An Equilibrium With Nature
Switch Gears Farm Visit
Head Farmer, Brett
It’s been said in years past that Switch Gears Farm is a bit of a secret stash when it comes to top tier produce… but by the way the community seems to clean out their farm tents each week, we think it’s safe to say that the secret of the extraordinary Switch Gears Farm is officially out. The small-scale farm, run by partners Brett and Vanita, is located on a beautiful plot of land in Longmont situated neatly between the view of Longs Peak to the right and the sprawling foothills to the left. In November 2020 (only three years ago!) Brett decided to use his years of experience working on a farm to start something of his own - a farm utilizing only organic methods, focusing on soil health and varietal experimentation. A place where he could connect with the earth and see the boundless ways that soil brings life, color, and flavor. It seems like a stretch of the imagination to think that the layers of colorful root veggies, baskets of plump tomatoes, and produce sprawled across their farm tent tables are from a farm that has only been established for three growing seasons. But in just a few seasons Brett has taken three acres of an empty field in Longmont and transformed it into a lush, fertile ground to feed a growing community at the farmers market, CSA members, and restaurants… and he’s primarily labored single handedly. When you think of the farm from its origin not long ago… It's hard to grasp the magnitude of work that has gone into such a wild endeavor.
Prior to starting Switch Gears Farm, Brett dabbled in landscaping, farming for others, and even working at ski resorts, though the one consistent job he kept returning to was farming. After 5+ years of saving for a home, Brett and Vanita decided to take any extra money accrued and invest in Brett’s dream of starting his very own farm. Although Brett enjoyed his time gleaning as much knowledge as he could from other farms, he ultimately knew he wanted more autonomy in his own personal growing processes. Brett wanted to be the ultimate decision maker for what to grow, which practices to try, and where to distribute.
Vanita, Brett’s life partner and confidant, has been his ultimate supporter of the farm since inception. Although not a farmer herself, Vanita has established herself as a pillar in the farm's organizational systems and ultimate success on the business side. Vanita’s passion for growing culturally meaningful food for individuals who struggle to find them in bulk grocery stores has increased, and seeing the community's feedback to quality produce gives her the stamina she needs to continue supporting the farming business.
Peter refers to Brett as the cheeky-mad-scientist-farmer at the market. If you know Brett, this description likely puts a smile on your face. To Brett, it's not simply a tomato or a cucumber, it's an experimental varietal with a far-fetched flavor profile sure to stop you in your tracks. Farming to Brett is a time to utilize his creative brain and investigate, test out, and observe how intriguing and new varieties will grow on the land in this intense climate. Farming can often be this methodical and businesslike process yet Brett brings an ease and simplicity into the work with his charming desire for experimentation.
Head Chef and James Beard Award Winner, Caroline Glover who often frequents Switch Gears Farm tent at the market, captures Brett’s personality well when she shares, “Brett grows some of the most beautiful and more importantly delicious produce in the front range. Truly. He’s totally fanatical and enthusiastic about it, which in my opinion, yields the best product”. Simply put - produce tastes better when the person growing and tending to it has the level of frenzied passion that Brett has for his produce.
When chatting with Brett, his lighthearted and humble demeanor lends us believe that he simply ‘throws seeds in the ground to see what happens’ but ultimately we know he is investing an enormous amount of time, research, and labor into his eventual harvest.
With experimentation comes losses, and often Brett will experience a heartache in the fields. But these losses are simply viewed as lessons in the eyes of this farm team. In past farm visits, we have spent a great deal of time absorbed in the produce exploration that Brett takes great joy in, but I would say this season Brett has invested large amounts of effort in trying to strike a balance with all living elements on his land. After losing some tomato harvest to grasshoppers, struggling with aphids on kale, or other insects eating the swiss chard, Brett has shifted energy towards experimenting with how to create harmony on his land through naturally managing insects - both directing their feeding toward certain areas and introducing predators that coexist with the rest of the ecological landscape.
In order to succeed in farming without pesticides these days it seems that farmers must have extensive knowledge in agronomy, pedology, and now… entomology (the study of insects). In true Brett fashion though, he mirrors a similar energetic excitement for the testing out of various methods of pest management. When the tour first began, he eagerly guided us over to a field of Buckwheat flowers he planted to not only bring nitrogen back to the land for future planting but also to help deter veggie-munching insects (and attract insect-munching insects).
Brett and Vanita on Switch Gears Farm
As we walk about the fields of tomatoes covered in the hoop houses, the rows of peppers now sprawling throughout, Brett points out the rows of dill, cilantro, and sweet alyssum intentionally planted throughout the land to yet again bring in more beneficial insects and deter the pesky ones. Striking a balance to Brett isn’t always about getting rid of, rather its understanding how to navigate and guide nature to work with the farm and not against it.
There was a moment in our tour where Brett knelt down by the kale and when I thought he was going to share with us about how great it looked and how good it tasted, he eagerly counted aloud the lady bugs on the plant. He shared with us that these bugs eat around 100 aphids a day allowing for the kale harvest to flourish this year. This farm's ability to joyfully grow, willingness to learn, and excitedly take on new challenges is compelling to say the least. It’s been an absolute joy to watch the rapid growth of Switch Gears Farm the last three years and we couldn’t be more proud to have them at CPFM. Want a good chat? Head over to their tent this Saturday and ask the crew what they’re excited about this week - there’s always something fun in the works.