Farm to Table

FARM TO TABLE SPECIAL SECTION “They say, ‘Change or die. Evolve or die.’ We’ve had to make an evolution.

The property is so wonderful. It has this amazing capacity for change.”

Alisha Taff, Rock Front Ranch

LEN WOOD PHOTOS, STAFF

Alisha Taff holds a rack of bees and honey as her daughter, Ky, works on a hive at Rock Front Ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria.

Rock Front Ranch has evolved, and flourished Seasonal honey is available at stores across Central Coast

JENNIFER BEST

Contributing Writer

L

iving in the farm-to-table business world is an ever-changing affair. Case in point: Rock Front Ranch.

Originally established as a cattle operation, the ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria also produced poultry, grains and other dry-farming crops. Through parcel splits and changes of ownership, the property has been winnowed down to its current 320acre configuration.

Since 2003, Alisha Taff and Barney Skelton have worked to make it their own, first under lease, then through purchase in 2007. They ran cattle and trained horses on the property.

Then came the drought.

“It changed everything. We had to diversify. We made a significant effort to figure out what would live and work with what we have,” Taff said.

They raised their daughter, Kayanne Skelton, amidst a maturing orchard of organic jujubes.

The ancient Chinese date is popular in Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European cooking, and has been used medicinally for centuries, according to the California Rare Fruit Growers, most popularly for sore throats.

They replaced their traditional cover-crop planting practices with native cover crops that flourish with the natural sea-

WHAT’S INSIDE Kandarian Organic Farms sows seeds of ancient grains 00 1

PAGE A2

Alisha Taff offers a visitor a pear apple at Rock Front Ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria. In the background is Taff’s daughter, Ky.

ABOVE: Ripe jujube fruit fills a bowl at Rock Front Ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria.

LEFT: Rock Front Ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria sells farm-made honey, sage and dried jujube fruit at area markets. sons. They’re worked back into the ground after the last frost to improve soil conditions.

Rock Front Ranch Honey followed in 2013. Kayanne and Taff capitalized on beekeeping classes offered at Hancock College and became involved with the local beekeeping community. A beekeeper who runs his hives on the property for sage honey also

Terravant chef finds fun in new dishes, beautiful produce PAGE A3

Julia’s Juice Bar grew out of healing PAGE A4

proved invaluable in further educating the new beekeepers.

“The beekeeping community is an incredibly tight-knit, supportive community,” Taff said.

Today, jars of the sweet stuff featuring flavors of buckwheat, sage and other wildflowers can be found at Rutiz Farm, Whole Foods, Natural Food Co-Op, SLO Veg, El Rancho Markets, California Fresh and Albertson’s, among other outlets. Gladden and Sons Produce of Santa Barbara, which uses only pesticide-free, organic products, chooses Rock Front Ranch honey for its turmeric tonic and its kitchen.

“I love providing a local, healthful product to people, but getting it out there is challenging.

Please see ROCK FRONT, Page A8

Haute Skillet Catering brings fresh taste to you

Innovative Produce focuses on serving Santa Maria Valley

At Avila Valley Barn people know where their food comes from

PAGE A5

PAGE A6

PAGE A7

A2

FARM TO TABLE

| SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

SANTA MARIA TIMES

PETER KLEIN PHOTOS, CONTRIBUTOR

Although often shrouded in fog, typical of the Los Osos Valley, this variety of wheat has adjusted to the local climate at Kandarian Organic Farms.

Kandarian Organic Farms sows seeds of ancient grains Contact Kandarian

Supplies go to stores, restaurants across Central Coast

To learn more about Kandarian Organic Farms, what’s growing now, or where to find their products, visit kandarianorganicfarms.com.

JENNIFER BEST

Contributing Writer

Kandarian continued developing machines for harvesting and sorting, sifting and screening. A cotton picker, for example, was altered to become a flower harvester.

“They’re Rube Goldberged, but they work and that’s what matters,” Kandarian said.

L

arry Kandarian stood amidst a field of mixed greenery, grasses, flowers — an oddball assortment of plants which, to the untrained eye, appeared like little more than weed plots.

“I don’t always start big,” said Kandarian, owner of Kandarian Organic Farms in Los Osos.

In fact, the grower of ancient grains, herbs and seeds often starts with a simple seed packet. Planted in short rows on any of 100 acres he farms on Los Osos Valley Road, a single season multiplies that small seed collection for larger crop planting each ensuing season.

Kandarian focuses on ancient grains such as teff grain and einkorn wheat, botanicals including echinacea and wheatgrass, and colorful beans from desi garbanzos to tiger eyes. Fennel is grown for its pollen.

There are favas, sorghum, millet, quinoa and amaranth.

The delicate blooms of flax peek through fields of dark-green corn stalks coming up for autumn harvest.

“I’m the ancient guy growing old grains,” Kandarian explained, his hands outstretched with an offering of chia seeds.

