New Farmer's Market in Hollywood
I'm probably a little slow in getting the local news. I rarely watch it. But I just found out there's a new farmer's market opening in Hollywood on Sunday, October 3rd. It's open 3 days a week: Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. I'm hoping this is a real farmer's market where the vendors are selling homegrown local produce and other homemade items. From looking at the website, specifically at the vendor information page, it's clear that they will have resellers, meaning people not selling their own goods, so we have to be careful and ask a lot of questions to be sure we know what we're buying. I definitely plan on checking it out because it could be a wonderful source for supplementing what I grow here on the urban homestead.
If any of you take the time to visit, please write back and let me know what you think. Even better, would any of you like to meet me there? I'm sure I'll go more than once, but for starters I'll plan on being there on opening day.
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14 comments:
So it turns out we shouldn't get too excited about this new farmer's market. Just as I suspected, it will be almost entirely resellers - all lying about the fact that the produce is locally grown. Why can't we get a good farmer's market down here?
What the HECK? What does all those other products have to do with FARMERS MARKET? I can MAYBE see the cooked food products (Like I don't know..... new and exciting cooked veggies) but FISH? BBCUE? nope not at a FARMERS Market. I would also consider some farm or garden supplies but the rest? take it to a Flea market.
We have a local green market in Greenacres on Jog Road between Forest Hill Blvd and Cresthaven that I have not been to but what I see from driving by it sells FRUITS and VEGETABLES. I will check it out soon and let you know. In fact I am gonna tell them that I will post it on my Blog with a recommendation for some FREE veggies. LOL Wonder if they will go for that?
Hi Tricia - great to hear from you. I don't have a problem with fish being at a farmer's market - as long as it's caught locally. And to me, a farmer's market is a place to buy fresh, locally grown, produce, eggs, meat, fish, etc., along with products that are made from the locally grown (hopefully organic, certified or not) produce, meat and fish. I'd love a place to buy raw milk and milk products (cheese, butter, ice cream), jellies, jams, salsas, breads, all that kind of stuff). Homemade crafts are often at farmer's markets, too.
I am gonna make my hubby stop by the Greenacres Farm to see if what they have is local and fresh and what all the have. the company bio says fresh vegetables and Melons. We will see.
I just remember Farmers markets from my childhood days when they sold Fresh Fruits and veggies only, I guess times they have changed.
@ My edible, I sincerely hope you are wrong. We have a booth at the market, and it’s looking like there is going to be a good amount of produce. I totally agree that the produce situation in South Florida, especially Broward County is horrible. Sadly, if your ever expecting very many true farmers to load up their trucks and drive to the market each weekend, it probably will never happen as they’re just aren’t that many farms left in the Broward area. Up in West Palm or central Florida, yes. Down in South Miami/Dade, yes, but close by, no.
Let’s all hope that while the people selling will more than likely be ”resellers”, I am envisioning the quality and selection to be MUCH better than the other options. This comes from a person who has been a professional yacht and estate chef for over 30 years.
I wish we could be there selling actual produce, but our business is now wellness and massage, and we will be selling our handmade, local made, 100% natural soy body candles, as I am out of the food business, at least for the time being. It appears like there will be many fine artists and such, BUT… please realize that the place is huge and even if 75% were to be non food items, it would still leave enough room to have a bigger, nicer produce area than anything that is available locally. You could fit a half dozen or more 747’s in the place. In the meantime, I’d like to also mention our friends at the Marando farms market in Fort Lauderdale. Great place, and she really does scout for local and organic produce. They have a huge hydroponics system onsite and you can pick your own veggies and greens. You can’t get much fresher than that. Her website is http://www.marandofarms.com/ and if you’d like more information about the Yellow Green Market and Planet Massages soy candles, visit http://www.planetmassage.com/yellowgreenfarmersmarket
PlanetMassage - I honestly hope that you are right and I am wrong. I wish the YG Farmer's Market well. I do want people to be aware that not all markets calling themselves farmer's markets are real and that customers should be made aware that they are purchasing the same produce they could buy in a grocery store. It's happening all over the US from the articles I'm reading.
Thanks for posting this. I won't bother with the drive up there.
On Lincoln Road's Sunday market there is one stand sometimes that sells local produce; the guy who is always at the end by Washington says he is "organic" and "local" but it's all the same stuff you can get at Publix. Where is the regulation of these misleading merchants?
Dan,
Sorry it's taken me so long to respond to you, but life has gotten quite busy for me. I did go to the YG Farmer's Market and went with an open mind. As far as I could tell, and I walked the whole market, it should be called a flea market, not a farmer's market. I could only locate 1 vendor local vendor in the entire place. All the produce I saw was either from Canada or Wisconsin.
Ara
We have a Green Market here in West Palm Beach. Located along the waterway downtown bt Clematis St. It has a good supply of local growers, organic, hydroponic and others, as well as flowers, baked goods, cheese vendors, and local eateries, Cuban coffee!. As I recall there are 75 booths.
What I want to know is where did you find the heirloom seedlings?
I have a supplier here in Loxahatchee and would like to complement her varieties. Had some tomatoes last season that weighed 3 lbs. and were 5 inches 3 inches tall. Very tasty.
Anonymous,
I went to 2 different places for my seedlings during their seedling sales. One is called Little River Market garden and it's their first year, located in North Miami. The other was Bee Heaven Farm in the Redlands (Homestead), but every year they have a booth at Fairchild Tropical Garden's Edible Festival and sell tons of seedlings. I know they are at several Farmers Markets in and around South Miami on a weekly basis this time of year. The woman who runs Little River Market Garden, named Muriel, is supposed to be having another seedling sale in a bit. I will try to send out a notification in the blog if I get notice in time.
Ara
Everyone wants local produce but the fact is this. Right now South Florida Farmers are growing tomatoes, strawberries, beans, squash etc. The growing season is just started. In the next month or so you should see plenty of vegetables from South Florida. Next summer, fruit like mango, lychee, longan, avocado etc will be here.
The Yellow Green Farmers Market needs your support.
All the best and stop by Pepe's Plants booth 163 and 164 so you can take home some fruit trees and help grow all that local fruit we all crave.
Peace,
http://www.pepesplants.com
Pepe,
I'm more than willing to give the YG a second chance. The fact is, I grow a lot of my own here at home, but I know we Broward residents, at least those of us in south Broward, have a tough time finding things without going way north or way south. There are definitely things that can be grown during the summer here - yard long beans, okra, sweet potatoes, seminole pumpkins - I didn't see any of those when I was at the market.
Ara
Ara,
You are correct that that okra etc can be grown. Do you know any farmers growing them?
I also want to share the following information in case you are not aware.
The United States Senate will consider a so called food safety Bill next week. S 510
From what I have learned this bill if passed without the recent amendment (Tester - Hagan) will be bad news for organic and other small scale farmers.
Please google and see for yourself.
Pepe
ACTION ALERT: Factory Farm Vegetable Lobbyists Go After Organic/Local Growers in Food Safety Debate — One Last Phone Call to Your Senators Could Make a Difference
Pepe,
I believe you can find okra at Bee Heaven farm in the Redlands, as well as at Little River Market Garden in Little Haiti - both organic farms.
Yes, I am aware of S.510. I have been keeping up to date with it and I've done my part and called my congress people. Have you?
Ara
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