The first question: Did anyone know what the old hacienda was? Joaquin said, Andreotti’s farm, on Kelly Ave. Asked if there was a map to the old San Benito, Joaquin said yes, if you visit the old museum in Half Moon Bay you’ll find a book with information about Half Moon Bay and the Coastside. Rancho San Benito went from “pretty much 92” to Purisima, which was the original land grant and where the name Rancho San Benito comes from.
Someone asked, whence came the name Spanishtown? Joaquin said he didn’t have that information, but people started calling it Spanishtown when it became a new territory. It became Spanishtown, perhaps in the 1860s, when a lot of the older families came here.
Joaquin spoke of the struggle of farmers and farmworkers coming to the United States and the loss of farming space in San Mateo County. He described how we are the largest farming community in the county, with over 1,000 acres that we have lost in the last three decades by not farming them. This cannot happen, he said. He cited the Muzzi family in Pescadero; brothers of whom one, Joe Muzzi, is not farming any more. Then there is the Marchi family, who once had more than 30 workers but have fewer workers now. “So they are farming less,” he said.
He mentioned Burns, not farming as much he used to, and South Coast farms in San Gregorio. Many upcoming farms are small organic farms; instead of 1,000-acre farms like they used to be, they are 100 or 200 acres in size.
Someone asked, Is there a place they can display their produce? Joaquin said yes, he had Powerpoint photos of locations and participants in Pescadero, that illustrated how the idea of Rancho San Benito was born: Someone was looking for a couple of acres, with the idea of participants receiving an education on not how to farm, but how to run a business.
He gave a model: one person can take care of one acre for 40 hours a week. Crop rotation on it can make an income of $100,000 a year which, he said, is what we will implement here on the coast.
To be part of this program, you must join a 14-week Renaissance program on how to run a business, and do workshops with the Resource Conservation District on practices like irrigation systems, use of compost, or crop rotation. Everything is organic.
As an example, he cited the “no-till” practice: When you till land, that releases something in the soil that benefits it. In the Midwest, land is dry because there’s a lot of tilling. They think that the more you till the land, the better it is, but no, that can make it worse. So that’s a part of this program: with one acre, use hand tools or small equipment like a rototiller, to only till the top 4 to 6 inches of soil, or not till it at all. He spoke of equipment he wants for the program, that puts the seed right into the soil.
Someone asked, When you’re talking about the farmer who makes $100,000 a year, is that gross or net? He answered, Gross. So what’s net? Joaquin said that depends. A lot of farms are making $100,000 right now with the farmworker working for somebody else. The most a farmworker can make on the coast is $32,000 a year, working for somebody else, 40 hours a week. You work one acre of land about 10 months of the year, you can make up to $100,000, for somebody else – like Rancho San Benito! He laughed and everyone joined in.
So we receive all documents from the federal government. We were recognized as a 501c3 on San Benito Day, and Joaquin asked if anybody knows when that is? It’s July 11, when we celebrate San Benito. After becoming a nonprofit in 2022, this organization has been through many changes, Joaquin said: We received our first grant from the County of San Mateo -- a Measure K fund – and it was a startup, a fund to get it going. We also went through the city, to have employees. Most of the work is done by volunteers, board members, and an advisory board.
We have presentations done by the California Center for Club Development, about creating a farming co-op. He mentioned organizations in Davis, on property leased from POST. The Wavecrest property, anyone remember the Wavecrest property, he asked? “A lot of history” on that property, he said.
He said, we are not interested in building housing on the site. This property is an educational property: to prepare farmworkers to become farmers. Any structure we put on the site is going to be a temporary structure, something we can remove in 24 hours. Shelter for our tools, shelter for our participants depending on the weather, a place to rest; 50 acres of our property are farmable. Twenty acres are wetlands, and we can have small animals, small livestock. Part of San Benito is to create a CSA box, which is a co-op for participants, to distribute everything organic in our community. We’re going to raise and grow organic, he said.
