Santa Cruz Farmers Markets

Hidden Fortress is a farm based coffee roaster. Coffee helps finance the start-up costs of a new farm which specializes in breakfast items like fruit, eggs, muffins, and of course, coffee! Owner Amelia Loftus started roasting coffee as a hobby in 2000 and has roasted all the coffee she drinks ever since. On a trip to Hawaii a few years ago she picked wild coffee beans and hand processed a small batch of coffee. This experience gave her a profound respect for the amount of labor and expertise required to produce excellent coffee. When looking for a way to reach self sufficiency as a farmer, coffee was the logical choice.

The roasting is done with obsessive attention to detail on a very small scale fluid air bed commercial roaster that roasts just 2 pounds at a time. The roaster uses propane and solar power from a mobile solar power generator mounted on the truck which also powers the coffee booth at the farmer's market. With such small batches the coffee is labor intensive to produce but it is also easy to keep inventory farm fresh.

“Flowers to brighten your home and to warm your heart from Cavanaugh Color.” A mom-and-pop operation, the Cavanaugh family prides itself on its customer service and product quality.

Hans hoped to focus his thorough knowledge into a service that he could provide to his community in order to share in and spread seafood appreciation for all of its many health benefits and limitless culinary making ecologically sound choices when it comes to selecting their seafood. In 2003 he found his niche at the local farmers markets, when he & Heidi began selling his own local salmon catch. They also then got licensing to be able to purchase fish directly from local hook-and-line fishermen. Since then they have grown to include 18 markets per week and now are also enjoying taking on additional ventures with their new CSS program and even doing Oyster Bar Catering at parties, weddings, festivals, and events.