Lucero Organic Farms Tour
On September 28, 2014, CUESA visited Lucero Organic Farms as part of our “Orchards and Organics Farm Tour.” We learned about growing organic vegetables and even harvested some ourselves!
Lucero Organic Farms was founded by Ben Lucero in the 1960s. Ben and his wife, Karen, and son, Curtis, currently farm organically at two locations in the Central Valley. We visited the Clarksburg property, where the Luceros grow a variety of summer vegetables.
The Luceros also lease about 50 acres in Lodi, where they grow strawberries, raspberries, and other crops.
“Farming is a 24-hour job," said Ben. "We’re always on call." Ben got his start in farming at a young age as a farmworker, earning $1 hour, before he began farming on his own. Having witnessed farmers use toxic pesticides in the fields as a precaution rather than out of necessity, Ben always knew he wanted to farm organically.
The Luceros acquired this site in Clarksburg about four years ago. The land was previously used by a seed company that grew grass seeds. The rustic barns and other buildings that contained seed processing equipment still stand.
Though initially he didn’t want to farm, Ben’s son, Curtis, decided to help his parents run the business after returning from military service in 2006. He helps manage the farm and their farmers market sales.
So far, the farm has not been adversely affected by the drought. This orange pump helps supply water to the fields, drawing from a slough that is part of the Sacramento River. The water table is just a few feet down. The farm also benefits from having its own well.
The farm uses drip tape for all their irrigation needs, which helps conserve water.
Ben and Curtis let us try our hands at harvesting a variety of row crops.
Curtis said that the weather in Clarksburg is extreme, with windy and hot summers and cold winters. The farm specializes in warm-weather crops like peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, melons, and summer and winter squash.
Lucero Organic Farms is all about diversity! They grow more than 30 different types of fruits and vegetables, including more than 60 varieties of tomatoes and 20 varieties of squash.
The Luceros let us each fill a flat with vegetables for a discounted U-pick price.
Watermelon.
We enjoyed learning how to pick each of the different items at peak ripeness.
In the 1980s, Ben developed his own tomato, which he called the Ivory Pear, by selectively breeding several cherry tomato varieties.
CUESA's farm tour coordinator, Jessi, had her hands full harvesting tomatoes!
Our participants quickly filled their boxes with veggies to take home.
Alejandra shows off her colorful and bountiful box of veggies.
Thank you to the Luceros for sharing their delicious harvest!
