Communities across Northern California celebrated Dia de los Muertos over the weekend.Dia de los Muertos is an annual holiday, with deep roots in Mexico, when people honor their loved ones. One farmer has been selling flowers at the Midtown Farmers market, providing one specific flower at the center of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, celebrations. Rain or shine, Contreras Farms is at the Midtown Farmers Market every Saturday and has been for more than a decade. But on this dreary Saturday morning in October, many of their regulars were there for one flower in particular.Marigolds – the bold, fragrant flowers, harvested every October for Dia de los Muertos.For Contreras Farm owner Jesus Contreras, the flowers are a reminder of the man who first started planting the seeds, bringing his passion for flowers to the people of Sacramento.”You have to be able to do everything, from the labor to the selling flowers directly to customers,” said Jesus Contreras. “My Dad used to do that, too.”Jesus now tends to the flowers in the same fields his father, “Don Chuy,” used to, when he started the family farm in 1980.”I learned everything based from my dad,” Contreras said.The farmer takes loving care of 25 acres of flowers, with each flower cut by hand.”It feels like he’s still here,” Jesus said.After many years of working in the fields, his father “Don Chuy,” fulfilled his lifelong dream, which eventually evolved into the family business.”He worked basically from 1964 to 1980 for other people in the flower fields,” Jesus said. “It was a challenge, especially in the 1980s. He was the first Mexican immigrant to own a business. It was not liked by many.”Don Chuy passed away unexpectedly in October of 2023, just a few weeks before Dia de los Muertos.”All the flowers he grew with passion and with love,” said Jesus. “It really got us. It really hurt us.”That’s why marigolds, also known as cempasuchil in Mexico, are such an important flower around the family farm. They symbolize a special bond between father and son, especially on Dia de los Muertos.”The way it smells is believed to guide all the spirits,” said Jesus. “I started growing more since my Dad passed away.”Jesus has taken over the family business. He calls it a labor of love he hopes will carry on from this generation to the next.”I hope it keeps going forever,” Jesus said. “As long as I live, it will be here.”A bronze statue of Don Chuy, blanketed in marigolds, now sits amongst the flowers. The cempasuchil surrounds the altar, also known as an “ofrenda,” honoring his life and legacy.”Every time I see the orange and I smell the cempasuchil, it feels nostalgic because it’s the same time that everything happened,” Jesus said.Despite its deep Mexican roots, the holiday is now being embraced by people of all backgrounds.”It’s a good feeling to see one of our traditions from Mexico. I’m from Mexico, so it’s nice to see how it can be for everyone,” said Jesus. “It doesn’t have to be just for Mexicans.”Every year, time stops for Dia de los Muertos on November 1 and November 2. Memories bloom and souls return to celebrate a sacred journey, when the past and present embrace, and families come together for a fleeting moment until they meet again.Contreras Farms sells flowers in Sacramento every weekend. You can find them at the Midtown Farmers Market on Saturdays, and the 8th Street and W Street Farmers Market on Sundays.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Communities across Northern California celebrated Dia de los Muertos over the weekend.
Dia de los Muertos is an annual holiday, with deep roots in Mexico, when people honor their loved ones.
One farmer has been selling flowers at the Midtown Farmers market, providing one specific flower at the center of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, celebrations.
Rain or shine, Contreras Farms is at the Midtown Farmers Market every Saturday and has been for more than a decade. But on this dreary Saturday morning in October, many of their regulars were there for one flower in particular.
Marigolds – the bold, fragrant flowers, harvested every October for Dia de los Muertos.
For Contreras Farm owner Jesus Contreras, the flowers are a reminder of the man who first started planting the seeds, bringing his passion for flowers to the people of Sacramento.
“You have to be able to do everything, from the labor to the selling flowers directly to customers,” said Jesus Contreras. “My Dad used to do that, too.”
Jesus now tends to the flowers in the same fields his father, “Don Chuy,” used to, when he started the family farm in 1980.
“I learned everything based from my dad,” Contreras said.
The farmer takes loving care of 25 acres of flowers, with each flower cut by hand.
“It feels like he’s still here,” Jesus said.
After many years of working in the fields, his father “Don Chuy,” fulfilled his lifelong dream, which eventually evolved into the family business.
“He worked basically from 1964 to 1980 for other people in the flower fields,” Jesus said. “It was a challenge, especially in the 1980s. He was the first Mexican immigrant to own a business. It was not liked by many.”
Don Chuy passed away unexpectedly in October of 2023, just a few weeks before Dia de los Muertos.
“All the flowers he grew with passion and with love,” said Jesus. “It really got us. It really hurt us.”
That’s why marigolds, also known as cempasuchil in Mexico, are such an important flower around the family farm.
They symbolize a special bond between father and son, especially on Dia de los Muertos.
“The way it smells is believed to guide all the spirits,” said Jesus. “I started growing more since my Dad passed away.”
Jesus has taken over the family business. He calls it a labor of love he hopes will carry on from this generation to the next.
“I hope it keeps going forever,” Jesus said. “As long as I live, it will be here.”
A bronze statue of Don Chuy, blanketed in marigolds, now sits amongst the flowers. The cempasuchil surrounds the altar, also known as an “ofrenda,” honoring his life and legacy.
“Every time I see the orange and I smell the cempasuchil, it feels nostalgic because it’s the same time that everything happened,” Jesus said.
Despite its deep Mexican roots, the holiday is now being embraced by people of all backgrounds.
“It’s a good feeling to see one of our traditions from Mexico. I’m from Mexico, so it’s nice to see how it can be for everyone,” said Jesus. “It doesn’t have to be just for Mexicans.”
Every year, time stops for Dia de los Muertos on November 1 and November 2. Memories bloom and souls return to celebrate a sacred journey, when the past and present embrace, and families come together for a fleeting moment until they meet again.
Contreras Farms sells flowers in Sacramento every weekend. You can find them at the Midtown Farmers Market on Saturdays, and the 8th Street and W Street Farmers Market on Sundays.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel