An EcoFarm tradition! Learn what these farmers do, why they do it, and what they’ve learned along the way.
Jean-Martin Fortier, La Ferme des Quatre-Temps, Québec, Canada
Jean-Martin (JM) Fortier is a farmer, educator and author specializing in organic and biologically intensive cropping practices. His award-winning book, The Market Gardener, has inspired tens of thousands of readers worldwide to reimagine human-scale food systems. His message is one of empowerment in order to educate, encourage and inspire people into pursuing a farming career and lifestyle. Besides running a new experimental farm located in southern Québec, JM now teaches an online masterclass to growers from all over the world.
Deborah Harley, Harley Farms Goat Dairy, Pescadero, CA
At sixteen, Dee Harley abandoned rural Yorkshire for travel and never looked back. She began farming over 20 years ago and since then her six pet goats have become a herd of 200 American Alpines, and her farmstead cheese has won more than 30 American Cheese Society awards, plus an international gold medal. Harley Farms is living the Slow Food mission: “The revival of the kitchen and table as centers of pleasure, culture and community.”
Javier Zamora, JSM Organic Farms, Royal Oaks, CA
Born into a family of farmers in Michoacan, Mexico Javier Zamora came to the U.S. in 1986. He now owns a 200-acre ranch and farms 38 acres in Royal Oaks, where he grows organic berries, vegetables and cut flowers, employing 20 workers. Javier has an organic production degree from Cabrillo College, and trained with the Agriculture & Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) in Salinas.
