Doc's Organics

The Dockstaders did not set out to grow citrus. Their farming story in California's Imperial Valley began with hay. Pat Dockstader worked alongside his father at Golden Eagle Hay Company and took over the business in 1990. Over time, he added lemons and sweet limes, and more fruit varieties followed.

In 2016, Pat brought in his nephew, Dusty, as a partner, and Dusty's wife, Gina, whose own family has farmed the Valley for four generations, joined the effort. Gina and Dusty's son grew up working on the farm too. Gina says it's nice to have that family connection, and the partnership runs on mutual respect and on the different strengths each of them brings.

As the orchards grew, the family wanted to stay close to the fruit all the way to the customer. For years, it went to four different packing houses, so they opened Doc's Organics, an organic-only operation near Brawley, Calif. where the people who grow the citrus can also pack and ship it. Modern methods of washing, sorting, sizing, and packing keep the fruit's quality and organic integrity consistent, and the family's goal is to be farmer direct, so the freshest organic fruit gets to you when you want it.

The family's fruit orchards are 100% USDA Organic, grown with care for the environment and not compromosing on flavor. Doc's Organics carries the same care for the environment in their packing houses. Solar panels installed in 2020 offset its carbon footprint, and its forklifts are electric.

From those orchards come the Eureka lemons and sweet limes in our Farm Stand. The lemons are bright and tart, the kind to squeeze over fish or whisk into a dressing. The sweet limes are mild and juicy with very little tartness, and they're easy to enjoy halved and squeezed into a glass of sparkling water.

The Dockstaders did not set out to grow citrus, but one squeeze of a fresh lemon over dinner makes you glad they did.

How To Add Farm Stand Products to Your Delivery
Farm Fresh To You members: Head on over to our online Farm Stand Market to customize your upcoming delivery. Market is open from noon on Thursday until 6 p.m. on your cutoff date. 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. You can even get your whole office in on the fun with our office snack packs. Find more information about our office deliveries here.