On April 9, Agriculture Commissioner Nicole Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced the creation of a Florida Farm to You commodities list. The list allows consumers and other potential buyers to deal directly with farmers here. At the same time, Florida Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers had a similar idea, creating a list of their own.
For food eaters, these lists are great news and make it easy for shoppers to get fresh produce, eggs, meat, seafood and horticulture products directly from the Volusia County farmers who grow it. Here are both lists with contact information as of publication.
Eggs and pasture-raised chicken – Azalea Acres Farm, LLC in Osteen, business phone 407-749-9183, cell phone 407-749-9183, email Alan@azaleaacresfarm.com.
Herbs – turmeric root rhizomes, grown in native soil – MJ Organics, LLC dba Moody Hawk Farm in Oak Hill, 386-690-3216, email jackiehnsb@gmail.com.
Herbs – organic green Yaupon holly tea – Yaupon Brothers American Tea in Edgewater, 386-566-3826, email bryon@yauponbrothers.com.
Honey – Florida honey, commercially harvested raw and unfiltered – Sun Splash of New Smyrna beach, Inc. in New Smyrna Beach, business phone 386-427-9816, cell phone 386-690-1618, email marketingexec@cfl.rr.com.
Horticulture – custom made garlands, drop in foliage bouquets to use with or without flowers; these designs offer great variety and texture with 5-7 different Florida grown foliage in each bouquet with great vase life – FernTrust, Inc. in Seville, business phone 800-338-3376, cell phone 386-749-9249, email jana@ferntrust.com.
Horticulture – Adenium (Desert Rose) in bloom also Plumeria trees – Qida in DeBary, business phone 408-488-4911, cell phone 407-617-4704, email redbirds490@gmail.com.
Meat – Pasture raised Katahdin lambs. Mild tasting meat. 120lb+ lambs. Half or whole shares available. Processing, cutting, and wrapping available. Smaller lambs and intact rams may also be available. See website for more information. – Oakvale Farm in DeLeon Springs, 239-565-7768, email oakvalefarmtable@gmail.com.
Shellfish – Farm-raised oysters – Indian River Oyster Company- IROC Oysters in New Smyrna Beach, business 352-427-9884, cell 386-402-0492, email irocoysters@gmail.com.
Produce – Vo-LaSalle Farms, 601 Johnson Lake Rd., DeLeon Springs, 386-985-0046, on Facebook and at www.volasallefarms.com.
For complete lists, which include any updated information and farmers throughout Florida visit https://www.fdacs.gov/agriculture-industry/florida-farm-to-you and at https://www.floridafarmbureau.org/florida-farms-selling-direct-to-consumers/