Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Ridgeway.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Jessica Ridgeway serves as Executive Director of Farm Discovery, a nonprofit organization based at Live Earth Farm in Watsonville, California, dedicated to empowering youth and families to build and sustain healthy food, farming, social, and natural systems. Since helping found the organization in 2008, Jessica has guided Farm Discovery’s growth from a small farm education initiative into a thriving community resource that annually connects thousands of children and families with hands-on experiences in agriculture, nutrition, environmental stewardship, and community health.
Jessica earned her Master of Science in Environment and Natural Resources from the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont in 2007. Her graduate work focused on participatory action research in an agricultural community in northern Vermont, where she developed, implemented, and evaluated a sustainability curriculum and school garden program for elementary students. This work helped shape her lifelong commitment to experiential education and community-based approaches to environmental and social change.
Under Jessica’s leadership, Farm Discovery has expanded its educational programs, strengthened partnerships throughout the Pajaro Valley, and developed innovative initiatives that connect food access, environmental literacy, and community wellbeing. She is passionate about creating opportunities for young people to develop meaningful relationships with the land, understand where their food comes from, and discover their own capacity to contribute to healthier and more resilient communities.
Jessica’s work is rooted in the belief that food is a powerful connector, linking people to place, culture, community, and the natural systems that sustain us. Through Farm Discovery, she continues to champion hands-on learning experiences that inspire curiosity, stewardship, and a sense of belonging for the next generation of environmental leaders.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I view challenges not as setbacks, but as opportunities for learning, adaptation, and growth. As Farm Discovery evolved from a small educational initiative into a thriving nonprofit serving thousands of youth and families each year, I have had to continuously expanded my own skills. I began as a researcher in sustainability and food systems. I became an educator, developed numerous farm-based education programs, while learning grant writing fundraising, development and organizational leadership. My strategy for Farm Discovery is rooted in listening deeply to community needs, remaining flexible, and allowing programs to evolve in response to changing circumstances.
This mindset was put to the test during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, Farm Discovery suddenly lost an entire season of school field trips, impacting more than 1,000 anticipated student participants. Rather than twiddling our thumbs, Jessica led the organization in rapidly reimagining its role in the community. Farm Discovery expanded produce donation efforts, supported food access programs, adapted summer camps to meet health and safety requirements, and responded to emerging childcare and family needs. What could have been a devastating disruption became a powerful example of resilience, innovation, and service—demonstrating Jessica’s belief that organizations are strongest when they remain responsive to the people and communities they serve.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I serve as the Executive Director of Farm Discovery, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping youth and families build healthy food, farming, social, and natural systems through hands-on experiences on the land. For nearly two decades, I have worked at the intersection of agriculture, environmental education, nutrition, and community development, creating opportunities for people of all ages to connect with where their food comes from and to understand their role in caring for both their communities and the natural world.
My specialty is building meaningful learning experiences that bring together people, place, and purpose. I create programs that are deeply rooted in community needs and foster partnerships that connect schools, families, farmers, and local organizations. Throughout my career, I have focused on making Live Earth Farm a welcoming and accessible spaces where children can develop confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging while gaining practical knowledge about food, ecology, and stewardship.
What I am most proud of is helping build Farm Discovery from a small idea into a thriving organization that has impacted tens of thousands of children and families. Even more meaningful than the organization’s growth are the relationships that have been built along the way, with students who return years later to share how their experiences shaped them, with families who have found community through our programs, and with educators and farmers who have become partners in this work. Seeing young people develop a lifelong connection to the land and an understanding of their ability to make a positive difference in the world is incredibly rewarding.
I am committed to listening first. I have always believed that the strongest programs emerge from understanding the unique strengths, challenges, and aspirations of a community. I combine a background in environmental education and participatory research with nearly twenty years of nonprofit leadership, allowing me to bridge big-picture strategy with hands-on implementation. I believe deeply in the power of relationships, collaboration, and experiential learning, and I strive to build an organization and programs that are resilient, responsive, and rooted in the communities they serve.
Any big plans?
Farm Discovery is deepening its engagement in mitigating food waste and improving nutrition access. In the next 3 years, we plan build a parallel CSA program with Live Earth Farm that engages low-income neighbors in the local food economy through a subsidized CSA that accepts SNAP payments, mitigates food waste and makes highly nutritious foods equitably accessible in our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://farmdiscovery.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farmdiscovery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LEFDP
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/farm-discovery
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@farmdiscovery