Economics and flowers

Falling into farming

The one-time engineer fell into farming when a friend at Bodger Seeds in Lompoc asked him to help fix an old farm implement. One machine led to another, and Kandarian was soon hooked not only to the implements, but the growing process.

“When you’re growing, you’re loving. When my mom had a garden, she was loving us. You can’t legislate love,” Kandarian said.

He got into the flower seed business, and by 1975 was overseeing, among other acreage and crops, 400 acres of zinnias alone for a booming demand.

But the volatile flower seed business took its toll. Two years later, seed company buy-outs and changes in marketing dropped zinnias to just two acres. He served as

Building

ABOVE: Larry Kandarian, of Kandarian Organic Farms in Los Osos, holds a variety of freshly picked sage. LEFT: Simple harvesting techniques are often used for seed crops that are too small to warrant heavy farm machinery at Kandarian Organic Farms. a consultant for S&S Seeds in Los Alamos for 20 years, consulted with other farms and seed companies, and ran crops on 17 farms in the Central Valley.

“Larry is an incredible resource.

He has a lot of knowledge and he’s so willing to share,” said Alisha Taff, of Rock Front Ranch in the Cuyama Valley.

ON A STEADFA ST TOMORR OW

In 1998, he made the move to the Central Coast. When the housing market began to take a dive during the Great Recession, ornamental seed sales took a hit as well. It was time to look for another crop, or another career.

“Flower sales are directly tied to home starts. People don’t buy flowers when they don’t buy houses,” Kandarian said.

He had been called to help with some machinery in Huasna where he was introduced to grain production, particularly of the ancient variety.

“I thought it was an interesting notion,” Kandarian said.

He picked up seeds from sources around the world, and began testing them in various plots on his 200-acre property and neighboring leased plots. There was Shot Wheat from China dating back 8,000 years, spelt that was known to man as early as 5000 BC, and perhaps his favorite, einkorn wheat, which dates back some 17,000 years.

“I like old. I’m old. My motto here is, ‘Rust in peace,’” Kandarian said.

Today, he grows 200 varieties on 100 acres. In the spring, he’ll begin experimenting with 4,000 varieties he recently received from seed banks. He struggles with the challenges of growing organically: insects, weeds, dry seasons and wet spots, to name a few, but he has no desire to return to monoculture farming or the mass corporations that do.

“There’s a huge market niche of customers who are interested eating the right stuff, in eating the whole grains. I want people to use this stuff. It’s good for your body.

Please see KANDARIAN, Page A3

STOREWIDE BLOWOUT ON EXISTING INVENTORY

We Make Loan Decisions Right Here That Help The Lompoc Valley alley Grow Community banks play an important ant role in the vitality and the very fabric of the communities they serve. In factt, over 50% of all small business loans are implemented by community banks.

Remodel & Fireplace upgrades!

When we fund families and businesses to help them grow strong and healthy, we all win. Talk to one of our loan specialists about personal loans, home equity lines of credit and commercial loans, including construction and land acquisition.

EID FORLAE RB S

• Chimney Cleaning • Fireplace Upgrades • Repair & Maintenance

We make it as effortless as we can, because loan decisions are made right here.

LOMPOC COMMUNITY BANK Everything We Do Starts With ith Community 705 W. Central Ave., Lompoc,, 805.737.4064 8

EQUAL HOUSING

LENDER

Member FDIC IC

837-B W. Century, Santa Maria

934-4665

★ W. Century

S. Broadway

Certified, Insured Lic #676518 www.nostalgicsinc.com

S. Oakley

W. Betteravia

W. McCoy

We’re your local fireplace store, serving you for over 30 years

00 1

FARM TO TABLE

SANTA MARIA TIMES

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 |

A3

Terravant chef finds fun in new dishes, beautiful produce Buellton winery restaurant puts stock in buying local JENNIFER BEST

Contributing Writer

B

arton Jones loves food. The fresher, the better.

“Fresher is better. It really is. Especially when we’re talking about tomatoes, herbs. It’s better for the economy and better for the environment, too,” said Barton, the chef du cuisine/proprietor at Terravant Winery Restaurant.

Established in 2009, the restaurant in Buellton’s industrial zone was initially intended to serve as a tapas bar for Terravant Wine Company patrons. The self-serve wall of wine features two dozen options from a variety of labels and is now accented with foods featuring local farms and ranches.

“It’s what people want. They want healthy stuff, and they want to know it’s good for them, good for the planet. If they’re paying top dollar to eat at a restaurant, it should be the best thing you can get, not just what gets ordered off a truck,” Jones said.

The former engineering tech from Denver has entirely reinvented the menu since taking the reins at Terravant’s restaurant four months ago.

“We’ve switched everything to be farm-to-table, to source organic stuff whenever possible, and bring as much produce as we can from within 100 miles of the restaurant,” Jones said.

