It all started in 1945, when Norris and Laura Short purchased the original farm property and Valley View Farm was born. They operated a small dairy farm and raised 9 children, all of whom did daily chores on the farm and graduated from Chimacum High School. Many of the children went on to receive advanced degrees and moved away from the area (farm life, with it’s unknowns and constant chores, isn’t a life for everyone).
In 1970, Roger (the second to eldest son) purchased 88 cows in the diary herd and rented half of the Valley View Farm. Norris and Laura continued farming the remaining half of the herd raising replacement dairy heifers and starting a small topsoil business. Norris and Laura were very active in the community. They were known for their volunteer work at church and in the local 4-H Club and well as for writing Letters to the Editor of the newspaper.
Eventually, Roger increased the size of Valley View Dairy to over 600 Holsteins and growing forage on 500 acres (some of the land was owned and some was leased). Roger and his wife Sandy raised six children who also learned the value of hard work through daily chores as their Father, Aunts and Uncles had once done on the same property years before.
In 2003, things changed. With growing regulations from all levels of government (local, state and federal) and new rules imposed by the local marketing co-op, it was no longer feasible to continue the Dairy. For a brief time, The Short Family considered producing farmstead cheese, but with additional government regulation and astronomical fees, it was not feasible.
In an effort to keep the family farm going that his father had started, Roger turned to raising the cattle for beef in addition to continuing the production of compost and topsoil (Magic Soil).
Now known as Short’s Family Farm, the farm consists of nearly 300 acres used for pasture, silage and hay production. Roger is the farm manager, Sandy does bookkeeping between volunteering as an EMT at the local fire department, son Bill works full time with the Magic Soil business and son Kevin handles the USDA beef sales. The other children, Lisa, Steve, Abbey and Holly all have jobs away from the farm.
Roger has sold the property to the Port of Port Townsend. We are no longer raising beef or doing compost.
In 1970, Roger (the second to eldest son) purchased 88 cows in the diary herd and rented half of the Valley View Farm. Norris and Laura continued farming the remaining half of the herd raising replacement dairy heifers and starting a small topsoil business. Norris and Laura were very active in the community. They were known for their volunteer work at church and in the local 4-H Club and well as for writing Letters to the Editor of the newspaper.
Eventually, Roger increased the size of Valley View Dairy to over 600 Holsteins and growing forage on 500 acres (some of the land was owned and some was leased). Roger and his wife Sandy raised six children who also learned the value of hard work through daily chores as their Father, Aunts and Uncles had once done on the same property years before.
In 2003, things changed. With growing regulations from all levels of government (local, state and federal) and new rules imposed by the local marketing co-op, it was no longer feasible to continue the Dairy. For a brief time, The Short Family considered producing farmstead cheese, but with additional government regulation and astronomical fees, it was not feasible.
In an effort to keep the family farm going that his father had started, Roger turned to raising the cattle for beef in addition to continuing the production of compost and topsoil (Magic Soil).
Now known as Short’s Family Farm, the farm consists of nearly 300 acres used for pasture, silage and hay production. Roger is the farm manager, Sandy does bookkeeping between volunteering as an EMT at the local fire department, son Bill works full time with the Magic Soil business and son Kevin handles the USDA beef sales. The other children, Lisa, Steve, Abbey and Holly all have jobs away from the farm.
Roger has sold the property to the Port of Port Townsend. We are no longer raising beef or doing compost.
