Margarita Castro, an Otomi Indigenous woman from Hidalgo, Mexico, and a single mother of four daughters, embodies resilience and determination. Growing up on a farm, she learned the value of hard work at an early age, assisting her father in planting corn when she was just four years old. After working as a farm laborer in California’s Central Coast, Margarita pursued her dream of running her own farm.
In 2019, she began taking farming classes through the Agriculture Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), and by 2020, she launched her farm on half an acre. Today, Margarita cultivates organic vegetables and strawberries on three acres, selling her produce to Coke Farm, local farmers’ markets, and schools—a partnership she established through ALBA. She also grows flowers to support pollinators, reflecting her commitment to sustainability and ecological stewardship.
Margarita is driven by her passion for sustainable farming and her dedication to her community. She often starts her workdays at 4 a.m., motivated by the joy of seeing children’s curiosity about her farm. Speaking at the Latino Farmers Conference in Salinas, she expressed gratitude for ALBA’s support in overcoming challenges such as drought and flooding.
Her goal is to expand her operation after completing five years with ALBA, furthering her contribution to her community and local food systems. My Organic Farm is currently a member of CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers).