Jay and Kristen Ruskey Accident Death, Obituary: Tragic Loss

The Santa Barbara community is reeling from the sudden loss of Jay and Kristen Ruskey, visionary farmers who transformed California’s coffee industry and inspired sustainable agriculture across the region. The couple died Sunday in a tragic accident, leaving behind their three teenage children, Kasurina, Sean, and Aiden.

Co-founders of Frinj Coffee and operators of Good Land Organics, the Ruskeys were pioneers in regenerative farming, introducing exotic crops like caviar limes, dragon fruit, and specialty coffee. Their work helped establish more than 70 coffee farms in Southern California, earning international recognition when their beans sold for $356 per kilogram at the Dubai Coffee Auction to Japan’s Phylocoffee. Frinj Coffee had recently rebounded from earlier financial struggles, reflecting the couple’s resilience, innovation, and dedication to their craft.

Beyond their professional achievements, friends and neighbors remember Jay and Kristen as compassionate community members who supported local schools, charities, and individuals in need. Their generosity and mentorship extended far beyond the farm, leaving a lasting impact on the people around them.

In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe organized by Jose Caballero has raised over $65,000 to support the family’s immediate needs and memorial expenses. The campaign emphasizes the unimaginable loss faced by their children and the wider agricultural community.

Though their lives ended far too soon, Jay and Kristen Ruskey’s legacy endures in the thriving farms they nurtured, the innovations they championed, and the lives they touched. Their contributions to California agriculture and their devotion to community will not be forgotten.