The Davis Farmers Market provides fresh plants, gardening resources and a strong sense of community
BY JULIE HUANG – arts@theaggie.org
The Davis Farmers Market is a year-round market held in Central Park on Wednesdays and Saturdays, boasting fresh produce alongside an assortment of other cute and eclectic goods. Notable among these offerings are the plants and gardening supplies available, allowing Davis students easy access to leafy home decor or resources to support a gardening hobby.
Jonathan Kim, a second-year psychology and design double major, said that the farmers market is a strong starting point for aspiring gardeners and plant hobbyists who are learning the basics.
“The farmers market has vegetables, gardening [resources] and essential house plants,” Kim said. “It’s great for someone trying to get into planting and gardening.”
Kim added that the effortless shopping experience is accentuated by the farmers market’s inviting atmosphere, smattering of tasty food offerings and potential for positive face-to-face interaction between individuals.
“The farmers market is one of the cutest farmers markets I’ve been to, especially in the fall,” Kim said. “Their apple juice and pastries is a Saturday must-try and it’s also right by the art market, so it’s a fun Davis hangout situation. There’s this one guy that gives you free fruits if you buy from him, [meaning that] he rounds down when you pay and if it’s close to the next number up, he adds a free fruit in there.”
Another notable aspect of the farmers market is its ability to bring different members of the Davis community together in an organic way.
“Apart from buying plants, I personally like going to the farmers market just to sit in the park and watch people live their life,” Kim said. “It’s the perfect spot for people watching.”
Juliana Caldarelli, a second-year English major, agreed that the main value of the farmers market is its community-building quality.
“While I do like a good pastry, and whenever that one cheese guy puts up his stand I go wild, it’s more about interacting with the community, hanging out with your friends and people watching for me,” Caldarelli said. “If you talk to the vendors, they’ll excitedly tell you about their stuff, like this one guy who made ladles with two sides that you can scoop from because he’s left handed.”
Offering a physical area for people of the community to gather together and engage in their hobbies, the farmers market could be thought of as the physical manifestation of the Davis community spirit.
“Last time I went, I watched a gal learning to juggle, a dude continuously putting together and taking apart a sculpture, a bunch of runners stretching together and a dude singing and playing the guitar,” Caldarelli said.
At the farmers market, both the produce and the people are genuine and delightful. With that in mind, visiting the Davis Farmers Market is an excellent choice for those looking to add to their plant collections or fuel their gardening hobby.
Written by: Julie Huang — arts@theaggie.org
