In the mid-Atlantic, where I live, Spring heralds the opening of farmers markets and farm stands in nearly every community and it is what I most anticipate every year! However, I was delighted to find farm stands and farmers markets year-round in nearly every port in which we docked along the ICW.
In 2005, when we wintered in Fort Myers, we shopped at the twice a week farmers market religiously. We bought delicious fresh produce, seafood, cheeses, preserves, baked goods and gourmet foods. The Ft. Myers market featured plants, fresh and dried flowers, nuts, crafts and barbecue. What a treat to simply walk from the marina to the waterfront park to shop! We found beautiful farm stands in the weekly (and daily) flea markets of the Florida Keys, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale, and at stops along the ICW such as Fort Pierce, Charleston, Norfolk and St. Michaels -- most walking distance from the marina. Some featured live entertainment, activities for children, cooking demonstrations and other events to encourage consumer shopping! It was also a great way to meet local farmers, get some terrific recipes and purchase fresh, flavorful produce. When ashore, I rarely miss the local farmers markets near my home in the Annapolis area, but recently I discovered another form of direct marketing by small farms, the CSA (for Community Supported Agriculture).
While at a farmers' market, a group of farmers sell their products once or twice a week at a designated public place like a park or parking lot, the CSA offers farm “shares” or ‘produce subscriptions’, where buyers receive a weekly basket of produce, flowers, fruits, eggs, meat, and a range of farm products. Some CSAs deliver to shareholders, while others simply drop off bushel baskets at pre-determined locations for member to pick up. My CSA provides organic fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers year round and they supplement the share in the winter by purchasing organic citrus and other produce from small farms in the South. Most weeks, the boxes are abundant while other weeks, they are less so but, on average, the cost of this high quality produce is lower than retail for shareholders.
The number of CSAs in the United States has grown from 50 in 1990 to more than 1000 today. CSAs work because shareholders support the farm throughout the season, and assume the costs, risks and bounty of growing food. For the farmer, the benefits of a CSA is that it creates an economically stable farm operation by pre-paying farm costs, guaranteeing a market for a diverse selection of crops, providing minimal loss and waste of farm produce with little or reduced need for long-term storage. Shareholders are assured the highest quality produce, often below retail prices and they have the pleasure of supporting small farms often growing heirloom or organic produce.
Of the 1.6 million small farms in the US, an increasing number are now selling their products directly to the public via Farmers' Markets, Food Coops, U-picks and farm stands. This is a great way to support local farmers and to buy produce that is often not available in retail groceries.
If you are interested in finding a farmers market, stand, coop, U-Pick or CSA near your land-home, go to the following websites and click on your state and city. And, when you plan your future cruises, use these websites to find farmers markets and farm stands in the ports you visit....you'll find good food, good people and it will enrich your cruising experience.
Resources:
www.ams.usda.gov/farmers markets/map.htm - Lists farmers markets by city - click on map of your state and a list of markets in each city will pop up.
http://www.localharvest.org/ - Lists farmers' markets, family farms, and CSAs near your home or in areas you plan to cruise. This site even has a store where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies that local farms offer by mail order.
http://www.openair.org/ - This Open Air-Market Directory is the world wide guide to farmers' markets, street markets, flea markets and street vendors.