Israel Morales Sr. has been working the same Salinas soil for more than 38 years, and he knows every inch of his rows like the back of his suntanned hand. “I’ve been farming this land a long, long time,” he says. “You walk it so many times, you get to know it. It’s like growing a kid. You’ve got to take care.”

The old way didn’t work

Israel started out growing organic based on what he knew about conventional farming methods, but “it didn’t work,” Israel recalls. “I couldn’t just spray the plants all the time and have them come up strong and healthy. When you’re organic, you have to build the soil and plant the habitat to attract your helpers, the beneficial insects. So I started over and did things the organic way. That worked a lot better.”

Today, Israel cultivates a total of 4,400 organic acres between different farms that range from about 12 acres to about 680 acres. He spends a lot of time planning, deciding where to plant which varieties, and thinking about what he’ll need to watch out for during the growing cycle, especially if he’s trying something new. “It’s a beautiful job,” he says, “but you’ve got to put in a lot of effort to get something really good out of the ground.”

Israel’s way

Israel uses the “minimum till” method on his farms. Minimum till means disrupting the soil as little as possible, so that the organic matter in the soil and the beneficial habitats surrounding it are maintained, soil nutrients are less likely to be lost, and less time and labor are required for planting and cultivation.

Several years ago, Israel began using computer-controlled global positioning systems (GPS) and digital cameras to help guide his tractors when they prepare the fields, plant, and cultivate. “The GPS keeps the tractor going straight, the camera sees exactly where the row and the plants are positioned, and the computer keeps the equipment in exactly the right position all the time,” Israel says. The digital system helps Israel and his men work the land more gently, but more efficiently, and helps him keep his costs down.

Israel also adapts a lot of traditional farm equipment for his specific needs. “We know what we need, so we just figure it out here,” he says. When he noticed that his disker wasn’t breaking up the huge dirt clods in his planting beds, for example, he modified a traditional disk to break up those chunks of earth without destroying the row. Israel works with the Agricultural Extension at the University of California, Davis, helping other growers use and adapt technology for their needs. He shares his tool designs because he likes helping other farmers.

Israel grows a wide range of lettuces, herbs, vegetables, and melons for Earthbound Farm. And he’s passed his love of growing things to at least one of his children; his son, Israel Jr., is now his ranch operations manager, after having worked as a regional field manager for Earthbound Farm.