Heirloom Organic Gardens

08/16/2025

This story is typical of our life today with so much progress being thrown away. So sad.

Gene banks are like a survivalist cache: our nation’s safeguard against all future challenges to growing the food we need.

08/16/2025

This is an inspiring story indeed. Check it out.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – With tears streaming down his face, 18-year-old Luis Gonzalez was speechless when his name was called as FFA Master Showmanship winner at the...

07/27/2023

I love this picture from 2012 at farmers market with a young Ben and my Beard still largely Red not white! I am promoting the GoFunMe for the farm to keep going producing the amazing vegetables we do. Please check it out.

Grant Brians and his family farm Heirloom Organic Gardens on the Brians … Grant Brians needs your support for Help Grant Brians' Heirloom Organic family farm

08/26/2022

Here is a scary but accurate article about the sustainability and profitability of agriculture. This also speaks to the continued consolidation of agriculture into larger and larger operations.

A major new study led by Emory University digs deeper into the question of why, despite the extraordinary productivity of U.S. agriculture, U.S. farm operators are systematically losing money.

08/26/2022

Here is a scary but accurate article about the sustainability and profitability of agriculture. This also speaks to the continued consolidation of agriculture into larger and larger operations.

A major new study led by Emory University digs deeper into the question of why, despite the extraordinary productivity of U.S. agriculture, U.S. farm operators are systematically losing money.

04/19/2020

The coronavirus panic has been challenging for us as we had most of our restaurant and foodservice business disappear. Then yesterday, West Valley college's new President closed the Saratoga Farmers Market without advance notice despite the Governor's order that farmers markets are essential and the fact farmers markets are the safest way to shop! If you can, please shop today at Menlo Park or Palo Alto California Ave. farmers markets to get the best veggies and support my farm continuing in operation. I hope all of my stranded customers from Saratoga can show up today.

01/02/2019

Here as we start this new year on the farm, greetings! Our greens are pretty and tasty, the root crops are amazing and it is cold.

In the interest of mixing fun, life and the season, most people forget that Christmas is actually 12 days up to Epiphany on January 6, the day the wise men arriving is celebrated. So, it seems totally appropriate to post this picture of your farmer (Grant Brians) from Christmas Church Services at St. Luke's Episcopal Church when he was attired as St. Nicholas and telling a story of who, what and how St. Nicholas spread the Christmas message in his life. For those who do not know, Nicholas was an early Bishop of the Church who used his family's wealth that he inherited to help the poor and especially children.

As time has passed, and my red beard has become more white, I now look more like St. Nicholas than I used to. I used to appear as Jesus to Vacation Bible School and even other adult audiences, but now I look far more appropriate as St. Nicholas. This year at our farmers market stand, quite a few children told me that they were sure I might be Santa Claus! Could they want Rutabagas in their Stockings? Or maybe multicolored carrots? LOL.

08/27/2018

As I work the farmers markets with our delicious produce and I sell to our Restaurant and Restaurant Distributor customers, I have to educate people how to use our unusual products constantly. As I am on the farm I often have to teach people how to do certain tasks and also inspire them to do what needs to be done. I think about how to educate quite frequently in my life and also when I was working in the Technology business. I find teaching people fun and wonder how to continue improving. So, that is an activity that is needed with our incredible selection of tasty produce....
Here is a terrific article about teaching that might interest you!

Advice for college students: The best experts sometimes make the worst educators.

08/25/2018

On a more upbeat note, we have Cherry Tomatoes, Amaranth Greens and our usual Cornucopia of produce at the farmers markets this weekend and for our restaurant customers.... Yum and see you at the Farmers Markets!

08/25/2018

This is a good post about the state of agricultural economics today despite the New York State orientation. There are many accurate items there for California too.

A drought, flash floods, the trade war and tightening immigration policy have combined to cause an economic crisis for New York farmers.

06/08/2018

Here is a message from the National Farmers Union about our President's actions and their effects on American farmers. I know that various of our Organically Certified CCOF farmers are hurting in the tariff war with China and that all vegetable and fruit farmers are being hurt thanks to his hatred for the people who work on our farms (largely from Mexico and Central America.)

]WASHINGTON -- In a move that has already provoked retaliatory measures, the Trump administration recently announced its intention to impose a 25 percent tariff on...

04/16/2018

Here is a fascinating examination of the complexity of our environment. It also argues to me how important it is to gently manipulate nature in a truly Organic way to avoid as many unintended effects as possible. This also points out that broad spectrum tools like antibiotics are to be used sparingly and very carefully. What an interesting creation we live in....

Viruses shape the ecology of the planet, but scientists still have only a rudimentary understanding of the microbial impacts on animals, plants and ecosystems.