farmer of the month

Farmer of the Month: Tyler Hollenbach of Subarashii Kudamono

By Lex Flamm on September 1, 2024

Every spring, the AsaJu Asian pear trees in Subarashii Kudamono’s orchards release a shower of delicate white petals. The falling flowers reveal tiny pears the size of marbles—and that’s when the real …

Filed Under: Profiles Tagged With: fall fruit, family farm, farmer of the month, Pennsylvania

Farmer of the Month: Amber Balakian of Balakian Farms

By Lex Flamm on July 15, 2024

In some ways, a family farm is just an extra-large kitchen garden. It’s an extension of the home and the people that live there—at least, that’s how fourth-generation farmer Amber Balakian feels about …

Filed Under: Profiles Tagged With: California, farmer of the month, organic farming, stone fruit

Farmer of the Month: Abby Schilling of Mick Klüg Farms

By Lex Flamm on June 28, 2024

“So, a social worker, a farmer, an engineer, and a salesman walk into a bar…” That sounds like the beginning of a cheesy joke, but if you swap the word “farm” in for “bar,” it’s pretty close to the …

Filed Under: Profiles Tagged With: berries, family farm, farmer of the month, stone fruit, sustainable farming

Farmer of the Month: John Warmerdam of New Excelsior Farming

By Lex Flamm on May 3, 2024

When John Warmerdam was a kid, his school bus didn’t drop him off at home—or even at the corner near his house. Instead, it took him to his family’s fruit packing shed. “That’s where my …

Filed Under: Profiles Tagged With: California, family farm, farmer of the month, stone fruit

Farmer of the Month: Javier Zamora of JSM Organics

By Lex Flamm on April 19, 2024

Stepping out of the car and onto the soil of JSM Organics in Royal Oaks, California, felt like setting foot in an orderly kind of paradise. Spring sunshine swept over the strawberry fields and …

Filed Under: Profiles Tagged With: berries, California, california farms, farmer of the month, sustainable farming

Farmer of the Month: Emily Ayala of Friend’s Ranches

By Lex Flamm on March 11, 2024

Emily Ayala’s voice is both exhausted and euphoric. “We’re starting the harvest of Ojai Pixies today!” she told The FruitGuys over Zoom on Feb. 28, grinning into the camera. “I’ve been up since …

Filed Under: Profiles Tagged With: California, citrus, family farm, farmer of the month

Farmer of the Month: Bianca Kaprielian of Fruit World

By Lex Flamm on February 23, 2024

At 9 a.m. on February 3, 2024, swimmers lined up on the shore of the San Francisco Bay. The chilly water beckoned, droplets leaping up and causing shivers. Then — splash! They dove in and surged …

Filed Under: Profiles Tagged With: California, citrus, farmer of the month, farmers, small farms

Farmer of the Month: Vince Bernard of Bernard Ranch

By Lex Flamm on January 30, 2024

It can be tough to get a farmer on the phone during their busiest season. But when The FruitGuys called Vince Bernard of Bernard Ranch to check in on how his family farm in Riverside, CA, was doing, …

Filed Under: Profiles Tagged With: California, citrus, family farm, farmer of the month, sustainable farming