Seeds of Change: A Living History of Land, People, and Possibility

Long before colonization and statehood, California’s land was carefully managed by hundreds of Indigenous nations. Using controlled burns, pruning, seed tending, and careful harvesting, they cultivated acorns, seed brasses, berries, roots, medicinal herbs, and basketry plants in sophisticated rotational systems. They cared for diverse and abundant ecosystems — from valley grasslands to forest understories. 

This was not untouched nature — it was intentional stewardship. It sustained both biodiversity and community life. What settlers later called “wild” was, in fact, a cultural landscape shaped by generations of ecological knowledge and care.

Beginning in the 1800s the Central Valley consisted of large ranches and farms, built on rained grain crops and large landholdings. There were few workers with the implementation of tractors and mechanized harvesting processes.

In a push to settle the West, the U.S. government offers 160-acre parcels of public land to individuals willing to “improve” and farm them. The act reshapes land ownership, but also accelerates displacement of Indigenous communities and ecological disruption.

Formed in the same year that the Homestead Act passes, the USDA is tasked with supporting American farmers and advancing agricultural knowledge. Its policies and priorities will shape land use across generations.

Geologist John Wesley Powell warns of the region’s extreme aridity. His surveys advise against large-scale development without massive irrigation. Against his recommendation, expansion wins out.

By the late 19th century, small private and local farming organizations demonstrated the advantages of irrigation projects in the arid western states. Recognizing the need for a coordinated effort, Representative Francis G. Newlands of Nevada introduced legislation in Congress to secure federal support for irrigation initiatives. The Reclamation Act of 1902, also known as the National Reclamation Act or Lowlands Reclamation Act, was a federal law that funded irrigation. It promises to transform the desert through federally subsidized water, on one condition: no farm larger than 160 acres can benefit. The law aims to empower small farmers and build rural communities.

A new federal agency begins constructing dams, canals, and irrigation systems to make farming the desert possible.

Over the next five decades, California’s water systems and farm labor force underwent enormous change – laying the groundwork for the state’s agricultural dominance and deepening social and environmental inequalities.

• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation established in 1907: To implement the act, the U.S. Reclamation Service was established within the USGS. In 1907, it became an independent agency within the Department of the Interior, later renamed the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. A debate arose over whether reclamation should be managed at the state or federal level, but President Theodore Roosevelt backed a national approach and formed the necessary legislative alliances to ensure the bill’s passage. After years of effort, the act was signed into law on June 17, 1902. Congress intended to use the law to develop the arid lands of the western US into healthy rural communities using reliable surface water from areas with more rain or snowmelt. At the turn of the century, it was already clear that groundwater availability and access would limit agricultural expansion in the region.

Immigrants from around the world power California’s farms. New crops – fruits, nuts, vegetables – require more hands, and mechanization gives way to labor-intensive specialty agriculture.

As part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, the federal government authorizes a sweeping water infrastructure expansion across California. The Central Valley Project (CVP) -one of the largest water projects in U.S. history – is constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation. Through dams, canals, and reservoirs, the CVP redirecting massive flows of water to deliver irrigation to California’s arid interior fueling large-scale agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley.

Though initially aligned with the 160-acre limit of the Reclamation Act, the CVP ultimately fueled consolidation of land and water among industrial-scale farms – further displacing small farmers and laborers.

These dams and aqueducts still shape California agriculture, politics, and ecosystems today.

In response to the Dust Bowl, Congress creates the Soil Conservation Service within the USDA to address erosion and promote sustainable land management. Today known as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), it supports soil health and conservation across U.S. farms.

California enables the formation of Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) – locally led entities designed to steward land, water, and soil at the community level. These grassroots districts become key partners in soil health, habitat restoration, and regenerative agriculture.

The U.S. and Mexico launch the Bracero Program a guest worker program under the Mexican Farm Labor Program Agreement that brings millions of Mexican laborers to the fields. Initially set up to fill the labor shortage created by WWII, it remained in place for more than 20 years. Exploitation is rampant.

In the 1960s the union organizing movement ignited and amplified the call for labor negotiations and protection from  pesticide exposure for workers. 

WWII Marine with a U. of Minn. dual degree in journalist George Ballis (co-founder of National Land for People and People Food and Land Foundation) begins documenting life in the fields – exposing injustice through words and lens.

