In The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan asks, “What shall we have for dinner?” and takes the reader through four radically different meals. He concludes eating “local” is the not only economical, but also the most healthful diet. Barbara Kingsolver provides another treatise on eating locally in her Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and reaches a similar conclusion. Time magazine postulates “local” food in going mainstream.

Why do we care? Because it makes sense. Environmentally, economically, nutritionally, socially, and morally. Oxbow Public Market subscribes to the concepts of sustainable agriculture and local harvest. In this, Oxbow seeks to provide an authentic environment that has existed historically at great public food markets in the United States and worldwide. Please join us in this pursuit.

We are fortunate to have the bounty of Northern California at our doorstep. The weather, climatic zone and soil conditions combine to provide seasonal produce, from within 100 miles, virtually year round. (See the Seasonal Availability chart). This is the same produce that ends up on dinner tables of the entire country a few days later, but we have first crack at it. Over 150 small farmers operate nearby, and are bringing their extraordinary output to Oxbow Public Market. Lucky indeed, eat local!

Buy Fresh, Buy Local

Oxbow Public Market, and its artisans and purveyors passionately support the concept of sustainable agriculture and local harvest—promoting a healthy environment, and social and economic equity within our community.

Sustainability rests on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Therefore, stewardship of both natural and human resources is of prime importance. Stewardship of human resources includes consideration of social responsibilities such as working conditions of laborers, the needs of rural communities to sustain farming, and consumer health and safety both in the present and the future. Stewardship of land and natural resources involves maintaining or enhancing this vital resource base for the long term.

Reaching toward the goal of sustainable agriculture is the responsibility of everyone – farmers, merchants, and consumers. Each group has an important role, its own unique contribution, to strengthen the sustainable local farming community.

Oxbow Public Market has a commitment to the unique character, spirit and content of the Public Market not only as a place to display and sell organic and/or sustainably produced local crops, other regional specialties, and other high quality and unique food products, but also as a place that actively supports sustainable and organic farming practices, owner-operated businesses, local food producers, and the agricultural community of the Napa Valley and surrounding regions.

Our goal is to create a culture within the Public Market of cooperation and tenant involvement in management to continually enhance and improve the Public Market, to ensure that the Public Market also improves the culture outside the public market, through education, community outreach and support of local businesses and farms.

The spirit and mission is a material consideration for a tenant participating in the Public Market and involves creating a place for customers to experience an authentic environment which has existed historically at great public food markets in the United States and worldwide. It also involves tenants working together with other tenants, through purchasing goods in connection with the preparation of food and drink products, hosting joint or cooperative events, and understanding that individual tenants will be successful only if the Public Market as a whole is successful.

Community Articles

Scenes from the market, SFgate.com, Karola Saekel 6/27/07

AGRIBUSINESS Organic Erosion. SFGate.com, Jake Whitney 1/28/07

Farmers’ Market embodies our need for connection and community. SFGate.com, Carol Lloyd 1/12/07