Kitchen Table Advisors Empowers Small Food Business: Salazar Organic Farms

The Issue

In 2019, Alejandro started working on a project, Salazar Organic Farms, growing vegetables such as bok choy and radishes on 7.5 acres. Having no previous knowledge on running a farming business, the growth of Salazar Organic Farms was further stifled by the pandemic in 2020 and the difficulties of business and farm ownership grew. In particular, Alejandro faced a series of financial and administrative challenges: he had been covering all utility bills despite sharing utility usage with tenants due to a lack of clear distribution of costs. It was after this time that  Alejandro began collaborating with Southwest Regional Food Business Center (SWRFBC) partner Kitchen Table Advisors (KTA). 

Our Response

KTA was able to serve as a reliable source of agricultural business support on the issues he faced, answering Alejandro’s questions on a variety of topics throughout his first years of operation. KTA works with under-resourced farmers and ranchers to fuel their long-term success and transform the food system. KTA’s 1:1 business advising work, supported by the SWRFBC, allows us to cultivate trusted relationships, provide practical business advising, and build opportunities for equitable access to land, capital, and markets.

All these resources were leveraged in ensuring the success of Salazar Organic Farms. KTA’s Senior Business Advisor, Favio Ortiz, collected data on water and electric bills and calculated a fair distribution of costs for each of Alejandro’s tenants to facilitate understanding and transparency. Since Alejandro had been covering the full bill due to the previous lack of clarity, Favio generated the necessary documentation and calculations to ensure each tenant could reimburse their fair portion, resolving outstanding balances. 

Favio also guided Alejandro on how to approach conversations with other tenants and sublessees, offering communication strategies to maintain goodwill while focusing on constructive, collaborative language and framing the resolution of issues as a shared responsibility rather than a confrontation. Favio recommended practical solutions such as implementing a monthly utility‑split schedule, using a shared ledger for transparency, and setting up reminders or joint review meetings to prevent future billing confusion and maintain positive tenant relations.

In addition to this foundational support, Favio assisted Alejandro in strengthening grant compliance and fundraising efforts. This included guidance on record-keeping and reporting for their CDFA Farm to School Incubator Grant, as well as support with preparing and submitting an application for the CDFA California Underserved and Small Producer Program grant.

Credit @alluringphotography.lm

Our Impact

The package of skills Alejandro has gained from KTA’s 1:1 advising has built a foundation for success that is already seeing dividends: recently, Alejandro joined the Farmers Market Incubator program co-launched by KTA, the Agricultural Institute of Marin, and SWRFBC partner the Agriculture and Land-based Training Association (ALBA), designed to support first-generation farmers who have lacked access to direct-to-consumer market streams. His farmers market sales have helped him develop and refine his business strategy, guiding him on what to plant and offering an opening for him to connect directly with customers.

With further assistance from KTA, Alejandro applied for the Monterey Bay Air Resource District Landscape Equipment Exchange Program, which grants reimbursements to residents and businesses to buy new machinery and replace old equipment. Alejandro has completed the application and researched a new tractor to purchase. Alejandro is also working with KTA to create a financial plan for managing his existing loans. With this foundation in place for his business, Alejandro aims to continue diversifying his market channels in the future.

Currently, Alejandro leases 20 acres in Watsonville where he grows and sells produce such as parsley, cauliflower, cilantro, cabbage, strawberries, lettuce, little gems, green beans, carrots, radishes, and broccolini. Despite the difficulties of farming and owning a business, Alejandro remains motivated to create his own livelihood and offer his kids educational and career opportunities. He takes his passion for agriculture off the farm as well by connecting with fellow agriculture workers to brainstorm how to bring healthy food to local students. Complementary to this, he has worked with local nonprofits to advocate for healthy, local produce for schools. All of this conveys how, for Alejandro, growing organic produce is not just about making a living, it’s also about caring for the health and wellness of future generations.