The Yolo Fruit Stand: more than just an average produce market

Nestled in the farmlands surrounding Interstate 80 stands a true California landmark. The Yolo Fruit Stand not only serves as a local vendor for Yolo County citizens and passersby alike, but also represents the importance of providing healthy and affordable food.

Maria Tsousis and her husband, Gus, have owned the fruit stand since they bought it from a family friend. They promised to keep the store in good hands, and several years later, their promise still holds true.

“My husband has been in the produce business for 35 years so we have a lot of experience with the area,” Mrs. Tsousis said. “The business grows more and more every day and more people are coming because we carry specific things that they ask for.”

According to Mr. Tsousis, the quality of the produce is key to attracting returning customers. Because of the stand’s unusual location, that they have to remain distinct from stores that are more readily available to the Davis community.

“A lot of produce is different from what [is] in the stores,” Mr. Tsousis said. “For example, the tomatoes we sell are homegrown by farmers in local fields.”

The stores often sell green and unripe produce that ripens in gas, but all of the fruit sold at the stand is straight from local farms and orchards. People can normally buy berries and grapes that have been processed and placed into plastic containers from grocery stores, but the Yolo Fruit Stand sells these items loose and unprocessed, which emphasizes the Tsousis’ mission of preserving the integrity and natural qualities of food.

The high demand for local, fresh and organic food in Davis and nearby communities is a main reason for the popularity of the fruit stand. For this reason, students, faculty and community members alike will make the 12-minute drive out to support the vendor that provides this kind of produce.

“We see all kinds of people,” Mrs. Tsousis said. “During the winter time we have a lot of students and faculty from Davis, and even people from Sacramento, Folsom and other [cities].”

Tim Shquti, the stand’s manager, has witnessed the business’ growth since it was purchased, and is dedicated to ensuring that the fruit stand stays prevalent within the Yolo community.

“The establishment has created a lot of returning customers even though the economy has dropped over the past few years,” Shquti said. “[Because] the fruit stand is open all year round […] we have grown as a business and established a good relationship with the customers. I have definitely seen a lot of students stop by and shop because they will save [more] money when they shop here [when] compared to the big-name stores.”

While it may seem counterintuitive to keep the business out on the side of a main interstate highway, the fruit stand’s unusual location has actually enhanced its popularity and clientele. The Yolo Fruit Stand is easily accessed off of the freeway and is a convenient stop for travellers on their way to or from Davis.

“When people drive from place to place, they stop by the stand because of our location,” Mrs. Tsousis said. “People stop just for snacks and even this little bit helps business. We appreciate everybody coming here even just to buy a bottle of water.”

The Yolo Fruit Stand is also a cultural market that provides diverse products to many community members, such as dried fruits and nuts.

“We have food items from several cultures [including] Iranian, Indian, Russian, Greek and Turkish [specialties],” Mrs. Tsousis said.  “Sometimes someone comes to the store and says that they miss a certain food item that they had in a different place. So I will look around and try to get these different foods and order them for the store. By doing that I create a good selection for the store.”

Besides the emphasis on selling local and fresh products, the fruit stand also prides itself on its individuality. The in-season produce — which is currently corn, honeydew, kiwi and grapes — is always grown locally and collected from and around Davis. The quality, unique environment and affordable prices contribute to the individuality and popularity of the Yolo Fruit Stand.

Just as a celebrity’s popularity depends on the fans’ loyalty, the Yolo Fruit Stand depends on the loyalty of its customers. Without the regulars who make the trip out and give their feedback to the employees, the business would not thrive as it does.

“The customers are what motivate us,” Mrs. Tsousis said. “We try very hard to succeed in this business and the customers always help us do that. We appreciate the people who tell their friends and spread the word, because that is how we get better and better every time.”
Written by: Gillian Allen — features@theaggie.org

Students find alternate housing options in co-ops, animal barns

Not many students can say they’ve lived with real-life sheep. Isabel Olaes, a second-year animal science and management major, has become accustomed to waking up to the “baa-ing” of her neighbors.

“I was apprehensive [to live in the sheep barn] because it is the complete opposite […] of the dorms,” Olaes said. “It’s funny […] you’re sleeping and you wake up and you can hear baa-ing. It’s fun having sheep as roommates.”

