History
Brandon Ross comes from a family steeped in farming and the politics of farming. His paternal grandfather, Fred Ross, Sr., was a founding member of the United Farm Workers union, a mentor to Cesar Chavez, and a leader of the grape boycotts in California in the 1960s. His maternal grandfather was a grape farmer who was boycotted by the UFW and was victimized by the union struggle. Brandon's parents met during these boycotts, fell in love, and got married - but the two sides of the family could never be in the same room together.
As Brandon grew up, he spent his summers at an organic ranch in the Trinity Alps where he developed a deep commitment to environmental issues. He went on to study at UC Santa Cruz, where he double-majored in Environmental Studies and Agroecology, with a focus on Community Studies and Rural Development. After graduating, he spent 6 years as manager of Swanton Berry Farm, and for 3 years he worked as one of the founding owners of Cache Creek Organics, a large 300-acre farm. In 1999 he decided to break out on his own, and started Ella Bella Farm on 30 leased acres in Corralitos, with the help of Michelle O'Hearn. Michelle is a chef who had owned her own restaurant, Michelle's Café, on Kauai. Brandon and Michelle shared a passion for wonderful food and a strong commitment to sustainability. They named the farm after Michelle's daughter, Ella.
The 30 acres that they leased for Ella Bella Farm were in bad shape when they started farming them. The land had been farmed for years in commercial raspberries, which meant that heavy use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers had killed the microbial activity of the soil and left it depleted, compacted, and over-run with noxious weeds. Brandon and Michelle began the slow process of rebuilding the soil, and clearing the weeds. They put the farm into a system of cover-cropping, with the various fields in constant rotation between crops. This helped to minimize pest problems, rebuild the soil, and provide a broad array of products they could bring to market.
In his work at Ella Bella Farm, Brandon brings together a love of farming, a concern for farm-workers rights, convictions about the social and societal context of farming today, and a deep commitment to ecological sustainability. The Ella Bella ranch is now a thriving agrarian ecosystem, with healthy soil teeming with helpful microorganisms, beneficial insects that help control pests, and a riparian corridor winding its way through the property. It is certified organic by Monterey County.
Brandon and Michelle are currently in the process of leasing 16 acres of property across the street, and may move the bulk of their production to that property. They are seeking to simplify and streamline their production, especially as they are getting married this month and expecting a baby boy this winter. They know they will have their hands full with what they jokingly call Ella Bella and the Little Fella.
Products
Ella Bella Farm grows 2 acres of strawberries, 4 acres of raspberries (both red and golden), 5 acres of blackberries, 10 acres of tomatoes (most of which are dry farmed), 1 acre of dry-farmed potatoes, and a 3-4 acre plot they call the "market garden." The market garden provides vegetables they bring to market throughout the year, including beets, carrots, chard, greens and beans.
Ella Bella products are available at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on both Tuesdays (10am-2pm) and Saturdays (8am-2pm). They are also available at some grocery stores, including Monterey Market and Berkeley Bowl, both in Berkeley. Many restaurants in San Francisco proudly use and feature their produce, including Rose Pistola, Boulevard, and Globe.
This is Michelle's recipe. It is a wonderful way to preserve tomatoes for the winter, as they may be frozen once they cool:
Slow Oven-Roasted Early Girl Tomatoes
Yield: approximately 2 cups
Ingredients:
3 lbs Early girls, cut in half or quarters, depending on size
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Herb salt, lemon thyme salt, or kosher salt
Preparation:
Generously oil a parchment lined cookie sheet with olive oil.
Place oil in large bowl. Gently toss tomatoes in oil and place cut side up on cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with salt and place in preheated 250° oven. Bake about four hours rotating pan if necessary to achieve even cooking.
Tomatoes are done when they have shrunk down to about 1/2 of their original size. These tomatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days, or frozen. Slow dried tomatoes are delicious on pasta, on bread, or on chicken or fish.
Interview by Jessica Prentice, Director of Education Programs, Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) Photos of the farm: TYLER/Center for Ecoliteracy
Photos at the market: Barry Jan and Jessica Prentice
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