... and where alumni put down roots
Graduates of UC Santa Cruz’s Agroecology programs have promoted organic agriculture worldwide, founding farms and training farmers from Samoa to South Africa.
But plenty of Farm & Garden alumni have settled right here in Santa Cruz, enriching the area’s fabulous organic food scene, and offering hands-on programs ranging from summer camps to homeless services. Pet a free-range goat, pick an organically grown bouquet, and sip a sustainable espresso, thanks to UCSC’s organic entrepreneurs.
STEAMER LANE SUPPLY
Owner Fran Grayson is a restless type who has explored every link of the organic food chain from plant propagation to executive chef. She anchored the kitchen at Ristorante Avanti, built and operated one of Santa Cruz’s first food trucks, and now offers locally sourced eats just steps from the famed Steamer Lane surf break. Grayson’s spare and breezy restaurant at Lighthouse Field State Beach offers counter service and an ever-shifting seasonal menu for the surfers, runners, dog walkers and fire dancers who flock here year-round. There’s a doggie menu and water bowls, and a curated selection of surf gear. “People are out here exercising, surfing, doing what they really love to do,” Grayson said. “In a big way, this is what Santa Cruz is really all about.” Open 7:30 a.m. to sunset, seven days per week, weather permitting. 698 W. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz.