About the Farmers

Emily Dietzman started her farming career as a senior in high school with three laying hens in the Wa-Hi FFA poultry barn. Having tapped a deep passion Emily went on to apprentice on several small mixed vegetable farms of the Willamette Valley, earn a BA in Environmental Studies and a MA in Education from the University of Oregon, co-found and direct the School Garden Project of Lane County, teach Urban Farming and School Gardening through the U. of O.'s Department of Landscape Architecture, farm full time on a draft horse powered market and CSA farm, and work for two years as the Farm Manager for GRuB, an Olympia based non-profit educational farm. After a decade of maritime learning and growing, Emily is glad to be home and a part of the agricultural community of the Walla Walla Valley.

Andy Asmus began his career in agriculture at the age of 18 as the sole ranch hand on 1400 acres of cattle land in northern Montana. He has since worked in construction, landscaping, and tree care. At the University of Washingon and the Evergreen State College, he studied and worked in horticulture, organic agriculture, and orchard management. There he developed his passions of locally grown food, perennial crops, and the integration of meat and dairy animals into small farm operations. Andy especially enjoys selling good clean food directly to folks at the farmer's market. Come on by for a chat, a sample, and some of the tastiest produce in the valley! As a ISA certified arborist, Andy also runs Home Orchard and Tree Care LLC, which offers a full range of tree services from the smallest home-scale orchard to the tallest trees in town.

Carolyn Dietzman is the Welcome Table Farm flower grower. She has lived in Walla Walla for 30 years and recently retired from her school nurse position of 17 years with the WW school district. Carolyn has always loved growing flowers in her own gardens and is transforming this hobby into a retirement adventure. Each year she has a favorite flower - and this year she has over 30 varieties to choose from - which will be the favorite?

Hazel Asmus joined the farm team in February of 2009. She is now our #1 product taste tester and heads the marketing division. Her favorite part of the farm are the critters. She's especially thankful for her Nannah, Carolyn Dietzman, and all the fun they have while everyone else is working.

Kirk Huffey began volunteering at Welcome Table Farm in 2007. In 2009 he became an employee and now splits his year working the farm and working trees with Home Orchard and Tree Care. Kirk grew up in an avocado orchard in Santa Cruz, CA. He came to Walla Walla in 1990 to attend Whitman College. Kirk and his partner Kristi have a five year old boy named Benji, and a new baby expected in May. His hobbies include basketball, soccer, snowboarding, hotspringing, and general recreational activities. Kirk's work experiences include social work, teaching, counseling, coaching, plumbing, construction, masonry, and now tree work and farming (and he's awesome at everything he does- WOW!). He says, "I absolutely love growing food and climbing trees. I plan on sticking with these two jobs for a long time!"