Molino Creek Farm

Judy Low, Joe Curry and about 14 other co-owners

The Molino farm was founded by several families to preserve family farming and the beauty and exquisiteness of the land. They grow dry-farmed tomatoes, assorted vegetables and sunflowers.

Nine growing acres within 136 acres located in the hills above Davenport in northern Santa Cruz County. Five acres for dry-farmed tomatoes, three for assorted produce, one for sunflowers.

The Molino Farm was founded by several families to preserve family farming and the beauty and exquisiteness of the land. Organic farming has allowed them to create a livelihood as well as a source of nourishing food for the community. Since their founding, they have raised almost two generations of children on the land. In practical terms, organic farming is the feeding of the soil and the plants by applying compost and using green manure crops and the reliance on the network of interacting beneficial plants and insects. Because their soil is so singularly important to the tomatoes, they devote a lot of time and effort to assure fertility of the soil. Organic farming is a long term, long-sighted process. As you bite into their fruit, you are savoring the rewards of 20 years of care.

Their farming also relies upon the interaction of the pest/predators relationships. Surrounded by native plant habitat, they have a great variety of natural insect predators that invisibly patrol the plantings while visiting some nectar producing flowers along the way. They may also supplement these predators with other beneficial insects as the season progresses. Redwood and fir forests with chaparral and lots of gopher traps.

Heavy clay with lots of organic matter, which retains much of the moisture from the winter rains. Molino builds the soil with cover crop - primarily vetch, beans and grains.

Mainly dry-farmed.

Manual removal.