Sea Mist Farms' Success Story

Many growers, or growers in large operations at the supervisory level, grew up in farming. Perhaps because of that, as well as some misguided perceptions of farming, there is a shortage of young people coming up through the ranks in leadership positions. It’s one of the reasons the average age of the American farmer is 57. Chris Drew would like to correct those misperceptions, and he is, after all, living proof.

Drew is production manager for Sea Mist Farms, one of the divisions of Ocean Mist Farms, an AVG Top 100 Grower located in Castroville, CA. Located in the Salinas Valley, Sea Mist Farms grows a total of more than 5,000 acres of a wide variety of mixed greens and other vegetables, including close to 3,000 acres of artichokes. (See “Artichoke Artists.”)
Because of his managerial position, and the fact that at 36 he’s 21 years younger than the average farmer, one would suspect that Drew inherited his position. But that’s far from the case, as both his parents are (now retired) educators, and he didn’t grow up on a farm. Indeed, he was a city kid, growing up in San Jose.

He did, however, spend a few summers on his grandfather’s corn and soybean farm in central Illinois, and got bitten by the farming bug. “I was fascinated with all aspects of farming,” he says, “and it seemed like a great career because it’s not just work, it’s a lifestyle.”

While still in high school, he decided he wanted to get in production agriculture. He talked to his parents, and they were supportive. (He still talks to his mother, a former science teacher, about biological issues he faces at Sea Mist.) His father knew the owner of Headstart Nursery in Gilroy, CA, and Drew got a summer job there during high school. He then went to Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo to study crop science, and after graduation got a full-time position at Headstart in the Coachella Valley, managing the production of vegetable transplants. Three years later, he joined Sea Mist Farms in Castroville, and began working his way up.

Myth Busting

Drew would like to see more young people who don’t necessarily have a background in farming get involved in agriculture, and he’s fully aware of the average youngster’s perceptions. He tackles them one by one.

● It’s Low-Tech. That’s just a complete misperception, says Drew. One look at the technology used every day at Sea Mist would disabuse a youngster of that notion. Most of the tractors are GPS-guided, and are incredibly time- and fuel-efficient. Soon they will have virtual dashboards, showing how many hours on the unit, and the unit is serviced exactly when it needs to be serviced — and only then. “Stopping a tractor is like keeping a plane on the ground,” he says, “so we don’t.”

● It’s For Hayseeds. Drew says he’s frequently heard that farming is somehow “uncool.” He thinks it’s far more uncool to sit at a desk all day long. “We’re growing a vegetable garden on a very large scale,” he says. “What’s not cool about that?”

● It Doesn’t Pay Enough. This too is largely a misconception, as a bigger salary will come with experience and a strong work ethic. However, that said, a big salary shouldn’t be the chief motivation. “I myself couldn’t care less if I never owned a Mercedes Benz; money doesn’t buy happiness,” he says. “Farming is not something you should be in just for the money.”

● It’s Hard Work. Guilty as charged, says Drew, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. “Farming is a great profession, but it must be something you love — almost a hobby to you — because it’s such a humbling job,” he says. “You can get a call from your lettuce crew cutting 1,150 (boxes per acre), and you think ‘Great!’ Then your PCA (pest control adviser) calls and says this field over here is loaded with aphids, and it’s two days to harvest. Talk about a sinking feeling. But that’s part of the fun, adapting to the changes and knowing how to deal with them.”

If agriculture is going to attract more young people, Drew believes in starting at a young age. A nonprofit organization located near Sea Mist, Monterey County Agricultural Education, takes third graders out to farms for presentations, which Drew himself has given. Universities with strong ag programs, like his alma mater, Cal Poly — where Drew serves on the Crop Science Department Advisory Board — should host high school students for career days.

Besides addressing the misconceptions about a career in ag, people in the industry need to talk up the benefits, which are considerable. “It’s a tough business, but it’s very rewarding,” he says. “You are not just feeding your family, you’re feeding America.”

Go to page two to learn more about Sea Mist's artichoke legacy, Spanish language abilities, and IPM program