GMO-Free Santa Cruz volunteers participated in a victory rally in San Francisco on Wednesday, May 2 to celebrate the success of the California Right to Know signature gathering campaign. 971,126 signatures were collected in support of the state’s first-ever ballot initiative to require labeling of genetically engineered foods. The huge signature haul, gathered in a 10-week period, is nearly double the 555,236 signatures the campaign needs to qualify for the November, 2012 ballot.

“To get the initiative on the ballot this fall, we needed verified signatures from five percent of California registered voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election. We are very proud that GMO-Free Santa Cruz volunteers gathered over 15,000 signatures, which represents about 15% of registered voters in Santa Cruz County,” said Mary Graydon-Fontana, co-coordinator of GMO-Free Santa Cruz. “We now move into a new phase of the campaign: to educate our community about this issue so that they understand why they should vote for GMO food labeling this November, and to collect endorsements from areas businesses and groups. We encourage local businesses to go to http://carighttoknow.org/?q=node/17 and express their support for GMO labeling.”

If passed this November, Californians will join citizens of over 40 countries including all of Europe, Japan and even China who have the right to know whether they are eating genetically engineered food.

“I am so proud of the army of volunteers, many of them mothers and grandmothers, who stood tireless in the rain and cold to gather signatures,” said Pamm Larry, a former midwife, farmer and longtime Chico resident, who initiated the California Right to Know campaign through her group Label GMOs. “Thousands of volunteers across the state contributed to this victory. The people of California have spoken: we will have the right to know what we’re eating and no one will stop us.”

“This bumper crop of signatures is a testament to the desire of Californians to know what’s really in our food,” said Grant Lundberg, CEO of Lundberg Family Farms and a third generation rice farmer and food processor. “It is a rich harvest of support for the right to know and the right to choose.”

Labeling genetically engineered foods is a wildly popular idea and enjoys nearly unanimous support across the political spectrum. A March 2012 Mellman Group poll found that nine out of 10 American voters favor labeling for genetically engineered food. “In a country seemingly dominated by partisan polarization on everything from the cause of hurricanes to the state of the economy, it’s hard to find issues, outside of motherhood and apple pie, that can muster over 90 percent support …we found one,” pollster Mark Mellman wrote in a recent article in the Capitol Hill newspaper, The Hill.

For more information about the California Right to Know initiative to label genetically engineered food, see www.carighttoknow.org. For information about GMO-Free Santa Cruz, visit: www.labelgmos.org/santacruz.

Kou Moua and Tra Her, owners of KT Farm

When KT Farm owners, Tra Her and Kou Moua, were introduced as teenagers in 1990 in Fresno, they found they had a lot in common. Like many other Hmong people from Laos, their families had fought in the Viet Nam war in support of the US. After the US pulled out, they were persecuted by the Communists. Tra’s family had to hide in the jungle to escape the Viet Kong. Both Tra’s and Kou’s parents fled as part of a mass exodus of Hmong people from Laos, crossing the Mekong River into Thailand. There, they were held in UN refugee camps until the US began resettling veteran families in the US beginning in the mid-1970s.

The Hmong (pronounced “mung”) are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. An estimated 300,000 Hmong live in the US today; more than 100,000 live in California, including 60,000 in the Central Valley. Some 32,000 Hmong live in Fresno, where Tra and Kou live with their extended family of 12. All family members, including Tra and Kou’s three children, help with the farming business.

Kou’s family were farmers in Laos, and when the family moved to the Central Valley in 1986, they continued to grow many of the foods they grew in Laos: Juju bee dates, okra, bok choy, daikon radish, lemongrass, bitter melon, Asian onions, Thai chili peppers, kailan (Chinese broccoli), Asian squash, Asian pumpkins, jicama, Chinese eggplant, Japanese eggplant, Asian cucumbers, and tomatoes. These kinds of foods, along with white rice, the main staple, constitute the basic diet of Laotians and the Hmong.

In addition to helping his parents on their farm in Fresno, Kou worked as a mechanic. In 1999, his uncle, also a farmer, suggested that Kou take over his stall at the Mountain View Farmers Market.  The idea of running his own farming business appealed to Kou. He quit his mechanic job to focus on farming and selling at farmers markets. Kou took over the responsibility of his parents’ farm and named it KT Farm, using the first initials of Kou and Tra.

Meanwhile, Tra graduated from college and earned her teaching credentials. She now teaches life science to seventh graders at the Tioga Middle School in Fresno. When she is not in school or preparing lessons, Tra helps with the picking, washing and bundling of produce. “I feel that it’s important to happy with what you have in life. You can’t always pick and choose. I enjoy being a teacher. And the great thing about the farm is that it is a stress-free refuge—it’s hard work but there are no deadlines,” she said.

