Hi, we're Nikki and Steve. In 2004, we bought a ranch in Mendocino County's Anderson Valley, 5 acres of which we developed into Petit Teton Farm, named for a small mountain visible from the entryway. Prior to that, we lived on 27th Avenue off Lake Street in San Francisco for more than 15 years. As the farm has grown, and our family has become involved in the business, we spend all of our time on the farm.
Our original mission was to provide fresh, organically grown, local produce and eggs from our farm to Mendocino County and San Francisco, just 100 miles away. When we realized we couldn't sell everything we grew, we built a commercial kitchen to extend the food's shelf life and increase its value to our customers. Now, each week we sell our farm-made fare, eggs, meat and produce at farmers' markets in both San Francisco and Mendocino County.
Before starting Petit Teton Farm with his partner, Nikki, Steve spent 25 years as corporate counsel for Bank of America. He is a life-long Californian; born in Long Beach and grew up in Santa Barbara and San Jose. He graduated from San Jose State University with a BA in Political Science and from the University of San Diego with a JD. Steve passed the California Bar in 1977 and is still an active member. In addition to farming, he and Nikki love to hike in the Sierra Nevada.
Nikki is a fine artist with many exhibitions, awards and commissions on her resume. She attended the HS of Music & Art in New York City where she was born and raised, and received a BFA from the RI School of Design and an MFA from the University of Michigan. For her, farming is yet another art medium that includes not only the visual and tactile senses, but the oral, auditory, olfactory and intuitive ones as well. Creating a working farm and business out of a beautiful piece of land is a thrilling adventure, and she continues to be a fine artist in a multitude of mediums.
Nikki’s son, Cameron, has been working with us since 2008, has a background in finance and is a member of the CFA Society of SF. He splits his time between the farm and the city. On farm he's involved in most aspects of the business: planning, planting, harvesting, pruning, water systems, landscaping, kitchen work, and all general back-breaking labor. On Sundays he can be found at our farm booth at the Clement Street Farmers' Market.
When he's not working on the farm business, Cam continues to practice within the field of finance. He received a BA in Asian Studies and Japanese from California State University, Sacramento in 2002, and went on to work as a Registered Client Service Representative with a team of Wealth Management brokers at UBS Financial Services, Inc. He received his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2009, is an active member of the SF CFA Society, and continues today as an active portfolio manager for client accounts. Aside from an interest in farming and finance, Cameron pursues a long-term goal in the field of philanthropy, currently serving as the CF0 of the Petit Teton Foundation and President of the Bay Area Financial Education Foundation (BAFEF).