Wholesum Family Farms

The greenhouses in Amado, Ariz., stretch across the land, filled with rows of tomato plants climbing toward glass ceilings that let in the desert sun. The knowledge behind this growing method spans three generations of the Crisantes family.

The story starts in the 1920s when Miguel Crisantes Gatzionis immigrated to Mexico from Greece and began growing tomatoes in Culiacán. He cleared his first plot of land with machetes and a mule, planting seeds that would eventually grow into a family business. His son, Theojary Crisantes Sr., studied at UC Davis and returned to the family farm with new ideas about how food should be grown. After learning about the dangers of synthetic pesticides and seeing how conventional agriculture threatened soil health and ecosystems, he knew the farm needed to change direction.

The shift toward organic farming came gradually. In the 1980s, Theojary Sr. traveled to Spain and the Netherlands, where he saw modern greenhouse technology for the first time. The controlled environment of a greenhouse meant he could grow organic produce without the challenges of operating in a valley surrounded by conventional farms using pesticides.

Equipped with his newfound knowledge, Theojary Sr. built a greenhouse in Arizona. His first successful harvest was tomatoes — the same crop his father had grown decades earlier.

Today, Theojary Sr.’s sons, Theojary Jr., Adrian, and Ricardo still run the Amado greenhouses, using state-of-the-art technology to protect crops from harsh weather and pests while making efficient use of irrigation water. The farm has been fully certified organic since the late 1990s, growing tomatoes without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.

The farm’s approach to sustainability shows up in how they manage resources, like using solar panels to offset energy use and recirculating water rather than wasting it. These practices stem from the family’s philosophy to leave the land better than they found it.

The tomatoes we source from those Arizona greenhouses carry nearly a century of accumulated knowledge, refined through three generations who’ve stayed committed to growing food in ways that support both people and the planet.

How To Add Farm Stand Products to Your Delivery
Full Circle members – head on over to our online Farm Stand Market to customize your upcoming delivery. Market is open from noon on Thursday until 6 p.m. on your cutoff date. After you confirm your produce items, click the orange button “Confirm and Continue To Other Farm Products” to add farm products to your delivery.

Not part of our farm family? Find out if we deliver to your neighborhood.

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Photos: Wholesum Family Farms