Originally published in the Napa Valley Register on April 25, 2022.

If you are a long-time shopper at the Napa Farmers Market, two faces you are familiar with are Henry and Loida De Jesus from J & M Ibarra Farms. With their wide selection of seasonal produce, they are one of the more popular stands at the market where shoppers go to buy their baby greens, bok choy, fresh beans, and more.

Henry and Loida are originally from the Philippines where they farmed rice and vegetables. Farming in the Philippines meant all manual farming while protecting their crops from typhoons and insects.

In 2009 they joined J & M Ibarra Farms, originally located in Gilroy and Reedly. Having fields in the more temperate coastal climate of Gilroy, as well as the hot Central Valley climate of Reedly allowed J & M Ibarra to grow a large variety of produce throughout the year. In Gilroy, they can grow delicate greens outside, and in Reedly they grew crops in protected greenhouses.

In 2018 a tragic car accident on the way back from a farmers market caused the death of one of the farm’s owners. Since then, the farm went through several changes to adapt to the tragedy, as well as challenges regarding drought and land security.

In 2021 J & M Ibarra Farms moved the Reedly branch of the farm to 57 acres in Isleton, on the Sacramento River. The farm now has more reliable access to water, but moving an entire farm is no easy process.

Originally a certified organic farm, J & M Ibarra lost their certification when the farm moved locations. While they still farm with organic practices, they must now restart the process to certify the lan

The move to Iselton also means they must learn what crops grow best in the new climate. Last summer was particularly difficult because they moved their farm in the middle of the summer, meaning their entire summer growing season was disrupted. After the challenges of the pandemic in 2020 and moving their farm in 2021, Henry and Loida hope 2022 will be more stable.

After six years as “market stall neighbors,” I can say that Henry and Loida are some of the smartest, kind, and hardworking farmers I know. Over the years they adapted to different challenges on their farm, while still reliably showing up to every market.

For example, when their market van broke down, they started the grueling schedule of being dropped off in Napa every Saturday at 4 a.m. and picked up at 4 p.m. All this is repeated at the Walnut Creek Farmers Market on Sundays. During the week they plant, harvest, and more.

Despite their crazy work schedule, they never skip a beat: Loida will perfectly calculate your market total in her head, and Henry will always keep the market stand stocked and organized. Their kindness is felt by many, be it Loida holding my baby and singing him songs in Tagalog, or the friends that visit them at the market to talk and buy their produce.

California may be Henry, Loida, and their children’s home now, but one day they plan to retire to the Philippines. When Henry’s mother passed away last year, he told me how hard it was to see his mother work her whole life and never enjoy all she worked for. They look forward to the day they can return to their home country and be with family and friends.

If you cannot imagine Henry and Loida giving up farming, you are right. Loida hopes to have a small farm in the countryside of the Philippines where she can grow fun Brassica crops such as purple daikon and red radishes to sell to her community.

Lucky for us, they still plan to be a part of the Napa Farmers Market community for more years to come.