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Capay Organic is a second generation organic farm which got its start in the Coastal Range’s Capay Valley, 90 miles northeast of San Francisco. The farm was founded by our parents, Kathleen Barsotti and Martin Barnes, in 1976 - marking the early stages of the organic foods movement. Understanding the sometimes harmful methods of modern agriculture, they realized that there was a niche for quality organic produce grown the way that nature intended for it to be – organically. While our mother was working towards her graduate degree at UC Davis, our parents and several fellow students developed a student farm where they were able to begin farming. Eventually, Kathy and Martin purchased a 20-acre patch of Starthistle, establishing the first organic farm in the Capay Valley. The farm started as a part-time interest for Kathy while she raised her family and worked as a researcher at UC Davis. Eventually the day came when Kathy elected to spend all of her time building the farm. Having no idea of the toil that lay ahead, but armed with a great idea and determination, the journey began. |
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| The Capay Valley’s unique micro-climate and soil type produced an environment in which Capay Organic could successfully produce an array of seasonal fruits and vegetables. In addition to having the soil and climate required to produce superior crops, the varieties of each crop grown on the farm were carefully selected to assure that Capay Organics’ produce was always the best tasting product on the market. The farm also prided itself on regularly introducing new crops to the marketplace; cherry tomatoes, sweet pea flowers, ambrosia melons and heirloom tomatoes are a few of the crops that we pioneered. |
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Regardless of the genuine quality of the produce and the wholesome farming practices used to create it, the early days of marketing organic produce to the general public was a battle that took Kathy a lifetime to overcome. Starting with one small farmers' market in Davis that was founded by Kathy and Martin and fellow students while in grad-school, and a few gourmet restaurants that understood the superior principles and quality of organic agriculture, Capay Organic slowly developed a market for its produce. By the early 90s Capay Organic was an established small, organic family farm, supplying Bay Area stores, restaurants and farmers' markets with quality organic produce. The years of growing and selling nothing but the highest quality produce to dedicated customers had paid off. |
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Realizing the importance of the relationship between the farm and individual customers, Kathy started Farm Fresh to You in 1992. Farm Fresh to You is an organic produce delivery service that delivers boxes of organic produce fresh from the fields of Capay Organic to customers’ doorsteps or offices on the frequency they choose. The service started with a handful of customers, with the deliveries being done from a family station wagon by Kathy's parents once a week. The service was greatly accepted in the Bay Area and it was not long until vans full of these boxes were leaving the farm. Kathy spent a lifetime building the farm that was used to raise her family of four boys. From the early stages of their childhood, Kathy's sons help was used in the everyday operations of the farm - from field work to office tasks. Kathy managed every aspect of Capay Organic and Farm Fresh to You until her battle with breast cancer ended at the age of 51 in July of 2000. Today, Capay Organic and Farm Fresh to You are owned and operated by her four sons and they continue to employ the same dedicated family of employees. |
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Throughout the years the demand for Capay Organic’s produce has grown the farm from its original 20-acres to its current 300-acres. The company has also matured to include a steady income provided by several year-round farmers' markets, dedicated partnerships with produce wholesalers, relationships with Bay Area restaurants, the numerous Farm Fresh to You customers and a retail store - Farm Fresh To You, located in San Francisco's Ferry Building. |
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| In 2007, we began farming in the Imperial Valley in efforts to expand our produce line during the cold winter months of the Capay Valley. The new region has allowed our farm to extend the season of the heirloom and traditional crops that we produce while ensuring that they are being produced by a trusted farm. This expansion has allowed us to begin providing service to the Los Angeles area and has expanded the produce availability to all of our customers. |
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