Luna farm at Camp Grant
Luna farm at camp grant is a 24 acre farm located in redcrest, CA on the Mainfork of the eel river. We raise 8 acres of vegetables each year, have another 3 acres in orchards & seed saving test plots and 2 acres resting fallow. This rotation allows us to build and maintain soil fertility with fewer off farm inputs. The rest of our land is in natural areas including the redwood forest and eel river.
Camp grant has long been a cultivation site prior to european settlement. Initially the home and hunting grounds of the Sinkyone or IlhtcuntaHdun people, the bull creek area fed thousands of first nations people (FNP). in the time of the gold rush, the land was seized by settlers during the brutal Bald Hills War (1856-1864) leaving only a staggering few hundred FNP’s alive from the four surrounding tribes combined. Living relatives reside mainly in the Hupa, Wiyot and Round river valley reservations. Find out more information about land back movements here.
A decade after initial settlement and dissolving of the military post, Camp grant was Acquired by a man named Amos Hansell. He and his family were the first to put the land into orchard production and cultivated a variety of fruits, vegetables & black walnuts. For decades the Hansell & Sons Orchards and Gardens was known to be an Abundant and thriving enterprise with superior fruits and veggies.
In the mid 1920’s Camp Grant was sold to a hay farmer with 8 daughters who ran and maintained the farm for multiple decades.
In the late 1980’s, John LaBoyteaux became the primary resident and farmer at camp grant. He spent 35 years onsite putting in an incredible apple orchard, growing a variety of melons and assorted fruits, and became most well known for the organic wheat & Rye he cultivated here starting in 2010.
in 2018, Fred and Amy Deikmeyer moved their farm from willow creek to fertile Verdant floodplain that is camp grant. They have continued to expand the orchards to include peach, plum, pluot, nectarines and more! They continue to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables and offer a main season CSA from June-October. You can also find their produce at the local farmers markets as well as many nearby food coops.
In 2022, Natalia Boyce started the River Orchard at Luna Farm that predominately serves as a wedding venue Utilizing Produce and gorgeous background of the farm for a picturesque wedding. In the future Amy and Fred hope to be able to host classes and workshops here for young and new farmers, Culinary expressionists and more.
