Hidden Valley Farm brings regeneratively grown produce
By Debbie L. Sklar
Since mid-September, shoppers at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market have had a new reason to stop by: a colorful selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables from Hidden Valley Farm, grown by farmer Josh Raser.
Raser, 39, operates Hidden Valley Farm on about 1.5 acres in production on a 4-acre parcel split between the property where he lives and land where he grew up, located about five minutes apart in Escondido.
“I grow everything myself,” he said. “I typically pick it within 24 to 48 hours of the market, oftentimes the day of – cut greens or salad greens or something. It’s within a one- or two-day window.”
Raser follows regenerative farming practices that prioritize soil health and plant resilience over chemical inputs or heavy machinery.
“I try not to disturb the soil as much as possible,” he said. “I try to build up the soil structure using compost and cover cropping. When you have stronger plants, you don’t have to spray – even organic pesticides or anything like that.”
The small-scale market garden model allows Raser to operate independently, overseeing planting, harvesting and market preparation without hired labor.
“I’ve been farming for about 13 and a half years,” he said. “I started farming in Boston, then moved to New Orleans for a few years, then back to Boston, and now we’re here in Escondido.”
His interest in agriculture began early, shaped by family history and youth programs. Raser said his mother’s dairy operation was based in Ontario, Calif., and his father operated a corn and soybean farm with animals. Although his family lived on acreage in Escondido, it was not farmed.
“I started in 4-H when I was about 8 and then did FFA in high school,” he said.
Raser studied agricultural business at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and later served in the Peace Corps, where he worked on farming projects and community gardens – experiences that reinforced his decision to pursue farming as a career.
At the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market, he offers a rotating mix of produce based on the season and harvest schedule.
“This time of year, it’s a lot of root veggies, bunch greens, salad greens, sugar snap peas,” he said. “As the days warm up, you’ll also see zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant and cucumbers. I try to grow 20 to 30 vegetables during the seasons, having different things at different times of the year.”
Produce is sold in convenient, ready-to-grab formats. Salad greens are bagged, while items such as kale, Swiss chard, carrots, beets, radishes and turnips are sold by the bunch. Cabbage, broccoli, onions and winter squash are sold by the pound. Prices generally range from $3 for bunches to $5 for bagged greens.
“I would describe the farm as a part-time venture for the last five years before going full-time last August,” he said. “I was working at another local farm while getting my farm up and running, so I was definitely farming full-time.”
Raser values the community atmosphere at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market.
“I like that there are a lot of people and a lot of vendors. It feels like a market, an event happening every Thursday,” he said. “I’m starting to get regulars, but you have to build trust with people. It’s a little different from the Saturday market, where people come specifically for vegetables.”
Looking ahead, Raser plans to continue farming at Hidden Valley for at least the next decade, keeping the land in active agricultural production.
“Eventually, maybe I’ll teach agriculture at a high school once the body can’t take farming anymore,” he said. “But for now, I just love farming and small-scale agriculture, and we need more farmers.”
Visit the Hidden Valley Farm booth at the Scripps Ranch Farmer’s Market each Thursday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 10045 Carroll Canyon Road.