"comunidad del valle." i'm damian trujillo, and today farm workers who then became farmers themselves. their stories today on your "comunidad del valle." [music] male announcer: nbc bay area presents, "comunidad del valle," with damian trujillo. damian: we'll begin today with the annual holiday food drive. yes, it's that time of the year. with us here on, "comunidad del valle," is claribel chavez with the second harvest food bank, who is here to tell us about how maybe you can participate in this annual holiday food drive. welcome back to the show. claribel chavez: thank you. damian: so, tell us--i mean, it's kind of shocking to say that, "here we are again." but, here we are again. it's time to start with our donations to make sure that everybody gets to enjoy the holidays the way we would like them to. claribel: yes, well this time of the season, it's really

important that we raise enough funds so that we're able to serve the community. we do work from santa clara all the way to san mateo, and we serve about 250,000 people a month. and this year, we're trying to raise $16 million dollars. and 1.5 million pounds of food, and if we can, 19,000 turkeys. damian: wow. that's a lot. and here is some images of what it should look like every year, right? your shelves full of the second harvest food bank. and so, basically what you do is, you collect the food and then you distribute it to different agencies who serve the various communities out there. claribel: yes, that's correct. we work with around 320 other organizations all year around. so, not just this time, but all year around, we're helping people, you know, put food on the table. damian: what does it tell you? a couple of questions. what does it tell you about this community that you do see those shelves full

as we get closer to the holidays? that we do see the buckets full, for instance, we have one here that we see in the bay area, where we can donate food, canned food and whatnot. what does it say about this community as a giving community, the fact that they are helping out, they're filling up the buckets and the baskets? claribel: well, it's really amazing. i mean, if we weren't--if it wasn't for those donations, we really wouldn't have anything to be giving our families. so, i mean, it's wonderful to see all, you know, the donations that are being brought in. it's just wonderful to see and to be able to know that we're helping out, you know, a lot of the people that we know. damian: and there's a bilingual effort right? you wanna make sure that you reach all the populations, or most of the populations in the--. claribel: yes, we have our bilingual hotline. we have english, spanish. we have vietnamese and also the chinese speaker. damian: and we'll give you the 800 number in just a bit. on the flip-side at the same time, what does it tell you that we still need to collect boxes, and buckets, and barrels full of canned food and non-perishables?

what does that tell you about the need and the have-nots, if you will, in this economy? claribel: well, the need, it's greater than ever, especially with living with a booming silicon valley, we are, we're really struggling with the rent. so, a lot of people, there's been more people that need help this time of year, especially living here, and the rent is so expensive. i mean, we run into it every single day. damian: talk about your partnerships. my wife used to work at applied materials and, i mean, their employees get together and they just package food like there's no tomorrow. i mean, tons and tons of food. but you need those partnerships, with the different corporations in the valley to make sure that this is a success. claribel: oh, yes, of course. without them, we wouldn't be able to reach so many people, and it really is about the volunteers. without them, we wouldn't be able to be running as great as we are. damian: anything in particular you're looking for? you mentioned the turkeys. but anything in particular? i know, it's non-perishables. but anything specific?

claribel: so, yes. so, 19,000 turkeys. so, if you have 19,000 turkeys. if you could please-- damian: i know a few farmers here. maybe they can know what's happening about that. claribel: yes, yes. hand them over. we also have a list of the most needed foods on our website. but we do need non-perishable items like canned goods. for instance, canned tuna, peanut butter, and there is a list on our website. damian: alright. well, let's show you that website again. if you're interested in helping out the holiday food drive, you can donate to the second harvest food bank. there is the 800, trilingual of quadruple-lingual number that you can call for more information. and, also the website, where you can see what kind of non-perishables you can donate to the second harvest food bank. any final thoughts--? claribel: just, if you can, if you can donate, i mean, it's gonna go for a really good cause. you're gonna see it reach the community. every dollar that you donate converts into two healthy meals. we do wanna emphasize, if you can donate healthy things, we're trying to give our families healthy food.

