John Severn: Not your typical farmer By Matt Kapko Eye Reporter The Arcata Eye October 28, 2003 There is a clear distinction between those who grow food and those whose only relationship with food begins and ends at a grocery store. A farmer’s connection with the land is mystical, unexplained, and often times their greatest joy is simply knowing that their hard labor and efforts will bring food to the table of others. John Severn isn’t your typical farmer. He doesn’t come from a family of farmers, although he recalls enjoying the variety of fruit trees at his parents’ house in Southern California. Severn’s story is different. He recalls becoming “pretty frustrated with our disconnection from real life.” It caused in him a burning desire to live a sustainable and simpler life, he said. By 19, Severn had an even greater reason for farming: He became a father. His work on farms began as something “forced by need,” he said. Jump ahead nine years and Severn, 28, now finds himself living a sustainable, simpler life with his son and wife on one acre. He’s been self-sufficient at Little River Farm near Blue Lake for four years now. He named the farm after his son’s nickname: the little river. “This is really a dream come true,” he said. “It’s really exciting.” Severn’s specialty is salad mix and baby greens. He typically has anywhere from 30 to 70 varieties of lettuce growing at one time, utilizing every inch of space for raised beds and greenhouses. Although he admits “this was a real struggle beginning,” he now consistently delivers fresh salad mix year-round to his retailers. “We’re hyperactive out here, partly because the product is so perishable,” he said. His product isn’t just organic. “It’s wonderfully organic,” Severn says. He strives for low-fuel use and giving back to the land in appreciation for everything it has provided him. This all while getting “high production out of a very small space,” he said. Severn stands by his choice to include many varieties of greens in his salad mixes. He doesn’t like the typical mixes offered commercially. Severn’s mixes offer a unique opportunity to local chefs and restaurants. He currently has 30 different special mixes for a variety of chefs’ needs. “It’s salad art,” he said. Severn knows he could make more money by cutting his output down to a minimal variety of greens, but he chooses against it, knowing the impact of how many different cuisines he can accommodate. “We’re so economically driven. It’s such a pain,” Severn says. He remains unfazed in his approach however. “Not everything’s about money,” he said. “Thankfully everybody’s hungry,” he adds jokingly. One of Severn’s special mixes is the “dragonfly mix” made specifically for the Dragonfly Restaurant in Eureka. John Lam, the restaurant’s owner, has been able to create a special mix for his restaurant’s unique cuisine. Lam picked out three or four different greens to blend well with his foods, but can always ask for a different mix if he wants. Severn will go out of his way to please the restaurant’s needs, Lam said. “John’s greens are probably some of the best around the county,” Lam said. He described the product as crisp, bright and hard with a freshness that can’t be beat. At the farm, everything is watered on timers, but that doesn’t seem to cut Severn any extra free time. “It’s not a one-man show,” he explains. “I’ve had a lot of help, but ultimately it comes down to me. No one else puts in a 14-hour day.” He knows full well why many people don’t last long doing this work. “Everything is bending over. Everything is on your knees,” he said. Rubbing his back, he said he can no longer tell where bone and muscle meet. As Severn’s experience as a farmer grows, he’s also expecting his farm to grow in size. This winter he’ll be picking up his roots on West End Road near Blue Lake and replanting in Freshwater. He’s looking forward to “having a little more room to breath” on the 3 acres he’s leasing at his new location. “I feel very, very blessed to be here. Everyone’s just so supportive,” Severn said of the area. “The list of people to thank is so enormous.” Salad mix from Little River Farm is sold at Wildberries Marketplace, the Co-op, various local cafes, restaurants and the local farmer’s markets. “I think it’s such a beautiful thing,” Severn said of the farmer’s markets. “People actually engage each other in a positive way.” Home