Keeping it in the Family: The Andreotti Family Farm

Big news!

One of the oldest family farms in Half Moon Bay, the Andreotti Family Farm, has now been preserved forever. The historic barns and farmstand on Kelly Avenue, pumpkin stand on Highway 1 and over 60 acres of cultivated land are an essential part of the rural character and farming history of this coastal town. And we are thrilled to have played a large role in keeping these iconic Half Moon Bay mainstays in the Andreotti family.

Our story with this family-owned and operated farm started in 2016, 90 years after it was established by Dino Andreotti Sr., an Italian immigrant. The founding generation had since passed away and parts of this historic farm had to start going up for sale on the open market.

Meeting the needs of new and growing generations is a common challenge for farmers, especially in San Mateo County where homesites fetch a hefty price. But second generation farmers Terry and Dino Andreotti Jr. and their children Frank and Haley were determined to preserve their way of life.

That’s where POST came in.

To save this farm from development, POST purchased parcels as they hit the market—piece by piece—and worked out a plan with Dino, Terry and California FarmLink to put the farm back together. In 2017, we quickly purchased the farm center and an adjoining 4.6-acre homesite, and then in 2018 we were able to save another 10 acres.

Watch the video to learn more about our Farmland Future Initiative. 

We made the farm whole again and have protected the now-reunited 69-acre farm with a permanent agricultural conservation easement. This legal agreement ensures the land will stay farmed and forever limits development and use. Those restrictions, in turn, made the land more affordable for farmers to buy.

But, even at a lower price, land in San Mateo County isn’t cheap and the Andreottis needed assistance to buy back their family farm. POST developed a partnership with FarmLink, which provided financing for the Andreottis under a new loan program that provides low cost financing to buyers of protected farmland. With this new financing option, the Andreottis were able to buy back their family’s farm and continue their agricultural legacy.

It’s a collective win for the family, Half Moon Bay and everyone who loves to visit the Andreotti farmstands. All thanks to Farmland Future Initiatives (FFI) donors and a creative three-year partnership with the Andreottis and FarmLink to protect the land, provide capital and ensure the future of farming on the coast.

Want to Connect with the Andreotti Family Farm?

In the fall, the Andreottis have pumpkins and u-pick sunflowers available just off Highway 1. Stop by, introduce yourself and help support one of the oldest family farms within Half Moon Bay city limits.