Author Topic: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market  (Read 22337 times)

Wacca Pilatka

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #30 on: March 10, 2012, 06:01:56 PM »
^I think it would greatly benefit the entire Beaver Street strip if that type of activity was widely promoted and embraced by additional businesses in the area.  Imagine if Condaxis had a similar set up to Bold Bean, where a coffeehouse with outdoor seating is integrated into operations.   Imagine if more food related companies were along that stretch and included wholesale retail operations as well?  It may be wishful thinking on my end, but I've seen areas like this become very popular destinations when a mix of industrial, wholesale, and retail operations are put together within a compact setting.

Like the Strip District in Pittsburgh?
The tourist would realize at once that he had struck the Land of Flowers - the City Beautiful!

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Fallen Buckeye

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #31 on: March 10, 2012, 07:07:56 PM »
Yep, that would be pretty awesome Lake & I totally agree. In fact, when I started buying from them a couple years ago (and well before Bold Bean did it), I asked Mr Condaxis himself if he ever thought about making a coffee shop wing to his place (kinda like Bold City did with their taproom). I've been to other places like that that had a sorta warehouse feel to it where they both roast/serve & its really cool. I know Bold Bean does this now, but this has more of an old school down home truly industrial feel to it. Like I said, picture Bold City but just with coffee.

Anyways, he didn't think it was a great idea. But they recently retired & sold the business I believe, so thats probably another reason why they didn't want to get into it.

Do you think that they would get enough business in that neighborhood to justify the expense? I used to work around the corner from there. It wasn't exactly the sit in Starbucks surfing the web with your laptop crowd.

I do think that opening a meat market would be a really great thing for that neighborhood. It seems to me like there is already a little seafood market across from that liquor store, but expanding the seafood options would still be great, too.

thelakelander

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #32 on: March 10, 2012, 07:11:09 PM »
^Bingo about the Strip district.



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thelakelander

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #33 on: March 10, 2012, 07:14:42 PM »
Do you think that they would get enough business in that neighborhood to justify the expense? I used to work around the corner from there. It wasn't exactly the sit in Starbucks surfing the web with your laptop crowd.

I do think that opening a meat market would be a really great thing for that neighborhood. It seems to me like there is already a little seafood market across from that liquor store, but expanding the seafood options would still be great, too.

I can't speak to individual business feasibility numbers but market districts, in general, tend to be gritty and industrial.  Definitely not hangouts for Starbucks/wifi surfing types.  Nevertheless, they can be important economic engines and small business incubators within urban core areas.
"A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” - Muhammad Ali

Fallen Buckeye

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #34 on: March 10, 2012, 10:49:36 PM »
I understand your vision of the district and think that would great. I was just saying that I'm not sure that a coffeehouse would have worked in that spot at this time. And speaking of a market district, I think it would be particularly great to play up our fishing/shrimping industry.

Jax Farmers Market

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #35 on: March 11, 2012, 03:59:48 AM »
Thank you, MJ for the ongoing coverage & support by you and your readers of the Jacksonville Farmers Market (JFM).  JFM is operated as a community service by its owners with support from its customers, vendors, area residents, community groups, and the City of Jacksonville.

In response to the article and reader posts, JFM would like to furnish some additional information:

As Florida's oldest public farmers market, JFM is unique for being a working farmers market hosting farmers, retailers, and wholesalers every day of the year (including holidays), from dawn to dusk.

Unlike weekend or seasonal markets, JFM customers expect one stop shopping for a wide range of produce, agricultural products, and other food items requiring vendors to carry product from local, regional, national, and international sources.  Local and regional (Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and other Southeastern states) products are always preferred due to their proximity and can be found in abundance at JFM during their respective seasons.  Availability can be subject to climate and updates are typically posted weekly on our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/JaxFarmersMarket.  When product is not available in this area, vendors will supplement with product still in season in other areas.  This is necessary to sustain vendors throughout the year so they can sell area produce when it is in season.

