IT ALL STARTED WITH A TOMATO…
It began with a backyard tomato – one that actually tasted like a tomato. Sun-warmed, sweet, bursting with juice, so flavorful it short-circuits your brain a little. For T, biting into that tomato stirred up childhood memories of Southern summers: wrestling bees for blackberries, biting into giant peaches with juice running down her arm, shelling peas on the porch with her grandmother and sisters. Back then, food came straight from the garden – and it brought people together.
So why doesn’t food taste like this anymore?
WHERE SOUTHERN SOIL MEETS NAPA SOIL
T, born and raised in Alabama, headed west for college and eventually found her home in Napa. That’s when she met her best friend, Cynthia (“C” for short), a Tennessee native who just happened to be her next-door neighbor. As fate would have it, these two green-thumbed Southern women bonded right away over their shared love for no-nonsense food, real tomatoes, and gorgeous backyard gardens.
When the pandemic put the kibosh on T’s wine tour company, the two rolled up their sleeves, dug in, and started what would become Tomgirl Farms – a thriving, regenerative farm growing heirloom produce, flowers, and pastured eggs with love and a little sass.
C has since passed, but T treasures the memories of starting the farm together. Time in the garden with C, her husband David, and son Evan became a sanctuary: a place to escape, reconnect with nature, and find joy in dirt and seeds. Evan’s legendary “Tomato Reports” kept spirits high, and the farm grew into a life of its own.
Gardening became therapy. Dirt became joy.
We’re not…
NOT YOUR AVERAGE FARM
Today, Tomgirl Farms spans four acres of plant paradise. We research and select our seeds with an eye to finding the unusual, the extraordinary, the simple, and the downright fabulous – alongside classic California favorites. Everything is grown ethically, harvested by hand, and picked at the peak of perfection. Think voluptuous Blenheim apricots, Triple Crown blackberries that taste like warm jam, exotic Rattlesnake beans, greens with purple specks, and more than 40 heirloom tomato varieties. The kind of food that makes you pause mid-bite and say, “OMIGOD!” At the heart of the farm is our soil. Using a no-till approach, we feed the soil with organic compost and let nature do its thing. Healthy, living soil grows vibrant plants, supports ecosystems, and improves its structure and resilience year after year. We nurture life from the ground up, listening to the land and letting it guide us. When we slow down and respect the rhythms of the land, the garden provides everything it needs to thrive. Our farm isn’t just dirt and plants; it’s a living, breathing world, and we steward it with care, humility, and plenty of elbow grease.
SHARING THE BOUNTY
We’re here to help other folks reconnect with the land and rediscover what real food tastes like – the way our great-great-grandparents knew it. Our goal is to educate, inspire, and share a little farm magic along the way.
These days, our harvest finds its way to Napa chefs, wineries, home cooks, florists, and mixologists who value ingredients with personality. We love showing families and kids the farm, letting them taste their way through the rows, and reminding them that food doesn’t just come from a box. Cucumbers are crisp, asparagus stands proud, and there’s always a new heirloom variety to discover.
Tomgirl Farms is a gathering place: neighbors swap seeds and recipes, chefs taste what’s in season, and stories are shared over fresh-picked produce. From seed to table, we’re here to make people excited about food again – and maybe shake things up a little while we’re at it. Stop in for a farm tour, a cooking class, a seasonal workshop, or our weekend farmstand – we’ll save you a peach.
MEET T, OWNER & CEO
T (Mary T) grew up among Southern farmers and family who knew the power of growing your own food, and gathering folks around a good meal. And though she left Alabama for college, the South and the wisdom of its foodways never left her.
With degrees in Psychology and Art from Stanford – and a smattering of advanced studies in Counseling, Education, and Design – T carved out a career as colorful as she is, weaving together education, the arts, events, hospitality, and farming. She went on to build Verve Napa Valley, a luxury wine tour company celebrated for her legendary Southern hospitality and uncanny knack for uncovering hidden gems.
What began with backyard tomatoes has now blossomed into four acres of regenerative goodness. Tomgirl Farms is T’s tribute to her Southern roots, her Napa community, and her late best friend C, who helped plant the very first seeds.
Nowadays, you’ll find T wandering the rows, chasing quirky heirlooms, tending chickens, or showing visitors the farm’s treasures. She also still runs Verve’s wine tours and events, sharing Napa Valley’s hidden gems with curious travelers.
At the heart (and head) of Tomgirl Farms is a circle of remarkable women helping the farm grow and carry its mission forward. And without the hard work of our muddy-booted, big-hearted farm crew, the rows wouldn’t thrive, and none of this deliciousness would be possible.
