Ramona Valley Olive Oil
Andrew & Rita Castillo
The sun was blazing when we pulled into Ramona Valley. Rows of olive trees stretched across the hills, holding their ground in the Southern California heat. And…
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Farm Stories
We're spending time with 24 Southern California farms. Filming, listening, and writing down what we find. These are the stories we wanted to share.
Tanaka Farms
Glenn Tanaka & Team
We arrived early before the crowd gathered — moms and their kids began showing up, the little ones gazing in awe, many seeing a farm for the very first time aft…
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Hilliker's Egg Ranch
Frank Hilliker & Family
When we first visited Hilliker's Egg Ranch, it was 7 a.m. You could hear the roosters crowing and the chickens already busy as we pulled up the gravel driveway.…
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Mountain Meadow Mushrooms
Roberto & Adam
Driving up to Mountain Meadow Mushrooms felt like stepping into a place with deep roots. The farm has been here since 1952, and you can feel that history the mo…
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Limon Apple Orchard
Ken & Linda Limon
When we pulled up to Ken and Linda's orchard, it felt like stepping into another world. The sun was bright, the air smelled sweet, and I could already spot rows…
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Earthworks International
Richard ("the worm guy")
We pulled into Idyllwild's high desert edge at about 2,100 feet, where the sun sits bright and the wind can change your shot in a second. The beds were alive wi…
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Ecological Agriculture Training & Cultural Center
Patrick Mitchell
We met Patrick on the land itself, where the first thing to greet us was not a sign or a gate, but a lone cow standing calmly in the field, watching us arrive. …
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Oceanside Dragonfruit Farm
Leo & Family
We met Leo and his wife at the front of Oceanside Dragonfruit Farm, where their day was already in motion. They worked beneath a makeshift canopy, with no perma…
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Park Hills Community Church Garden
Linda Harrington
From the moment we stepped onto the corner lot — with cars rushing by on all sides — it was clear this garden was something special. What felt like a quiet sanc…
Read their storyThis material is based upon work supported by the Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under grant number 24FMPPCA1238. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.