A Day On The Farm
On a visit to the FGF Campus, you’ll get a real sense of how people and creatures are working together, performing all kinds of valuable labor, that keep small homestead running smoothly and using its resources wisely.
Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats give us their rich, sweet milk to drink, make into cheese, soaps, and lotions.
Babydoll Southdown sheep–aka the Weed Abatement Crew–patrol the farm, gobbling up unwanted vegetation.
Our flock of thirty or more Khaki Campbell and FGF Heritage ducks provide much-needed insect management services.
Fifty or more chickens of diverse heritage keep us well-stocked with fresh, multi-colored eggs.
Thousands of native bees come home to their “bee hotels” after a hard day’s work of pollination.
Hundreds of Red Wigglers–the world champions of composting–worm their way through farm leftovers, turning it back into nutritious soil.
Two lucky bunnies and a rescue horse named Nahla coordinate farm atmosphere and remind everyone what a joy it is to find your forever home.
Milking
At 7 am and 7 pm you’ll find us milking five of our female goats. They take turns hopping up onto the milking stanchion, and together they yield about 3 liters a day. Nigerian Dwarf goats are known for the rich sweetness of their milk, which comes from its high butterfat content. We drink it by itself, in our coffee, and with cookies. Whenever we have time, we make it into delicious fresh chevre or ice cream. And we always show the goats our gratitude by feeding them their own nutritious mixture of alfalfa and COB (corn, oats, and barley).
Composting
Compost is a dark, nutrient-rich soil amendment that comes from decomposed organic matter, like raw produce, animal manure, and hay. There’s never a shortage of leftovers on the farm, so we help the worms out with a multi-level heat composting system. All we have to do is pile on the leftovers, add water, and turn the heap regularly (oxygen encourages the microbial magic) until it’s ready to return back to our fields.
Chickens and Ducks
Scattered about the farm are dozens of friendly free-range chickens and ducks. Each day we clean their coop, feed them scratch and leftover produce, and collect their yummy, colorful eggs. Few things start the day off better than farm fresh eggs for breakfast!
Tending the Fields
Like most California vegetable farmers, our fields are planted all year round–with tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants ripening under the summer sun, and kale and cabbage growing hardy in the cool winter air. We love being out there when the sun is rising, and finishing our fieldwork in time for lunch. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, we harvest, bringing back truckloads of produce to replenish our stand and sell at the markets. On the days in between, we pull weeds and plant new seedlings, always mindful to relish the season we’re in and keep looking ahead to the next.
Market
As a community-based farm, we’re committed to providing fresh, organic produce to our neighbors as close as Brentwood and as far away as Irvington. Currently, we attend five farmers markets in the region, where we make our produce affordable for everyone and receive all proceeds as donations to the farm. Our friendly volunteers greet customers with a smile and invite them to Take What You Need, Donate What You Can. It’s wonderful to see the generosity of our patrons, when they understand how their donation can help us sustain this veggies-for-all model.
Stand
We’re serious about increasing healthy food access in our community. That’s why the FGF Campus Farm Stand stays open 24/7 and runs on a self-serve honor system. Our faithful volunteers restock the shelves with fresh produce twice daily and keep the Stand clean and tidy. As always, we encourage visitors to Take What You Need, Donate What You Can.
Horse
Nahla, our three-year-old rescue horse, is a joy to have on the farm. She loves taking walks through the vineyard and eagerly anticipates eating her morning and evening meals while we clean her coral.
Kathryn Lyddan
“The founders of FGF have distinguished themselves as “visionaries.” With boundless enthusiasm and social media skills, the FGF team has built a significant following. Excellent computer and research skills have made it possible for FGF’s new farmers to access and absorb tremendous amount of information about farming and nonprofit operations. Those watching FGF’s evolution most closely note that FGF is growing and becoming more aware, focused and smart about what they’re doing. “FGF is learning and evolving.“
Shannon Rauter
“I would highly recommend FGF to anyone considering WWOOFing. First of all, they have a great mission. With a payment model of “take what you need, pay what you can” and a goal of educating a younger generation of farmers, they are certainly making waves in the world of food security. FGF is a wonderful, welcoming community. So many people come and go, but in the time you are there you will definitely become a part of their family. I learned so many valuable skills and made connections with so many amazing people. I had a really difficult time tearing myself away after only six weeks.”
Shiana Ramos
“What an incredible experience. The organizers of First Generation Farmers are dedicated to providing opportunities for anyone and everyone that stays on their farm. There is structure and guidance, but also freedom to explore the land and start a project that may contribute to the farm. I was very inspired by Alli, Ellie, Kenny, and ALL of the fellow WWOOFers that I met during my stay. There were people visiting from all across the globe and we had such a great time getting to know about each others’ cultures and sharing stories as we got our hands dirty and harvested bounties of beautiful, organic vegetables for the community. Whether you are novice or seasoned farmer, it is worth it to visit this farm because of the connections you will make. Thank you to everyone who facilitated this experience for myself, and for the many more to come!”
Ahmed Avendano
“I had one of the most truly amazing experiences in my life with First Generation Farmers. I had the opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture, get my hands dirty in the plot, help design and update the website and media platforms, and participate in fundraising efforts, which was a pleasure and gave me a different insight into the challenges of agriculture in the USA. It was my first wwoofing experience and also my first cultural immersion in an American farming community. I must say that First Generation Farmers set the standard really high. A big thanks to the incredible and lovely Cecchini family, who made us feel like we were at home.”