Additionally, JFM is a significant source for ethnic (e.g. Hispanic and Asian) and unique items not found elsewhere.  These items sometimes can only be sourced from other areas of the country or internationally.

We suggest interested purchasers familiarize themselves with the harvest seasons of local product (such as monitoring JFM's Facebook page) and discuss with their favorite JFM vendors the source of their products.

JFM actively works with area farmers to rent space or to arrange to sell their product on the market.  Unfortunately, due to the urbanization of our area, there are far fewer local farms than just 20 years ago.  Also, many farmers are not aware of the opportunity afforded by JFM's volume of shoppers and the ease of renting space (daily to monthly, one stall to many, for only dollars a day).  We always appreciate referrals of farmers and vendors via email on our website, http://www.jaxfarmersmarket.com/ or by calling our office and asking for our general manager, Greg, at 904-354-2821.

Many ask us about how farmers sell at JFM.  Farmers may sell directly off their trucks or trailers on our "farmers line" on the gravel area on the eastern side of the market at the edge of the parking lot.  Typical of most farmers markets around the country, today, most of these farmers prefer to wholesale quickly to JFM vendors between 3 AM and early daylight hours so that they may return to their farms rather than spend their days selling.  Permanent JFM vendors, in turn, sell the farmers' product direct to the public, fine restaurants, roadside stands, purveyors in "weekend" markets, suburban produce stores, etc.  Some JFM vendors maintain their own truck fleets and go direct to farms to bring back product to JFM.  Still, other farmers will rent their own stalls at JFM to sell on a seasonal basis.  Regardless of the method, area farmers' seasonal output is always available at JFM.

Due to the direct sourcing and low overhead of JFM's many small business vendors, product at JFM is generally available at the lowest prices, typically 50 to 70+% below any store or other venue prices.

JFM is a catalyst for economic development.  In addition to vendors averaging over 100 employees daily, JFM is an incubator for many small and family businesses.  JFM serves the surrounding community, identified as a "food desert" (i.e. underserved by grocery stores), with healthy foods and by encouraging vendors to accept EBT/SNAP (formerly known as food stamps).  This service has been recognized recently by visits from Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam, and USDA Deputy Secretary, Kathleen Merrigan.

JFM is excited about its potential to grow by expanding use of our 2 acre gravel lot and the adjacent 28,000 square foot former grocery store.  We are always open to new vendors and have recently added ones selling such items as organics, natural juices, sauces, salsa, rubs, dressings, baked goods, jams, jellies, honey, boiled peanuts, kettle corn, and fried pork skin.  They join existing produce and seafood (Mayport shrimp, seafood, live crabs, smoked fish, etc.) vendors.  Vendors can vary daily so contact JFM, monitor our Facebook page's "Vendor Spotlights", or contact the vendor for their specific hours.  Interested new vendors should contact Greg per above.

We hope the above information addresses concerns MJ readers have and we will monitor this thread from time to time for any additional comments.   Or, visit our Facebook page with your thoughts.  Thanks again to MJ and its readers for their support.  JFM has a very limited marketing budget and relies heavily on social media and word of mouth to build traffic to support further growth.  School, church, community, and tour groups can also arrange tours of JFM.








« Last Edit: March 11, 2012, 04:28:08 AM by Jax Farmers Market »

Fallen Buckeye

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #36 on: March 11, 2012, 12:33:34 PM »
Thanks for the info. Keep up the great work!

WmNussbaum

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #37 on: March 11, 2012, 03:53:55 PM »
JFM:

Some of your customers aren't just looking for produce cheaper than they can get at the supermarkets. If you were to add a decent size booth with products from BSF, I'll bet you would attract more of that type of shopper. Does BSF's relationships with its customers prohibit going into retail?

Jax Farmers Market

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #38 on: March 12, 2012, 08:02:46 PM »
Buckeye and Wm, thanks for the added comments and suggestions.  Wm, we are delighted that you enjoy BSF's SeaBest brand products to ask for them at JFM.

