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Farmer’s Market has fruitful first day of the season

By Staff | Oct 17, 2010

The first day of this season’s Farmer’s Market was a hit Saturday morning with more individuals visiting than the previous year on opening day.
The Farmer’s Market featured various vendors including produce, fresh cut flowers, herbs, tropical plants and trees, baked goods, seafood and homemade crafts. The market also featured a booth for the many four legged friends that walked happily around Saturday with their owners. Miloff Aubuchon Realty Group, who has been the market’s music sponsor for the last five years, had a booth towards the back of the market providing music that filled the air throughout the day.
Elizabeth Abernathy, who has had a fruit and vegetable booth at the Farmer’s Market for 15 years, said this year was much busier than last year’s first day of the Farmer’s Market. She said around 8:30 Saturday morning she noticed the crowd having a steady flow, which followed by a rush around 9:30 a.m.
Abernathy came prepared for the first market with her truck filled to the brim, along with a trailer jammed pack with fruit and vegetables of all kinds. She mentioned that she hoped she did not run out of produce before the end of the day.
She said when she first became a part of the Farmer’s Market it was held in the Big John’s parking lot. Although it was a nice area, Abernathy said she enjoys the market at Club Square because it is much easier to unload all of her produce and the square offers more room for everyone as well.
Kate Niemczyk with Al, The Flower Guy was all smiles Saturday morning as her long time customers and new customers lined up to buy mini carnations, daisies, roses, alstromeria, spider mums, baby’s breath, statis and leatherleaf.
“It’s been wonderful to see people I haven’t seen since Mother’s Day,” she said about the ending of last year’s Farmer’s Market. “It’s like going back to school.”
She said Saturday was the busiest day she has had at the market. She came prepared, though, with approximately 50 buckets that contained an assortment of 15 flowers a piece.
“Things are great,” she said Saturday morning. “Everyone is happy and in good spirits…you can’t go wrong with the beautiful weather.”
Brenda Hanak of D&B Nursing has traveled from Port Charlotte to be a part of the Farmer’s Market for the past four years. She said she heard about the market from another vendor.
“Good news travels fast,” Hanak said smiling.
She said the majority of individuals who shop at her booth are looking for citrus, avocado and palm trees. D&B Nursing provides a variety of 25 citrus trees at the market because individuals are after fruit bearing trees to add to their property.
Her word of advice to those who visit her booth is “don’t be afraid to garden in Florida.”
Cape Coral resident Debra Salvatore said she stopped by Club Square three weeks ago due to her anticipation of the Farmer’s Market opening. She said she loves the Farmer’s Market because it’s a nice atmosphere where she runs into a lot of people she knows.
“It will be a destination for Saturday mornings to get produce for the week,” Salvatore said.
Bob Lund also visited the Farmer’s Market on opening day from Punta Gorda. He said he came into town Saturday morning to check out what it had to offer.
Although Lund said the Farmer’s Market was good, he “thought there would be more people” attending.
The Farmer’s Market is held every Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. through May 2011 at Club Square, which is at S.E. 10th Place and S.E. 47th Terrace.