Land Together (LT) organized the first ever prison farmers market in September 2024 at Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), the largest women’s prison in California. In February 2025, we organized a second market serving twice as many women at CCWF. Both markets were sponsored by the California Resources Corporation. With generous donations and discounts from local growers, including produce grown in Land Together prison gardens, we’ve distributed more than 15,000 lbs of fresh organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs so far!
In addition to increasing access to nutritious food, Land Together farmers markets are designed to build bridges between people in prison and the local community and improve the emotional wellbeing and quality of life for incarcerated people and prison staff.
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“One of Land Together’s core principles is that all people, including incarcerated people, have inherent dignity and humanity. One of the most inhumane aspects of incarceration is the complete lack of autonomy and choice. So, rather than distribute our food donations through the prison kitchens, we work in collaboration with incarcerated participants, prison staff and local farmers to create free farmers market events that look and feel like other farmers markets where people are building community and can decide for themselves what they want to take and consume.”
“I take full accountability for the choices that brought me here but while I’m here, I’m working to change. Events like this show me people care, and second chances are real. They give me hope.”
“I haven’t been to a farmer’s market in 26 years and it feels amazing to see such beautiful people and share in this experience. I cried tears of joy and I am so grateful.”
“Working side by side with people from the outside community really fosters a sense of normalcy that we don’t get enough of inside these walls. It’s great to feel like a regular human being socializing and helping others.”
“This partnership has had a meaningful impact, providing incarcerated individuals with access to an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers.”
Food insecurity among correctional populations is among the highest of any population. The majority of states spend under $3 a day per incarcerated person on food. 63% of the 1.23 million incarcerated individuals in the U.S. rarely or never have fresh vegetables and 55% rarely or never have fresh fruit. Most nutrient requirements are offered in the form of powdered drinks, instead of whole foods. Despite CDCR facilities’ frequent proximity to local agriculture, there is very little record of CDCR purchasing or accessing local fresh foods (Impact Justice, 2022).
