Local Business Highlight: Flynn Farms

FLYNN FARMS

Meet Savannah Flynn, owner of Flynn Farms, one of the local businesses that we get our ingredients from. Savannah brings a unique and powerful perspective to the world of agriculture that we want to share. Born in Oakland and raised in California’s East Bay, Savannah grew up in an urban environment where she relied on food banks, an experience that instilled in her an understanding of the vital role of farmers in feeding communities. After serving in the military, Savannah settled in Washington state, where she started working on farms, beginning her journey in agriculture. As a woman of mixed Japanese and Irish heritage, and someone coming from a city rather than a farming background, Savannah defies the conventional image of a farmer, but as she says, “The land doesn’t discriminate.”

In April of 2017, Savannah officially opened Flynn Farms and dove in headfirst with a dedication to doing things the right way. She opted for organic certification from the start and signed her first produce contract with the Bellingham Food Bank to grow beets and kale. She remains committed to sustainability, all of her produce is soil-grown and it is free of pesticides and chemicals. She hand-weeds every crop and practices companion growing, an approach where you grow specific plants alongside another crop to naturally enhance soil health, deter pests, and encourage better plant growth.

Savannah stressed to us the importance of supporting local farmers not just in word, but in action. She emphasizes how buying local keeps farmers employed, ensures fair pay, and strengthens our regional economy. Rather than outsourcing ingredients from other states or countries, she encourages building menus around what’s grown nearby. That mindset gives restaurants like ours more flexibility, more flavor, and more connection to the land.

In fact, Savannah came directly to our previous kitchen manager in 2017 to ask what she could grow specifically for us. Since then, we’ve featured her arugula in our Bacon Smash Burger and her curly kale in our Kale Caesar, seasonal salads, and greens mix. As her farm grows, so do the options available to our kitchen. Our current kitchen manager and chef, Nick Shelly, meets with Savannah yearly to discuss what we can do with her produce.

Flynn Farms and Aslan share a belief in organic ingredients, sustainable practices, supporting local, and strong community roots. Thanks to partners such as Savannah, all of these values are possible.