Since planting their first crops about a year and a half ago, the owners and operators of Morgan Hill’s Three Feathers Farm haven’t rested in their efforts to cultivate relationships not only with buyers and vendors—but also with other growers, farming advocates and the underserved as they seek to maintain a robust agricultural community in the region.
On a recent warm August afternoon, Three Feathers co-owner Hektor Luis Calderon-Victoria pointed out rows of healthy vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs that have been planted in just the past 18 months or so. Peppers tied together with strings were hanging from the eaves of a small barn to dry in the sun, and trays of freshly picked cherry tomatoes rested on a table ready for distribution.
The five-acre plot, which was bare except for native grass less than 18 months ago, now features onions, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, corn, squash and more.
Since starting Three Feathers Farm on Watsonville Road in the spring of 2023, Calderon-Victoria and his partner Dilip Sharma—both of them new to farm management—have experimented with other crops such as celery, not always with the desired results.
“We’re hoping to hone down to a few crops that work,” Calderon-Victoria said.
Three Feathers Farm—whose crops are all organic—started with a focus on growing produce that is culturally relevant to communities in the region. Since planting their first crops, they have found numerous commercial buyers, including two restaurants in Morgan Hill. The Morgan Hill Unified School District buys Three Feathers’ produce to supplement the district’s nutrition program for its 14 schools.
A number of grocery stores and markets in the area also buy produce from Three Feathers Farm.
To Calderon-Victoria, being able to work with local businesses and growers—and even better, to help those partners become even more successful—is just as important as his farm’s financial viability. Three Feathers has teamed up with another local farm to sell produce to food banks and others in need.
Three Feathers Farm last year hosted a “farmer wellness day,” to which they invited a number of growers and health specialists from throughout the Central Coast. The Morgan Hill farm has also hosted local students for field trips.
Calderon-Victoria plans to continue such engagement as Three Feathers Farm grows—including planting an orchard on a portion of their property and inviting local residents to “adopt” a fruit tree and take care of it as if it was their own.
Three Feathers also plans to grow more varieties of crops on other properties—including agave—and work with distilleries and other processors in the vicinity.
These and other efforts are part of Three Feathers’ ongoing attempt to “bring community to our growers” and help to educate people about how their food is produced.
“We’re exploring what we can do and inviting the community to explore with us…(and) we want to entice folks to get more involved,” Calderon-Victoria said.