so, no candy or sugary stuff, and if you need food, don't be embarrassed. you can call us and we'll help you out. damian: alright. well, thank you, claribel-- claribel: thank you. damian: for all you're doing for this community. thank you very much. up next on, "comunidad del valle," "la treinta." we'll explain. stay with us.

senior center out of san francisco. with me here on, "comunidad del valle," is the director of "la treinta," valory villela and also olinda malti-volkoff is a resident who uses the senior center. welcome to the show. olinda: thank you. damian: so, i'm assuming you're on the 30th street in san francisco. valorie villela: yes, we are. damian: well, tell us about your center and what makes it unique. valorie: 30th street senior center is a community-based program that serves older people, 60 plus, and we happen to have a large number of latinos. so we serve about 67% latinos, and everything we do there is bilingual in spanish and english. the program itself, we have seven programs that we actually operate. so, when we say the center,

we're actually talking about a community. we have meals, we have activities, we have-- damian: and you're keeping them fit. it seems. valorie: yes, a lot. in fact, that is probably the newest thing in the last maybe 10 years it is now. seniors walk in and say, "what kind of health promotion programs do you have? what kind of exercise classes do you provide?" and we're very proud that we are like the lead agency in san francisco for keeping older adults active and healthy, and we do that with a lot of partners in san francisco. damian: i think the misconception is, "well, the senior center, they provide lunch, and you can play bingo there." but, there is a lot more than that. valorie: oh, very much. and that was in the early years. i think now, the average age is about 78, and we have people from their early 60s, like myself, all the way to 100, and because it's functional, that they're able to still function, they just need the support system around them. damian: and olinda, what has it done for you do you think, the center? olinda: oh, all kinds of wonderful things. you know, when i first joined, you know, get involved with

the art classes, i happen to enjoy painting. and then, i also have joined the choir classes, so, music. in addition to that, we offer such a variety of, you know, activities. there is sowing, you know, there is peruvian telar. you know, there is fall prevention classes. there is, oh my god, english classes, spanish classes, you know, computer classes. in addition to, you know, having a beautiful garden. and you know, we have all kinds of vegetables that we also grow in there and we sell. damian: so you go, do you go every day? how often do you go to the center? olinda: well, i try to go there every day. but, in addition to just going there to enjoy the services, i also do some volunteer work. damian: oh, okay. so, it's kind of peer to peer. you kind of a, peers helping themselves there. valorie: most of the--the volunteers are about 130 of them, about 95% are seniors. so they come looking

for something, and after theys, "it's time to give back." so they come to us also asking, "what can i do? how can i be involved?" and we're very proud of that because the engagement is really one of the keys to being healthy. damian: does that keep you wanting, what would i say? to keep going? "you know what, i can't wait till tomorrow, 'cause of this activity? so, where would you be if it wasn't for the center? maybe at your home watching the novelas? or what would the-- olinda: more than likely, going out for lunch with my friends and get heavier. so this way, i'm keepin' fit, nice lunches. you know, we do all kinds of exercises, i say are all kinds of mental, you know, since we can do, nutrition classes, you know, valorie gives once a week. you know, all this stuff is so important, you know, for us, you know, to know about and we can enjoy and participate. damian: what's the ultimate goal or mission, if you will, of this? valorie: it's to really keep people engaged, and healthy, and independent as much as possible.

most of us want to live in our communities until we die, but sometimes you need assistance to keep doing that, and so, instead of going to an institution. so, it's really about keeping people healthy, engaged, and really tapping into their potential. as we get older, sometimes people think, "it's all downhill." it's not. it's actually, there's a lot of research that's proving that we actually grow more creative as we age. and so, we wanna help people enjoy that part of their life as much as possible. damian: i would imagine that there's also some comfort knowing that you're needed there. you're classes are needed there. olinda: definitely. we have tai chi, you know, we have yoga. damian: you can tell the excitement. olinda: it is wonderful. it is wonderful. i tell you, i wish more people would come over and join us. damian: is this kind of a unique model, or you think it's kind of the model that we all fall into? valorie: well, basically the senior centers have been around for a long time. but i think that the new model is having enough variety to meet that whole age range, and health promotion is now much more visible

