This week, I wanted to take a moment to recognize a fellow farmer, friend, and mentor.
Michelle Bearmar runs Black Mountain Farm.
If that name sounds familiar, it’s likely because you’ve picked up a carton of her eggs at one of our weekly farm stands.
We are so grateful to carry Michelle’s eggs, not only because they taste so delicious, but because of the care behind why they taste that way.
Michelle puts extraordinary care into the treatment of her chickens. I’ve mentioned in the past how she mixes her own feed to ensure her flock is properly nourished. She also regularly rotates her birds on pasture, giving them access to fresh forage across her fields.
Beyond that, Michelle is often a one-woman show—packaging and distributing her products at markets and drop sites across the county herself.
Somehow, between managing her birds and fulfilling orders, Michelle also finds time to tend a 1/2+ acre vegetable plot while mentoring young, aspiring organic farmers along the way.
A true student of farming, Michelle has a deep desire to grow the freshest food possible—and to bring others along in that journey.
She’s the epitome of the teacher-practitioner: someone you might hear explaining the cation exchange capacity of soil while ratcheting together her own tension-wire trellis.
And her badassery isn’t confined to farming.
Michelle was also one of the first female hotshot firefighters in California.
Her history of putting out fires is the perfect background for small-scale farming, where challenges seem to arise at every turn. She never wavers in the face of difficulty—in fact, she often seems to welcome it, as if each problem is another opportunity to prove that nothing is too big to solve with enough time, attention, and a strong community of support.
This attitude and commitment are what have helped Michelle build Black Mountain Farm into a weekly source of nourishment for so many families across San Diego.
I’m honored to know Michelle and to learn from her. It’s people like her who inspire me to deepen my understanding of this craft, to push beyond what I think are my limits, and to never overlook the joy that comes from a job well done.
Thank you, Michelle, for all you do in this small but mighty local food system of ours.