Making good, healthy food accessible to more customers has always been the goal of the Santa Cruz Community Farmers’ Markets during its 30-year-plus history. That has never been more the case than during the past year and a half, with the COVID pandemic kicking that mission into a higher gear.
SCCFM executive director Nesh Dhillon says despite all the recent challenges, attendance at the five certified Santa Cruz area farmers’ markets has grown substantially, and the markets are now able to offer a wealth of chef-prepared foods and artisan products in addition to the local and organic produce, seafood and meats that have always been a market linchpin. More than 100 farmers, specialty food purveyors and artisans sell their wares at the SCCFM venues.
“We’re seeing a lot of growth, and it’s been great,” says Dhillon.
In addition, federal and local grants are now making it possible for low-income residents to make their food dollars go further at the markets than ever before.
The popular farmers’ markets in Downtown Santa Cruz, Westside Santa Cruz, Live Oak, Scotts Valley and Felton have become even bigger draws during the pandemic as a safer way to shop that also provides much-needed social interaction.
Customers may have noticed some changes at two of the markets in recent months. The Scotts Valley farmers’ market, held Saturdays from 9am-1pm, has moved from its previous location to the parking lot of the former Kmart on Mount Hermon Road. Dhillon says this has been great in terms of visibility, since Mount Hermon is the main road through town and into the mountain communities.
At the Felton farmers’ market, a change in the hours was made so that people could more easily eat lunch there, and also to allow parents time to shop when their children go back to school this fall. The market hours are now from 1-6pm Tuesdays.
“It’s a really special group of folks in Felton and they’re very kid-centric,” Dhillon says, explaining that it’s hard for some families to shop after school gets out because of afterschool activities and other commitments, hence the shift in the market hours.
One thing that hasn’t changed is SCCFM’s commitment to providing the best in regional organic produce, pasture-raised meats, eggs and dairy, sustainably harvested seafood and artisan-made goods. Now, added to all that are prepared foods, meal kits and gourmet products by acclaimed local chefs at each of the markets.
“When the restaurants started shutting down, I was contacted by a number of chefs who needed to stay solvent, and that opened the floodgates,” says Dhillon.
Now, famers’ market shoppers can nosh on selections from Midway (chef Katherine Stern), Chicken Foot (chef Jessica Yarr), Full Steam Dumpling (chef Andy Huynh), HOME (chef Brad Briske) and more.
For instance, chef Yarr’s dishes reflect her Ukrainian background, with grab-and-go items like latkes and knishes. “It’s Eastern European street food,” says Dhillon. “It’s foods I’d always heard about but never tried before.” Other chefs are offering products such as fresh-made pastas and sauces so that shoppers have everything they need to put a meal together at home. “They’re getting a great following,” Dhillon says of the chefs.
The new food offerings have been such a hit that local chefs are going to remain at the farmers’ markets, Dhillon says. In fact, he says he’s going to continue developing what he called the ‘culinary corner’ of the markets.
“It’s made the markets even better, with more layers to the experience,” Dhillon says, noting that the chefs typically purchase produce from the markets that they use in preparing their dishes. “We’re going to continue to grow that.”
As the bounty of summer and fall produce comes in, there’s also encouraging news for low-income shoppers at the SCCFM markets. COVID-related grants from federal and local sources are making it possible to extend CalFresh benefits even further. Dhillon says that grants have been made available from USDA, Santa Cruz County, the city of Santa Cruz and several nonprofits that have been folded in on top of CalFresh.
When shoppers use an EBT card at the markets, depending on the market and the month, they can be double- or triple-matched, so that they have more dollars to spend at the markets on fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables. “It’s a huge incentive. It draws tons of people to the markets,” says Dhillon.
A federal grant is now allowing double-matching of CalFresh benefits at the downtown Santa Cruz farmers’ market for the next year and a half. The result, Dhillon says, is that everyone wins—shoppers are able to buy more healthy food, farmers are able to sell their produce, and the markets draw more people.
“There’s no down side,” says Dhillon. “It’s the best reallocation of tax dollars there is.”
Peppers, sweet corn, tomatoes and more can be found at their peak of flavor at the farmers’ markets right now. To find out what’s in season and what will be available in the coming weeks, go to santacruzfarmersmarket.org/seasonality.
Santa Cruz Community Farmers’ Markets • Downtown Santa Cruz, W 1-6pm; Westside Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, Sa 9am-1pm; Live Oak, Su 9am-1pm; Felton, Tu 1-6pm through end of October • santacruzfarmersmarket.org
About the author
Kathryn McKenzie, who grew up in Santa Cruz and now lives on a Christmas tree farm in north Monterey County, writes about the environment, sustainable living and health for numerous publications and websites. She is the co-author of “Humbled: How California’s Monterey Bay Escaped Industrial Ruin.”
