Frog Hollow Farm, in the Sacramento River Delta area, has been organic since 1989, and has focused on sustainability by ensuring the farm supports the soil, the environment, the local community, and the workers who do the labor. The farm name comes from the irrigation canal that runs along the land, which was full of frogs when the Al Courchesne started farming there in 1976. Over time “Farmer Al” (as he is known) and his partners have expanded to over 270 acres in cultivation.

Staff are supported by year round, full-time employment, monthly wellness trainings, as well as a worker housing program. Frog Hollow Farm also works with nonprofits in the Brentwood community to increase access to housing and COVID vaccines for farmworkers.

Building rich soil, and the microbial community within it, is a primary tenant of organic farming. But Frog Hollow understands the concept of “terroir” — that a healthy soil biome also has a direct correlation with the taste, quality, and character of the fruit they grow. Frog Hollow produces over 3,000 tons of compost a year using organic waste from their own farm, as well as material from other operations in their community.

Everything on the farm is hand-picked, and fruit is only picked when ripe. Known in the trade as ‘well-mature,’ this is a risk that large-scale stone fruit shippers are not willing to take. Workers must harvest from the same tree several times during the season, only picking the best fruit and leaving unripened fruit to mature and grow sweet. This ensures that Frog Hollow offers the most delicious and highest quality fruit available.