Our Farm

Marian Farms is an eighty-acre, diversified, Demeter certified Biodynamic® farm in California’s central San Joaquin Valley, an area referred to as the “fruit basket” of the United States. This fertile valley is known around the world for its rich, sandy loam soils and Mediterranean climate. In this farming paradise, we grow grapes, almonds, lemons, oranges, peaches, and a wide variety of row crops, many of which are heirloom varieties. From our grapes, we produce sun dried raisins, and also distill high proof alcohol for tincturing herbs and Espirito de la Valada, our signature brandy, in our on-site distillery. We sell to natural foods stores around the country, to restaurants and foodservice accounts, and direct to consumers in our online store and through our CSA.

Our Mission
Our mission is to grow and produce the healthiest possible foods while nourishing and revitalizing the earth through the practice of Biodynamic agriculture.


Our History
Gena Nonini, land steward, is the third generation of her family to farm the Marian Farms property. Her grandfather came to Fresno in 1900 from the Swiss Alps in Northern Italy. He was a dairy farmer and grape grower. His son was also a grape grower, a tradition Nonini continues and devotes half of her acreage to. While working as an export commodity trader with a Fortune 500 company, Nonini traveled the Pacific Rim extensively. On one of her business trips to Australia and New Zealand, she learned about Biodynamic agriculture and was so impressed with both the foods and people she met that she decided she wanted to farm Biodynamically. In 1990, Nonini set up her own company and started her transition to farming, eventually trading in her business suit for denims.


Certification
Marian Farms holds multiple certifications:

• Biodynamic - certified by the Demeter Association. This certification exceeds the standards of the U.S. National Organic Program.
• Organic ­ certified by Stellar Certification Services. This certification makes Marian Farms compliant with the U.S. National Organic Program.
• Kosher ­ our raisins are certified Kosher by Kosher Certification Services.

Organic Pisco!

California Pisco               

Pisco is traditionally the national spirit of Peru and Chile, however, we decided to make our own pisco because of its special connections to San Francisco. Pisco was the drink of choice for generations of San Francisco miners and sailors. Smooth and aromatic, Marian Farms’ distillate captures the essence of the grapes that were used to make it. The proof is in the pisco: it was the key ingredient in two different cocktails voted the “Best of 2010.” 80 proof, certifi ed organic (and soon to be certi ed Biodynamic® by Demeter USA).

http://organicpisco.com