Meet Matt Bowling, Brian Hirsch and Levi Seligman of Green Gold Organic Farms (GGOF), the newest farming partners at City Farm–San Luis Obispo. After breaking ground this week, the three business partners and friends are excited to be back in San Luis Obispo, growing organic produce for the local community.
“Being in a small town and farming, it’s cool to know that you could be feeding anyone you see on the street”, Bowling said.
The three met while living in San Luis Obispo and were inspired to start a business together. Hirsch and Seligman graduated with Construction Management degrees from Cal Poly, while Bowling graduated from the ALBA educational farming program in Salinas, CA. The three grew their farming operation together and are currently growing organic strawberries and sweet mini bell peppers after founding Green Gold Organic Farms in 2013.
“GGOF takes growing good food very seriously and they’re anxious to farm in the heart of San Luis Obispo. Central Coast Grown is excited to support them in the development of their new farming enterprise and to collaborate on building a strong relationship between the community and City Farm. Look for them on the region of City Farm most visible from Highway 101!”
GGOF plans to continue growing strawberries and mini bell peppers at City Farm, and will experiment with purple haze carrots and other specialty crops on their 2 acres. “I’m excited about promoting organic in SLO because, surprisingly, there isn’t much grown around here”, Seligman said.
The team aspires to having a farm stand or U-pick in the future as well as getting into farmers’ markets in the community. The team wants to be specialized and unique and cater to their customers whether they are a restaurant owner or a farmers’ market shopper.
Central Coast Grown is inspired by these three young farmers and is looking forward to the energy they will bring to the farm as the next group of stewards joining them on the land.
Find out more about Central Coast Grown at CentralCoastGrown.org