Originally published June 2025 in the Napa Valley Register
By: Carine Hines
Summer solstice has passed and the plants, customers, and farmers know we are now in summer. This week, almost all our summer crops started fruiting, teasing us with their presence but still withholding their abundance. When I set up our stand for the Napa Farmers Market on Saturday, I had a long line of customers before the 8am opening time. Everyone was staring down the cherry tomato pints and eggplant they hoped to take home, and everyone asked about melons (they will be here next week folks).
All the excitement and anticipation of the first summer produce brought an almost frantic and taught energy to the market. Mostly everyone was pleasant and patient, but a few moments gave me a taste for the human interactions, good and bad, that will come this summer. The energy of the farmers market in the winter is mellow and slow, but in the summer everyone has somewhere to be and an opinion to go with it. I myself need to remember to slow down, be calm and kind, and stay patient.
With this in mind, I thought I would share a few basic farmers market etiquette guidelines that we can all keep in mind as we enter summer.
Come to the farmers market to be with farmers, and to support farmers.
It is almost impossible to imagine all the work that goes into a single farmers market day. Farmers may be coming to the market on zero sleep, after a long week of work. Your kindness and support means all the difference. Afterall, this is a “farmer’s” market.
Remember that the farmers market is a community gathering place. Bring your community spirit to make friends, and to support the cause of a local, sustainable, and healthy food system.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion ARE core tenants of the Napa Farmers Market. Every one of our vendors, staff, and customers are part of this community and there is no room for hateful or exclusionary behavior at the market
Slow down! Let go of the illusion that you must hurry through your day, there is plenty of time.
Please try to bag your own produce, it keeps the line moving. And try to keep items of different prices in their own bags.
Speaking of bags, and packaging, remember to bring your own or to leave things like pint baskets with the farmers. Everything has a cost, both in money and in your carbon footprint, and reducing your packaging helps farmers stay profitable.
Side note for chefs… please bring your own boxes and crates. I cannot tell you how many (expensive) crates chefs have taken from me and never returned.
The Napa Farmers Market starts at 8am… please do not come to the stand until 8am. We need that time to set up, and your early presence adds to our stress.
The Napa Farmers Market ends at noon… please do not come to the stand after noon.
After noon, the farmers are trying to pack up and go home (probably back to a list of farm chores that need to happen before heading to bed). Your $20 transaction is preventing us from heading home. And if you complain about the quality of the produce or ask for discounts, then it is definitely best for you to stay home.
Do not ask for discounts. You would not ask Whole Foods for a discount, so why would you ask a small farmer? It shows disrespect and makes us feel undervalued. I do give discounts to customers, but only to customers who do not ask for them.
Be kind to your fellow farmers market patrons. Be patient, do not cut in line, and maybe help someone out if they seem a bit lost.
Come year round! And on rainy, foggy, cold, hot, windy, smokey, etc days. The delicious food you seek is only available if farmers have a steady flow of income throughout the year.
Remember that farmers are smart, and they are very skilled. Even if they never went to college, or if they do not speak English, they know their craft. Please show them the same respect you would show the chef of a Michelin restaurant.
Unless they are truly a service dog, please leave your pups at home. They can be a healthy and safety hazard, and they can make other customers uncomfortable.
Please do not touch all the produce before bagging it. Look with your eyes, find what you want, then move on.
Bring your small gestures of kindness to the market. These gestures, be it a thank you, a story, a hug, or a snack are what keep me coming to the farmers market every week.
There are a million other small and idiosyncratic recommendations I could share, but these basic guidelines will help you make the farmers market a smooth and stress-less experience for your farmer vendors. We appreciate you all so much and thank you for attending the Napa Farmers Market!