Our Story
Runway Farms — A True California Family Farm
At Runway Farms, family is at the heart of everything we grow. Our story is rooted in Santa Maria, California, where Abel and Laura Maldonado raised their four children—Erika, Nick, Marcus, and Galdino—with a love for the land, respect for hard work, and a commitment to one another.
A Father’s Example
Born in 1967, Abel Maldonado grew up in Santa Maria as the eldest of three children born to immigrant field workers. His father came to America from Mexico with little more than the shirt on his back and a belief that hard work could create a better future for his family.
As a young boy, Abel picked strawberries alongside his father to help support the family. Through Future Farmers of America, he raised a Grand Champion hog and became a California FFA Farm Power State Champion. Those early experiences helped shape the values he would later pass on to his own children: sacrifice, saving, planning, and investing in the future.
After graduating from Santa Maria High School, Abel studied Crop Science at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. He brought what he learned back to the family farm, helping grow an operation that began with just half an acre of strawberries into a business farming more than 6,000 acres, employing over 500 people, and shipping produce around the world.
For his children, his greatest influence was the example he set: work hard, care for the land, and keep building for the next generation.
The Heart of the Family
Ask the Maldonado children who holds the family together, and the answer is simple: Mama.
Laura Maldonado also grew up in Santa Maria, where her family taught her that hard work could open doors. From her first job at Taco Bell to her career as a dental hygienist, she carried that lesson with her. She continues to work full time while remaining the heart of her family.
Laura and Abel raised their four children in a ranch home filled with love, home-cooked meals, and three hungry boys and their sister. The ranch was both their home and a classroom—a place where the children learned what it takes to grow food and care for the ground beneath their feet.
Laura made sure her boys worked on vegetable crews at a young age. She wanted them to understand farming firsthand: the early mornings, the long days, and the responsibility that comes with every crop. She also wanted them to experience the satisfaction of seeing hard work turn into something they could be proud of.
The Next Generation
In 2018, Nick and Marcus set out to build a farming business of their own, inspired by what their father had accomplished and grounded in the lessons both parents had taught them.
They worked with a hands-on approach, keeping the operation lean, improving efficiency, and staying closely involved in the fields. Through years of dedication, Runway Farms has grown to include 250 acres of organic strawberries, 500 acres of organic broccoli, 200 acres of conventional strawberries, and 100 acres of Hass avocados.
Behind those acres is a family that understands the work because they have lived it.
Our Promise
Our focus is simple: bring quality fruits and vegetables to our partners every day of the year.
We take pride in our organic operation and in caring for the Santa Maria soil that supports our livelihood. We believe growing a strong business goes hand in hand with preserving productive farmland for the next generation.
Runway Farms carries forward what Abel and Laura taught their children—work hard, take care of what you grow, and put your heart into what you do.
From our family to yours, that is the promise behind every harvest.