in most of the senior centers across the united states. i think that we like at 30th street, is that we also have a higher level of care, which is provided by unlock lifeways. so, in the building, we have the whole continuum. we have getting you there when you're a younger senior and keeping you healthy. but if you then start to decline, we have services and programs that we can help you access as you have to go through that. damian: the idea i guess is to want the seniors to keep coming back, and it sounds like that's what you're doin' there. so, if you'd like more information on, "la treinta," that's what it's known as. there is a number to call for more information and also the web address, 30thstreetseniorcenter.org. thank you so much for what you're doing. valorie: thank you so much. olinda: it's with pleasure. damian: thank you very much. and that makes it for, "comunidad del valle." the farmers and the farm workers. stay with us.

sweetie, you know what we're craving right now? crispy chicken and fried egg with bacon-like brunch. brunch? but it's 8pm-and it's tuesday- huh, i wonder if my mother would like to stay with us... here's what i'm thinking-brunch. all day, every day. should we get started? who wants coffee? introducing my new brunchfast menu. with 10 delicious items like my bacon and egg chicken sandwich, southwest scrambler plate, a sparkling blood orange cooler, and homestyle potatoes. served all day, every day. only at jack in the box. with me on, "comunidad del valle" is from the united states department of agriculte, victor hernandez, and with the national center of appropriate technology,

thea rittenhouse. welcome to the show. victor hernandez: thank you for having us. damian: give us the premise of this--'cause we--i mean, the smell of these organic vegetables behind me, and flowers, are incredible. tell us what the purpose of this conference is? victor: this is a conference that has been uniquely tailored for the spanish-speaking farmer. the usda and the national center of appropriate technology teamed up to deliver this conference, and it is a statewide conference. now the--we are both conservation organizations. and so, we are tailoring this conference in a way that the spanish-speaking farmer can learn the technical practices in their own language. damian: so, when you say appropriate technology, what are we talking about? thea rittenhouse: well, the national center for appropriate technology is a non-profit organization, and we've been around since the 1970s, and we provide assistance and training to farmers about sustainable agricultural practices, and try to help farmers and other communities to improve their businesses

and practice agriculture better and more sustainably. damian: and here we have a video of some of your past conferences. now, we're not talking about the big growers right? this is the smaller growers trying to kind of make ends meet, and kind of go from farm worker to farm growers. victor: both of our organizations do tailor and work with small-scale farmers. but this conference is open to all farmers. we are looking to extend the reach to all the spanish-speaking farmers in the state of california, especially our latino, hispanic farmers. damian: are there a lot of them? victor: yes, right now, currently in the state of california, there are 15,000 hispanic farmers registered here in the state, and over 90,000 across the us. this is a growing demographic. the national service agriculture statistics service currently is reporting that there are over 90,000 agricultural farmers across the us.

damian: now, i mean, the farmers are, they're providing sustainable foods for the state and the country i would imagine. victor: yes. damian: now, and you have somebody--we have a guest who is coming up on our next show. he's gonna be the keynote speaker at your conference. victor: yes, javier zamora, an organic farmer in the local area, in monterey county, is joining us. he is our keynote speaker. thea could talk about him more. damian: okay. tell us about javier. thea: oh, sure, javier is great. he's an organic farmer. we actually--i'm also a farmer, and we sell at the same farmer's markets. so, right away i knew what kind of a great presenter he would be, and really a model farmer for many others to aspire to be. so, we're really excited to have him as our keynote speaker, and we're really excited to have our second annual latino farmer conference. last year, we had over 200 farmers in fresno, and we're hoping to have more this year. damian: this year, it's in monterey.

