Farmer Spotlight: Travis Townsend
Photo by Chelsea Dimyan, Chelsea Photography Design
Travis has made a positive influence on the production side of Spade & Plow Organics. He has brought leadership skills and work ethic to the team that is valued and deeply appreciated.
Born and raised in Salinas, California, Travis was submerged in agriculture. At the age of 15, Travis started working in the field harvesting Artichokes to sell at the farmer’s market. He was part of a community that made him feel welcome, offered help, and encouraged him to reach for his dreams. Working alongside other farmer’s, the farmer’s market offered a deep sense of community and diversity. With ten years of prior agriculture experience and rhapsody to support local agriculture, Travis searched for new and growing farm businesses that he could help.
It was March 2020 when Travis onboarded with Spade & Plow Organics. Just one week later, as COVID-19 spread and we entered a global pandemic, unsure of how long the lockdown would last. In ordinary circumstances, starting a job gives one the opportunity to showcase their skills. There was a lot of uncertainty in the air as concerns around the virus suddenly loomed larger. “It was a very hectic time to start working in the service industry, but people still need to eat.” said Travis.
Feeling the Love
Photo by Chelsea Dimyan, Chelsea Photography Design
Ready to serve the community of Santa Clara County, Travis, along with the rest of the team, prepared to meet all protocols to keep operations up and running. The challenges of starting a new job were certainly amplified by the pandemic. Lucky for us, Travis hit the ground running. Travis started as a delivery driver for our CSA program, and just a few months later he was training new staff for delivery driving. Travis soon moved on to the production needs of the farm This involved harvesting product, preparing it for distribution, and packing CSA boxes on the pack line. Travis has brought a lot of communication skills to harvest and post harvest procedures. The CSA pack line takes an incredible amount of time, communication, and organization to get the job done.
Before coming to Spade & Plow, Travis was a stay at home dad. “While I am excited to be part of the team and work hard, my family comes first because above all else, I am a father,” said Travis. Spending time with his family, going on adventures, and getting lost on country roads are what he enjoys most in life. Travis is also passionate about music, “Music is food for the soul.”