Meet the Farmer

Emiliano Vásquez’ story begins in Oaxaca, Mexico, where his parents taught him how to farm from a young age. His family grew coffee and produce, such as plantains, zucchini, beans and corn, to sustain themselves and maintain a close relationship to the land. 

After arriving in the United States in 2000, Emiliano worked at organic ranches as a farmworker. However, he always hoped to one day run his own business. Finally, with support from his wife, Hermina, he took the leap and created Vasquez Organic Farm in 2019, focusing on providing healthy, organic produce. Emiliano currently leases 10 acres of land in Hollister where he grows six varieties of cherry tomatoes. 

Every day, Emiliano strives to improve and refine his farming knowledge so that he can produce even higher quality vegetables. One of his favorite parts of the job is meeting customers who are excited about bringing home his recently harvested crops. 

A big source of Emiliano’s motivation is his family: the farm was created not only to fulfill his dream of business ownership, but also so he could provide for his kids and send them to school. While his kids often help at the farm, everything Emiliano does is meant to open doors for them to pursue careers that they love, whether in agriculture or other industries. Simultaneously, Emiliano is able to carry forward his family’s legacy of stewarding the land. Another important connection to his heritage that Emiliano shares with his kids is speaking Triqui, an Indigenous language, so they can feel proud of their roots.