As published on carlsbad.patch.com; Dec. 1, 2010

Making a Noble Living in Carlsbad: Jesus Medina

If you live in Carlsbad, you know his tomatoes; now meet the man.

Anyone who visits the Carlsbad Village Farmers Market knows the face, tomatoes and zucchini blossoms of Jesus Medina.

For the last 18 years or so, Medina has worked for Valdivia Farms, a family-run Carlsbad ranch on the corner of Tamarack and El Camino.

He credits his father-in-law and employer, Francisco Valdivia, with giving him the opportunity to raise his children here in Carlsbad. Medina calls Valdivia, a Carlsbad rancher for more than 40 years, the "epitome of the American dream."

When you talk with Medina, phrases such as "fortunate and blessed" and "honest hard work" are woven throughout his sentences.

Throughout the years, Medina has tried to give back to his community by coaching both baseball and football from the high school level down to little league.

There's no place in the world like Carlsbad, Medina says. "I couldn't ask for a better home town. ... and to put my kids through school on seeds, dirt, water and sun is a pretty noble living."

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the original, more subjective submission:

Anyone that visits the Carlsbad Farmer’s Market knows the face, tomatoes and zucchini blossoms of Jesus Medina.

For the last 18 years or so, Jesus has been with the family-run Carlsbad ranch, Valdivia Farms (on the corner of Tamarack and El Camino). Calling him the “epitome of the American dream”, Jesus is obviously admirable and proud of his father-in-law and employer, (a 40+ year Carlsbad rancher) Francisco Valdivia.

Medina credits Valdivia with affording him the opportunity to raise his children here in Carlsbad. “I couldn’t ask for a better home town… and to put my kids through school,” he adds, “on seeds, dirt, water and sun is pretty noble living.”

When you talk with him, terms like “fortunate and blessed” and “honest hard work” are woven throughout his sentences.

Carlsbad itself is fortunate and blessed to have Jesus Medina active in the community. Throughout the years, Medina has coached both baseball and football from the high school level down to little league. And when it comes to role models for children in our schools and community, it’s people like Jesus Medina that help preserve and encourage values like “hard work” and “honest living”.

Medina says that there’s no place in the world like Carlsbad, California. I say that’s because it’s people here like him that make it this way.

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