Joe Beaudoin
When Joe Beaudoin ’62 moved with his parents from Michigan to Vancouver, Wash., in 1942, they lived first in a tent and then a woodshed. In 1946, Joe’s dad bought five acres, cleared a spot and built a one-room house. No windows, no lights, no well. It goes without saying that the family was resourceful. At age 4, Joe had his first garden, by 15, a strawberry patch.
Joe attended Clark, studing agricultural engineering, while working as a stock boy at Sparks Home Furnishings. Over time he worked his way up to store manager and served as the buyer for the retailer’s merchandise during his 21-year career.
In the 1970s, he was selling corn out of his garage on the side. Today, he leases or farms 90 acres within Vancouver and sells apples, seasonal nuts, pickled goods, Christmas trees and more at Joe’s Place Farms.