Pachamama Peru Farm, Charlottesville, VA
Project Snapshot:
Pachamama Peru is building a greenhouse to start their hot peppers, which have a long growing period. This greenhouse will allow them to grow Andino peppers locally, rather than rely on frozen produce from Peru. They are also improving their chicken processing to be more efficient.
Bio: Julio Quispe is the founder and owner of Pachamama Peru Farm and Food Truck. He is an indigenous Andino immigrant from Peru, who grew up in Long Island, NY, far from agriculture and rural life. In 2010, his life took an unexpected turn and he moved to California, where he ended up at Anderson Valley Farms and learned about biodynamic farming, permaculture, and local food systems. Later on he helped manage Sylvanaqua Farm in Earlysville, VA, where he began selling traditional Peruvian empanadas at farmers markets alongside the local meat and produce he was raising. In 2018 he opened his own farm and food truck business, Pachamama Peru, showcasing the flavors of Peru and local ingredients. Pachamama – a Quechua word for Mother Earth – speaks to Julio’s reverence for the natural world and the interrelatedness of all living things. His indigenous consciousness informs the sustainable and regenerative farming practices he uses on the two acres of land he now tends outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. The chickens, hogs, and Peruvian crops from Julio’s farm make their way into the community by way of Pachamama Peru Food Truck and partnerships with area nonprofits. For Julio, food is poetry that transcends language barriers and national borders, creating connections and feeding communities.