He continued: When you talk about how much a farmer makes, they make 10 cents on the dollar. They have been accumulating for generations, investing in equipment, seed, pesticides, chemicals, all kinds of things. Maintaining the property, that’s an investment! When you talk about a one-acre farm, that’s a minimum investment. In the seed, in your time. Everything else, the work they do, he said, remember it’s 40 hours per person, one acre, a week. You don’t hire anybody. You plant the seed, you weed, you harvest, one single person can do that.
Questions followed from the Rotarians, and Joaquin answered.
Where is the water coming from? We are actually working on that right now. The property has three wells and it has a pond. We never touch the pond, we leave it alone. It will cost us $150,000 to fix the pond, so we aren’t going to touch it. On top of that, “we got frogs and other critters in there we don’t want to disturb.”
Red-legged frogs? Yes: Red-legged frogs, some snakes, beehives (he laughed) So we aren’t going to disturb the pond. Just stay away from it -- yes?
Do the wells need to have power to pump the water out? He said, what we are gonna do is get into contract with the county and see the water. Because it’s a farm. But it’s a minimum use of water, that’s why we have to go through the irrigation system, using a drip system. Most sprinkler systems pretty much grow crops, don’t require a lot of water, can be maintained pretty much seasonally, or no crops, go with the season. Use SF water in case it’s needed. It’ll be water-based farming.
He mentioned a water irrigation system. Right now, the focus is to have 20 acres, the west side of the property from the (bench, something Industries, (?)) to the property, that’s about 20 acres. He said, “That’s our focus, to start farming. Twenty-five acres is going to be for us, to do a hay crop. And about 10 acres of the property, are going to become flower beds, herbs, sage, rosemary, lavender, and a few other things, fruit trees, windbreaks, hedgerows. So we are going to set out an educational program, and we want to invite the community to see the way farming is done, at least productive farming, based on our one-acre-per-person model.”
Asked where the property is, Joaquin said, Wavecrest; that is Seymour Street, west side, and Highway One, the corner, so between Seymour and Wavecrest.
Someone asked, They grow hay there now, right? He said, “Yes, we’ve been growing hay for three years. We waited to start a program with the farmworkers, to lease the whole property. It’s a beautiful site; I go there pretty much every day.” And, he continued: “So this is the eucalyptus back of Seymour Street, here’s a farm right here, so from that, the line, here’s where the house used to be, where the house was, when it was actually a farm, some of the remains are still there in that area. So from that home, it’s going to be used for the program. As we get more participants, we’re going to get more land, 25 acres, to do that.”
He spoke of a three-year plan for the participant to become a complete farmer. That includes 14 classes with Renaissance, four classes with RCD, the practice of distribution, support of the Rancho San Benito, no-till, drip irrigation system, use of compost, and wind breaks.
“And we will use a lot of trees, they actually can produce at the same time, fruit trees.”
Someone asked, At what age about do you start reaching or educating people? Can they grow up with this? He answered,18 and over. Right out of high school, if they want to continue farming, high school students, they want to become farmers, they’re welcome to be part of the program. We don’t teach how to farm, we teach how to run a business. The participants already know how to farm.” He said they’re talking about how to run a business, of course, talking about income, doubling or tripling their income. “They’re working for somebody else right now,” he said. “So they can work as a corporation, 40 hours a week; if they have two people, 20 hours a week; if they have four people, it’s 10 hours a week. So they can keep their day job, and still tend to the acre in the evenings or on the weekends.”
Rotarian listeners had questions, which I will summarize:
So the program would take care of the legal side of things, so if they go to the program they don’t have to get separate certification or anything like that? Joaquin said, No, everything’s free. It’s a nonprofit. We will apply for grants. One of our staff is a grantwriter. We have two grants that we’re writing, to buy more staff, and to buy equipment, to do the fencing. We actually have (someone) to do the fencing and to do the water. So we’re working to buy tools, equipment, these will actually be purchased by San Benito. So there will be no overhead costs. The only cost to the participant is the seed. That’s about it, and the time they want to invest.
So is there a selection process for who gets to do this? Joaquin said, No. Everybody’s welcome. So this is open for the community. Everybody on the coast – even though we have a lot of participants, coming all the way from San Jose. One wants to farm. She graduated from the Renaissance program last week so she’s ready to have her own business. And she wants to farm-to-table. She’s a cook, so she wants to grow things she can cook with and sell. And that’s her business.
