BEFORE SQUEEZE CITRUS EVEN HAD A NAME
it began with a dream and a farmer with a scientific mind
As Herb, grower and driving force behind Squeeze Citrus, began to nurture and grow his ideas of growing organic, regenerative, nutrient-dense citrus, his excitement began to grow right alongside his trees. And so did the excitement of the rest of his family. It seemed that what started as a fun, post-retirement hobby, was turning into more than any of them could have imagined.
ALL HANDS ON DECK
THE FIRST FREEZE
The very first year trees were planted in the grove, the rest of the Young family quickly realized that for this grove to be successful, it would, in fact, be a family affair: there was a major freeze coming.
Everyone banded together to stay up all night building fires and replacing frozen irrigation heads - doing everything they could think of to protect the baby trees from the temperatures that wouldn’t get above freezing for over 48 hours.
Some of the trees survived, some of them didn’t, but the message was clear - the entire family was crucial to the survival of the grove as a whole.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
In the years that followed everyone has found their role- unifying under Herb’s initial dream, and celebrating it finally coming to fruition.
Cathy, Herb’s wife, and a life long realist serves as the CFO, a role she’s always had in the Young family, keeping them grounded and on schedule. She is the anchor to the entire operation.
Spencer, Herb’s eldest son is a serial entrepreneur and the family visionary. Every dream gets filtered through him before it can become a reality.
Megan, Spencer’s wife uses her natural skills as a writer and is the driving force behind social media and all of Squeeze’s marketing efforts.
Ben, Herb’s younger son is the grove’s unofficial mechanic. Nothing on the farm rolls or runs without his constant tinkering.
Lane, Ben's wife has an incredible passion caring for animals and plants. She is constantly in the grove giving individual attention to the trees and adopting a couple of stray “farm dogs.”
THREE GENERATIONS
Mabry, Herb’s granddaughter is the natural cheerleader of the family. A willing taste tester, she is always quick with a smile and honest feedback.
And then of course there is Ford, the “star of the show,” Herb’s 12-year-old grandson, who has been at Herb’s side from day one. Ford’s sheer excitement for the grove keeps the whole family motivated. When Ford is not at school, you can find him in the grove. He may have started off mowing and weeding but he has quickly become Herb’s right-hand man. He is constantly dreaming up new ideas, and finding ways to make processes better. Aside from Herb, no one is more invested in the farm than Ford.
HERB YOUNG
OWNER & GROWER
Besides running the day-to-day, Herb lapses quickly into his role as the scientist: tests in the field, notebooks filled with calculations, and earbuds always listening to regenerative enthusiasts from around the world.
There was no roadmap to grow citrus regeneratively, and Herb’s scientific mind was crucial in building a soil ecosystem that is the force behind Squeeze’s amazing nutrient-dense fruit.
