I am Magdalena López, I am 46 years old, and I am originally from the city of Oaxaca, from Ayoquesco de Aldama.

My business, Tierra de Esperanza Organic Farms, my husband and I started in 2013. That is why, for us, it is a family business. There are many challenges when starting a business on your own. Without a level of education, we don’t know what is required to run a business. The language is also a very big challenge. But for me, they are not impossible. I have taken accounting classes to learn about cash flow and to learn more about how to do my taxes. I have also taken workshops, courses, and classes in administration, and I rely a lot on guidance and advice. I have to understand that I need to take care of every area of my business in order to understand everything that my work involves.

I have also learned about marketing. Before, we didn’t know how our markets worked, but after taking courses, we know more now, and I would like to continue understanding and learning many more things to keep my business going and maintain it. Now we know what we need to plant so we don’t create losses, during which seasons, and with what care, always keeping organic practices ahead of any production. In English, we have been relying on translations, and now that there are apps on our phones, I have been able to practice and learn more English for better communication.

Being part of PASEA has contributed economically to me and has also given me knowledge. When I joined, I was just starting; I was in my first year with the business, and we didn’t have much vision. We didn’t even know how to connect with people. We were shy.

There, with PASEA, I learned how to negotiate and how to listen to those with more experience. What you learn in the fields helps you in the business. From the setbacks you experience, you learn how to sell and how to run the business. I learned from more experiences that have helped me have a broader vision and minimize risks. We are grateful to connect with more people and businesses that are surrounded by agriculture. These connections open doors for us, help people get to know us, and allow us to keep making connections. It is like a circle that keeps opening up to more people. When I entered this field of agriculture, it was like a bomb that fell and expanded, and I started picking up whatever I could to learn and grow. The bigger a business becomes, the more opportunities open up. With teaching and patience, PASEA has given us opportunities.

In five years, what I want to achieve is to continue growing and remain in the business, and to have my own equipment and machinery. I think that little by little we will grow. I want to make my farm profitable, even if it is small, to support my children. There is a very difficult part of this work, and that is keeping the land healthy and clean. For example, I have made some sacrifices to fight weeds in production and minimize the use of chemicals. We remove the weeds, and sometimes, because of a lack of tools, we do it by hand.

It is very hard, it takes many hours and a lot of effort. These are hours that I cannot spend with my children. That is why we are asking for financial donations or machinery donations to minimize this problem: weeds. We do not use pesticides because we do not want to harm the environment, so that the product can be as organic as possible.

We have three children. The oldest is 15, then one is 13, and the other is 11. They are in elementary and middle school. They help very little in the fields. They help us much more at home, with keeping things organized, taking care of things, and doing household chores. On weekends, they help us at farmers markets because of the language. The farmers markets we go to are Grand Lake Farmers Market in Oakland and in San Francisco. On those weekends, we wake up between 3 and 4 in the morning to set up the stand.

A message to those who consume our food: I would like to tell my customers and everyone outside of agriculture to take advantage of the opportunity to consume organic vegetables and fruits. They are healthy, and at the same time, we are protecting our own lives, theirs, and the soil. We cannot be healthy if we are feeding ourselves pesticides. Food without pesticides gives us a longer life for ourselves, our neighbors, our community, and our children. We are creating a better environment so that future generations can endure. What is the use if fruits are big if they are harmful? As long as we grow organically, we minimize that harm. I would like the community to consume more organic products. If you are interested in learning about my farm and my products, you can email maria.lopez72280@gmail.com