Tag: Joe Coelho

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Across California, growers are seeing measurable gains in yield, water efficiency, and soil health, all thanks to live, native microalgae.

California growers know that every drop of water, every inch of root zone, and every dollar spent matters. With drought, salinity, and floods happening nearly every year, the margin between surviving and thriving often lies beneath the surface, in the soil.

Healthy soil is alive with organisms that each play a role in supporting crop growth. Some, like earthworms, are easy to see, while others work on the microscopic level. Among these tiny contributors are microalgae, which naturally occur in most soils and help drive key biological processes like root development, soil structure, and water and nutrient availability. When microalgae are thriving, the whole soil system becomes stronger and more productive.

That’s where MyLand’s Soil as a Service™ comes in. MyLand, a soil health company based in Phoenix, is returning live, native microalgae to the soil through growers’ existing irrigation systems, helping farms rebuild biological activity and unlock the full potential of their land.

The results, verified by independent third-party data, speak for themselves. In 2024, California farms using MyLand saw:

• 168% increase in harvested pistachios during an off-bearing year
• 23% more marketable citrus fruit per acre
• 4% less soil sodium
• 32% higher organic carbon
• 50% drop in tree water stress

For California nut growers like Justin Wylie and Joe Coelho, MyLand’s Service is helping rewrite what’s possible for long-term soil health and profitability.

Building resilience in pistachio orchards: Justin Wylie’s story

At Wylie Farms, a fifth-generation pistachio operation in California’s Central Valley, Justin Wylie has spent years watching extreme weather push his soil to its limits. Heavy rains once meant phytophthora, runoff, and erosion, while drought cycles left the ground compacted and trees under stress.

That trajectory began to change when he adopted regenerative practices, including the integration of live, native microalgae through the MyLand Service. His orchards began to thrive even during intense rain, with stronger ground cover and native grasses helping stabilize sloped terrain and minimize erosion.

The addition of microalgae quickly became central to his soil health strategy. Supporting the soil with live biology helped jumpstart broader microbial activity, which in turn supported nutrient cycling and improved water dynamics.

With soil function improving year-over-year, Justin was able to scale back chemical inputs without sacrificing yield or crop quality, thereby sidestepping the typical ‘J curve’ many growers experience when transitioning to regenerative systems.

Healthier soil has also meant less tree stress and more efficient water use. This change has helped Justin create a foundation of resilience that now carries his orchards through both wet and dry years. His message to fellow growers is practical and encouraging: “Take the smallest amount of acreage that you can stand to lose the crop on, which is, of course, a worst-case scenario. My goal has been to not experience any sort of drop-off in production and quality. And I think we’ve been successful.”

Now, Justin’s trees are more resilient, his soil is more balanced, and his operation is better positioned for the next generation.

From skeptic to advocate: Joe Coelho’s journey at Terra Linda Farms

A few hours south, in Riverdale, California, Joe Coelho was facing familiar challenges at Terra Linda Farms. Saline soils, uneven infiltration, and the constant pressure of water scarcity were daily stressors. After nearly four decades of farming pistachios and almonds, Joe had seen countless improvement options come and go.

“I’ve seen a lot of solutions over the years,” he said. “But some of the changes I’ve seen with MyLand are very shocking and in a good way. It’s the first time in my career I’ve seen something move this fast.”

Skeptical at first, Joe decided to try MyLand’s Service on 600 acres. Within two years, the data told a clear story. He cut nitrogen use by 30%, replaced $450 per acre of inputs, and maintained the same yields.

MyLand’s soil analysis confirmed rapid improvements:

• +359% organic phosphorus reserves
• +428% total phosphorus
• +98% iron availability

“Part of my problem is just having enough time in the day to do everything,” he said. “Just having MyLand as a one-stop shop for a lot of different solutions is fantastic and saves a lot of headaches at the end of the day.” As a fully managed service provider, MyLand requires no extra effort from growers.

As Director of Sustainability and Member Outreach for the American Pistachio Growers, Joe now shares his experience with peers facing the same challenges. “It’s not just about yields,” he said. “It’s about reducing complexity, farming more efficiently, and solving multiple problems with one solution.”

A future rooted in healthy soil

From Wylie’s pistachio orchards to Coelho’s mixed nut farms, a clear theme is emerging across California agriculture: live, native microalgae do the job. By restoring the living foundation of soil, MyLand’s Service is helping growers achieve measurable results faster than conventional methods alone.

For California farmers navigating water limits, soil salinity, and rising costs, the path forward is simple: let biology do the work.

Visit MyLand.ag to learn more.