Kelly Hill & Barret Turkington
Dixon, Montana
Kelly Hill has been farming for two decades, but the last two years mark a new chapter as the steward of Mountains of the Moon Farm alongside Barret Turkington. Her seed-saving journey began about five years ago, and for the past two, she’s been growing intentionally for seed — drawn to the magic of nurturing life for future generations and building crops with strong regional adaptability.
Kelly’s favorite crop to grow for Triple Divide Seed Cooperative is nettles — a plant she describes as both medicine and a dear old friend. For her, nettles signal the arrival of spring: deep green leaves standing out against the chartreuse of other plants, their earthy aroma filling the air.
Their farm is defined by extreme crop diversity and creative interplantings, guided by biodynamic practices such as planting by the moon and sowing according to root, leaf, or fruit days. Growing in Montana presents challenges — intense temperature swings, unpredictable rainfall — but also offers the quiet beauty of working in tune with the seasons.
When she’s not in the field, Kelly loves tracking wildlife, swimming, fishing, and soaking in hot springs. On the farm, she listens mostly to the songs of birds and the hum of nature. Her advice for new growers? Thin your crops, water them well, and let go of perfection.
The farm’s name came to her while driving home from an organic inspection, looking out at snow-covered peaks near Hot Springs. In that moment, they looked like mountains you might see on the moon.
Organic Certification Began: 2024
Products: Vegetables, flowers, medicinals and culinary herbs, seeds