The exception is meat, which is sourced out of Washington state.

“It was some of the best meat that we could find. The thing that was super important to us is that we can verify how the animals are raised, slaughtered, and what

“It’s what people want. They want healthy stuff, and they want to know it’s good for them, good for the planet. If they’re paying top dollar to eat at a restaurant, it should be the best thing you can get, not just what gets ordered off a truck.”

Barton Jones, chef/proprietor they’re being fed. They’re all vegetarian diets, and we know they’re basically cage-free with no hormones and no antibiotics,” Jones said.

Where possible, vegetables come from Ellwood Canyon Farms, Gardens of Los Olivos and other local producers. Jones also gathers groceries from further afield including Sunrise Organic Farm, Wafer Farms, Salmon Creek Farm and Hercules Ranch.

“I’m more confident in our menu now I know where everything came from. The steak we source now is 10 times better than

on the latest produce finds.

“Imagine that,” quipped Jones.

In his kitchen sat a pile of ground cherries, freshly delivered.

He was considering his options for the oddball fruit that appears like a tomatillo in its paper-lantern husk, but tastes something like a cross between a grape and a tomato with a tropical twist.

“A lot of places, the menu doesn’t change. It’s been the same forever. I don’t know if it’s laziness or they think their clients are just used to certain things and keep coming back for that. My mentality is: the menu should change and you shouldn’t put anything on it that you’re not proud of. It’s not like it’s hard to come up with new dishes based around beautiful produce. That’s the fun part of coming to work,” Jones said.

when it was mass meat stuff. The local herbs we are getting are just awesome, and the baby heirlooms are pretty darn good. It’s been a noticeable change,” Jones said.

Customers have responded to the change with increased patronage and an understanding that Jones is more interested in pleasing their palates than sticking to the menu.

“You can order anything. If we have the ingredients, we’ll make it. I’m not an order-off-the-menu kind of guy,” Jones said.

There is a plan, but it changes Jennifer Best can be contacted at seasonally, with daily twists based JBest@BestFamilyAdventures.com.

Kandarian From A2

It has a bunch of phytonutrients that aren’t there when you take the hulls off and the germ out,” Kandarian said.

He lives by his word, often keeping a pot of longevity stew simmering in the kitchen. It may, at any time, include spelt, quinoa, cactus, a variety of botanicals, sometimes with a bit of chicken for good measure.

“I’m always foraging. If I could eat everything I collect off the ground, I would,” he said.

This stalk of canary grass is one of many varieties grown at Kandarian Organic Farms in Los Osos.

Seeing the seeds

As he wades through fields of black rye, nasturtium, primrose, anise and dill, Kandarian reaches out to grab a handful of seed pods, threshes them in his rough palms, and shares the bounty again with visitors while snacking his way across the property.

“This is echinacea. Have you ever had it? From the plant? Why take it in a gelcap when you can get it like this? Put it in piping hot tea. Put it on top of your salad. It’s simple,” Kandarian said.

He doesn’t buy into the theory that paleolithic people avoided grains.

00 1

PETER KLEIN PHOTOS, CONTRIBUTOR

Organic seed farmer Larry Kandarian holds fennel seeds pulled directly from the growing plant.

“We need to use every part of the plant, just like the paleolithic people used to. You can’t tell me they only ate meat and berries. They collected einkorn. Archeology has shown that. If they collected it, they ate it,” Kandarian said.

It was farmed grain that brought people together into communities that worked together to sow, water and harvest.

“They had to work together to flood the fields, to bring in the harvest. Grain created communities as we know them today, with all of the good and the bad as well,” he said.

The greatest challenge today is teaching modern people how to use ancient grains.

He recommends classes taught

by Courtney Coleman of Cook Well (www.cookwell.org), and Vir-

ginia Marum of Vert Foods (www.

VertFoods.com), classes offered by local health food markets and information available from his booths at farmers markets throughout the Central Coast.

“I’m working with two bakers to develop recipes for whole-grain breads that don’t turn into bricks.

Then I want to create simple recipe cards to hand out with my grain so it’s easy for customers to pick up the grain, the recipe, then turn it into something at home that’s easy and that they’ll enjoy and that’s healthy,” Kandarian said.

Once picked, dried, sorted and

cleaned as necessary, the herbs and seeds are packaged for sale at any of several outlets including Rutiz Family Farm Stand in Arroyo Grande, Plenty on Bell in Los Alamos, Vitamin and Herb Store in Orcutt and Avila Valley Barn. They’re delivered in bulk to restaurants including Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos, and to specialty food purveyors like Kite Hill Cheese and distributors including Harvest Santa Barbara.

“I feel good about what I’m doing,” Kandarian said.

Jennifer Best can be reached at JBest@BestFamilyAdventures.com.

