Our roots run deep in the farming industry. Arnott is a 4th generation Arizona farmer who left his family’s farm in 1985 and began growing a few hundred acres of conventionally-grown row crops. In 1992, Arnott, along with his wife Kathleen, decided they wanted to reach out to the community by bridging the gap between urban and rural life. They began by offering educational tours for school groups and establishing a small, seasonal produce stand at their farm site. During its first year alone, 18,000 students visited the farm. In the second year, the number of student visitors swelled to 30,000 students. During its 11 year run, Duncan Family Farms® had become an extremely popular recreational and educational destination. In fact, the farm was one of the fastest growing ‘agricultural-tourism’ sites in the country for many years. Unfortunately, due to a change in flight activity at the nearby air force base, the agricultural-tourism program had to cease. In spite of this, Duncan Family Farms® has remained committed to being a good neighbor and an integral part of the community.
By 1994 our farm had expanded into organic production, growing organic baby leaf items including several different varieties of lettuce and greens (red and green oaks, red and green romaine, red and green leaf, lolla rosa, tango, mizuna, red chard, green chard, tatsoi, baby kale, arugula and spinach). These greens are delivered to some of the largest value-added processors in North America and Canada who provide bagged salads to the retail and food service industries. As our business has evolved, we have tried to blend the best of traditional farming with the latest in agricultural technology. Duncan Family Farms® has won numerous awards and is nationally recognized as a ‘showcase’ of progressive and environmentally-sensitive farming techniques, due to our innovative programs.
Until 2010, Duncan Family Farms® operated as a seasonal grower in Goodyear, AZ. That year, we expanded our operations by acquiring additional ground in California, enabling us to provide a year-round supply of produce to our customers. The additional ground also provided geographic diversity, which allowed us to expand our portfolio of produce. At that time, we introduced a Specialty Crops program that included organic Kales, Chards, Beets, Romaine Hearts, and Culinary Herbs. By utilizing this new land in California, we could grow crops during the summer months while maintaining our agronomic practices of cover cropping and soil rebuilding during the off-season in Arizona. The increase in diverse product types prompted us to expand our farmland and operations in southern Oregon in 2017. Today, Merrill, OR serves as our primary summer production and operational hub, ensuring our customers receive high-quality produce outside the typical summer growing regions.
In 2020 we set out to reinvigorate our local Specialty Crops program and reconnect with our community by doing what we do best, growing amazing produce! We continue to trial, working closely with plant breeders, chefs, and our customers to find the next best thing in produce.
Our regional expansion continued in 2021 with the introduction of farming operations in Seneca Castle, in upstate New York. There, we cultivate a diverse array of organic crops including kales, lettuces, beets, chards, cabbage, hard squash, soybeans, wheat, rye, corn, and hops, reflecting our dedication to meeting diverse market demands.
In 2023, we proudly launched our latest projects: organic microgreens and living herbs, further enhancing our product offerings.
Today, Duncan Family Farms® operates across multiple regions including Central Arizona, Southern Oregon, and Upstate New York. Our products are shipped across North America and into Canada. This geographic diversity of these organically-certified growing regions solidifies our position as one of the leading organic growers in the United States.