“Food is a very powerful way to connect with people”

A true bay area native, born and raised in San Jose, Alejandro has always had a strong affinity towards being outside and working with the natural elements. As he spent more and more time volunteering at Veggielution, he felt a strong sense of connectedness to food and helping his local community. Starting at Spade & Plow as a driver and farmhand, Alejandro was eager to learn more about working on a large farm. Wherever help was needed, he was up for the task. Working with dexterous hands peeling, snipping, and cleaning fresh produce for CSA that were harvested earlier that morning.

Today, Alejandro is working as Spade & Plow’s CSA Lead.

A new position with new opportunities to learn.

As the company continues to grow, we needed more support in our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Alejandro was up for the task, as he was zealous to learn more and become more connected with the local food system of Santa Clara Valley. As Spade & Plows CSA lead, Alejandro coordinates the weekly CSA menu with the team, and supplementing our offerings with those of organic, local farms. By building lasting relationship with organic, local farms, we can provide an abundant offering to our CSA members; as well as creating economic viability for local farms.

Managing the pack-line is a big role filled by Alejandro. Alejandro explains, “We have a large CSA program, and there are a lot of moving parts. With customizable boxes, the pack-line requires a lot of organization and attention to detail.” While the pack-line requires endurance and focus, it is also refreshing in its own way. Alejandro expresses how the beginning of his shift can be daunting as he has stacks of vegetables that need to be sorted and prepped for pack-out. As the team works through the daily obstacles, the finished boxes, stacked high, are a rewarding sight after a long day of hard work.

Alejandro’s personal sentiment to all customers is that of gratitude. A big “thank you” to the members for supporting Spade & Plow as we maneuver through the ever-shifting landscapes of this year. With their support we are able to attain our goal of feeding our community while supporting our local food systems.”