Vendor for La griguita posing with products.
Photo by Abacoa Market
Green markets are back, jam-packed with local produce, culinary delights, and exhilarating entertainment. Many of the markets feature live music, serve freshly prepared, locally sourced food, offer hand-made décor and clothing, and allow pets.
Here are some notable farmers markets.
The two newest green markets in the area are the Abacoa Green Market in Jupiter and the Lantana Green Market in Lantana.
The Abacoa Green Market was started by restaurateur Ryan Witkowski, whose Stadium Grill restaurant recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. He began the green market in October to support local vendors and draw visitors to the area.
The Abacoa Green Market is held on Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Abacoa Amphitheater at 1267 Main St. in Jupiter and includes performances by local bands.
The green market started with 30 vendors but quickly grew to over 40. Culinary specialties include seafood, artisan cheese, baked goods, and of course, fresh produce. Arts, crafts, and photography are offered as well.
The waterfront Lantana Green Market offers more than 20 artisan vendors providing locally grown vegetables and fruit, fresh seafood, baked goods, coffee, alcoholic beverages, and beautifully made handcrafted items.
The green market is held at the Lantana Recreation Center at 418 S. Dixie Highway from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sundays. Food trucks are stationed throughout the market.
The market also features a catered brunch with omelet stations, made-to-order waffles, fresh fruit, and baked goods. Enjoy the relaxing sounds of flutes and saxophones while sipping on bottomless mimosas. Tickets are available onsite.
For further information, visit www.shorelinegreenmarkets.com/lantana-green-market.
Swank Specialty Produce Market in Loxahatchee Groves celebrates Florida’s diverse agriculture. Visitors shop in an open-air, 8,500-square-foot barn packed with vendors and delicious aromas. Not only are you stocking up on kitchen necessities, but you’re also taking a day-cation to the countryside, away from the busy city.
The market displays Swank Farm produce and wildflower bouquets alongside more than 25 local bakers, gardeners, growers, and retailers. Vendors include Palm Beach Meats, Cottage Garden Teas, Dirty Bird’s Swett Sauce, Counter Culture Kombucha, and Dolores’ Baked Goods. Uprooted Catering provides breakfast sandwiches on the grill, and Tropical Smokehouse offers barbecue for lunch. The fun is tied together with live music by Mitch Herrick, a Chicago-born Americana and roots rock singer-songwriter.
Swank Specialty Produce also features a Swank Table series of 12 events beginning Dec. 12. The events include an Argentinian barbecue, a Venetian masquerade, a CBD-infused dinner, and a celebration of Caribbean street food.
The farmers market takes place on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, through June at 14311 North Road, Loxahatchee Groves. Parking is free, and service dogs are welcome. For further information, visit www.swankspecialtyproduce.com.
In Jupiter, 23-year-old Riley Burns named her beachside green market JoJo’s Farmers’ Market after her mother, who died of cancer in 2006. The death inspired Burns to explore healing practices and preventive medicine to help others suffering from illness within the community. She has assembled 30 vendors to promote wellness and local products.
Food at JoJo’s includes Florida-style barbecue from Flobecue, gourmet guacamole and quesadillas at the Tres Taco Truck, French crepes and fresh-squeezed lemonade from GR Food Group, and freshly baked, gluten-free desserts from Sweets by Amanda.
Olive Oil of the World offers organic, infused olive oil and vinegar. Bio Farms sells pasture-raised chicken, farm-fresh eggs, raw milk products, and grass-fed beef.
Because this market is all about promoting healthy eating and lifestyle habits, you can often find free yoga and fitness classes, the serene sound of ukulele strings, and hand-painted surfboards.
JoJo’s Farmers’ Market is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through Dec. 18 at Carlin Park near Gumbo Limbo Pavilion, 400 Florida A1A, Jupiter. For further information, visit JoJosFarmersMarket.com or @JoJosFarmersMarket on Instagram.
There are so many benefits to shopping local farms, with many centered on individual health, but the best part about attending these markets is engaging with the community and supporting local businesses.
