OUR STORY
The story of Alemaya Farm is a heartwarming and inspiring tale of how a personal passion for farming, family, and a desire to honor loved ones can come together to create a meaningful and purposeful agricultural endeavor. After retiring from his San Francisco law practice, Founder Jonathan Wilcox with his wife Cynthia of 56 years, made the transition into biological farming in the beautiful Capay Valley. The focus on their grandchildren, is a testament to the strong connection between agriculture, heritage, and family values. It's a story that highlights the importance of sustainability, love for the land, and passing down a legacy to future generations.
The name "Alemaya" was derived from the first names of Jonathan and Cynthia's two grandchildren:
Alejandro and Maya.
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ABOUT ALEMAYA FARM
Biology-Centered Farming
Welcome to Alemaya Farm, where the serene beauty of Capay Valley, Yolo County, California, serves as the backdrop for our agricultural haven. Situated just 100 miles north of vibrant San Francisco and a scenic 60 miles west of the bustling city of Sacramento, our 73-acre sanctuary is dedicated to cultivating a bountiful array of vegetables, fruits, and grains across 35 acres.
At Alemaya Farm, we've embraced a biology-centered approach to farming that harmonizes with the natural world. Our unwavering commitment to sustainability leads us to avoid chemicals that lack certification from the esteemed OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute). Moreover, we diligently source our seeds from Certified Organic suppliers, ensuring access to a diverse range of open-pollinated and hybrid varieties. It's important to note that we steadfastly steer clear of anything associated with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
After eight years of being Certified Organic, with a deep respect for Organic and Biodynamic principles, in 2022, we decided not to pursue formal recertification and solely focus on our rigorous organic growing practices. In January 2024, in response to the feedback of our customers, we decided to reactivate our organic certification (we expect to be recertified in 2024) to authenticate our unwavering commitment to sustainable, biology-centered farming that brings you the very best of nature's bounty, free from artificial interventions and dedicated to the art of nurturing the land.
REGENERATIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND HEALTHY
We used high-quality purchased compost in the past, but now we are making all that we need on our own farm. We make our own compost extracts and compost teas and apply them to the soil and foliage to enrich the complexity of the biology on our farm: this makes our crops
healthier and suppresses disease and pest problems.
Our farming manager assures the progress of our biological development objectives. He oversees the making and use of compost and compost products and applies many of those materials himself. He tests soil samples regularly and examines soils and plant tissues with a microscope. Our biological lodestone is the Soil Food Web system taught by Dr. Elaine Ingham.