Adventures of an Organic Fruit Tramp

In the late seventies, about the time many people my age were graduating from college, I decided to take up migrant farm work. There were several things that were really great about this type of work.

Travel was something I had always enjoyed and with this job the opportunity to see new places seemed endless. Being from the state of Michigan, following the crops south in the winter and north in the summer was very appealing. The warm winter climate and being surrounded by fresh tree-ripe fruit at all times of the year was almost enough in itself.

The idea of becoming a voluntary peasant seemed like a noble endeavor. Much peace of mind came from reconnecting with the earth and living a simpler, less competitive lifestyle in a rural setting.

The opportunity of working with people of other cultures was enriching. My co-workers were men and woman from other countries both near and far away. With the help of those around me, the Spanish language soon began to sink in.

For one aspiring to the ideal of right livelihood, organic field work is perfect because it provides a basic necessity of life to humanity and does not harm oneself or others in any way.

Best of all was the freedom which came from working the seasons. I was not weighed down by possessions, payments or worries and I was able to roam like a gypsy where ever I chose.

Setting a goal to work with every type of fruit grown on the North American continent, over the next six and a half years I would work over fifty seasonal farm jobs. From the blueberry fields of Maine to the citrus groves in Florida, and from the apple orchards of Washington State to the mango trees and cotton fields in the southern tip of Mexico where I labored as an undocumented farm worker. The adventure went on and on.

Organic farms in the seventies were few and far between, however they could be found here and there if you looked hard enough.

In the mid-eighties, the organic food movement began to gain serious momentum, especially in California, where I found myself in the right place at the right time. By leasing a small date grove, I got started farming, in spite of the fact that I had very little money. Through a series of rented date gardens, our farming operation grew through the years along with the demand for organic produce.

In the nineties, my wife and I bought land with money we made growing dates and planted date palms of our own.

When I first began picking fruit for a living, I never dreamed I would actually own and operate a farm myself, but through persistent hard work, a love for what I was doing, and a little luck, within just a few years, this somehow came to be, almost on its own. Around the turn of the new millennium, when the raw-vegan diet began to grow in popularity, we began selling the majority of our crop directly to the raw/vegan food community via mail order. This is how my life in agriculture began over 30 years ago, and the way it has unfolded so far.

In 1998 we bought a 22 acre farm in the southern California desert near the border of Mexico. The land is adjacent to a canal which provides lots of clean water from the Rocky Mountains via the Colorado river. We planted about 5 acres in date palms and have designated the entire property as a wildlife refuge. We live here and enjoy the occasional sighting of coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, foxes, skunks, rabbits, reptiles, migratory and year round birds, aquatic animals, plus a wide variety of beautiful insects.

As human activity such as cattle grazing continues to encroach upon wildlife habitat, safe havens like this become more and more crucial.

There is no need to ever use by-products of animal exploitive industries to fertilize the date trees since we maintain a naturally balanced eco-system. When on occasion fertilizers are used we choose non-animal explotive options.

We live on 22 acres in the southern California desert. 5 acres are planted in date palms the rest is designated as a wildlife refuge.

Our dates are:

• 100% Raw - Unaltered in any way.
• Unfrozen - Dates are stored above 32 degrees.
• Unheated - There is no heating of any kind. There is normally no post harvest drying process, although dates may lose a little moisture while hanging on the tree.
• Sustainably Grown - Our dates are absolutely free of chemicals of any kind and grown in accordance with the laws of nature.
• Small Farm Grown - You are always supporting the small farm way of life when you buy from our company.
• Veganically Grown - Dates grown on our farm are grown without manure synthetic fertilizers or by-products of animal exploitive industries.
• Heirloom Varieties - We sell many different kinds.
• Our Farm and Home is Totally Off The Grid - We rely on solar energy for the majority of our needs.
• The Personal Touch - We do our own work and have a direct hands on connection with the trees and fruit.
• We use eco friendly, biodegradable packaging