Finding fresh Florida produce and fish

February 17, 6:56 PMMiami Food and Drink ExaminerRosalie E. Leposky

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Green Peppers © Florida
Department of Agriculture
Consumer Services

Being a “locavore” – consuming locally grown fruits and vegetables, and locally raised or caught fish – is increasingly popular these days, but finding local food still takes time and patience.

For Floridians, being a locavore can be especially difficult because much of the food grown or caught in Florida is shipped out of state. Several years ago, I stood – frustrated – in a Baltimore fish market where Florida fish that day were more plentiful than they ever are in Miami.  What’s more, the prices were significantly less than what local fish sell for in Miami when they do happen to be available.  

Why does this happen? I’m not sure.  Perhaps Florida fish wholesalers think they can get better prices by shipping local Florida fish to the northeast.

Some grocery stores purchase local produce, and they brag about their local sustainable offerings. Others don’t bother; they ship fruit from across the nation or around the world in refrigerated containers, so it arrives already dead and rotting from the inside out.

New regulations

Thanks to new federal regulations that require place-of-origin labeling, finding out where something grew or swam is easier now than in the past.

Each item of produce should have a little sticker on it that says where it came from. Those stickers are a nuisance because they can be hard to remove, but they are also helpful.

Plum Tomatos © Florida
Department of  Agriculture
Consumer Services

Identification signs in fish cases and on produce tables also should identify the products’ place of origin, and whether the fish is fresh or has been previously frozen. If they don’t, then ask.

I personally want to reduce the food I eat that comes from China, because I no longer have confidence in China’s consumer-protection practices. At Milam’s Market,  employees in the meat department are helpful in finding out about fish origins. In Publix, I often don’t get answers, because the staff doesn’t know.

Sources of information

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services  has an extremely useful Web site, but it’s so chock-full of information that you may have trouble locating what you’re looking for.  Here are some links that can help:

• What’s In Season Now?  – a shopping list for fresh Florida produce and seafood.

• Florida Crops, Seasonal Availability   – An alphabetical list of 36 commercially grown Florida fruits and vegetables, showing the months when each is available. “This is a partial list,” says Walt Land, a department spokesperson.

• Florida Tropical Fruits  – A page listing 24 tropical fruits grown commercially in Florida, and 16 links to related sites. 

• Seafood Buying, Storage and Handling Tips – A how-to list for Florida-caught seafood, shopping, preparing seafood at home, and four links to related sites.

• The Florida Chef,  featuring Chef Justin Timineri. 

Mango, Papaya, Passion Fruit,
Star Fruit © Florida Department
of  Agriculture Consumer Services

Extension offices

If you live in Florida, you can get localized information on seasonal produce through the Extension office in your home county.  South Florida Extension offices are:

• Broward County. 3245 College Avenue, Davie, FL  33314-7719, 954-370-3725, fax 954-370-3737

• Miami-Dade County, 18710 SW 288th St., Homestead FL 33030-2309, 305-248-3311.

• Monroe County,  1100 Simonton Street, # 2-260, Key West FL 33040, 305-292-4501, fax 305-292-4415.

• Palm Beach County.  559 N. Military Trail West Palm Beach, FL 33415, 561-233-1700

Ask your county agent when backyard crops of tropical fruits are available. The county agents may even know where residents with a bumper crop are selling the excess on a street-side stand near you. 

More help

The Rare Fruit Council International is an alternate source of information on tropical fruits in season.

The Miami Rare Fruit Council International  meets monthly at the Museum of Science, 3280 South Miami Ave.Miami Rare Fruit Council International, 14735 SW 48th Terrace. Miami FL 33156, 305-554-1333.

The Rare Fruit and Vegetable Council of Broward County meets monthly at the Broward County Extension Service, 3425 College Ave., Davie FL 33314. Rare Fruit and Vegetable Council, 5105 SW 208th Lane, Southwest Ranches FL 33332, 954-252-9216.