Welcoming Our 2024 Cohort
January 31st, 2024
[Read time: 5 minutes]
To learn more about our approach to 1:1 business advising, check out our Behind an Advising Relationship feature.
As the new year dawns, our team at KTA is eagerly seeding new relationships and collaborative work with our 2024 advising cohort, comprised of nine farm businesses hailing from across Northern and Central California. These producers will join the 95 active and alumni* farm and ranch businesses that we support, bringing their unique stories, values, and farming techniques to our client community and beyond.
We are honored to journey alongside these growers, meeting them where they are at on their paths to realizing their business and personal goals – including everything from increasing market opportunities, finding stable land, and more. If you’re not already familiar with them, we invite you to start your journey alongside us now by getting acquainted with these new farmer clients and following along in the evolution of their businesses.
*KTA defines “active” clients as farm and ranch businesses in their first three years of engagement in our 1:1 business advising program. Our clients become “alumni” at the start of their fourth year in our advising program.
9
Farm Businesses
14
Business Owners
11
Communities Impacted
108
Acres Stewarded
Yolo | Solano | Sacramento
Yumm Strawberry Farm
Farm owner: Kittidet “San” Tangmongkhonkitchakan
Location: West Sacramento
Product: Strawberries
Business goals: Secure a long-term lease with solid access to water
Farmboy Organics
Farmer owners: Andrew and Eric Walker
Location: Winters
Products: Organic fruits and vegetables
Business goals: Find a larger farm space and increase farming efficiency
North Bay
Reyes Farm
Farm owner: Manual Reyes
Location: Windsor (Sonoma County)
Product: Summer vegetables and eggs
Business goals: Become certified organic, expanding sales and production
Pelícanos Farm
Farm owner: Félix Díaz
Location: Petaluma
Products: Spring, summer, and fall vegetables
Business goals: Expand production and sales, and open a farm stand
San Mateo | East Bay
Rancho Las Palmas
Farm owners: Maria & Teresita Diaz and Juvenal & Rigoberto Cruz
Location: Davenport
Products: Artichokes, brussels sprouts, and green beans
Business goals: Find stable and diverse market channels
Central Coast
Queen of Vegetables Organic Farm
Farm owner: Yadira Mendiola
Location: Salinas and Royal Oaks
Products: Celery, onions, kale, broccolini, sweet peas, and other diversified vegetables
Business goals: Access capital to assist in winter storms recovery, diversify their portfolio of buyers, and land access
Ayoquezco Organic Produce
Farm owner: Alberto Mendoza
Location: Chualar
Products: Mixed organic vegetables
Business goals: Expand into more farmers markets and direct sales channels, and continue building the operation
Angela’s Orchard
Farm owners: Alfredo and Reyna Marquez
Location: Madera
Products: Figs
Business goals: Create a solid business plan to support passing on the operation to their daughter and increase market opportunities
Siembra y Cosecha Farm
Farm owner: Miguel Avendaño
Location: Fresno
Products: Diversified vegetables
Business goals: Access land closer to their home and become an official LLC
Photo credits: Ben Gibbs for the Schmidt Family Foundation, Jonathan Fong, Paige Green, Soraya Matos. Farmer client photos sourced from clients and KTA advising staff.