we'll show the information in just a bit. javier will be on our next segment. now, we're talking about appropriate technology. can you talk about what would be inappropriate technology? what are we talking about? what's a bad, say--what are maybe some growers, without naming any names, what are they doing wrong that they could be doing right? thea: well, we're not really focusing on wrong versus right here. it's more that we're promoting similar to nrcs conservation practices and conserving natural resources and growing sustainably. so, we're really targeting workshops that provide information and services to help farmers to do their business better, help grow their business in a way that's sustainable, both for their businesses and also for the natural environment as well. damian: alright. tell us about gauchito farms. thea: my partner and i have a 10 acre farm close to sacramento. and so, i have a real passion for helping other small farmers

to grow their business just as i'm trying to do the same thing. damian: where are the small farmers would you say on the totem pole when it comes to the agricultural business in the state? i mean, obviously, usda is paying a lot of attention to those small farmers. victor: yes, right now, i mean, it's such a diverse group. it's a really a cross-section of california. it's such a diverse group of crops. it's a diverse group of small-scale farmers. and now, the usda is an all-access agency. now, these programs have been around, but for whatever reason, this specific group has not engaged the resources that we provide. and so, that's part of the reason, a primary reason why we're extending the reach to the spanish-speaking farmer. again, this conference is open to all farmers, and we encourage farmers to register on our website, and join us at this conference. now, it is uniquely tailored for the spanish-speaking farmer, and so it's going to be in spanish. this is a spanish program, but we will have translation services. so, we will also have that available for our non-spanish speakers.

damian: and it's free. and you're--i would imagine that the farmers, the spanish-speaking farmers are learning from y'all, but at the same time, i would imagine that y'all are learning from them a little bit in what they're bringing to the table. victor: absolutely. yes. damian: alright. well, it's happening at the monterey hyatt, just down the road on highway 101, and you make a right. there is the web address for more information, also a phone number where they can help you out. it's november 15, 8:00 am, at the monterey hyatt. thank you so much for what you're doing. thea: thank you very much. victor: thank you, damian. damian: up next, on "comunidad del valle," one of those farmers. stay with us.

now, he owns a j-s-m organic farms out of aromas, california. he is with us on, "comunidad del valle," the keynote speaker at the this farmers conference happening in monterey. welcome to the show. javier zamora: well, thank you for having us here. it's a pleasure to be here and talk to you guys. damian: muchas gracias. so this is all from your farms? tell us what you brought here. it smells beautiful. javier: that is correct. actually, most of those items were picked this morning. my organic strawberries, my tomatillos,

my rainbow carrots, rainbow, in different color obviously. most people think about they're only orange, but there's actually purple and red, and a variety of them. also, some summer squash, different varieties. some cauliflower, which is romanesco, is that beautiful-looking curly thing that you see in the back, and organic flowers. obviously, my jicamas, growing in aromas about 50 minutes away from here, and my marigolds for dias de los muertos. so, that's about my heritage. that's what i grow, and that's what makes me kind of unique this way. damian: what made you make the jump? 'cause i know all about what it's like to be a farm worker and you're working for somebody else, and you're making them rich. so, what made you flip and say, "you know, i can go to the other side?" javier: i think my passion from where since i was little, having a father that was farmer and always wanting to,

you know, make the next step. it took 40 years. it wasn't until the age of 43 that i went to college and got the science behind the practice. and that actually helped me realize that i could go on my own, and have my own farm, for my own family, without really working for somebody else, and taking advantage of the resources that are available for a small grower like myself. so, that's kind of what made it a little easier for me to decide to go on my own. damian: and do you have workers yourself, or is it you and maybe a family that goes out and does what you were doing as a kid? javier: well, at the beginning, it was 4 years ago, it was just me, my two daughters and my wife. and now, there is 25 workers that work for me and are the key players here that make things happen. i'm just the guy that signs the check and goes out to the bank seeking for money and going out for resources. but they are the ones that are making this happen. damian: and how many acres there in the aromas area?

