The Farmer’s Daughter, a beacon for East County farmland

“I’m very grateful and feel honored to be a farmer in this community,” said Nunn. “Every morning when I step into the orchard, I feel blessed. I still can’t believe this is mine.”

Nunn was only 19 years old when she went against her parents’ wishes and used money she inherited from her grandfather, George Nunn, to purchase 20 acres of farmland down the street from her father’s cherry farm.

Her parents were hoping she’d use the money to go to college.

“My dad didn’t want me to follow in his footsteps,” said Nunn. “He didn’t want me to have to work as hard as he did and just wanted me to have an easier life.”

Without her parents’ support, the young farmer built the farm herself, with help from friends and others in the community.

“The farm is made up of people in my life who have helped me put this together, and looking at the whole place now reminds me of how kind people were along the way,” said Nunn.

She planted her favorite fruits, from peaches to nectarines, plums cherries, apples and more.

Even though her parents didn’t support her decision, she still stayed close with them, and when her father was older, he respected her hard work.

“I’ll never forget that day,” said Nunn. “My father was older. He came out with his walker and spent an entire day on the farm with me. Before he left, he said, ‘Toots, I think you’re going to be okay.’”

Today, people from all over the Bay Area visit the iconic 20-acre farm to pick fruit from the orchard or purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from the farm stand.

The farm stand carries corn; potatoes; watermelon; tomatoes; organic squash, strawberries and blackberries; avocados; onions; green beans; olive oil; fresh baked pies; local honey; and more. 

Nunn greets visitors with samples from her farm, enticing them to try something new and answering any questions they may have.

“I love meeting people and introducing them to all of the good stuff on the farm,” said Nunn. “I love watching people’s faces when they bite into a juicy sweet peach or watermelon on a hot summer day.”

The trip has become a tradition that families make year after year.

“The Farmer’s Daughter, Meredith, is delightful,” said Alamo resident Lindsay Christiansen. “We love our yearly trip and the delicious apricots and local, freshly made pies.”

Families like the Christiansens gather and picnic on the farm, taking time to enjoy a juicy peach under the shade of one of the farm’s many towering trees or just to soak in the sunshine and beauty of the surrounding Delta farmland.

“I love that I’ve created a place where families want to visit year after year and not just pick fruit or buy something from the fruit stand and leave, but stay and spend time together,” said Nunn. “My own memories of growing up in Brentwood mean so much to me, that if I can help other families create their own memories here on the farm, it means so much to me.”

The Farmer’s Daughter Produce and U-Pick Farm is located at the corner of Marsh Creek Road and Walnut Boulevard in Brentwood. The stand is open daily through the summer season, ending August 15. 

For more information, visit, http://farmersdaughter.farmvisit.com or www.facebook.com/FarmersDaughterProduceUPickFarm.