Tree Kilpatrick, Jen Hoover and Margot Wilhelm
In The Clover DAVIS FARM TAKES FRUITS TO ANOTHER LEVEL
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aste Sacramento in summer: thinly sliced bluefin tuna from Sunh Fish, wedges of Blenheim apricots from Cloverleaf Farm, torn basil, a drizzle of lemon juice and pinch of zest from our backyard, a splash of Bariani early harvest olive oil, black sea salt. The tuna’s red fattiness melts against the orange apricot’s bright tang and basil’s floral aroma. As I walk through Cloverleaf’s 8-acre orchard on the edge of Davis with the owners, our region’s bounty hits me. Looking up at bright red and orange globes of satiation and nourishment, we munch on snow queen nectarines and Robada apricots in prime ripeness. The sweetness and acidity are just right, an indication that Cloverleaf waits until fruit reaches peak ripeness before picking. This patience and demand for top quality contrasts with many fruit farmers who pick early to maintain longer storage times and survive rough deliveries. Collaborative effort is one of Cloverleaf’s many strengths. Tree Sylvan Kilpatrick, Jen Hoover, Emma Torbert and Margot Wilhelm have combined their talents to create a productive and profitable farm. Kilpatrick is majority owner. He came to Davis in his late 20s for graduate school in international agricultural development, with a focus on agroecology and sustainable agriculture. He held various jobs for two decades in Davis, yet none stuck until he worked at Cloverleaf for seven summers. Then, as he says, he “bought the farm.” Wilhelm’s background in plant pathology assists the group’s organic efforts. With a master’s degree in plant pathology, she worked in big ag for many years, but was “looking for something with more purpose,” she says. Cloverleaf helps prepare the next generation of farmers. Tess Kremer, an intern from the Center for Land-Based Learning in Woodland, learned how the farm operates and took on leadership roles.
GM By Gabrielle Myers Photography by Aniko Kiezel Farm To Fork
Margot Wilhelm
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