Zuckerman's Farm a 60-Year Delta History

Roscoe Zuckerman is the third generation farming this land. His grandfather (also named Roscoe) came to the area in the 1920s and fell in love with the Delta Region, finding it to be a unique microcosm of the central valley. The Zuckermans' farm is located on an 'island' in the delta formed by the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers flowing toward the bay. The water is held at bay by levees that surround the farmland. The Zuckermans once had upwards of 15,000 acres in the area, and have survived many floods. The last big flood was in 1982 (August 22) when the island flooded. As Roscoe says: "You lose everything you own in the blink of an eye." It took 6 months to drain the land and recover from that loss. 700 acres next to the 1500 acre plot is still flooded and can't be farmed. All members of the Zuckerman family have been part of the farm in one way or another.

Today, Zuckerman's Farm occupies close to 3,000 acres in Stockton, with 700 acres dedicated to asparagus. (He also grows eight kinds of potatoes, and corn for kettle corn.) He’s experimenting with a purple variety known as Purple Passion; look for that next year. It takes three years before asparagus can be harvested from the crown, the plant’s root system, and another year or two before the plant reaches full production. All Roscoe’s asparagus is picked, sorted and packed by hand. Though the farm isn’t certified organic, he tends his crops conscientiously, spraying only after the harvest is over for the year.

When asparagus season ends, you can content yourself with Roscoe’s handmade ravioli stuffed with asparagus, Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, and a secret ingredient or two.