Farm Fresh Food and Family Fun

Citrus, avocado, bell pepper, star fruit, eggplant, guava, radish, snap bean, squash and sweet corn are just some of the bountiful produce selections just ripe for the picking this time of year. And consumers can get them at a reasonable price directly from growers at events like the seasonal Farmers Market Harvest Festival at Amelia Earhart Park.

“Parks are a great community gathering place. And supporting local farms creates jobs,” says Miami-Dade County Commissioner Esteban Bovo, whose office helped to organize the festival at the park which is located in his district. All the fun took place around Bill Graham Farm Village, a replica of a rustic farm and featured live music, a petting zoo, face painting, a hoola-hoop contest and even a scarecrow build. The event kicked off a series of farmers markets taking place every Sunday at the park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through the end of April.

So why buy at a farmers' market instead of at the grocery store?

For one, locally grown foods are usually raised organically with fewer pesticides, says Aimee Morris, clinical nutrition manager at Jackson Health Center North. She says that when fruits and vegetables sit for several days—which is often the case when they’re shipped to large grocers from greater distances—they lose much of their nutritional benefit. “Fresh produce is richer in macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fats, as well as micronutrients and phytochemicals like iron, vitamin A or vitamin C,” she says.

The community also benefits when consumers buy local. Charles LaPradd, agricultural manager for Miami-Dade County, says the County is the second largest per crop value agriculture County in the state, so buying local keeps money circulating within the community. Plus, local farmers get to keep more of the returns by selling directly to consumers. “You have a very high markup at store level between what the farmer gets and what it sells for. So anything that can go directly to the farmer or farmer’s representative is better for the grower.”

If you go to a farmers' market at the park, expect to see a variety of mostly organic produce from local growers, fresh baked artisan foods, ready-to-eat foods like arepas and even beauty products made from local goods at the festival. Art Friedrich, president of the Urban Oasis Project, is coordinating this farmers market, as well as the ones that take place at Tropical Park. He says putting together farmers markets takes lots of work, but the main challenge is getting the word out. “We want people to come to these markets and tell their friends.”

And when you and your friends do visit a farmers' market, LaPradd advises packing an open mind. Experiment with things you haven’t tried or never knew existed like black sapote or mamey sapote—they taste great in smoothies. “Going to a farmers' market isn’t like buying at the grocery store. It’s more of an experience.”