Shumei Santa Cruz Farm

Where

Santa Cruz · California

What they grow

20+ vegetable varieties — lettuce, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, soybeans, pumpkins — plus fruit

Growing practice

Shumei Natural Agriculture: no pesticides, no herbicides, and no fertilizers of any kind — chemical or organic — with seed saved on-farm; CCOF certified organic

Visit, volunteer, or join

Weekly CSA; farmers markets in Saratoga (Sat), Mountain View (Sun), and Felton (Tue); school tours and internships

Shumei Santa Cruz Farm sits on 22 acres in the Bonny Doon area of the Santa Cruz Mountains and practices Natural Agriculture, the growing philosophy founded in Japan by Mokichi Okada. The approach goes a step beyond the usual veganic standard: not only are there no animal inputs like manure, blood meal, or fish emulsion — there are no fertilizers at all, chemical or organic. Fertility is built through the soil itself, plant mulch, and continuous cropping, and seed is saved on the farm year after year, a practice the movement considers central to healthy food. The farm is CCOF certified organic and was named as a veganic approach in a 2021 peer-reviewed study of veganic farming in the United States. More than twenty vegetable varieties grow here, from lettuce and spinach to potatoes, corn, soybeans, and pumpkins. The public can join the weekly CSA, find the stand at the Saratoga, Mountain View, and Felton farmers markets, or arrange school tours and internships.

Programs, hours, and visitor policies change — always check the official site or get in touch before you go. Last verified July 8, 2026.

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