How do you apply? Joaquin answered, You come to us. ( The listeners laughed.) Our Web site is going to be up pretty soon. People are interested in (I couldn’t hear the Web site.) It’s open to everybody in the community. Our mission is to do internship with high school students, they take courses from high school, college, and find funding to give them a scholarship after their internship. Everything related to our heritage of farming on the coast.
Joaquin said there’s three ways that we can lose our farmland: No farmworkers, no farmers, and no land. So right now, POST is buying a lot of farmland on the coast, but they sell the property back to the farmers. It’s a benefit, a program they have … so for us, we will have the opportunity to purchase this land, to continue to have a program, year after year.
Question: How do you evaluate how things are going? He answered, Part of our staff (job) is to do that. For example, we report in to the county, we report in to the city, above all we have meetings to present, our expenses, everything. And of course, our participants … they say, ready to go, we have a three-year plan for them to become a complete farmer. It’s up to them if they want to continue in the program. That certifies them, so they are actually a farmer. As a farmworker, you would not receive a loan or a grant from anybody, even if you have been farming for 20 years, working for somebody else. As a farmworker, if you apply for a grant, you don’t have the experience to run a business. You want to sell your own farm and you go for a loan, they won’t give a loan. So what this is doing, is certifying. To recognize a farmworker, they are farmers. So that’s why they take the courses, the workshops, the certification – the three-year process, so they can actually apply for grants, or for loans, to continue to farm. It’s funny how 20 years of experience doesn’t give you a loan or a grant.
Question: I was just wondering, are Coastsiders a higher choice than somebody that’s coming from another area? He said, We’re not hiring; you’re a participant, so there’s no cost to anybody, and you will not get paid, so it’s available to anybody. The questioner asked, No preference to Coastsiders? His answer: What we want to do is give the opportunity for people to farm. The Coastside is a platform for the program. So we have the land. We have 50 acres to farm. After three years we will have more land, to continue to grow the program.
Question: Are you guys part of the Wavecrest/POST tour of this coming up?
He said, No. Not yet.
Question: Is that part of your property?
Joaquin: It’s POST property but we have the lease on it. It’s Wavecrest property. POST is the owner but we have the lease on the property. Part of the plan, what we want to do, is, eventually, for the community, for anybody, is to come and see the way it’s being farmed, where your food comes from. Like I mentioned, 20 acres is about … to do more livestock. Organic eggs, a few goats, to build the soil, how things are going to be implemented … more beneficial, for the participants and for the community. It’s a learning process.
Question: When you acquire more property, are you going to say within Half Moon Bay, or go outside?
Joaquin: The coast. Anywhere on the coast. Our focus is to work in the Coast. We have participants from Pescadero, so we acquire land in Pescadero, it’ll be easier for them to go on the property than drive to Half Moon Bay. San Gregorio, same thing, Tunitas area … So we want to be close to where the participants are. Easier for them. Because of the road …
Question: Is this organization leasing the property from POST or is POST letting them use it?
Joaquin: No, we’re leasing it. We’re paying for the year. So we have a 30-year lease; now we can actually move into a five-year lease. That’s why we are doing (?) with the water … we’re going to be doing the groundbreaking pretty soon.
We had a haystack last year; we had a lot of rain, there was a lot of weeds the grew within the hay. A lot of invasive weeds came in; we weren’t using any chemicals, nothing. It’s all organic, natural, nothing … But this is the first year that we actually harvested. We had a profit of, uh, $18,000. We made a profit, that is going to go back into the program.
He showed a map. So this is the land. This, here, is for all hay. Like I mentioned earlier, every day we keep losing farmworkers. We keep losing farmland, a lot of farmers are going out of business. And we want to keep that from happening. Because someone’s going to get the idea to try and develop this beautiful land. You know the history of this land, there were plans to develop this land 10 years ago. So, we see the benefit of keeping open space, keeping farming alive, and giving an opportunity to new farmers.
