Jessica McIsaac and her family. From left are her husband, Neil, daughter, Hettie, and twin sons Hayden and Hunter. Jessica’s eggs from her Petaluma, Calif., farm are sold throughout the state.

PETALUMA, Calif. — Jessica McIsaac knows her chickens.

They strut, scratch and mingle knowing they won’t be cooped up as they produce eggs for her.

“I grew up in agriculture and raised cattle and hogs in my youth and active in 4-H and FFA,” she said. “I began operating my organic pasture raised egg farm in 2011.”

In 2016, she expanded and built a processing plant and developed her own brand.

“We operate in Northern California where there is a strong market for specialty products,” she said.

The hens are on about 50 acres.

The eggs are packed into three brands: Pasture Fresh Eggs, sold locally in Northern California; Clover Sonoma Pasture Organic; and Raley’s Pasture.

The farm has both organic and non-organic pastured laying hens, primarily brown egg layers such as Bovan or Hyline Browns.

The birds are kept in lay until about 75 weeks. After that, they are sold locally.

The eggs are hand-gathered by an employee daily and stored at the processing plant.

Jessica and her family have a dairy, too.

“My husband, Neil, and his father also milk 300 organic cows on our current dairy facility where we live and raise our family,” she said. “We sell the milk locally.”

Jessica and Neil run the businesses together. Along with the chickens and cows, they grow grass silage.

Altogether, they farm about 600 acres.

Jessica’s family farm is part of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, or MALT. Founded in 1980, it was the first land trust in the country focused on protecting farmland — an idea that has since been replicated around the world.

Lily Verdone, MALT’s executive director, highlights Jessica’s contributions.

“Our work protecting and stewarding the agricultural landscapes of Marin County depends upon close partnerships with the local ranching community,” Verdone said. “Jessica McIsaac, one of the few fifth-generation ranchers in our area, plays a key role in these efforts and is an invaluable player in building our regional resilience.”

But, like many farms, the McIsaacs face their share of challenges.

“In the last few years we have been facing many long-term challenges,” Jessica said.

For example, she said, “Very high feed prices make it difficult.”

They also have been protecting their chickens against the bird flu that has plagued poultry farmers in the Midwest. “We are currently in a long stretch of dealing with avian influenza, which is a real challenge,” she said.

Last year, the farm also faced many post-COVID packaging supply issues, part of the supply chain problems that have slowed deliveries, she said.

But the immediate obstacle, she said, has been the mass quantity of rain that has pounded Northern California — and how to keep the water on the farm.

With funding help from MALT, the McIsaacs built a system that captures storm runoff, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.

They capture runoff from the 36,000-square-foot roof of the dairy barn and drain it into two storage tanks. From there, the water is pumped to a reservoir.

So far, the system has captured 670,000 gallons of water that otherwise would be lost.

Occupation: Farmer

Family: Husband, Neil; daughter, Hettie; and twin sons, Hayden and Hunter

Hometown: Petaluma, Calif.

Education: Modesto Junior College, associate degree in animal science; Cal Poly, bachelor’s degree in dairy science