Tra and Kou and their family thrive in the tight-knit Hmong community and help keep its traditions and beliefs alive. The New Year celebration is the most important holiday. Lasting several days, this holiday brings the entire community together to honor ancestors and welcome new beginnings. According to Tra, other important annual events are the Water Festival which includes mostly sporting events, and an annual shamanistic ritual to cleanse the home. Traditional Hmong religion teaches that there are spirits residing in all things and is based on a belief in spirits, shamanism, and ancestor worship.

The love of bread making has been a driving force in Joe Platin’s life. Born in 1955 to professional parents living in Los Angeles, Joe was expected to follow in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps and become a doctor. But Joe’s calling turned out to be tending to dough, not patients.

Joe was in high school when he was introduced to making bread by his older sister Laurel, then a student at UCSC. She showed him how to use a sour dough starter to make pancakes and breads. “I was fascinated by the chemistry of the yeast and how the combination of temperature, humidity, and time affected the dough and the quality of what came out of the oven,” said Joe.

A summer job at Yoseph’s Bakery in Aptos got him hooked. He loved the camaraderie of working elbow to elbow with the old timers who made bread the old fashioned way, and the intensity of meeting the quota for the day. During his college years at San Jose State, he worked at a bakery five nights a week from 10 p.m. until the bread was done.

After graduation, Joe was hired by Gayle’s Bakery and Rotisseria, and worked closely with co-owner Joe Ortiz to develop their line of breads and manage the bread making. A year later, the Ortizes helped Joe secure an internship at a bakery in Paris. After months of observing, the bakers finally let Joe make his first cuts on the baguettes. “It was a triumphant day, one of my favorite memories,” Joe beamed.

After moving to an Israeli kibbutz for six months, Joe returned to California in 1984. The Buttery was about to open and Joe was hired by the owner, Janet Hiromura, who had also worked at Gayle’s. The pair worked together some 18 hours a day to get the business going, and it quickly took off. “I was making the bread and I was in heaven,” said Joe. After a year, Joe was up to a new challenge and he decided to start a wholesale bread business. Because there was no room to expand at the Buttery, he borrowed money from his parents and launched Golden Sheaf Bakery Company. He credits the success and longevity of Golden Sheaf with always providing his customers what they wanted, whether it was softer texture or hamburger buns, and maintaining consistent quality.

It’s been many years since Joe has had his hand in the dough; his role shifted from baking at the Buttery and Golden Sheaf to managing in 1988. Joe found he had the freedom to take on an exciting new challenge: master category bicycle racing. “It’s perfect; I’ve got the best of both worlds.” Another significant change: Joe and Janet were married in 1992. “It all came together for me at the Buttery. My heart and inspiration is here, and with Janet.” How sweet it is.

This article was written for the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets.  Golden Sheaf was the Vendor of the Month for April, 2011.

In addition to sharing a love of theatre, both Pamela and Steve cherish childhood memories of helping with their parents’ gardens. Pamela was a tomboy who grew up on her grandparent’s small farm in Ohio where he grew corn, soy, and wheat, and raised cattle under blue, sunny skies. Her dad was an itinerant farmer who had his own enormous vegetable garden. Each spring, the day he brought home the tomato starts for planting was one of the most exciting days of the year.  In contrast, Steve grew up in urban San Francisco. He helped his mother with a small flower garden in the backyard that flourished as she discovered what would thrive in the fog.

Pamela loved the farming life but had no plans to make it her livelihood. After moving on from the theatre, she held positions in arts administration at Teatro Campesino and the Mello Center, and taught at Golden Gate University. Meanwhile, Steve worked for a trade show exhibit company and was theater production manager at City College in San Francisco.

“Only after Steve and I bought the five acres in Aromas in 2000 and got tired of commuting did the idea of having a nursery business occur to us,” says Pamela. “They say you spend 30 years getting away from home, and 30 years to get back to it,” she chuckles. The couple bought some hens and goats and started growing tomato seedlings for sale at the Aptos Farmers Market. “When our seedlings business started taking off in 2001, we decided to quit our day jobs. We didn’t really have a plan for a business, we just thought we could make it work,” she says.

They dug their own well and Steve plumbed the entire property to irrigate their budding vegetable starts business. Steve found his new role as a farmer and nurseryman suited him well. “All of the skills I have gained over the years come into play,” he remarks. He rises well before dawn on market days to load and transport the starts to market. “I enjoy interacting with our customers. The market is my stage now,” he laughs. Pamela is passionate about growing plants and feels a spiritual connection to the soil. “We all know how to garden; it’s in our genes. You can grow food no matter where you live. Most people don’t realize how much food can be grown around here ten months of the year!” she says.

