Visit a Southwest Florida farm THE FARM 411

Visit a Southwest Florida farm
–where melons,
tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, and peppers abound–
and meet the hardworking hands that cultivate our local crops. While much of the public may never glimpse
the behind-the-curtain aspects of this booming
industry, there are upwards of 74,000 agriculturerelated jobs in the Charlotte, Manatee, and Sarasota
counties combined. In Sarasota County alone, there
are 61,033 acres of farmland. More than 20 types of
fruits and vegetables are grown commercially on the
313,485 farming acres in Manatee County, including 575,820,000 pounds of citrus every year. In other
words, farming is big business in our tri-county region,
and our growers have lovingly provided us with fresh
produce for generations.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like
to live and work on a farm?
Sarasota and Bradenton areas are home to groves,
ranches, dairies, gardens –and our friendly farmers
welcome you to visit and learn about what they do and
why. Visiting a farm is a unique opportunity to see
first hand how food is produced, right from the very
beginning.
THE FARM 411
Get ready for a fun, energizing, relaxing day at the
farm! Breathe deeply, look and listen closely, get your
hands dirty, and if you have a chance to taste the farm’s
produce, savor it!
Here are some hints on making the most of your visit.
Be casual: Wear comfortable footwear and clothes
that can stand up to a bit of work and dirt. You may
find yourself walking on dirt roads and uneven terrain.
And of course remember to wear a hat and sunscreen.
Be curious: There’s lots to learn on a farm, and a tour
offers the perfect chance to have your questions
answered. So don’t be shy –ask away!
Be safe: Seeing live animals and impressive farm
machinery up close can be thrilling, but always be very
careful and listen to your tour guide for instructions.
Be informed: Call ahead to confirm tour availability
and to get additional information on what to wear,
bring and expect.
There’s nothing like fresh fruit and vegetables at their seasonal best. There’s something so good about
eating food when it’s just been picked. It tastes better, it’s a better value and it’s a better deal for the planet.
Here’s just a taste of what we’ve got growing on ....
January - March
April - June
July - September
October - December
Arugula
Beets
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Celeriac (Celery Root)
Chinese Cabbage
Citrus
Collards
English Peas
Endive
Escarole
Fennel
Green Onions
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mustard
Parsley
Radishes
Raddichio
Snap or Snow Peas
Spinach
Strawberries
Swiss Chard
Sweet Onions
Turnips
Bell Peppers
Blueberries
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Lettuce
Limes
Mushrooms
Nectarines
Onions
Oranges
Peaches
Potatoes
Radishes
Snap Beans
Snap Peas
Squash
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Tomatoes
Watermelon
Avocados
Bananas
Barbados Cherry
Basil
Coconut
Eggplant
Guavas
Hot Peppers
Limes
Longans
Lychees
Malabar Spinach
Mangos
Muscadine Grapes
Okra
Passion Fruit
Peanuts
Pineapple
Seminole Pumpkin
Southern Peas
Starfruit (Carambola)
Sugar Apples
Surinam Cherry
Yard-Long Beans
Arugula
Avocado
Bananas
Beans
Beets
