As the community soon gathers in Central Park to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Davis Farmers Market, the air will be thick with nostalgia. We will see the vibrant umbrellas, listen to local musicians and watch generations of families mingle between the stalls. We rightfully applaud the public founders who stood at those first tables.
However, as someone who had the immense privilege of knowing many of the trailblazers personally—and who played a part in the market’s physical evolution—I know that what looks like a seamless community tradition today was actually born out of fierce political battles, radical social ideals and profound personal sacrifice.
To truly honor this golden milestone, we must shine a light on the behind-the-scenes giants whose quiet but vital contributions laid the bedrock on which this market stands.
The philosophical DNA of the market was shaped by the late Dr. Isao Fujimoto. Isao did not simply teach community development at UC Davis; he lived it. His home was a joyful, bustling incubator for the alternative agricultural movements that ultimately gave birth to both the farmers market and the Davis Food Co-op. He mentored a generation of us to turn academic theory into hands-on social justice, instilling a fierce belief that a community must have a direct connection to the people who grow its food.
Providing the physical foundation to execute that vision were tomato and rice farmer Howard “Zeke” Beaman and his wife, Susan Pelican. Long before “organic” or “farm-to-fork” became household terms, Zeke was in the Yolo County fields proving that sustainable agriculture was viable. More than that, Zeke and Susan used their family farm as a literal launchpad for others, selflessly providing land and mentorship to several founding farming families. Susan’s lifelong activism for a pesticide-free, healthier world remains a guiding light.
Yet even with visionary ideas and dedicated farmers, the market still needed a place to stand. That required political courage that shook City Hall to its core.
In the early 1970s, a progressive political wave swept my friends Bob Black and Maynard Skinner onto the Davis City Council. Bob ran a campaign centered on an explicit promise to establish a municipal farmers market, while Maynard was instrumental in the vision and creation of Central Park, giving the market a permanent home.
My own path crossed with theirs in the mid-1980s. While studying under the brilliant landscape architecture professor Mark Francis at UC Davis, I was appointed to the City of Davis Arden-Mayfair Advisory Commission. At the time, there was immense municipal and commercial pressure to develop the square block immediately south of the original market site into an 85,000-square-foot shopping center.
Our commission fought back against those retail development plans, deciding instead that the city should double the size of Central Park, close Fourth Street and construct a permanent market structure. Professor Francis facilitated extensive community workshops, carefully translating the community’s ideas into a master plan for the park.
Meanwhile, my friend, the late Bob Cordrey—the city’s dedicated parks superintendent and a true unsung hero—worked tirelessly behind the scenes to guide the physical transformation of the park and lay the structural groundwork for the iconic market pavilion enjoyed today. That collective advisory effort laid the foundation for the historic passage of Measure S in June 1986, when Davis voters chose green space over commercial expansion.
Finally, we must remember that success was not immediate. We owe an immense debt to Laurie Hammond and Phil Kitchen, who took on the grueling task of managing the original, short-lived 1972 market. Their early struggles and perseverance provided the lessons that made the successful 1976 rebirth possible.
When we look across Central Park today, we are looking at a living testament to Isao’s community ideals, Zeke’s agricultural grit, Susan’s unwavering commitment, Bob and Maynard’s political courage, Mark’s design vision, Bob Cordrey’s quiet dedication, Laurie and Phil’s perseverance, and a community that chose green space over commercial development.
We are eating the fruit of trees planted decades ago. Let us ensure their names are spoken aloud and that their legacy is never forgotten.
About the Author
The author is a UC Davis alumnus and graduate of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. His academic adviser was Dr. Isao Fujimoto. He is a former employee of the UC Appropriate Technology Program and the UC Center for Consumer Research, and a former instructor.
He is a former resident of both the UC Davis Baggins End Domes and Village Homes and served on the City of Davis Arden-Mayfair Advisory Commission in the mid-1980s.
For the past 33 years, he has worked as a freelance writer for national magazines and regional weekly newspapers. He has worked on nine organic farms in California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Costa Rica. He is the former executive director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin and served as an environmental consultant and a pivotal participant in the “Greening of Hollywood” initiative more than 35 years ago.
Twenty years ago, as a gift to his hometown, he designed, produced and distributed a unique San Francisco Green Map, providing 14,000 free copies to the public. A PDF version of the map remains available online.
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