As they reflect on the tenth anniversary of Cole Canyon Farms, Pamela and Steve are gratified that their business has steadily grown. They are ready to dig in for the next ten  – call it Act Two.

Cole Canyon Farm is the featured Vendor of the Month at the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets, the oldest and largest farmers market organization on the Central Coast.

Morinaga established Tashiro Nursery in 1971. He was a refugee from Kagoshima, Japan who immigrated to the United States in 1955. He established a gardening business in 1959, and in the following year, his brother in Japan arranged for him to marry a “picture bride.” The marriage was official before Kumi arrived in California to meet Morinaga for the first time. Lucky for Morinaga, Kumi is a wonderful partner, mother, and a hard worker. At 75 years of age, she still works at the nursery alongside the hired hands, planting, cutting and bunching the flowers.

“This is a very tough business, and it is getting tougher. In the 1980′s there were over 60 flower growers in the Salinas valley. Now there are only about 15,” Jim explained. The nursery survived some difficult times and it is still recovering from a devastating year in 2009. “The month of January 2011 was the best we’ve had in ten years, but you don’t know what tomorrow will bring. You have to be a bit of a gambler and take calculated risks.” According to Jim, increased competition has put a lot of pressure on flower prices. Nevertheless, Jim is going to stick to his guns on price. “I have a lot of pride in the quality of our product. Many of the people who walk away looking for a better price come back to us to enjoy our beautiful, long lasting flowers.”

Being an active contributor to local organizations is very important to Jim, who serves on several boards. “I didn’t think much about the importance of community until I moved back home and heard the personal stories of people who lived in the Japanese internment camps. That really opened up my mind. I gained a sense of appreciation for particularly older people in our community who had gone through a lot in life and paved the way for others.” When Jim was a boy, his dad was electrocuted and was in the hospital for seven weeks. “The other flower growers in the valley organized shifts to keep the nursery going while my father couldn’t work. It was incredible. My feeling is, you can’t make it in the world by yourself. You need family, friends, people you work with…that’s what it’s all about.”

Young Farmers Digging it in Santa Cruz

Young, intelligent, and passionate about organic farming, Adriana Silva and Chris Tuohig, owners of Tomatero Farm, are shining examples of the new generation of farmers. Ages 28 and 33 respectively, this charismatic couple are first generation farmers. They met in 2003 and threw their lot in together to farm four acres in Corralitos. After they saw that farming could be a viable livelihood, they dug right in, diversifying their crops, and leasing additional acres. They currently lease have 25 acres in production at four ranches in Watsonville and Corralitos.

Like many of their generation, Adriana and Chris have followed their hearts when it comes choosing their life’s work. Adriana, who grew up in the Bay area, was drawn to plants. After working at two Santa Cruz flower shops, she took a job at a local farm hoping to get involved with small scale food production. Driving the delivery truck didn’t cut it, so she starting selling produce at area farmers markets for another farm. It was then she became reacquainted with Chris, who was also selling at farmers markets and working on a farm.

Chris, a Santa Cruz native who spent many years of his youth in Aptos, never considered farming until 2002. He was working in construction when a sign by the side of the road advertising a farm tour caught his eye and drew him in. He was very impressed by what he saw and the idea of having your own business and providing healthy food for people strongly appealed to him. He found four available acres in Corralitos, worked out a lease arrangement, and starting planting tomatoes, a crop he knew could do well. He invited Adriana to get involved. Their common interest in organic agriculture sparked a business relationship that blossomed into much more.

“When we started out, we didn’t think too much about the risk we were taking. We just jumped into it,” said the vibrant, raven-haired Adriana. “For the first several years we worked like crazy planting, harvesting and selling to keep up with increasing demand for our products. Now we are in a phase that is about becoming more efficient,” she said. “When I was younger, I wanted to do something that I loved that had value. Running a farm means I need no excuse for what I do. I am proud that we are providing our community with fresh, nutritious, organic food.”

Operating a diversified farm that produces several types of berries, a variety of greens, as well as free-range organic eggs, has been a challenge. “Each crop is its own business; we have learned a tremendous amount which makes life interesting,” said Chris. Both Adriana and Chris are outgoing and enjoy interacting with customers, but what Chris enjoys most is nurturing the crops and seeing what is growing. Despite the cold, wet weather in January, he will be planting broccoli and cauliflower. There is always something for Chris, Adriana and their 20 to 25 year-round employees to do on the farm, and you can bet that whatever the task, they are digging it.

Article about Astone Protea, one of the 2010 Vendors of the Month:

A Life of Discovery through Protea Plants

Words that come to mind after meeting with Mike and Tina Astone are: curious, life-long learners; thoughtful stewards of the land; lovers of the great outdoors, and risk-takers. They live and work on their property overlooking a beautiful valley. It wasn’t always that way—when they arrived, the property was like a desert after being denuded by ground squirrels. They transformed it into a lush environment filled with birds, honey bees and all matter of other insects and animals. The beauty of this valley is one of their greatest joys, and their biggest source of pride.

