Sweet Corn Fiesta, West Palm Beach, Fla: Fresh, Local

This year's Sweet Corn Fiesta had lots of sweet corn loving visitors. Held each year in the Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds, this event celebrates Palm Beach County's Spring sweet corn growing season and the people who help.

Kimberly Erickson selling corn themed t-shirts, Sweet
Corn Fiesta, West Palm Beach, Fla.

But they were selling more than produce, they were selling smiles, well those were actually free, and happiness, again free. OK, so they were selling mainly corn but in many ways: popped, on a stick, with BBQ meats, and fresh. All of the corn was picked fresh, the day before, near Belle Glade, Florida.

Boxes of fresh picked sweet corn, Sweet Corn Fiesta,
West Palm Beach, Fla.

There were also kids rides, a petting zoo, and chances to meet working farmers. For entertainment there was a live band, a corn shucking contest, and two corn eating contests for amateurs and professionals.

Robert Fong filling bags with shucked corn, Sweet Corn
Fiesta, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Robert Fong, of the Everglades Research & Education Center at the Belle Glade IFAS, was selling sweet corn. In his smooth auctioneer style voice he persuaded people to buy two dollar bags of sweet corn either with husk on or off. "You get more corn in the shucked bags," he said.

The Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau, The Florida Sweet Corn Exchange, Fresh from Florida, and South Florida Fair helped organize the event. Proceeds went to Agricultural education and Glades (Fla.) area food banks.

To see more pictures of the day, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/SweetCornFiesta



Really Good Stuff, Inc: Florida Swamp Cabbage Foods

Really Good Stuff, Inc., uses only Florida farm-grown swamp cabbage. Co-owner, Randy Ford, grows his own swamp cabbage (heart-of-palm) on his farm. He used to be a distributor, cutting 300-400 trees a week to sell to restaurants around the United States.

Cindy and Randy Ford of Really Good Stuff, Inc., Fla.

Now, he uses his trees for his own products: relish, pickles, and salsa. He has been canning for 32 years and believes strongly in using Florida produce. This means all his jams, jellies, and fruit butters are also local and seasonal.

"I just sell in Henry County," he says, as I hand him 10 dollars for two-jars of pickled swamp cabbage, and adds, "You have to refrigerate them after opening because we use all natural ingredients."

To find out more, you can call Randy Ford at (863) 675-4768

Pescado Unidos Food Truck, Miami, Fla: CLOSED

Miami, Fla.--Pescado Unidos Food Truck sources local Florida fish and produce. "We get our vegetables from a farm just one mile from our house," said co-owner Georgianna Dreifuss at a recent Food Truck Invasion night at the Wellington Amphitheater.

Pescados Unidos Food Truck, Food Truck Invasion at
Wellington Amphitheater, Fla. copyright 2013 by Helen
A Lockey

Peering in the food truck window I saw a twenty-something looking chef with tattoos, a good sign that the food would be exceptional, and it was. I bought a plate of fish ceviche ($10) made with local Florida grouper, creamy coconut milk, tart lime juice, mild chilies, and carrots. It came with a side of crispy plantain chips.

Florida grouper fish ceviche, Pescados Unidos, Food
Truck Invasion at Wellington Amphitheater, Fla., copyright
2013 by Helen A Lockey

Update Oct 2017: Now Closed.

To find out where they will appear next you can go to their FaceBook Page
https://www.facebook.com/pescadosunidosfoodtruck