GOLETA, Calif. — Over 20 years ago, a University of California farm adviser had an idea: to find new, viable, value-added crops that would benefit farmers. His answer: coffee.

“Coffee was part of that experience,” said Jay Ruskey, founder of Good Land Organics, the flagship farm and home of FRINJ Coffee. “In 2002, I planted a trial crop of coffee and proved that coffee could be grown outside tropical regions.”

Currently, FRINJ provides coffee plants as well as breeding their own hybrids. The goal is to provide California farmers with vigorous plants that thrive in the California climate.

The result: High-quality, California-grown coffee.

Ruskey said his program serves the farmer who is trying to diversify in a growing market in which consumers are aware of the quality of their coffee and where it is grown, similar to the wine industry.

Here’s how the growing process works:

• If a farmer is interested in growing FRINJ Coffee, he or she can contact Ruskey to do a site evaluation. If the soil is appropriate, he will provide a comprehensive plan.

• The farmer pays for the plants and gets support from bean to cup.

Coffee plants take about four years to reach full production.

“We have established a whole systems solution to coffee production, which includes growing, harvesting and processing support,” Ruskey said. “We are pioneering the California Coffee Movement.

“We also reduce the investment the farmer has to make to take the coffee to market by providing processing and sales resources,” he said.

FRINJ consults with the farmer on proper irrigation, nutrition and pruning for successful crops.

The coffee tree begins its flowering cycle in the summer, with a 10-12 month period for fruit maturation. When the cherries are a dark red, they are harvested and taken to the Bonsall Mill in San Diego County, where the fruit and seeds are separated, dried and processed.

Coffees are then cured 2-4 months, shelled and sorted, and prepared for roasting and sales.

Good Land Organics in Santa Barbara County receives northern farmers’ fruit and handles all storage, dry milling and roasting.

“Coffee is not easy to grow,” he said. “If you can grow good fruit, there is a high chance you will have a high-scoring coffee for maximum return. Today, we support over 70 farms in the coastal climates of Central and Southern California.”

In California, coffee plants are irrigated, whereas most of the world’s growers rely on rainfall. Irrigation allows farmers to adjust the nutrition and soil acidity, allowing for more flexibility.

FRINJ Coffee has several cultivars of coffee.

“Our Geishas and Canturras are well known for their distinct flavor profiles,” he said. “Geishas are floral with more black tea qualities, while the Canturras have great body with strong fruit flavors with a citrus finish.”

Hometown: Goleta, Calif.

Occupation: Chief executive officer and co-founder of Good Land Organics and FRINJ Coffee.

Education: California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, AgBusiness and Marketing

Family: Kristen (wife), a daughter and two sons

Website: www.goodlandorganics.com

Quote: “FRINJ is pioneering California-grown coffee for generations to come and provides a unique opportunity for farmers to benefit from a value-added crop in California to capture the craft consumer.”