puts in the AirBnBs.  

It is clear that Jeremy puts care and thought into all of his projects, from raising the goats and chickens, to crafting the homemade soaps, to educating farmhands, to welcoming guests.

You can find Jeremy’s hard work at the University District, Magnolia, Capitol Hill, and West Seattle Farmers Markets, or arrange a stay at one of his AirBnBs on his website.