Local Community Produce

HOMEGROWN

How Marques Ochoa of Hana Acre Farm built a one-acre, high-density market garden with fresh produce for the local community.

 STORY AND PHOTOS BY SUZANNE LEDBETTER

While vegetables are an important part of every balanced diet, the hard truth is all vegetables are not created equal. A bushel of carrots sourced from thousands of miles away lacks the ripe, fresh vibrancy of a bushel grown five miles down the road.

And that is where Hana Acre Farm is changing the landscape of the local dining experience, by employing regenerative farming practices to a plethora of prime produce in Wilton, just north of Lodi.

We first met Marques Ochoa, who launched Hana Acre Farm, along with his wife Deanna, in 2020, at Guantonio’s in Lodi. As one of the restaurant’s primary sources of local and seasonal produce, Ochoa is often seen dropping off his bounty each Wednesday or even lending a hand in the kitchen alongside chef Nick Guantone.

The business model is simple: grow quality produce using regenerative, no-till farming practices that improves the quality of the crop and the soil in which they grow. When I asked why Hana Acre chose to go the regenerative farming route, it became obvious every detail of the operation is deliberate. “Sustainability. For us that means taking care of the soil we are on. We are on

WSan Joaquin silt loam and feel so lucky to be able to grow on such amazing soil,” says Ochoa. “We ask a lot from our land, and we want to make sure we are giving back to it organically.”

Hana Acre no longer uses a tractor on their farm and do every ounce of work on the land by hand using specialty tools. They farm a diverse and unique set of fruits and vegetables including the delicate Fioretto cauliflower, Salanova lettuce, and earthy Badger Flame beets. “We touch every plant by hand with weeding, harvesting, washing, and packing. This ensures that we have multiple points for quality control. We don’t sell it if it doesn’t meet our standards,” says Ochoa. “We also harvest on the day of delivery for restaurants, so they are getting the produce at its freshest point.”

Which is exactly what Marques and Deanna do each week providing produce for Guantonios, Ruby’s Bakery and Cafe, Sloughhouse Kitchen, and various independent catering chefs that do private dining and pop ups. The husband-and-wife team behind the brand find value in the relationships they are building with these chefs and communicate weekly, if not daily, on current products and future products. Hana Acre is laser focused on enhancing the restaurant industry through high quality products and making connections between both chefs and

restaurant owners.

A favorite dish on the menu at Guantonio’s throughout spring features Hana Acre Fioretto cauliflower, where it’s roasted with a pine nut pudding and garnished with pepperoni xo, a modern sauce-like condiment utilizing pepperoni and an abundance of umami rich ingredients. The result a flavorful, cauliflower dish like nothing you’ve ever tried.

The high-density farm is also filled with specialty crops like salad greens, leeks, garlic, tomatoes, turnips, beets, and so much more. At Hana Acre, they actively build habitats for bird populations and beneficial insects by utilizing perennial hedgerows and native trees for wind block. They are passionate about their regenerative farming practices and creating a sustainable future for both their land and their family. There is one major drawback to the no-till, no tractor method—weeds. “Cultivation of weeds is really hard,” says Ochoa. “We have to pull all the weeds by hand and that is very taxing and time consuming.”

But it’s all worth it in the end. Hana Acre is proof that responsible farming pays off with their ability to grow incredible produce for our community that ends up on beautifully crafted dishes throughout the region, and eventually, in the bellies of those who live and visit SJC.