John and cindy france
Long before organic farming became widely recognized, John and Cindy France believed there was a better way to grow food.
In 1989, they certified France Ranch organic, becoming part of the first wave of California citrus growers to make the transition. It was a bold decision at a time when organic farming came with more questions than answers. Research was limited, university support was scarce, and much of what growers learned came through experience and collaboration.
“We’d get together and go over things—what works, what doesn’t,” John recalls. “We were all learning from each other. It was interesting, and it was fun.”
farming from the ground up
For John, organic farming has always started beneath the surface. While many people focus on the fruit they can see, his attention is on the living soil below.
“I want to farm below the soil,” he says. “That’s where everything begins. The nutrition, the flavor, the sugar levels, the size, even how the fruit handles picking and packing—it all starts with healthy soil.”
That philosophy has guided every season on France Ranch. Nearly every afternoon, John walks or drives through the orchards, observing, listening, and learning.
“When you do that regularly, you begin to recognize the rhythms of an orchard,” he says. “If something looks just a little off, you stop and ask, ‘Why is that happening?'”
Growing More than fruit
John and Cindy’s willingness to innovate didn’t stop in the orchard. After converting to organic production, they discovered there were few reliable markets for organic citrus. Rather than wait for someone else to solve the problem, they helped create one.
Together, they co-founded Homegrown Organic Farms to market and sell their fruit. What began with a single grower has grown into a community representing more than 80 organic growers. Their vision helped create new opportunities for organic farming and continues to shape the future of the industry.
A LAsting Legacy
After decades of farming, John’s sense of wonder hasn’t changed.
“I think all farmers have a love for growing things,” he says. “You plant something that seems like nothing, and months later it becomes something beautiful that nourishes people. It’s amazing to know that thousands of people are going to enjoy the fruit of your labor.”
Today, John and Cindy continue to grow citrus and grapes with the same purpose that inspired them more than 35 years ago. Their legacy lives on not only in the orchards they steward, but also through the community of growers they helped build and the generations of organic farming they continue to inspire.
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Watch the France Family in our Grown by series!
Homegrown Organic Farms is proud to partner with dedicated family farms like the France’s. Thanks to growers like them, we are able to enjoy delicious organic fruit! Keep an eye out for their grapes and citrus in the summer and winter. And when biting into that fresh fruit, remember the hard work and passion that went into growing it from tree to your table.
