Ken & Kathy
Photo by Jenn Ip

Located in the roaming fields of Wilton lies Full Flavor Farm, a project full of love and community by Kathleen Beasley and Ken Hajek. I had the pleasure of going out to their farm and seeing what goes on in their two-person operation.

Their front porch Photo by Jenn Ip

Pulling up to their home, I was immediately amazed at how much of their property was covered with greenery. Ken is the farmer of the duo and he has done a magnificent job cultivating crops on their plot of land. On the northern side of their farm, there were rows and rows of squash, tomatoes, and other vegetables. On the northeastern side was their budding orchard. The couple had harvested peaches and apples from their trees. I was impressed, as some of these trees were on the brink of death and others were only a few years old.

A glimpse of their orchard Photo by Jenn Ip

Behind the orchard was a small field full of beehives. (Some of the hives were on loan, but a few of the hives belonged to the couple). Near the bees were cover crops, like clover which the bees feed off of. And following the hives was a smaller grape and berry vineyard, which looked healthy and vibrant. For a farm that’s handled by two people, it was incredible.

Photo by Jenn Ip

My amazement only grew when Ken and Kathy said that they had been on the property for only three years. This year they had a freak hailstorm that destroyed or damaged most of their crops. Ken said it was a moment that is forever burned into his memory. They showed me pictures of the hailstorm damage. Normally the couple keeps their stand open until late October, but the hail ruined the crops they were hoping to sell. They told me that their farm normally looked better than what I was seeing before me. I couldn’t believe it, as I saw a beautiful and lush farm. I looked back at the orchard, knowing that some of those trees were planted in the same year that they moved to Wilton.

“They look like mature trees,” I blurted out, “They should look like saplings, but they look much older.”

Ken chuckled with a proud smile. “That’s because I know what I’m doing.”

Photo by Jenn Ip

The Couple Behind The Farm

Photo by Jenn Ip

There was a definite understanding between Kathy and I once we spoke about our significant others. See, Kathy is 5’3” and I’m 5’1”. We both know what it’s like to not only be short but to be married to tall men. Ken is 6’8” and my husband is 6’6”. Both Ken and my husband have the tell told bumps and bruises of walking into door frames or ceiling fans. But whereas my husband enjoys being indoors, Ken leads an active life out on the farm.

About Ken

To my surprise, Ken used to be a dentist before transferring to agriculture. He had graduated from UC Davis with a biology degree, doing some forestry work alongside being a dentist. After a few years, he left dentistry and decided to focus on agriculture. He’s grown fruits that were sold to Raley’s, done consulting work for various farmers, and has helped many, many beginner farmers with their crops.

Grapes still on the vine
Photo by Jenn Ip

This man knows the soil and even had the soil of their home analyzed before planting. (By the way, their soil was acidic due to having livestock roam around the property). Ken spoke to me about the microorganisms living in the soil, and how the micro-ecosystems affects how things grow. It was a subject matter far beyond my understanding, but Ken’s passion for farming was obvious. He was able to nurture dying trees back to life and make a luscious garden on their home in three years.

As retirees, both of them remember what fruits and vegetables tasted like before corporations controlled what went into grocery stores.

Tomatoes
Photo by Jenn Ip

Bell peppers
Photo by Jenn Ip

“A tomato from the grocery store doesn’t taste as good as when you’ve just plucked it from your garden,” said Ken. “That’s because the tomato you get at the grocery store was picked before it was ripe. On our farm, the tomatoes are allowed to grow and ripen on the vine.”

“And tomatoes now don’t taste the same as they used to,” added Kathy.

I definitely had to agree, as I’ve personally tasted the difference between a tomato gotten from the grocery store versus ones that were grown in a backyard. Flavor and taste are at the heart of this couple’s philosophy. This was why Ken was focused on getting seeds that grew produce with a ton of flavor. Being able to grow his own farm and sell the produce to locals was a dream Ken always had.

On the other hand, it was a dream that Kathy never had.

About Kathy

“Oh, this was Ken’s dream, not mine,” she added with a laugh. “But I love him so I had to figure out a way to do something that would make me happy.”

Photo by Jenn Ip

To my delight, Kathy used to be a journalist, press secretary, and owner of a communication consulting business. Although that’s not to say she doesn’t enjoy farming. She grew up gardening and has been around livestock in the past. But whereas Ken handles the farming, Kathy handles the administrative and community part of their business. She is the one who sets up the stand to sell their produce and baked goods. Kathy even puts up the signs when the stand opens, and comes up with new recipes to use with their produce. Additionally, she tries to get the community involved, selling jams and other local creations in her stand. She even releases a newsletter detailing what they have available and if people want reservations on her peach cobbler. And yes, I did say reservations.

The Work That Goes Into Full Flavor Farm

“In the past, we have had people line up before the stand opens, and we’ve had people call in for reservations on our cobblers,” said Kathy. I can understand why their peach cobbler has five cups of peaches in it. This baked delight is dense and heavy, regularly selling out.

Loaves of bread Photo by Jenn Ip

The couple uses their small and cozy kitchen as the staging ground for their baked goods. Every Thursday, Kathy, and Ken bake all day long. And I mean, all day long. They wake up between the hours of 5 to 8 AM and start prepping their fruits and vegetables. They bake muffins, cobblers, and loaves of bread; while also pickling and jamming other produce. They bake well into the evening, and Kathy still worries that they didn’t get enough done.

Jams and more jams Photo by Jenn Ip

But their hard work means that they not only have to produce to sell but baked goods as well. It’s a labor of love, both for the land they live on and for each other.

Squash
Photo by Jenn Ip

If you would like to buy from Full Flavor Farm, they accept, cash, credit, and Venmo. Their stand is open on Sunday and Wednesday from 10 AM to 3 PM. It is also open on Friday from 12 to 6 PM. Their stand will close mid-September. You’ll find seasonal produce grown sustainably with integrated pest management. The couple also sells raw honey, a variety of different loaves of bread, and baked goods, again using produce grown in season. They also sell jams, condiments, and other local goods from nearby growers.

Full Flavor Farm is located at 11975 Arno Road Wilton CA 95693. Come by and taste the difference.