Finding Food---First Steps in Florida

Somewhat settled into the Florida lifestye now--real Floridians do not swim in "winter" even if it's 80 degrees out, so maybe not--I am just beginning the search for decent food sources. ( I plan to be here through March.)My own brother, not known for his gustatory interests, is begging me to find him "good bread." ( In Vermont in the summer he has access to the best.) Truly, NM and environs are solid good food spots. Anyway, cruising through Pass- A- Grille, a beach village previously blogged here, we saw a sign for Fresh Produce. It's sold at a place named The Front Porch, where the goodies out front truly are grown by local farmers, and if the two women who run the joint aren't there, you can leave your money in a mailbox, and take the tomato or bunch of herbs you want.

Not bad, for a start. Not bad at all.

Comments

[whataslacker]

Originally from Lancaster County, PA I can assure the good ole road side stand is usually the best place to find home-grown, fresh veggies. There's nothing better.

[Foodie]

True, but some of these are simply reselling the basic expensive stuff, alas. It is remarkable that Florida's bounty, in general, is not available to its own citizens. As the produce people tell me, "it all goes to New England."

[Devadeva Mirel]

I am the owner/jam maker of my own jams & preserves business. I am in central PA, about an hour and twenty minutes from Lancaster in a tiny town called Port Royal. Here, there is an abundance of wonderful, fresh and often organic produce from small farmers and backyard growers. And the prices are reasonable. I buy my organic tomatos and chilis from a local Amish family and just leave the money in a can.

But, alas, paradise seems to be only a temporary stop for us.

We are also gearing up for a move to Florida. I got a list of growers from the extension office in Alachua County and started making my rounds on the phone.

I was excited about the prospects of early peaches and strawberries, groves of persimmon and unfathomable amounts of figs. That is, until I talked to the first grower.

The prices for a bushel of peaches was beyond outrageous! "It all goes to fresh market," were the words of the largest peach grower in the county.

No wonder there are no sources in Florida for glass food jars. It is exceptionally expesive to get a hold of good, local fruit for canning.

Thank goodness for marmalade!