It’s springtime in sunny Sarasota—our most plentiful time of year, when farmers markets overflow with colorful fruits and vegetables and local ingredients become a staple of our tables. In this special feature, we’ve got the rundown on our favorite markets and vendors, an introduction to talented food makers and tips on how to up your backyard food game. Hope you’re hungry!

In This Feature:

Your Guide to Every Single Local Farmers Market

Whatever you’re hungry for, you’ll find it at a local market.

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Julie Morris and Jim Strickland Are Out to Prove That Preservation and Agriculture Go Hand in Hand

With their 1,300-acre Lost Girl Prairie, the couple want to show that business owners and environmentalists can work together to preserve Florida’s dwindling parcels of untamed land.

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Gayle Goodfriend Turned a Decade-Long Hobby Into a Thriving Honey Business

Goodfriend works from a five-acre homestead in Manatee County where approximately 400,000 bees feast on nearby saw palmettos, sable palms and Brazilian peppertrees.

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Bill Nelms Wants You to Know That Mushrooms Aren’t Just for Eating Anymore

“We sell about 400 pounds of mushrooms a week," Nelms says.

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

The Owner of Nick B’s Chimichurri Wins Over Customers With an Ingenious Marketing Technique

“This year we sold $700,000 in chimichurri around the country,” says Maria Barrajo. “I just love to sell. I could sell you a camel in Miami."

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Empanada Girl Has Grown From a Small DIY Operation Into a Massive Farmers Market Attraction

Every week, Stefania Fochi and her team make nearly 5,000 empanadas in 25 different flavor combinations

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Maggie's Seafood Hauls Fresh Catches to Multiple Markets

Married owners Maggie and Gary Balch sell 500 pounds of seafood at both the Sarasota and Venice farmers markets.

03/17/2025 By Lauren Jackson