Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle del Hudson
Martín and Gaudencia Rodríguez, owners and workers of Mimomex Farm
The Land Belongs to Those Who Work It: Mimomex Farm and Regenerative Agriculture
Por Nohan Meza
September 2024 In one of the most fertile areas of Orange County, near Goshen, New York, a Mexican immigrant couple has cultivated their American dream. Using regenerative and natural processes to produce traditional Mexican vegetables and herbs, they are Martín and Gaudencia Rodríguez, owners and workers of Mimomex Farm.
The Zapatista movement was a landmark in Mexico’s history when revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata called on the Mexican peasantry to fight for their freedoms against the dictatorial government of Porfirio Díaz and support the rights of agricultural workers, popularizing the now-famous phrase, “The land belongs to those who work it.” Since 2004, Martín and Gaudencia have been growing and harvesting with their own hands typical products from their hometown in Puebla, Mexico, such as papalo and blue corn. But they cultivate them right here in Goshen, as immigrants, on the land that now belongs to them.
In an interview with Mariel Fiori on La Voz at Radio Kingston, Martín and Gaudencia shared their story: “We were born and raised in a very small town in the southern region of Puebla, and we went to the same school up to junior high, but we kept seeing each other.” In 1988, Martín emigrated to the United States. Gaudencia, for her part, arrived in 1991, where she reunited with Martín and “We got married, and we had five children since ’91.”
And although they are now established, the path as immigrants was not without adversity. “We didn’t know it was a bit difficult because we arrived without documents,” says Martín. “We also didn’t have tools, just a rake, and we had a lot of problems. The first year we had a flood, and then a frost came because we didn’t know how to time it.” But both Martín and Gaudencia didn’t let these situations deter them from their goals, and they also received help.
Michelle Hughes, Director of Regional Food Programs at Glynwood Farm, has known Martín and Gaudencia since almost the beginning, and as an agricultural professional and ecologist, she gave them access to a series of workshops for farmers. Reflecting on the experience, Gaudencia says, “Michelle was with us for about ten years. And of all the meetings Michelle invited us to, I think we didn’t miss a single one. We even brought our school-age children along.”
Sowing Community
Mimomex’s success is due to its specialization in typical Mexican products, mainly papalo, an herb similar to cilantro with hints of mint (although it’s not the farm’s only produce). They pride themselves on cultivating without pesticides and using only natural fertilizers, combined with other regenerative agriculture practices. This dedication gave them access to the Green Markets, a GrowNYC initiative of markets where only small farmers who meet rigorous quality standards are accepted. This way, Mimomex has been able to establish itself, increase its production, and expand the land they own.
As farmers, the Mimomex couple is subject to climate changes and soil fertility when it comes to harvesting. That’s why Gaudencia and Martín are part of the Hudson Valley CSA Coalition (CSA stands for community-supported agriculture). A CSA allows consumers to buy a share of vegetables before the harvest date. This gives the farmer financial security that their product is already sold, and they have access to that capital, while bulk purchasing allows for more affordable prices for the consumer. Of course, it’s not without its risks, something Gaudencia acknowledges: “It’s like a relationship between the farm and the community because they know that if at any moment the production is damaged, they won’t receive anything, and they’ve already paid upfront, although that hasn’t happened yet. We always try to make sure they get what’s fair, what we believe they’ll enjoy.”
Gaudencia and Martín recognize that despite their constant effort, they wouldn’t be in this position without the support of people like Michelle Hughes and the community where they settled. “We don’t operate alone. Behind us, there have always been many people, and I’ve always said that,” Martín emphasizes, highlighting the idea that immigration is not achieved alone. “To all my immigrant people, don’t stop dreaming, don’t stop fighting, and give your best to move forward.”
As a way of giving back to their community, Mimomex has partnered with the Glynwood Food Sovereignty Fund. The program provides technical support to 19 farms to produce food that will then be distributed for free at food pantries and distributions to ensure access to healthy, quality food for the entire community, regardless of economic capacity. Hughes explains that “many times it’s not possible for farmers to donate food because they depend financially on its sale.” The fund aims to alleviate those difficulties, and they are currently accepting applications from farmers who want to join the program.
You Reap What You Sow
The couple has also observed a cultural shift in the type of production among farmers: “It’s becoming like a peaceful revolution of products because right now, many farmers grow papalo, pipicha, epazote, and we learned to grow potatoes, onions, and other things we didn’t do in our region and country.” Martín notes that as interest in these kinds of regional producers increases, it allows markets to have more variety and also gave them the opportunity to expand into more traditional productions.
Today, Mimomex Farm has daily schedules at different Green Markets and works almost 50 acres of land. Sowing the life they enjoy today with their own hands, the couple is proud that their sons and daughters have also found success through scholarships and job opportunities.
Having accompanied Martín and Gaudencia to meetings since they were small, the children were always involved with the farm. So much so that the farm’s name comes from a nickname: “We have a son named Anthony Miguel, but one of our daughters, when she was a baby and talked to her brother, always called him Mimo because she couldn’t say Miguel. So, we decided to name the farm Mimomex after him.” Although all their children have achieved university careers, that’s not something the couple took for granted.
Reflecting on the time of applications and their children’s wishes, Gaudencia recalls that “our fourth child, Mimo, wanted to go to the University of Southern California, and I thought it was an unattainable dream because he told me about 50,000 people apply. I got excited when I saw the university and started taking pictures, and he told me, ‘Calm down and don’t take any pictures because I’m not here; if one day they accept me, you can take all the pictures you want.’” Proudly, Gaudencia later shared that Mimo was accepted early and received a scholarship, just like the rest of the family’s children.