He gave an example: (I didn’t get the name – Inoki?) A local farmworker for 40 years, making $25,000 a year. (Not sure of that name either -- The Stu??) brothers, they’re from Pescadero; Pescadero, San Gregorio, Half Moon Bay, Half Moon Bay, Half Moon Bay, Half Moon Bay. There are four women, part of the program but not there for the presentation, but thinking about opportunity.
The cost of living on the coast is not going to get any cheaper. It’s a lot of struggles, paying the rents, housing for farmworkers, low income, this would give them the opportunity to make the income for them to pay for actually market-rate housing.
Question: Are we building any farm-labor housing on the coast here?
Joaquin: There is actually Stone Pine. I don’t know if any of you have been by there lately, but it’s a lot of heavy equipment doing the infrastructure on the ground, but we’re going to do a lot of pumps. Forty-seven units will be on the land. We hope the first farmworkers will move in in the beginning of 2025. We were hoping to do it this year, but permits and a few other things, (but he branched into hopes for mobile homes this year) ready for the farmworkers to move in next year.
Question: So will they rent or own?
Joaquin: That’s a really good question. They get to own. Under the Joe *** grant, this will give the opportunity to farmworkers to own a mobile home. To start building wealth.
Question: What about the farmworker housing that’s being built on Kelly Street?
Joaquin: I’m not able to answer that; I don’t want to get the city in trouble; I don’t know the mayor’s --- (a lot of laughter erupted.) But Rancho San Benito is the first program (like this) in California. We have other communities that want to replicate our program. We have other programs, in Salinas, this is very similar. But we have to make a few changes to better serve the participants. During 2020, in the pandemic, a lot of students who graduated (from a similar program) and who were farming lost everything. They had a marketing strategy, they had a distribution center, but they had (?) more opportunity for failure.
Our participants, they can (?) as long as they want. They can be a farmer, and still be under the umbrella of San Benito. They can do distribution here on the coast.
Question: Will there be literally a Farmers’ Market somewhere that someone will buy the stuff?
Joaquin: Yes, Rancho San Benito will become part of the Farmers’ Market here. One of the advisors is ready for them to start farming and harvesting so they can get their produce into the Farmers’ Market.
Question: Once these people go through your program and want to go out on their own, how do they get land to grow and how do they get equipment to farm?
Joaquin: It’s the same thing if they are under the umbrella of San Benito, we will provide support for them. We will find the land. That’s why we will be a nonprofit, so that gives the opportunity to apply for a grant so we can hire staff. And settle them so they can be successful farmers.
One acre per person; so they don’t need a lot of land. Even on two acres, you’re going to have to hire at least one more person to help you harvest, so some of your income is going to go to pay for the person who is going to work for you. We try to avoid that: one person can manage one acre.
Question: Once they go on their own, do they owe you money?
Joaquin: No. Everything they make is for them to get an idea of how to budget their income. We’re going to offer trainings like that: Renaissance offers how to budget for the year, like investing in seed. They know how to farm. All these guys, and the women, know how to farm. Organic methods.
Question: Do they get the one acre from your land, or go outside to get that one acre?
Joaquin: From us. The land we have right now at Rancho San Benito is where they’re going to get their acre so they can start the learning process, how to manage one acre of land to start a business. (After) three years they can make a decision: stay on the coast, or if they find land in the Central Valley, Northern California, anywhere. Once they do the program, are they obliged to stay on the coast? No. They can make a decision to go anywhere. It’s about economic mobility. Give the opportunity to become successful, by having your own business. We don’t want to hold anybody hostage on the coast because they went through our program.
Question: Where does all the funding for this program come from?
Joaquin: Nonprofits, organizations, donations, from the county we can apply for Measure K funding, Life Science program from them, foundations. We have two foundations that will work with us on the three-years strategy grant for funding.
Question: I heard you say that you’re leasing for 30 years so this land will be used while they’re farming. They will not own it.
Joaquin: No. (indistinguishable comment about ownership of the land) We can continue, year after year, educating community members to become farmers.
Question: And will someone be monitoring that they are farming?
