Alachua Together

This Saturday I went to the Haile Village Farmers market, in Haile Plantation. Haile Village is the commercial section of the sprawling housing development, near the corner of SW 46th Avenue and SW 91 Street. It is open from 8:30am until noon every Saturday, rain or shine. Vendors have a really sweet deal here. They tell me it is only $10 per week to set up a table here, and it’s an extra $5 to rent a canopy. That means I am applying for a space for my business, Marsh Window Cleaning!

Jewelers, candle makers, and various services may also participate, although edible creations are in the majority. All along one of Haile Village’s interior streets, in front of a conveniently placed cafe, you can find fruits, vegetables, plants, biscotti, sea food, prepared food, and other worthwhile subjects to investigate.

Most things I saw, and tasted, were locally grown, with the exception of the fish that cannot be found this far inland. One man was showing off the biggest shrimp I have ever seen. He boasted that he is there every week, and that there are regular customers who travel from across town to get his meaty catches.

Not all of my pictures came out well, so you will have to come out to see everything. Some of the regular participants include:

• Custom Designs and Alterations by Ida Lawrence
• Bee Sweet Apiaries, Inc. Producers of Florida Honey
• The Green Mango, 100% Indian and Vegetarian foods
• Embros Orchestra, Greek American Entertainers
• Mobil Seafood Depot, Fresh Seafood
• In The Beginning Jewelry
• John Brothers, Guitar Lessons
• Verna Groger, RD, Registered Dietitian

With any luck at all, I will get some of these people to write here on the blog, so they can share their expertise with you, and let you know when they are available outside of the Farmers Market.