Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/760410
4 6 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t 1. What began as just a few cartons of produce offered at the winery's tasting room has now blos- somed into a weekly enterprise of harvest- ing specialty produce, packing it into boxes, and sending it out to more than 4,000 Fresh Harvest sub- scribers throughout California. 2. Shucking corn. But long before winning fame for wine making, the Talley family was one of the West Coast's leading growers of cilantro and Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, avoca- dos and lemons. In fact, the Talley's 1,500- acre farm in the Arroyo Grande Valley, just beneath those hillside vineyards, still ships tons of produce to consumers around the country. These days, some 30 of those acres are devoted to a more personal pursuit: "Local produce for local people," is how Brian Talley, a third-generation farmer and vintner, puts it. His Talley Farms Fresh Harvest CSA—a Community Supported Agriculture program—began as just a few cartons of produce offered at the winery's tasting room. The CSA has now blossomed into a weekly enterprise of harvesting spe- cialty produce, packing it into boxes, and sending it out to more than 4,000 Fresh Harvest subscribers. Most of the "Talley boxes" are picked up at locations through- out San Luis Obispo County, though the network has now expanded to offer deliv- ery throughout California. "We'd developed a great reputation in the community from our involvement in charities and wine events," says Talley, who was a founder of both the World of Pi- not Noir wine event in Santa Barbara and the county's Fund for Vineyard and Farm Workers. "But it bothered me that our produce was being shipped out of the area and that none of our friends and neighbors could buy it." The produce mix is seasonal, but the moderate climate in the Arroyo Grande area allows the CSA to operate year round. Fresh Harvest grows some 25 different items specifically for the CSA boxes, and an early fall shipment included tender red and green baby romaine lettuces, avocados, onions, cucumbers, and jalapeño and pob- lano chiles. Also included was produce from other local family farmers such as zucchini and snap peas from A. Casas Farms, the spicy, dry-farmed apples from See Canyon Fruit Ranch and plump blackberries from Hunt Family Farm. All of the produce is sustainably grown or Certified Organic, consistent with the practices used in farming the grapes for the 1 2