COFFO

Date:             Every Saturday

Time:             9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Admission:     Free

Featuring:      Fresh Produce, Herbs, Plants, Organic Produce and more


Located in Florida City, South Bound make a right on Davis Parkway (South West 336 Street) off on US1. North Bound make a left. Florida Turnpike Florida City North exit.

If you are a farmer/grower and interested participating please call us at 305-246-0357 Monday thru Thursday.

COFFO's Farmers' Market opened to the public Saturday February 5 in Florida City and it was a success. The community responded favorably. There were eight local growers selling locally grown fruits and vegetables onions, tomatoes, oranges, carrots, salad greens and even some unusual vegetables some Orchids and Bromeliad too. There were several other vendors selling food and drinks. Local News was there to capture the moment. (See follow-up above)

COFFO’S HARVEST FARMERS MARKET

The Coalition of Florida Farmworker Organization (COFFO) has been in existence since 1980 and has traditionally been a multi-service agency which administers programs that helped migrant and seasonal farmworkers improve their social, health and economic quality of life.  In recent years, COFFO has observed many of its clients improve their status of life by becoming small farmers.  The Organizations has also witnessed the decline of the agricultural industry and is concerned that we may become a country that will have to depend on other nations to feed us. It is bad enough that we depend on the Middle East for our source of energy and on China for its finances..

In an effort to encourage farming and support those that are small farmers, COFFO applied for and was awarded a grant to open a farmers market from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. COFFO will open its first local farmers’ market in Florida City on February 5, 2011.  The site is the old historic race track and the Florida City Flea Market  located on 445 W.  Davis Parkway.  Davis Parkway is SW 336^th Street and exit 1 on the turnpike.  The site is easily accessed from Krome Avenue, U.S, 1 and the Turnpike.

Miami Dade County is one of the leading vegetable and fruit producers in the nation with the majority of them grown in South Miami Dade County.  The vegetables and fruits grown by local farmers include beans (string, pole and snap);  six varieties of tomatoes, yellow and summer squash, bell peppers; okra, zucchini, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, egg plants, onion, fresh basil, malanga, boniato, yuca and many more.  At present the number of fruits will be limited; however, many will be available during the summer months The fruits include passion fruit, longans, lychees, limes, lemons, guavas, mangos, bananas, avocados, star fruit, strawberries and many more.  

Many of the vegetables and fruits listed above if in season will be available from small local farmers to those attending the Farmers’ Market.  The benefits derived from this market are multiple.  It also gives the consumer the opportunity to buy fresh healthy local products and to meet the individual that grows the produce.  Economically both the farmer and consumer will benefit.

On opening day the Market will issue $10.00 coupons to the first 200 families that attend. The coupon will be traded in for 10 farm bucks that can be used to purchase vegetables and fruits.   In addition the market will have pony rides, a bounce house, face painting and other activities for the children and vendors that have specialty products or crafts.

The Market will be open from 8:00am to 5:00 pm.  For additional information call Arturo Lopez or Annie Gorayeb at (305) 246-0357