This Holiday Season, Build Gift Baskets For Your Loved Ones With Products From Bucks County Vendors
By Courtney Linder
With the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to dream up the perfect gifts for your friends and family. And even if you can’t be physically together this year, you can still spread some warmth and holiday cheer with a thoughtful present. Right now, we’re obsessed with handcrafting beautiful gift baskets, combining artisan goods from our favorite farmers markets, Doylestown and Wrightstown, with tasteful flourishes that will make the goodies inside even more memorable.Â
The best part? You can source all of the perfect elements for your foodie baskets by supporting local vendors. Try hitting one of the two markets remaining this year in Doylestown on Saturday November 14 and Saturday, November 21. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on South Hamilton Street between West Oakland Avenue and West State Street.
Alternatively, you can visit the farmers market in Wrightstown, located at the Middletown Grange (576 Penns Park Road), running from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., also on Saturday, November 13 and Saturday, November 20. Or, before the holiday season ends, visit the Wrightstown Winter Farmers Market, which will be held outdoors at The Anchor Church (980 Durham Road) from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, December 12, Saturday, December 19, and Saturday, December 26 (limited vendors), with more dates in 2021.
If you don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your home, you can order from your favorite businesses directly online or give them a call to place an order. Most places should be able to coordinate a safe, contactless delivery.Â
Planning on building a basket? Show us what you’ve put together, and we just may share it with our followers on Instagram (@doylestownfarmersmarket or @wrightstownmarket) or on Facebook. Happy crafting!
Fill Your Basket With Goods From These Businesses
By no means is this an exhaustive list, but these are some of our favorite vendors that offer treats, jarred goods, and other sundries all perfect for your baskets.Â
Barefoot Botanicals
This farm shop specializes in certified organic herbs and farm-crafted products, including a number of non-perishables. Look for their sunflower oil, dried herbs, and teas, or choose from a selection of simple syrups that will be sure to jazz up your cocktails, seltzers, or favorite confections.
380 N Shady Retreat Rd, Doylestown, PA 18901
(267) 406-0292
Bedminster Orchard
A gift basket is never fully dressed without a healthy dose of fruit, and with Bedminster Orchard, yours won’t have to go without. Choose from 23 varieties of apples, 24 kinds of peaches, and four different nectarines to fill your basket, or go with nonperishables, like homemade apple sauce or honey, if you need to send your gift in the mail.
1024 Kellers Church Rd, Perkasie, PA 18944
(215) 795-0303
www.facebook.com/bedminsterorchard
Brothers in Bees
Whether baking, mixing up a homemade face mask, or just adding a dollop of the good, golden stuff atop your oatmeal or cereal, honey is an absolute staple in any household. Throughout the year, your loved ones may be skimping, and purchasing mass-produced honey. To treat them, consider buying one of the 12-oz jars of raw, unfiltered honey that Brothers in Bees produces locally right here in Bucks County. According to the company, the nectar that the honey was sourced from most likely comes from black locust, alder, and willow trees or honeysuckle, poppy, sage, lavender, and bleeding heart, creating a rich taste and aroma.
hello@brothersinbees.com
(267) 406-0617
Hershberger Heritage Farm
To complement your jarred goods, spices, preserves, and other goodies, add one of Hershberger Heritage Farm?s handmade wooden cutting boards to your gift basket. Or, if you’re not feeling up to this whole project, you could just buy one of their “Berger Boxes,” for that person on your shopping list. It’s a customized subscription box packed to the brim with meat and eggs delivered right to your loved one’s door, and sure to fill their belly.
1614 Ridge Rd Sellersville, Bucks County 18960
(215) 500-7301
Marie’s Soaps
From specialty soaps in scents like cinnamon swirl, sweet dreams, and vanilla lace, to brown sugar body buff, cleansing cold creams, lip balm, and all-purpose salves, Marie’s Soaps has a little bit of everything in the self care department.Â
2 Lear Dr Ottsville, PA 18942
(610) 847-7627
mariessoap@aol.com
Trauger’s Farm Market
It doesn’t matter the time of year popcorn is a must, and just happens to be the perfect item for a holiday gift basket. Choose from a selection of flavors, including classic kettle corn, white cheddar, buttle, salt, ranch, bacon, or cajun. Or, buy some fresh pastas, baking flours, or old-fashioned candies.
Route 611 and Island Road, Kintnersville, PA 18930
(610) 847-5702
raugersmarket@aol.com
1 Love Jerk Hut
Whether they’re the next Iron Chef, or need a little bit of help in the flavor department, your friend or family member will be thanking you big time if you include one of 1 Love Jerk Hut’s signature sauces in their gift basket. Choose from a wide selection of homemade flavors, including Jamaican Voodoo Jerk Sauce, Peach Jerk Sauce, Holy Trinity Jerk Sauce, or Marley Mango Jerk Sauce.Â
Jamaican Jerk Hut, 1436 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 545-8644
Mediterranean Delicacy
With spices, herbs, and rubs galore, plus a sampling of cold-pressed olive and argan oils and gorgeous olive wood collectibles including mortar-and-pestle sets, serving bowls, and ladles. Mediterranean Delicacy has the perfect tasty ingredients or accessories to round out your basket.Â
(267) 240-0184
delicious@MediterraneanDelicacy.com
www.mediterraneandelicacy.com/pages/contact-us
Bucks County Alpacas
It’s that time of year again, bundle up! With a wide variety of all-natural Alpaca fiber products, Bucks County Alpacas can keep your loved ones warm this holiday season. Choose from socks, hats, and gloves in every color imaginable, or opt for 4-oz skeins of thick yarn for their own creative endeavors.
2761 Bedminster Rd, Perkasie, PA 18944
(215) 795-2453
How To Assemble a Gift Basket
To build a basket that looks professionally curated, without the price tag and with far more opportunities for personalization, you’ll need a nice mix of everyday items including some produce and perishables, where appropriate and small nick-knacks, novelties, and jarred goods.
- A container to put your items in: While this can be a basket, it doesn’t have to be. You can do exactly what gift shops and florists do with their baskets, and use an inexpensive glass tray or bowl to compose the base of your gift basket. Metallic containers are chic and timeless, so we suggest going with something silver or gold, but whatever floats your boat will do. If your container is particularly deep, consider lining the bottom with a few layers of newspaper to give the items inside a boost. Remember: you want the presents inside to look like they’re spilling out of the basket to get that professional look.
- If you don’t have something lying around at home, we suggest buying a basket at the Doylestown Farmers Market. If you prefer to present your gifts in a bag, the market will offer three styles of tote bags, at $20, $10, and $5 price points.Â
- Shred: To fill in all of the gaps in between the gifts, cut up some old tissue paper, brown bags, newspaper, or glossy advertising flyers into strips. Make sure to fill the basket to add cushioning, as well, so that any glass jars or delicate items don’t clink into one another. Don’t be afraid to let your creativity run wild.
- Cellophane wrap: While this isn’t totally necessary, transparent film will add a professional touch to your basket. Try your local party store, dollar store, or florist. Be sure to pick a bag or a roll of film that is large enough to wrap around the basket and the items inside without ripping. And most importantly, don’t cut the wrap until you’re sure you’ve left enough room at the top to pull the cellophane into a nice gather.Â
Ribbon or string to tie up your cellophane wrap: You can buy fancy ribbon, but any old string that you have laying around at home will do. If you want to get really fancy, buy some bows to give the gift basket a pop of vibrant color.
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