Greater LA
Flower and fruit farming family embraces California’s 'green rush'
The Van Wingerden family has a robust farming legacy of growing cut flowers and avocados in the coastal city of Carpinteria. The family’s flower and fruit farming roots go back 15 generations to 1699 in the Netherlands.
By Jonathan Bastian • • 1 min readThe Van Wingerden family has a robust farming legacy of growing cut flowers and avocados in the coastal city of Carpinteria. The family’s flower and fruit farming roots go back 15 generations to 1699 in the Netherlands.
The late John Van Wingerden moved his family to Carpinteria in the 1960s because he felt his native country's tax rate was too high. He brought his four kids and other family members to the area. He used his advanced farming skills and business acumen to build a thriving cut flower business.
John Van Wingerden’s son, Ed Van Wingerden, continued with the family business, but branched out into organic avocados. Ed still travels back to the Netherlands every year in hopes of keeping his farming practices world-class.
Ed Van Wingerden’s son, Ivan Van Wingerden, is now taking the family business in a new direction: cultivating cannabis. He’s tackling robotic technology, odor control issues and dealing with public scrutiny.
Ivan Van Wingerden uses an odor control system that uses water and essential oils. Photo by Carolina Starin
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