The first thing I notice stepping into any Santa Cruz Farmers Market (SCFM) is the noise. I overhear interactions between children and their grandparents, groups of roommates, and even strangers. The constant exchange of human experiences is the foundation of any market’s inviting atmosphere.

When I arrived for my first shift as an intern at the Live Oak Farmers Market (LOFM), I was overwhelmed. Trying to understand the market’s operations made me incredibly nervous, but the customers and staff were so patient with me. I instantly distinguished the regulars based on their interactions with the staff. These individuals show up every Sunday, rain or shine. Over the quarter, I have become more comfortable engaging with and understanding those who come from different walks of life. 

Lily Faris, a UCSC junior who works as an attendant at Happy Boy Farms, converses with a customer while they check out. The farm is owned by Greg Beccio and is based near Watsonville. Their signature crops include edible flowers, specialty melons, leafy greens, dry-farmed tomatoes, and many varieties of squash.

The farmers market is a vital resource for the community; food is a form of medicine and the markets are an incredible display of how food brings people together.

Every Saturday growing up my dad drove us to get bagels from this, now permanently closed, mom-and-pop store. We would find a table and eat in the warm sun, thankful for the food. Laundromat Bagels, a shop that vends at various markets throughout the week, caught my eye during my first shift. As I sat at the picnic tables, eating a cinnamon raisin bagel, I encountered a familiar taste that transported me back to a simpler time. 

Laundromat Bagels (pictured left) is a SF-based company that vends at various markets in Northern California. Their speciality are bagels and various types of cream cheese.

Various fruits (pictured above) for sale at Rooster Ridge Farm .

Food for Thought

Nesh Dhillon, who originally founded the LOFM in 2003, described it as a “modern town hall.” The market welcomes young and old, offering a range of nuanced perspectives and starting important dialogues that extend beyond the market. 

The LOFM creates educational avenues for a variety of social issues, particularly food justice. The hustle of daily life lends few opportunities for communities to discuss issues as a collective. One relevant subject that has the potential to impact Santa Cruz County is the proposed cut of the Market Match program in 2025. Market Match is an incentive program that helps stretch recipients’ CalFresh nutrition assistance benefits. California governor Gavin Newsom is proposing to cut a majority of the $35 million California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) budget, which currently funds Market Match programs. 

Madison Strohauer, a former UCSC student, uses her EBT card to get tokens at the information booth. Tokens have a value of $1, never expire, and are usable at every SCFM.

Many families and individuals have expressed immense shock and anger about the situation because they depend on EBT to last them the entire month. Annissa Fullenkamp, a regular at the market, spoke on how she “builds [her family’s] meals around it during the week.” Cutting the Market Match program would be an incredible injustice to communities, students, and families throughout the area. 

Annissa Fullenkamp and her daughter at the Live Oak School district kid’s art table (pictured left). The school district runs events once a month, and they vary from craft tables to market treasure hunts. They help incentivize families to come to markets and help children learn more about food systems.

Nonprofit organizations often table at the markets to raise awareness on a wide range of issues, nutrition-related and beyond. Logan Layral, a UC Santa Cruz senior who currently works at Happy Boy Farms, shared that when “charities, like Food Not Bombs come [to the market], we give produce to them, to help out people who are in need of some food.”

Community Ties  

There is undeniable synergy between the vendors, staff, and customers at the LOFM. The market’s informal format allows staff to build strong, personal connections with both vendors and regulars. 

Lizzie Schafer, a UCSC junior who works as an attendant at Flowers at the Sea, creates bouquets for customers. The business is owned by Kaysea Cook and is centered around sustainable flower cultivation practices.

At the February 18th market, when the scheduled band unexpectedly canceled, community members Casy Meikle and Craig Mitchell, friends of the SCFM manager Linnea Wik, stepped in and put on an impromptu show. This community uplifts and supports one another, while still holding space for new individuals to join. 

I was shocked at how many UCSC students are involved at the market. Thairie Ritchie, a longtime staff member of the SCFM,  started his journey nine years ago as an intern through UCSC’s Life Lab Farm. Nancy Abramson of Rooster Ridge Farm has mentored four or five students herself, and expressed how much she loves working with UCSC interns. Lily Faris, a UCSC junior who works at Happy Boy Farms, describes the market as her “happy place,” and strongly encourages other students to get involved. 

Nancy Abramson, owner of Rooster Ridge Farm, grows and sells organic fruit, flowers, herbs, and vegetables. She started her farm in 1999, and her business is centered around sustainability and self sufficiency.