Homegrown Organic Farms to debut video series

Homegrown Organic Farms is set to launch a new YouTube series, GROWN by, on Friday, Jan. 6 at 9 p.m. EST. The GROWN by series follows four of the company’s farmers through their growing and harvest seasons, providing both education and entertainment along the way. The series features the Peterson family, Agustin Cardenas, France Ranch and Pipco Fruit Co.

“There is nothing quite like the GROWN by series out there," said Scott Mabs, CEO of Homegrown Organic Farms. "To hear from growers in real-time and experience things as they are farming day-to-day.Our hope with this series is for customers and consumers alike to connect with and better understand not only where their fruit comes from, but the people that cultivate it.”

Viewers will meet father-son duo Vern and Erik Peterson, who grow tree fruit — including peaches, plums, nectarines and even persimmons — for Homegrown Organic Farms. Following the generations before them, they carry on the 100-year family tradition of dedication to soil health and farm worker fairness. The Peterson family was among the first stone fruit farms to earn the Equitable Food Initiative certification and recently became one of the first in the fresh produce world to become Regenerative Organic Certified at the Gold level.

Cardenas was first introduced to farming by working in the fields when he moved from Mexico to the United States in 1984. His passion for growing fruit for people led him to lease and later purchase the land from his employer’s ranch. Viewers will enjoy his bright smile and infectious laugh while they learn more about the struggles and successes of organic farming. Cardenas’ farm is EFI certified and will be working toward ROC certification for the 2023 stone fruit season.

When viewers see episodes from France Ranch, they may find a familiar face in farmer John France. John and Cindy France are the family farmers that founded Homegrown Organic Farms back in 1998. They were also among the first growers in California to go organic when they certified their family farm, France Ranch, in 1989. Homegrown Organic Farms transitioned to an ESOP in 2021, but France Ranch continues to grow EFI-certified organic grapes and citrus for Homegrown.

For more than 70 years the Paul family has farmed in California's Central Valley as Pipco Fruit Company. As the fourth generation, John Paul is continuing the family farming legacy of growing organic stone fruit for Homegrown Organic Farms. Third-generation and Homegrown category director, Stephen Paul, joins his son in this feature. The company said viewers will be inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit the Pauls bring to family farming.

“We are excited to share our grower's stories in a different way,” said Elise Smith, Homegrown’s marketing manager. “This series gives viewers the chance to engage with our growers in a unique setting and each episode will feel like a visit to the farm.”