Sowing Seeds with KTA’s 2026 Client Cohort

January 29th, 2026

[Read time: 5 minutes]

As the new year begins, so too does KTA’s journey alongside our 2026 client cohort – comprising 24 owners across 14 farm and ranch businesses. Connected by a mutual passion for agriculture, a deep care for the land, and a commitment to nourishing their communities, these farmers and ranchers come to Kitchen Table Advisors with unique experiences and goals. 

Our commitment, as always, is to meet our client cohort where they’re at, helping them to define and achieve success for their businesses and goals. Our business advising can take many shapes, including helping secure access to land and capital, balance family and farm needs, build business skills, develop financial record keeping systems, and more. We foster trusted, collaborative relationships, help clients dig deeper into their communities, and work with them to grow collective power – not only for themselves, but for all small farmers and ranchers in California. 

With our newly released 2025-2035 Strategic Plan guiding us, we hope to learn from and work with each of our new clients to realize our vision: a world where sustainable farmers and ranchers are thriving within equitable, community-based food systems. 

We invite you to get to know the newest members of the KTA client community, stretching across 9 communities, by connecting directly with their farm and ranch businesses.

Our 2026 Client Cohort includes…

14


Farm & Ranch Businesses

24


Business Owners

12

Counties
Impacted

435

Acres Stewarded

 

Yolo | Solano | Sacramento

 

Dewey Farms

Farm owners: Joey & Johnny Thomas, Katie Seybold, Hannah Snyder

Location: Yolo County

Products: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cut flowers

Fun fact: Dewey Farms is a multi-generational family-owned farm that has been growing nuts since 1876. Recently, they opened Dewey Farm Flowers, a new branch to their business run by Katie and Hannah that has allowed them to diversify into the cut flower market.

Website: Dewey Farms
 
 

All Roots Allowed

Farm owners: Elriken and Kelly Hines

Location: Sacramento County

Products: Vegetables, fruits, eggs, value-added products

Fun fact: Elriken and Kelly host multiple community events at their farm year-round and also operate a home bakery, selling their delicious baked goods through their business!

Website: All Roots Allowed

North Bay

 

Watmaugh Strawberry Farm

Farm owners: Torn and Chio Saetern 

Location: Sonoma County and Sacramento County

Products: Strawberries and other berries 

Fun fact: Torn and Chio inherited the farm from their parents, who owned and operated the strawberry farm business for over 20 years in Sonoma.

Facebook: Watmaugh Strawberry Farm
 
 

Zarate Family Farm

Farm owners: Teo and Maxima Zarate

Location: North Bay

Products: Mixed vegetables and leafy greens 

Fun fact: Teo and Maxima have worked the land they are leasing for over 15 years – first as employees of County Line Farm, and then moving to purchase the operation from the original landholder, David Retsky, to start Zarate Family Farm.

Instagram: Zarate Family Farm
 
 

Fox Sparrow Farm

Ranch owner: Erin Roscoe

Location: North Bay

Raises: Pigs, sheep, ducks, goats 

Fun fact: Erin and business co-owner Brennan Murphy both came to farming after a decade of running storefronts in the San Francisco Bay Area, motivated by a desire to connect more with the land and produce ethically raised animal products.

Website: Fox Sparrow Farm
 

Yagi Sisters

Farm owner: Reyna Yagi

Location: North Bay

Products: Mixed vegetables and Japanese specialty vegetables 

Fun fact: Reyna named her farm business, Yagi Sisters, after her grandfather’s farm business, Yagi Brothers, which operated in Stockton, CA and grew mostly tomatoes. Though Reyna’s parents did not farm, Reyna reconnected with the practice, hoping to pay homage to her ancestors’ and family’s roots by growing Japanese specialty produce.

Website: Yagi Sisters

San Joaquin Valley

 

Sherman Produce

Farm owner: Donald Sherman

Location: San Joaquin Valley

Products: Mixed vegetables and melons 

Fun fact: Every summer, Donald hosts an annual Central Valley melon tasting event, showcasing 14+ varieties of seeded and seedless red and yellow watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydew.

Instagram: Sherman Produce
 
 

Ambriz Produce

Farm owner: Mabiel Ambriz

Location: San Joaquin Valley

Products: Mixed vegetables 

Fun fact: Mabiel is a member of the Fresno BIPOC Produce Support group, a farmer-focused food hub that has connected his business with numerous farmers markets and food banks as well as partner organizations.

 
 
 

Garcia Farm

Farm owner: Federico Garcia 

Location: San Joaquin Valley

Products: Vegetables, watermelons, flowers  

Fun fact: Federico and his wife, Juana, started growing marigolds and coxcomb flowers in 2020 for Dia de los Muertos celebrations. Seeing the significant community demand for these special flowers, they have deepened their flower production over the past few years, hoping to share their traditions from Mexico with their community.

Instagram: Garcia Farm
 

Central Coast

 

Jessie Organic Farm

Farm owner: Jessie Najera 

Location: Central Coast

Products: Mixed vegetables and berries 

Fun fact: Jessie is not only a farmer, but also a welder! This has allowed him to build some of his own farming tool implements.

 
 
 
 

Joya Organic Farms

Farm owner: Alvaro Rogelio Alvarez

Location: Central Coast

Products: Mixed vegetables and berries

Fun fact: Ever since he was young, Alvaro has liked music, specifically regional Mexican music. Now, in the afternoons after working on the farm, he likes to experiment with his DJ sound system.

Website: Joya Organic Farms
 
 
 

Tierra H&R Organic Farms

Farm owner: Herlinda Huipe

Location: Central Coast

Products: Mixed vegetables 

Fun fact: The farm business is a family one - Herlinda and her husband Carmelo work the fields during the day, and their son, Ivan, supports with administrative support.

 
 

Alfa y Omega Farms

Farm owner: Emilia Santos 

Location: Central Coast

Products: Mixed vegetables 

Fun fact: Emilia loves making tortillas. She learned how to make them at age 7 because it was the only thing her father knew how to cook, and it brings back memories of him. Emilia has passed this tradition on to her seven-year-old and ten-year-old daughters.

Emilia was recently named as Community Alliance with Family Farmers’ New Farmer of the Year! Learn more about the award here.

Instagram: Alfa y Omega Farms
 
 

Fernandez Farm 100% Organic

Farm owner: Enrique Fernandez

Location: Central Coast

Products: Mixed vegetables 

Fun fact: Enrique works alongside his wife, Maria, to run the farm business. Maria has already attended a Fondo Solidario meeting – a KTA Ecosystem Building project – and is interested in learning more and connecting with the other Latina farmers in her community to create impact.

 

Keep up to date with our new client cohort and KTA:


Photo credits: Kelsey Joy Photography, Jayson Carpenter. Farmer client photos sourced from clients and KTA advising staff. 

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How Funding Cuts and the Government Shutdown Affect A Farmer