Immersed as we are in our daily living, it’s easy to forget that we live in extraordinary times. This is especially so for agriculture. Communities across the nation are asking questions about who’s growing their food and how. It’s amazing to see the explosion of interest in local food systems as a ... Read More

The Tulare walnuts in this week’s box come from Haag Farm just to the north of Esparto. Jim Haag, a farmer trained in mathematics, has been known to take on such questions as “where’s the start of the Capay Valley?” In a thorough essay on his website, Jim considers more views than a ... Read More

One of the Capay Valley’s most sublime agricultural products is olive oil. Not just any old vegetable oil, this is the extra virgin, highest quality oil available in the world. In keeping with the proclamation of California Olive Oil Month this February by Governor Schwarzenegger, Farm Shop urges everyone to make California ... Read More

My wife has a saying—“try something new and you’ll live a day longer.” It’s guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of those who hear it at the farmers’ market, but in the back of their minds they’re thinking, “is that really true?” Their smile is a silent acknowledgment that the ... Read More

My arrival as a new intern at Full Belly Farm coincided with the onset, or better yet the onslaught, of the January rains. My first 9 days here produced almost 10 inches of rain. For people like me who come from the city, rain is easily avoided. It’s something we observe from a ... Read More