Plucking peaches and oranges off trees, squeezing juice by hand, watching her grandmother prepare traditional Japanese New Year’s dishes with homegrown daikon, leeks and carrots — those are a few of the many fond childhood memories Jamie Sexton has of visits to her paternal grandparents’ farm in rural Madera, Calif.

Sexton was born and raised in the urban Bay Area but loved her escapes to the country, a two-hour drive away.

“My grandparents were nisei farmers who grew 15 acres of grapes commercially for raisins and had a half-acre of fruit trees and vegetables for their own consumption,” she said. “My favorite snack was mikan, super-sweet mandarin oranges from their garden. Even as a kid, I was aware of how much better food tasted when it came straight from the farm.”

In the late 1970s Sexton lived in Yamagata, Japan, for three years, teaching English for the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program. Rice, cherries, pears and Fuji apples are still major crops in that beautiful farming region.

“It was the first time I lived in a place where the cuisine reflected four distinct seasons,” Sexton said. “For example, in the fall, you would see a lot of mushrooms in dishes; in the winter, persimmons would be plentiful. Come early summer, my friends and I would go into the woods to pick warabi ferns. Such wonderful experiences led me to my cultural roots and inspired me to connect with nature and my community through food.”

Today Sexton is co-owner/chief operating officer of Holoholo General Store and a partner in the Red Barn Farmstand in Haleiwa, which hosts Farmers & Friends Friday, a monthly event spotlighting local farmers and makers of artisanal food products.

Participants include both longtime partners and newcomers to the barn ohana such as Bob McGee of Pono Pork, who is on the billboard this month.

McGee buys his pigs from a Waianae farmer, who raises them according to the Korean Natural Farming method. Shunning fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, this approach introduces indigenous bacteria, fungi, nematodes and protozoa to the soil to digest the pigs’ waste, resulting in a clean, odor-free environment. Moreover, the pigs are fed a vegetarian diet that’s free of antibiotics and hormones.

“Bob says his pork is outstanding because of that diet, but I also think food raised with care, which is what all of our farmers do, tastes better,” Sexton said. “Another factor is freshness, which is what you get when you choose local products. Our herbs and produce are picked at their peak ripeness and delivered to us straight from the fields.”

Adam Ramos, the barn’s chef, has created four Pono Pork items for the upcoming Farmers & Friends Friday: meatballs in a sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce; sausage and Ho Farms veggie kebabs; BLBT salad (bacon tossed with Ho Farms long beans, tomatoes and garlic aioli); and Krispie Bars made with bacon, cacao nibs and salted caramel.

Visitors are welcome to linger at umbrella-shaded tables and benches, browse in the barn’s store, “talk story” with the featured guests and view their exhibits, which might include photos, ono samples and take-away recipes.

“We want to encourage discussions about food sources, preparation ideas and growing and manufacturing techniques,” Sexton said.

“We hope those who attend Farmers & Friends Friday will be motivated to use local ingredients. Our dishes can easily be made at home, and it’s fun to experiment. It all begins with awareness — that feeling of delight, surprise and appreciation for what’s in season on the farm.”

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ABOUT THE RED BARN FARMSTAND

When Waialua Sugar Plantation closed in 1996, Milton Agader and Al Medrano, two of its longtime employees, decided to use their combined 45-plus years of experience and start their own business. Twin Bridge Farms opened in 1998 on 250 acres in Waialua; it now grows a variety of produce, from papayas to potatoes (asparagus is its specialty).

In 2015, Agader and Medrano built the Red Barn Farmstand in neighboring Haleiwa, envisioning it as a gathering place for the community to celebrate the agricultural bounty of the area. They turned management responsibilities to Jill Nordby and Jamie Sexton, founders of 6-acre ­Holoholo Farm and Holoholo General Store, which runs a multifarm, community-supported agriculture program that provides 300 Oahu subscribers with fresh fruits and vegetables every other week.

Under Nordby and Sexton’s guidance, the barn has become a welcome North Shore stop. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., it offers fresh produce; locally made products, including jams, jellies, chocolate, tea and coffee; and grab-and-go goodies (think kim chee turkey and bacon wrap, sweet potato hummus, baked goods and daily specials such as smoked brisket and pulled pork).

The barn is available for private functions Monday and Tuesday and after regular hours the rest of the week. It can also be the venue for cooking classes, workshops, demonstrations and other public events.

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.