Farming for the Future: Shanley Farms’ Finger Limes
Story by Jonathan LaFerrara
Photography by Ruby Wallau
On a warm afternoon at Shanley Farms, Megan Shanley Warren deftly maneuvers around the finger lime trees beneath an unrelenting sun. Her three young boys take off running, exploring the more than 100-acre property.
“They say, ‘We want to be farmers when we grow up,’” Megan shares about her sons James, Jack and Sterling. “I’ll tell them, ‘That’s really cute, you guys, but we have to figure out if we can keep this farm.’”
Megan and her husband Justin became the farm’s sole owners, caretakers and sales reps in 2023 when Megan’s father and business partner, Jim Shanley, unexpectedly passed away while vacationing in Costa Rica. Four years prior, the family lost Megan’s mother to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. While still navigating the emotional losses and anxiety about the future, Megan and Justin agreed to purchase the shares of her sister and press on.
The Beginnings
Shanley Farms overlooks the Pacific Ocean in Morro Bay. Formerly known as Morro Canyon Ranch, the late patriarch Jim Shanley purchased the land in 1998 during his retirement years. It was a second career for him, with the intention that it would be a steady revenue stream through retirement. Starting with 30 acres of avocados in Morro Bay, Jim continued to fuel his love of farming by purchasing more land in Visalia, a certified organic farm then-called Venice Hill Ranch. Today, both properties remain in the family.
Initially tending to avocados, Jim became enthralled with growing exotic or unique fruit: fresh goji berries, a special fig variety, passionfruit, dragonfruit, finger limes and coffee. “Shanley Farms was one of the earliest farms in California to try planting coffee. They’re very experimental,” says Jay Ruskey, Chief Executive Officer of FRINJ Coffee, which uses Shanley Farms’ coffee fruit.
“Ten years ago, Jim and I were early pioneers in the finger lime industry, and we quickly bonded and worked together to adapt several new crops on his farm and others in Southern California,” recalls Jay. Coffee, today, is not one of the key crops for the farm, but it does represent a very fascinating one. Shanley Farms could be one of the most northern latitude coffee producers in the world.
As Jim’s business and specialty produce interests began to grow, he called up his daughter, who was then working for berry producer Driscoll’s in Kansas City. They discussed running operations together. “He was picking my brain about the business,” says Megan. “I said to him, ‘Why don’t you just hire me?’” Two weeks later, Megan packed the truck and headed back home to California.
She hit the ground running. It was at the Santa Monica Farmers Market in 2011 where she introduced customers like the personal chef of actor Jim Carrey and celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck to the farm’s distinct finger limes. That exposure also led to a Los Angeles Times article about Shanley Farms’ Morro Bay avocados, touted as a premium fruit from the region.
Jim knew it was time to begin the trademark process for their green gold. It was more than a marketing statement; the avocados were a point of pride. Because of the area’s cooler microclimate, growers can let their fruit hang on the tree longer than in other parts of California. Now trademarked Morro Bay Avocados are harvested in the late summer and early fall, leading to a much richer and creamier avocado.
The Next Chapter
Jim’s passing was a major wake-up call. Megan’s husband left behind a successful career in building and refurbishing homes and became a farmer overnight. Megan dug even deeper into the sales and marketing of their produce catalog with a particular focus on popularizing the finger lime, which was relatively unknown in the U.S. market.
The fruit is native to Australia, and Shanley Farms is one of California’s major producers and promoters of what is affectionately called Citriburst. Once cut open, the finger-shaped fruit offers a juicy surprise. Inside are caviar-like pearls (ranging in color from pale green to pink) filled with a delicious juice — a mix of lemon, lime and grapefruit flavors of cool, tart and tangy sweetness. These pops of acid can be squeezed from the outer rind, making for a simple yet impressive seasoning or garnish for food; seafood dishes and cocktails are especially enhanced.
Planting Seeds for the Next Generation
Over the past few years, Shanley Farms has sold finger limes to school districts all over California, New Mexico and New Jersey. Children can be some of the most honest critics — but it turns out, kids are big fans of the juicy goodness, and sales for these young customers continue to grow.
Still, Megan and Justin see the market dynamics of the finger lime crop and know it’s an uphill battle for their shining star. “We used to buy finger limes from several other growers when we were short, and lately our calls have been met with responses that they’ve ripped out their trees,” she explains.
It’s no secret that maintaining financial stability of a farming business is difficult, but the Warrens are taking it season by season. “I see the money that’s in the bank, and I see the bills coming through, and that’s a harsh reality check,” Megan offers, candidly. “When we first got handed this, we said we’re going to give it two years to see what we can do. We thought, let’s just get on our feet and see if we can handle this. We weren’t ready to give up. We’ve come close to that, but not just yet. And we’re now going into our third season.” Making it past the two-year mark was a major milestone. And now for Megan and Justin, whatever form the new iteration of Shanley Farms may take, they are determined to see it through.
Poke with Taro Chips and Citriburst Finger Limes
Recipe by Shanley Farms
Serves 4, as an appetizer
- 1 medium taro
- Extra virgin olive oil, for light brushing
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 8 ounces sushi grade ahi tuna, cubed
- ½ tablespoon shoyu sauce
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon chili oil
- ½ green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 4 teaspoons Citriburst pearls from about 4 finger limes
PREPARATION
Step 1
Prepare taro chips: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice taro with a mandoline and lay pieces on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Brush both sides of chips lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15−20 minutes until edges are lightly crisped.
Step 2
Prepare poke: In medium bowl combine tuna, shoyu sauce, sesame and chili oils, green onion, sesame seeds and 2 teaspoons of Citriburst pearls.
Step 3
Spoon poke mixture onto taro chips and garnish with remaining Citriburst pearls.