A4

FARM TO TABLE

| SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

SANTA MARIA TIMES

Julia’s Juice Bar grew out of healing Couple blends fresh, local mixes to make a difference JENNIFER BEST

Contributing Writer

Y

ou might say Julia’s Juice Bar came about organically.

First, there were the unexpected job losses and a vehicle accident. There was the loss of a home and truck, the move to rural property and the rediscovery of gardening skills, and finally, a serious ailment which led to a search for healing foods. “We lost everything,� said Julia Gomez, founder and co-owner of the juice bar.

Her husband, Javier MagaĂąa, began tinkering with growing a few vegetables at their new place in Huasna Valley while he recovered from his injuries. “It started as a hobby, growing something fun for us,â€? Gomez said.

MagaĂąa, quick with a laugh, is known more commonly among the farmers market crowd as “Suave Jave.â€? He’s still baffled about the path that led him from a youth spent on a Mexican farm, to U.S. kitchens, and back to farming. “When I was little, I hated it. I’d go with my father to take care of our cows or the corn. I’d scream that I wanted to go home.

Now, I really love it. It’s my passion,� Magaùa said.

While Gomez worked printing presses, MagaĂąa spent 25 years working in kitchens before he and his wife partnered in a landscaping business for another decade.

He began selling fruit at farmers markets out of farms in Fresno, but lost his job after a major traffic accident on the freeway.

They were down and certainly out when they landed in Huasna, where the property owner allowed MagaĂąa to begin exploring a little gardening, intended initially to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the family. “I started growing my tomatoes and my lettuce. I thought, ‘This is nice! I like it!’ So I started farming that way, without sprays, with a lot of work by hand,â€?

MagaĂąa said.

Doctors discovered MagaĂąa had a liver problem, and in an effort to help him heal, Gomez began juicing a variety of homegrown produce. “A year later, I went for a check-up and the liver problem had disappeared. The doctor said, ‘Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it because you’re fine.’ That’s when I decided to start farming, growing good stuff for people. If it could change my life, we could do that for other people,â€? MagaĂąa said.

His own medical issues, which included regular back spasms, also improved.

So Red Barn Farm was born.

Rotated crops have included red and golden beets, carrots, turnips, radishes, red Russian, supreme and dino kale, spinach, cilantro, parsley, spring lettuce, raw garlic, peas and tomatoes.

A visit with family in Illinois provided Gomez a stark contrast between fresh-picked fruit and fruit picked green for packaging and travel. “It’s a huge difference in flavor.

They had these beautiful peaches with no flavor. It was like eating cardboard. I told my sister, ‘These are the ones we throw away in California.’ They think it’s delicious. We are very spoiled,� Go-

PETER KLEIN PHOTOS, CONTRIBUTOR

With her husband, Javier MagaĂąa, Julia Gomez grows her own produce to juice for herself, her family, farmers markets and, for the past two years, their storefront in Grover Beach. They are the one-stop-shop for single-source, farm-to-table juice products here on the Central Coast.

“We see these people who come in, cancer survivors, people in chemo, and when I see these people coming, and they say ‘thank you,’ yes, it’s well worth it. That’s the reason we keep going.�

Julia Gomez, founder and coowner of the juice bar

Julia’s Juices grows and prepares produce to juice for single-source, farm-to-table food on the Central Coast. mez said.

Using produce grown by MagaĂąa and local farming friends, Gomez juices blends of fruits and vegetables harvested no more than a day prior to sale. “I really like the way things come out, the combinations we

make. I fall in love with everything,� Gomez said.

About five years ago, Gomez and Magaùa began hawking their wares at Vandenberg’s farmers market. Today, they sell at markets as far north as Templeton and Cambria.

PLEASE JOIN US! HARVEST PARTY

SANTA MARIA STYLE BBQ FROM “THE SWISS�

A constant stream of regular customers asked regularly where their store was. “They were disappointed we didn’t have a storefront, plus it was a lot of hassle to use other people’s (commercial) kitchens, so it made sense to build our own

place. Once we had the kitchen, we figured we might as well open to the public,� Gomez said.

On Aug. 8, 2014, they opened the door to Julia’s Juices, 960 W. Grand Ave. in Grover Beach. “The fact that we grow all of our own produce sets our business apart. Everything we put in our juices we pick the same day, or the day before. We never have anything old or frozen. It makes a huge difference in flavor, color and taste,� Gomez said.

They supplement their own product with fruits and vegetables from farmers throughout the Central Coast, with tropicals sourced fresh from out of the area. “I like to do whatever’s in season at the moment. We make it up as we go along,� Gomez said.