More information
Mimomex Farm: mimomexfarm.co
Food Sovereignty Fund: http://glynwood.org/what-we-do/regional-food-programs/food-sovereignty-fund.html
Hudson Valley CSA Coalition: http://hudsonvalleycsa.org
COPYRIGHT 2024
La Voz, Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle de Hudson
In an interview with Mariel Fiori on La Voz at Radio Kingston, Martín and Gaudencia shared their story: “We were born and raised in a very small town in the southern region of Puebla, and we went to the same school up to junior high, but we kept seeing each other.” In 1988, Martín emigrated to the United States. Gaudencia, for her part, arrived in 1991, where she reunited with Martín and “We got married, and we had five children since ’91.”
And although they are now established, the path as immigrants was not without adversity. “We didn’t know it was a bit difficult because we arrived without documents,” says Martín. “We also didn’t have tools, just a rake, and we had a lot of problems. The first year we had a flood, and then a frost came because we didn’t know how to time it.” But both Martín and Gaudencia didn’t let these situations deter them from their goals, and they also received help.
Michelle Hughes, Director of Regional Food Programs at Glynwood Farm, has known Martín and Gaudencia since almost the beginning, and as an agricultural professional and ecologist, she gave them access to a series of workshops for farmers. Reflecting on the experience, Gaudencia says, “Michelle was with us for about ten years. And of all the meetings Michelle invited us to, I think we didn’t miss a single one. We even brought our school-age children along.”
Sowing Community
Mimomex’s success is due to its specialization in typical Mexican products, mainly papalo, an herb similar to cilantro with hints of mint (although it’s not the farm’s only produce). They pride themselves on cultivating without pesticides and using only natural fertilizers, combined with other regenerative agriculture practices. This dedication gave them access to the Green Markets, a GrowNYC initiative of markets where only small farmers who meet rigorous quality standards are accepted. This way, Mimomex has been able to establish itself, increase its production, and expand the land they own.
As farmers, the Mimomex couple is subject to climate changes and soil fertility when it comes to harvesting. That’s why Gaudencia and Martín are part of the Hudson Valley CSA Coalition (CSA stands for community-supported agriculture). A CSA allows consumers to buy a share of vegetables before the harvest date. This gives the farmer financial security that their product is already sold, and they have access to that capital, while bulk purchasing allows for more affordable prices for the consumer. Of course, it’s not without its risks, something Gaudencia acknowledges: “It’s like a relationship between the farm and the community because they know that if at any moment the production is damaged, they won’t receive anything, and they’ve already paid upfront, although that hasn’t happened yet. We always try to make sure they get what’s fair, what we believe they’ll enjoy.”
Gaudencia and Martín recognize that despite their constant effort, they wouldn’t be in this position without the support of people like Michelle Hughes and the community where they settled. “We don’t operate alone. Behind us, there have always been many people, and I’ve always said that,” Martín emphasizes, highlighting the idea that immigration is not achieved alone. “To all my immigrant people, don’t stop dreaming, don’t stop fighting, and give your best to move forward.”
As a way of giving back to their community, Mimomex has partnered with the Glynwood Food Sovereignty Fund. The program provides technical support to 19 farms to produce food that will then be distributed for free at food pantries and distributions to ensure access to healthy, quality food for the entire community, regardless of economic capacity. Hughes explains that “many times it’s not possible for farmers to donate food because they depend financially on its sale.” The fund aims to alleviate those difficulties, and they are currently accepting applications from farmers who want to join the program.
You Reap What You Sow
The couple has also observed a cultural shift in the type of production among farmers: “It’s becoming like a peaceful revolution of products because right now, many farmers grow papalo, pipicha, epazote, and we learned to grow potatoes, onions, and other things we didn’t do in our region and country.” Martín notes that as interest in these kinds of regional producers increases, it allows markets to have more variety and also gave them the opportunity to expand into more traditional productions.
Today, Mimomex Farm has daily schedules at different Green Markets and works almost 50 acres of land. Sowing the life they enjoy today with their own hands, the couple is proud that their sons and daughters have also found success through scholarships and job opportunities.
Having accompanied Martín and Gaudencia to meetings since they were small, the children were always involved with the farm. So much so that the farm’s name comes from a nickname: “We have a son named Anthony Miguel, but one of our daughters, when she was a baby and talked to her brother, always called him Mimo because she couldn’t say Miguel. So, we decided to name the farm Mimomex after him.” Although all their children have achieved university careers, that’s not something the couple took for granted.
Reflecting on the time of applications and their children’s wishes, Gaudencia recalls that “our fourth child, Mimo, wanted to go to the University of Southern California, and I thought it was an unattainable dream because he told me about 50,000 people apply. I got excited when I saw the university and started taking pictures, and he told me, ‘Calm down and don’t take any pictures because I’m not here; if one day they accept me, you can take all the pictures you want.’” Proudly, Gaudencia later shared that Mimo was accepted early and received a scholarship, just like the rest of the family’s children.
More information
Mimomex Farm: mimomexfarm.co
Food Sovereignty Fund: http://glynwood.org/what-we-do/regional-food-programs/food-sovereignty-fund.html
Hudson Valley CSA Coalition: http://hudsonvalleycsa.org
COPYRIGHT 2024
La Voz, Cultura y noticias hispanas del Valle de Hudson
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