Celebrating Laura Avery's 36 Years with the Farmers Market

December 20, 2018 11:00 AM
by Jodi Low

Next Wednesday's farmer's market (December 26) in Downtown Santa Monica will be the last for Laura Avery, who is retiring after 36 years as market supervisor. This week and next, farmers, customers, vendors, friends, and colleagues are coming out to the market to celebrate Laura and thank her for her dedicated service and commitment to the Santa Monica community. We hope you will join us! 

When she began managing the market in 1982, the Wednesday event was only a year old, and there were only 23 farmers. Since then, Laura has helped transform the Santa Monica farmers market into one of the largest and well-known in the country—with four separate markets operating across the city each week, drawing roughly 130 farmers and thousands of shoppers.

Laura with Ruth Goldway, former mayor of Santa Monica who started the Wednesday Farmers Market in 1981.

Laura is known throughout Southern California as the voice of farmers markets through her weekly Market Report on KCRW’s 'Good Food'—demonstrating her passion and dedication to California farmers and farmers markets, as well as her tireless efforts to raise awareness of the many values of eating locally. She has pulled the community together by creating a bridge between chefs and farmers, increasing food access, and connecting home cooks, parents, and young people to the markets. By facilitating the creation of a farmers market salad bar program and an education program in our local schools, she has taught our youth the benefits of eating a rainbow of locally grown fruit and veggies.

Laura is an esteemed colleague who is widely respected and admired throughout the farmers market, restaurant, and agricultural sectors for her dedication and passion to supporting California farmers, for her efforts to foster and grow farmers markets in California, and for her loving stewardship. 

Laura with Mayor Gleam Davis at a Council Meeting, being recognized for her years of service to the City.      

We extend our very best wishes for a happy and rewarding retirement!         

            

Authored By

Jodi Low
Farmers' Market Coordinator II