Everything for your
lawn and garden…
and more
Written By Kelly Barbazette
Staff Photo Standing (l-r): Debbie Barncord, Raul Diaz, Erin Gil, Robert Santiago
Sitting (l-r) Maria Leedeman, Rose Shumard, Pippa Dillman, Kathleen Medeiros , Claudia Anaya
56
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
april/may 2019
W
ith its meandering paths
through themed gardens and
a gift shop brimming with
outdoor accessories, Grass Farm Garden
Accents has blossomed into a treasure-
trove for gardeners.
The store’s motto, “Everything for
your lawn and garden, plus more” rings
true for this family-owned business that
opened in 2002.
Debbie Barncord, who runs the busi-
ness along with her brother Erin Gil,
said it began with their dad’s sod farm,
which sells directly to consumers.
William Gil started the family’s sod
farm in Morgan Hill in April 1969.
What began as a 20-acre property now
boasts 170 acres.
“He loved the farm,” Barncord said.
“We grew up in King City. There’s been
farmers in the family for a long time. But
sod was something completely different
than anyone had done in the past.”
She recalled her brothers, Erin and
Eric, helping to pick up the rocks in
the fields.
“Planting the seeds was a family
adventure,” Barncord said. “My dad had
a walk-behind harvester that rolled the
sod up and put it on the pallet and then
it was delivered to the customer.”
Brother Eric went on to launch
Socksmith Socks, a company that sells
an array of socks through an online
store as well as Bay Area retail locations.
Debbie and Erin continued to help with
the family business.
“We went to school and did some
gmhtoday.com