75 acres in Reedley, about 200 miles from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.

Ted and Fran Loewen, their children, Bryce and Renata, along with 1 year-round farm managers and 30 seasonal employees.

California Certified Organic Farmer since 2006

Fran’s grandparents, Daniel and Babette Lichti, bought the land that has become Blossom Bluff Orchards in the 1930s. Fran’s father, Herb Lichti, farmed with his parents, married, and raised his family on the farm.

Fran, Ted, and their children, Bryce and Renata, moved back to the farm shortly after they married and Ted, a lawyer by training, began farming full-time while Fran taught elementary school. Fran recently retired from teaching and is now farming full-time.

In addition to being certified organic, Blossom Bluff Orchards is a member of California Clean, an organization started in the early 1980's by Central Valley small family farmers committed to environmentally responsible farming. Fran and Ted's main criteria for selecting new varieties is flavor, and most fruit is picked at the highest maturity, so what you buy is ready to eat.

Creates habitat for beneficial insects often by leaving the "weeds" in the orchard, uses pheremone disruption, applies Bacillus thuringiensis at bloom time, and coats dormant trees with oil to smother pests.

Sandy loam, built with aged manure, compost, and legumes as cover crops.

Water for flood irrigation and some drip irrigation is pumped from the nearby King's River.

Mowing (including a berm mower) and discing (also for rodent control).