Full Belly Farm in California: History, What It Grows, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Full Belly Farm in Guinda, in the Capay Valley, is a 400-acre certified organic farm founded in 1984 by Dru Rivers and Paul Muller. Its site says it grows more than 100 crops, employs about 80 people, and sells through a year-round CSA, farmers markets, stores and restaurants.
| Location | Guinda, Capay Valley, California |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984, by Dru Rivers and Paul Muller |
| Sectors | organic vegetables, fruit, nuts and flowers; livestock; CSA; events |
| Scale | 400 acres, more than 100 crops, about 80 employees, per the farm |
| Why it is notable | Organic since 1985 with a long-running CSA and an annual farm festival |
| Ownership | Owned by Paul Muller, Dru Rivers and family members including Andrew Brait and the Muller children |
| Official website | Full Belly Farm official site |
History of Full Belly Farm
Dru Rivers and Paul Muller started the farm in 1984, and it has been certified organic since 1985 through California Certified Organic Farmers, and more recently the Real Organic Project. The farm sits in the Capay Valley north of Sacramento.
Ownership has widened over time. The farm names seven owners, including Andrew Brait, Amon, Jenna, Rye and Hannah Muller, and about 80 employees.
What Full Belly Farm Grows and Raises
The farm grows vegetables, fruits, nuts, flowers and herbs year-round, with chickens, sheep, goats and a few pigs and cows. Its website also lists a farm kitchen and wool products.
Education and events are part of the program: tours and school groups, Pizza Nights, farm dinners, weddings and private events, and the annual Hoes Down Harvest Festival.
How Full Belly Farm Makes Money
Year-round CSA
Weekly produce shares go to members in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento Valley, giving the farm steady, prepaid demand.
Farmers markets, stores and restaurants
The farm sells through markets, retail stores and restaurants across Northern California and has a wholesale contact page.
Events and value-added products
Farm dinners, Pizza Nights, private events, flowers, wool and a farm kitchen add income beyond the box.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Full Belly Farm
Full Belly shows how crop diversity can reduce risk. Over 100 crops and several outlets mean a weak season for one item or one channel does not sink the farm. Direct sales channels such as CSA also bring in cash early in the season.
A second lesson is that events can build the customer base rather than distract from farming. Tours, dinners and a harvest festival turn buyers into loyal members. Check county permitting for events before adding them.
With more than 100 crops, Full Belly Farm gives a farmer a lot to name and a columnist a lot to say. At farm.FM we file its Hoes Down festival under farm satire, because a harvest party with that name has the farm jokes built right in. Our farm humor and ranch humor readers say the Capay Valley sets the table for both.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
How to Contact Full Belly Farm
Website: https://fullbellyfarm.com/
Phone: 530-796-2214
Email: produce@fullbellyfarm.com
Contact details as published on the farm's own website, November 2026. The site lists the farm only as Guinda, California, with no street address. Confirm event and tour details before traveling.
Full Belly Farm Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Full Belly Farm official site - The farm's own website
- Full Belly Farm about us - Farm history, people and markets
- CCOF directory: Full Belly Farm - Organic certifier directory listing
- USDA Census of Agriculture - Federal farm counts and sector data
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - County and state crop and livestock statistics
Full Belly Farm FAQ
Where is Full Belly Farm?
It is in Guinda in the Capay Valley, California.
Is Full Belly Farm organic?
Yes. The farm says it has been organic since 1985.
How big is Full Belly Farm?
The farm says 400 acres.
Does Full Belly Farm have a CSA?
Yes. It offers weekly, year-round produce shares to members in the Bay Area and Sacramento Valley.
Full Belly Farm shows how a diversified Capay Valley organic farm built direct customers over four decades. For wider context on California organic farming and direct markets, read the California farms guide and the other profiled operations.