Amid rising concern over water scarcity, the State of California begins planning one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the world: the California State Water Project. Engineered to bring water from Northern California to the drier Central and Southern regions, it sets the stage for explosive agricultural growth – and increasing concentration of water access.

Mentored by Dorothea Lange and economist Paul Taylor, George dives into the politics of water and land. He joins small farmers to investigate illegal land holdings

Ballis and the Western Water & Power Users head to D.C. with damning evidence: massive landowners are skirting the law. Their maps spark national attention.

President John F. Kennedy supports California’s water ambitions, formally launching the San Luis Reservoir and segments of the California Aqueduct. These federally backed investments fuel large-scale farm development in the Central Valley,but also lay bare tensions: small family farms remain under-resourced while powerful agribusinesses benefit disproportionately.

This water shift sets the stage for the farmworker movement and the founding of National Land for People.

George’s photo of the farmworker march to Sacramento lands on the cover of LIFE. He works closely with UFW and trains community organizers for the Office of Economic Opportunity.

Union efforts led by Cesar Chavez gain traction. Calls for dignity, safe working conditions, and a fair share echo across California’s fields. Access to land and water become central themes in the organizing effort.

By the 1970s, irrigation districts—public corporations run by local landowners and empowered to tax and issue bonds to purchase,construct, maintain, and operate irrigation works—were the leading water suppliers. California’s Central Valley Irrigation Project (CVP), which irrigates the Westlands Water District in western Fresno County was built in the 1960s to move water diverted from Sierra snowmelt river water through a concrete-lined canal. The District spans 600,000 acres (about half the  size of New York City) with less than 600 landowners. The 20 biggest owners included Standard Oil and the Santa Fe Railroad. The Reclamation Law water contracts offered cheap, federally subsidized irrigation water from CVP for 10 years in exchange for the agreement to sell all land over 160 acres (1/4 of an sq. mi.) in 160-acre parcels at dry land values: $100 – $200 an acre by the 1970s. (Farmland values are now high in California. In 2020 California’s average cropland price was about $10,690 per acre & about $2,000 per acre for pasture land. Hedge funds offered $30,000 to $40,000 an acre with plans to monetize the water rights (to sell water for profit or development) when they permanently retired crops. Westlands & the CVP lie next to U.S. Interstate 5, a natural corridor for development between Los Angeles & San Francisco.)

George and Maia Ballis join students in Fresno to organize food-buying clubs. These grow into “Our Store,” a volunteer-run food co-op rooted in equity and community.

To challenge illegal land deals and defend the Reclamation Act, George, Maia, and allies create two organizations:

• NLP to advocate and organize.
• NLPF to educate, demonstrate, and litigate.

They file lawsuits, run organic farms, and push for food systems that reflect justice.

While challenging the system, NLPF builds alternatives: co-ops, farmers markets, organic practices, and educational programs.

The 1975 Agricultural Labor Relations Act was passed permitting farmworkers to collectively bargain through the United Farm Workers. 

With attorney Mary Louise Frampton, NLPF wins a landmark legal victory halting illegal land deals. But backlash is swift – Congress guts the Reclamation Law by 1982.

Under Reagan, big farms win.

George reflects, “We lost not just because of biggie bucks. We lost because what we advocated is against the warp of our time.”

After years of policy advocacy and legal battles, PFL’s founders turned their attention to demonstration – creating Sun Mountain Research Center as a living experiment in regenerative living, systems thinking, and practical sustainability.

George, Maia, and Marc Lasher shift gears. On a hillside in the Sierra foothills, they launch an experiment in living differently:

• – Passive solar homes
• – Community gardens
• – Drought-tolerant orchards
• – Herbal medicine and solar cooking

They rename NLPF to People,Food and Land Foundation (PFL) to reflect this new phase.

Projects Include:

• ~ Certified Organic Farming

• ~ Farmers’ Markets & CSA models

• ~ Community Composting with Fresno city leaves
  
• ~ Education through food co-ops, workshops, and wild edible meals

• ~ “Seminars in Agricultural Reality” Bus Tours for the U.S. Senate and beyond

PFL begins citywide composting with Fresno’s urban leaf waste – turning a waste stream into fertile ground. The effort wins a recycling award and models a regenerative urban system.

