KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — When Simon Avery and Melinda Price were considering going into farming, they wanted to find a unique crop, not one that hundreds of other farms across California were already growing.

The pair met in 2016, and their conversation had turned to farming and finding that niche crop.

They ruled out several options.

Mushrooms were eliminated because they involved working inside a dark warehouse. Hops need too much water, and vanilla was not suited for the Northern California climate.

But saffron checked all the boxes. The rare and expensive spice needed relatively little water, making it perfect for the Mediterranean climate, and no one in the region was growing the crop.

They founded Peace and Plenty Farm near Kelseyville, Calif., and soon had what they call the largest organic saffron farm in North America.

Saffron is used as a seasoning and as a fragrance. It is also known as the “sunshine spice” not only for its golden color but for its mood-boosting qualities. It is grown along the north shore of the Mediterranean Sea and in Turkey and southern Asia, but only a few farms in the U.S. raise the spice.

“Simon (Avery) and I purchased the 7.3-acre property in 2017, and had our first saffron harvest that year, said Melinda Price. “We opened the farmstand in 2018.”

The property was once known as “Gaddy Ranch,” and had been homesteaded in the 1800s.

Here’s the growing cycle of saffron:

Saffron corms — a bulb-like structure — remain dormant through the summer and are planted in late August and early September. They “wake up” in response to falling autumn temperatures. The corms send up shoots in October, and bloom from mid-October through mid-November.

That’s when the saffron is harvested by hand and the stigma — the saffron spice — is separated by hand.

The bloom is over by November, when the corms put their energy into growing leaves and roots through winter and spring. “Mother corms” planted deeper yield higher-quality saffron.

By late spring or early summer, the leaves begin to yellow, eventually turning brown and dying back, indicating that the corms have gone back into dormancy for the summer. Each corm forms new bulbs. This is how the plant multiplies.

“We sell our saffron at our on-site farmstand, on our website and to stores and boutiques across the country,” Price said. “All the packaging and processing is done in a specially built facility on the farm.”

On their website, 1 gram of saffron sells for $75. One ounce is equal to 28.3 grams. They also sell 4.6 ounces of saffron-infused raw honey for $20.

The price is so high because picking the flowers and obtaining the saffron “threads” is all done by hand. One flower produces about 7 milligrams of dried saffron. That’s equal to about 0.0002 ounces.

Price uses the precious spice in her cooking.

“My new favorite way to use it is in tomato sauce,” Price said “Saffron adds complexity. It is also yummy in my morning oatmeal and coffee.”

Owners: Peace and Plenty Farm.

Location: Kelseyville, Calif.

Occupation: Farmers

Education: Melinda has a bachelor’s degree from University of the Pacific in Stockton; Simon has a bachelor’s degree from the University of London.

Website: www.peaceplentyfarm.com

Personal quote: “At Peace & Plenty Farm, our goal is to build a thriving organic farm that creates a place for the community to gather, a place for children to learn and to contribute to an economy of local and sustainable agriculture.”