Tico Ramirez from Swanton Berry Farm.

Jim Cochran may be loathe to admit it, but he's a bit of a revolutionary. Because of his strong commitment to the environment, he was the first in the State of California to produce organic strawberries. An equally strong sense of values prompted him to become one of the very first growers to embrace the Farm Labor Movement. All his employees -- including vendors at Farmers Markets throughout the Bay Area are unionized.

Swanton Berry Farm is based just outside Davenport with separate parcels located along Highway 1 from Anno Nuevo south to Wilder. Strawberries remain their number one crop. Mostly, they grow Chandlers which are available typically from July through October. Other berries include Blackberries and Olallieberries -- all of which are also processed into jams. In addition, depending on the season, their booth may also feature cauliflower, broccoli, artichokes, winter squash, celery, peas and beans. All are certified organic.

Their products are also available at select natural food stores, Whole Foods, Monterey Market and from their own produce stand near Davenport. They offer Farm tours on Saturdays. For more details, please visit their very informative and colorful web site