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To market, to market, alfresco

Local farmers markets are taking shopping to the street, offering a vast array of wares to buy, though a fat pig probably isn’t yet one of them.

By SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE
Published October 12, 2006

[Times photo: Lara Cerri]

Clara Lawton and her mom, Susan Lawton, of St. Petersburg enjoy a performance by the Urban Gypsies at the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market.

	[Times photo: Lara Cerri]
	One of the many sweet items making a comeback at the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market is Eden's Nectar, which includes honey from all seasons.
	Fresh fish sit on ice at Fisher's Seafood at the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market.
	[Times photo: Lara Cerri]
	[Times photo (2004): Carrie Pratt ]
	The Caribbean Cooking Magic booth spices up the Dunedin Green Market, which is open on Fridays.
	[Times photo: Ken Helle]
	The Ybor City Fresh Market in Centennial Park is one of the few year-round markets in the area. It is open Saturdays.
	To ensure freshness, pick it yourself To harvest the freshest produce, leave city markets and go where the farmers are.

A funny thing happened on the way to the vegetable stand: farmers markets became happenings.

Instead of just looking for an organically grown eggplant or a vine ripe tomato, people come to linger and chat.

Listen to bands and dance in the street. Browse arts and crafts booths and educational exhibits. Even get screened for glaucoma. Or adopt a pet.

 And the markets, which have doubled in Florida in the last decade, have become less focused on produce. In this part of the state at least, it’s hard to find a real farmer among the barbecue and handbags for sale.

 “Since there’s no more farms in Pinellas and fewer in Hillsborough County, we’ve had a tough time getting true local farm products,” said Bob Hernandez, the general manager of the Clearwater Downtown Farmers Market, who promotes markets around the state. But he has hope that customer demand will change this.

“We are really stressing statewide to buy local.”

Jokes Mike McKee, who manages the market in Gulfport, “I’m sure if we had some farmers around, they’d be here.”

Most of the markets begin from now through November and run until about May.

What brings people back every week from now through spring is the small-town atmosphere, the kettle corn, kids’ face-painting, the geraniums to take home and the chance to pet the neighbor’s dog poking his head out of a baby sling.

“It’s the music and atmosphere,” McKee said. “People will come and sit, have breakfast and some coffee, and it becomes the meeting place in the winter time to catch up with people and get some gossip.”

Here’s a look at some of the humming markets in our area.

PINELLAS

St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market, Second Street at Central Avenue, downtown St. Petersburg, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, October through May.

Entering its fourth year, this has already become the state’s largest fresh market. There’s live music every week, lots of shopping and a collection of characters, from the man in top hat and tails who sells barbecue, to a street artist in body paint posing as a statue.

Check out: Eden’s Nectar, seasonal honey collected from beekeepers around Central Florida. Taste the difference between spring, summer, fall and winter honey. Then grab some sweets from Green’s Bakery, a family business that has been making signature sweet potato pie for more than 40 years.

Don’t miss: The “Smoothie Man” (Gregory Jones). He creates premium smoothies with fresh fruit, ginger and other combinations.

Information: www.saturdaymorningmarket.com.

Clearwater Downtown Farmers’ Market, Clearwater City Hall parking lot, 112 S Osceola Ave., 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Nov. 15 through April.

In its 11th year, this market struggled on Saturdays. Moving it to Wednesdays meant that office workers can shop and grab some lunch while listening to live music.

Check out: The veggies and plants are plentiful and in fine shape.

Don’t miss: The Jan. 11 “Souper Soups Festival,” in which downtown restaurants try to outdo each other.

Information: www.clearwaterfarmersmarket.com.

Gulfport Art Village Fresh Market, 2908 Beach Blvd. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, now  through May.

Going into its third year, this small market is right out of Mayberry, with chatty locals sipping coffee at Java Nirvana and checking out the veggies, organic health products and — being artsy Gulfport — there’s always artwork and crafts. Only a handful of vendors set up now, but the number grows after Christmas to meet snowbird demand.