JFM already has one or more seafood vendors.  As retailers, they, along with any new JFM vendors, have the option of purchasing any products they wish, at wholesale, from BSF, just like the many other retailers throughout the Western Hemisphere that BSF supplies.  If JFM customers express an interest in such items, and subject to vendors ability to purvey such items (credit, refrigeration, food safety, etc.), existing or new vendors would be welcome to carry the items you suggest in your post.

As present, BSF is a wholesale frozen seafood distributor, geared toward selling retailers, foodservice distributors, and larger specialty users of seafood and meats in wholesale quantities, so it would not be a candidate for direct retailing at JFM.

Ultimately, we agree on the desire to have a more diversified group of food vendors at JFM and welcome inquiries from all parties.  Please refer such inquiries to our general manager, Greg, 904-354-2821, or via email under "Contact Us" on our web page at http://www.jaxfarmersmarket.com/.




Debbie Thompson

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #39 on: March 12, 2012, 09:11:29 PM »
Went to the Farmer's Market after church on Sunday.  Three big red bell peppers for $1.  They are $3.99 a POUND at the grocery. Yellow peppers at another vendor 3 for $2 and green 2 for $1.   Big basket of grape tomatoes for $2.  The equivalent would be about $7 at Publix.  Made a chicken/pepper/onion stir fry from the peppers last night. Sweet, crispy yummy and fresh.

Jax Farmers Market

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #40 on: June 02, 2012, 08:47:37 AM »
For lovers of Jacksonville Farmers Market, today, from 10 AM to 2 PM, revel in our FREE Summer Fun & Wellness Festival, co-sponsored with St. Vincent's HealthCare.  Enjoy cooking demos & samples from Black Sheep/Black Hog Farm and other chefs, live entertainment, face painting, bounce house, Model A cars, health screenings, exhibits, & much more.

This event is to promote healthy eating and living, especially in the midst of a food desert.  Enjoy some beautiful weather too.  JFM will be open its usual hours, dawn to dusk, today, as it is every day of the year.


cityimrov

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #41 on: August 22, 2012, 07:02:53 PM »
You know what would be nice?  If there was an easy way way to differentiate between local, regional, and elsewhere.  Having signs near produce which which say
  • "Just Local" for produce within a 50 mile radius.
  • "Florida Fresh" for produce from Florida
  • "Georgia Fresh" for produce from Georgia
  • "Good Values" for produce from everywhere else
  • "Certified Organic" for produce that are organically grown
  • "Definitely Not Science" for produce that are not genetically modified
It would make life much easier if the Farmers Market can somehow manage something like this so that visitors have a clue what they are buying.

Jax Farmers Market

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #42 on: September 01, 2012, 06:26:44 PM »
A few Jacksonville Farmers Market updates since this article first appeared:

1) We have added to our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/JaxFarmersMarket) a tab, "Frequent Questions", that addresses many of the questions & comments raised in this thread.  We hope it better explains the operations of farmers & vendors at JFM.

2) We recently hosted our first & very successful "Farm to Truck" event last weekend with Jax Truckies and Mike B's  (thank you both!) and plan to make this a recurring event at JFM.  We also hope to host a food truck rally of some sort when convenient for the food truckies.  [Some pix can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=415569488503037&set=a.415569305169722.98982.150020678391254&type=1&theater]

3) We are currently in the early phase of exploring with possible "vendor partners" concepts and ideas for developing the undeveloped 6 acres we own (2 acres of gravel to the east and 4 acres including a gutted 28,000 sf closed grocery store to the west).  If financially feasible and executed, this could more than double JFM and its current approximate 25,000 visitors a week.  If anyone wishes to make suggestions or put such potential partners in contact with us, please email pertinent details to jfmwebsitefeedback@beaverfish.com (also found via our website's "Contact Us" tab at http://www.jaxfarmersmarket.com/contact.asp). 

