Episode 507: Marty [and Ralph] Loya of Growing with Sarah Farm - El Paso, TX. Reviving OLD + SUSTAINABLE Traditions. How Bodega Loya Brings Love to Build Community. The Evolution of Farm Tourism.

·32 min·3 clips

Marty Loya grew up on a farm with all the animals, but now runs Bodega Loya from that same land in Socorro, Texas.

Host Justin Bizarro interviews Marty Loya, co-owner of Growing with Sarah Farm in Socorro, Texas. Marty grew up on the farm, which had various animals and was run by her father as a cotton and dairy operation. In 2019, she and her husband inherited the farm and shifted from cotton to produce due to soil depletion and labor costs. They started selling fruits from existing trees via Facebook, which expanded during COVID. Soil testing revealed variability across six acres, leading them to build a high tunnel greenhouse with cost-share funding from the USDA's NRCS program. They now grow produce on 2.5 acres, using drip irrigation and sourcing chicken manure for compost. The farm has no animals but sources eggs locally. Marty's husband, skilled in Adobe restoration, retrofitted old farm buildings: a tractor workshop became Bodega Loya farmer's market, and a tool shed became a walk-in refrigerator. They also rent space to artists and have a coffee shop in the original farmhouse. The farm's name, Growing with Sarah, comes from a baby they lost at three months. They run a mobile bodega using a grant from the Healthy Food Finance Initiative, targeting areas with limited food access. Future plans include filling all six acres with produce, using technology like drones and AI with university interns to monitor crops, and forming strategic partnerships. The farm accepts SNAP cards and offers a 50% discount on produce through a program with only two local participants. Employees include single moms and college students, fostering a supportive environment. Marty handles backend operations like accounting, while her husband manages farming and construction. The episode concludes with details on how to visit the farm online and in person.

As heard by us

A Socorro family farm grows into a community business shaped by loss, inherited labor, and food access.

Marty Loya's story gives this single episode a clear emotional spine: a family farm in Socorro, Texas growing into Growing With Sarah Farm and Bodega Loya, with produce, coffee, dry teas, and neighborhood food access all tied to a larger belief that farming should stay close to…

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Why you'd press play

You get a heartfelt look at how farming roots grow into Growing With Sarah Farms, Bodega Loya, teas, and a coffee shop built around community.

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