Payne Farm

FARMLAND: 20 acres in Modeston, California, around 75 miles from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

PEOPLE: Brad Payne plus 3 part-time employees

FARM HISTORY/PHILOSOPHY: Brad Payne’s great-grandparents started Payne Farm as a dairy in 1906, and the farm has been family-owned ever since. In 1962, Brad moved onto the farm with his parents and worked as an assistant. In 2004, Brad became owner and manager and one year later became California Organic Certified in order to “provide a high quality product to my customers as quickly from harvest as possible while having a positive impact on my land, soil, and surroundings.”

SOIL: Sandy loam is supplemented by cover crops is fertilized with compost, aged manure and organic fertilizer.

WEED MANAGEMENT: No synthetic herbicides are used to control weeds.

PEST MANAGEMENT: Pests are managed with the help of beneficial species, crop rotation, and organic pesticides.

WATER USE: An irrigation district allotment and on-site well are used for drip, flood, and sprinkler irrigation.

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION: CCOF since 2005

209-529-6268