Spring, autumn and winter, The Burg’s cornucopia of local produce runneth over. When folks up North are stuck with fruits and veggies that are frozen, canned or shipped from afar, we are reveling in the juiciest of just-picked, local berries, sweet citrus, and enough cruciferous vegetables to send the kiddos running for the hills. In the summer, however, our local options limit considerably. Gone are the days of meandering around the waterfront market, feasting your senses on our beautiful regional bounty. The inevitable day comes when you find yourself buying your apples at the same place you buy your windshield wiper detergent; both having been shipped across the country, if not completely across the world. Is this really the best we can do? Florida, why hast thou forsaken us?
I was asking myself that question a month ago when I stumbled across a local produce stand that sold tomatoes grown in Ruskin, FL. I grabbed a couple and holy moly! I had underestimated the profound difference between the real deal and the sad, hard interlopers that taste as delicious as a knuckle sandwich. This began the quest for the holy kale (heh): fresh, Florida produce in the dead of summer.
First up: what is actually in season right now? Answer: Florida avocado, starfruit, guava, longan, mango, mushroom, passion fruit, good ol’ peanuts. You can also find some pretty swell citrus, tomatoes, and a few other gems, if you can give ‘em just the right conditions.
Next up, where to find the jewels of our stomping ground? You can always check out some of your small, friendly, neighborhood produce markets! You know that partially open-air stand you pass on your way to the big box stores? Not all are created equal, but there are some real gems that stock fresh, inexpensive, mostly local, often organic, produce. I’ve yet to visit all of these, but each has been highly recommended. See which one is closest to you and make an exploratory mission! In no particular order, these seem to be the stars: VGP Produce, Little House Farmer’s Market, Farrah Food Market, Gulfport Produce, City Produce Fruit Market (across from Trader Joe’s).
Missing the Saturday Morning Market? Though they may be a bit lighter on options due to the season, there are smaller markets you can visit. The Williams Park Summer Market stands in for the Saturday Morning Market while its doing its snowbird thing, setting up in the Downtown park from 9am-1pm every Saturday during the summer. The Gulfport Fresh Market is up Every Tuesday, year round, from 9am-2pm. The produce selections may be slimmer than they are the rest of the year, but they do exist!
One feel-good, hyper-local, alternative is to go straight to the source and check out the farms themselves. Once again, bounty is limited in the summertime, but Brick Street Farms has you covered. The all-hydroponic outfit presents twice-weekly, on-site mini-markets. You can even ask for the tour of the facility! They do all leafy greens, all year long. Hallelujah! Offerings change up week to week, but personal favorites have been their romaine, butter lettuce, basil, sorrel, and assorted micro greens. I now make a weekly pilgrimage, and always look forward to seeing what will be available.
Your final option is to hit some of the larger, but still locally-owned and focused health food stores, like Earth Origins and Rollin’ Oats. If price is more of a concern than local ownership, check out the new Lucky’s Market in Tyrone for some mighty fine deals on Florida produce. You can snag deals at Earth Origins by downloading the app and watching specials, and by shopping on Wednesdays, when everything is 10% off!
Don’t settle for junk just because of the season! Get creative. Have fun with it and reap the delicious benefits. Enjoy!
