Bordered by a small creek at the end of a dirt lane Happy Heron Farm takes it’s name from the wildlife that visits the waters. Their open fields of vegetables and fruit show their dedication to the community and to their craft. 

I met Stephanie, the farmer behind Happy Heron Farm on a summer day and tagged along with her while she gathered vegetables for her weekly delivery to Farm Deliver Boise. I was there on behalf of Farm Deliver, to do some photos for farmers and ranchers involved in their direct to consumer delivery program.  

I am drawn to people who do what they love. A potter who is obsessed with the perfect vase shape and has finally cracked the code, standing with a child like awe at her newest firing?? Yes please.  

I love hearing people talk about their passions.  I love to meet owners of local small businesses who are passionate about what they do.

I’ve yet to meet a farmer who isn’t a dreamer. They're so in tune with the weather, their crops, their animals, and the water tables. And probably a hundred other things that are like open tabs in their mind.  Every time I arrive at a farm to take photos, I hear their plans for expansion or their ideas for making the watering more efficient. They are problem solvers, out of the box thinkers, and can see the future in their minds eye, always innovating. 

I can think of another rancher I know, who shielded her eyes from the sun, looked out onto her field, and told me her family's plans for another herd of cattle. I think she could see them out there, grazing next year. 

Stephanie told me her goal is to feed as many families as they possibly can with their farm. She’s always thinking of new and inventive ways to do this, always planning for next year as she gathers this year's harvest. You can tell by her smile in these photos she truly loves what she does.

Happy Heron Farm sells direct to customer in a couple ways. You can find them at the Boise Farmer’s Market on the weekends. They also have a CSA you can join at certain parts of the year, and you can choose a few different ways to either pick up or have the produce delivered. The CSA fills up fast and there are a limited number of spots open, so make sure you plan ahead and get your name in there on time. 

Farm Deliver Boise is another way you can get produce and meat from local farmers and ranchers. They source from the Treasure Valley primarily but also other parts of Idaho. They deliver the groceries to your door for a small fee, and you can order from all these different farms right online. Orders are closed for the week on Sunday nights and get delivered on Wednesdays. If you’re looking for a streamlined and super easy way to get in season vegetables and fruit, this is the way to go. 

My approach with commercial photographs is a more of an editorial approach than a "stand still and smile real big approach". I like to document the moments as is. I don’t mind directing a bit, or for example, suggesting we go see the goats, but the farmer is the one who knows their property the best. I follow where they lead as I learn about the land and their crops and snap some photos of them doing their jobs. Picking tomatoes off the vines, unearthing some carrots, checking peppers to see if they’re big enough.  

I’ve been introduced to calfs and been warned about bulls, seen goats upend their feed buckets on their heads (see the photo below!!), been told about livestock that seem to magically escape their enclosures, and given a crash course about different breeds of chickens. 

I always leave humbled and thankful that I my actual job is to witness all this beauty and passion and hard work. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for people of Idaho who work with their hands for the good of the land, their family, and their communities. I am forever grateful to be able to photograph this. 

These photographs are more than just commercial photos. I like to take a documentary approach to all of the photos I take- to let the photo tell a story, not only look pretty.  It's a record of of your hard work, your family's dedication, and the life you're living.

I treat these documentary photos of small businesses as more than sterile headshots in a studio. I want people to see these photos on your website and be able to tell what a labor of love this is for you. Not is it only your “job” but it’s usually the land where your children have been raised, the place you look out on while you drink your coffee, the soil where you dream of expanding into, and where you have spent your time toiling and sweating.  

It is not something I take lightly.  

Here’s how the sessions go: You send me some info about what you’re thinking for the photos. Sometimes it’s a new herd, sometimes it’s updated photos for a new website or a new product.  Sometimes it’s just because. I’ll ask if you already have a vision for the photos or are imagining one in your head that is really specific (one request was sitting quietly in her new shed making a wreath out of a new kind of flower she had dried). You can send me a Pinterest board or inspo photos if you like, or I can be a bit of a creative director and step in with some ideas. 

I show up and usually am greeted by a dog or two (yay!!) then I get shown around the property while I take in the lighting and make a mental plan of where I want the to stand to take the photos.  

I tag along with whatever you’re already doing that day. If you’d like some family photos we have the kids jump in and show me their favorite things on the ranch. It’s usually a favorite chicken! I hang out for a few hours. I drive home happy and usually dusty. Then in a few weeks you get the photos delivered via online gallery. You’ll have your commercial release and so you can use the photos for your posts on socials or website, or use the family photos for Christmas cards. And boom- you have content, usually enough for the year.  

You can see more of Happy Heron farm here on instagram or here on Facebook.  

Find some local seasonal produce here at Farm Deliver Boise.