Avalos Farm is located on 23 acres of farmland in Hollister, California. Efren Avalos founded the four-acre farm in 1998, which has grown to encompass 16 acres today. Efren owns and works on his family-operated farm with the help of family, friends, and a few employees during peak season. He has a hand in every aspect of farming from planting, to harvesting, to selling his produce at local farmers’ markets. A Mexican immigrant and the youngest in a family of eight children, Efren felt a sense of duty to help provide for his parents, who taught him how to farm when he was a child.

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Sundays in Marina, Tuesdays at Alisal

Based in Watsonville, Clara’s eggs now has over 1,000 chickens. Lorena has been helping Clara by selling at the markets since 2018, and she enjoys selling at the markets because she gets to meet new people and build connections with fellow vendors.

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Mondays in Pacific Grove

Based in Watsonville, the Gallardos started their farm in 2014 and now the farm is 18 acres. Jose has always been involved in the agriculture industry. He has a passion for his business and the thing he enjoys the most is seeing the whole process from planting the seed, to be able to sell it and seeing his clients satisfied with their produce. An interesting fact about the Gallardo’s Organic Farm is that they grow over 50 kinds of vegetables

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Sundays in Marina, Wednesdays at Natividad, Monday at Pacific Grove

Golden Flowers of Watsonville, CA is a locally owned and operated purveyor of unique and interesting blooms. Owner Adan Hernandez uses sustainable growing and harvesting techniques, ensuring that his blossoms are the brightest, healthiest, eco-friendliest buds on the block. Browse his colorful array at the Natividad Medical Center Market on Wednesdays or SVMHS on Fridays to discover your new favorite flower.

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Wednesdays at Natividad, Fridays at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare Systems

Tony and Joye Inzana live and work on one of the last functional 19th Century pre-irrigation wheat ranches in California. Carefully maintained and refurbished, Inzana Ranch is a Victorian Era farm sprawled across 160 acres near Hughson, California. The farmhouse, barns and outbuildings are constructed inside and out of redwood, and has been undergoing continuous change since the Inzanas purchased the property in 1985. Drip, flood, and micro-sprinkler irrigation systems are in place to water produce, and in 2006 the farm was converted to harness solar and geothermal energy sources for power. Inzana Farm has earned its Organic certification from California Certified Organic Farmers, is registered as a Certified Organic Grower by the State of California, and is a Certified Producer in Stanislaus County. Instead of pesticides, the Inzanas use insect pheromones to keep intruders at bay, and opt for controlling weeds manually with the help of just a hoe and some mulch. They see their role on the farm as “custodians of history.” Tony says “we continue to honor, appreciate and guard the past at the same time as recognize that the future depends on our attention to the new and ever challenging demands of our rapidly changing environment and world.”

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Mondays in Pacific Grove

J & J Ramos Farms has been in the farming business since the mid 1990’s. It was started by Rosario Ramos, who has since retired. His son, Jorge A. Ramos, is in charge of the family business, a 700 acre farm in Hughson, CA, successfully providing produce all over the Bay Area

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Tuesdays in Salinas

Ken’s Top Notch operates 250 acres in Reedley, CA with family members and a few employees. Initially starting with vegetables, they transitioned to also selling citrus due to positive feedback from their customers. Quality and their clients are Ken’s top priority. The farm is certified by the Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner as a Certified Producer. For the past 25 years, Ken has been honing his cultivation skills, and has implemented organic pest and weed control methods to align with his organic growing philosophy.

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Sundays in Marina and Mondays in PG

The owners of La Milpa, Maria and Florentino, both took the Farmer Education Course at ALBA, Florentino first followed by Maria, and started growing organically with 5.5 acres at ALBA. They began their own business in 1999 and they have since expanded to 14 acres on River Road in Salinas. They are a California Certified Organic producer.

Maria enjoys selling directly to customers and meeting them in person. Her favorite product to sell is strawberries. They work together with help from their youngest son, Alexis.

