In Farms We Trust
Honor Farm Stands in Marin, Napa and Sonoma Counties
In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, roadside honor farm stands—sometimes tiny, often out of the way—suddenly found themselves to be high-traffic areas. These farm-owned and -operated open-air sheds, barns and tables were the perfect antidote to grocery store aisles crowded with panic-stricken consumers but not enough fresh produce (or toilet paper). The ultimate contact-free shopping.
Existing stands expanded, new stands cropped up, and all have continued to thrive. “It was hard to find produce in the grocery stores, so we started the farm stand to feed our friends and neighbors,” says farmer Susie Mathison, who operates The Farmacy farm stand in Napa Valley with her husband, Tim. In fact, most farmers who operate their own stands say they have had to ramp up production, enjoying the opportunity to serve a larger base of customers seeking out direct-from-the-farm produce, as well as plant starts to grow their own. Additionally, locals who have remained closer to home during the pandemic have discovered these tiny gems.
The pressure of the pandemic may have subsided, but farmers and eaters alike are continuing to appreciate their honor farm stands. “Over the past year I’ve really gotten to enjoy not being over-committed and having more time to devote my mind, energy, heart and soul to the garden,” says Cathy Conover of Cathy’s Corner farm stand in Sebastopol.
Unstaffed stands are often critical to the economic viability of small farming operations. On-site sale outlets also save the time, energy and cost of working with distributors or wholesale markets. “So many farmers I know spend half their time away from the fields when being on the farm is the reason we chose to do this,” says Will Scott of Freestone’s Worker Bee Farm.
For the local food lover, there’s no better surprise than stumbling upon a roadside shack bursting with just-picked seasonal produce. Most small farmers use regenerative farming practices and have the ability to experiment with and showcase rare and extra-delicious varietals. Where else would you find organic strawberries still warm from the field, quail eggs laid that morning or a rare black pineapple tomato?
The downside of an unstaffed honor system stand is the risk of theft or vandalism, but the farmers I spoke to reported that the vast majority of people are honest, appreciative and typically overpay rather than underpay. “If there are people that need to be taking food without paying for it, especially in our small community, they probably need it more than I do,” asserts Donald Pivec of Meandering Farmers in Tomales. “I know for a fact that we lose some stuff from time to time, but it honestly doesn’t bother me.”
Most notable, perhaps, is that the farmers and customers I interviewed about their honor farm stand experiences said time and again that participating in an honor system model simply makes them feel good. This alternative form of commerce depends on honesty and trust, commodities that are increasingly rare in the modern business of buying and selling. Or they were, until the pandemic ushered in a new era of “we’re all in this together.”
“Often, small-scale farmers are doing this because we believe that there’s a better way to be in the world and this is evident at these honor system stands,” says Little Wing Farm’s Molly Myerson. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback about how great it is to see that level of trust. People say things like, ‘You’ve restored my faith in humanity.’”
The back roads of Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties are perfect for exploring the bounty and delight of honor farm stands. Here are some favorites to check out on your next leisurely Sunday drive, winery tour with visitors or trip home from a weekend away. This list is certainly not exhaustive and you’re likely to stumble upon additional spots. Not only will you find the best fresh produce, but you’ll also discover a world where we can all trust each other to cultivate, enjoy and support local farms.
IF YOU GO: Cash is still king at the roadside honor stand, where customers leave their payment in a locked cash box. In addition to cash, some accept personal checks, Venmo or PayPal. You may also find a scale, a calculator, a logbook to record purchases and sometimes a small till to make change. It’s best to come prepared with small bills and an updated Venmo account.
MARIN
GOSPEL FLAT FARM STAND
The handmade metal signage, art space, gallery and periodic live music at this farm stand make it quintessentially Bolinas. Farmer Mickey Murch, along with his family and crew, regularly restock farm-fresh produce throughout the day, especially on busy weekends. Regulars love the sunflowers, Chioggia beets and freshly laid eggs. Rumor has it that Dungeness crab is occasionally available in the winter, caught by Mickey, who moonlights as a fisherman. Take the extra few minutes to stop before heading to or from Stinson Beach or Bolinas.
