The Blackberry Fields
HOW DID WE GET HERE
It all begins with family..
The Blackberry Fields started out as a longing for a farm of their own.
Hayden and Jenna Kofler were presented with an opportunity to have 2 acres of the family’s new farm. Previously olive tree growers in the Temecula Valley, the Kofler’s knew they wanted something different. They wanted to start a U-Pick.
Jenna had reminisced about a research paper completed in college about U-Pick farms and loved the thought of such a fun natured farming operation. With little experience in growing blackberries, the Kofler’s went all in and planted over 3,000 blackberry plants, all while juggling a baby and managing over 14 acres of olives. After planting the berries, they vigorously took to their new environment with some growing over 9 ft tall.
Regenerating the Soil
The Kofler’s knew that they wanted the farm to be as nature & kid friendly as possible from the very beginning, resulting in The Blackberry Fields being a farm free from pesticides, herbicides, and harsh chemical fertilizers. Instead of going the conventional route, the Kofler’s partnered with Advancing Eco Agriculture and started building soil through mulching and cover cropping without the use of tillage.
Within one year of planting, reestablished native CA grasses and wildflowers formed luscious meadows within the rows of berries. This made The Blackberry Fields a thriving ecosystem able to produce tasty nutrient dense blackberries for everyone to enjoy.
Know Before You Go