The Founders

“Our love for the natural world and the great outdoors has been a driving force in our commitment and passion for agriculture.  Our neighbors were rural folk that lived off the land needing little but buckshot, salt and flour; we saw a window into a rural tradition that is now a relic of history.  We believe that the traditional market garden that supplied the local town folk with produce is a cornerstone to every community”.

Eric and Christine Taylor are a husband and wife team working in unison at our farm, Taylor Mountain Gardens in Douglas Flat, California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains at an elevation of 2000 feet above sea level.

We started farming in 1992 with a handful of seeds from our neighbors and a desire to feed ourselves quality food and begin to experiment with a seasonal lifestyle. Armed with a pitchfork and $1,000 our first year saw us harvesting more than enough to feed ourselves and that same year we started the Mountain Growers Farmers Market in Cedar Center, Arnold (which is still running today).

We became fulltime farmers in 1998 when 100% of our income came from the growing of crops. From 3,000 square feet the first year, and every other year after that we increased our acreage. As the size of the garden increased to farm status so did our clientele.  As early as 1994 we introduced the concept of Community Supported Agriculture and gathered the very first members. In 2005 we boldly set a goal of reaching 100 members, and once our goal was met we realized that a concept like Outer Aisle FOODS could become a reality.

We moved the farming operation to a new location in Douglas Flat in October 2007 and began the Murphys Farmers Market earlier that year. That same year we started Outer Aisle FOODS from our storefront location on Highway 4 in Douglas Flat.

Our membership has grown to over 200 families and our geographical sphere of distribution extends from Groveland to San Andreas, from Bear Valley to Copperopolis and all in between. In 2009 with new technological developments designed specifically for CSA farms now available we have plans for an online store and an automated ordering/accounting system.

We are co-founders of the Foothill Collaborative for Sustainability, a 501c3 non profit organization working to educate individuals and groups about sustainable living and community self-reliance. We are active in putting together school garden programs, seed saving and teaching workshops on agriculture. We successfully organized and put on the Calaveras Garlic Festival for four years.

We have lived off-grid for the last twenty years on solar power, active in transitioning to a post petroleum world and living our “experiment of a seasonal lifestyle”.

WHY SHOULD YOU SUPPORT OUTER AISLE AND SIGN UP NOW?

Enjoy local and seasonal fruits and veggies all year round.

Fresh, high quality, home-grown flavor.

Weekly summer deliveries or bi-weekly fall, winter and spring deliveries to convenient drop off locations near you.

Your choice of the size bag for your needs.

Cancel when you are out of town.

Additional items available including meat, fish, cheese, nuts, sauces, mushrooms and more.

Supplement your own garden.

Lower your carbon footprint.

Support local growers and producers.