Please see JUICE, Page A6

HARVEST PARTY

$45 PER PERSON

LIVE MUSIC SILENT & LIVE AUCTIONS CASINO GAMES

PURCHASE TICKETS AT SMCWA.BROWNPAPERTICKETS.COM

ÂŒ ‹ Š ‰ ˆ ­ ‡ † Â… ƒ Â… „ ƒ Â? ‚  ‚ €­  Â?Â? Â? Â? Â? Â? Â

00 1

FARM TO TABLE

SANTA MARIA TIMES

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 |

A5

Haute Skillet Catering brings fresh taste to you From food truck to event catering, business has grown JENNIFER BEST

Contributing Writer

F

resh, local produce drove pastry chef Anna Andreise to branch out from the bakery. Increased public awareness of sustainable farm practices, pesticide-free foods, and fresh produce helped spur her foray with a simple food truck into a thriving catering business.

“I love that people are more conscious of what they’re eating and what they’re putting in their bodies,” said Andreise, who owns Haute Skillet Catering with her husband, Steve Andreise.

Today, the Grover Beach couple focuses on catering, with a special emphasis on wedding catering. Their truck serves as their on-site kitchen at weddings and other special events throughout the Central Coast. They just purchased a smaller delivery van for drop-offs. They employ bartenders, servers, bussers and cooks.

“It’s kind of blown up. It’s a big thing,” Anna said.

While Steve serves as the backstage brains of the operation, maintaining the books, contracts, correspondence and computers, Anna provides the kitchen expertise with a special emphasis on fresh baked products every day.

She doesn’t remember life before the kitchen, where she earned her chops working alongside her grandmother.

“My family all cook. I used to cook with my grandma. She was Chinese and my grandfather was German, but he had Hungarian influence, so they cooked, like, a Chinese-Hungarian fusion: paprika, soy sauce, and really awesome, fresh ingredients to make it really tasty without having to overcook,” she said.

Those gastronomical experiences left their mark. She attended the Culinary Institute of America where she specialized in pastries. Then, she and Steve hit the road.

“We traveled Europe, checked

PHIL KLEIN PHOTOS, CONTRIBUTOR

Anna Andreise, owner/chef, shops for fresh vegetables at the local farmers market at the Grange in San Luis Obispo.

“We traveled Europe, checked out all the bakeries and restaurants, and decided we needed to find a place to live. We drove down the coast, found San Luis Obispo County and stayed.”

Anna Andreise, owner

years ago with a food truck that travelled around, surfing the lunch crowd and plying them with sandwiches built from her freshbaked pastries and breads. The menu featured meats and produce sourced largely from Central Coast farmers markets, Talley Farms and farmers like Javier Magaña of Red Barn Farm.

“Sourcing local ingredients means not having to put in too much of anything else to make it good. We get great produce as it is. We just take these great ingredients and cook them. We don’t have to throw stuff in to make a flavor,” Anna said.

Her cumin-roasted heirloom carrots.

“There isn’t much to them. It’s the awesome carrots that make it.

I’m not into heavy sauces. I use a lot of butter and olive oil, true food,” she said.

Then customers began asking them to cater special events.

Two years ago, Haute Skillet shifted its focus entirely from a regular food truck route to focus on public events like the Cayucos Pier Fundraiser in September, and winery events here and there.

Weddings became their primary interest.

The commercial kitchen at San Luis Obispo’s Guild Hall, also known as The Grange, serves as Haute Skillet’s hub, for now.

“I thought I’d be there, you know, maybe a few days each week. Now, I’m there seven days a week,” Anna said.

She dreams of having her own commercial kitchen someday, perhaps starting another catering truck or opening a brick-andmortar restaurant. The expansion would allow Haute Skillet to offer cooking classes, demonstrations, pop-up meals.

“I feel like the movement has become more and more popular.

People want to know what’s going into the soil, where their food comes from. I hope that continues to grow,” Anna said.

For more information about Haute Skillet, visit www. hauteskillettruck.com.

County and stayed,” said Anna, who grew up in Lake Tahoe.

She baked for Giuseppe’s for half a dozen years and a few other Left, Javier Magana, owner of Red Barn Farms, helps Anna Andreise, places around San Luis Obispo owner/chef with her fresh vegetables at the local farmers market at the while Steve worked as a paralegal.

Grange in San Luis Obispo.

“We just decided, ‘Let’s try this and see what happens.’ So we went out all the bakeries and restau- find a place to live. We drove down with it,” Anna said.

Jennifer Best can be reached at rants, and decided we needed to the coast, found San Luis Obispo The started Haute Skillet four JBest@BestFamilyAdventures.com.

What’s central to your business?

Help to weather the seasonal ups and downs.

BUSINESScentral

Agribusiness Specialists

Our clients tell us that agribusiness is all about change. Seasonal changes you expect. And sometimes changes in weather and other conditions you don’t expect. Local farmers and ranchers trust our experienced team of Agribusiness Banking Specialists to help them adapt successfully to change and meet the unique financial needs of the agribusiness industry.

You can count on our bankers to become an integral part of your team, customizing solutions that include specialized services such as long-term farmland loans, real estate lines of credit, equipment leasing, crop/operating financing and more.

Bankers who think like farmers. That’s why we’re central to the coast.

