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Jeff Mailes
Business Owner
Edible Landscape Solutions
January 08, 2013

Jeff's business idea will probably sound familiar to you - it's an idea that has popped up across several neighborhoods and cities in the past several years. But the fact is, it's still not prevalent enough for us. We believe there's room for Jeff's work in a high enough volume that everyone's address could be within 5 miles of someone offering similar services and skills. Imagine it was as easy as finding a plumber?think how many back yards and side lots and window boxes would turn into lunch and dinner.

When did you know that you wanted to work in food?

I decided to dedicate my life to food after volunteering at the UC Davis Student Farm. I became enamored with the native flowers which popped up between the vegetable beds and fruit trees at the Ecological Garden. I was scientifically stimulated by the complex relationships that exist in a healthy soil community. And, I fell in love with the people in my work environment. We inspire each other, we laugh with one another, and we cook the food that we grow with one another. Since working at the Student Farm, I have dedicated myself to becoming an individual who can create nourishing communities by redesigning neighborhoods to produce and share good food.

How did you get your current good food job?

Since graduating from UC Davis, I have started managing my own business called Edible Landscape Solutions. All I had to do was: go to Davis City Hall and get a business license, file the business name with the county clerk, notify a local newspaper, and open a checking account. 5 days and 100$ later, I had become a business owner. Now, I am building a portfolio to show clients that edible gardens can be beautiful and that actively engaging in your food system is exciting and empowering. You can see my online portfolio as it develops at my website.

How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?

When I taught environmental education to children visiting the Student Farm, I got to create garden-based education curriculum. In conjunction with my previous work managing volunteer crews, I can use my teaching experience to maintain contact with my clients and help them be successful gardeners as well. Through the creation of a monthly workshop series, I can help clients learn to prune, compost, start seedlings, and plant with the seasons.

What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your Good Food Job dream?

The greatest obstacle I have yet to overcome is building a client base. Though the pressure to succeed has almost led me to call it quits, my passion for growing food, and sharing that joy with others, keeps me on track. It is hard work trying to find people to pay you for your skills when you have only a few examples of success to draw on.

What can you identify as the greatest opportunities in food right now?

The greatest food opportunities for growing food are in the neighborhoods that create the demand for locally grown organic produce! Most yards are already hooked up to some form of irrigation, and with a little consultation, residential suburban/urban communities can significantly increase local food security.

If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?

Food, back/head massages, or music lessons.

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