December 3, 2018

Know Your Farmer: Clover Sonoma


Farm Fresh To You: Clover Sonoma

Iconic Clo the Cow Brings Prosperity

We all love the iconic Clo the Cow with her magnificent smile and witty puns. The more you learn about Clover Sonoma, the more you will love them too. Let’s jump into a quick history lesson to see why Clover is a great company to partner with!


It all started in 1916, when the Petaluma Cooperative Creamery began distributing dairy products under the Clover Brand to stores and residential customers in the area. As Petaluma and the surrounding towns of Sonoma and Marin counties continued to grow, so did the Co-op.

In 1975, the biggest fire the town of Petaluma had ever seen struck the Co-op, destroying their processing and bottling operations. When the Co-op made the difficult decision not to rebuild their facility, the current owners of Clover Stornetta purchased the wholesale distribution business from Cal Co-op and Stornetta’s Dairy in Sonoma in 1977. 

In September 2000, Clover Stornetta Farms became the first dairy in the U.S. to be certified by the American Humane Association for their animal welfare program, American Humane Certified. Fast forwarding quite a bit to 2017, Clover changed its name from Clover Stornetta Farms to Clover Sonoma to be more inclusive all their farms in that farm-family.

Know Your Farmer: Clover Sonoma
Clover President & CEO Marcus Benedetti - Photo Credit Clover Sonoma

Currently, this company is now three generations strong. They strongly believe in supporting local businesses, family farms, and making sustainable choices that are good for generations to come, not just the next quarterly profits. They work hard to ensure the following certifications are being upheld: USDA Organic, American Humane Certified, B-Corp Certified, Non-GMO Certified, Clover Promise of Excellence, and North Coast Excellence Certified.

They have moved beyond industry sustainable practices in relation to the land, by improving soil condition, protecting water quality and maintaining the land for forage and wildlife, so that the land can continue to produce year after year.

Farm Fresh To You: Clover Sonoma
Photo Credit Clover Sonoma

What about the cows? Clover dairy cows are taken care of like family. Healthy cows are happy cows and their quality of life directly impacts the quality and taste of the milk. The cows have open pasture with plenty of walking area, a diet of fresh grass, hay and grains, and clean bedding when they go to sleep. Now that’s the life!

The secret to superior milk is not so secret to Cloverʼs family of farms. They know that practicing sustainable agriculture, humane treatment of their cows, keeping small herds on spacious land, and absolute zero use of the synthetic growth hormone, rBST are all contributing factors. Love is also at the heart of everything cLOVEr does.

Farm Fresh To You: Clover Sonoma

As Farm Fresh To You members, you can add several of Clover’s products to deliveries -  including 2% milk, whole milk, heavy whipping cream, half & half, buttermilk, chocolate milk, butter, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. During this time of year, we also offer Clover’s Eggnog for the holidays. It’s rich, creamy, and subtly sweet. Clover assures you that it will “make your taste buds jingle.”

How To Add Clover Sonoma Products to Your Delivery:
CSA members - head on over to our online Farm Stand Market to customize your upcoming delivery. Market is open from noon on Thursday until 10 pm, 2 days before your scheduled delivery day. After you confirm your produce items, click the orange button "Confirm and Continue To Other Farm Products" to add the products to your delivery.

Not part of our farm family? Find out if we deliver to your neighborhood.