Contact one of our Agribusiness Specialists today!

We’re central to the coast

®

Rob Osterbauer 805.346.8039

Benjamin Alaniz 805.369.5201

Jeannette McClure 805.269.4113

Visit HeritageOaksBank.com/agribusiness Arroyo Grande • Atascadero • Cambria • Goleta • Morro Bay • Oxnard Paso Robles • San Luis Obispo • Santa Barbara • Santa Maria • Templeton 00 1

Member FDIC

A6

FARM TO TABLE

| SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

SANTA MARIA TIMES

Innovative Produce focuses on serving Santa Maria Valley Movement has created a food awareness

The younger generations also have come to expect access to produce year round, outside local growing seasons.

JENNIFER BEST

Going organic

Contributing Writer

T

he Central Coast is riddled with small farms, organic farms, boutique gardens and small-crop specialty growers, but the bulk of production comes from large-scale farms like Santa Maria’s own Innovative Produce.

Their array of fruits and vegetables serve customers nationwide.

“We’re not really focused on farm-to-table. We want to make the experience of growing very personal. We do the best we can to make our quality of life the highest it can be for our employees and the community at large.

But you can only be local for so many people. We grow for hundreds of thousands of people. We won’t be local to 99 percent of our customers,” said sixth-generation Santa Maria Valley farmer George Adam.

Today, he co-owns Innovative Produce with his wife, Debbie Adam, an eighth-generation California farmer and relative of Santa Maria’s founding Ontiveros family. Together, Debbie and George farm 1,200 acres throughout the valley with the main concentration along West Main Street. They also have partnered with Donna and Greg France of Red Dog Management in another enterprise, DG Berries.

The properties put out rotating crops of strawberries, blackberries, romaine and other lettuces, cauliflower, broccoli, parsley, fennel, celery and other row crops. About one-third of the farmable acres are in organic production.

“It’s good to know where food

LEN WOOD, STAFF

George Adam, president/owner of Innovative Produce, shows a growing field of broccoli near his company’s Santa Maria office on W. Main St.

“Over the years, I’ve thought about (alternatives What’s important From the Adams’s perspective, to farming). I could adapt to almost anything. local sourcing isn’t that importThat’s what farmers do; we adapt. But it’s an ant. addictive business if you enjoy the fight, because “It’s more important that we’re eating a healthy mixture of foods, it is a fight a lot of days.” that our children are getting a va-

riety of healthy foods. If it takes George Adam, owner, Innovative Produce shipping a banana from Costa Rica, you should do that. You comes from and the kind of work “In past generations, you should have a banana every once it takes to bring that food to your would have known a farmer. They in a while,” Debbie said. table. People’s concerns for what would have been your next-door She adds that she sees a new they’re eating has been a tremen- neighbor. Now the percentage of generation that enjoys flavors dous boon for us. It’s helped our people farming is so small, you from around the world. industry grow,” George said. don’t even know what a farmer “Our children are all millenThe farm-to-table movement looks like. The movement has nials. They like to travel, and in that has increased the markets for created awareness throughout their travels they experience new small operators has also proven the community of what it takes foods. Then they want access to beneficial for large operations to get food to the table in a safe those foods, and it’s not all going to grow where you are,” she said. and customers alike. manner,” Debbie said.

Nearly two decades ago, the business branched out to include then up-and-coming organic markets.

“We saw there was a need and we also felt like it was a good thing to diversify our crops,” Debbie said.

But organic farming is an entirely different beast, complete with the threat of total crop failures.

“There’s a lot of trial and error with organic, and George always says you can’t feed the world with organics because you can’t get the yield you need,” Debbie said.

The Adams also bank on the staying power of multi-generational farms as they pass their institutional knowledge on to the next generation through their son, Philip Adam.

“We’re still going to be more efficient than locavores. They’ll do it for a while, but it gets old, and they’re not as diverse as we are. A lot of specialists who work for me have generations of experience as well. We’re able to invest in automation and harvest assist, have a drier environment than most places so don’t have the same (plant) diseases. At the end of the day, it’s managing people that’s the most important aspect we have over a lot of our competition,” George said.

George said he understands the concept of keeping produce local in an effort to reduce global warming and travel time for produce, but he doesn’t believe the Please see INNOVATIVE, Page A8

Julia’s Juices grows and prepares produce to juice for single-source, farmto-table food on the Central Coast.

Juice From A4

One of her personal favorites is a carrot-pineapple blend, followed closely by a tropical kalekiwi-pear blend featuring “Kiwi Bob” Criswell’s Mallard Lake Ranch & Kiwi Farm in Nipomo.

“People love the way we do our juices because it’s always a

different flavor. People look forward to whatever’s in season,” she said.

The days are long, particularly for Magaña, but remain worth the effort, the couple agreed.