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Collards
Cucumbers
Endive
Escarole
Green Onions
Guava
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Melons
Mustard
Navels
Papaya
Peppers
Pumpkins
Radishes
Salad Greens
Spinach
Squash
Swiss Chard
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tangelos
Tangerines
Tomatoes
Turnips
January
Forks & Corks
dineoriginal.com/forksandcorks
Manatee County Fair
manateecountyfair.com
Shakespeare at the
Crosley
powelcrosleytheater.com
Thunder by the Bay
thunderbythebay.org
Simply Sarasota
Entertainment Tour
jlsarasota.org
Winter Fest
lwrwinterfest.com
April
DeSoto Ball
desotohq.com
DeSoto Grand Parade
desotohq.com
Florida Winefest
& Auction
floridawinefest.com
Bradenton Area
Riverwalk Regatta
bradentongulfIslands.com/
regatta
Sarasota Bay Water
Festival
sarasotabaywaterfestival.com
Greek Glendi Festival
stbarbarafestival.org
Italian Feast & Carnival
italianamericanclubofvenice.com
Orioles Spring Training
orioles.com
Pirates Spring Training
pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com
Chocolate Sundae
ucpsarasota.org
DeSoto Children’s
Parade
desotohq.com
Sarasota Powerboat
Grand Prix
sarasotapowerboatgrand
prix.org
Venice Shark’s Tooth
Festival
sharkstoothfest.com
September
Englewood Pioneer Days
englewoodpioneerdays.com
Morton’s Firehouse Chili
Cook Off
mortonschili.com
Venice Brew Bash
venicebrewbash.com
Pumpkin Festival
hunsaderfarms.com
June
Ringling International
Arts Festival
ringling.org/events/series
Sarasota County Fair
sarasotafair.com
Dairy Day Festival
dakindairyfarms.com
Mote’s Ocean Day
mote.org/worldoceanday
visitsarasota.org
941-706-1253
Printing paid for by Sarasota County Tourist
Development Tax Revenue
Sarasota Pumpkin
Festival
sarasotapumpkinfestival.com
The Art of Food
jlsarasota.org
Chalk Festival
chalkfestival.com
Siesta Key Crystal
Classic Master Sand
Sculpting Competition
siestakeycrystalclassic.com
December
Geraldson’s Community
Farm Fall Festival
geraldsoncommunityfarm.org/
events/
Palma Sola Rare
Tree Tour
mrfc.org/PalmaSola.aspx
Skyway Film Fest
bradentongulfislands.com/
film-festival/
Farm City Week
manatee.ifas.ufl.edu/farm_
city_week
Symphony on the Sand
symphonyonthesand.com
Pickn' Picnic
realizebradenton.com
Spirit & Orb Walk
bunkerhillvineyard.com/
Special_Events.html
Englewood Beach
Waterfest
englewoodbeachwaterfest.com
SandBlast
annamariaislandchamber.org
Dakin Dairy’s
Festival 4 Life
dakindairyfarms.com
Suncoast BBQ &
Bluegrass Bash
suncoastbbqbash.com
AMI ArtsHop
islandartshop.com
Harvest Festival
mixon.com/calendarofevents.asp
Trash Fish Dinner
ediblesarasota.com
October
Siesta Fiesta
artfestival.com
Food and Wine on Pine
foodandwineonpine.com
ArtSlam
realizebradenton.com
July
Farm to Fork
usfsm.edu/farmtofork
Seafood Festival
desotohq.com
May
March
A Taste of Mixon’s
mixon.com/calendarofevents.asp
August
Sarasota Film Festival
sarasotafilmfestival.com
Cortez Fishing Festival
cortez-fish.org
November
Palmetto Independence
Day Festival
palmettofl.org
February
Circus Sarasota
circussarasota.org
Savor Sarasota
savorsarasota.com
A Night Before Christmas
mymanatee.org
A Victorian Christmas at
the Crosley
powelcrosleytheater.com
Bradenton Blues Festival
bradentonbluesfestival.org
Holiday Boat Parade
bradentonyachtclub.com
Sarasota Holiday Boat
Parade of Lights
sarasotachristmasboatparade.