Our thoughts currently range from a variety of meat, bakery, seafood, salads/soups, dairy/cheese/ice cream, candy/sweets, plant/flowers, gourmet/ethnic food, local brewery/beer, winery/wine, coffee/tea, kitchen/restaurant wares/supplies, etc. businesses to a canning/demonstration kitchen, meeting/classroom space, and even an added mid to upscale lunch/dinner restaurant in addition to an event venue/plaza.  (NOTE:  Please do not be offended if we do not reply personally to every email should we get a large quantity of suggestions.  Rest assured, we will do our best to thoughtfully consider & evaluate all submissions for community interest, appropriateness to our vision for JFM, and financial feasibility.)

Thanks for everyone's interest and support of JFM.


Spence

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #43 on: November 18, 2012, 04:03:12 AM »
Though I may have only recently discovered this site, the farmers market is a place of intimate familiarity.
Seems to make logical sense to reconnect our now inner ring communities to our core with a time and energy saving mode of transit for the masses.

Metro Jacksonville lists many "urban" "walkable" neighborhoods.
On the West and North side of the River St.John, Cassat Ave connects a vast multitude of diverse  neighborhoods without causing further congestion on, or competing with higher speeds on Blanding, Roosevelt, etc.

What are the plans for streetcar again?

we may have had nearly 60 miles of track before, we could benefit from hundreds!
Why is the world full of humans a lot less friendly than we ought to be?

hreed

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Re: Visiting The Jacksonville Farmer's Market
« Reply #44 on: December 02, 2014, 01:08:11 AM »
Great thread!

Most people are so far removed from farming that they know very little about fruits and vegetables other than enjoying the deliciousness produce provides. But that's OK, I know very little about writing software for computers, but my webmaster at Portside Design is a genius! Growers can easily be checked out, just Google their name. Google Reeds Groves, click on Web, click on Videos, click on images, click on Maps. A legitimate business will be online, with nothing to hide. Under Images the first 10 rows is us, Maps is a pic of our old Packing House, under Web, the first 5 pages is links to and information about us and under Videos usually 4-5 videos pop up. We're licensed by the Florida Department of Citrus and we're Members of the Florida Gift Fruit Shippers Association and Fresh from Florida. When shopping, ask your vendors these questions.

No farmer/grower grows everything, none! our family has been growing Florida Citrus continuously since 1882. That's 6 generations, that's what we do! We have also grown watermelons and canteloupes, tomatoes and strawberries. And that's about it. Our family (kin folk) are also farmer's, cattle, horses, vegetables and more citrus. We also have many, many friends in agriculture across the state and into Georgia and Alabama.

Understanding produce seasons will help you understand when local fruits and vegetables are available and when they're not available. Florida is too hot to grow just about anything (to speak of) in June, July, August and September. So most of the products we sale during those months come form the Southeastern U.S.. We avoid imports unless there is nothing available from the U.S.. We like American grown, not too crazy about the foreign stuff. We work directly with growers, and we work very closely with brokers who work directly with growers. So we're never removed more than one person from the grower. Except for fruits and veggies that do not grow in Florida such as Apples, Pears, etc.. We even have smaller, local farmer's bring their produce into our packing house. Usually the product is not up to our standard, but they're our neighbors and we enjoy helping them. Most of that produce is sold at a discount at our packing house only. 

While I'm here let me discuss organic. Never ask, "is it organic?" , everything on earth is organic, gasoline, steel, even plastic is organic. The correct question is, "was this produce grown using organic or biobased practices?" Most farmer's use as little of anything, as they can. Everything we use in our groves cost money, we use as low of an input as possible to keep our operational cost down. We do not spray anything unless it is an absolute necessity. And that goes for most Farmer's in the U.S..

Got question? You can email me, I usually respond pretty quick. Remember, don't be afraid to ask questions. There are a lot of good vendors out there who do not grow anything., But they know the business.

By the way, we're anti-Monsanto!

Huey Reed - Owner
Reeds Groves
Weirsdale, Florida