When asked this question, Brian Talley’s answer is “this farm has been operating for over 75 years, and four generations. Yes, it’s sustainable!” Of course, sustainability means more than longevity. What has Talley Farms been doing to maintain the health of our soil, water, labor, and environment?
Diversification is essential to sustainability. We grow a variety of crops, including napa cabbage, spinach, cilantro, bell peppers, wine grapes, avocados, lemons, seed crops, strawberries, and over 30 different vegetables, most grown organically, for our Talley Farms Box Program. These crops are rotated, and the soil is tested to determine which cover crops are best.
The water used to grow our crops comes from the ground, which is replenished by the Lopez Lake Reservoir system. We use our water wisely and have been utilizing drip irrigation for our crops for many years. Our water is tested monthly for bacteria as part of our comprehensive food safety program.
Talley Farms has over 200 full-time employees, some of whom have been working with us for over 20, 30, and even 50 years! Many of our employees live on our ranches with their families. During our busy summer and fall seasons, we utilize the H-2A program (a federal visa program for agricultural workers) from Mexico and provide them with housing and transportation. Many of these same employees return year after year and are related to our full-time workers.
Our Talley Farms Box Program, now in its 14th year, continues to improve our environmental footprint. We reuse the cardboard boxes in which your produce is delivered, recycling them in our blue containers when they become dirty or torn. During the COVID pandemic, we packed and delivered up to 6,000 boxes per week, using large plastic bags to reline your boxes for food safety. We switched to more expensive recyclable paper liners, and boxes shipped overnight are packed in recyclable insulated box liners. At the same time, we have reduced the use of small plastic bags in the boxes.
It may cost more money to be sustainable, but at Talley Farms, we prioritize our care for the earth, our families, and our community. And we want to be farming for at least another 75 years!
