Fresh Holiday Gifts from the Farmers' Market

The season is upon us. The gift list is long, the to-do list even longer. Your farmers’ market can help with meal ingredients, easy, ready-made meals during this busy time. The market can even take care of unique gifts for almost everyone on your list. You’ll find your local farmers’ market can be a quick, no-hassle, one-stop shopping experience. You’ll find interesting gift ideas, quality fresh produce for holiday dinners, and much more.

Try a basket of fresh California winter fruit or a gift pack of wonderful olive oils, balsamic vinegar, and bread, or a sampling of homemade soaps, bath salts, and lotions, or even a selection of herbs to make your own fragrant wreaths. Many purveyors have gift sets already boxed and ready to take home and wrap up. Other purveyors can help you gather an assortment of items to make your own basket of goodies. Here are a few of our farmers’ market favorites:

1. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar in special gift boxes. (Bistro Blends, Calolea Olive Oil, or O’Live Healthy)
2. Handmade soaps, body lotions, bath salts, and beeswax candles. (Delta Moon Soapworks, Pamela Soaps, Wisdom by Wisdom)
3. Local honey, fresh-baked bread, jams, and jellies. (Small Bees, Miss Bee Haven, MarElla HoneybeesBeckmann’s Bakery, Upper Crust Bakery, Feel Good Bakery)
4. Cookies, muffins, and pastries from the market, and your own favorite coffee beans and mug. (Le Croissant Bakery, Sugar & Spice, Native Baking)
5. A gorgeous orchid or bouquets of cut flowers. (McLellan Orchids, Sunrise Nursery, Santa Rosa Flowers, Ochoa Flowers)
6. A selection of pasta, sauces, olive oil, olives, and a baguette. (Home Maid Ravioli, Bistro Blends)
7. A big basket filled with delicious California citrus—tangerines, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes. (Ken's Top Notch, Diaz Farms, Aoyama Farms, Fruitilicious)
8. A selection of dried fruits, nuts, smoked salmon, and cheeses from the market. Add your own crackers and cheese plate. (Achadinha Cheese, Winters Fruit Tree, Fontana Farms, Oakdale Cheese, Coastside Farms & Specialties)
9. Vegetable soup fixings like carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, kale, and mushrooms, along with a soup bowl, recipe, and soup spoon. (J&M Farms, Garcia Farms, Wsquivel Farm, Borba Farms, Swank Farm, Jacob's Farm)

Think of your own combinations suited to the one you're giving to. Give the gift of something special that you put together yourself.