Shop Your Community: Check Out Your Local Farmers’ Markets!

Local, farm-fresh goods make perfect gifts! Above: A gift basket of items from the Walnut Creek market.

 

From left to right: Caramels from Bisou Chocolate at the Diablo Valley Market; a dried-flower wreath from Full Belly Farm at the South Berkeley market; handmade men’s products from TriniSisters Bath at the Castro Valley Market. Photos courtesy of the market associations.

 

Find handcrafted local honey and beeswax candles from Will Rogers & Sons at the Kensington Farmers’ Market in December. The hives are just a few blocks from the Colusa Circle, where the market happens each Sunday.

Here’s a fun outdoor alternative to online shopping: Stroll through your local farmers’ market and enjoy the bustling energy and good spirits. Peruse the offerings and sample locally grown fruits, veggies, herbs, nuts, jams, honey, and olive oils. Our East Bay markets are bursting with wonderful foods, handmade products, and special holiday items this time of year. Most markets also offer gift certificates and wrapping services. We’ve put together a few gift ideas to consider, with lots more to see when you go in person.
 
• Beautiful dried-flower wreaths, jams, and assorted pantry items from Full Belly Farm at the South Berkeley market
• Chocolate-dipped citrus peels, truffles, and caramels from Bisou Chocolate at the Diablo Valley market
• Mixed nuts from Winters Fruit Tree Farm at the Bayfair market
• Handmade men’s products from TriniSisters Bath at the Castro Valley market
 • Homegrown tinctures and herbal remedies from Soul Flower Farm at the South and Downtown Berkeley markets
 • Visit the Fiber Shed at the Temescal market for California-grown wool handmade into clothing, shawls, hats, blankets, home accessories, art, yarns, tallow-based balms and candles, and gorgeous lamb pelts. 
• Stop by the information table at the Walnut Creek Sunday market for free gift wrapping/basketing for any gifts purchased from market vendors.
 
Why spend your dollars at big-box stores or Amazon when you can support Northern California farmers and strengthen our local economy? And we speak from experience when we say that market gifts will surely be appreciated by food-loving friends and family!