When Juan Martinez was in high school, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do in life, but he knew he liked working with his dad on their farm.
“I just like being out in the country,” he said. “I’ve always been an outdoors kind of guy. Ever since I was little, I just loved being out in the fields with the digger or watching the potatoes be harvested.”
Growing up in Washington state’s Columbia River Basin, Martinez enjoyed the outdoors and admired how his dad earned the respect of his community through hard work.
“I am who I am because of my roots,” he said. “I come from an immigrant family. My dad migrated here when he was very young. He actually got promoted to be a manager at his job at 17 years old because he could speak both English and Spanish. People admired him, and knowing my dad comes from our Hispanic culture, it just means a lot.
“Us Hispanics, we don’t give up. We do everything to succeed in life, to find that American dream. Once we find it, it’s beautiful, but it’s not easy. I remember my dad staying up late, only having one tractor. It was tough. Now he’s up to 1,000 acres, and as the farm grew, I grew.”
Juan’s father, Frank Martinez, started Saddle View Farms over 40 years ago. He is known affectionately as the “Potato King” for his years of service to the industry, including chairing the Washington State Potato Commission and even being featured in a commercial for a popular fast food brand.
Juan and his wife now own their own farm—JAM Farms—with 120 acres of potatoes. The family grows russet potatoes for fries at a popular global fast food brand.
“We’ve got the best weather pattern in the country,” Martinez said. “We have the right amount of time in the growing season—150 days, which is what you need to grow a beautiful russet. We have the Columbia River to supply us water. That’s a very big blessing. It’s a beautiful place to farm and raise a family.”
Martinez, who has worked on his family’s farm for 23 years, recently stepped into a leadership role in the industry, joining Potatoes USA’s board and serving on the Communications Committee.
“I just wanted to get more involved and do more for the industry,” he said. “I wanted to meet people and get to know different farmers and learn how they grow and how they farm. It’s just nice to connect with other growers and learn from them.”
Martinez said he’s seen farming change a lot since he started working in the family business.
“The business has gotten bigger, and there are more responsibilities,” he said. “We also have more technology. With new GPS systems, you can just push a button and let the tractor go on its path, which is quite handy compared to when I was young. Now you don’t have to steer or worry about being in the right row. It makes life easier and nicer.”
JAM Farms has five main employees who Martinez said are treated like family. His dad’s siblings and other family friends also help during harvests.
“We invite our employees over for birthday parties, Fourth of July, and celebrations like that,” he said. “We treat them like family. We treat them with respect. They’re so hardworking, it’s kind of hard to pay them back for all their dedication.”
Martinez also lives on the farm with his wife and two children, including a son in high school and a daughter in second grade. When they’re not working, he and his wife enjoy target shooting, and occasionally the family takes trips to places like Disney World and Cancún.
“We don’t get to do that all the time, just as God gives us the opportunity,” he said.
Martinez said his favorite potato dish is scrambled eggs and diced potatoes with chorizo and homemade refried beans wrapped in a homemade flour tortilla.