Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Uchiyama.
Hi Lisa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My husband Giovanni and I found 445 Green Gate during Covid when we were looking for a place for our beloved horse, Casan. We had a place at Varian Ranch and wanted a place to board him with lots of grass and space. We found an old wedding venue that was a bit run down, needed much rejuvenation and bring beauty to the spaces which was incredible but covered by overgrown trees, run down ponds and ugly landscape. We both saw the potential and the possibility in May of 2021. My husband and I came from the tech world of Silicon Valley where nothing is impossible if you have the vision, grit and energy to do the work. I had no idea what I was getting into. There were open fields that were covered in black plastic from their Hemp and Marijuana crop. There were raids and bullet holes in the windows of the family house, but we wanted to plant lavender. Lavender was happy, calm and energetic at the same time. It was something that most people loved and the inherent beauty and healing powers was overwhelming. We thought we would plant a few plants, that ended up being about 50,000 plants of 15 different varieties. We worked every day and into the evenings. I thought high tech was tough, but farming was a different animal and humbling. We loved horses and had 2 to start, now we have 5 in total but about 25 on the farm. We spent so much time at the farm, we decided to buy the boutique horse farm next door when it became available and it was the perfect match in heaven, We sold our home at Varian and moved to the old dairy farm that was the previous owners vacation rental, We live right next to our bottle fed lambs, sheep, chickens and horses right outside our door. It is pretty amazing for a little girl that always wanted a horse growing up, but never could get that idea past ‘could I go to horse camp this summer?’. It always ended up with a ‘don’t be ridiculous’. Now I am living the dream of having farm animals that follow me around each evening on our stroll and pet my horses after dinner. When I look at the possibilities and say, ‘dream big G, My husband Gio would say, ‘Just dream bigger’. We have built a 137 acre farm into a peaceful sanctuary for guests to visit, celebrate and connect. It is a dream come true.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think we would both agree that we made every mistake a new farmer would make if anybody was watching. We put the irrigation in wrong, we listened to the experts on lavender, we set the barn initially in the wrong spot and paid way too much for equipment and labor. We learned so much but we got smart along the way. We had 50K plants that had to be hand cut and tied and hung and brought down. We were overwhelmed with too much lavender and placed them wrong to dry and they all molded. We now have a better harvester and budding system to help with the overwhelming amount of lavender off the field. The central coast is such a mecca for growing bountiful plants. We had to work through the county for permits and permissions for the unauthorized buildings from previous owners, but we were patient and fixed the problems through sheer force. We loved the property but did not know how hard this would be. High tech seemed easy at this point!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I came from High tech in Silicon Valley where it was a 6 day a week job and on the treadmill running high. I loved working with smart professionals and creative thinkers moving and changing the world with new products, innovations and pushing the needle of technology nobody heard of or how it would affect the every day person. I went to culinary school to start my young career, then hated it and moved to Apple, Silicon Graphics and then my final stop at NVIDIA- the most valuable company in the world. I still get goosebumps thinking about how a single mom getting back into the working world, raising 2 young kids and trying to make a new life. I worked there for 7 years and saw in awe the makings of something that makes sense now as I look back. I left knowing what the CEO was envisioning and remember all he had taught me and kept buying the stock. It was the moment of his execution that changed my life. My husband Gio, who is brilliant, was one of the critical players that built the data centers of companies such as Pay pal, Facebook, Google and You tube. He has that same vision most humans do not. I was lucky to create Cavalli today with that same ‘Dream bigger’ theme at heart. We have created vacation homes that guests relax and celebrate in, we have a beautiful equestrian center that my passions can play in every day and the innocent nuzzle from my horses welcome me each morning, It is a dream. The lavender has allowed us to creatively play with essential oils, varieties of lavender and create wellness products, aromatic garden botanical sachets and mists that guests enjoy. I get excited to see the first deep purple variety, Betty Blue perking up to pick for the new season, We have 3 homes available for vacation rentals, I really enjoy making things beautiful- from the furnishings, paint palette and picking out accessories to complete the rooms in each home. I also manage the landscaping around the homes. It finishes the whole property- but it is a lot of work and weeding to keep it all in balance,
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
NEVER GIVE UP. That is a really important lesson in life, on the farm, in the riding arena and trying to figure out how certain plants in the landscape work with others. I love life lessons but some are harder than others and if I could teach something about farming, guest relations and hospitality is that you must listen to the plants, the horse, the animals or the guests to understand and make the experience better. We continue to lead and work hard each day. I think we are proud to stand next to our team of 10 to work next to each other and visualize what we want and see it come to fruition by getting it done, then tweaking it and dialing it in. It is so much work but such a labor of love.
I have loved horses all my life and never thought I would have a horse let alone a big barn and performance horses that do dressage. I am thrilled to open my passion into Cavalli and never took my eye off my dreams.
I also love to learn. I experimented with essential oils to make my own ‘jo malone’ mists for room and linens using our own lavender oil and layering different scents to create a wonderful aura before bed. I am continuing my journey in wellness products and items for the home filled with amazing scents, aromatic oils, luxury products and candles.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cavalliestates.com
- Instagram: cavalliestates
- Facebook: cavalli
