Empowering Eaters
Cultivating Community
Transforming Food
Spread the Love
Financials

CUESA is a  nonprofit with a mission for big impact

Every day, you help us work to improve the food system by providing transparency and education around sustainable agriculture. And every year, we extend our reach—impacting more family farmers, urban youth, and city dwellers—thanks to your support. See what change we stirred up together in a visual look back at our fiscal year from
spring 2015 through spring 2016.

CUESA’s flagship market, the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, has some impressive stats:

Explore our Markets

you support the economic vitality of our farmers and food producers

By selling direct to urban consumers, farmers take home more of the food dollar, and shoppers support a sustainable food system while eating the best produce around.

Your support enables the next generation of farmers and food producers to grow

Lonely Mountain Farm

First-generation farmer Kenny Baker found his calling in agriculture working at local farms in Santa Cruz County. In 2009, at age 25, he leased six acres in the foothills of Corralitos to start his own organic farm, and today operates 10 acres of family-owned land with his wife, Molly. The intensively farmed parcel is very dynamic, with dairy goats, laying chickens, honeybees, orchards, and beautiful produce all finding their place. The farmers have found their niche growing unusual vegetable and herb varieties, heirloom beans, and cut flowers.

 

Lucero Organic Farms

Ben Lucero has been an organic grower since he was a teenager, when he tended a backyard garden with his brother. He started his first organic farm in the 1960s and, although he found it difficult to make a living, didn’t give up. When the farmers market movement took off 20 years later, Ben found his niche and made a real profit for the first time. In 2006, Ben’s eldest son, Curtis, returned from the military to work on the family farm. Respectful of the ecosystem in which they farm, the Luceros strive to sustain their farmland for future generations.

Old Dog Ranch

Located in the San Joaquin Valley, Old Dog Ranch has seen many changes since Mollie Sitkin’s great-great grandfather purchased the land in 1912. Mollie’s father, Roger, started growing apples, blueberries, and annual crops when he took over. Apple trees gave way to walnut orchards, which thrive in the area’s deep, well-drained soil and low winter temperatures. Diversifying the farm's offerings, Mollie launched a value-added product line, including seasoned walnuts and walnut butters. Mollie also planted specialty peppers to be used in seasoning the walnuts, and introduced five bee hives that produce the honey used in the walnut butter.

The average age of a farmer is 58.3 and rising. In recruiting new and beginning farmers into our markets, we connect them to opportunity and stability.

This year, you helped 12 new farmers and food producers break into the market

The season's best produce in a grilled cheese melt
Sustainably grown walnuts and walnut products
Farm-to-cup,
global grinds
Homestyle Western Indian food
 
Community-centric coffee
San Francisco microclimate honeys
Sweet and savory Italian doughnuts
Waste not, want not, whole-animal butchery
Italian techniques, American grains, Oakland love
Old-fashioned sweet treats, with a seasonal twist
 
100% organic, seasonal baked breads and sweets
 
Cool-weather crops, plus dry-farmed tomatoes and quinoa

You also helped support market vendors in taking the leap to set up permanent digs

Sow Success Story: Graduation from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

In March 2013, Luisa Alberto and Derek Castro entered the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market with their fresh pressed farm-to-glass juices. After capturing the hearts of juice lovers all over SF, they graduated from the market to a brick-and-mortar in 2015. And lucky for us, they didn’t move too far—their new spot is right here at the Ferry Building!

You encouraged us to test the waters for growth

We envision a world where everyone has access to fresh fruits and vegetables, so last fall, we tested new ground with a series of pop-up markets in the Mission Rock neighborhood.  We welcomed new sellers, met new friends, and invested in a new neighborhood—a preview of growth to come.

And with the introduction of Market Match, our farmers market community expanded as well

Stay Connected

Show your love with a
tax-deductable donation.

 

 

 

Any amount is appreciated!

Thank you for being a part of the CUESA family and making this year an amazing one!

Whether you're a CUESA volunteer, donor, partner, or ally, your time and donations are what keep our programming alive.

Income and Expense for Fiscal Year ending March 31, 2016

Expenses

We're champions of transparency in the food system, and we believe that you deserve to know where your contributions go when you donate to CUESA. Here's how we raise funds for our programs, and how we put your donations to work. With your help and support, we are strong and growing.

Income

$1,536,000

$1,523,000

CUESA        's Volunteers!

And none of it would have been possible without our 250+ volunteers,
who cumulatively donated 5,500 hours!

Get involved!

17,000 goat-lovers helped make our 7th Annual Goat Festival (#Goatchella) go viral. They learned about and gathered in support of sustainable animal husbandry
and adorable baby goat “kids.”

#Goatchella

What’s #Goatchella?

Festival goers at Outside Lands learned about food waste and celebrated produce "seconds" at CUESA's Trash Talk Cook-Off on the Gastromagic Stage. Our local farmers provided deliciously imperfect fruit and veggies for the chef party backstage.

CUESA at Outside Lands

Food as part of Outside Lands

It takes all of us to cultivate a healthy food system. You've helped us strengthen ties in the Bay Area community and beyond, growing our network of supporters and allies in the good food movement.

Panel discussions

You helped us host public lectures and discussions with knowledgeable experts about timely food issues, such as efforts to fight food waste, the Bay Area's evolving restaurant scene, and the growing youth food movement.

Listen to the talk

Photo from Connecting Restaurants to the Farm: A Workshop for Restaurant Professionals

 More farm tour photos

and learned how much time, dedication, and thoughtfulness goes into growing the sustainably farmed produce sold at the farmers market.

You joined us In the field for 6 CUESA farm tours

4,749 market visitors stopped by The Foodshed,

our market education station, to learn about food system issues such as the drought, biodiversity, soil health, food labels, and pollinators.

Market-goers learn how to transform fresh, seasonal ingredients into homecooked meals. Last year, we  offered more than 60 demos with local chefs and cooking instructors, reaching more than 2,900 attendees.

Your support allows us to offer free weekly cooking demos

With your donations, We were able to add a fourth school site to Schoolyard to Market,

our gardening and entrepreneurship program for high school students.

What is Schoolyard to Market?

See our schedule of upcoming demos

Dig into these topics

Because of you, we doubled the number of students served by our Foodwise Kids prograM

2,500 San Francisco public elementary school students participated in our free farm-to-table field trip and cooking class, inspiring them with a love for fresh fruits and vegetables.

What is Foodwise Kids?

CUESA programs are designed to awaken your palate and mind, and empower you with knowledge to make more informed food choices.

In July 2015, we introduced Market Match to CUESA's farmers markets.
Market Match is a nutrition incentive program that doubles customers’ buying power when they spend their CalFresh EBT benefits (food stamps) at participating farmers markets, making farm-fresh produce more accessible for all.

More about Market Match

33.5%

18.3%

11.4%

41.6%

21.0%

24.1%

54.9%

Farmer-Chef Partnerships

More than 300 local chefs support CUESA farmers and sellers by showing up at the market every week, forming long-term relationships that sustain them. Business from local chefs makes up 50% of many farms' sales during parts of the year.

Which restaurants shop at CUESA farmers markets?