Ex-Santa Cruz Co. Farmworker Leads Thriving Enterprise: Report

WATSONVILLE, CA — A former Watsonville fieldworker with an entrepreneurial spirit has taken an organic approach to growing her business.

Literally.

Bertha Magaña started renting agricultural land in Monterey County nine years ago to start an organic farming business, Monterey County Weekly reports.

Magaña Farm, located in Royal Oaks, has built a loyal online following delivering to customers in Monterey County and Silicon Valley, the report said.

The 59-year-old who was barely a teenager when she came in the United States from Mexico 45 years ago finally decided to set out on her own after working the fields as a farmworker for many years.

“It’s beautiful,” Magaña told the publication in Spanish, “to see the plants grow.”

Magaña’s sells produce directly to customers at her farm and on the shelves of several Santa Cruz County locations including Staff of Life (Santa Cruz), Aptos Natural Foods (Aptos), Shopper’s Corner (Santa Cruz), Santa Cruz Food Bin (Santa Cruz).

But most of her sales are through Tera Farm, a nonprofit that connects local farmers directly to customers.

Her business has been booming amid the pandemic.

Read more at Monterey County Weekly