Sonoma Valley Grange #407

Local Food During a Crisis

Posted on April 8, 2020 Updated on April 8, 2020

The following is a brief addendum to a recent column written for the Sonoma Sun newspaper on this very subject.  (see previous column here https://sonomasun.com/2020/03/22/sonoma-farm-scene-the-winter-market/) .

As we have seen, food becomes extremely important when society is disrupted, with empty store shelves and supply chain overloads and safety concerns impacting food availability.  Local food, grown and produced here in our Valley, becomes that much more important for our local resiliency during crisis.  In addition, many farms rely on restaurant business as an outlet, one which has been reduced to extremely low levels.  The following is an evolving list of the availability of locally grown and produced food during this crisis.

• The Friday morning farmers’ market at Depot Park continues weekly, with new safety standards and rules in place, be prepared for longer waits for some vendors.
• Ross Canard is offering CSA vegetable boxes from his infamous Sonoma farm, please contact ross@vom.com
• Oak Hill Farm is now open Saturdays at the Red Barn store, 15101 Hwy 12 in Glen Ellen.  They are also found weekly at the Friday morning market at Depot Park.  more info on their facebook page at:  https://www.facebook.com/OakHillFarm1/
• Pauls Produce has been extremely popular on Fridays, and has offered an express box pickup, with a set selection available.
• Paul is also working with FEED Sonoma, which has a local box pickup in order to shift from restaurant supply to getting local food to our community, see:  https://shop.feedsonoma.com/Products
• Mike the Bejkr continues to sell local bread at Fridays market.
• Fridays market also has produce from Ortiz family, Hector, avocados and other items from Rhodes farm, Sprouts from sweetwater, mushrooms from Bohemian farm, baked good from Baker and Cook, citrus and other fruit from Gertz farm and more, support these producers that feed us!
• Green String Farm store is open just over the Hill in Petaluma, more info at: https://www.greenstringfarm.com/
• Flatbed farm in Glen Ellen has been open Saturdays 10:am – 2:pm, find out more:  http://www.flatbedfarm.com/
• The starting date for the popular Tuesday Night Market on the Plaza is still in question, word is they are working on ways to start sooner rather than later.