Meet Mike!
I’m the Finance and Operations Associate for Red Tomato. I started at the end of June of 2024 at the start of our peak season. Though I had a background in accounting, I hadn’t had specific experience in food distribution. Once peaches started moving in August, it was off to the races, learning about the relationships we’ve developed over the years, the ins and outs of trucking, BOLs, 3PLs, crossdocking, rejections, credit memos, and all the rest. It’s been fascinating to see how such a small organization can have such a dramatic effect, sometimes for individual farms, and sometimes for entire communities.
Why Red Tomato?
I came to Red Tomato because I wanted my work to have a social impact. I’ve done accounting and operations before in other places, but I was never sure about what they meant in the larger scheme of things. I’m excited to participate in the food systems change that Red Tomato is working towards.
Tell us about you!
I grew up in Somerville, MA, which probably has the least amount of greenspace per capita than other cities. Despite that, I learned to have a love for plants, which evolved into growing my own, usually in pots. Later I ended up living in the highlands of Ecuador, which is colloquially called the land of eternal spring, and I learned to grow different kinds of foods and regenerative techniques to preserve and improve the land. I’m currently applying those skills on another farm project I’m working with called Spar Point Farm on Block Island, Rhode Island.
What’s your favorite thing to harvest from your garden?
I think my favorite thing to harvest is whatever is coming out at the time. I’m really interested in trying to eat seasonally when I can. That’s given me an appreciation for the moment a new season starts!