Dominic M. Martin spent his childhood in a middle-class beach town near Los Angeles, and then his family moved out to the country where they established a small orange orchard and he learned about farming fundamentals including orchard layout, irrigation systems, trace elements, government overreach, and labor laws. After attending UC Davis and earning a degree in fermentation science, the author made wine and established vineyards for three decades before teaching those two subjects for one more. He enjoys running, fly fishing, motorcycling, and hiking in the high country.