Farmers Market LIFE (Local Incentive for Food and Economy) is a consortium of farmers market organizations in Sonoma County and northern Marin County, with the nonprofit Petaluma Bounty playing a connecting role. The group came together in the mid-2010s through conversations between Petaluma Bounty and market managers who saw benefits and potentials in collaboration.
Farmers Market LIFE’s goal is to spread good word about farmers markets and welcome community members from all walks of life to shop at farmers markets and support local farmers and producers. We aim to increase access to locally and sustainably grown healthy food for everyone, particularly those facing food insecurity.
Farmers markets are so much more than places to shop. They’re community hubs where you can enjoy neighborly interactions, music and cultural events, learn about and buy directly from farmers and food producers, and lower your ecological footprint.
Currently, Farmers Market LIFE member organizations are
- Agricultural Community Events Farmers Markets
- Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market Group
- Sebastopol Farmers Market, and
- Healdsburg Farmers Market.
These organizations operate weekly farmers markets in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, Guerneville, and Cloverdale in Sonoma County, CA, and Novato and Fairfax in Marin County, CA.
Farmers Market LIFE strives to lift up all farmers markets, member organizations or not. We mutually support farmers market operators, promote locally produced foods, assist farmers and other food producers when needed and appropriate. We share information about and run nutrition incentive programs at farmers markets that increase the purchasing power of limited income community members.
We at Farmers Market LIFE believe that a healthy community starts with healthy food for everyone. We believe in the collective power and value of small to midsize local food producers in strengthening the local food system and community resilience.
Farmers Market LIFE is a program of Petaluma Bounty, a farm-based food security project focused on strengthening our local food system. Petaluma Bounty is part of Petaluma People Services Center, an organization dedicated to improving the social and economic health of our community by providing programs that strengthen the dignity and self-sufficiency of the individual.