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About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 2019)
Friday, March 8, 2019 5 CapitalPress.com Farmer advocates passion and curiosity By JULIA HOLLISTER For the Capital Press CUESA Grant Brians farms over 200 varieties in Hollister, Calif. His organic crops run the gamut from Polish golden radishes and baby leaf greens to wasabi. ranging from Brians’ own bred variety of Purple Dai- kon to Polish Golden Rad- ishes to Long Black Spanish Radishes. The farm grows wasabi and many other mustards pri- marily as baby leaf greens and stinging nettles as a culinary and herbal green. Unsurprisingly, the difficult crops vary season to season and year to year. Many of the wild crops (some describe them as weeds) are interest- ingly challenging to manage, he said. Pests are always a prob- lem and the ones that are most problematic vary by crop, ing, I would encourage any- one who finds their passion in farming to take whatever steps needed to proceed in the business,” he said. “My strongest advice is to find what it is that makes you passionate and find a way to make those items your business,” he said. “This could be goats, let- tuce, wine, mushrooms, ani- mal feed or any number of other items. Be curious, seek out knowledge and experi- ence and find ways to enjoy life other than pre-packaged entertainment.” His advice goes beyond farming. “Talking to older people, young people, reading, work- ing and doing are all import- ant parts of making your way in life and especially in farm- ing. 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(307) 331-0734 • (307) 322-9415 www.otecomfg.com S19-3/103 S19-1/100 Grant Brians, an organic farmer in San Benito County, Calif., started his agricultural career at an astonishingly early age. “I started raising vegeta- bles in the backyard in Los Angeles when I was 4 years old,” he said. “I had a mar- ket-size garden by the time I was 11, thanks to a neigh- bor who wanted their lot to grow plants. When I was 14, I got a seed production contract, bought my first tractor and irrigation pipe and embarked on commer- cial agriculture.” He also worked for a grower who placed the young Brians with his Hispanic employees moving irrigation pipe and doing other tasks, thus allowing him to gain experience, some money and practice his Spanish language skills. “I farm here in Hollister on six properties — about 280 acres,” he said. He raises a wide variety of crops. “I tallied over 200 variet- ies when I looked at the last total,” he said. Heirloom Organic Gar- dens grows well over a dozen kinds of radishes alone, location and year, he said. (Fun fact: The oldest cul- tivated variety Heirloom Organic Gardens grows is the Golden Custard, a yel- low scallop squash that dates back to the Middle Ages.) Brians sells his crops to various markets, from farm- ers’ markets to CSAs (Com- munity Supported Agricul- ture) and delivery services, directly to restaurants and small markets, restaurant dis- tributors and a brokerage. Brians is passionate about food and farming and would advise anyone to go into it as a career. “Despite the incred- ible challenges of farm-