“Sometimes, we come home and I see him so tired because it takes a lot of work pulling weeds and maintaining the crops without pesticides or herbicide. But we see these people who come

PETER KLEIN PHOTOS, CONTRIBUTOR

Julia’s Juices grows and prepares produce to juice for single-source, farm-to-table food on the Central Coast. in, cancer survivors, people in ‘thank you,’ yes, it’s well worth Jennifer Best can be reached at chemo, and when I see these it. That’s the reason we keep go- JBest@BestFamilyAdventures. com. people coming, and they say ing,” Gomez said.

Innovative Produce is proud to be at the forefront of the Santa Maria Valley’s worldwide leadership in agriculture.

It is our goal to continue providing produce of the highest quality and help shape the future of the proud and honorable tradition that is the grower/packer/shipper profession.

00 1

FARM TO TABLE

SANTA MARIA TIMES

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 |

A7

At Avila Valley Barn people know where their food comes from Tiny farm stand grew to regional purveyor JENNIFER BEST

Contributing Writer

L

ong before a new millennium brought forth the farm-totable food movement, farmers were hawking their produce at an umbrella-topped table on Avila Beach Drive.

Today, Avila Valley Barn is a veritable farm-themed amusement center, complete with pony rides, an ice cream shop, deli, pet farm animals, and a variety of goods produced from the locally grown fruits and vegetables they sell.

“I’ve seen this whole transformation. Before, the trend was feeding the masses in large quantities. Now, people want to know where their food is coming from,” said Debbie Smith, president of Avila Valley Barn, Inc. The popular attraction on the road to Avila Beach all began innocently enough with Dr. John DeVincenzo’s apple farm, Gopher Glen, up See Canyon. The San Luis Obispo-based orthodontist purchased the apple ranch in 1970 upon moving to the Central Coast. In his lifelong quest to breed the perfect apple, his farming operations expanded to include apple ranches in Lodi and a cherry orchard in Kern County.

Well-tended orchards begat abundant fruit, and it wasn’t long before the family expanded upon the U-Pick orchard to sell produce at their first little farm stand.

With his wife, Sally DeVincenzo, that tiny stand grew to include permanent structures supporting sales not only of their own crops, but neighboring farmers’ wares.

A pair of friendly goats on the property became a popular attraction for children. They giggled and squealed at the opportunity to hand feed them produce trimmings that had been headed for the compost pile.

“It was so popular, we decided we needed more, and it just grew from there,” Smith said.

The menagerie has also included cattle, turkeys, sheep, horses, donkeys, emus and overthe-fence donations of chickens.

Today, they carry See Canyon produce as well as goods from farmers throughout the Central Coast and across the state, with exotic fruits from afar for good measure.

“When our crops are off season, we’ll go to major growers for things we don’t have,” Smith said.

For example, the barn will sell its own stock of corn throughout the summer into October. Apples come from their properties up the canyon, on the barn site, and along San Luis Creek. Peaches are grown at the barn farm. But none of Avila Valley Barn’s properties grow grapes , broccoli or bananas, though they’re all sold at the stand.

“Whatever we grow, we feature first,” Smith said.

Over the past 30 years working for Avila Valley Barn, Smith said she has seen a marked change in customers’ understanding of

00 1

PETER KLEIN, CONTRIBUTOR

Working in the Avila Valley Barn bakery, Janice Bowen puts the finishing touches on a tray of pies ready for the oven.

“People are more forgiving if they know that produce isn’t always picture perfect. Twenty years ago, people wanted beautiful fruit; now, people want it to taste good.” food.

“What I see is a lot of people making a conscious effort to have holistic sustainability.

There’s a trend toward craft or boutique-type farming to produce clean food. People want clean food, not food that’s been sprayed,” Smith said.

Today, her son, Jake Smith, maintains organic farming practices at Gopher Glen from trees to cucumbers. Most of that produce supplies the Farmhouse Deli just across the walkway from the popular produce barn.

With a return to farm stands and pick-your-own produce customers have also become more

Visit Avila Valley Barn online

For more information about current Debbie Smith, president of Avila Valley Barn, Inc. crops, u-pick or special events at Avila Valley Barn, visit www.avilavalleybarn.com. savvy about the natural shapes, of the nature of real food. colors, textures and even faults “People get that. They’re not so in fruits and vegetables. turned off. They’d rather cut out a mercial kitchen where chef Jesse “People are more forgiving wormhole or cut off a dry tip than Smith plies his trade. if they know that produce isn’t be exposed to the sprays,” Debbie Gopher Glen recently produced always picture perfect. Twenty said. its first batch of hard cider. There years ago, people wanted beauWith farming comes change, are new varieties of apples set for tiful fruit; now, people want it to and Avila Valley Barn continues planting at the barn, Gopher Glen taste good,” Debbie said. to move ahead while also re- and creekside.

