St. Helena Farmers Market

I absolutely love farmers markets, some more than others. This one has gotten bigger over the years and is held on Friday mornings (seasonally) in the little town of St. Helena.
You will find all types of booths here, mostly with produce, but there always seems to be something new.
On this occasion we found a mushroom guy selling mushroom jerky. This was my first time ever trying this creation, and it was surprisingly good. You may even enjoy this if you are not into mushrooms.
There are also live chef demonstrations; in this case Meadowood Resorts was the guest. Interesting enough though they aren’t able offer tastings of what they created. I am pretty sure it has to do with some kind of license or law, it is California after all.
There are pastries, flowers, crafts, jewelry, pottery offered from locals and nearby provers including my favorite Indian stand from San Francisco. They have the award winning Samosa and the award and reputation is well earned. They were huge and only a buck fifty, probably the most affordable item in this market.
Like most markets, you will find some overpricing, uniqueness, and friendliness as. I still find myself enjoying an outdoor market experience.

St. Helena Farmers Market is a quaint little farmers market that boasts tons of treasures from the St. Helena, Napa Valley, Calistoga, and surrounding areas. The market is held typically on Fridays, starting at 7:30 a.m. Here’s my highlights:
1. Fresh Seafood (Salmon, snapper, clams, oysters, tuna, etc).
2. Fun Herbal and Caffinated teas — dry or iced teas. Basil Seed extra.
3. Vegan /​Gluten Free pasteries
4. Meadow fresh honey
5. Nectarines, peaches, & plums.
6. Local home-​made salads.
7. Kettle Korn (favorite of many). Also has caramel and cheese corn.
8. Local pottery from artisan potters
9. Story-​Telling for kids
10. Shaved ice and lemonaid
11. fresh Peppers ($ 6/​lb) — jalapeño, New Mexico style Hatch, Anaheim, Serano.
12. Flavored almonds.
13. Jewelry made by local artisans.
Prices are a little high here, but I guess that is what you can expect to get fresh quality items. Example — peaches $ 3/​lb, chiles $ 6/​lb, jars of honey $ 10 – 12. Yet, there are some very reasonably priced items.
There is tons of parking, as long as you are willing to walk a bit. People can be a bit aggressive when looking for parking. There are two nice playground areas for the kiddos to run around in. There’s a skateboard park for the older kids, and lawn bowling for the more seasoned folks. Fun for all!

The St. Helena Farmers Market is quintessential Wine Country Living…
You wander through the little aisle between the stands and see a giant fork hanging with pasta strands atop a cart holding the exquisite homemade dry pasta that looks almost too beautiful to eat. A little further and there are lovely pillows filled with the softest down and fun prints that you know will take your living room/​bed/​corner-​chair to a whole new level. Turn and try unique salt from the Philippines that the owners herald that it is used by the chef at French Laundry. Add to that fresh produce and beautiful weather…
What more could you ask for?

This place is a great stop on Friday mornings, but especially for those who have young kids! The market is right next to a really nice school playground, a small skatepark, and also offered friendly educational activities, and puppet shows at the same time– a big plus if you need to do some grocery shopping while you have the little ones with you.
If you haven’t been, come early! It opens up at 7:30am, so know that the later you come, the less selection you’ll have (duh). Some stuff does go on sale though for those late snoozers (like me), but hey, try and set the alarm so you can come check this place out in its prime.
It isn’t a huge market, but its got a great variety for it’s size. Here’s a rough note of what I saw while strolling through the vendor stands:
Fresh seafood, sea salts, teas, kids activity station, honey, photography services, charitable orginizations, clothing general store, veggies & fruits, coffee, mushrooms, bakeries (breads, pies, sweet pastries, pretzels, macarons, cake balls, cookies, etc) cooking/​chef demos, city council, Mexican cuisine (tamales, tortilla chips, etc) pasta, olive oils, jerky, grass fed beef, Afgan cuisine (curry, vegan, pastry, dips, ready-​to-​eat), African cuisine, cactus plants, composting class, flowers (fresh cut & potted), boutique meat vendors & services, unique jewelry, charms, live music, massage services, cheeses, green/​recyclable bags & products, jams, beautiful orchid plants, pearl jewelry, facial care products, metal work, African crafts & baskets, kettle korn popcorn, scarves, knife sharpening, facial care products, etc.
You get the idea. Come check it out, and don’t forget your cash (some vendors take plastic) & shopping tote!

Every Friday morning from May through October locals flock to get the freshest produce, prepared foods, and great seafood. Weekly programs include chef’s demos, book signings, and the popular market classroom where kids can learn about fresh produce and sustainable farming. Always lots of fun!

Although this market isn’t spectacular, it’s comparable in size to Santa Rosa and much bigger than Calistoga. In fact, I was really impressed!
At St. Helena’s early morning market, there’s an emphasis on produce and practical items. Lingering isn’t really encouraged, although some people hit the park and bocce courts after they shop. This farmer’s market is very much a «week’s groceries» market. SF Ferry Building & Marin Civic Center are «Disneyland for foodies» markets. As long as you know and can appreciate the difference, St. Helena FM will make you happy.
They have a great, up-​to-​date website, too. It’s refreshingly high-​tech for a farmer’s market!

From 7:30 to noon on Fridays, from May through October, you can find John Raymond and his delicious cheeses and whatever’s being harvested that week, which this week was figs, fresh-​picked corn, dry-​farmed (and supersweet) tomatoes, basil, and berries, lots of berries (strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries), all delicious. There also are all the normal upscale goodies that are at farmers’ markets these days: breakfast, breads, coffee, music. It’s a small market, but it’s good.