Working with Massa Organics

written by John

For the past month or so, I've been spending my working hours with Massa Organics in Hamilton City, CA. They are growers of organic brown rice, organic wheat and organic almonds, and make the best almond butter you have ever had. The farm is a stone's throw from Chico and is on the Sierra Oro Farm Trail Map. You can find their products on their web site, in retail locations or at farmers markets and CSA’s around California.

Most of my time is spent with Greg, the farmer. However, it is a pretty big family affair over there (there's seven, to be exact, in the Massa household) and I never know what the day holds.The experience has been amazing. I get to learn something new every day. That is a pretty incredible thing, if one starts to think about it. As a newbie to this farming life, I consider myself lucky to have such a resource as Greg. I'm learning everything--from chopping down trees and touring the Colusa Farm Show, to learning about soil content and what it means to be a truly organic farm...even towing gigantic trailers and digging huge holes with a backhoe. Yeah, a BACKHOE! Woo!

I’ve been trying to soak up all of this like a sponge. At the last place I worked, I was just the “Cheese Guy” behind the farmer’s market table or making deliveries. Now there is real life-farmer dirt under my fingernails and we are always finding orange foam earplugs in the dryer. As each day is something new and rice season is coming up fast, I'm sure there will be plenty more to share.This is the front of a house that we built for the family's ducks. They were disappearing each night, one at a time. Greg thought it would be a good idea to give them a little peace of mind. So we made them a chic straw bale house made from recycled material and locally sourced straw. The door, which is closed in the picture, slides open for easier corralling of the ducks.

(Duck house back)

Here's a bird's nest I found in the first tree I chopped down. Yeah, I yelled "TIMBER!!"

Greg has sort of a beaver problem. :) They tend to cause some problems to the rice checks; because of that, we had to reset a couple of the water control boxes. We dug some big holes, installed a few new pipes and did a lot of shoveling. I think we are ready for rice season.

100% Organic Greatness

A few weeks ago we were helping out again at the Saturday Farmer’s Market. This time it was for our friends Allen and Pamela, the “orange juice people.” It was great to learn about another operation, and to share in their passion. We helped make their OJ (which, by the way, is like drinking rays from the sun; it fills one’s body with the greatness of all of nature), and sell some oranges. So, if you are around the Market one Saturday morning you should definitely give them a try. Enjoy!

Bottling at Lodestar Olive Oil

When farms and small businesses hire Betterfit Ranch, we're not just doing the sales, communications or marketing; we actually prefer to get in on the action. After a combined 25 years of working in this area, we absolutely understand that most Northstate farmers would rather, well, farm. There's not usually enough time in a day to grow, harvest and market their value-added agricultural products, so that's where we come in. Think of us as the Mr. Wolf of agriculture.

On this particular day, we worked for our friends at Lodestar Farms' plant and tasting room in Oroville, CA. There, we bottled EVOO for the next day's farmers market (this way it is as fresh as possible when you buy it).
After bottling, we applied the labels. Then came the beautiful foil seal that goes over the corked cap and is sealed on with heat. John was a natural; Mandy needed a bit more practice. Below, her pile of "do-overs."Lodestar is a gem among what many refer to as the Silverado Trail in California's Sierra Foothills. The Johansson family has capitalized on their location and climate to produce a true, California-style olive oil with late-harvest Mission olives. Visiting their tasting room on the farm and gazing over the idyllic grove setting in the late afternoon is one of our favorite Sunday pastimes. Try their Balsamic Dipping Oil or their Lemon-Infused olive oil, with real Meyer lemons!

For more information, visit lodestarfarms.com.