A lifetime of promoting Lima Beans and Agriculture

Mama G is fondly known in the Westley area for her big heart, her dedication to agriculture, her community and her delicious Ellery Beans. Gloria Gordon Ellery was born in Patterson, California, the granddaughter of Swedish immigrants who moved to the Patterson Colony in 1914.

In 1956 she graduated high school and promptly married the love of her life, Henry Ellery and moved to the family ranch in Westley. Henry left his young bride to serve our country and after his service returned to the family farm. Henrys family farmed and owned a bean warehouse in the Carpenteria area until 1935 when they moved the business to Westley. The bean warehouse in Westley closed in 1952, but Henry continued to farm beans.

(Ellery Farm)

Gloria was a typical farmwife, making dinners for the harvest crew and driving the bean truck to the warehouse all the while taking care of her 3 sons. She liked driving the truck, but admitted that she wasn’t very adept at getting the beans in the truck so she would switch places with Henry and she would drive the tractor for the harvester while he drove the truck. Gloria and her late-husband were active in the Westley community as 4-H leaders and Henry was the chief of the Westley volunteer fire department from 1975 to 1996. You can be assured that whenever there was food to be prepared for an event Gloria made her Ellery Beans along with other scrumptious fare.

(Old Ellery Bean Warehouse and Farm)

Gloria is one of the founding members of the Westside Chapter of the California Women for Agriculture. She is an avid supporter of all things agriculture related. As an owner of a few old cream separators she took one of separators to San Francisco for a CWA event where she showed how to make butter from the cream. She was amazed how many people didn’t know where butter came from. (Check it out here –> how to make butter )

Gloria strongly believes that a family working and playing side by side is a closer family. She still helps her sons where she can with the family collection of old trucks, tractors and engines. Traveling with them to truck meets, is the time she treasures and Henry is there in spirit with the fond memories they have from years as a family working and playing together.