Mike and Tina met in the Santa Barbara area in the late 1970′s. Tina was attending college taking general education and business classes, and Mike was working at a winery helping with everything from planting to wine-making. In his spare time, Mike enjoyed pouring over the winery owner’s books on botany, and became fascinated by the protea plant. He had been looking to start a business of his own and the idea of a protea nursery took root. Tina agreed to join Mike in the venture.

In 1980, the pair moved to Santa Cruz where Mike planted 15,000 protea seeds in a huge field belonging to a friend on the Westside. Soon, they were able to pull together funds to purchase the property in Aptos, bringing with them some 5,000 protea sprouts. Their education began immediately with a rude lesson by voracious gophers and deer. Once gopher baskets and deer fences were in place, their plants began to flourish as a result of what Tina calls, “benign neglect.”

In the early days of the business, Tina focused on raising their two boys, while Mike ran the nursery. As the boys became more self-reliant, Tina became actively involved in the operation. They work efficiently as a team; Tina takes care of the financial and accounting side of the business, and uses her creative talents to make wreaths. Mike tends to the agricultural side of the business, and sells at the farmers market.

Tina and Mike have never stopped learning; every day at work, they reflect on what they see. They have compiled a rich body of knowledge. “The opportunity to discover new things is what makes life exciting,” said Tina. After 20 years of trial and error, Mike finally got a certain protea to root, and he is excited about it!

The Astones enjoy making people happy, and that magic happens at the farmers market. “It makes me smile to see customers’ faces light up with amazement at these unusual flowers,” said Mike. “We bring different varieties to the market each week, and we invite folks to come by and enjoy the display. For those who want to grow a protea at home, we have lots of lessons to share.”

Article on the November, 2010 ” Vendor of the Month”

The Jones of Bar-D Ranch — Pioneers of the Central Coast

The steep, sandy hillsides of Bar-D Ranch make the use of a tractor impossible, but the arugula loves it, according to Patti Morgan Jones. Patti and her life partner, Steve Jones, own the farm that is tucked away off Hidden Valley Road in Royal Oaks above Elkhorn Slough. The couple purchased the land along with Steve’s mother, Nell, in 1983, and started planting greens, Meyer lemons, strawberries, and other produce that are still cultivated there today.

The day I visited the ranch, Steve was out in the field searching for an elusive leak in the irrigation system. So I met with Patti and her daughter-in-law, Karen. Karen has been selling the farm’s produce at the farmers markets for the many years, and is now shadowing Steve in the field to learn the fine art and science of farming. The plan is for her to eventually assume responsibility for running the farm and allow her in-laws some deserved rest. Patti has had some health issues and Steve is a disabled Vietnam veteran. Karen’s husband, Kevin, a general contractor, may pitch in soon too, depending on how and when the construction industry recovers.

Unlike many farms, the planting, weeding, harvesting, and packing at Bar-D Ranch is all done by hand using hand tools. Sustainable methods have always been used and chemicals have never been applied. The family does the farm work themselves with the help of one employee so that it is done to Steve’s very high standards for quality. All foods are handled with gloves to avoid bruising or damaging the fresh produce. Potatoes are carefully dug to protect them from cuts. And the produce is always kept clean, from field to farmers market. Steve has perfected techniques for producing wonderfully flavorful, high quality produce that loyal customers keep coming back for. The broccoli and zucchini are very popular with children.

Steve and Patti’s pioneering, independent spirit is rooted in the 25 years they spent living in the Big Sur wilderness before they started the ranch. Patti taught rock climbing and was one of the first women certified by the Mountain Rescue Association. She was what you might call a predecessor to today’s paramedic. “This experience gave me the confidence and skills to be able to live a self sufficient lifestyle in the wild in Big Sur and then on the ranch,” says Patti. The Jones built the farm up from bare land over several years while they lived in both places, constructed a home on the property, and established some wholesale accounts to sell to local restaurants and stores. Bar-D was one of the original participants in the first farmers market in downtown Santa Cruz after the earthquake in 1991. They joined the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets in 1994.

Karen, a mother of four sons ages 3, 7, 10, and 13, is excited about her expanding role at Bar-D. Her kids love to help at the market. “The kids absolutely beam with pride when customers tell them how much they like their grandfather’s produce! They can answer questions about the food we sell, and can also make change. It’s a great education!” Karen says. Steve rarely sells at the farmers markets today, but when he does, his fans gather around. “I think Steve should start a church,” says Patti, jokingly. She added: “He is a good listener and he knows what to say to people to make them feel good. That’s quite a gift for all of us.”