Location: Pinellas County Extension and Florida Botanical Gardens
12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo
When: Each Saturday: 9 am – 1 pm

Fall is a wonderful time of the year in Florida and even more so with the opening of farmer’s markets and green markets that give us an opportunity to buy locally grown fruits and vegetables. Market in the Park opens November 1, 2008 – April 18, 2009 each Saturday 9 am – 1 pm. This popular market attracted over 1,000 visitors each week to Pinellas County Extension and the Florida Botanical Gardens in its first year. It is conveniently located right off Ulmerton Road, parking is free and access is easy. The Market has fresh produce, local honey, coffee specialties, fresh baked breads, cheeses, natural dog treats, plants and much more. More vendors are signed up this year, so visit the market to see all the new items.

Buying local products is both green (environmentally friendly) and sustainable (good for the economy, society and environment). Locally grown vegetables – which travel less distance – are fresher and you are supporting local growers and businesses that put that money back into the local economy. Reducing the distance that food travels saves on the carbon emissions and air pollution. By supporting local farms near suburban areas and around cities, you help keep farmers on the land, and, at the same time, preserve open spaces and counteract urban sprawl. In the US, the average grocery store’s produce travels nearly 1,500 miles between the farm and your refrigerator. About 40% of our fruit is produced overseas. Even though broccoli is likely grown within 20 miles of the average American’s home, it travels an average of 1,800 miles to your table.

Extension has many programs planned to complement the Market such as healthy cooking, rain barrels, composting, going green, children’s activities and horticulture programs. Please go to the Pinellas County Extension calendar at http://www.pinellascountyextension.org/ to see the full list of programs each Saturday. Remember to bring your reusable shopping bag. Free reusable bags will be given out to the first 100 people who take the Check Your Green Commitment Pledge to stop using plastic bags on November 1 at the Market. Visit the market and support local businesses that are a part of a sustainable community.

Resources:
Market in the Park: http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/market/index.html
Buy Local: http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/sustainability/sustain_local_grown_food.shtml