Hundreds of women—many attired in wide-brimmed hats festooned with flowers—gathered at Driscoll’s Driscoll’s Rancho Corralitos Thursday afternoon for the annual Down to Earth Women Luncheon.
The luncheon is held to raise funds for Agri-Culture’s Focus Agriculture program, as well as the Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship fund and the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau’s many educational programs.
The event, now in its 17th year, was created as a fancier, more feminine offering to other fundraisers such as golf tournaments, said organizer Caroline Eiskamp.
It is also a way to recognize the contributions of women in agriculture, she said.
“This is a way for us to get women leadership in Santa Cruz County in ag, and give them a cause and a fun afternoon,” Eiskamp said.
The event sold out at 300 people, and included sponsors such as Cal Giant, Driscoll’s Del Mar Foods, Santa Cruz County Bank, Sambraillo, Big Creek, Dignity Health and Pajaro Valley Unified School District.
The event was launched when Georgeann Cowles Eiskamp, Nita Gizdich and a few others were approached by the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau’s Executive Director, Jess Brown, about creating an event focusing on women in agriculture.