Two decades ago, she said, the turning to its roots. Most of the “We’re reinvesting in the barn had plentiful culls. honey sold and used at the barn properties, in the farms, recon“Now, because of the demand, is produced on the property or structing the u-pick. People are when we buy from friends’ farms, within 100 miles. The old peach wanting the more farm-to-table we’re not asking that it looks orchards, long beyond their 15- experience, and we’re happy to good, but we’re looking for the year peak production, are being continue providing that,” Debbie said. quality and taste,” Debbie said. replanted in new peaches.

Customers are no longer turned There are catered meals in the off by the occasional worm be- orchards, private and corporate Jennifer Best can be reached at cause they understand that’s part parties on the farms, and a com- JBest@BestFamilyAdventures.com.

A8

FARM TO TABLE

| SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

SANTA MARIA TIMES

Rock Front From A1

Everyone touts farmers markets, but they’re saturated with some local, and some not-so-local, honey,” Taff said.

Instead, she opted to focus on outlets that didn’t already carry local honey, and make her mark there.

Product trials possible

Innovative From A6

argument bears fruit.

“If you produce food where you have crop failures or no high yields, which is many places in locally based production systems, you have more labor, more inputs. Then the minimal increase of transportation is going to outweigh the savings of those local inputs,” George said.

Or, as Debbie puts it, “There’s no way, in parts of this country, that you’e going to be able to be a locavore. We have it great here: we have cattle and wine and crops year round. You’d have a

LEN WOOD, STAFF

Alisha Taff talks to visitors from the California Rare Fruit Growers at Rock Front Ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria. ciating their product, and make a little in the end. That’s the goal: to do what you do, have quality product, work in harmony with the environment, and to be able to pay the bills, not just rake it all in,” Taff said.

And with energy and enthusiasm of young people, they continue to move ahead, to watch the weather, to hope for rain, and to keep an eye on the property and growth opportunities.

“They say, ‘Change or die.

Evolve or die.’ We’ve had to make an evolution. The property is so wonderful. It has this amazing capacity for change,” Taff said.

pretty limited diet if you only ate tive in nonprofit organizations locally in New York City or the throughout the valley. George has served on the boards of Midwest.”

Western Growers, the GrowSupporting the er-Shipper Vegetable Association, Santa Barbara County Farm community Bureau, and Marian Regional The mass production and Medical Center as well as the sales also enable the family to St. Joseph High School Comsupport the community at large. munity Board. He and Debbie “Our coolers operate year are founding members of Santa round. We’re harvesting year Maria Discovery Museum, and round. The marketers are here Debbie has served on the AgSafe year round. Making year-round and Food Bank boards. systems enables employees “They call me a one-canyon to make more money, become man because I’m not interested permanent parts of this com- in working out in other areas. munity,” George said.

I’d rather take care of this area.

Throughout their adult I understand the Santa Maria lives, the couple has been ac- mindset, and I’m interested in

continuing to develop that here.

People need to care about what’s going on right here, and if you can promote that caring, you can actually make a difference,” George said.

because it is a fight a lot of days,” George said.

Now, they focus on passing their knowledge down to Philip and other future leaders in Santa Maria Valley’s farming industry.

“We promote Americans eating what they want, when they want to eat it because, well, it does benefit us, but at the end of the day, I think we produce more products, farm more efficiently with a better environment for our employees and our local community for generations to come,” George said.

maximizing profits is a draw for some, Taff said it’s not the goal for Rock Front Ranch.

“Most people in the farm-totable movement are pretty happy producing a quality product, knowing that people are appre-

2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

Happy and exhausted

Jennifer Best can be reached at JBest@BestFamilyAdventures.com.

There are seasons of hard work, dirt in every pore, sun exposure and dust and exhaustion, but both George and Debbie agreed they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Over the years, I’ve thought about (alternatives to farming).

I could adapt to almost anything. That’s what farmers do; Jennifer Best can be reached at we adapt. But it’s an addictive JBest@BestFamilyAdventures. business if you enjoy the fight, com.

NEW 2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 LT CREW SE HABLA ESPAÑOL

1313 East Main St., Santa Maria

www.home-motors.com 805

The ranch’s remote location and healthy, unmedicated bee population has attracted the attention of noted mycologist and bee advocate Paul Stamets. Taff said he is interested in running a bee product trials at the ranch.

“The unique thing about our place is that we live in the boontoolies. We’re geographically isolated from any other backyard gardening or commercial agriculture or any inputs that would be detrimental to the bees. Our honey is from one ranch, it’s specifically single-source nectar and pollen as defined by Mother Nature,” Taff said.

Seasonal honey offerings may include toyon, buckwheat and sage.

“It’s like being a good cattle rancher: you have to know what stage their food is in to know when to switch pasture. You have to be a good pasture manager with your bees. You have to go out and see what’s blooming, check for nectar, see what’s drying up, watch your number, make sure you don’t have more numbers than the property can manage,” Taff said.

While growing a business and

928-7744

00 1