We are the Viles, the heart and soul of Sand n’ Straw Community Farm. We came up with the name Sand n’ Straw Community Farm as we wanted to keep our beach roots while venturing out into country life.
When we first decided to start a garden, we bought boysenberry, raspberry and blueberry plants. Not knowing any better, we put them together only to learn that they required different planting methods. While we failed on our first gardening attempt, the important thing is we started. Rich’s brother was subsequently diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer. We watched helplessly as he suffered, radically sparking a desire to research our diet. We had been that competitive sports family, eating out far too much, constantly on the go, not paying much attention to our diet or what it was doing to our family.
A change had to be made. Rich left his employment to attend farm school and we both enrolled in permaculture design courses. Our house became our gardening training ground. During this time, we visited farms throughout California and Oregon talking to farmers, learning ideas that worked or didn’t work as we continued to look for our niche in the world of hobby farms.
about our farm
Sand n Straw Community Farm is a family run farm nestled on six acres in the Heart of Vista, California.
We provide our community with an abundance of naturally grown local fruit and vegetables throughout the year. We utilize permaculture, regenerative, and organic farming principles surrounding our vegetables gardens you will find fruit trees, bush fruits and grape vines.
Our Practices
We utilize Regenerative Agriculture, Permaculture and Organic Practices…
Purposefully leaving areas of our farm wild, especially around our seasonal creek areas, provides an escape from the bustling city. When you walk through the farm, you will find a beautiful, thriving ecosystem where diversity is encouraged with every aspect supporting the next.
We value what nature brings to the table and attempt to work with it not against it. Choosing natural practices over chemical and heavily mechanized ones. Every day in the garden is an experience!