Season’s eatings: 34 farmers markets in Southwest Florida
Annabelle Tometich
‘Tis the season for local produce.
Fall is when Southwest Florida’s heat slowly ( so very slowly ) begins to subside. Fall is when the area’s farms and fields come back to life. It’s when our farmers markets spring back, as well.
Consider this a guide to many of the farmers markets and farm stands in Lee and Collier counties.
Don’t see your favorite farmers market listed? Send details to atometich@news-press.com for inclusion.
Fort Myers area farmers markets and farm stands
31 Produce : Open 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays year-round, offering U-pick for select produce, as well as local produce for sale through its onsite market and cafe. Find it at 18672 State Road 31, Alva; call 239-313-8213 or click 31produce.com for more.
Alliance for the Arts GreenMarket :
Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays year-round at 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Call 239-939-2787 or click artinlee.org/greenmarket for more.
Buckingham Farms : This market and restaurant features produce grown on the surrounding acres, as well as from other local farms. Local meats, honeys and more are also available. Open Tuesdays to Saturdays at 12931 Orange River Blvd., Buckingham; call 239-206-2303 or visit buckingham farmsonline.com.
East Fork Creek: This urban farm features an onsite market open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays selling East Fork’s artisan lettuces and produce, as well as local eggs and other farm-fresh items. Find it at 6901 Hendry Creek Dr., south Fort Myers; call 239-410-6552 or click eastforkcreek.com for more.
Lakes Park Farmers Market: Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays through April 28 with more than 50 vendors and free parking during market hours. Find it at Lakes Regional Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, south Fort Myers. Visit face book.com/lakesparkfarmersmarket or buylocallee.com for more.
River District Farmers Market :
Open year-round 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursdays (closed Thanksgiving Day; open Wednesday that week). Lee County’s oldest farmers market can be found in downtown Fort Myers, on Broadway between Second and Main streets near Centennial Park. Parking available under the bridge and along the downtown streets. Visit facebook.com/ fortmyersriverdistrictfarmersmarket for more.
Rooster’s on Route 80 : Open daily through season (usually early June), offering local and regional produce, juices and ice cream. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. Find it at 15500 Palm Beach Blvd., Alva; call 239-691-9249 or visit roostersonroute80.com.
Sanibel Outlets Farmers Market :
This new farmers markets will launch Jan. 8 to April 9; Fridays 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Vegetables on display from Jan’s Produce at the Third Street South Farmers Market on Aug. 13, 2016.
The market recently ranked 99 out of the top 101 farmers markets in the United States in a survey done by The Daily Meal.
Free parking throughout the plaza; face-book. com/sanibeloutletsfarmers market for more.
Southern Fresh Farms : Open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays offering local produce and craft beers at 8500 Penzance Blvd., south Fort Myers. Call 239-768-0309 or visit southernfresh.farm.
Downtown Cape Farmers Market :
Open 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at Club Square at the corner of SE 47th Terrace and SE 10th Place in south Cape Coral; capecoralfarmersmarket.com for more.
Surfside Sunshine Market : Open 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays at The Shops at Surfside, 2354 Surfside Blvd., Cape Coral. Visit capecoralfarmersmarket.com for more.
Tropicaya Fresh Produce : Farm stand is open 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays year-round at 3220 SW Pine Island Road, Cape Coral. Visit facebook.com/tropicaya or call 239- 282-0741.
Cape Coral Farmers Market at Cape Harbour : Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays May to September at 5789 Cape Harbour Drive, Cape Coral. Visit capecoralfarmersmarket.com for more.
Estero and Bonita Springs farmers markets
Bonita Shores Club Farmers Market :
Open 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays through June in the parking lot of the Bonita Shores Club, 315 West Ave., Bonita Springs, featuring local
produce from Inyoni Organic Farm in Naples.
Bonita Springs Farmers Market :
Open 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays through April 24 at The Promenade at Bonita Bay, 26795 S. Bay Drive, Bonita Springs. Free parking throughout the plaza. More at facebook.com/bonitaspringsfarmers marketpromenade.
Coconut Point Farmers Market :
Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursdays through April 29 (closed Thanksgiving) in the area in front of Panera. Parking is free throughout the shopping center. Visit facebook.com/coconutpointfarmers market for vendors and more.
Farmer Mike’s U-Pick : Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays year-round at 26031 Morton Ave., Bonita Springs with an onsite market and cafe, as well as U-pick produce and flowers. Call 239-498-4576 or click farmermikesupick.com for more.
Miromar Outlets Farmers Market :
Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fridays in front of Ford’s Garage; 10801 Corkscrew Road, Estero. Find it on Facebook for more.
p.m. at Ave Maria Town Center. Call 239-352-3903 or click avemaria.com for more.
Golden Gate Community Farmers Market : Open year-round, Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 4701 Golden Gate Parkway, Golden Gate; Sundays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 11725 Collier Blvd., Golden Gate. Visit farmermarket2.com for more.
Immokalee State Farmers Market :
Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily year-round at 424 New Market Road E., Immokalee. For more, call 239-658-3505 or visit fdacs.gov.
Inyoni Organic Farm : This 6-acre all-organic farm offers online ordering with Saturday pickup on the farm. Learn more at facebook.com/ inyoniorganicfarm.
Marco Island Farmers Market :
Opening Nov. 18 through mid-April, Wednesdays 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Veterans Community Park, 901 Park Ave., Marco Island. No plastic bags allowed. Visit cityofmarcoisland.com for more.
Pine Ridge Road Farmers Market : Open 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays at 3370 Pine Ridge Road, North Naples. Find it on Facebook for more.
Saint Paul’s Farmers Market : Reopening Nov. 7 through mid-April, Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 3901 Davis Blvd., East Naples; 239-643-0197; stpaulsnaples.org.
Third Street South Market : Open 7:30-11:30 a.m. Saturdays year-round. From mid-November through April, find it on Third Street South between Broad Avenue South and 13th Avenue South. From May to November, find it in the Neapolitan parking lot between Third
Street South and Gordon Drive. Visit facebook.com/thirdstreetsouthfarmers market for more.
Vanderbilt Farmers Market : Open 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays through May. Summer market runs June through October on Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon. Market is in the middle of the Shoppes at Vanderbilt, 2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, North Naples. Visit facebook.com/ vanderbiltfarmersmarket for more.
Annabelle Tometich writes about food and restaurants for The News-Press and Naples Daily News. Email her at atometich@news-press.com or connect as @abellewrites on Instagram.