EcoFarm Presents
“Meet the Experts”
Available during the conference to attendees, EcoFarm’s ”Meet the Experts” is an opportunity to get personalized advice from highly knowledgeable industry professionals. During half-hour, one-on-one sessions in chat rooms experts will offer in depth consultations focused on your individual business needs.
Sessions will be available in Spanish and English.
Our Experts for 2026
Organization: Farmhand Consultation on: Websites, Digital Marketing Website: Farmhand.partners
Ari Memar
Ari Memar is the founder of Farmhand, a platform designed to help small farms grow faster and work smarter. After a decade leading product and operations teams at Uber, he turned his attention to strengthening local food systems—bringing Silicon Valley efficiency to the farm gate. He founded Farmhand to remove the barriers that keep small farms from scaling: manual admin, clunky tech, and time lost to everything but farming. Farmhand now supports some of the nation’s fastest-growing CSAs, helping farmers save hours each week while boosting sales and member retention. Memar believes the future of food is local—and that with the right tools, farmers can build thriving, connected communities that feed it.
Available to meet:
Wednesday PM, January 21
Thursday AM & PM, January 22
Friday AM & PM, January 23
Saturday AM, January 24
To set up an appointment: Schedule at meetings.hubspot.com/ari-memar or text 650-387-1784
Frances Andrews fell in love with farming as an intern at Full Belly Farm and later spent a decade as co-owner of a small organic farm. She now provides bookkeeping services to nonprofits, food hubs, and small farms, and recently helped CA FarmLink develop Bookkeeping in Practice, a QuickBooks Online training program for farmers. Guided by mentors in farm finance, Andrews aims to help producers build confidence and ease in their bookkeeping practices.
Available to meet:
Wednesday PM, January 21
Thursday PM, January 22
Friday PM, January 23
To set up an appointment: Call or text 530-848-4477
Organization: Frances Andrews Books; California FarmLink Consultation on: Bookkeeping Websites: FrancesAndrewsBooks.com; linkedin.com/in/frances-andrews-a794b87a
Frances Andrews
Organization: Golden Poppy Bookkeeping & Business Solutions Consultation on: Bookkeeping, Budgeting, Financial Management Website: goldenpoppysolutions.com Se Habla Español
Lily Schneider
Lily Schneider helps agricultural businesses organize and understand their finances so they can focus on building resilient, thriving operations. With ten years of experience supporting farms, she offers bookkeeping, budgeting, and financial planning services that prepare clients for tax time, lending processes, and long-term strategic decision-making. Schneider is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor with an MBA in Food and Agribusiness Management and previously ran her own farm for a decade, grounding her work in practical knowledge of farm operations.
Available to meet:
Thursday PM, January 22
Friday AM, January 23
To set up an appointment: Schedule at calendar.app.google/43fYdcepe5HS4uBF8 or text 707-238-2132
Organización: Golden Poppy Bookkeeping & Business Solutions
Consultoría en: Contabilidad, Presupuestos, Gestión Financiera
Sitio web: goldenpoppysolutions.com
Lily Schneider ayuda a las empresas agrícolas a organizar y comprender sus finanzas para que puedan enfocarse en construir operaciones resilientes y prósperas. Con diez años de experiencia apoyando a granjas, Lily Schneider ofrece servicios de contabilidad, ayuda con presupuestos y planificación financiera para preparar a sus clientes para la temporada de impuestos, procesos de préstamo y decisiones estratégicas para el futuro. Schneider es un ProAdvisor de QuickBooks con un MBA en Gestión de Alimentos y Agronegocios. Anteriormente, dirigió su propia granja durante una década, lo que fundamenta su trabajo en un conocimiento práctico de las operaciones agrícolas.
Disponible para reunirse:
Jueves por la tarde, 22 de enero
Viernes por la mañana, 23 de enero
Para programar una cita: Visite calendar.app.google/43fYdcepe5HS4uBF8 o envíe un mensaje de texto al707-238-2132.
Jamie Collins is an organic farming expert with twenty-five years of experience as the owner of Serendipity Farms and as an organic inspector and consultant. Her work is rooted in a passion for supporting fellow farmers as they navigate certification compliance, and the transition to organic production.
Available to meet:
Thursday AM & PM, January 22
Friday AM & PM, January 23
To set up an appointment: Call or text 831-521-7386
Organization: California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) Consultation on: Organic Certification, Transition to Organic Website: ccof.org
Jamie Collins
Organization: American Farmland Trust Consultation on: Agrivoltaics, Outreach, Storytelling
Greg Plotkin
Greg Plotkin is a nonprofit leader with more than twenty years of experience advancing agricultural conservation and food systems. As Senior Manager for Smart Solar Outreach and Engagement at American Farmland Trust (AFT), he leads farmer-centered strategies for agrivoltaics and solar development. His expertise includes marketing, communications, and program management, having previously led AFT’s digital engagement efforts and national campaigns such as America’s Farmers Market Celebration. Greg has worked closely with farmers across the country to promote sustainable practices and diversify farm revenue through renewable energy. He also serves on the board of the Sebastopol Farmers Market, supporting local agriculture and community food systems. He holds a B.A. in political science from The George Washington University and lives in Sonoma County, California.
Available to meet:
Wednesday PM, January 21
Thursday PM, January 22
To set up an appointment: Text 202-997-3320
CAFF Farmer Services Team
Organization: Community Alliance with Family Farmers Consultation on: Marketing Tools Website: caff.org
The Farmer Services Team at the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) provides practical, relationship-based technical assistance to small and mid-scale farmers throughout California. A member of the team will be available to offer farm marketing support, including guidance drawn from the CCOF Small Organic Farmer Marketing Toolkit. Topics covered will include branding basics, websites, social media, and strategies for strengthening connections with target customers.
Paulina S. Hernandez
Paulina S. Hernandez was born and raised in Salinas, California, and is deeply motivated by her community and the vast agriculture industry. She earned a B.S. in Environmental Science and Management, with a minor in Spanish, from the University of California, Davis. Before joining CAFF, she worked with UC Cooperative Extension’s Small Farms & Specialty Crops Program in Santa Clara County. In her current role with CAFF, Paulina provides language support and technical assistance to small-scale, socially underrepresented farmers throughout the Central Coast, the place she calls home.
Available to meet:
Thursday AM, January 22
Thursday PM, January 22
To set up an appointment: Email paulina@caff.org or call 831-272-4032
Se habla Español
Brandon Wickes
Brandon Wickes has fifteen years of organic farming experience spanning California, Oregon, Washington, New York, and Canada. In 2015, he co-founded a draft horse-powered vegetable and cut-flower farm in Washington State. After relocating to Northern California in 2017 to be closer to family, he managed a 50-acre diversified vegetable and cut flower operation on the coast. Brandon moved to Southern California in 2020to be closer to his aging parents and raise his son near the beaches where he grew up. He joined CAFF in early 2025 and now serves as an Organic Project Contractor, supporting the implementation of a range of organic initiatives.
Available to meet:
Friday AM, January 23
Friday PM, January 23
To set up an appointment: Email brandon@caff.org or call 858-722-6315