Farmer Spotlight: Bill Mickley of Mickley’s Orchard
If you shop at FRESHFARM’s Ballston, CityCenter, or Columbia Heights farmers markets, it’s likely you’ve enjoyed Mickley’s fresh apples, honey, or vegetables. The stand is always brightened by the warm smile of fifth-generation farmer Bill Mickley, who runs Mickley’s Orchard with his sons, Brayden and Carter.
Bill joined the FRESHFARM network in 2012, and most of his revenue is generated through FRESHFARM: four out of six of his weekly farm stands are at FRESHFARM markets, and 30% of his sales are made through the FRESHFARM Food Hub — our program that brings fresh, local food to community organizations serving families in need. Bill is motivated by the meaningful impact of his work preserving farmland, keeping agriculture alive, and feeding people. “I want consumers to understand the effort, care, and costs that go into providing high-quality, healthy food,” Bill tells us. “It’s also important to me to support FRESHFARM so that its mission can reach more folks across the Washington metro area.”
True Commitment to Our Community
Nothing proves Bill’s dedication to FRESHFARM’s mission more than his donation of 1,000 bags of apples to support furloughed employees impacted by the federal government shutdown of 2025. “I mean, they never know where the apples came from, who it was, or anything. But that doesn’t matter to me. They had some apples that they could eat while they were waiting to go back to work,” Bill shared.
Integrity defines all aspects of Bill’s farming. Bill and Brayden have worked very hard to use practices that will keep both their customers and insect pollinators healthy. “I want a little kid to be able to pick up a blackberry, throw it in their mouth, and not have to worry about what was sprayed on it.” Mickley’s customers should feel confident that their produce does not have the harmful pesticides found on conventional agricultural products. Instead, Bill utilizes the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to minimize pest pressure while not disrupting other beneficial pollinators.
Farming Isn’t Romantic
It would be remiss not to highlight the significant, often unseen challenges Bill faces. Rising production, gas, and labor costs make preparing for every market a challenge. Bill explained that the price of diesel fuel required to bring produce to markets has almost doubled, while labor costs on his farm have tripled in the past five years. These expenses cannot be fully offset by increasing prices, as he needs to keep his produce affordable.
Additionally, the cuts and cancellation of federal grants that supported local food purchasing have hurt Bill’s bottom line. These grants allowed community-serving organizations to buy from local farmers in our network through the FRESHFARM Food Hub. Because the Food Hub accounts for a significant share of Bill’s revenue, fewer grant-funded purchases take a real toll on his profits.
Asked about the pressures of farming, Bill said: “It’s the most stressful job that you could ever have. If people don’t believe that, just look at the suicide rate among farmers, and that’ll tell you different, because farmers struggle constantly — it’s your passion, your livelihood, and when you can’t make it, it affects you a lot. I’ve dealt with the anxiety of it.”
Beyond operational costs, the increasingly unpredictable climate is a constant stressor. “Every second of our life revolves around the weather and Mother Nature,” Bill notes. Temperature and precipitation drastically affect his fruits and vegetables; it’s out of his control, yet it directly impacts his family’s livelihood.
Bill wants nothing more than to see FRESHFARM’s reach grow even further. He loves our involvement in education and with seniors, and believes that with more resources, those programs could expand to assist more DMV residents. Bill emphasizes the necessity to “support your farmers, because they’re working for you, they’re growing for you.”
Driven by care and integrity, Bill Mickley is a reason to shop at your local FRESHFARM market and show farmers gratitude for their dedication to the well-being of our community. You can help grow FRESHFARM’s reach by becoming a donor. Make a gift here.
