Aubuchon Strong

If you have not yet ventured downtown on a recent balmy Saturday morning, you are truly missing out on what can truthfully only be described as a very delicious, very colorful experience. The Farmer’s
Market in downtown Cape Coral is fast becoming an icon of sorts for our beautiful city. The essence
of our very lifestyle can be found amongst the various, delightful vendor stalls. Fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers are only the beginning of what is available. But you have to get there early, or you will miss out! If you are not an early bird, you may want to consider becoming one for at
least one Saturday morning. And you just might find the experience so worthwhile that it becomes a good habit.

To say that Julie Curtis is an early bird is an understatement. As one of the managers of the Cape Coral Farmer’s Market, you will find her dashing around Club Square every Saturday morning by 4:00am, wide awake and doing everything in her power to get every last detail in order. And there surely are a lot of details—the work begins long before the first light of day appears on the horizon. In fact, there is so much that happens behind the scenes—a process that began almost 15 years ago when the Community Redevelopment Agency held the first Farmer’s Market in the parking lot of Big John’s. When the Chamber of Commerce took it over about eight years ago, they were faced with a few logistical issues and eventually moved the Market to its present location in the generously sized Club Square. Claudia St. Onge, the Chamber’s Business Manager, took over the role as Farmer’s Market coordinator with a bit of trepidation. “I did not know a great deal about marketing,” she said. “But I watched people shop and observed all kinds of interesting habits they had.” St. Onge analyzed her observations and in a series of practical applications, changed the ebb and flow of booth and table arrangements to support and enhance pedestrian traffic through the
marketplace. Now, each step taken is a comfortable visual adventure.

She further researched the Florida growing seasons and invited a select number of growers to showcase the best picks of their crops. Not just anyone can become a vendor at the Cape Coral Farmer’s Market. Whether you are a farmer or an artisan, there is a rigorous screening process in place that each prospective vendor must pass before they can be accepted and allowed to set up shop in the spot Julie Curtis has assigned to them.

Depending on the time of year, you will find an abundance of the freshest produce coming from farmers and growers as far away as Venice or Homestead and anywhere in-between. Tomatoes, potatoes, avocados, bananas, onions, peppers of varying degrees of color and heat, watermelon, corn, zucchini, oranges, lemons sugar cane, coconuts, star fruit and even organically grown are only a small sampling of what is available.

Besides the produce, there are vendors who lovingly bring the freshest of French, Italian and German baked goods, jams, jellies, herbs and spices, flowers and plants. If you are a seafood lover, this is your destination for the freshest local catches. There are artisans and crafters too. Here is where you will find the most unique items in the city.

Serving as host to several special events including a Chef’s Demonstration, an Art Demonstration and a Jewelry Expo, the Farmer’s Market has also been a most generous host to many non-profit fundraisers. And if you want to know more about the Power Squadron, they are on call each Saturday morning—always happy to engage in a dialogue about all things Cape Coral!

Enjoy the music while you stroll along in the morning sun. Each week, the Miloff Aubuchon Realty
Group proudly sponsors a local musician to provide entertainment for the crowds. One of the musicians, Chip Withrow, is a journalism teacher at Ida Baker High School right here in Cape Coral. As far as entertainment goes, you are likely to find anything from steel drummers to dogs in costumes to a local dance troupe. In 2008, the Chamber of Commerce is planning to bring a variety of specialty events to the Farmer’s Market. And Cape Coralites will soon be looking forward to our very own “Taste of the Cape” event. Bring your appetites!

It is also very heartwarming to know that when the day’s market comes to a close, the vendors hand off their unsold goods to the Vineyard Church, who in turns makes sure that the local food pantry is getting plenty of the fresh food.

The Farmer’s Market is seasonal, opening the last week in October and ending the weekend of May 10th. The hours are from 8am until noon. (However, early, early bird shoppers are known to show up a tad earlier! Shop locally in the morning and feast in the evening. And make the Farmer’s Market your next Saturday morning destination.