From childhood days spent watering her grandpa’s cherry tomatoes to landscaping her grandma’s garden, Kalyn Simon MBA ’23 knew agriculture was where she wanted to be. The waves of time have since carried her from her grandparents’ home to thriving urban farms and the deepest depths of the sea in pursuit of her passion for agriculture and technology.
“I think that technology has always been a piece of agriculture and it will continue to evolve,” Simon said. “They're inextricably connected, one way or another now, we're just seeing more advances in high tech marketed more than the low-tech solutions that have always been utilized on farm. We will continue to see this continuing.”
She sees this in her job as director of corporate engagement at Ocean Well Water. Here Simon connects with politicians, environmental organizations, fisheries, and more to discuss water desalination. According to Simon, desalination is an essential component of California’s agricultural future. She believes that her work provides environmentally safe sources of water and promotes a mindset of abundance rather than scarcity. Through exchange, as there is more water for other sectors, supplies open directly for agriculture.
“The better we are at opening up dialogue rather than creating conflict around the topic [the better] it's going to be for the environment for agriculture and for urban use as well as life in general in California,” Simon said. “What I really want people to know about desalination is that there are alternative methods being developed and we should really be able to start having honest conversations about it.”
Desalination can be energy intensive and, depending on the system, harmful to the smaller creatures in the marine ecosystem like plankton and fish eggs which sustain the ocean’s food chain. This harm can come from the reverse osmosis (RO) process which Simon explained separates seawater into fresh water and brine. The brine, which is 50 percent saltier after filtration, is normally released back into the sea often alongside wastewater, however, it still raises concern for the wildlife nearby.
While traditional forms of coastal desalination create such concerns, Simon explained that Ocean Well Water is countering these issues by taking desalination into the depths of the sea. Specifically, through specialized pods, the Ocean Well leverages the natural pressure of the sea to run the RO process and pull seawater into the system. This minimizes the need for fossil fuels and greatly reduces the amount of brine created. However, the complete cost of operating the system is still being determined, and actually permitting and implementing them may take considerable time, but Simon believes it's worth it to safeguard marine life and coastal ecosystems.
“The point we're getting to is, ‘Yes, a bit more expensive than traditional sources of water, but we don't have access to the groundwater or the Colorado River like we once did,’” Simon said. “So as less precipitation falls, we want to recycle as much as we can, but we're still going to need new sources of drought-proof water in the state.”
Simon hopes this will create a reliable supply of water for California and other coastal regions. She also hopes that it will inspire people to work alongside nature to maintain abundance and responsible agricultural growth in California and the world. She sees this growth in Garden to Table Silicon Valley, which she calls her happy place.
“It's a place where people of all ages can come with their families, friends, neighbors, colleagues, classmates and just learn about food,” Simon said. “All the way from prepping the garden bed to planting seeds to watering to pruning and harvesting. We really want to be a space for education and really help people to connect with our food system and have autonomy in the food system.”
Simon fondly remembers community potlucks at the farm and sharing recipes over food from the fall harvest. The farm has also taught kids to like vegetables and visitors how to handle chickens. Simon recalls one boy who wouldn’t eat vegetables but at the farm was eating kale like a lollipop. For Simon moments like these ring clear even in the midst of a bustling city or beneath the roar of planes overhead.
“You forget you're in the heart of a bustling city like downtown San Jose,” Simon said. “Instead you're just on this farm with people who also really want to be there and spend time together. Those are really the fun moments to me just getting to reflect on how special it is.”
Since stumbling upon the farm as a recent graduate, Simon has worked there first as an intern and later as their head of marketing and engagement. She also found a spot for herself as the Chair of the Board. According to Simon, the farm is an example of the untapped power in local food systems. By giving people the opportunity to grow and know their own food, Simon believes it can help people foster appreciation and respect for the Earth and climate.
Simon suggests that people can still help spread this message even if they don’t work at the farm. This can mean sharing photos over social media or simply being present to provide aid or talents in whatever form they might take.
“It's really interesting how all of these systems are connected,” Simon said. “So we need to be cognizant of our water, our environment, our clean and healthy soils, and of the farm workers and laborers who are putting food on the table. All of this is really intertwined, we are all a piece of, because we eat the food [and] so understanding how much effort and time has gone into the food that we're able to consume is so important.”