Duncan & Robert Abbott

When Duncan Abbott’s hands get dirty, the earth gets a little cleaner. Because while he’s hand-pruning, hand-picking and hand-packaging avocados, his trees are absorbing carbon dioxide and replenishing oxygen in the air. And since Duncan’s avocados are grown close to market, they go from grove to grocer in just a matter of days, reducing carbon emissions even further. But Duncan’s efforts don’t stop there. After decades of sustainable farming, he’s seen the power in working with nature rather than against her. So his trees thrive in all-natural compost. His farm creates energy rather than consumes it. And his continued research ensures that the land will stay lush and fruitful for generations to come.

In another life, Duncan worked in the high stakes field of investment banking. But Duncan longed for more; he wanted to work with his hands in the soil in search of fulfillment. Leveraging his opportunities, he moved into real estate, starting with the purchase of his father’s ranch in Carpinteria, California. He traded his high-profile lifestyle for the satisfaction of farming Hand Grown in California Avocados.

Preservation and Restoration
The Abbotts are family farmers who are also helping with creek restoration, the reintroduction of steelhead fish and preserving live oaks. Duncan is a 3rd generation farmer living on the land that he farms, and he has passed his respect for the land to his children, including his son Robert.

Favorite Recipe

Robert, an environmentalist and a farmer, is active in his community and works with environmentalists to ensure that his avocados and the land they grow on are sustainable. Robert is also active in the restoration of Rincon Creek in Carpinteria with the Community Environmental Council, working with the city to eliminate the barriers that are keeping steelhead from thriving in their natural environment. Robert believes that creeks are a good indicator of the general health of an environment and, as a farmer, is concerned about the condition of the water that his trees need.

The Abbott family enjoys their recipe for Abbott Family Gazpacho with California Avocado.