com
The North Pole Express
frrm.org
Venice Christmas
Boat Parade
venicechristmasboatparade.com
Winter Wonderland
cityofbradenton.com
ediblesarasota.com
One Haben Blvd. Palmetto, FL 34221
941-729-9177
21 Johnston’s Farm
Myakka City
941-228-2346
johnstonsfarm.com
Meat
1 4 Bees Herb Farm
16371 Jomar Rd
Sarasota
941-322-2446
4beesherbfarm.com
Herbs, Honey
2 Aloe Organics
Tiger Bay Ranch
Arcadia
561-386-2877
aloeorg.com
Honey, Veggies
6 Bunker Hill
Farm
8905 Bunker Hill Rd
Bunker Hill
941-776-0418
bunkerhillvineyard.com
Berries, Fruits, Veggies,
Wine
14950 Golf Course Rd
Parrish
941-803-8122
Berries, Honey, Veggies
12 Geraldson
7 Dakin Dairy Farms
30771 Betts Rd
Myakka City
941-322-2802
dakindairyfarms.com
Dairy, Honey
3 Amazin’ Grazin’
Beef Ranch
Bradenton
amazingrazinbeef.com
Meat
4 AP Bell Fish Co.
4539 124th St W
Cortez
941-794-1249
Fish
5 Brown’s Grove and
Green Pastures Meat
16015 Winburn Dr
Sarasota
941-322-2835
brownsgrove.com
Fruits, Honey, Meat.
Veggies,
11 Gamble Creek
Vineyard
8 Eland’s Eden
Northport
941-321-8765
elandseden.com
Meat
9 Faithful Farms
302 Terra Ceia Rd
Palmetto
727-422-7906
faithfulproduce.com
Veggies
10 Fruitville Grove
7410 Fruitville Rd
Sarasota
941-377-0896
fruitvillegrove.com
Fruits, Honey, Veggies
17 Hunsader Farms
5500 CR 675
Bradenton
941.322.2168
hunsaderfarms.com
Berries, Veggies
18 Hydroponic
Community Farm
Vegetables & Herbs
1401 99th St NW
Bradenton
941-792-0985
geraldsoncommunityfarm.org
Herbs, Honey, Veggies
North Port
941-629-5659
Herbs, Veggies
13 Greens on the Gro
2309 36th Ave E
Palmetto
941-725-0204
Veggies
14 Grove Ladder Farms
5620 Antoinette St
Sarasota
groveladderfarm.com
Meats, Eggs
19 Jersey Aces Farm
13339 M&J Road
Myakka City
floridarawmilk.com
Dairy
20 Jessica’s Organic
Farm
4180 47th St
Sarasota
941-358-3895
jessicasorganicfarm.com
Herbs, Veggies
22 Jones Potato Farm
13400 Dickey Rd
Parrish
941-812-0448
jonespotatofarm.com
Veggies
23 Joshua Citrus Inc
4135 SE County Rd 760
Arcadia
800-749-8219
joshuacitrus.com
Fruits, Honey
24 Lady Moon Farms
47279 Bermont Rd
Punta Gorda
717-369-2113
ladymoonfarms.com
Veggies
25 Mixon Fruit Farms
2525 27th E
Bradenton
800-608-2525
mixon.com
Fruits
30 Nokomis Groves
111 S. Albee Farm Rd
Nokomis
800-426-5274
nokomisgroves.com
Fruits
26 Mote Aquaculture
31 O’Brien Family
Farm
Fruitville Rd
Sarasota
mote.org
Scheduled tours only
Fish
and Vegetables
1548 SW Addison Ave
Arcadia
863-494-1095
Fruits, Herbs, Honey,
Veggies
28 My Sweetest Honey
Sarasota
941-809-2322
mysweetesthoney.com
Honey
29 Nature’s Partner
Sarasota
Fruits, Herbs, Honey,
Veggies
Community Gardens
1 Bayou Oaks
5 Lakewood Ranch
Community Garden
Community Garden
3530 Old Bradenton Rd
Sarasota
8130 Main St
Lakewood Ranch
1822 N Orange Ave
Sarasota
6 Laurel Community
10 Old Caples
Community Garden
Garden
Community Garden
