February 6th, 2009 by Bob Klein
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Ben was raised in Watsonville where he grew up farming. He started his first organic farm in the 1960s and although he found it difficult to make a living he kept at it. When the farmers market movement finally took hold 20 years later he began to turn a profit for the first time…
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July 29th, 2009 by Catherine Meng
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Chef Paul Canales hit up the Derby Street Farmers’ Market yesterday with daughter Eva in tow. The duo got a look at some of the recently ripe tomatoes at Riverdog Farm, Catalan Farms, Lucero Organic Farm, and Full Belly Farm. Tomato season should hit its peak in the next few weeks, giving the chefs time to evaluate…
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June 22nd, 2009 by Catherine Meng
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Yesterday’s solstice officially marked the beginning of summer, but already the markets are bursting with incredible produce. New things keep showing up every week; out of this world strawberries, followed by cherries and the rest of the stone fruits, summer squashes, pole beans, and…
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June 4th, 2009 by Catherine Meng
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Among other things, Lucero Organic Farm is known for their long stem Seascape strawberries. Ben Lucero has been growing this same variety of strawberry for years, even after he moved his farm inland from the coast to Lodi. Ben believes that great strawberries are the product of close attention and…
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April 20th, 2009 by Catherine Meng
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Last week, the Luceros were busy getting their tomato seedlings out of the greenhouse and into the ground. It was perfect timing apparently, as temperatures this week have surged. Ben Lucero wrote us this quick update yesterday letting us know what’s going on in Lodi and what to expect…
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April 12th, 2009 by Bob Klein
First wave of plantings at Lucero Farm, Full Belly Farm and Riverdog Farm.

We’re at the beginning of planting season for Bay Area farms.
While asparagus and artichokes abound, Lucero, Full Belly and Riverdog Farms are also dodging spring frosts and making their plans for restricted water use.
March 11th, 2009 by Chef Paul Canales
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Spring is a transitional time for many of our local farmers. By transitional, I mean that for many of them this is the time they are putting a great deal of effort in preparing for the abundance of summer crops that comprise the majority of their growing season. They are planting and germinating seeds in pots in their greenhouses and waiting for the perfect time….
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January 1st, 2009 by Catherine Meng
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About a week before Tomato Dinners, when most of the tomatoes we will have to choose from are available for tasting, Chef Paul Canales and the cooks sit down with scores of varieties, mostly heirloom but some – like Early Girl-hybrids, and sort out which are the best, what their characteristics are, and how they might be prepared to best advantage. Amazingly, there is considerable variation even within varieties….
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