A Heartfelt Farewell to Organic Pioneer Jeff Falen

Oregon’s community of organic farms lost a pioneer in the passing of Jeff Falen. From Jeff’s imagination and grit sprung forth Persephone Farm, a place he constructed from his own sweat and endurance, guided by a set of profound ideas.

Through years of tireless work in which Jeff shunned plastic mulch and embraced solar, he dared to honor both the craft of organic farming and the environment it sustained, despite the inherent challenges those decisions posed.

His dedication and skill won him recognition both from his peers and vegetable-loving shoppers, as well as the honor of Oregon Tilth’s Farm of The Year. He helped pave the way for future generations of organic farmers in the Willamette Valley.

He grew a legion of enthusiastic customers that frequented his farmers market stands and left an indelible mark on our state’s organic farming community. 

Known to share many thoughtful turns of phrase over the years, his farming ethos "a life of financial poverty and spiritual wealth" best describes his embrace of his chosen life-path.

Persephone Farm also provided for him a life-partner, which he found in Elanor O’Brien. A vivacious woman that Jeff had the good luck of hiring to work at Persephone in 1990. Elanor is on our minds and in our hearts as this new chapter of life unfolds before her. Elanor, you’re surrounded with love. 

Jeff holds a special place in OGC’s history as one of the original farm-owners that helped propel our company from a rag-tag team of hippies and dreamers to a reliable source for organic produce first in and around Eugene and eventually beyond. Without Persephone’s steady supply of broccoli, cucumbers, beans and more, the 1980s and ’90s would have looked a bit different for us as we grew. 

Jeff and Persephone Farm continued to be a valuable and well-loved grower partner of OGC’s right till the end. 

While it’s never easy to say good-bye, we know that Jeff bestowed his unwavering ideas about sustainable agriculture to many over the years. His passionate philosophies about cover crops and rotations, sustainable grazing, and fish and marine-life conservation live-on in thought beyond his time on earth. His impact on our community cannot be quantified other than to say it was monumental. 

From all of us at OGC, we thank you for your life’s work, Jeff, and hope you’re taking that electric-tractor for a good ride on the other side! We’ll see you soon, friend.