(Open Saturdays, Year-Round, Indoors, at Little Sprouts Urban Farm 1043 State Street)
In the weeks following the tragic Carr Fire, it became clear that we needed to tweak what we were doing in order to best serve our farmer friends, our customers, and ourselves.
A Community of People Supporting One Another
Through conversations with trusted local farmers and producers, it became clear that -as a whole- farmers markets are dying, but support of local businesses is up. For producers (like ourselves) farmers markets are much more of a burden than a blessing. Not only do you have to miss a day on the farm, but you have to load up tables and chairs, easy-ups, sandbags, snacks, water (especially on those stiffling NorCal days), tablecloths, signage, business cards, display bins, etc etc. (that’s not even including the food!)
A sample of the amazing local spread offered at Gather Marketplace. (Coming soon: weekly grocery boxes similar to what is pictured).
How it Works/ Why Gather:
We spend time each week *gathering* our favorite local products directly from their source. Our goal is to replace weekly grocery store trips for ourselves and our customers. We are taking "organic" to the level it is intended with our commitment to sustainability. At Gather, you will not find plastic packaging or produce bags (with the exception of meats- which are USDA mandated to be packaged in plastic). The concept of "organic" is meant to work with nature- so wrapping these conscious, planet and body nourishing foods directly opposes the nature of these practices.
We want to ensure that the nature of connection is not lost by the store concept, so it is our intention to host our producers in-person, regularly. Brush Arbor Farmstead is with us on the first Saturday of each month offering eggs for purchase and Farmshares for purchase.
Intro to Sourdough Workshop with Nathan Maupin of Nathan’s Artisan Sourdough in December 2018
Workshops, Classes & Events
These are other opportunities to connect with local makers and learn new skills for food preservation, cooking, crafting, and homesteading. Keep an eye out for upcoming events including our free community seed-swap (Winter and Summer), kombucha-making, fire-cider, wreath-making, yoga, baking, canning, and more!
We are always looking for talented people to come in and teach- if you are interested in participating, please contact us!