I had the pleasure of talking with Ron Oneto, farmer and chairman of the California Dry Bean Advisory Board. Ron took the time out of his busy day to meet me at his ranch office in Elk Grove, California.
His grandfather started farming in 1921. His father farmed and was involved with developing the first cluster cutter and cherry sizer for cherry packing.
Ron and his brother farm 2200 acres in Elk Grove and Stockton. They still farm cherries along with walnuts, grapes, grape root stock, wheat, fresh market tomatoes, processing tomatoes, silage and grain corn, alfalfa and of course beans! They grow large lima, green baby lima, garbanzos, white, light red and dark red kidneys, pink purple halls for seed and blackeyes.
He states that farming is in his blood. He can remember being 4 years old and running out to get a ride on the tractor with his uncle to go that last 50 feet into the yard.
Ron’s favorite part of farming is the harvest, regardless of what crop.
The biggest struggles he feels facing farmers are government regulations and what’s coming next as far as regulations.
I asked him for some tips, whether it was cooking, farming or life in general. Here is what he said:
“Must cook with a glass of red wine.”
“Enjoy everyday to it’s fullest.”
and
“Don’t expect anything from anybody.”
