First Encounter with the Farmers

We headed out to the Redlands/Homestead/Florida City area today at 9 AM. Tomas, Mansi and I were on a quest to meet some farmers and get their feedback on the Farmers Market. Mansi had set up 3 appointments during the week. Our fist stop was with Rick, a farmer for over 15 years. He grows mainly Jackfruit, but he also grows longans and avocados and now he's got a wonderful garden of desert rose. Rick sells directly to the public, and he was very much interested in helping us find vendors to come to the market. He took our application and kept a few extras to distribute to farmer friends. Really nice guy. He gave us some jackfruits and longans to try! They are delicious!

The next stop was with Farmer Bob. Great place! A few acres of mangos, avocados, guavas, and other tropical fruits that all look ripe and ready to eat! Farmer Bob gave us a tour of the place and provided us with a calendar of what is in season when. For us city sleekers, this is a valuable piece of information. He gave us the most delicious fruit to try: Pitaya (dragon fruit). It was one of the most juicy fruits we have ever eaten and very refreshing.

The last farm we visited was Pernas Farms. I counted about 10 different types of mangoes. And, they also grow herbs and avocados.

The final stop was at Robert is Here, where we had a liquid lunch of fresh jackfruit, strawberry and passionfruit shake. Tomas also had a tasty slice of watermelon,bananas and a peach!

Needless to ay that we got eaten alive by mosquitoes! But, it was worth every minute there. The farmers were great, friendly, smart and asked the right questions. We are very excited and considered this trip a success!

Save the date: October 31st is the BIG GRAND Opening! Don't miss it.

Our Market has a Home!

We finally have a location for the Farmers' Market! The Divine Savior Church has accepted our proposal, and we are in the process of finalizing the paperwork with them. The market would run every Saturday from 9 AM. We will have the opening on Halloween day (October 31st).

We are now in the process of gathering farmers/vendors for the market. Andrea and Monsi are visiting the Redlands/Homestead area this Friday to speak to a couple of potential vendors.

We need some help from you: Please spread the word around about the market and urge people to take the survey. The survey actually helps us forecast the demand and encourages the farmers/vendors to come to Doral. Also, let us know if you have any friends, or friends' of friends who would like to sell their products* at the market.

*Product Offerings:

Raw agricultural:

Honey, vegetables, fruits, nuts, culinary and medicinal herbs, cut flowers, food and herb production plant stock, etc.

=>Value-added agricultural (i.e. licensed/regulated/inspected products):

Processed/pre-packaged/blended culinary and medicinal herbs, jam/jelly, salsa, bread, baked goods, pasta, and others approved by the Market Managers and in accordance with City of Doral regulations.

=>Prepared foods (off-site and/or on-site) ready-to-eat/drink menu items.

=>Personal care, health and wellness, and any other Market Manager pre-approved appropriate products.

Crafts:

=>Agronomic Products in support of agricultural economy and sustainability

=>Product offerings are of synergistic nature with respect to the City of Doral's Master Green Plan.

=>Home and decor related products.

Entertainment:

=>Live music that is appropriate to the market and in accordance with City of Doral rules and regulations.

Location, Location, Location

Things are moving along!!

First of all, we want to thank the City of Doral for making this idea possible. Nathan Kogon, Director of Planning and Zoning, has been a key player in drafting and submitting the ordinance to the Council Board. He established the basic idea and set the ground rules for us to step in and make this Market better than any other. The ordinance was finally approved on June 10th. Now is when the real work begins.

Our first priority is to find the best location possible. We have narrowed down the list to three good spots, and we are currently working on writing a proposal to be presented to the owners of these properties. We established some basic criteria for this selection. First, it must have good visibility and access. It must also include a decent amount of parking space and ground for the people to comfortably move around. Lastly, the location must have restrooms and running water for cleaning and sanitation.

We want to encourage everyone who passes by our blog to drop a note on the comments section. Feel free to share your ideas on possible locations or activities. We want to know how you feel and what you expect from the Market.

Thank you for your support!

We are looking for farmers to sell their fresh produce at

the new farmers market in the city of Doral.

Please contact Mansi or Andrea to secure your spot

786-845-8271 or 954.558.8975

You may also send an e-mail to doralfarmersmarket@yahoo.com

or join our Doral Farmers Market group on Facebook

Facts:

• Doral was recently rated #2 city to live well in America (see Forbes Magazine article "America's Top 25 Towns To Live Well")
• There are over 13,000 households in Doral, with a median family income of $80,600.
• If only 1% of the households shop at your produce stand, and they spend an average of $10, you will make $1,300. Not bad for a 1/2 day worth of work!
• 78% of Doral Residents are Hispanic, and they appreciate fresh markets as this was their method of buing produce back home.
• Farmers markets offer a prime location, and costs such as insurance and marketing are shared with others.
• Large profit margins.
• Customer feedback is often immediate, offering the farmers first hand knowledge of what the shopper really wants.
• Minimal start-up costs & immediate access.
• Positive farmer to farmer relationships.
• Publicity for the farm.
• Less food miles saves money & the environment.
• Reduce wastage.
• It's just plain fun to sell at the farmers' market!!