350 Acres in Rumsey, 20 of which are farmed intensively.

Jessy and Craig Harvey and Jessy's parents, Jackie and Tim Scott, along with 1 full-time and 4 part-time employees

California Certified Organic Farmer since 1988

Jackie grew up in San Rafael, spending every weekend on her family’s farm in Cazadero. 25 years ago, her father decided to move the farm inland to Rumsey, where the land was more fertile for growing. Since then, the Scotts have farmed 350 acres in the Capay Valley, where nuts have been cultivated since the 1860s. They now cultivate oranges and grapefruits and have a plant nursery for plant starts. The Scotts own an additional 1,200 acres adjacent to Orangewood Farm that is leased for cattle grazing. The Scotts have planted native grasses to help restore the hills on this land to their natural state.

Orangewood Farm has been organic since 1988. They've take their commitment to sustainability a step further, avoiding the application of even organic pesticides. Their fruit is never waxed or sprayed after harvesting.

Jackie's daughter, Jessy, and Jessy's husband, Craig, have taken over most parts of the business and added chickens and quail to their operation. The chickens are free-roaming and pasture-raised, and the quail are housed in moveable "tractors," which are rotated through the orange orchards.

Every now and again, the farm also sets out traps to catch gophers.

Orangewood Farm rests on an old river bed, loaded with nutrient-rich loam deposited from Cache Creek. The farm uses small amounts of organic fertilizers to help keep nutrient levels high. They also use a trefoil cover crop that produces a thick and wonderful cover, improving soil health and tilth and protecting it from erosion and water loss.

Drip irrigation and sprinklers are used for the oranges; plant starts are watered by hand. Water is supplied by an irrigation ditch from Cache Creek, and two on-site wells that are fed by runoff from surrounding hills.

A variety of methods are used to control weeds and pests. After a watering or a good rain, the weeds around the trunks of trees are burned with a torch. Sheep help clean up weeds in the rows.