From the Fields: Taylor Serres Murnig, Sonoma and Mendocino counties farmer and rancher

By Taylor Serres Murnig
Sonoma and Mendocino counties farmer and rancher 

It was a very bountiful blueberry harvest in Mendocino County. We had some of the best quality we’ve seen in the past couple years. The fresh-market blueberry season is pretty short, anywhere from two to three weeks. If we have perfect weather at the beginning of the season, we have a four-week market. This year, the heat hit us. You’re having that dance with Mother Nature, and she is always in the lead. We started harvesting on June 20 and wrapped up last week. 

We have been very fortunate with labor. We’ve had the same labor force for the past 15 years, so that has not been an issue. Obviously, the cost of labor is high, and this is the same with other inputs. We are not certified organic, but we do farm organically. We are looking to potentially become certified organic. The price per pound for organic vs. conventional is unbelievable, especially when it comes to the bulk market.

For our winegrapes in Sonoma County, fortunately, we have 95% of the crop sold, so I cannot complain. It could be a lot worse. Everything we do is sold locally in Sonoma and Napa counties. The price is not where we want it to be, but you don’t bite the hand that feeds you. The fact that we have winegrapes sold means we’ll be able to hopefully break even. Yields may be average to a little bit below average. We dropped a lot of fruit to help with overall quality. I expect harvest will not start until the third or fourth week of September, depending on the weather. We have a pretty good niche market with what we do. Plus, we have our wines, including our blueberry wines, available for purchase. 

We have an organic cattle operation in Mendocino. Beef is going fantastic. We sold our steers in mid-June, so we have no complaints. I wish I had a herd of 300 cows because it helps pay for everything else.