In the rolling hills south of Hollister, the Miller family have transformed a former walnut farm into an eclectic “destination bakery” that reflects their philosophy of giving new life to old structures and traditions.
The heart of Suncoast Organic Farms is a century-old barn that Lisa Jensen and her father Gary Miller painstakingly converted into a fully operational bakery. Rather than demolish the deteriorating structure, they chose to preserve its character while transforming it into something functional.
“We lifted this thing eight feet at a time and built a foundation underneath it,” Jensen said. “It was much cheaper to do an old barn than to completely tear it down and do something new. We also wanted to keep the old vibe.”
The bakery maintains strict organic standards, with all breads made from organic ingredients and certified through California Certified Organic Farmers. The farm mills its own grain using a stone mill, purchasing organic flour from Central Milling at significantly higher costs than conventional alternatives.
“If you compare a regular bakery, it’s $11-12 per 50lb bag of flour, and it may cost us $70 for organic flour,” Jensen said. It is worth the price, she said, to be able to offer a healthy product to their discerning small-town customers.
The bakery began operations in 2011, initially selling at farmers markets before opening their patio to the public for outdoor dining on weekends.
Jensen admits the early products were far from perfect. “I would be so embarrassed to look at the bread that we used to bring to the farmer’s market, because it was so ugly,” she said. “People bought it because it was healthy.”
The brewery component began in 2015, when Jensen’s husband, David, launched beer production. The seven-barrel brewhouse with 14-barrel fermenters uses equipment purchased from closed breweries to keep costs manageable.
“That equipment is not cheap, and I don’t have a lot of money, but enough that we could get started,” Miller said. “Almost everything that we did was always at an auction or some marketplace where somebody was selling something second-hand.”
The farm now grows its own hops to supply the brewery, completing the cycle from field to glass. The operation distributes to local restaurants and retailers, including DS Liquors, Brass Taps and Seabrisa’s, while primarily serving customers on-site.
Miller, 86, adds another artisanal element with his gelato production. After attending gelato school to perfect his technique, he creates multiple flavors using organic ingredients whenever possible.
“Everything I put in there, if it’s available, is organic,” Miller said of his gelato production.
The transformation began when Miller, a former police academy director at Gavilan College, purchased the 25-acre property in 1991 after selling his apple orchard in San Juan Bautista. Farming had always been a part of Miller’s heritage; his father having been what he calls “a part-time farmer” whose heart was in agriculture despite owning other businesses.
“I like to see things grow,” Miller explained, gesturing to his lush and 100% organic garden and orchards growing around his farmstead home.
The property required extensive rehabilitation. Miller removed the existing walnut trees he described as “diseased and deteriorating” and in their place planted Italian olive trees. The olive oil production became profitable for several years, leading him to expand with a fruit orchard, vineyard and eventually hops.
The farm’s transformation accelerated when Jensen returned home to Hollister from Minnesota in 2008, seeking to return to her roots. She had worked dual jobs in radio and finance, often putting in 80-hour work weeks between her radio job and her “real job,” but wanted to escape the demanding schedule to spend more time with her 7-year-old son and be closer to family.
“I was working all the time, my son was little, and my family was all here,” Jensen said. “I didn’t want to do two jobs any more.”
Jensen approached her father about converting the property’s deteriorating barn into a bakery. The structure was in poor condition, but the pair did the hard labor to bring it back up to snuff. The father-daughter duo hand-dug the foundation in segments, pouring cement every 10 feet until completing the perimeter.
The operation faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing a shift from dine-in service to takeout and pre-made meals. The family adapted by maintaining drive-through service on Saturday mornings and continuing wholesale distribution.
“You have to pivot or you’re gonna die,” Jensen said of the pandemic adjustments.
Today, the farm operates as an agritourism destination with a full bakery menu, craft brewery and Saturday patio service. The operation represents what Jensen describes as California’s unique position as “the one and only, in the state of California, bakery and brewery on a farm,” combining sustainable agriculture with artisanal food production while honoring the property’s agricultural heritage.
Located on Southside Road, the bakery opens every Saturday to welcome visitors to enjoy their homemade organic baked goods, beer, gelato and more on their eclectic outdoor patio dining area. To view their menu or order ahead, visit suncoastorganicfarm.com.
Calvin Nuttall is a Morgan Hill-based freelance reporter.
