Pajaro Valley’s ‘King George’ built a growing legacy
By John Beck At 92, Guy George has heard it all. “A friend of mine likes to say, ‘There’s only one thing older than you, Guy, and that’s the dirt you farm,’” he said. He takes it as a compliment. Tilling the rich Pajaro Valley soil for the past “70 or so years,” he’s seen the produce business grow from small family farms to large operations that span the globe. Where once there were apricot and ap- ple orchards surrounding Watsonville, now there are sprawling berry farms and vegetable fields. Over the years, he learned the hard way that “a few things work and a lot of things don’t—that’s the nature of farm- ing.” In the ’60s, he sold cabbage under the “King George” label, with his name emblazoned on crates he drove past mid- night to deliver to Bay Area wholesale markets. In the ’80s, he turned to straw- berries and blackberries. He even tried his hand at organic farming. But, for the past 25 years, he’s been farming berries for Driscoll’s, and “it was by far the best decision I ever made,” he said. On a drive down San Juan Road in Watsonville, George and his Rancho Alitos business partner Arturo Diaz pulled over near a flower warehouse. In the distance, crews were working a 75- acre Rancho Alitos strawberry farm.
Guy George, left, farmed in Santa Cruz County for over 70 years, as small farms grew into global operations. He mentored numerous younger growers, including Arturo Diaz, walking beside him. “I learned things from him that I never thought I would learn,” Diaz said.
“I remember when this was all apples,” said George, standing in the dusty park- ing lot, his gold “Guy” belt buckle glis- tening in the sun. The flower warehouse was once an apple cannery where his fa- ther worked as a foreman. A few hundred
yards behind it, he and his family lived in a small house. “I was around 4 years old at the time, and I would run down to watch the freight trains go by. On top, there were hundreds of men traveling from one place to anoth- er because of the Great Depression. They were called ‘hobos,’ and they were from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee,” he recalled. “They would all wave to me. They were on the rails looking for a job. That’s when I realized how important this val- ley is that people came from all over to work here.” Born in Watsonville to first-generation Portuguese immigrants, George learned
early on that hard work was the key to success. At 12, he worked as a school jan- itor, later washing dishes in a local restau- rant. After graduating from Watsonville High School, he spent several years in the U.S. Navy before returning to farm the valley and take classes at San Jose State University, where he graduated with a business degree. He started out farming fruit trees, but it was cabbage that caught his attention early on. After several years of selling to suppliers, he decided to go out on his own and create King George cabbage, a royal idea suggested by the carton maker. “I had been struggling, not making See LEGACY, Page 16
2023 Annual Scholarship One Stanley W. Strew scholarship opportunity is available for students interested in careers in the pest management industry. This scholarship is sponsored by the California Association of Pest Control Advisers and administered by the Stanley W. Strew Educational Fund, Inc. The CAPCA scholarship will provide $3,000 to a selected college student. The scholarship recipient will be selected by the Stanley W. Strew Board of Trustees. Eligibility and Priority • Applications are available for students who are currently attending college in an agricultural/horticultural related field or who are entering or returning to college in an agricultural/horticultural related field in the fall of 2023. • Priority will be given to students at the junior or senior standing in the fall of 2023. • Master’s degree/ doctorate students are NOT eligible. • Students attending junior or community college ARE eligible. • Students who hold a DPR license (QAC, QAL, PCA etc.) ARE eligible. • Students who meet the eligibility requirements are invited to apply annually (even if they have received the scholarship previously). Applicants must submit a completed application form and copies of their transcripts. Applications must be postmarked by 5/5/23. Questions? Contact CAPCA at (916) 928-1625 or email scholarship@capca.com For more information, and to download an application, visit: CAPCA.com/Scholarships-Awards
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6 Ag Alert April 12, 2023
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