140 Olema Bolinas Rd., Bolinas
Open year round, every day, 24-hours
Facebook @mickeymurch
LITTLE WING FARM FARM STAND
This small farm stand sits in a large gravel lot and can be easy to miss when driving by. The “100% Woman-powered” farm led by Molly Myerson is located just down the road at the base of Black Mountain. Look for veggie starts and garlic scapes in spring, tomatoes and eggplants in summer, and in late fall there are more varieties of winter squash than you can count on one hand. If your timing is right, you may even score a box of delicious quail eggs, coveted by passersby as well as top San Francisco chefs.
Pt. Reyes—Petaluma Rd. between Platform Bridge Rd. and
Hwy. 1. Open year round, Thevening through Su.
LittleWingFarm.com, @little_wing_farm
MEANDERING FARMERS FARM STAND
Located along Highway 1 at the William Tell House, Meandering Farmers’ farm stand provides produce and eggs to tourists and Tomales locals alike. Their nearby farm is comprised of a half-acre of highly diverse vegetables and flowers, two acres of dry-farmed potatoes, artichokes and winter squash, and a rotating flock of laying hens. The cool coastal climate is perfect for growing lettuces and the Little Gems get rave reviews. The blooms they plant to attract pollinators later become beautiful edible flower mixes destined for local restaurants, as well as the farm stand.
26955 Hwy. 1, Tomales
Open April—November, Thevening through M
@meanderingfarmers
TABLE TOP FARMS FARM STANDS
Table Top Farms is made up of a patchwork of small, organic vegetable plots in and around Pt. Reyes Station. Farmer Arron Wilder is a community fixture, operating two farm stands and a robust CSA program, and selling to local restaurants. Table Top’s farm stands are stocked regularly throughout the growing season. Don’t miss the coastal strawberries, fragrant herbs and beautiful speckled romaine lettuces.
33 Cypress Rd., Pt. Reyes
Open year round, every day, 24-hours
TableTopFarm.net, @tabletopfarms
NAPA
MAJOR FAMILY FARM FARM STAND
A bright yellow and green wagon displays fruits and vegetables grown by the Major family on their one-acre organic farm. The farm stand is stocked daily throughout the year with unique offerings like white mulberries, lemon cucumbers, shishito peppers, ground cherries and even hand-crafted artisan soaps by nearby Fay Botanicals. “FarmHer” Emily also grows high-quality plant starts on site, specializing in rare tomato cross-breeds (check out their Instagram feed for some amazing tomato shots).
1659 Estee Ave., Napa
Open April—November, every day, dawn to dusk
MajorFamilyFarm.com, @majorfamilyfarm
THE FARMACY FARM STAND
The sign at this stand proclaims, “Rx: Fresh Figs & Produce.” In addition to at least seven varieties of figs, the Mathisons harvest vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit daily from the field behind their house in the Atlas Peak area of the Napa Valley. Tim Mathison is a prize-winning giant pumpkin grower (his largest, a world record breaker, weighed a whopping 2,032 pounds), but he and his wife, Susie, decided to put their growing energies towards an expanded array of fruits and vegetables in 2020. The Farmacy finishes their season around late October/early November with winter squashes and “normal”- sized pumpkins for Halloween.
1550 Estee Ave., Napa
Open spring—early November, every day, dawn to dusk
SONOMA
B-SIDE FARM FARM STAND
Full-service wedding floral design is B-Side’s specialty. This is evident as soon as you step into the quaint but beautiful wooden flower farm stand. The space is decorated with elegant dried flowers that complement vibrant fresh bouquets of dahlias, garden roses, cosmos, clematis, zinnias and more. In case you can’t get enough, B-Side offers flower CSA memberships as well as bouquet delivery through their website. Founder and farmer Lennie Larkin also shares her love of flowers through on-farm workshops and classes in flower gardening and floral design.
