Visitors often arrive at Ma’alot Farms with the same question: how did a rabbi come to steward a regenerative farm on a hillside that overlooks Los Gatos and the South Bay? The answer is rooted in a lifelong commitment to caring for people and a growing belief that communities thrive when they are connected to the land that feeds them.
A Life Shaped by Care and Connection
Shoshana grew up on the Stanford campus in a family that valued curiosity, service, and time outside. Her childhood garden and summers at Hidden Villa in Los Altos helped shape her understanding of the relationship between land and community. Those early experiences led her toward work that involved guiding people through meaningful moments. At 14, she taught Hebrew school, and later she trained as a rabbi and a chaplain. Her motivation remained the same:
“I always wanted to care for people.”
Shoshana Ohriner
Founder and Executive Director
A Homestead That Grew Into a Community Resource
Before establishing the farm, Shoshana and her family lived in Saratoga, where they grew nearly 40 percent of their food on a suburban lot. They felt a growing need for self-sufficiency and a desire to raise their children with a closer connection to nature.
In 2017, they purchased a property in Los Gatos that had once been a walnut orchard. The land was steep, depleted, and difficult to work with, yet full of potential for transformation. The family lived in a 399-square-foot tiny home for five years while they built out the infrastructure of the farm. They learned by trial and error and often describe those years as a time when they “learned as we went.”
A Foundational Gift and a Sustainable Future
The farm began with a generous family gift that enabled the purchase of the land and the initial build. That support laid the foundation for what Ma’alot Farms has become. As the farm grows, its continued care now relies on community involvement through memberships, donations, volunteer participation, and events held on the hill. This approach reflects the farm’s guiding principle that community-rooted agriculture should be sustained by the people it benefits.
Why Regenerative Agriculture Matters Here
Shoshana speaks openly about the fragility of industrial agriculture and the growing vulnerability of supply chains, especially in regions like the Bay Area, where residents depend heavily on imported food. She believes resilience is built locally, through diverse crops, integrated livestock, soil restoration, and biodiversity. Ma’alot Farms is committed to these practices because they create healthier ecosystems and healthier communities.
The farm covers 16 acres, with 10 acres in active production. It supports goats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, occasional quail, and more than 500 plant species. Fruit and nut trees are beginning to mature. The first significant harvest is expected next year, and full production is anticipated in the early 2030s.
Every system on the farm is designed to work in relationship with the landscape.
The goal is long-term ecological health, not short-term yield.
Feeding Neighbors and Strengthening the Local Food System
In Santa Clara County, the cost of living continues to shape how families access food. Even in one of the most economically prosperous regions in the country, many households struggle to keep fresh, nourishing food on the table. Recent data from the California Department of Social Services shows that participation in CalFresh grew from about 40,700 recipients in 2023 to more than 44,000 in 2024, with working-age adults and children making up the largest share. High housing costs and everyday expenses mean that food insecurity remains a reality for thousands of neighbors.
As 2026 begins, that need has not eased. Local reporting from San Jose Spotlight highlights that San Jose is seeing roughly 30% of residents continue to face food insecurity even after accessing food assistance, illustrating persistent gaps in access and reinforcing the need for community-based responses that meet immediate needs while strengthening the local food system.
Ma’alot Farms partners with Loaves and Fishes Family Kitchen to deliver fresh produce to residents across San Jose. During peak season, fresh produce is harvested and delivered within 48 hours. The organizations also exchange compost to replenish soil nutrients. This partnership reflects a core part of the farm’s mission. Food grown on the hill should nourish the wider community.
Since 2023, volunteers from Los Gatos, San Jose, and nearby towns have helped care for the land. Hundreds of visitors now come each year for hands-on learning, community events, and time outdoors. Our farm has become a place where people rediscover the value of local food and understand the ecological systems that support it.
Carrying Forward a Tradition of Care
Although the setting has changed, Shoshana’s work remains grounded in care and connection. Chaplaincy and regenerative farming both require patience, attentiveness, and a deep sense of responsibility to others. On the hill, she continues to nurture people through food, education, and shared experiences that reconnect them to the land and to one another. That commitment to care has not ended. It took root, adapted, and continues to unfold.
The work is ongoing. The ascent continues. And everyone is welcome to be part of it.