OUR STORY
The Munsons have been raising crops and honeybees on their farm since the mid-1800s.Twenty
years ago, they planted a few rows of sweet corn alongside the road so they could have fresh
corn for their family. The few rows produced more corn than we could eat, so we put a sign along
the road and sold the extras to neighbor’s passing by. Eventually, other vegetables were added to
the garden and Munson’s pickles and preserves prepared from the produce became very
popular.
Today, they raise over 100 acres of fresh vegetables and 40 hives of honeybees. The produce and
honey are sold through a variety of venues. They just recently ventured into new opportunities
for selling wholesome food, as well as events offering farm fun. Munson's employs 20 field and
processing employees and welcome the help of dozens of volunteers who help with everything
from planting and harvesting to helping customers in the Pickles and Preserves Garden Shop and
managing the behind-the-scenes business details.
There are four distinct seasons in the Munson’s year. The first season begins well before the first
leaves turn green. Agriculturists plan out the fields, order seedlings, as well as the supplies for
processing and marketing. Event planners are busy planning for the many special events to be
held throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
The spring season includes planting…much of it done by volunteers. Strawberries are the big
seller during the spring. And there is a lot of work in managing the sage and wildflower fields
and the 40 beehives that produce honey and wax for the farm shop.
Munson’s goal is to produce top quality produce and provide
families with something they cannot find anywhere else.
Summer is busy with harvesting the vegetables and fruits for the farm market, local fairs, and the
in-house preservation of pickles and jams.
A highlight of the summer is the Balloons and Blueberries festival which is attended by
thousands and includes opportunities for family fun and good eating. Several local restaurants
host farm-to-table menus and events that keep everyone busy with planning menus and
promoting events. The Honey Fest is, another, growing attraction for Munson's that requires a lot
of planning and volunteers to manage.
Autumn is a special time for Munson's. Even though the days are shorter; it doesn’t mean there is
less work to do. Everyone is busy harvesting the end-of-summer produce, preserving the
harvest, and planning special fall events. One of the highlights of the fall is the Harvest Fest that
includes wagon rides, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, apple picking, and hands-on apple pressing
for cider. Munson's is a destination for school trips and family “agricultural tourism.”
Munson's Pickles and Preserves are investigating new agricultural ventures.
Strategic Highlights
A Farm box project for community members to become “farm members” and purchase
shares of the produce to feed their families. Each week they receive a box of fresh
produce. They can participate in farm events such as workdays, potlucks, and you-
pick gardens to experience the joy of harvesting their own food.
Digital transformation is occurring in every industry and agriculture is no exception.
Munson's is exploring how to modernize their production plans, communications, and
record keeping ensuring they are competitive in today’s economy.
Munson’s is a green solar powered facility.
Conservation and also being a good land steward are top priorities for Munson's.
Agriculture is a water-intensive industry. Monitoring and controlling water consumption
and recycling waste are not only an economic necessity but also the right thing to do.
In order to support the local economy, Munson's works with several other companies in
the community to provide services for their employees, volunteers, and customers.
Looking Ahead
The Munson's are developing a wider online presence for, communications with customers as
well as an online market to distribute their products and gift certificates.
Munson’s Pickles and Preserves featured staff
Marcos Serna: Farm General Manager
Marcos Serna grew up on his family's farm near Yakima, WA. When an accident limited his
father's ability to work, Marcos and his older brother quickly learned how to keep things
humming on the farm. His older brother also had some other ideas about how to run the farm.
"My older brother saw an opportunity to change things and my father was opposed to it, so there
was some conflict there. But after the accident, we started moving towards being an organic
farm, and it worked out well for us. Eventually, my father came around." After proving himself on
the family farm, Marcos began looking for opportunity elsewhere and soon discovered Munson's.
He became General manager five years ago. A self-described "barbeque fanatic", Marcos makes a
skirt steak that will change your life. His Treasured and hard-working 1947 pickup truck is a big
people magnet at farm events.
