David “Mike” Greenlee joined the U.S. Coast Guard in the early 80s and was part of a select group in their sonar program, which many people don’t know existed back then. As a seaman, he spent time on a couple of ships, including the USCGC Mellon, which was decommissioned in 2020. He also spent time at the Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Alabama and went to school in San Diego, California.
During his time in the Coast Guard, he traveled to Alaska, Central and South America. Operations included search and rescue, fishery patrols, and even drug interdiction.
Believe it or not, Mike credits joining the Coast Guard to watching a rescue mission take place on an episode of popular TV series, Hawaii Five-O. “I’m thinking, I’ve never seen the ocean before,” said Mike. “That sounds cool for me. I think I can do that.”
After Service
After service, Mike returned to his hometown of Spencer, West Virginia. He worked in electronics and real estate. Mike was able to get his own land after the owners gave it to him. It was in bad shape and they had no interest in it. He knew it would take a lot of work and he got right to it.
There was a greenhouse on the property, which he used as a high tunnel until he was able to get a furnace. After being awarded a grant from the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, he was able to install irrigation and refrigeration for his crops.
Mike and wife, Joellen, show off Jo Jo’s Taco food truck at festival.
Jo Jo’s Taco on the Food Network
After covid, Mike decided on doing a farm-to-table food truck and serve tacos. He and his wife, Joellen traveled to many different places in Latin America, researching different recipes. After much experimenting, they decided on one and started selling it at festivals, such as the Black Walnut Festival in Spencer. He utilized Facebook to market his food truck and asked friends and family to like and share it to others.
It didn’t take long before the Food Network came calling. Jo Jo’s Taco featured on an episode of Carnival Eats, which you can view HERE. It turned out to be a very fun experience for them and Noah, the show host.
Using the Homegrown By Heroes Label
Mike features the Homegrown By Heroes West Virginia label on his truck, as well as their sticker for receiving the WV Living Best of 2024 West Virginia Silver Winner for Best Food Truck.
One of the main things that Mike stresses is the importance of marketing. He markets his farm-to-table style food truck, which people are attracted to and then learn about the Homegrown By Heroes label.
When asked about what advice he would give to aspiring Veteran Farmers, he recommended doing research, knowing what it is you want to do, and knowing how to market it effectively. He also mentioned having patience.
“It doesn’t happen overnight,” Mike said. Utilizing social media to advertise and attract new customers was also another important tip that he shared.
To learn more about Jo Jo’s Taco, you can follow them on Facebook or visit their website https://jojostaco.com/.
