Every Saturday, scores of people make the drive to Pinnacle Farms market in San Juan Bautista to buy fresh, organically grown produce.
Owners Phil and Katherine Foster began farming in San Benito County in 1968. Today they grow certified organic fruit and vegetables on 295 acres near San Juan Bautista and Hollister where they have a diverse range of crops, marketing up to 60 produce items, including bell peppers, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, melons, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, celery, red chard, cucumbers, tomatoes, fennel, garlic, kale, leeks, peas and much more.
Hollister resident Beatice Sanchez—a customer of Pinnacle Farms’ market on Duncan Avenue—said she likes eating organic produce.
“I just think everything here is so fresh and delicious,” she said.
Adam Jaso regularly makes the trip from Gilroy to get his fresh produce after he began paying more attention to his health.
“I like that it’s fresh, organic produce,” he said.
Buying locally grown, organic produce offers a variety of health, environmental, economic and community benefits, according to Pinnacle Farms’ website.
Organic produce is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, reducing exposure to harmful residues. Some studies suggest organic produce may have slightly higher levels of certain nutrients, like antioxidants; and local produce is typically harvested at peak ripeness, retaining more flavor and nutrients.
Buying local produce reduces the need for long-distance transportation; organic farms often use environmentally friendly methods like crop rotation, composting and natural pest control And smaller, local organic farms often grow a variety of crops, which helps protect ecosystems and pollinators.
“We strive to maintain the Pinnacle label’s high quality by treating our workers, our products, our land, our community and our planet with utmost respect,” said Phil Foster.
He said they pay their employees a fair wage and benefits. Forty of the farm’s employees work year-round with another 20 added during the busy season (June to November).
They build the soil with cover crops and compost and make all their own compost on four acres dedicated for that purpose. They also practice environmentally sensitive pest control by attracting beneficial insects, constructing owl boxes and planting hedgerows.
“Our goal is to minimize spraying even though the sprays are organic,” Foster said. “We try to anticipate insect and disease problems, and use a multi-faceted approach to preventing them, using organic techniques.”
Finally, they try to decrease water consumption by using drip irrigation whenever possible, and they have 53 kilowatts of solar panels and fuel most of their tractors with biodiesel.
“And we run all of our diesel delivery trucks and our newer tractors on 100% biodiesel,” he added.
Details: pinnacleorganic.com/index.html.
