CCWF’S First-Ever Farmer’s Market

The flier posted on the bulletin boards in Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) B Yard contained words that no one expected to see — not even on a flier in association with the Insight Garden Program (IGP), which provides vocational gardening training and other programming at CCWF and other California prisons. It read: “FARMER’S MARKET to be held for B Yard, September 28, 2024.”

I found myself fixated on those words. They raised pleasant emotions about my childhood, when I frequented farmer’s markets with my family and spent time cultivating a vegetable garden with my grandfather in his backyard. I always got immense joy from seeing the vegetables grow, holding the bowl he’d place them in when they were picked, and poking around in the soil.

I also thought it would be amazing if something like that was actually going to happen because incarcerated people only get food in three ways. They can eat at the prison cafeteria, which relies heavily on processed food. Or they can make personal purchases at the commissary, which is more like 7-11 than a grocery store. They can make personal quarterly purchases from an approved package vendor.

We very rarely have access to fresh produce, though we could in theory prepare it since CDCR residents have access to hot pots and microwaves in the housing units. According to representatives at IGP, no California state prison has ever held a farmer’s market. And, indeed, “amazing” turned out to be the word of the day when this very first market finally took place.

As I was preparing to leave my unit that warm morning, I could feel everyone’s energy both anxious and excited about going. No one knew just what to expect. What B Yard housing unit was going first? Would there be a time limit? Had the cops said anything?

Each snippet of conversation I caught as I walked by added to my own anticipation.

I was released through the facility gate and quickly made my way to the gym, where the market was held. My eyes adjusted from the bright sunlight, the first thing they focused on were brown paper grocery bags lined up side by side. Then I heard the deep “frump” sound of another bag being unfolded and set in line. It brought me surprise and wonder—yes, just the paper bags.

Our community resources manager, Gabriella “Armie” Armendariz, was seated at a table inside the door and instructed me to fill out and sign a media release form while she collected my ID card and ducat, a sort of prison hall pass. I was then given a small wax paper envelope containing several tickets of different colors that could be redeemed for different items.

Stepping forward, I was provided with one of the grocery bags. I also got a map that illustrated the set-up of all the booths and what they offered and a produce guide containing descriptions, properties, nutritional information of different fruits and vegetables, and recipes. Looking around, I observed inside and outside volunteers making final preparations at each of the five booths spread around the gym. They featured fruits, herbs, vegetables, soaps, and flowers.

Our incarcerated firefighter team, the residents of the CCWF firehouse, were the first group to enter. Each carried grocery bags that were full and bulky from the items they’d received. Fire Captain Robert Rios told me that despite being out on a call until 3 AM. that morning, one of the first things the ladies asked that day was, “We’re still going to the farmer’s market, right?”

Then I asked the ladies what they thought. “I’m amazed by all of the different vegetables and colors,” Giovanna Vargashernandez said. Priscilla Charris agreed. “This is great. The freshness and needed nutritional value. I’ve never had squash before,” Charris said. “This makes me want to start a garden at the firehouse.”

Awaiting the next residents, I spoke with Andrew Winn, IGP’s executive director. The idea for the farmer’s market, he said, came to fruition with the help of CDCR administration at the local and state level, including Armendariz, CCWF warden Anissa De La Cruz, and the CDCR director of adult institutions Ron Broomfield. Winn said that IGP’s good working relationship with CCWF administration made it a great place to pilot the market.

To pull off the event, IGP worked with farmers in the Fresno area, who provided produce donations. These included: Avenal State Prison C-Yard IGP, Blossom Bluff Orchards, Laurel Botanicals, Mendoza Farms, Thao Family Farms, That Good-Ish Soap Company, and Rancho de Rodney.

The program supplemented the donations with their own purchase from FreshKo., a Fresno-based produce supplier. In addition to donating, Rancho de Rodney and Alcatraz Gardens also sent representatives to volunteer their time. All in all, IGP provided 1,000 lbs of produce to residents free of charge. Each person could claim an equal share by exchanging their tickets for produce.

“I wanted everyone to have access,” Winn said about the payment system. “I was incarcerated for nine years and didn’t have money on my books. I know what it’s like so I didn’t want anyone to miss out just because of that.”

Upon their arrival, I watched the first two units as they took in the variety of fruits — there were large wooden salad bowls overflowing with honeydew melon, watermelon, bunches of grapes, plums, and plucots sitting next to green plastic baskets full of strawberries.

I heard the inside volunteers repeatedly saying, “Yes, one ticket will get you the whole thing,” in response to the disbelief expressed by so many that they’d be getting a whole basket of strawberries or bag of grapes. And that was just the fruits!

I became emotional when I witnessed another incredibly beautiful moment. The flower booth was the final step before exiting the gym and each incarcerated person received a small handmade bouquet. Yeun Byun, an outside volunteer, was handing a lady her bouquet, with a large warm smile on her face. The humanity, love, and kindness in that brief exchange brought me to tears. The woman receiving the flowers seemed so touched and I was able to see the gratitude both of them felt.

Byun had stopped flower arranging for years due to being devastated by a relative’s incarceration. Only recently had she returned. She looked forward to the farmer’s market so she could distribute both the flowers and information to residents here.

When I asked people how they felt while attending and what they thought of the farmer’s market, Rickie Jones said, “Amazing. I am so happy to be here and have all of this fresh food — the flowers too. It’s great.” Kimberly Guzman said she was “surprised and happy. This was really good. Everyone was friendly and welcoming.” Francis “Francisco” Velasquez said he was “too hot, but it was worth the wait. I hope they do this more.” I overheard a young woman agree that the experience was amazing and she, “was excited for grapes, even though they ran out.”

The IGP staff were excited too, including Marlin Jeffries, who handed out fresh garlic cloves, sage, thyme and rosemary while working at the herbs booth. Jeffries became part of IGP in 2015 while he was incarcerated; he paroled in 2017 and has been on the Board of IGP since 2019.

“This is monumental,” Jeffries said. “I’ve never seen or heard of anything like this.” He also joked about purchasing onions on a fundraising sale during his incarceration and how he’d hold onto them for so long that “they’d sprout green leaves and be ready to be planted” since he didn’t know when he’d have access to fresh onions again.

As the day came to a close, I had the chance to fill my own grocery bag with a head of fresh lettuce, eggplants, plums, strawberries, and herbs. I was giddy carrying my brown grocery bag out of the gym. I didn’t get any squash or a pumpkin, but as I stood next to my bunk that evening, I thought about the day and how amazing it felt to have been a part of it.

That brought to mind how many times l had heard that word expressed throughout the day. It was fitting. I suspect the next Farmer’s Markets for C yard and D yard, scheduled for February 22, 2025, will be even better.

Editor’s Note: This story is co-published with the Daily Yonder, a non-profit newsroom that provides news, commentary, and analysis about and for rural America.