MEET THE MAKER

Sauk Farm was founded in 2016 by father-and-son team Jesse and Griffin Berger, whose shared love for growing food began years earlier in a Seattle backyard. As a child, Griffin remembers helping his dad tend to a few apple trees, then picking and selling the fruit from a sidewalk stand Jesse had built. That small family tradition sparked a deeper passion for farming — one that eventually led the Bergers to relocate to foothills of the cascades in Washington’s fertile Skagit Valley in pursuit of organic agriculture. The farm’s name honors Sauk Mountain, the striking peak that towers over the property and has long been a landmark of the region. Situated in the eastern part of Skagit County on land once known as Sauk City, the farm benefits from rich Larush silt loam soils, replenished over centuries by periodic river floods. This nutrient-dense earth, paired with the valley’s pristine and relatively isolated setting, creates ideal conditions for sustainable organic farming.

Today, Sauk Farm specializes in organic apples, grapes, and peaches, as well as handcrafted value-added products like fresh-pressed cider and naturally dried apple slices. The Bergers are deeply committed to environmental stewardship — cultivating nutrient-rich fruit with minimal ecological impact while preserving the land for future generations.

Griffin, now the farm’s Operations Manager, holds a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Plant Sciences from Washington State University, with dual majors in Field Crop Management and Fruit & Vegetable Management. With more than 12 years of hands-on farming experience, he continues to refine Sauk Farm’s growing practices, always with an eye toward improving quality, flavor, and sustainability.

At its heart, Sauk Farm remains a true family endeavor — one rooted in respect for the land, the joy of working together, and the simple pleasure of sharing wholesome, delicious fruit from their corner of the Skagit Valley.