4430 S Lockwood Ridge Rd
Sarasota
509 Collins Rd
Laurel
5315 Bayshore Rd
Sarasota
3 Culverhouse
7 Nokomis
Community Garden
Community Garden
7301 McIntosh Rd
Sarasota
234 Nippino Tr
Nokomis
4 Englewood
8 North Port
Community Garden
Community Garden
1390 Old Englewood Rd
Englewood
12200 San Servando Ave
North Port
38 The Earthbox
32 Rosa Fiorelli
Vineyard
4250 CR 675
Bradenton
941-322-0976
fiorelliwinery.com
Berries, Wine
33 Sarasota Organic
Tilapia Farms
Sarasota
941-536-5958
Fish
34 Seneca Farms
10507 Fruitville Rd
Sarasota
941-993-7401
Berries, Fruits, Herbs,
Veggies
35 Sweetgrass Farms
8350 Carolina St
Sarasota
941-350-3596
sweetgrassfarms.com
Berries, Fruits, Herbs,
Veggies
1023 Ellenton Gillette Rd
Ellenton
941-723-2911
earthboxstore.com
Plants, Earthboxes
39 True Family Farm
Parrish
941-725-0205
truefamilyfarmllc.com
Herbs, Honey
40 Watercress Farms
13060 Sugarbowl Rd
Myakka City
941 322-0600
watercressfarms.com
Veggies
41 Worden Farm
34900 Bermont Rd
Punta Gorda
941-637-4874
wordenfarm.com
Herbs, Veggies
9 Orange Blossom
Community Garden
2 Bee Ridge
37 The Dam Ranch
1356 Dam Rd
Bradenton
941-685-2516
thedamranch.net
Dairy, Meats
Research Center/
Whisenant Farms
27 Mr. Citrus Organics
15 Hi Hat Ranch
11708 Fruitville Rd
Sarasota
Fruits, Honey, Meats,
Veggies
16 Honeyside Farms
7850 Ibis St
Sarasota
941-405-0015
honeysidefarms.com
Berries, Herbs, Veggies
Farms
16505 SR 64
Bradenton
941-896-4811
obrienfamilyfarms.com
Berries, Fruits, Herbs,
Honey, Veggies
36 Three Suns Ranch
2351 State Rd 31
Punta Gorda
941-639-7070
threesunsranch.com
Meat
11 Pine Avenue
Edible Gardens
and Honey
Pine Avenue
Anna Maria Island
12 The Community
Orchard
Colonial Oaks Park,
5300 Colonial Oaks Blvd,
Sarasota
Farm Resources
1 Crowley Museum
3 Manatee County
& Nature Center
Extension Off ice
16405 Myakka Rd
Sarasota
941-322-1000
crowleyfl.org
1303 17th St W
Palmetto
941-722-4524
manatee.ifas.ufl.edu
2 Manatee County
4 Sarasota County
Agricultural Museum
Extension Office
1015 6th St W
Palmetto
941-721-2034
manateeclerk.com/
historical/AgMuseum
6700 Clark Rd
Sarasota
941-861-5000
sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu
941-322-1000
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For some locals, a Saturday morning stroll through one of the many area farmers’ markets,
is a ritualistic start to every weekend. Arrive at the downtown Sarasota Farmers’ Market
empty-handed at 7 a.m. and leave with armfuls of herbs, popsicles, pastas, and plants
from 85 vendors. Head to the Downtown Bradenton Farmers’ Market, which tempts
patrons with more then 40 vendors selling homegrown produce, pastries, and jewelry
every Saturday from October to May. Make a day of it and meander down the street to
the Riverwalk, where there is a skateboard park, pavilion, and interactive splash pool.
