Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market

Operated by the Sonoma County Certified Farmers Market Group, Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market has been serving Santa Rosa since 1967 as a California Certified Farmers Market. The market meets at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, giving it a recognizable North Santa Rosa setting for both its Saturday and Wednesday runs. Certification is central here: the market states that fresh fruit, nuts, vegetables, eggs, honey, herbs, plants, and cut flowers are grown and harvested in California, primarily within Sonoma County. That combination of long tenure, certified farm sales, and a fixed arts-center home gives this market a distinctly Sonoma County identity.

Why it matters locally

Since 1967, this market has positioned itself as part of Santa Rosa’s long-running farm-direct economy, and it describes itself as the first farmers market in Sonoma County. Its certified status matters in practical terms: farmers register with the county Agricultural Commissioners office, specify what they grow and where they grow it, and agree to farm inspection so shoppers are buying from the growers themselves rather than from resellers.

The market also ties local food access to local agriculture. It says the produce, eggs, honey, herbs, plants, and cut flowers sold here are grown in California, primarily in Sonoma County, and it extends that emphasis to farm-raised meat. The same market operation also accepts CalFresh and WIC benefits and references WIC-certified vendors and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program use, linking local farm sales with food-access programs in one place.

What you'll find there

The strongest through-line here is certified farm product, with the market emphasizing California-grown produce and related farm goods, especially from Sonoma County growers. Its public materials also highlight individual makers and growers through vendor features, which gives a clearer sense of the people behind specific stands.

• -Find Wine Country Garden Art by Josh Roth, whose work is featured in the market’s vendor spotlight.
• -Look for Min-Hee Hill Gardens, highlighted through Min-Hee Hill in vendor-of-the-month coverage.
• -Spot Farmer Tom, identified by the market as “the Potato Man”.
• -Read the market’s product scope as including fresh fruit, nuts, vegetables, eggs, honey, herbs, plants, and cut flowers.
• -Expect farm-raised meat alongside the market’s certified farm offerings.

The market calendar also lists regular Santa Rosa Wednesday and Saturday market dates, and its events include Paella for the People 2025, a farm-to-table fundraiser dinner with paella cooked on-site using fresh, local ingredients. One distinctive thread here is how the market pairs long history with named people and side events rather than treating the market as an anonymous row of stalls. The market says it has served Santa Rosa since 1967 and identifies itself as the first farmers market in Sonoma County, which gives even routine market days a sense of continuity. At the same time, its vendor features call out specific people such as Josh Roth of Wine Country Garden Art, Min-Hee Hill of Min-Hee Hill Gardens, and Farmer Tom, introduced as “the Potato Man,” so the market’s public face stays personal rather than generic. That same thread carries into Paella for the People 2025, a farm-to-table fundraiser hosted at CUVER Belgian Brewery with paella cooked on-site from fresh, local ingredients.

Know before you go

No dogs are allowed at this market, with the rule tied to Sonoma County Health Department guidelines. Parking is straightforward: the market notes ample free parking at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, and restrooms are available on site. Accessibility is also clearly addressed. The market is set on a level asphalt surface that accommodates wheelchairs and assisted walking items, with handicapped parking spaces, accessible bathrooms, and drinking fountains at the Luther Burbank Center. One logistical wrinkle can affect arrival: for certain Luther Burbank Center events, including the Wedding Expo, the market may shift to the back parking lot behind the center near Punky’s Pumpkin Patch and the seasonal Christmas tree lot.

Payments & SNAP

CalFresh benefits are accepted here, and the market also references Market Match, which doubles CalFresh benefits dollar-for-dollar. WIC benefits are accepted, WIC-certified vendors are referenced, and farmers also accept Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits. Some vendors can take Venmo, and an ATM is located outside the main lobby of the Luther Burbank Center.