Check out: The magnetic jewelry that promises to ease joint pain.

Don’t miss: An iced latte at Java Nirvana, with an extra scoop of gossip on the side.

Information: www.artvillagevoice.com.

Dunedin Green Market, Pioneer Park, Main Street and Douglas Avenue, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays.

Starting its third year this weekend, the Dunedin market chose Friday to avoid competition with all the Saturday markets. Unlike most others, there are no crafters here; it’s all produce, plants, food and organic products.

Check out: The produce and herbs to plant at home; there’s lots to choose from.

Don’t miss: The booth selling Italian olive salad, much like the New Orleans muffuletta.

Information: www.dunedingov.com.

Safety Harbor Farmers Market, John Wilson Park, 401 Main St. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, starting Nov. 16.

This small market is almost a duplicate of Clearwater’s product mix, not many crafts but lots of produce and food-related products.

Check out: The homemade salsa stand.

Don’t miss: The house plants and orchids for sale.

Information: Web: www.safetyharborchamber.com.

HILLSBOROUGH

Brandon Fresh Market, 901 Lithia Pinecrest Road in the Gold’s Gym parking lot, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Saturdays.

Started by Olga Santamaria three years ago, the Brandon market is notable for the variety of ethnic food, crafts and music from approximately 30 vendors.

Check out: The organic farmer who brings his tomatoes, lettuce and other produce in pots that you can pick yourself. Think of it as a mobile U-pick farm. And if rabbits and other small animals are invading your garden, you can get an iron trap or two from the man who collects random items from “here and there.” Need a wind chime? He sells some that are made of forks and spoons.

Don’t miss: The fresh-baked bread made by a German couple who produce huge bread rounds of rosemary, sourdough, multigrain, walnut, cheese and raisin. Sample  the homemade dip  at Morningstar Specialty Foods table, at which you find everything from spinach to crabmeat dips.

Information: www.brandonfreshmarket.com.

Ybor City Fresh Market, Centennial Park, at the corner of 19th Street and Eighth Avenue; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

This is one of the few year-round markets in the area, taking advantage of the rich historic heritage of Ybor. It hosts a number of ethnic food events, such as the Flan Fest in February. But artists and vendors selling their goods take up more space than farmers.

Check out: Sally Creel’s hand-painted, eerily expressive and colorful collection of papier-mache masks. Then grab some really big, really yummy Hungarian pastries. You can also get handmade Mexican corn husk dolls.

Don’t miss: Lutz Nutz — the name says it all — and David DeAngelis, a retired construction worker who weaves pine needle baskets. You can even take lessons from him on Saturdays as he weaves his works right there at the market.

Information: yborfreshmarket.citysearch.com.

Sweetwater Sunday Organic Market at the Sweetwater Organic Community Farm, 6942 Comanche Ave. in east Hillsborough County. Noon to 4 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 5 through May.

Started last February as an experiment, it was enough of a hit that the organizers of this organic co-op are bringing it back. Because the Sweetwater stock is spoken for by its members, this market features outside vendors of organic goods and some of the Sweetwater’s extras.

Check out: The organic clothing made from bamboo, hemp and organically grown cotton.

Don’t miss: The native plants that won’t hog water, which you can take home for your own landscaping.
Information: www.sweetwater-organic.org.

PASCO

Florida Estates Winery, 25241 State Road 52, Land O’Lakes; select Saturdays starting this weekend , but usually twice a month. Check the Web site for updates.

In addition to the winery’s offerings, the market invites entrepreneurs to display fresh produce, breads, cheeses, sauces and homemade crafts, backed by live music.

Check out: The freshly popped kettle corn.

Don’t miss: The educational wine tastings that take 20 to 30 minutes and allow tastes of several wines for $3.50.

Information: www.floridaestateswines.com.

Times staff writer Erika Vidal contributed to this report. Sharon Kennedy Wynne can be reached at wynne@sptimes.com.

[Last modified October 11, 2006, 17:37:09]