Cruisin` to Mixon Fruit Farms

Sun
Page 20
Cruisin’ to Mixon Fruit Farms
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
By DEBBIE FLESSNER
Cruisin’ Writer
There are no shortage of
places that sell fruit on the
suncoast but just north of
Sarasota,
there is a
fruit farm
that’s just a
cut above
the rest
— Mixon’s.
The
thing
about
The selection of fruits available for purchase vary somewhat, depending on
Mixon’s
SUN PHOTO
BY DEBBIE FL
Underneath this
what has recently been picked.
ESSNER
is that it’s a destination,
waterside gazebo
wedding ceremon
is a place that is of
ies.
not just a place to buy
ten booked for
fruit. Granted, fruit is the
big attraction, and buying
it basically fresh off the tree
makes a huge difference in
taste, but the Mixon family
has figured out a way to
build an attraction around
their orange groves.
When I went to Mixon’s,
my first stop was the Gift
Shoppe. It is there that you
can buy souvenirs, gifts and
all kinds of food. First of all,
there is a great deli that I’ve
actually gone to for lunch
before — and I wasn’t even
there to buy fruit. The Cuban
On a walk back into the sortin
sandwich is a must-try.
g area, you can see Mixon’s em
nce
bou
a
x,
rea
dbo
dying fruit for shipments.
ployees
san
a
h
wit
s,
for the kid
Also in the Shoppe are
There is a great playground
several stations you need
house and a slide.
to stop at for the samples.
They make their own fudge
daily at Mixon’s, and it’s very
good. And of course, they
make and sell homemade
marmalades, jellies and
dressings, all made from
the fruits of their groves.
My favorite part of the
store, though, is the fruit
section in the back. There
are bins of pre-packaged
fruit for sale, and best of
all, a salad bar-type set
up with different types
of cut up fruit to try. The
day I was there, they
had Minneola Tangelos,
ge fresh daily.
Mixon’s makes homemade fud
which were kind of
This is the room w
here fresh juice is
seedy, but a very sweet
bottled.
cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit.
Mixon’s also has grove
nuptials themselves. Though
The tastiest one I tried was
tours which you take in
I’ve been married for quite
a Pineapple Orange, which
some time, I wouldn’t mind
was called a Ponderosa
the store. I enjoyed seeing all as you ride on the Orange
a gentleman who was a
Blossom Express Train.
doing a renewal of vows at a
lemon, and according to the
the signs on the big equipMixon’s employee told me
Back by the entrance to the
place like Mixon’s Fruit Farms.
literature I picked up, it is a
ment that explained what
they were just starting to
groves is a great playground But I would probably want to
lemon-citron hybrid that can that particular piece was
be picked. It was beyond
for the kiddies, which is a
spend most of the time tastebe used like any other lemon used for. My favorite were
delicious and juicy, causing
perfect spot for the many
testing in the Gift Shoppe
for pies, lemonade and bakthe signs on the grading
me to make two trips to the ing. All I know is that this one table, where each piece of
children’s birthday parties
instead of under the gazebo.
ladies’ room to clean the
Mixon’s Fruit Farms is
looked to be the size of 5 or 6 fruit was deemed worthy (or held at Mixon’s.
juice off my shirt. Lesson to
Beyond the playground is
at 2712 26th Ave. East in
lemons. It was massive.
not) to be sold. There was
self — don’t sample oranges
a lovely wedding pavilion.
Bradenton. The hours are
After all my taste tests, I
a drop spot for “bad guys”
while wearing white. Either
It’s a beautiful site for a
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday
headed to the back of the
and one for “ugly guys.” I’m
that or be a little less messy. building, where you can
guessing the bad guys were celebration, amid the orange through Saturday. For more inMost impressive was the
groves, and there is even a
formation, visit the Facebook
watch how oranges are sort- thrown away and the ugly
more than 2-pound lemon
ed and packaged for shipones were juiced, but I don’t gazebo in front of a Koi pond page or www.mixon.com, or
atop the tasting station. It
and a rock waterfall for the
call 941-748-5829.
ping, juice and stocking in
know that for sure.
OF SARASOTA COUNTY
465840
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