My Organic Farmer - Charlie Dedlow

Quick Overview

Charlie Dedlow of Kenter Canyon Farms details his successful organic farming operation, which supplies high-quality produce like specialty greens and heirloom tomatoes to local Los Angeles markets and restaurants, contrasting it with large-scale farming by emphasizing the labor-intensive but rewarding nature of their small-scale, high-touch cultivation methods, including the use of companion planting like marigolds to naturally deter pests.

Key Points: Kenter Canyon Farms operates in the Santa Monica/Ojai area, utilizing 150 acres split into 10-acre parcels, all supported by on-site wells. The farm focuses on high-quality, specialty organic greens and heirloom tomatoes, which are often triple-washed and delivered within 24 hours of harvest. Charlie mentions that his mother, Alice Waters, who used to work at Chez Panisse, inspired his focus on high-quality ingredients and farming. The farm uses companion planting, such as marigolds, to naturally deter pests like aphids, avoiding chemical pesticides. The host, Daniel Tosh, shares an anecdote about a customer who expected him to wash his produce, contrasting the farm's high standards with common consumer expectations. The business is entirely family-run, with Charlie and his brother handling operations, and they proudly support local farmers' markets and restaurants in LA.

Context: The video features an interview on the 'Tosh Show' between host Daniel Tosh and Charlie Dedlow, the owner/operator of Kenter Canyon Farms, a small-scale organic farm in Southern California. The discussion centers on the challenges and rewards of running a small, high-quality organic farming operation, including their growing practices, customer interactions, and the contrast between their methods and large-scale industrial agriculture.

Detailed Analysis

Charlie Dedlow discusses Kenter Canyon Farms, an organic farm operating on 150 acres split into 10-acre parcels, all supported by dedicated water wells. Their focus is on high-quality specialty items like greens and heirloom tomatoes, which they harvest and deliver within 24 hours to maintain freshness, often supplying high-end Los Angeles restaurants and farmer's markets. He attributes his focus on quality to his mother, who used to work at Chez Panisse. He explains their sustainable pest control methods, such as companion planting marigolds to naturally deter pests like aphids, avoiding pesticides, which is crucial because they cannot sell produce that has been treated with chemicals or that has been sitting on shelves too long. Tosh expresses surprise at the labor intensity required for such high standards, especially compared to industrial farming, and jokes about the absurdity of customers expecting perfectly clean produce when the farm often deals with muddy conditions and pests. The conversation also touches on the family's history in the food world, their lack of involvement in politics or pyramid schemes, and the personal satisfaction derived from producing high-quality, local food that people appreciate.