While many UC Davis students move out of the dorms and into off-campus apartments or houses after their first years are over, there are some students who choose alternate places of dwelling, such as the sheep barn, located in West Davis.

Olaes lives in the sheep barn with two other roommates, both of whom also care for the sheep. The three students together are responsible for feeding the 300 sheep in the mornings, putting them away at night and moving them from one pen to another when needed.

According to Olaes, the textbook experience differs greatly from the reality of the work. With 84 pregnant ewes currently occupying the barn, breeding has become an entirely new form of education for Olaes.

“You think it’s easy to stick a tube down a premature lamb’s throat? It’s not.” Olaes said. “This morning we woke up and there were […] six [newborn] lambs on the ground. You have to take action. You can’t procrastinate with animals, because it’s a life.”

The sheep barn is just one of the alternate living arrangements available for students with interests in animal science — other places, such as the horse barn, dairy barn, feedlot, beef barn, goat barn and swine facility, offer similar housing situations.

The Solar Community Housing Association (SCHA) is an organization that was founded on providing low-income housing for students interested in sustainability and diverse environments. One branch of SCHA contains the Tri-Cooperatives, which are located on campus near the Segundo Residence Halls.

“We basically want to have people here who can create a safe space, that are interested in doing things that are more sustainable for the Earth and for the campus,” said Scott Bowden, a third-year English major and member of the Pierce House in the Tri-Cooperative branch. “I love being a part of a community that’s like-minded, [yet] we all have so many differences.”

The three houses, Davis Student Cooperative (DSC), Pierce House and Agrarian Efforts House, all strive to maintain a community in which students feel safe and at-home on a low budget. All of the houses have gardens to grow their own produce, and together they plan weekly shopping trips to the Davis Co-op.

“It’s really nice to have a family to come back to; it’s a good support system,” said Shannon Ferguson, a fourth-year cognitive science major and member of the DSC house. “We cook as a house, we also buy food together as a house. The goal is to grow our own food so we don’t have to put as much resources towards buying things.”

Each house meets once a week to discuss chores and issues regarding the Tri Co-op community. The houses also have committees responsible for specific tasks; the social justice committee, for example, ensures respect within the community, and the pollinator committee holds people accountable for growing ecology-healthy crops that draw in pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Another goal of the Tri-Cooperatives is to create a community filled with diversity. According to Ferguson, the houses “want to be a safe space for oppressed groups.” With 12 to 15 people living in one house, however, things do get complicated.

“It definitely takes a certain type of person to live in a community like this, because there’s always people around,” said Peter Varas, a third-year sustainable agriculture and food systems major and member of the Pierce House. “[There are] two bathrooms [for] 12 people, [and] some of the other houses only have one bathroom, so coordinating time schedules can be difficult sometimes, but it’s been pretty good. [So far] we haven’t really had any challenges.”

Another branch of the SCHA is the Baggins End Domes, located at the west edge of campus. The Domes, similar to the Tri-Cooperatives, house students interested in agriculture via an alternative place of living.

“We have an intentional community where we try to be there for each other and […] emphasize sustainability but also social justice,” said Laura Losmozos, a fourth-year geology major and member of the Domes community. “If I need an ingredient for food or if I just need someone to hang out with, I feel like I always have someone to rely on.”

Like the Tri-Cooperatives, the Domes host weekly meetings as well as community dinners four times a week. Students living in the Domes are expected to uphold their responsibilities to the community, which include gardening, cooking and cleaning.

“If any conflict comes up between two community members, I can’t help feeling like it’s kind of my responsibility to make everything work,” Losmozos said. “Communication and accountability can be a struggle sometimes, just because everyone is a busy student, and we still have [other] stuff to do.”

Though living in the Domes can be a lot of work, the sense of community makes up for these challenges according to residents.

“My second year I lived at an apartment complex, which was fine […] but I felt a little isolated,” Losmozos said. “[I wanted] something to connect with, and I liked this idea of having a community.”

UC Davis students agree that living in alternative housing such as the Tri-Cooperatives, the Domes or the animal barns is a learning experience worthwhile.

“You’ll learn how to cook, you’ll learn how to take care of bees, you’ll learn so much stuff,” Bowden said.  “[We] live together and thrive.”
Written by: Allyson Tsuji – features@theaggie.org