California passes AB 939, requiring cities to reduce landfill waste. PFL’s Fresno composting project becomes an early example of successful green waste diversion – years ahead of its time.

Building on co-op roots, PFL staff and collaborators help spread CSA models in the San Joaquin Valley – connecting farmers directly with consumers and fostering regional food resilience.

As the organic movement grows, PFL supports CCOF and national organizing efforts to ensure certification standards reflect true ecological and nutritional values.

Maia Ballis expands her work in herbalism, food preparation, and solar cooking through Herbal Odyssey, the Sun Mtn Herbal Cookery. The program shares recipes, remedies, and seasonal wisdom rooted in land-based living.

The USDA launches the National Organic Program, enshrining organic certification into law. PFL’s early work in organic farming and community education is now reflected in national policy.

PFL installs the first permitted solar electric system in Fresno County, upgrading Sun Mountain Research Center with on-site renewable energy. The project reflects the Ballises’ commitment to regenerative living, energy independence, and environmental leadership in rural communities.

Rooted at Sun Mountain, PFL continued to deepen its land-based practices and educational offerings during a quieter public phase. While not leading high-profile campaigns, the Foundation cultivated resilient infrastructure and intergenerational stewardship – hosting workshops, testing regenerative methods, and continuing herbal, solar, and compost education under the guidance of George and Maia Ballis.

During these years:

•  – Sun Mountain remained a site of ongoing experimentation in passive solar design, drought-tolerant agriculture, and natural systems living.
•  – Herbal Odyssey, led by Maia Ballis, expanded into a rich archive of healing foods, seasonal remedies, and land-based wellness traditions.
•  – PFL continued to host students, visitors, and allies – quietly seeding ideas and relationships that would influence later work in policy, composting, and regenerative systems.

From policy work and composting to soil mapping and circular bioeconomies, PFL carries forward a legacy of resistance and regeneration.

Building on decades of practice and vision, PFL now serves as both a thought leader and infrastructure backbone — linking grassroots movements, public policy, and regenerative land stewardship across California and beyond.

California commits to major organic waste reduction and compost procurement through SB 1383. PFL becomes a key partner in aligning policy and infrastructure to scale composting and soil health.

PFL supports farmers and stewards through outreach, education, and strategy aligned with the state’s Healthy Soils Program – restoring organic matter and building climate resilience.

Through fiscal sponsorship, PFL supports grassroots composting, equitable land access, and food sovereignty projects. This critical infrastructure helps grow place-based solutions and scale meaningful, systemic change.

PFL launches The Carbon Project, linking food waste and farmland to boost compost use and carbon capture. As fiscal sponsor of the California Alliance for Community Composting, PFL also helps secure CalRecycle’s first CCGS grant – supporting over 110 community compost sites across the state.

Today, People, Food and Land Foundation lives on. From policy work and composting to soil mapping and circular bioeconomies, PFL carries forward a legacy of resistance and regeneration.

PFL leads a statewide effort to place climate-smart land stewards inside agencies and organizations. Restore and Regenerate California becomes a bridge between policy and practice – scaling composting, conservation, and bioresource solutions.

PFL co-develops white papers and mapping tools that inform climate-smart agriculture, compost strategy, and bioresource planning – bridging science, community wisdom, and state policy.

Link to Resource Library

The Mycelium Bridge Fund issues its first zero-interest loan – investing in small-scale composters and climate projects that regenerate soil and community.

That same year, PFL launches the Marigold Fund, a participatory grant program rooted in rural California, led by those who work the land.

In 2025, the Pollinator Fund is launched and makes its first grant to support compost education and hands-on vermicomposting in 17 California classrooms.

Building off its previous successes with state, community, and economic partnerships, PFL launches the Bioeconomy Resources and Action Network (BRAN) to connect policy with practice across California – supporting implementation, mapping, and regenerative solutions statewide.

On October 11, 2025, SB 279, a bill authored by Senator Jerry McNerney, passed unanimously in both chambers, giving farmers and communities a practical alternative: compost more organic material locally, right where its’ generated and needed.

As PFL enters its sixth decade, we continue building systems that return value to land, people, and place. Our current initiatives carry forward the same commitments to equity, soil, and stewardship that defined our earliest years – now scaled for the challenges ahead.