Farmers’ markets a growing trend in South Florida

During Florida’s growing season, Margie Pikarsky spends Saturdays harvesting crops like heirloom tomatoes, green beans, arugula and Cleopatra tangerines on her Bee Heaven Farm in Redland. She’s among a small group of South Florida farmers whose produce is in demand to help nourish a growing desire for fresh products coming off local farms instead of the grocery store shelf.

Pikarsky’s produce is found Sunday mornings at Pinecrest Gardens Green Market, where she and other farmers calling themselves Redland Organics are among the 50 vendors there.

“We’ve been doing this before ‘local’ became a buzzword,” Pikarsky says. “Every year there’s more demand.”

About 30 markets now operate in South Florida and more are in the planning stages. The Miami Herald

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