Hamoda Mohamad is the owner of Casa Verde Farmland, one of the leading food suppliers in Texas. Established in 1995, this farm has grown significantly. Hamoda was named Farmer of the Year in 1998 when he overcame all challenges in starting an agriculture business.
Apart from being an entrepreneur, Hamoda served as an ununiformed forest ranger at Sabine National Forest. His bravery was recognized by the citizens when he risked his life trying to save animals in the forest during a fire in 2011. In addition, he supports Learning Disabilities Foundation in its mission to create employment for people with disabilities.
What is Casa Verde Farmland all about?
Casa Verde Farmland is a 2000-acre land. We primarily grow lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, and carrots all year round. We have a seasonal harvest of apples, cherries, and grapes. Our farm has its own packaging factory for export products and those that we send to supermarkets.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
I’ve always dreamed of having a business since I was young, but I never imagined it to be a farm. Right after graduating, I began my own business. I was overjoyed and excited to see my company grow in such a short time. My father kept on convincing me to join him in farming, but I firmly believed that it was not my thing until I realized the tremendous potential of my father’s land in the agriculture sector. I finally gave in to the idea of farming. We named the farm Casa Verde Farmland, which translates to “greenhouse” in Spanish. While we created jobs for the farmers surrounding us, they rewarded us with their devotion and hard work. They helped us have a successful harvest year after year.
What are your plans for the future, how do you plan to grow this company?
Well, I might acquire another property for a poultry farm or maybe raise hogs. As of now, it’s still an idea that we need to consider and study. During this time of the pandemic, we have to consider so many things, so we are delaying this venture.
How have the pandemic and Lockdown affected you or your new business?
Since we are in the agriculture sector, our production continued. However, we experienced a large number of order cancellations. Restaurants were closed and we can only give supply to some supermarkets. We needed to find a way to dispose of fruits and vegetables that were left at our storage facility while they are still in good condition. What we did was to sell them to neighboring villages at a low price, just to make some money until our next harvest. We gave away some for the needy too. Of course, I was worried about how much we would lose, but I was more concerned about how I am going to keep everyone employed at the farm. Last year, we had to control our production to stop further losses. I had farmers and staff on a skeletal schedule. Their income was reduced, but at least they can still keep their jobs. Thankfully, we are gradually returning to normalcy these days.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Aside from the challenges caused by this pandemic, establishing Casa Verde Farmland was a challenge. My father and I knew very little about farming. We underestimated the complexity of agriculture. We thought we could get everything we need from magazines and books, but we couldn’t simply implement what we know. So, we sought advice from farmers in the neighborhood and observed how they run their farms. Our plants got infested with pests and the harvest was poor. My father and I worked really hard to at least harvest something until we engaged some farmers in the farm. The fact that some of the farmers are cultivating lands that are not legally theirs, we were able to persuade them to work for us instead. That was the beginning of our success.
What was your first business idea and what did you do with it?
Immediately after I got my degree in business management, I opened my business in a local market. With the money I had saved, the most ideal business for me was a fruit and vegetable stall. I ran that business for almost two years, eventually expanding to five stalls in various locations. Business was good, so closing them one by one was a difficult decision. I couldn’t manage the stalls and farming at the same time. I weighed my options and opted to focus more on farming because it required physical and mental work.
What are you learning now? Why is that important?
I want to focus more on organic farming and how to make Casa Verde more sustainable. Early this year, I started researching about vermicomposting, which is worm manure that is considered one of the best soil amendments. These worms fed on food waste and trimmings which is perfect for my farm because when we process our harvest, we leave vegetable trimmings to decompose, but using worms would make the process faster.
Later this year or maybe next year, we’ll start creating an organic substrate for the worms so we could start using vermicompost after six months or so. Casa Verde Farmland considers moving toward organic farming but not at this moment. Though people are getting more and more open to organic food, most restaurants aren’t yet prepared to serve 100% organic food because they have to consider the price difference of organic products. That’s why our farm is only 40% organic.
If you started your business again, what things would you do differently?
As I’ve mentioned earlier, the first year of Casa Verde Farmland was a challenge. I wasted money, energy, and time figuring how things work at a farm. So, if I were to start all over again, I would definitely go to an agriculture school first before starting my business. I can just imagine how much money, time, and effort I could have saved if I did that.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
While multitasking may be useful for some individuals, I find it overloading. Multitasking prevents me from performing tasks to the best of my ability. Instead, I focus on distinguishing what has to be done first to avoid the overwhelming concept of doing too many things at once. I take each task one at a time. Every day, I strive to attain a number of objectives. Setting mental goals and deadlines enables me to grow every day.
If you only had $1000 to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
A thousand dollars is not a big amount of money these days. With a laptop and WI-FI, I’ll invest in foreign currencies. It’s risky but not as much as in the stock market. What’s good with foreign exchange is that you can start with at least $200 until you grow your capital and profit. With the small amount of investment, I could save more and start a food business maybe.
What helps you stay driven and motivated to keep going in your business?
The people I work with are like family to me. We share every success and failure in this business. I owe my success to them, and they continue to assist me in keeping the farm going. I want to repay their loyalty and hard work; thus, I am striving hard to improve the farm. My success is their success and there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing happy workers.
What is your favorite quote?
Antonio Brown’s statement feels as if he’s speaking directly to me. He said,
“If you want to be the best, you can’t follow the road of least resistance. Every morning, your mind tells you it’s too early, and your body tells you you’re too tired, but you have to dig deep within yourself to know what you want and what you’re working for.”
What valuable advice would you give new entrepreneurs starting out?
Do your research and make sure that you have the knowledge to keep your business going, and basically just be ready. If not, find people who can help you achieve your goals. It’s great to work with a team because they will supplement the knowledge and skills you lack and support you succeed. If you have capital, a great business idea, and a great group of people, start now while the passion inside you still burns.
What is your definition of success?
Success comes in many forms. I feel successful every harvesting time because it’s when we see the fruits of our labor. Also, success to me is being happy with people on the farm. They are my support system, and they are the reason why I work hard.
How can we get in touch with you?
You can use info@hamodamohamad.com to get in touch with me.
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