The Machado Family: Healthier Soil = Healthier Trees = Healthier Food

There are signs of spring on the farm in Linden; vibrant blooms are blossoming in the orchards. Three generations of Machado Family Farms are taking time for a photo that will go on the company’s new website, where they will share their story and honor their history.

It’s a full circle moment.
Melissa Machado Cheney and her husband, Drew Cheney, were new parents juggling careers when they faced a choice 12 years ago. Did they want to change direction and return to their agricultural roots by joining Machado Family Farms in Linden? If not, Melissa’s parents, Michael and Diana Machado, would have to consider leasing some or all of the land that generations of the family had worked since 1906 without more helping hands on deck.

After careful deliberation Melissa and Drew decided; yes, they would be the fourth generation to come on board.

Living Roots
It’s an assurance that the legacy of the farm will continue, Diana and Michael said. “It brings a lot of pride,” Michael said of having his daughter and son-in-law step up. “It’s also a new adventure for me as they embark on looking at farming in a different way than what we’ve done for the past 40 years.”

Drew and Melissa envisioned a way to contribute something meaningful to Machado Family Farms while respecting its long legacy. Plus, it would be a great place to raise kids. “There were a lot of positives growing up on the farm,” Melissa said of the family’s Linden land, where they grow walnuts, cherries, almonds and olives. “I wanted to raise our kids in the country and have them be involved in 4-H and FFA.”

It would be an adjustment, but it wasn’t an unfamiliar one, since Melissa’s own parents had navigated a similar path years ago. “Every generation wants to do it differently and should,” Michael said. “The whole environment of agriculture is changing and changing faster. New people with new ideas help adopt to the change.”

Today, more than ever, it’s clear Melissa and Drew’s decision has been impactful for the family, the farm and its future. “Our roles are transitioning as my parents are taking on less responsibility,” Melissa said. “We are being mentored by my parents.”

Returning to their roots is a focused mission to continue the family’s heritage. Melissa and Drew are building a resilient agricultural business that has them acting as true stewards of the land with regenerative practices that are healthier and more sustainable.

Diversification
When they came on board, they took time to learn the ropes. “You can’t just come in and take it to the next level without learning about the past. You need to see what brought us this far,” said Drew, whose own father was in the rice industry. “We had to look at ways to operate and diversify without abandoning the core.”

The couple have built their own home on the farm, where their kids can be close to their grandparents and raise their own animals. They’ve also built a gym where Melissa operates One Body Whole Health. It’s a boutique health and fitness center nestled among the farm’s orchards and offers CrossFit, FIT Yoga, Pilates, AquaFIT and tumbling classes as well as personal training, nutrition coaching and more.

As operations manager, Drew noted that regenerative farming makes both economic and environmental sense. It also reflects principles that farmers, including the Machado family’s ancestors, used for generations before pesticides became the norm. Regenerative farming means using cover crops in the orchard to prevent erosion and retain water while boosting soil health and employing sheep to graze and fertilize the ground. In other words, healthier soil = healthier plants = equals healthier food.

Regenerative Farming
“True regenerative farming is more cost effective,” Drew said, citing just as one example that allowing sheep to graze the orchards reduces the need to buy diesel gas for mowing. “People are more concerned than ever with what’s in their food and how it’s grown,” he said, referring to a need for fewer chemicals and pesticides. “If I’m not comfortable feeding something to my kids, I’m sure not going to ship it off for someone else to feed their kids.”

Cover crops and grazing sheep in their orchards is just the beginning as they look to create a healthier, balanced ecosystem that continues the legacy of growing crops not only for their children, but for future generations. But why keep it to themselves? They’ve been educating the public about their best practices and opening up for events that let people get face time with farm life.

New Ideas
Melissa has been instrumental in pushing for a rebrand of the logo and the farm’s website. A visionary strategic planner, she likes to take their goals and break them down into action plans. Melissa handles marketing, social media and employee benefits. “She’s a really good strategist and I’m a hardcore tactician, so that’s how we work so well together,” Drew said.

They have introduced agritourism to the farm, engaging their children to help with U-pick cherry events from mid-May to mid-June, inviting the community to book photography blossom sessions and hosting harvest tours on the farm.

“This is the third year for our U-pick cherries, which are grown pesticide free. We are the first U-pick cherry farm in Linden and this year we are really excited because we timed it with the sheep that will be grazing nearby with all of their baby lambs,” Melissa said.

As Drew and Melissa have learned how they fit in, they are mindful of their children’s future. “I feel like having the space to raise animals, to care for an animal and see the whole life cycle has been something they really enjoy. I love that they can ride their bikes to see their grandparents,” Melissa said. “Our daughter learned to drive a tractor last year.”

Having Melissa, Drew and two of their grandchildren living next door has been special for Michael and Diana. “I’ve been privileged to help homeschool them and it’s been a special treasure to be part of that experience,” Diana said.

Drew said they’ve been talking to their children about what they can bring back to the farm to diversify. “You don’t have to do what we are doing,” he said. “Ask yourself, ‘what would you want to do to be part of the business?’”

For now, they are helping their teen and tween feel connected to Machado Family Farms as the fifth generation to grow up on the land. And by the smiles on their faces in their new family photo, the future is bright.