Evergreen Member Spotlight: Nick Spring and Spring Time Farm

Written by Keller Northcutt | Photos by Elijah Christie

There’s something undeniably enchanting about May in Bellingham—every turn seems to burst with color and scent. Flowering fruit trees, dogwoods, and laurels fill the air with sweetness. Rhododendrons paint the landscape in a thousand hues. Lilacs and lilies lend their perfume to the breeze. Spring is alive with vibrancy, nudging us gently toward the promise of summer’s bounty.

This season offers our bodies what winter often withholds: warm sunshine and fresh nutrients. And what better way to nourish yourself than with a basket of just-picked local greens and veggies?

We're thrilled to announce our very first CSA collaboration with Spring Time Farm! To kick off our member spotlight series, we’d love to introduce you to the people and land behind this fresh produce.

Evergreen member and lifelong farmer Nick Spring welcomed us out to his farm in the beautiful Nooksack Valley for a behind-the-scenes tour. Now in their twelfth year as certified organic farmers, Nick and his partner Sarah Robinson have cultivated something truly special: a thriving farm full of vegetables, herbs, fruit, and flowers—a living, breathing celebration of what it means to eat locally, seasonally, and sustainably.

Spring Time Farm spans 37 acres near the foothills of Sumas Mountain, with 20 acres actively in production. As we stepped into the perfectly straight rows of crops, young green heads of celery, sugar snap peas, and carrots reached toward the sun—a living mosaic of growth. To the east, a pond fed by the Sumas River supports a thriving habitat of nesting birds and riparian vegetation. As we walked, Nick discussed the many birds and bats that play an essential role in balancing the farm's ecosystem.

We toured seven large greenhouses, each a warm, humid haven for seed starts, salad greens, and tomatoes. These cocoons of cultivation offer just the right conditions for nurturing delicate plants into hardy crops. Altogether, the farm grows over 40 different varieties of crops, unlike many of the neighboring farms, which are primarily mono crops such as berries or potatoes.

“Diversity is our mantra,” Nick shared.

Through that diversity—along with thoughtful crop rotation, organic manure, cover crops like clover and wheat, and intentional rest periods—the soil remains nutrient-dense and resilient.

“We were lucky to start with such rich alluvial soils,” he added.

When Nick and Sarah purchased the land in 2017, they stepped into a legacy. The previous owners had grown food there for three generations, and the original barn, built in 1912, still stands proudly at the center of the property. More than just a storage space, it’s a symbol of continuity, a gentle testament to the rich history of farming in the Nooksack Valley. Nick and Sarah got married in the old barn in 2019, adding a new chapter to the land’s story.

Nearby, rows of peonies swayed in the breeze, their buds moments away from bursting into vibrant bloom. Behind the barn, a new wall of solar panels gleamed in the sun—part of a system that now totals 60 panels across the property.

“We’re nearly 100% solar-powered now, which feels really good,” said Nick.

Spring Time Farm employs two year-round staff and brings on seven full-time team members during the busy season. While much of their harvest goes to Bellingham’s Community Food Co-ops, they once ran a booth at the local farmers market as well. When COVID disrupted that rhythm in 2020, they pivoted to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model—continuing to deliver fresh food directly to people’s hands.

This year marks their first-ever Spring Salad Share, which has already proven to be a hit. It joins their Main Season Share and Fall Share, giving members the chance to eat local, organic produce throughout the entire growing season. They put together nearly 150 boxes direct to consumer throughout the season, with six pick-up locations including Evergreen.

Spring Time Farm is proudly certified organic—a distinction that comes with commitment, care, and no shortcuts. Nick's father spent his entire life as a farmer. Sadly, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which he attributes to years of pesticide use. This motivated Nick to remain committed to organic farming.

While there are approved organic and natural pesticides, Nick and Sarah prefer a hands-on approach. To protect their crops from pests, they use row covers—a light, gauzy material that shields young plants from insects. It’s a labor-intensive method, requiring constant adjustment as the plants grow and as weeding becomes necessary, but it’s remarkably effective.

Yet the challenges of organic farming extend beyond the field’s edge.

“We lost acres of crops one year due to a neighbor using pesticides that flooded into our field,” Nick explained.

Still, their commitment to growing healthy, chemical-free food remains unwavering.

“It feels good to be giving our community local food that nourishes both the body and the land.”

And as we know at Evergreen Strength, nourishing the body isn’t just about what we eat—it’s also about how we move, rest, and recover. Farming is physically demanding work. A few years ago, Nick began experiencing chronic back and knee pain that started limiting his ability to do what he loved. Doctors told him surgery would be the only option. 

That’s when he joined the gym, hoping to to build strength and reduce pain.

“I started training at Evergreen, and quite quickly my back and knee pain disappeared. I no longer have trouble doing my work, and I avoided an unnecessary knee surgery,” Nick shared.

A strong body is essential when you're growing and moving between 200,000 to 300,000 pounds of produce each year!

As we wrapped up our visit, we watched the crew skillfully pack starts into soil with the help of a tractor—quick, precise, and oddly satisfying. Nearby, apple blossoms filled the air with the sweet promise of fall harvests, while rows of herbs danced gently in the breeze. Nick sent us home with a bouquet of violet peonies, a bunch of the sweetest carrots, and a few tasty pepper starts.

Before we left, we couldn’t help but talk about the future. As their family has grown—their children Lorenzo and Ursula are one and three years old—Nick dreams of more community involvement with the farm. Of course this got us thinking… maybe a farm-to-table dinner? A group harvest night? An old-fashioned barn dance? 

However it unfolds, we are excited about this partnership and feel lucky to have hard-working members like Nick as a part of the Evergreen community. We look forward to the months ahead filled with fresh veggies, bright flowers, and vibrant herbs, and we are extremely grateful to the people and practices that make it all possible.

Want to get your hands on some delicious, local produce? Check out their website to learn more about Spring Time Farm and sign-up for their CSA!