On June 19, 2025, Cody Nicholson Stratton (pictured left), farmer/operator of Foggy Bottoms Boys Farm, joined virtually on Zoom for Pride Month Lunch and Learn; pictured right, Cody, his husband Thomas, and their six-year-old son.
In celebration of Pride Month, CDFA’s Office of Civil Rights and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee hosted a special virtual Lunch & Learn with Cody Nicholson Stratton of Foggy Bottoms Boys Farm, a sixth-generation organic dairy, located along the Eel River Valley on California’s North Coast.
The session welcomed participants to hear Cody’s story, not just about farming, but about family, identity, and building community in agriculture.
The roots of the Foggy Bottoms Boys Farm dates back to the 1860s, with six generations of the family farming the same land. Cody, his husband Thomas and their six-year-old son, help lead the marketing and social media. The farm, however, is a family run business with four generations, in addition to a small team of interns. “We’ve had to prioritize. Agriculture is uncertain enough as it is — climate, markets, regulatory compliance, so we focus on what matters most to us,” he shared. What matters to Cody is animals, connection, and the joy of sharing their story with others. “My favorite part of agriculture is the next generation,” he said. “I love the animals, and I love farm tours — it’s the sharing that excites me most.”
From receiving a CDFA Farm to School Grant, to also serving on the CDFA Alternative Manure Management Program working group, Cody has taken on several leadership roles in agriculture, including serving two terms as Chair of the California Cattle Council and being elected to the board of Western United Dairies. “When I started, I didn’t see LGBTQ people in ag, not visibly,” Cody said. “They were there, but not out. I began to recognize that there is space for us. When I was elected, it was a moment. I realized I could take a leadership role in agriculture.”
He also emphasized how representation often begins at the local level. “Industry boards are still homogenous,” he noted. “But when you look at the community level, that’s where I see the most representation. Hopefully we keep moving that upward.” Cody spoke about visibility in agriculture, not just for LGBTQ+ people, but for all underrepresented voices. “Agriculture represents a wide swath of our population; we represent the whole spectrum of the American population,” he said.
Challenges and Change on the Farm
“Policy moves at policy’s rate, but that doesn’t always line up with living systems,” “That uncertainty is one of the biggest challenges, especially with livestock,” noted Cody. Yet they’ve continued to evolve, recently using a USDA Value-Added Producers Grant to jump start an expansion of their pints under their Jersey Scoops brand. The grant allowed Foggy Bottoms Farm to secure preprinted pints, perfect their ice cream base and update their website. “We were lucky enough to launch the ice cream with the help of a grant from the Pacific Coast Dairy Coalition that helped us purchase a pasteurizer and our first soft serve machine,” indicated Cody.
All the ice cream is made with grass-fed, organic milk from their herd of Jersey cows. “Jersey milk is the perfect milk for ice cream,” Cody smiled. “We’ve been making ice cream for a year now, it’s not easy to transport, but it’s worth it.”
Want to visit Humboldt County and stop by Jersey Scoops?
Cody closed the event with an insider tip. “The best time to visit Humboldt County is September or October,” he said. “That’s when the fog lifts and the rivers are low—it’s the perfect time for ice cream and a walk-through Fern Canyon.”