3855 Roblar Rd., Petaluma
Open year round, every day, dawn to dusk
B-SideFarm.com, @b.side.farm.flowers
CATHY’S CORNER FARM STAND
A master gardener, Cathy Conover has always loved growing food and sharing the fruits of her labor, especially with her co-workers. When she retired over 10 years ago, she began offering her garden’s bounty to the community through a small farm stand on her property. Stop by for the ever-changing variety of just-picked produce, including unique varieties of green beans (like Goldmarie Romano, Musica Romano and Santa Anna), which are always very popular. Don’t miss Cathy’s pickles and jams, especially the one made from West County wild blackberries.
8063 Blackney Rd., Sebastopol
Open May—November, every day, dawn to dusk
Facebook @cathyscorner
DRY CREEK PEACH FARM STAND
Long an anxiously awaited arrival at the Healdsburg Farmers’ Market every summer, and the highlight of farm-to-table menus as far away as San Francisco, the owners of Dry Creek Peach say their farm stand traffic skyrocketed during the pandemic and has not slowed down, much to their joy. Adjacent to their quintessential peach orchard in the Dry Creek Valley, the only remaining peach orchard (1,000 trees) in the valley, and the only dedicated, certified organic peach farm in Sonoma County, the small farm stand offers perfectly ripe peaches, peach jam, cobbler mix and other very special goodies. Get there when they open—they sell out quickly!
2179 Yoakim Bridge, Healdsburg
Open W during peach season, noon until they’re all gone
DryCreekPeach.com, @drycreekpeach
LIVE OAK FARM FARM STAND
Nestled outside downtown Petaluma is Sonoma County’s first “Agrihood,” a unique neighborhood of net-zero-energy homes built within a working farm. Live Oak’s certified organic farming practices, like cover-cropping, compost teas and diversification, help to reduce water consumption and sequester carbon. In their solar-powered farm stand, you’ll find greens, herbs, vegetables and flowers, as well as a tangy hot sauce made with the farm’s jalapeno peppers.
1030 Lohrman Ln., Petaluma
Open year round, M—Sa, 9am—5pm
@liveoakfarmpetaluma
OLSON FARMS FARM STAND
Olson Farms opened their honor stand early on in the pandemic to help make delicious, nutritious food more accessible to the community. In order to create an easy one-stop shopping experience, Olson Farms complements their own farm-fresh produce with an assortment of regional products like citrus, eggs, teas, tortillas and more. Fresh and dried flowers, garlic braids and hats “knit by the farmer” make for unique gifts. Their smaller “mini market” down the road shares a driveway with B Smith Flowers, a self-serve stand stocked with beautiful bouquets. Olson Farms also has a CSA program and operates a 24/7 pop-up stand in Oakland.
7000 Petaluma Hill Rd., Penngrove (main market)
8270 Petaluma Hill Rd. (mini market)
Open year round, every day, 9am—6pm
OlsonFamilyFarm.com, @olson_farm
TENFOLD FARMSTAND
This quaint cottage sits among fruit trees and flower beds on a small property outside Petaluma. Inside you’ll find veggies, microgreens, stone fruit, herbs and lavender. Farmer Catherine Clark also likes experimenting in the kitchen, so come early for a taste of limited items like olives, dried chiles, Meyer lemon cake and strawberry-rose dark chocolate bark. It’s a truly lovely setting and a recent Instagram post invites people to “bring your morning coffee and hang out in the sunshine on Saturday morning.”
1094 Middle Two Rock Rd., Petaluma
Open year round, Sa (only), 9am—2pm
@tenfoldfarmstand
WORKER BEE FARM FARM STAND
After working on other farms and experimenting with distribution methods, farmer Will Scott finally landed on an honor farm stand model that allows him to do more of what drew him to farming in the first place—spending time in the fields.
Open just four months a year, you’ll always find a bountiful selection and variety.
12983 Bodega Hwy., Freestone
Open late July/mid-October, every day, dawn to dusk
Facebook @workerbeefarm
