The History of Siri and Son Farms

1900s Antonio Siri partnered with 16 other local growers and began farming 30 acres at Harmony Point and Fuller Rd. in Clackamas, Oregon. “There was no paperwork or anything,” says Antonio’s son Fred. “Just an agreement between farmers. And remember, everything was done by hand back then,” he says, explaining the cooperative effort of many farmers. Antonio later partnered with his wife’s brother, Silvio Pienovi, and four others at a nearby location on Rex Road for many years.

1940s Antonio set out on his own, farming on a piece of land off of Webster Rd. in the Milwaukie area.

1950s Fred followed in Antonio’s footsteps, beginning with 12 acres along the Clackamas River, a piece of land that is still farmed today by Fred’s son, Jim, and Jim’s sons, Joe and Dominick. Fred recalls the early years when he would load up his vegetables on a flatbed truck and drive into town. There he would park alongside other farmers while buyers walked between the two rows of trucks and purchased the produce with cash right there. Later, Fred left his deliveries on customers’ docks at night with only a slip of paper as a receipt.

1960s Fred purchased 15 acres in Clackamas, and that location is still headquarters for the farm.

1970s Fred’s son, Jim, joined his dad, and soon after the name Siri and Son Farms came into existence. Jim purchased 25 acres near Fred, and gradually the farm leased more land in the area. Jim expanded on the variety of crops Fred raised, and Siri and Son Farms built up its facilities by adding dock space and cooler space to accommodate its growing yields.

1990s The days of truck farming and night deliveries were gone, but the unsurpassed commitment to quality remained at Siri and Son Farms. That quality supported the farm’s growth and success into the 21st century.

2003 At that time another change was on the horizon: organic farming. Joe began studying and considering organics while a student at Oregon State, and in time Joe persuaded Jim that this was the right direction for the farm. Joe stressed that organic farming was consistent with the farm’s philosophy.

2005 Siri and Son Farms transitions to 100% organic farming methods and begins a commitment to sustainability.