Bradenton
3 Red Barn Flea
Nokomis
Market
1 Bradenton
Farmers’ Market
Old Main St (12th St W)
Sat 9am–2pm
October–May
bradentonfarmersmarket.com
2 Bridge Street
1707 1st St Bradenton
Fri–Sun 8am–4pm
Year Round
redbarnfleamarket.com
ELLENTON
Market
9 Nokomis Groves
111 Albee Farm Rd S
Mon–Sat 8am–5pm
November–May
nokomisgroves.com
North Port
4 Ellenton Farmers’
Market
Market
107 Bridge St
Sun 10am–3pm
November–April
visitbridgestreet.com/
market
6750 US 301
Sat 9am–2pm
Year Round
5 Ellenton Sunday
10 North Port
Farmers’ Market
4970 City Hall Blvd
Fri 9am–1pm
October-April
northportfarmersmarket.com
Market
5309 29th St E
(Ice & Sports Complex)
Sun 8am–2pm
Year Round
Englewood
6 Englewood
Farmers’ Market
Historic Dearborn St
Thurs 9am–2pm
October–May
englewoodfarmersmarket.org
Parrish
11 Brown’s Grove
Farm Market
12255 US Hwy 301 N
Mon–Sat 9am–5:30pm
Year Round
brownsgrove.com
Punta Gorda
12 Punta Gorda
Farmers’ Market
Taylor St
Sat 8am–1pm
Year Round
13 Punta Gorda History
7 Dearborn Street
Market
348 W Dearborn St
Thurs 9am–2pm
October–April
8 Sunfresh Farmers’
Park Farmers’ and
Artisans’ Market
501 Shreve St
Sat 9am-2pm
Year Round
pghistorypark.wordpress.com
6000 Palmer Blvd
Mon–Sat 8am–7pm
Year Round
detwilermarket.com
16 Old Miakka
Farmers’ Market
Old Miakka United
Methodist Church
1620 Myakka Rd
Sat 10am–2pm
Year Round
17 Phillippi
Farmhouse Market
Phillippi Estate Park
Wed 9am–2pm
October–April
farmhousemarket.org
18 Sarasota Farmers’
Market
Main St & Lemon Ave
Sat 7am–1pm
Year Round
sarasotafarmersmarket.org
19 Siesta Key
Farmers’ Market
5124 Ocean Blvd
Sun 8am–2pm
Year Round
siestafarmersmarket.com
20 Yoder’s Produce
Market
3434 Bahia Vista St
Mon–Sat 8am–8pm
Year Round
yodersrestaurant.com
Sarasota
Venice
Market
3037 S McCall Rd
Mon–Sat 9am–4pm
Year Round
sunfreshfl.com
15 Detwiler’s Farm
14 Central Sarasota
Farmers’ Market
4454 S Beneva Rd
Sat 8am–1pm
centralsarasotafarmers
market.com
21 Venice Farmers’
Market
Nokomis & Tampa Ave.
Sat 8am–noon
Year Round
thevenicefarmersmarket.com
Tastes Better
Is Better for You
Supports Families
Builds Community
Is an Investment in
the Future
275
22
9
Anna Maria
Island
Palmetto
i
3 2
1 3
12
11
5
13
4
i
39
Ellenton
6
Parrish
11
Manatee
38
75
25
4
31
64
3
2
i
11
37
32
301
17
70
Bradenton
29
41
35
10 1
9
33
i
20
i
18
Longboat
Key
20
12
10
34
15
7
5
26
16
1
40
1
2
Siesta
Key
Lakewood
Ranch
28
14
15
19
Sarasota
14
19
21
5
17
4
16
3
41
72
75
Osprey
Farm
Casey
Key
Farmers’ Market
7
21
Farm Resources
Visitor Info Center
— Ellenton Premium Outlet Mall
— Bradenton Area Convention Center
— University Town Center Mall
— Downtown Sarasota on Main St
— Manatee Public Beach
23
Nokomis
Community Garden
i
27
6
9
30
41
8
41
Manasota
Key
Farm Tours Experience and learn
about the farm first hand.
Please contact the farm directly to confirm
hours before arriving.
U-Pick Get down and dirty and pick
your own produce.
CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture)
Share in the bounty! Enjoy fresh produce
throughout the farming season.
8
North Port
Venice
Farm Stand Meet your local
farmer and purchase fresh produce
from where it’s grown.
2
Sarasota
10
18
75
Charlotte
4
776
8
7
6
776
Englewood
41
776
775
Port Charlotte
771
12
13
Punta Gorda
41
24
Placida
36