North Bay Farmers Market Season

[rancho_gordo]

Just a friendly reminder that the Napa Downtown Farmers Market starts this Saturday, from 7:30a to Noon in the Copia parking lot. This is followed by the Tuesday market, same times and places. The following Friday starts the St Helena farmers market, which is fun because the vendors are very different and the classes from the CIA take tours as part of their studies. Calistoga starts in June.

Winesomona, any reports on the Sonoma markets? How is Tuesday night going? That one is a blast.

[winesonoma]

Tuesday nite market started on April 6th in Sonoma. I'll be there tonite.

[Bombdog]

See ya Saturday Morning Gordo!

[rancho_gordo]

See ya Saturday Morning Gordo!

Can't wait! Wish you could bring the dog!!!!

[Bombdog]

Well, I suppose you could phone in a bomb threat....Napa PD frequently calls us to search for them when that happens...

But then again, NAH...probably not a good idea.

Although, the idea of having the entire place to myself for about an hour to pore over the wonderful offerings is enticing!

[Gary Soup]

Maybe a dumb question, but why are they only held in the summer up there?

[rancho_gordo]

Maybe a dumb question,  but why are they only held in the summer up there?

I think they should be year round. But- There aren't as many people to support the markets, the weather is a always more extreme here (hot or cold) and the managers don't think it would fly. I think they are wrong and the direction is for the Saturday market to eventually be year round, but it's still not there.

Most markets go thru October but once Labor Day hits, they tend to be dead.

My thinking is if people can count on it and it's always there, they'll use it like they would a supermarket. In fairness, it rains a lot more here and it's harder and colder than the city. And an outdoor market in the rain is a real drag, especially for the vendors.

Sunday in Marin and Friday in Sonoma are year round. Is there one in Sta. Rosa year round?

[tanabutler]

That's so sad that they're not year-round. Santa Cruz county (I think it's the smallest in the state) has three markets year-round, and three others that run partial years.

[marie-louise]

See ya Saturday Morning Gordo!

Can't wait! Wish you could bring the dog!!!!

WHAT???? Does this mean you won't be at the Saturday Grand Lake Market until the fall???

I feel an onslaught of tortilla withdrawal...

[Carolyn Tillie]

Good luck, Gordo! I'll be in Monterey this weekend but may have to send Shawn down for the Inauguration... Regardless, I'll be there the following Saturday (and probably every Saturday there-after) with bells on!

BTW, one of the things that Shawn and I miss about SoCal, was the year-round Farmer's Markets. We moved here during the winter and my first question (and then astonishment) was that there was no markets to be found until late Spring!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for a year-round market!

[Gary Soup]

That's so sad that they're not year-round. Santa Cruz county (I think it's the smallest in the state) has three markets year-round, and three others that run partial years.

The four (counting UN Plaza on Wednesday and Sunday both) Farmers' markets in San Francisco are open year-round. Not counting FPFM, they function more as services than as events, and a lot of people rely on them. Most of us do eat year-round, and if anything I think they are more valuable during the winter, when eating good food at home probably has a higher priority than in the summer.

Hey, farmers ought to be able to handle a little weather!

[rancho_gordo]

WHAT???? Does this mean you won't be at the Saturday Grand Lake Market until the fall???

Oops! Temporarily I'll be out but I have a "Master Plan". I had too great a time in Oakland to let that one go.

[rancho_gordo]

The four (counting UN Plaza on Wednesday and Sunday both) Farmers' markets in San Francisco are open year-round.  Not counting FPFM, they function more as services than as events, and a lot of people rely on them.  

Another big fat, "Right on, Bro!" to you, Gary Soup!

I believe you are 100% right.

Part of the problem is we have less than 80,000 people and San Francisco is about 750 to 800,000, I think. But still I think we could support a winter market and that's the long term goal of the Saturday market.

Hey, farmers ought to be able to handle a little weather!

I do Marin and Oakland which are year round and during rain, it's the vendors who show up, almost 100%, because we have to pay the stall fee anyway. There are very few customers, but the ones who show up are diehards and it's all a lot of fun, even if it's also miserable.

I always have wayward beans in my van and a puddle of water somewhere when it's raining and of course they meet up and a few days later smell like a plastic baby doll that's been fed real milk and left in the sun. Supper yummy!!!!!

Edited April 28, 2004 by rancho_gordo (log)