Meet Fred Hempel: A not-so-typical farmer
Fred Hempel is not your typical farmer.
The owner of the 9 ½-acre Baia Nicchia farm in Sunol, Hempel is a former geneticist. As such, he likes to tinker and create. Over the years, through grafting and cross-breeding, he’s developed 10 new varieties of tomatoes.
You might already have tried a few of these flavorful wonders, as he sells his seeds to Seeds of Change, the certified organic seed supplier, which in turn makes them available to gardeners across the nation. You also may have enjoyed them at many Bay Area restaurants. He’s a darling among chefs, who eagerly feature his luscious, organic tomatoes on their summer menus. He’s even worked closely with a couple of them, including Jonah Rhodehamel, executive chef of Oliveto in Oakland, to create their own signature tomato.
Try Hempel’s tomatoes for yourself this summer, when he’ll be selling them as usual at the Menlo Park farmers market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sundays, in the Chestnut Street parking lot between Santa Cruz and Menlo Avenues; and at his Sunol farm stand, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays, located in front of the Jazz Café.
Meantime, you can also try one of Hempel’s newest inventions – herbal teas made from organic herbs and vegetables that he grows and dries to create unusual blends that can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
All caffeine-free, the selection of tea blends varies throughout the year, depending upon what’s in season. Currently, Hempel is featuring “Mixed Spearmint’’ (a soothing blend of five different spearmints), “Red-Stem Peppermint,’’ and “Savory Sunolean Spearmint’’ (a mix of Persian spearmint, anise hyssop, sage flowers and French tarragon that gives it a slight savory quality).
A staple is the “Grey Dog’’ tea, named for Hempel’s Greyhound, Lady Bug. Five percent of sales of this particular tea are donated to Greyhound Friends for Life , a Bay Area organization dedicated to helping Greyhounds find a second home with caring families after their racetrack days are over.
The “Grey Dog’’ tea contains red-stem peppermint, lemon balm, and lemon thyme, as well as Dolce di Minervino peppers and Mareko Fana peppers. Yes, peppers. In fact, Dolce di Minervino is a little-known, sweet Italian frying pepper and Mareko Fana is the main pepper used in Ethiopian Berbere spice mix. Together, they add a touch of warm spiciness to this tea that will subtly tingle the back of your throat.
The teabags ($8 for 10) are packaged in compostable clamshell containers. Gift tins also are available for $10 (for 10 tea bags).
“The teas are selling very well,’’ Hempel says. “In fact, it’s been difficult at times, particularly when we run out of ingredients that are seasonal at our farm.’’
The popularity of the teas shouldn’t be so surprising, though. After all, this is a man who has a knack for creating things that just taste great.
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