HOW IT ALL BEGAN

   It would be safe to say I’m a 5th generation farmer. My great-great grandfather Samuel Price was a farmer in Hungary when he decided to emigrate to the United States in the late 1800’s. He bought 24 acres of land in New York State’s Hudson Valley where he and his wife cultivated various fruits, vegetables, established a herd of dairy cows and raised chickens. This farm was operated by Price family descendants until 1974. Although my father spent most of his early childhood on the farm (He was extremely proud of his 4-H Farm Tractor Safety Certificate), he pursued a career in journalism, but I consider him an “honorary farmer,” so I count myself family farmer number 5.

   Even though I was raised in South Florida, I spent summers during my teen years working on a horse farm in Upstate New York, not far from the original Price family farm. The days were long and hard, but I came to realize I enjoyed all the challenges of farm life.

   Upon graduating from high school, I enlisted in the United States Army and achieved my goal of becoming a US Army Ranger, serving 5 years with numerous deployments to the Middle East. When my commitment was finished in 2008, I spent the next 3 years traveling the globe, my passport visas and stamps representing over 120 countries.

   Upon returning to the United States, I settled in California, accepted a position with SpaceX and met my future wife, Ala.

   Soon the backyard of our Buena Park home hosted a miniature horse, a chicken coop with 30 laying hens, a bunny, a koi pond, a turtle, a cat and with what space was left… a small tree nursery. All that was in addition to my daughters Zahra (6 years old) and 3 year-old twins, Nura and Zina. As my wife would often comment, “Things are getting out of hand.” 

   Despite all the chaos, the dream of becoming a farmer was always in the back of my mind, and in March of 2024 I noted that a grove of 22 acres was for sale in Temecula. The land was currently planted with avocados and lemons, but I saw tremendous potential. With the support of my family, I made the decision to become a full-time farmer, and as the saying goes, “The rest is history.”

   Today ZNZ Farms offers a family farm experience, event spaces, an exotic Asian tree nursery, and glamping/camping opportunities. Feel free to contact me to discuss your specific interests.

Desmond Price