Kline Organic Produce got its start in 1993 as Dos Manos Farm in Groveland, CA. We installed a drip system on a small patch of promising red Sierra dirt and grew a handful of great organic veggies. Dos Manos remained a constant moonlighting project for us for several years, moving with us to the Kline family orchard in Modesto and finally to Waterford in 1997. Here, we took on our current name, and organic produce farming became our day job instead of something on the side.

We are a family owned and operated farm, with all four immediate family members taking part in some way. Our young daughters help transplant and water young plants and love to help irrigate on hot summer days. My wife Tracey runs the stall at the Sonora Farmers Market on Saturdays. I am responsible for the planning and farming operations, and spend most of my market time at the Modesto location. Even so, we couldn't do any of it without the help of full-time farmer and friend Roberto Barajas-Macias. We also appreciate and count on the part-time help of Aracelia Franco, who not only helps on the farm, but works the farmer's markets and does restaurant sales and deliveries. Throughout the growing season, the term "family farm" takes on a new meaning when we lean on the generosity of extended family and friends to cover markets while we spend some summer vacation time together.

Our Method

When we say "organic," we mean it. We want to assure our customers that no synthetic or chemical fertilizers, insecticides or herbicides are used in growing our produce. Instead, we use methods like cover cropping or adding compost and manure, which add up to fertile, healthy soil and healthy plants. We use integrated pest management--the releasing of beneficial insects--to control many insect pests. Because we don't use herbicides, we're all too familiar with using hoes and shovels and pitchforks and wheel hoes and flame tools and cultivators and tractors and our two hands (dos manos!) to control unwanted plants. Whew! We continually battle two of the fiercest weeds ever created: Johnson grass and Bermuda grass, except that around here, we call them zacate del diablo, or "devil grass."

What We Grow

At Kline Organic Produce, we grow a little bit of everything , but not a lot of one thing. Our favorites and specialties include great-tasting heirloom tomatoes, several varieties of potatoes, onions, garlic, heirloom cantaloupes, sugar snap peas , and green and yellow snap beans. We're always trying new varieties of produce as well, by suggestion of our customers, family, and chefs. We've also launched a line of delicious preserved products like pasta sauce and spicy pickled beans, all made with our own fresh organic produce. Many of our variety trials are tested at Valley Oak Organic Farm in Denair, CA by good friends and fellow farmers Susan Kerr and Nelson Siefkin. You can sample almost any variety we produce while at a farmers market, or come to our annual tomato tasting event held in late summer here in Waterford. Either way, we love to hear what your favorites are!

We take great pride in what we grow at Kline Organic produce. Much time every year goes into selecting the very best varieties of fruits and vegetables for production. Our goal is to harvest our produce at the peak of readiness and get it to our customers as soon as we possibly can. That's why you can find it seasonally at the Modesto and Sonora Farmers Markets as well as several fine restaurants in Modesto and Sonora. Enjoy!