Tommy Contreras sees organic food as medicine—a way to nourish both our bodies and our community. While Contreras has childhood memories of his family raising pigs and alfalfa, he pivoted away from his agricultural roots for a number of years to support the community as a wildland firefighter and commercial crabber. But the land called once again, and in 2023, Contreras enrolled in the Organic Farm School (OFS) to add new skills to his existing expertise and feel grounded before managing his own organic farm.
With a Future Organic Farmers grant from the CCOF Foundation, Contreras is building on his hands-on knowledge of farming practices with additional formal education. “While I did grow up in an agricultural community, I have not had any formal education in the field before now. That is what drove me to enroll in this program. I want to learn the science of regenerative organic agriculture, soil and plant biology, and soil fertility. I need to understand the tips and best practices to starting and running a farm business. The knowledge and experience I am gaining at OFS will help me to pivot and be adaptable and give me a step up to be on top of the game in running my own organic farm.” Contreras’ vision includes vegetables, chickens, pigs, an orchard, and berries; in the future he would also like to produce value-added goods, such as dehydrated meals for backpacking. Equipped with additional educational tools in crop production, business, and marketing, Contreras is poised to begin his farming career.
The CCOF Foundation is proud to support students like Tommy Contreras who continuously seek to support their community with nutrient-dense foods, steward land responsibly, and make a difference in the food system through a commitment to organic agriculture.
Applications for the Future Organic Farmers grant open March 17 through April 18, 2025.
Visit our website to learn more.
If you would like to contribute to the success of Future Organic Farmers like Tommy Contreras, please reach out to the CCOF Foundation’s Donor Relations Manager Shawna Rodgers at srodgers@ccof.org to learn more.