Eugenia Austin: Soil Scientist
Eugenia Austin grew up in Boulder, CO, the daughter of an elementary school teacher and a
postal administrator. A shy, disciplined student, she became interested in biology in high school.
Her class took a field trip to a farm in the 10th grade. "Of course, I'd seen a farm before, but really
only out the window of a car. I didn't know anyone who lived on one. So here we were in all our
edgy high-school glory and the man showing us around, this was a flower nursery, he makes us
dig our hands into the soil and cup our hands full of dirt and lift it up and smell it! It hit me in a
second. This is why we can survive on this planet." She eventually got an PhD in Agronomy.
When she’s not at work, she enjoys crossword puzzles, photography, and is a ferocious scrabble
player.
Fen Long: Irrigation Engineer
"Really, I'm a math person" says Fen Long. Always good at numbers and in love with the
freeways of her Los Angeles childhood, Fen decided to become a civil engineer. As she studied
further, she realized that she was fascinated by the flow of water and how to manage it, another
issue troubling LA. After a dissertation on the irrigation history of the Phoenix, AZ region, she
worked at the United States Bureau of Reclamation. Work at the Bureau led to an opportunity as
a consultant on irrigation and drainage matters. One of her clients was a farmer. Visiting the farm
changed her life. "I was sick of being in an office juggling numbers when here was this farm
actually doing the work. I could drive a tractor and grade a field for proper drainage. I could
adjust sprinkler flow rates for soil composition. I could really affect the world, one field at a
time." Fen is now the proud irrigation engineer at Munson's Pickles and Preserves Farm.
Hilary Brennan: Greenhouse Manager
Hilary Brennan was "what they call an Army brat,” she jokes. She was always moving from army
base to army base as her dad’s military assignments changed. She started keeping small potted
plants indoors at an early age. "We couldn't have a garden because we weren't in any one place
long enough to make it worthwhile." She discovered she had a knack for making plants grow. Her
first job at a flower stand led to work at a plant store, a nursery, and now Munson's Farm. "When
I started here, I was terrified inside because it was my first real managerial position, but the
people here are really supportive and I quickly felt at ease." Her second year at the greenhouse
was the most productive in Munson's history. Despite the rootless feeling of her youth, Hilary
loves to travel and recently returned from two weeks in Iceland.
Danielle Gousse: Agricultural technologist
Daniele Gousse grew up in Minnesota on a dairy farm. From her earliest days she was aware of
technology and how it made productive farming possible. The understanding that her family's
farm couldn't have run without milking, homogenization, and pasteurization equipment made
her a natural to continue exploring the role of technology in modern farming. An Associate of
Science in Animal Science and Management and a Master of Science in Computer Science gave
her the educational foundation to really enact new ways of using technology in the daily
operations of the farm. "I've always thought that farming should be just as progressive
technologically as any other field. Why should farmers be any less willing to take advantage of
technology than garbage collectors or taxi drivers? When Danielle's away from the farm, she
enjoys whitewater kayaking and her burgeoning tropical fish tank.
Fernando Vasquez: Beekeeper
Fernando Vasquez was working in a bookstore in Passaic, NJ, after studying Spanish literature
when a co-worker and friend asked for help with a gardening project. The friend and his wife had
decided they were going to try to grow their own food and needed some help preparing the yard.
They had bought a hive of bees and the box was on a shaky platform. The son of a carpenter,
Fernando threw himself into making a better platform for the bees and was amazed that working
around the bees disturbed them so little. "I never knew before how different bees are from
wasps. You can't do anything around a wasp, but bees really leave you alone, even if you're close
by." As he helped his friends till the yard, he began to grasp how vital the bees were to the
project and growing food in general. As he learned about bees and their behavior, he became
hooked and soon had an apiary of his own. Fifteen years and many bee boxes later, he is
beekeeper at Munson's. Fernando is also a published poet and enthusiastic cabinetmaker.