javier: we're started with an acre and half, and we're farming 60 acres now in 4 years. damian: wow, and i mean, i would imagine that along the lines, somebody came up and said, "javier, just put some fertilizer on them to make them about this big. if you want, you can sell them for a higher price at the market." but you grow organically. javier: actually, i never had that because my father was an organic farmer. my father grew melons, squash the right way, the good old way we're talking about 50, 60 years ago. and so, i saw my father coming home with those beautiful melons that smelled really beautiful, and there were no fertilizers and pesticides. so for me, when i came to the santa cruz area and went to cabrillo college, and it was nothing but organic. i'm like, "this is it." why would i want to go and look for something else when i can grow, how to make these things taste beautiful, i mean, really tasty and look beautiful. and it's a lot better for our communities and for health. damian: how big is the market for organic fruits and vegetables?

javier: i think for anybody, for a small grower especially, that wants to start their own farm or going on their own, this is the perfect time. because you see the large corporations, the large growers going organic and growing organic. the demand is incredibly big. so this is it. it's a really good time for you to go on your own if that's what you desire to do, and look for the resources that are available for you, that will help you make job commitment. damian: aside from farmer's markets y donde mas can we get your vegetables. javier: en muchas otras partes, puede venir en mi farm, come to my own farm and pick them yourself. that's what you like to do. but i actually--they go to retail stores, directly to retail stores in the bay area. i have my own label, my own private label. i'm an independent grower, and i'm really happy to do that because, i only take orders from my wife. damian: smart man. alright, so i wanna teach my kids a lesson para que aprenden un poco what it's like to pick a few crops, taking them over to your farm and say,

"andale." javier: absolutely. there you go. it's all yours. go wild. damian: tell us about the conference, and i know that you're going to be the keynote speaker. but why is it important for the grower like you? javier: i think, first of all, it's an honor for me to be the keynote speaker, and i'm just gonna go and say my story and how i made it happen, and now i'm making it happen. and it's so important for all the latinos to really go out and look for the resources that are available, that, you know, there are really a high percent of the farmers are not taking advantage, in a good way, of what's been offered to make your business strive and make it successful. so, i'm just go and tell them that, you know, it is important for you go out and look for the usda programs, for the ccof certifier that will get you certified organic, if that's what you'd like to do. or ncat, and organization that it's there for you to give you some technical assistance and tell you whether you are gonna be successful growing your carrots, or your jicamas, which they doubt. they say, no they're not gonna--not them,

but you know, because of the area where i grow things. they didn't think that i'll grow jicamas, but i was growing jicamas since when i was 6 years old. so, i know what it takes. damian: was there a time--since your wife is a boss, was there a time when she said, "javier, what are you doin'? we're trying to make ends meet. what are you doing in starting your own business here?" javier: actually, i am really, really blessed and happy that i have a wife that allows me to be myself, and also my daughters, and my family. just, "that's what you'd like to do. that's where your heart is, go right at it." and the always stand behind me. i'm really happy for that, i'm really blessed. not only my family, but a lot of people in the community have really helped me make this successful. damian: that's wonderful. last question, why should the small spanish-speaking farmer go to the conference in monterey? javier: because if you wanna succeed, it's really hard to do it on your own. you might be able to do it, but it's going to take a long time. damian: 'cause you made mistakes along the way, and you want them to learn from your mistakes, [speaking foreign language]

javier: haven't we all. of course, i made a lot of mistakes, and that's what i want to avoid. i want them to not make those mistakes that i made at the very beginning, and i'll share some of those when the conference comes along. but there's so many, so many good people out there in the community that are eager to help you succeed. so reaching out to different non-profits, some of the governmental programs that are available, and just the community of farming community that are a lot of us. our goal is to help others succeed. so in the end, you're not taking your lexus are you? damian: that's right. well, the conference again is in monterey, on november 15, at the monterey hyatt, and it is free. there is the number to call for more information. gracias y felicidades. it's a pleasure to meet you. javier: [speaking foreign language] damian: alright, gracias. now, here's what's happening in your comunidad on "que pasa." [music]

[music] [music] [music] damian: [speaking foreign language] [music] damian: and here's our contact information. you can follow me on twitter. my handle is @newsdamian. thank you for joining us. pick up a copy of el observador. we'll see you again next week.

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