The Ferguson Family

Meet The Fergusons: Small Town Roots, Big-Hearted Farming

When Allen and Kendral Ferguson named their company Small Town Specialties, they weren't being cute—they were being honest. Allen's from Chico, Kendral's from Princeton, and those small California towns shaped everything about how they farm and do business today.

"This is who we are," they say simply. "It's where we do business, it's what we have to offer…and we love doing it."

For the Fergusons, being from a small town isn't nostalgia—it's a way of operating. They believe in knowing your neighbors, understanding your land, and making sure everyone knows exactly where their food comes from. The kind of farm-fresh quality that used to be normal, before industrial agriculture decided we didn't need to know our farmers anymore.

Their farm sits in California's Sacramento Valley, one of the most fertile and productive agricultural regions in the world. That rich volcanic soil, fed by Sierra Nevada snowmelt and blessed with a Mediterranean climate, has been feeding people for generations. It's the kind of place where farmers don't have to fight the land—they work with it. The Fergusons understand what a gift that is, and they farm accordingly.

Their story starts in 2018 with something unexpected: a handful of unusual black chickpeas that needed someone willing to grow them out. Like the best farming stories, it began with seeds, possibility, and a family willing to take a chance.

And when we say family business, we mean it in the realest way. In those early days, their kids played at the warehouse while Allen and Kendral filled orders. Today, the younger ones help with irrigation on the farm, while their older daughter works packaging. Everyone contributes. Everyone's invested.

The Fergusons' commitment to quality and diversity in their crops became even more personal when their daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease. Understanding firsthand what it means to need reliable, clean, gluten-free options deepened their dedication to growing nutrient-dense legumes and grains that people can actually trust.

The Fergusons farm the way they live: connected to their community, honest about their process, and proud to serve their neighbors with real food from real farmers.

That's the small-town way. And in their hands, it's absolutely the future.