B&J Ranch is a 25-acre farm located in the desert in the Coachella Valley near the Salton Sea in Thermal, California. This location puts the farm at 200 feet below sea level! Owned and operated by Bill Jessup, B&J Ranch has been in existence for over 51 years. Bill took over the property in 1976 from his father and converted it to organic. Bill was an active organizer of CCOF in the ’70s and ’80s and helped build organic standards and programs. He also partnered with Veritable Vegetable early on to market his fruit to customers; today, Bill sells exclusively to VV. B&J Ranch has been able to grow and sustain itself over the past few decades by providing consistent, delicious high-quality fruit and managing operations themselves.

Below are a few words from Bill about working with VV:

“I’ve worked with Veritable Vegetable since 1977. Though they have grown a lot in the last 40 years, they have not outgrown their commitment to small, organic farmers like me. Working with Veritable Vegetable allows me to do what I do best–grow citrus–and rely on them for logistics, market information, and fair pricing. What I appreciate most is their willingness to go the literal and figurative extra mile for me and my farm.”

-Bill Jessup