Michael Jaquez has always been passionate about agriculture and education. He and his family own and operate a farm in Ramona, San Diego, where they sell their products at the farmers' market. Before taking on this role, Michael was a high school teacher. He believes that being a technical assistance provider for the Climate Smart Agriculture program brings together all his experiences and enthusiasm for both of their passions.
On his family farm, they have been selling chickens and eggs at the farmers market for the past four years. Recently, they have also added cattle and pigs to their farm operation. Michael shared how much he enjoys being around animals, which is why he focused on Animal Science at Cal Poly State University, where he also earned a master’s degree in Agricultural Education. This educational background, combined with his personal experience, allows him to connect with other farmers, and it also provides him with the opportunity to support producers in securing funding and collaborating on various projects.
Michael is really excited about a couple of projects he is currently working on. One of them is the new Healthy Soil Practice Proposal that he recently submitted. After reviewing NRCS standards, he identified an opportunity to assist livestock producers through this proposal, which specifically targets range and hay production. This process required a lot of effort and research to support the proposal. Additionally, he is engaged in an ongoing Soil Health Assessment for San Diego County, where he serves. This project allows him to visit farms, expand his clientele, and have meaningful conversations with producers about various soil characteristics, such as soil color, smell, organic matter content, soil density, and water infiltration. It is the perfect opportunity to discuss how to build healthy soil and its characteristics.
As a TAP based in San Diego, he expressed his admiration for how effectively space is utilized in the County farms. Most farmers in San Diego operate on a small scale but make excellent use of their available land. He also highlighted the growing wine industry in the county, noting that many farmers are converting their farms into vineyards.
Finally, he wanted to point out that one of the biggest challenges he has faced in this position is reaching out to farmers who are not part of the Farm Bureau. However, this challenge also serves as one of his greatest motivations and one of his main goals: to connect with every farmer and rancher in San Diego County.
If you are interested in reviewing Michael's family website and knowing more about their farm, you can check this website: https://threesonsfarm.org/
Find Michael and the rest of the CSA team at:
https://ciwr.ucanr.edu/Programs/ClimateSmartAg/TechnicalAssistanceProviders/index.cfm