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Mondays in Pacific Grove

Ledesma’s family roots are in Guanajuato, Mexico, in Valle de Santiago. The family came to the United States without much, but with the help of the Agriculture and Land Based Training Association (ALBA) they were able to start a small organic business.

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Tuesdays in Salinas, Fridays at Salinas Valley Healthcare Memorial System

Moua and Chou Vang own and operate Moua’s Produce on a three acre farm in Fresno, California. Their four daughters and two sons help with the crop both in the fields and at the markets. Moua and Chou came to California from Laos and quickly noticed a lack of Asian vegetables at local markets and grocery stores. In 2007 Moua turned this deficit into a business opportunity when he established his own farm and started bringing traditional Asian produce to Central California. A Certified Producer in Fresno County, Moua and Chou avoid using any method of pest control, and pull weeds by hand. Moua’s grows vegetables according to the seasons in order to provide the best tasting and most nutritious produce possible. When you stop by their booth every Sunday at the Marina market, don’t be afraid to ask questions about the wide variety of unfamiliar vegetables on display. Moua loves teaching customers about the unusual produce like yam leaf, opo squash, and sin qua.

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Sundays in Marina

Sue Thao, a native of Thailand, first started his farm and opened his farmers’ market operation in 1995, inspired by his brother, who was operating a farm stand at a farmers’ market in Los Angeles. A doctor in his native land, Sue Thao needed financial stability to raise his six children with his wife Sai Chang, so he followed in his brother’s footsteps.

FT Fresh grows more than 100 different varieties of produce, from squash, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and Asian vegetables to guava and dates. The most popular produce are the leafy vegetables, such as okra leaves, yam leaves and especially water spinach, also known as Chinese spinach (phak bung in Thai), a member of the morning glory family.

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Sundays in Marina

The Rodriguez Farm started in 2001 and over the years grew from fifteen acres to sixty acres. Forty of these acres are conventionally grown and twenty acres have crops that are organically grown. The owners Roberto and Manuel Rodriguez learned how to grow strawberries and raspberries in Mexico before starting their farm in Watsonville. The brothers find success by composting non edible plants and managing pests that attack their crops. Throughout all of this growth they still retain complete family ownership of the farm!

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Sundays in Marina, Mondays in Pacific Grove, Wednesday in Natividad, Friday in Salinas Valley Mermorial Hospital 

Jose Rangel founded Santa Rosa flowers in 2008 with his business partner, Antonio. On their four acre farm in Watsonville, California, Jose and Antonio had no experience starting a business before opening theirs, but Antonio had a feeling they would be able to make it happen. A Certified Producer in Santa Cruz County, Santa Rosa Flowers manages garden pests by hanging a sticky spider from the ceiling over a row of plants, and forgo chemical weed control methods in favor of pulling them by hand. During their first year in business, they made the mistake of planting their entire crop at the same time. With all the flowers blooming at once, they experienced a lot of waste, and quickly learned to plant by sections to keep pace with the growing season. For Antonio, seeing his idea come to fruition was so rewarding that it keeps him motivated on a daily basis. Owning their own business gives Jose and Antonio more time to spend with family, which is one of the most important things to them.

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Sundays in Marina, Mondays in Pacific Grove

More than 50 years ago, Rodney and Don Stackhouse started farming together in the San Joaquin Valley. With over 250 acres of orchards in Hickman, California, the Stackhouse Brothers have honed the art of growing and harvesting almonds, apricots, peaches, plums, nectarines, and pluots. They sell their seasoned and spiced almonds, fresh and dried fruit at more than 30 farmers’ markets along the Central Coast, and are a Certified Producer in Stanislaus County. They use pheromones and oil to control pests, have a special method of mowing to keep weeds at bay, and use compost to improve the quality of their soil.  

Everyone’s Harvest Market Days: Sundays in Marina and Mondays in Pacific Grove, Wednesdays at Natividad, and Fridays at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare Systems

Everyone’s Harvest Markets: Thursdays in Seaside