Meet the Azevedos

"Agriculture is not a business, it's a way of life," says Tony Azevedo, patriarch of Double T Acres family farm. It's a way of life that has been both financially and personally rewarding for Tony, his wife Carol, and their sons Antonio and Adam. Double T, a second generation family-owned farm, was the first certified organic dairy producer in San Joaquin Valley.

Growing up in post-World War II America, Tony witnessed significant changes in the farming industry—small farms morphing into large industrial farms, increased use of chemicals, and a decline in the quality of farm-produced goods. This grim picture inspired Tony to shift his primary focus from growth and profits to more hands-on, sustainable farming practices. Specifically, Tony and his wife discovered that by following more organic, environmentally-sound farming practices, they could provide a better product to their customers, and a healthier environment for the next generation of farmers, their children.

Tony's passion has carried on to his sons, who both bring to the farm an enthusiasm for organic, family-owned farming practices. Today Adam, 26, manages the majority of operations on the farm, on which 280 organic milking cows graze 450 acres of pasture and produce a thousand gallons of delicious milk per day.