Robert is our Director of Operations. He keeps our finances in order, oversees plans for building and infrastructure projects, and keeps things running smoothly on the farm.
Shaleem (Shay) is our Director of Business and Ministry Development. She keeps our produce processed and fresh and oversees the market as well as overall business and ministry planning and coordinating.
Lois is our Director of Agriculture. She oversees all things that grow. She makes sure our soil is healthy and full of the important microorganisms that keep our food living and nutritious. From seedlings to fruits, she works hard to bring you the produce you love.
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Nzingha runs Kid's Gardening Center. She loves our kids and their families and works hard to build a wonderful learning community. She brings us classes like Farm to Table Cooking & Art in the Garden. Nzingha and her kids Jazmine, Caleb, Christian & Chance bring the true life and love that make the things that matter most grow on the farm.
Our Founders
We wouldn't have Father's Farmhouse without the courage, hard work, and generosity of Domenico and Anna Manno. Newlywed, they immigrated from Sicily to San Diego, California in 1967. With a dream of building a prosperous future for their children, they worked hard for many years, saving, sacrificing, and investing. They purchased the 5-acre property, currently home of Father's Farmhouse, in 2003. For 16 years this property was home to family gatherings, Christmas citrus, homemade wine making, and olive trees. In 2019, completely unexpectedly they gifted this property to Robert and Shaleem as an early inheritance. Wanting to honor and steward well their gift, Robert and Shaleem founded The Father's Farmhouse in 2022.