RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - In 2018, husband and wife, Greg and Alex Kerekez returned home to Rancho Cordova after living in San Jose where they attended college in the years after they graduated from Cordova High School. After returning home, they soon founded their urban organic farm, Rancho Roots.

Located in the historic Hachiya Persimmon Orchard just behind the Cordova Baptist Church and Preschool on Coloma Road, Rancho Roots is home to a variety of culinary herbs, fruits and leafy greens such as rainbow chard and kale. The farm is also home to quail, chickens, and even 40 rabbits who play a particularly special role in their farming process.

“We like to say that we are bunny owned and operated. And they really are great companions,” said Alex.

Early on in their farming journey, Greg and Alex learned that to make sure the soil had proper nutrients to continue to produce well, they needed a healthy, organic compost. After some trial and error, further research led them to rabbits. The rabbits live in hutches constructed from completely repurposed materials and help by eating the remains of crops after they’ve been harvested, and provide healthy manure for an organic compost that feeds the next crop.

Alex and Greg practice a regenerative agricultural philosophy which mimics nature and feeds the soil naturally to produce all organic crops. In fact, the farm, which is on two-thirds of an acre, is planted underneath and between the existing orchard’s rows.

You can visit Greg and Alex (and the bunnies) at the Rancho Roots Farm Stand every Saturday from 9 AM – 1 PM and every Tuesday from 2 PM – 6 PM at 10527 Coloma Road. Learn more about Rancho Roots at RanchoRoots.com or find them on Instagram at @RanchoRoots.