Selection Differs at Farmers Markets from Florida to Virginia

One of the really awesome things about living in the United States is that we have a huge diversity of land and climates across the country.  While we are enjoying strawberries and blueberries, other parts of the U.S. are reaping different harvests.

In the last month, I’ve taken a few trips to see people that live in different states. Naturally, I insisted on visiting their local Farmer’s Market.  It’s a great way to get ideas for our market and to see what’s in season there.

The first market I visited was in Vero Beach, Fla.  Vero Beach is located in Indian River County, which is known for its citrus production.   The expensive and delicious brands of OJ in the grocery stores here are most likely from Indian River County.  They can also grow things like mangos and avocados (the large green kind, as opposed to the Haas avocados we see in stores), which cannot grow in Virginia. 

Due to the stifling heat in the Florida summer, not much produce can survive. The summer is “off season” for farms…where as fall, winter, and spring can bring a host of locally grown produce. The market is small, but not all that different than the Manassas City Saturday Market.  There was a man playing acoustic guitar, and many talented artists and crafters showcasing their wares.

A few weeks later, I flew to Bloomington, Ill. to visit my brother in the Corn Belt.  I was truly impressed by the Farmer’s Market there. The season is a little shorter than ours; it runs from May to October due to a colder winter.  The vendors had a plethora of fresh veggies, many of which are also in season in Virginia.

The market stretched around the entire downtown square, and had everything from face painting to bluegrass.  I was surprised not to see any corn at the market! While there is a huge amount of corn grown in Illinois, not much of it is used for direct consumption. A lot of corn is grown and sold to be used in other products and used for animal feed.

Visiting these other markets made me feel very grateful for the delicious produce we have available in Virginia. Some of our top commodities in this state, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture, are milk, cattle, eggs, corn, turkey, tomatoes, cotton, apples, grapes, and wheat.  This calendar is especially helpful for seeing what is in season in Virginia.

June is one of my favorite times of year as you can find potatoes, squash, zucchini, raspberries, greens, and blueberries at the market.  Produce at our market is tastier since it’s fresher. A strawberry that is very red and ripe is incomparable to a box of berries shipped to a grocery store from another country.

The common thread between all of these markets is the element of community. Each place was a gathering place for families and friends.

People were greeting vendors that they had built relationships with and bumping into neighbors and friends.  What a joy it is to see your community members out and enjoying the day in town.  

Come out to the market and explore the benefits of Virginia Grown at the City of Manassas Farmer’s Market!