Joaquin: Us. We are the organization. Rancho San Benito is an organization with a board and staff. We are the ones who are going to monitor. These are adults, so we are not babysitting anybody. They’re there for a purpose. And – I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to say, that question feels a little bit condescending, to be honest. You have to believe in what the farmworkers can do. They’re going through the program. They know how to farm.
Question: (about those from the Central Valley,) how are they going to find out about this?
Joaquin: Through our Web site. We’re going to have a Rancho Web site for people to reach out to us. There’s a community north of Fresno in the Central Valley that became a model for Rancho San Benito. To work with farmworkers for them to become farmers, community members to become farmers, they want to farm. So, farm to table. I’ve been doing presentations on Rancho San Benito for three years. Even during the pandemic I was doing some presentations on our program.
Question: Do you need hand tools?
Joaquin: We are. We’re going to use a lot of hand tools. The tractor is an ongoing one-time, to prepare the soil for the farmworkers. One time and that’s it.
Question: I have a wicked hoe that I bought and we’re moving and I’m never going to use it. It’s got your name on it!
Joaquin: Our plan is to disturb the soil the least possible way.
Question: You mentioned that a lot of them are already farmers. If you’re in the program, can you go to the farmland after their 9 to 5 job and do their farming as well?
Joaquin: They’re not farmers, they’re farmworkers, and there’s a difference. If you fill out an application, you can distinguish: you’re a farmer or farmworker. (Indicates a slide) This guy is a farmworker and a cook. This guy is a farmworker and works at a restaurant. (next slide)This guy is a farmworker who works at one of the nurseries, and also works at a restaurant. (next slide) This guy is a farmworker and does construction on the side. To be a able to make a living on the coast, your income has to be over $100,000. Living wages on the coast, San Mateo county, is only $30. Actually, you have to hold two jobs. (next slide) (name) He’s a farmworker and also he grows a little bit of vegetables already, and he makes a little income. Lives on a quarter of an acre. On less than a quarter of an acre. And he’s making an income out of that. Organic. Alfredo, same thing. By the way, his oldest daughter is at UC Davis, pursuing education. Alfredo has twins. They’re in second year, college. So they’re looking for progress. They’re looking for opportunity. And that’s what we’re doing: giving them the opportunity to become successful.
Question: What can we do to be most supportive of this?
Joaquin: The Web site is available, you can visit, and of course you can learn. We want to make the property an educational property. But you can support local farmers, the local Farmers’ Market. By the way – not all the vendors in the Farmers’ Market are locals. But I guess you already know that. There’s only, maybe five. Everybody else comes from different areas. So we want to support local farmers. And that’s one of the big things: education is a big piece.
Right now, as we learn, a lot off our soils on the coast have been affected by a lot of the chemicals, pesticides. We want to make sure that we educate, and we give the opportunity to our local community, or farmworkers, or anybody who wants to be a future farmer. Think about the idea: one acre per person. That’s all it takes. You manage one acre, 40 hours a week, 10 months of the year, and make about $100,000.
Question: You take care of the local pests: gophers, snails, etc.
Joaquin: That’s a rotation of crops. It’s a big deal. When you do a rotation of crops, you have less that will affect your harvest. Another thing: the farmers that do one crop, they have a problem with the gophers and a few other things, because they don’t manage that. It’s only one crop, like Brussels sprouts, The bigger farms, Giusti farm? They do mostly one crop, and they do rotation with English peas, fava beans, and the concentration of nitrates, legumes – it’s a practice. But it’s always one crop.
Question: As I understand it, rotating crops gives a benefit to the soil. How is that?
Joaquin: Yes. Certain little bugs, they follow certain plants. When you rotate them – as soon as you harvest your lettuce, you get everything out, you plant something else. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, So that’s a rotation; the whole one acre: to better harvest, to better produce whatever you’re growing. It’s a very simple thing to do, but it’s not practiced because we are focused on one crop: if you go to an organic farm, they do rotation of crops. They don’t have a problem with gophers or the little bugs that come around with the harvest.
Question: In the Farmers’ Market, are the local vendors identified?
