The Pinecrest Farmers Market
Sundays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Pinecrest Gardens
11000 Red Road
Pinecrest, FL
Buying local food promotes environmental sustainability. The average distance food travels is 1,500 miles, increasing dependence on petroleum and increasing greenhouse emissions that contribute to global warming. There is little to no packaging and eating local produce is more nutritious because it is sold soon after it’s picked.
To add to Pinecrest’s Farmers Market’s environment-friendly setting under a canopy of verdant trees that provide the perfect shade and backdrop for a relaxed weekend morning, South Florida’s first public electric car fast-charging station will be installed in the Pinecrest Gardens parking lot in about a month.
Buying produce from the Pinecrest Farmers Market supports local farmers who grow organic and local fruits and vegetables in Homestead, the Redlands, Fort Pierce and Clewiston.
By visiting the farmers market one develops a relationship with the farmers, helping families gain a better understanding of the environment, weather, seasons and science of agriculture. All these lessons are passed on to the next generation, who will then be the stewards of the environment.
Spending money on locally grown food increases the value of the land to the farmer, makes development less likely and conserves open green spaces.
Vendors in Pinecrest’s Farmers Market include: certified Organic Bee Haven Farm produce, Keez Beez locally harvested honey and Rochelois organic certified jams from the Redlands and Homestead.
The Farmers Market has something for everyone: Babe Froman Fine Sausages sells gourmet sausages and meat made with gluten-free, hormone and antibiotic free meats.
Forno Italiano Pizza uses only Australian Pine in its wood-burning oven (Australian Pine is an invasive species that displaces native beach plant communities that provide critical wildlife habitats for threatened or endangered plant and animal species).
And Living Colors Nursery is the first in the State of Florida to enroll in the Best Management Program, which is a voluntary program that growers can join to affirm they are using practices to reduce exposure to the environment of fertilizers and chemicals.
There are a total of 63 vendors that have signed up with the Green Market Co-op, which runs the market.
Aside from holding one of the most environmentally responsible farmers markets in South Florida, the Village of Pinecrest champions green initiatives that include: a Strategic Green Action Plan, Sustainable Building Regulations, a Carbon Off-set Program, Florida Green City Certification, LEED Trained Staff and is a Tree City USA for sixth consecutive year.
