Our Story
A BELLINGHAM VERTICAL FARM
FarmWild was founded in Whatcom County in 2016 and was originally known as Wild Acres Family Farm. Our intention from day one was to grow food in a clean and environmentally responsible way.
A Philosophy Rooted in Choice
Wild Acres was born from the belief that farming should be a healthy, regenerative practice for both people and the planet. This philosophy is rooted in a simple truth: with the choice of what to eat three times a day, we can collectively improve the health of ourselves, our families, and our environment by choosing clean food grown with a conscience.
An Evolution, Not an Epiphany
The early years at Wild Acres were focused on humanely raising chickens, turkeys, and pigs outdoors on pasture. Alongside this traditional farming, a passion for experimentation was always present, with various small-scale aquaponics systems running in the background.
Many people ask about the single spark that ignited our full-scale commitment to aquaponics. The truth is, there wasn’t one. The farm’s direction was a gradual evolution, born from years of hands-on practice. With each successful crop, the belief in the technique’s profound value for the environment grew stronger. For a science enthusiast driven by a passion for sustainability, aquaponics became the ultimate project—a living science experiment where the potential for learning and discovery was limitless.
The Leap Indoors
This deepening conviction led to a pivotal transformation in 2020. The farm expanded its aquaponics operation, becoming FarmWild and dedicating its future to the wonders of aquaponics. That summer, we sold our first crops of fresh basil and lettuce to a few local Bellingham restaurants, cementing a new path forward. Several years of experimentation and expansion ensued as we developed our first indoor vertical farm inside the barn, supplementing the produce from our year-round aquaponic greenhouse.
This journey has now led to our latest rendition. With our new facility opening in the Summer of 2025, FarmWild has committed to a fully urban, indoor future, relocating to our current home in downtown Bellingham. Today, FarmWild stands as a pioneering urban aquaponics farm, dedicated exclusively to growing the highest quality produce in the most environmentally responsible way.
Imagine if there were farms like this in every city.
Growing indoors removes the unpredictability of seasons, and provides us complete control over all factors of plant growth. The interplay between these factors can be fascinating and complex.
Our Team
Makenna Fowler
LEAD FARMER
AAS IN FISHERIES & AQUACULTURE
Makenna is a Bellingham local. Growing up, she swam on the local competitive swim team and always had a love for the water. She is an alumni from Bellingham Technical College and Whatcom Community College. Makenna’s focus was on Fisheries and Aquaculture where she learned about salmon hatchery production, along with fish rearing and handling. During her full time at BTC, she helped raised and released over 1 million chinook, half a million chum, and over fifteen hundred rainbow trout. Makenna has an immense love for the outdoors, growing plants, caring for animals, as well as supporting sustainable practices. A year and a half into a lilfe-long career in aquaponics, Makenna is FarmWild’s most experienced employee.
Sebastian Chambers
FARMER
Sebastian was born and raised in Colorado with a love for nature and everything the world has to offer. He grew up camping, hiking, skiing, and occasionally surfing or scuba diving with his family. That curiosity for the outdoors eventually landed him in Bellingham, where the mountains met the sea, and all walks of life were satisfied. Sebastian is currently a full time student at BTC in the fisheries program and was introduced to Brian and FarmWild during the Fall of 2024, where Brian’s bright attitude and a love for sustainable farming sparked volunteering and an internship with FarmWild. Sebastian is now happily employed at FarmWild, while continuing the aquaculture program at BTC!
STUDENT AT BTC FISHERIES
Reese Muirhead
FARMER
Reese grew up in Bellingham, Washington where she discovered her love for animals, trees, plants, and the ocean. She is now a student, studying Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences at Bellingham Technical College, which is where she discovered FarmWild. She was shocked and inspired by the mimicking of nature’s natural systems to sustainably produce food. She thought she must’ve woken up in the future! Reese began as an intern at FarmWild, and later became a part of the team, where she cares for fish, plants, and lends a hand to other projects around the farm. Outside of the farm, you’ll find Reese going for a long hike, foraging, laughing with friends, or reading a good book.
STUDENT AT BTC FISHERIES
Brian Rusk, PhD
Founder & Head Honcho
Brian is the founder of FarmWild and the chief architect of its living ecosystems. His journey to farming was an unconventional one, beginning in the world of academic geology. Brian earned his PhD from the University of Oregon, dedicating 15 years as a researcher and professor to studying the movement of water through volcanoes, geothermal systems, and mineral deposits. This deep understanding of complex, water-based natural systems provided an unexpected but perfect foundation for his next chapter.
In 2016, while a research associate at Western Washington University, Brian founded FarmWild. He initially split his time between the two worlds, but the hands-on challenge of building a sustainable food system proved irresistible. He eventually traded the hallowed halls and ivory towers of the university for the fish poop and leaky pipes of the aquaponics farm—a new puzzle, a new challenge, and a new experiment he is excited to tackle every day.