‘Perfect synergy’
In year 2, Parramore Farmers Market boosted by new location at Department of Health, to be run by youths The Parramore Farmers Market is back for a second year, bringing fresh, healthy produce to the neighborhood west of downtown, labeled a food desert by
The city inked a deal last month with the Florida Department of Health to move the market to the agency’s Central Boulevard parking lot. With it comes a larger venue shaded by spanning oaks, as well as picnic tables, classroom space and other new amenities.
“When you look at other farmers markets, they’re usually in an open area where you can run into them,” said Chris Castro, Orlando director of sustainability and resilience. “This place is extremely shaded … there’s also an entire miniparking lot that is specific to food trucks.”
The weekly market returns Saturday, Jan. 26, and runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In its inaugural year, the market ceased operations in July due to the heat and lack of covered areas outside of Orlando City Stadium, Castro said. With the shade at the new location, he said the market will run year round.
Orlando recently hired Jemmy Barrera to coordinate the market. She’ll also mentor youths from the Parramore Kidz Zone, who will run the market. In a grant application to Orlando Health, city officials said it would become the nation’s first farmers market run by youths.
“We want the youth to be involved in the Parramore community,” Barrera said. “We want the farmers market to be an area where we can cultivate that.”
Through PKZ, students already receive a curriculum teaching business skills, including marketing and budgets. The program’s youth entrepreneurship arm spawned Black Bee Honey in 2017, which appeared on Steve Harvey’s TV show last year.
The popular honey also will be available at the market.
Justin David Johnson, who runs a gardening program for students at nearby Orange Center Elementary School, said there’s demand in the neighborhood for fresh foods.
“In this area, people are interested in sustainable, healthy alternatives,” Johnson said. “People want to eat healthy.”
He said students will often
peel off a fresh mint leaf from the school’s crop and chew it like a piece of sugary bubble gum. Their reaction is often surprise when it tastes largely the same. Teachers and staff at the school are fans of the kale and Georgia collards he grows with help of students.
To get them to attend the market, Johnson said it could use more advertising in the neighborhood, Johnson said, but the new location could make it more accessible for locals.
This year, the market will attract food trucks as well, which was a popular request in surveys, Castro said.
There will be a special parking area for them at the new site. Also, parking for customers will be free.
The Department of Health parking is on Central Boulevard close to its former site at Orlando City Stadium.
Orlando Health awarded the city an $11,795 grant for the market, helping administer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The grant will fund one year of program costs and target at least 150 households in Parramore and surrounding neighborhoods.
Low-income families who benefit from SNAP, also called food stamps, also can use “Fresh Access Bucks” at the market, which doubles the value of the stamps when spent on Florida agriculture products.
The Department of Health will allow classroom space for cooking and other demonstrations, as well as mobile medical and dental trucks for people to get shots as well as medical checkups.
Castro said he was happy the Department of Health agreed to let the city use the space.
“They felt it was a perfect synergy,” he said. “It’s an area where you can have a healthy lifestyle and a community gathering.”
“In this area, people are interested in sustainable, healthy alternatives. People want to eat healthy.”
Justin David Johnson, runs a gardening program at Orange Center Elementary School