From the nightlife to Farming is Life, these Latinx farmers aim to change the food supply

In an effort to be part of the solution to fix the United States food system, wife and husband duo, Jody Mendoza and Richy Peña, decided to leave their urban lifestyle for a life in agriculture.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple said they witnessed the many issues that the U.S. food system faces, from the farmers who grow the nation's food to those who don't have access to heathy fresh foods.

Both Mendoza and Peña said they dreamt of having their own farm at some point but didn't envision it so soon. In August 2021, the couple bought 64.5 acres of land in Winchendon to begin their contribution to distribute healthy produce to low-income communities in the area.

Who are Jody and Richy?

Before moving to Winchendon to pursue a career in agriculture, Mendoza and Peña's family lived an urban lifestyle in the metro-Boston area. The couple had very different careers before deciding to become farmers.

Peña is an award-winning Latin music producer with a music studio based in Miami. For many years he would commute between Boston and Miami. Peña has won a Latin Grammy award for his work. He has worked with Reggaeton stars, Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Rihanna, and more.

Mendoza is an entrepreneur and co-owns the Mojitos Country Club, a large multi-venue entertainment complex in Randolph. She is a Boston native and got her MBA in business and marketing at the Boston College Carroll School of Management.

The Mendoza and Peña family didn't expect a major change in their lifestyle but when the opportunity come up to purchase 64.5 acres of land, they both knew it was time to follow their dreams of having a sustainable farm.

"The food system in this country is broken and the pandemic call attention to many issues that affect low-income and people of color communities," Mendoza said. "We saw people struggling to get good healthy food and we were waiting for the adults to stand up to fix the problems but then we realized we are the adults, and we can be part of the solution."

Farming is Life mission

After purchasing the land, Mendoza and Peña started to operate their Farming is Life farm in October 2021. Mendoza said these first two years have been a trial-and-error experience and they hope by next year the farm is running at full capacity producing four to six times more vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs.

Right now, all of the produce grown and harvested from the 12 year-round greenhouses are donated to local non-profits that help low-income families in Greater Gardner have access to healthy food.

Additionally, the farm has three cows, many geese and chickens, and goats. The couple said they are big on self-sufficient farming practices such as having their own cows to produce fertilizer for their crops. They hope to get more cows so they can let them roam free through the woodlands.

Farming is Life partners with Growing Places, a Leominster-based nonprofit that focuses on closing the gap in the food system between farmers and low-income families. Mendoza said they are operating a regenerative farm that focuses on being self-sufficient and sustainable while producing food for local organizations that support low-income residents in Greater Gardner.

She said for the past two years they donated a lot of their food because they are in their trial-and-error phase, but they hope to be able to start selling their crops and keep donating their food by next year.

"There is this epidemic in this country of poor health, poor nutrition, and the reality is that it effects everyone," Mendoza said. "Enough is enough - we deserve to eat healthy and to have good health."

Using AI to innovate farming practices

Mendoza and Peña said they are consistently looking for ways to innovate their farming practices. The couple is working with a new start-up program supported by Google to be the first farm to work with artificial intelligence.

Mendoza said farming is getting harder every year with the progression of climate change so having tools like the AI program is a big help to improve their farm.

The new program links artificial intelligence within farm practices like crop irrigation to create sufficiency. Peña said the AI program collects data from the farm and organizes through WhatsApp, an instant messaging service.

"The start-up has linked AI with our irrigation system so depending on the weather forecast or how dry the soil is the system will water the crops," Peña said. "We want to use technology to manage our farm and be more efficient."

The future of the farm

The couple said after they enhance their growing production, they hope to expand their farm. Peña said they have over 30 acres of woodlands and they are developing a forest management plan to protect those acres. He said they want to support the local ecosystem so native species can thrive in their habitat.

Mendoza said at some point they want to create a natural and sustainable experience that people can get from visiting their farm. She said they plan to build eco-friendly cabins for anyone who wants to escape into nature, and they want to create pick your own mushroom experience in their woodlands.

"I believe mushrooms are our way to curve our dependency on livestock because they are a meaty and high in protein food," she said. "I also believe that spending time in nature or having access to a nature space is important for your health."

The couple said a long-term goal for their farm is to establish it as a place for agricultural education, progression, and a beacon of innovation to fix the broken food system that fails millions in the U.S.

"Being in nature and being able to care of a plot of land is a dream that puts me in peace," Mendoza said. " Many people dream of this but it's out of reach due to many issues in our agricultural system."

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Farming is Life in Winchendon aims to provide healthy food for all