Ed George builds on a family tradition of farming
By: Wendy Weitzel for Davis Farmers Market
Name and farm:
Ed George, The Peach Farm. Despite its name, tomatoes are its biggest crop.
“That’s just the name that my dad had,” George said. “I was thinking of changing it to Heirloom Family Produce but it was too much of a pain. We do sell 20 kinds of peaches.”
When did you start selling at the Davis Farmers Market?
1977 or 1978, shortly after the market opened in 1976.
What’s your philosophy?
“We don’t spray; I don’t believe in it. We haven’t sprayed in years. And we don’t pump it up with fertilizer or water. They don’t get huge in size but the flavor is great.”
The farm is not certified organic but might as well be. He’s learned over the years which crops perform well without pesticides.
“I gave everything a chance. I’ve grown a lot of different fruits. But cherries, apples, grapes, Asian pears, I had to pull out because they don’t work. I focus on what doesn’t need to be sprayed. I don’t like eating anything sprayed,” he said.
“What I grow a lot of is figs and citrus. And stone fruits, persimmons, pomegranates.”
Talk about your history:
George grew up farming from age 5, and working in his grandparents’ cutting fruit shed, preparing peaches and apricots to be sold to Sunsweet to be dried.
In 1972, his dad opened a fruit stand, selling peaches, nectarines and a few vegetables that Ed grew.
He went to college, studying ag business at Modesto Junior College and Chico State, tried some other work but decided to stick with farming.
“I’m glad I chose the path I chose.”
Two of his four kids work on the farm. “I grew up with all my family being farmers.”
Why do you like selling at the Davis Farmers Market?
“Davis was the first market. The whole idea for a farmers market is for local growers to have an outlet to sell their products. That’s why I like doing it,” he said.
“We do eight markets. Back in the day, I did a lot in the Sacramento area. Now I do Davis, San Rafael twice a week, three in San Francisco, Oakland and Sebastopol. People in the city appreciate it.”
Half of its sales are at farmers markets. The other half goes to stores.
What makes your farm unique?
“Local and fresh – fresh being the key word. I don’t go more than 1 hour, 20 minutes away. Everything is picked the day before,” he said.
“I know a lot of these farmers, their stuff goes right into cold storage. They sell older things. We don’t even have refrigeration. I have a 60-degree cooler to keep it a day or two, max.”
What’s your biggest challenge?
“The weather and sometimes labor. Late frost is the worst. Hot spells are the second one. Weeds are up there.”
What do you sell?
Apricots, cucumbers, eggplants, figs, grapefruit, lemons, lilac, mandarins, melons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, peppers, persimmons, plums, pluots, pomegranates, squash and tomatoes.
What are your best sellers?
“Tomatoes, because we grow them in greenhouses and outdoors.”
The Peach Farm
Find them at the Davis Farmers Market every Saturday, rain or shine.
Farms: Headquarters are on 29 acres at 28615 County Road 25 in Winters. It also has 19 acres at 16450 County Road 87 in Esparto
Instagram: @original_peach_farm
Phone: 530-795-0360
Email: thepeachfarm@gmail.com
Davis Farmers Market
Central Park, Fourth and C streets, Davis
Saturdays: 8a—1p, year-round
Wednesdays: 4p—8p May through September for Picnic in the Park; 3p—6p October through April
