Meet the Peterson Family
In the heart of California’s Central Valley lies the small Swedish town of Kingsburg—a place where the Peterson family has nurtured fruit and values for over a century. Growing stone fruit isn’t just a livelihood for them—it’s a way of life, passed down from one generation to the next.
Vernon Peterson grew up farming alongside his father tending to the family’s stone fruit orchards and chickens. Today, Vern farms alongside his son Erik, continuing the Peterson tradition of growing organic peaches, plums, nectarines, citrus and fall fruit for Homegrown Organic Farms.
The Petersons’ orchards stand out in the Central Valley landscape—living proof that farming with nature, not against it, yields something truly special. While neighboring conventional farms often show rows of bare soil, the Petersons’ fields are alive with vibrant groundcover—an intentional mix of native plants and seasonal cover crops that flourish between the trees. This vegetation isn’t just beautiful; it’s functional. Beneath the cover crops, beneficial insects, pollinators, and microorganisms find a thriving habitat—an ecosystem that nourishes the soil and supports healthy trees. The result? Fruit that’s not only organically grown but bursting with sweetness and vitality. When the land is full of life, the flavor tells the story.
Healthy Soil and Happy People
At the heart of the Peterson family’s farming philosophy is a commitment to nurturing both the land and the people who care for it. On their farm, practices like cover cropping, reduced tillage, and organic fertilizers—including the use of manure from their own organic chickens—build a foundation of living, breathing soil. These regenerative methods have increased organic matter and biodiversity, encouraging thriving microbial communities that nourish the very trees producing Peterson fruit. But the vitality of the farm doesn’t stop below the surface—it extends to every person who plays a role in its success. Through their EFI (Equitable Food Initiative) certification, the Petersons uphold a culture of fairness, transparency, and worker empowerment. Their employees are more than staff—they are family. And just as healthy soil supports fruitful trees, a safe and supportive work environment allows people to flourish, creating a farm where both the land and its caretakers thrive in harmony.
“I believe we grow old when we lose our sense of wonder. The whole process of regenerative farming…encouraging the happiness of the soil’s microbial community, building organic matter, restoring wildlife I hadn’t seen in decades…is just mind-blowingly wondrous.” —Vernon
Watch the Petersons in our GROWN By Series!
Homegrown Organic Farms is proud to partner with dedicated family farms like the Petersons. Thanks to growers like them, we are able to enjoy delicious organic stone fruit! Keep an eye out for their apricots, peaches, plums, and nectarines in the late spring and early summer. And when biting into that fresh fruit, remember the hard work and passion that went into growing it from tree to your table.
