Beet Generation Farm
A California farmer continues her mentor’s legacy.
Putting Down Roots
In 2020, Aleta Pierce got the opportunity to become a full-time farmer. After years of short-term leases, she inherited the stewardship of Beet Generation in Sebastopol, CA, a farm she had previously worked on under her friend and mentor, Libby Batel.
“She's one of the most passionate, enthusiastic people I've ever met. A serious love of good, high-quality food. And growing it for the people. In 2012 and 2013, she really inspired me and mentored me,” says Aleta.
After running the farm for three years, Aleta and her family were able to move onto the land. “We moved to this spot, which feels like our kind of permanent landing place.” she says. “Coming here feels like home in a big way.”
”This [grant] felt really accessible because we didn't have to propose some big, elaborate thing.”
- Aleta Pierce
A Legacy of Organic Farming
Before Beet Generation, the land had been farmed organically, then left unfarmed for years. This left the soil in fairly good condition, but when Aleta took over, it was still lacking the nutrients Aleta needed to grow the high-quality produce she wanted to provide for her community.
“That's where the compost comes in. We wanted to add as much compost as we could,” Aleta says. Unfortunately, this required more resources than she had. “I am just kind of constantly baffled about the finances of just how hard we work and how little money we make.”
At a farming conference, Aleta heard about Zero Foodprint’s Healthy Soils Program and applied. “This one felt really accessible because we didn't have to propose some big, elaborate thing.”
A Helping Hand
For Aleta, farming does not stop when she leaves the field. Her work includes running a business and managing staff, usually without enough support.
“Part of what brings me to Zero Foodprint and this work is that I get frustrated that farmers are asked to grow our food, but then also be expert business managers and marketers.”
For Aleta, funding from organizations like Zero Foodprint doesn’t eliminate all of the challenges of being a farmer, but they do help to lighten the load. With the right support, Aleta can spend more time building the future of her farm without navigating it alone.
About Beet Generation
Beet Generation Farm is a regenerative, small-scale, family farm in Forestville, CA run by Aleta & Andrew and their incredible team. We grow a wide diversity of nutrient-dense vegetables, fruits and herbs, and believe that the more love you put into all parts of the process, the better the food tastes.
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Zero Foodprint and the California Department of Food and Agriculture have partnered to provide Healthy Soil Program Grants to California farmers and ranchers. Current grantees are implementing 1-3 year-long soil conservation management practices.
Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit organization restoring the climate, one acre at a time. We believe that by regenerating soil, local food economies can play a critical role in reversing the global climate crisis. We work with food and beverage businesses, philanthropy, and government to bring the next dollar to implement the next regenerative practice on the next acre. This regenerative economy benefits every person who grows food, every person who sells food, and every person on this planet who eats food.