Joaquin: I don’t know; I know who they are because I know them; I know the farmers on the coast.
Question: You know who they are by what they’re selling. (i. e.) We can’t grow oranges here.
Joaquin: One last question.
Rotarian: Can you introduce your assistants? Tell us a little about them?
Joaquin: Yes, of course. Lizette Diaz, who grew up in Half Moon Bay; four boys, a mom; she’s one of the staff at Rancho San Benito, project manager. She’s the one working here with the city, with the water district, about our connections, getting permits for the fencing, contacting the participants, reporting to the board, reporting to me; we meet back and forth about the process we’re going through. Nicole (I don’t know her last name) is our grantwriter, she’s also from Half Moon Bay, is working with us to do the grants with different groups funding us; Jim Holley, local celebrity, and he is a celebrity –
Jim Holley: I’ve had a total of four days’ experience with Rancho San Benito, and for me it’s a wonderful opportunity. I majored in agriculture, Ohio State University, big ag school, and I grew up on Wingstead Avenue and 140th street. We did have a small front yard, but that was the extent of my practical experience. All these years later, I majored in agricultural economics, farm management, and all these years later I get an opportunity to advance my experience. Thank you!
Joaquin: Thank you. All our board members are from different backgrounds, different knowledge; one of our board members has been across the world, the food justice; Stacy – not that Stacy! (pointing at me; laughter ensued) also a community member who has a business, her and her husband. Then we have Hector, who’s been part of Young Farmers of America; he’s a farmer himself, in Gilroy. We have Tony Serrano, also from our community, he was on the original board when we created Rancho San Benito and he was going through some personal problems and had to step down but he’s rejoining again. He is a son of farmworkers, and he’s the older brother of (?) Serrano, a young lady who was shot and killed by the deputy sheriff at Moonridge. So Tony Serrano works for St. Vincent de Paul. He’s doing a lot of work around mental health with community programs for the farmworkers, so he’s rejoining the board again. (there was thanks and applause)
In appreciation, the certificate stating 15 people have been inoculated against polio was presented to Joaquin.
CLUB MEETING - AUGUST 1, 2024
President Irwin called the meeting to order.
Inspirational Thought
The meeting began with John Evans’ reminiscence of the last exchange student, a trip to Yosemite with Larkin’s sister and husband, and discussion of how croissants are prepared by cutting open in a manner which John, with a French accent, called “croissant massacre.”
Announcements
President Liz told how Rose, while on vacation with husband Mike, had a mishap when her husband Mike fell from their van and she tried to catch him, and in the process broke her knee. She is in hospital in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, where they wanted to do surgery but she wanted to get home. So a “get well” card was passed around and signed by all.
Liz continued that Nancy has a printed newspaper from the San Mateo Daily Journal which shows the first official publication about Lobsterfest. We have sold 26 tickets as of today, but we need to sell 200. Liz encouraged us all to get online and buy tickets, and encourage friends and family to do the same.
Visitors and Guests
Visitors and guests included Susan Kealey’s partner Dennis and Stacy’s husband Doug. Liz and Teri were headed for the East Bay for a Back to School night (“not for us.”) Angel, visiting from the Montara Credit Union, was introduced, saying he looked forward to hearing more about Rotary. Susan Kealey told us to put Saturday, Sept. 21 on our calendars for the Dunes Beach cleanup. Dianne named the Rotarians who usually write up the meetings -- Stacy, Susan, Joe and Steve on Weeks 1 through 5 respectively; Bella covers the fifth week.
Today’s guests included Rancho San Benito project manager Lizette Diaz, San Benito founder and director Joaquin Jimenez, and board member Jim Holley.
Happy News
After Irwin asked for a reiteration of the Relay for Life news, Liz said that “We made money,” almost $15,000 from our team, thanks to a huge donation from Robin Kirby. She recognized Wendy Smittle who received the “Thousand Paper Cranes” from our club, in support of the American Cancer Society.
Irwin led the meeting game, passing out pieces of paper on which we made five words out of the letters he set on the screen. Rosie won.
Marble Draw
New soon-to-be member Shirley was really lucky and pulled the white marble