Wellington Green Market, Fla: Local Bananas and More

Most bananas are gas ripened but not the ones at Wellington Green Market. They have many Florida grown varieties for sale from as little as $0.50.

Wellington Green Market, Wellington, Fla.

This Saturday morning green market supports local South Florida companies. "The growers' farms are close to the market. So we have attracted busy farmers, with short travel, to retail their just harvested products," said Peter Robinson, Organizer of the Wellington Green Market.

There are also hot pepper and vegetable sellers at the market as well as a tropical sea of other vendors.

NK Lago Farms LLC, Canal Point

Nicholas Larsen of NK Lago Farms, setting up banana
tasting plates at Wellington Green Market, Fla

Nicholas Larsen, owner and farmer of NK Lago Farms is always easy to talk to about his bananas and plantains that are grown approximately 30 miles away.

According to Larsen, the reason store bought banana varieties have very little flavor is that once they are picked and packed, they are stored at 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Then shipped to a grocery store warehouse, where they might sit for two-weeks before going to a store, all the time kept at 57 degrees. Before the bananas go on shelves, they are put in an Ethylene gas (plant hormone) filled room to ripen.

Larsen's bananas are picked fresh and never gas ripened. This means they taste better but might stay green even when ripe.

From them, I bought a Hawaiian banana for $0.50 and a bunch of Gold Finger bananas for $1.

Bruce's Ghost Peppers, Wellington

Bruce and Stacey Ollis of Bruce's Ghost Pepper, at
Wellington Green Market, Fla.

"Our things are very unique and local," says Bruce Ollis, explaining how he grows his ghost peppers (also known as Bhut Jolokia and Naga Jolokia) and processes them right in Wellington. "You'd have to travel to get these or go online," Ollis continues.

According to Ollis, ghost peppers are rated at over one million Scoville heat units. To give you an idea how hot this is, Thai green chilies are in the range of 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units.

Bruce and his wife Stacey started their ghost pepper business (www.brucesghostpepperz.com) last year. This is their first green market. They sell dried ghost pepper mixes/rubs/blends, hot sauce starter kits, live ghost pepper plants and seeds.

I bought a packet of curry from them for $5, and was cautioned to use just a little at a time.

Fong Family Farms LLC, Wellington

Robert Fong and Casey Truman of Fong Family Farms at
Wellington Green Market, Fla.

Robert and Maria Fong, and their grand-daughter Casey Truman are always friendly, full of smiles and advice. They grow Chinese vegetables on a 15-acre farm in Wellington, just 10 miles away. Their crop is picked the day before the market and sold at very low prices.

I bought several baby Bok Choy.

Seed To Bloom LLC, Loxahatchee

Richard Raid of Seed To Bloom at Wellington Green
Market, Fla.

They sells their own produce and that of Belle Glade and Boynton Farmers. Laurie Raid, the owner, grows flowers from seed in Loxahatchee, to sell at Florida green markets. Her husband Richard Raid, helps out at the Wellington Green Market.

I bought a head of lettuce and some real baby carrots.


The Wellington Green Market operates from November to the end of April, on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.  There is plenty of parking. It is located at 12165 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington, FL 33414. 
For more information go to www.WellingtonGreenMarket.com

Worden Farm, Punta Gorda, Fla: Hosts Organic Workshops

It was Halloween, and Eva and Chris Worden of Worden Farm, Punta Gorda, Florida, played host to Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers Inc. (FOG) workshops.

Worden Farm, site of FOG workshops on wet
Halloween, Punta Gorda, Fla.

It was wet and gloomy, downright spooky for 40 or so Florida organic farm enthusiasts that came for lunch and seminars. Fortunately, the topic and the enthusiasm of the audience sparked a delightful day of education and marketing advice that lifted the "FOG" and delivered much more "treat" than trick.

Seating overflows at Worden Farm day of organic
farming workshops, Punta Gorda, Fla.

Speakers from the University of Florida, and Area Extension offices, spoke on subjects like composting, sustainable pest control, organic fertility methods, and what it takes to become a certified organic farm.

Weed identification workshop, Worden Farm Day of FOG
workshops, Punta Gorda, Fla.

There was a weed identification session, where I struggled to tell the difference between the different types of Nut Sedge leaves, being passed around the room, even after the instructor pointed them out.

Mitch Blumenthal, owner of Global Organic Specialty Source Inc,
at Worden Farm FOG marketing workshop,
Punta Gorda, Fla.

In the marketing workshop, Mitch Blumenthal, owner of Global Organic Specialty Source Inc. (organic produce supplier), said, "Now it's all about local and it's all about regional. We support the small farmer."

Eva Worden, Marty Mesh, and Chris Worden talking
to audience at FOG day of workshops,
Worden Farm, Punta Gorda, Fla.

Eva and Chris Worden, also spoke at the marketing workshop on the ways they promote their farm to the general public. There were even a few farm-to-school conversations and ways farmers could approach the school districts.

Then, Marty Mesh, Executive Director of FOG, got up and spoke about his continued challenges and successes advocating for the rights of sustainable and organic farmers.

Chris Worden, giving tour of his farm during FOG event,
Punta Gorda, Fla.

After almost six hours of seminars, attendees received a treat. Chris Worden invited the audience to take a walking tour of his farm. Despite mud puddles and rain drops, a stroll through a certified organic farm was just what the crowd needed.

If you're interested in organic farming, take a look at the FOG website  http://foginfo.org/overview.php Established in 1987, this not-for-profit corporation promotes and supports organic and sustainable farmers through educational and advocacy efforts with policy makers, businesses, and the general public.

Simply Sweetened: Vegan Baked Goods in Tequesta, Fla

Delicious vegan cookies made with coconut and maple syrup, yum. All with organic ingredients.

Owner of Simply Sweetened, Alex Ande, doesn't like the aftertaste of agave or stevia. She spent three years developing her recipes, cooking for friends and family. Then in 2011, she launched her baking brand under the cottage food operations laws.

I met her at the December session of the Tequesta Green Market, Florida. She had two types of cookies for sale: ginger, and coconut macaroons. I bought a bag of ginger cookies for $3.

To order her cookies you can either call her at 561-371-9405 or email her at simplysweetenedbaking@gmail.com