We proudly source more than 40 percent of the produce for our Farm-to-School Program from local California farms! Many of our farm partners are from multi-generation farming families, and several are women, BIPOC, or from other marginalized communities.
The FruitGuys has been building long-term relationships with California farms since 1998.
Below, you’ll find the stories of just a few of our many farm partners. We’re proud to call these folks our friends, and to work with them to bring your students the freshest, healthiest, most beautiful fruits and veggies around.
The Gowan family has grown heirloom apples in Mendocino County for six generations—since 1876! They use organic and sustainable practices to raise their fruit, and as of 2022 had eighty-four apple varieties in their orchard, including several rare ones.
Earthseed is an organic, women-owned, and BIPOC-owned farm. Its team uses eco-friendly permaculture methods and Afro-Indigenous practices to grow Asian pears, persimmons, apples, blackberries, raspberries, and more.
Stan started farming apples in 1975. Since then, he has planted over ninety varieties, plus flowers and wine grapes! We’ve added his Sebastopol Gravenstein apples (an endangered heirloom variety) to our annual Gravenstein Apple Box since 2006 to help Stan save it from extinction. Stan and his team pick their organic apples by hand for the best quality and flavor.
Farmer Leo Diaz grew up in Mexico and now grows sweet fruit and delicious vegetables in San Bernardino County alongside his brother and cousins. They supply The FruitGuys with beautiful strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and more.
Jim Shanley started farming in 1998 with a plot of avocados in Morro Bay, California. Today, he runs Shanley Farms with his daughter, Megan Shanley Warren! They grow unique and delicious finger limes, avocados, goji berries, passion fruit, and more on two sites—one in Morro Bay and one in Visalia.
Sweet Valley Produce is a woman- and BIPOC-owned farm that also sells produce for other small family farms. Founder Angelica Estrada and her team grow a rainbow of sweet potatoes and source local apples, strawberries, and more from their friends.
All FruitGuys information is confidential and proprietary and is intended for the exclusive use of our clients. If you are not a FruitGuys client, you should not disseminate, distribute, or share the information on this page. Farm information is updated regularly but subject to change at any time.
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