Meet the Farmer

Li Schmidt’s journey into agriculture was born at her college farmers market; speaking with and buying from the farmers there, Li was inspired to learn more about the local food movement through farm apprenticeships. After three years working on farms across the U.S. and earning her master’s degree from UC Davis in Community Development with a focus in sustainable food systems, Li felt drawn towards two main goals: food accessibility and BIPOC representation within organic farming. She wanted to grow culturally relevant foods both as a way to connect and represent her own identity as a young, Asian American woman, and also to make those foods available and accessible to her community. 

Leveraging her previous experience apprenticing for other farmers, Li started Cultural Roots Nursery during the pandemic as a way to work towards these goals as well as support herself and those around her. Now, through her business, Li is driven to increase access to culturally relevant plants and varieties that are often difficult to find such as white bittermelon and Bo Ju Hua chrysanthemum. Li also uses her business to support her surrounding community, providing spaces for other BIPOC growers, supporting neighborhood and school gardens, and educating people about growing heritage seeds and plants through workshops and her stand at the farmers market. 

In 2023, Li is focused on growing Taiwanese heritage plants at the nursery. Complementary to this, she is providing mentorship to a Palestinian American and an Okinawan American grower to produce their heritage foods at her nursery and farm. Cultural Roots Nursery is the culmination of all of Li’s experiences and values, providing access to culturally meaningful food, feeding her community, and supporting larger food justice initiatives.