Farmer John honored with an agricultural leadership award

Muller — a Vietnam veteran — also served on the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Board, Coastside County Water District board and the Association of California Water Agencies, as well as national-level advisory boards on agricultural trade, throughout his life. 

Growing up on a dairy farm in San Gregorio and once attending school in a one-room schoolhouse before graduating from Half Moon Bay High School, Muller said he’s honored to have had the opportunity to be of service to the coastside. 

“Those are some of the highlights of my life. Not bad for a little Half Moon Bay guy,” he said. “We want everyone to know that when you give, you receive.” 

He gained valuable leadership lessons throughout his life, including serving in the Navy during Vietnam and leading Half Moon Bay through legal troubles during his time as mayor, Muller said. 

“Good leaders make tough decisions, and I have done that in my lifetime, whether it was in Vietnam, or the Navy or Half Moon Bay,” he said. 

Muller also welcomed many children to his pumpkin and flower farm — which he ran with his wife, Eda Muller — for tours and continues to bring joy to the youngest members of the community, from bringing out his tractor for parades and city events to giving pumpkin seeds for distribution at the local library. 

“Now guess who’s hitting me up? Those fancy people in Burlingame. I bring them seeds every once in a while too,” he said. 

During his lifetime, he’s engaged with government on a local, statewide and even federal level — in an agricultural capacity, like when he helped provide flowers for presidential inaugurations, as well as an advisory capacity. Muller encourages individuals to involve themselves in government as he did, he said. 

“If good people don’t serve our government, sometimes not so good people serve. I encourage people to step up and run for office,” he said. 

Sometimes, Muller wishes he pursued higher education, he said — although he’s immensely proud of his children and grandchildren who successfully completed or are working toward college degrees. Regardless, he reflected on a life well-lived in service to others. 

“I should be proud of myself too. I feel a little guilty, I’m not that highly educated,” he said. “[But] I’ve been a hell of a lot of places. I’ve done a hell of a lot of good things for other people.” 

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