Catchy-named farm grows an array of organic goodies.

Byline: Profile by The Register-Guard

Name: John Poynter, 37, Lorane.

Claim to fame: Runs hey bayles! farm with his wife, Shannon, at their home on Siuslaw River Road about four miles west of Lorane. They grow vegetables and fruits on their 10-acre property and sell them to restaurants, farmer's markets and natural foods stores in Lane County and Coos Bay. Their speciality is baby-leaf lettuce.

Passing through: Raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, Poynter left the city after high school, surfed the beaches in and around San Diego, then headed north with a friend to Washington. They bought mountain bikes and set off to ride back home to Texas, stopping in Eugene along the way. Poynter liked what he saw of Oregon, got his fisheries degree from Oregon State University and met his wife one night in the early 1990s at the Black Forest Tavern in Eugene.

Green acres: Poynter never set out to be a farmer. But after he and his wife bought their property, and their son Ezra, now 7, came along, Poynter was looking for a way to stay home. He read about growing crops, talked with people who did it for a living and found his niche. The farm's name comes from Shannon's maiden name, Bayles, and it's all lowercase just to get your attention. The Poynters also have a 4-year-old daughter, Jin Joo. In addition to the baby-leaf lettuce, the farm grows tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, radishes, garlic, strawberries, raspberries and will soon have apples and pears, too. Everything is organic. From June through September, families can sign up for weekly boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as tours, workshops and the farm's annual filbert harvest festival.

A place to learn: Now they have a seven-person crew, including three interns from various parts of the country who have come to gain experience through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program in exchange for room and board. "I'm pretty proud of that," Poynter said. "What I want for the farm in the future is to provide a great place for my kids to grow up, to continue a viable way of providing food locally and to continue to provide employment opportunities in the field of agriculture."

How to find them: hey bayles! farm is located at 25766 Siuslaw River Road. You can call the farm at 767-0379 or go online at heybaylesfarm.com.

- Mark Baker

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CAPTION(S):

John Poynter and his family grow organic produce and fruit at hey bayles! farm on Siuslaw River Road just west of Lorane. From June to September, the farm offers tours and workshops. P r o f i l e