Rian of Windrift Farm has been hard at work, perfecting the art of growing tomatoes in Petaluma for 10 years now. What started as a tomato CSA for about 50 local families grew into his now 19-acre operation, spanning four properties in south Sonoma County.

He’s deeply committed to the overall health of the soils on his tomato farm employing composting, crop rotation, cover crops, vermicompost, fertigation (think “fertilized-irrigation”), and light mineralization to cultivate soft and loamy soil, tailored to produce the best tomato of every variety within the varying microclimates.

Windrift’s specialty is heirlooms with 12 varieties such as black brandywine, black krim, pink brandywine, german stripe, pink german, black beauty, and others. There’s always something more to learn, another variety to understand, or even a new crop to add into the mix. These days you can also find elephant garlic, seed garlic, and heirloom cantaloupes among his offerings.

Since 2018, Windrift has been one of FEED’s primary tomato growers. The cooler climate in Petaluma means his tomatoes stay on the vine longer, producing a sweeter, more nutrient dense fruit that FEED customers like Oliver’s Markets are crazy about.