How Seth Got His Start

Seth Matlick grew up in a small apartment in New York City in a food-centered family. Food was a big part of his life early on, especially through his grandma and mom, who were always cooking and feeding people. Meals were really about community; neighbors would come over, people would drop in at all hours, and there was always room at the table. That idea of food as something emotional and shared has clearly stuck with him.

Even though he was surrounded by food, he didn’t learn to cook until later in life. Once he moved out, he started teaching himself and working in restaurants, beginning as a dishwasher and eventually doing prep work. That’s where his interest in food deepened, even before farming was part of the picture.

What changed everything was when he started traveling after college and found WWOOFing (working on organic farms). He reached out to Los Poblanos Organics in New Mexico, and they replied back the next day and that is where he was introduced to growing food. He describes that first season as eye-opening, like discovering something he didn’t even know he was missing.

The Beginning of Vida Verde Farms

Seth Matlick’s story of his farming journey at Vida Verde is one of innovation, connection and resiliency. Through his experience at Los Poblanos farm, he fell in love with New Mexico and “the Southwest pace of life.” Instead of continuing his travels, he accepted an opportunity to farm on an acre of land in the North Valley, left by the farmer he had worked for.

Thus began Vida Verde Farm, with a flock of chickens, some hand-me-down tools, and a lot of determination.

Sales began on a small scale at local farmers markets, and has grown over the years through relationships with chefs and CSA partners. Much of the process involves learning from the land; as the seasons change and get warmer year by year, some crops become less ideal for the conditions, and practices must change. A vital lesson learned is that “a lot of farming can’t be found in a book; you have to be in your field to figure it out.” Because every field and environment is so different, Seth has had to do a lot of trial and error to get to where he is. Since starting, he has focused on quality rather than quantity, growing 8 pepper varieties instead of 60 as he did in the beginning years, with the realization that sometimes less is more.

The Real Cost of Small Farming

Seth is very honest about the realities of small-scale farming, especially when it comes to money and labor. He makes it clear that farming isn’t a quick or easy way to make a profit. There’s a huge amount of time and effort that goes into growing food; months of planting, watering, maintaining, harvesting, and transporting before the food ever reaches a customer.

He describes how people sometimes question the price of food at farmers’ markets, not realizing how much work goes into growing. What looks like a simple product actually represents hundreds of hours of labor and a significant amount of risk, especially with unpredictable weather like hailstorms that can wipe out entire crops in minutes.

At the same time, Seth understands that not everyone can afford local food, and he doesn’t judge people for choosing cheaper options. Instead, he tries to create a middle ground; offering food that is local, healthy, and produced with care, while helping people understand its value. This balance reflects the challenges of maintaining both a livelihood and a community-centered food system.

Community and Relationships in Local Food Systems

A major part of Seth’s farm is built on relationships rather than large-scale distribution. He works directly with chefs, customers, and other farmers, creating a network that supports both his farm and the broader local food system.

He doesn’t rely on traditional marketing or branding. Instead, he has built trust over time by consistently showing up and maintaining personal connections with the people he works with. He even describes himself as the “face” of the farm, meaning that customers often meet him directly and can ask questions about how their food was grown.

Selling to both markets and restaurants helps engage with customers and the food system as a whole. Seth is passionate about integrating into the whole food system, and as a cook, he understands how each ingredient is used, helping him connect to customers and the chefs he sells to. One valuable collaboration is his production of Napa cabbage for Oni (a restaurant in downtown ABQ) to make kimchi. Using his knowledge of cabbage growing conditions, he worked with this business to make kimchi from a new cabbage variety that is more suitable to the NM climate.

The Future Of Vida Verde

The future of Vida Verde farms has some uncertainties, but is currently standing strong. Seth expresses a wish to someday own his own land, providing the opportunity to plant orchards or have more animals. He feels content, yet is aware that this life depends on his physical health and level of motivation, as well as financial concerns, which can become worse with climate change causing crop failure. There are always environmental worries, yet small farmers are as vital as ever.

Ultimately, he loves the farm, the community, and the opportunity of working outside - and especially, connecting with other farmers in the area and creating lasting bonds.