The Big Little Farms opens stand in Rainier

On Wasser Road and at the border of Rainier and Goble is a new farm stand. A little spot with a big vision by sisters Janea Herrmann and Melissa Upperman, The Big Little Farms is the beginning of a larger dream: a lifestyle of homesteading and sustainability.

Herrmann and Upperman come from a large family and talked for years of owning land and working for themselves. Upperman moved to the Rainier area in 2023 with her husband, Andrew, who built the farm stand. Having grown up in Beaverton and spending time in other suburbs, the Uppermans were ready for something different. "When we found this property we just wanted to have a better sense of where our food's coming from and the feel of a small community," said Upperman.

The 16-acre property was part of a larger plot purchased years ago by an investment company during a foreclosure and was then subdivided and sat vacant. After the Uppermans moved in, Herrmann and her family would visit on the weekends and started eyeballing the neighboring plot. They discovered a buried "For Sale" sign, and Hermann and her husband started making calls. The house later proved to be unlivable and had to be torn down.

"This was vacant, nothing was going on here," said Hermann. "The investment group owned it and they weren't actively trying to sell it. We got in touch and were back and forth for a whole year trying to negotiate something and get the price down. We literally sold everything. We're not even out here full time. We're living with relatives in Beaverton so I'm only out for the summer with my kids living in a trailer. We will go back at the end of the summer to make more money in the city to make this dream possible to build a house."

The name is a nod to the land and their familial ties. "There's a little farm, the big farm, and then it's the big sister and little sister," said Upperman. "We want to be the first generation homesteaders [in our family]," said Hermann. "We want to get back to our roots and know where our food came from - the work that goes into it - and we just want to work for ourselves. We want to be able to be here full time. I think that was a dream for both of us."

Between the two plots, the sisters have more than 60 acres with which to work. While Hermann's division needs a lot of improvements and upgrades, it's still flush with an abundance of producing trees and plants that include apples, plums, cherries, berries, and hazelnuts.

Upperman has a starter garden but plans to expand. "My husband built me some beautiful raised beds in the backyard," she said. "We want to do a big expansion with our garden next year. Right now we've got pumpkins, beets, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, brussel sprouts, and jalapeños are finally coming in."

While Hermann and her family work on getting their property up and running, Harmann plans to set-up an additional stand in Beaverton to promote the business and bring in money. "It's the same business, we'll just have more people in Beaverton," said Hermann. "But the whole reason for any of this was to be more self-sufficient. You know; work hard. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

The Big Little Farms is located at 68890 Wasser Road and is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. - or whenever the sun goes down. The business runs on a payment honor system with a secured and locked cash box and options to pay digitally with Venmo and CashApp. The stand is monitored with security cameras for accountability.

In addition to a rotating selection of produce, there's a steady supply of farm fresh eggs and baked goods that include homemade sandwich and rustic artisan breads, classic chocolate chip cookies in singles or 4-packs, brownies, muffins, and even tiny spider plants and fresh cut flower bouquets grown on Upperman's property.

When asked where they see themselves in five years, Hermann and Upperman talked about a flourishing garden, an outdoor kitchen dedicated to making baked goods, and livestock. "We want more animals," said Upperman. "I want to get goats and we want cows. I would love to be able to make goat milk soaps and shampoos and all kinds of goodies."

"We're trying to build a community and fun," said Upperman. "We want to offer a community board in [the stand], and if people lost pets, or if they just need any local help, or if they have businesses they want to share. When the seasons change, the menu will change as well. There's a gentleman that lives right down the road and he's like 'You guys open all the time? This is a lot closer than going to the store.'"

For more info, email thebiglittlefarms@gmail.com or follow the business on Instagram or TikTok.