The Weblog
Our Market Blog
Don’t know how to cook your new veggies? Google recipes for Market veggies. Then share your cooking experiences, and find new ones, on our Market Community Food Blog!
Stop the Presses
- Please share this video with friends who want to know more about St. Pete Locally Grown. Thank you!
- edible Tampa Bay Featured Fall 2013 Issue
- 83 Degrees Media Featured Jan. 15, 2013 Issue
- In Creative Loafing Featured Sept. 6-12, 2012 Issue
- On local Fox News Interviews from May 2012
- “Charlotte Smiled” Blog Post with review of our Market business model and exemplary products!
What Are We Up To?
- Follow our Pinterest project to document all the great food growing right here in the St. Petersburg Community St. Pete’s Urban Growers on Pinterest Want to participate by posting your veggies? Just email tlevy@tampabay.rr.com
- Check out our weekly fun preparing for Friday deliveries as we document this journey with wonderful volunteers! The Art of Distributing Food to the St. Petersburg Community
- Check Out New Posts on our Market Community Blog on Google: stpetelocallygrownnet.blogspot.com ; Like to author on our blog? Just email tlevy@tampabay.rr.com
- If you prefer Google+ over Facebook, we now have a Google Page. Please follow us?
- Please “Like Us”… On Facebook and tell your friends about us. A testimonial would be appreciated.
- We are now listed on Green Me Locally where you can find many other local eco-friendly companies in the Tampa Bay Area or leave us a review.
Market NOW Open - June 9, 2014
To Contact Us
St. Pete Locally Grown
on the web
on facebook
on google
on pinterest
via email
Ready To Order?
sign in & shop now
FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS You are invited to watch our Market Tutorial before you begin. If you do not receive an email confirmation immediately after you order, then you did not click the SUBMIT ORDER button and we did not receive an order from you. Call your Market Manager for help.
MARKET TUTORIAL
Don’t miss our helpful shopping hints now posted as a link at the top of every web page on St. Pete Locally Grown. Check it out and then share it with anyone who asks about us!
Spinach Varieties
Have you noticed that we have a very wide variety of spinaches on our Market right now? I’ll bet there are plenty of them which you have not yet tried. Now would be a good time to purchase and try them both raw and stir fried. All of them bring a wonderful surprise to the standard salads to which we are accustomed. These are FRESHLY HARVESTED and so have more nutrients. Ceylon Spinach is juicy and light, eat the stems and flowers too!. Egyptian Spinach is very different with a nutty flavor and a crunchy disposition. Flat Leaf Spinach is the more traditional form and the leaves are large and dark green. Okinawa Spinach is very spicy and purple and green, beautiful with a light licorice flavor. Moluccan Spinach is so smooth and extremely flexible. I especially like it as an addition to smoothies. It doesn’t interrupt the flavor of the other ingredients and yet I am getting FRESH greens. YES, these spinaches can take some getting used to. The priority is to eat FRESH produce that can be artistically arranged and dressed so that your palate welcomes them to your body! Read Barbara Kingsolver’s book “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” and get all the inspiration (and more) to get on board with this concept.
Grower News
ST. PETE LOCALLY GROWN: SUMMER HOURS
In the summertime, we normally close the Market every other week so we can regroup and rest for the busy fall season. HOWEVER, I am having second thoughts about that. Instead, I am considering closing just ONE WEEK per month so our growing customer base will have the produce and service they have come to expect. During the month of June, I will be watching closely to determine if the demand is there for us to stay open 3 out of 4 weeks. Stay tuned!
CLOSED FOURTH OF JULY
We will close the week of July 4th. NO deliveries will be made that day. Please plan ahead for what you might need and order the week of June 23rd instead. MOST produce and products will keep AT LEAST a week. Remember that all meats and fish are frozen so they can easily be purchased in advance too. Do call Tina if you need help figuring out what will keep. 727-515-9469
STATE OF THE FARMS
- Faithful Farms will have kale all summer, and lettuce very soon!
- Keen Green, LLC, will join us NEXT WEEK to provide hydroponically grown UNCUT micro-greens in small containers that you can leave on your kitchen counter to harvest at will. Several of their greens will give you more than one growing!
- All the farms listed on our Grower page have expressed interest in growing and selling this summer. If anyone takes the summer off, I will be sure to let you know when that happens.
- I have been asked to meet with a farmer north of us who wants to grow for our Market in the fall. The good news is that our credibility in the Market place is increasing and so attracting serious folks who are ready to invest their growing efforts into our mission.
- Strawberry Passion Farm has closed until next fall.
- Geraldson Community Farm is on our Market this week and then will close until fall.
Message from Your Market Manager
FRUIT IS BACK!
I am making a concerted effort to reintroduce fruit into our market in small quantities until sales will support larger volume. This means you will need to shop early to get a share of it. Regrets if this causes any inconvenience. I would like to hear from you about what fruit you would like to purchase on a regular basis. I will address those requests in these weekly notices to customers so everyone can be informed.
HOW TO COOK BEEF AND LAMB
We now provide a QR Code (scan with your Smartphone) and a website name on every packaqe of beef & lamb that we sell. This will guide you towards learning how to make the most of your grass-fed purchases!
YOUR ASSIGNMENT SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT…
Please help us spread the word about our new 6-month $50 membership promo offering for first time members of St. Pete Locally Grown.
WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST CUSTOMERS!
Once you have submitted your order, if in doubt about what you owe, you can always confirm what you have been charged for by checking your account history and viewing your most current invoice. Instructions on how to do that are on our Q&A page under the question entitled Since you don’t provide an invoice with delivery, how do I know what I owe? Also, since your vegetables are picked fresh within 24 hours of delivery, they should be lasting for WEEKS in your refrigerator. When you accept delivery, please take a few minutes to inspect your order to protect your vegetables from unnecessary spoilage. Lastly, it is imperative that you understand our policy on Unclaimed Orders found on our Q&A page. When you make a purchase you are agreeing to abide by this policy.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are currently organizing our volunteer needs by Grower and by Market. So when you are interested in learning how to garden and/or how to run an urban market—including a model for great delivery service for the Market—consider volunteering for the organizations below. Check back for more Growers to be listed.
Nathan’s Natural Veggies
Pioneer Settlement Garden
St. Pete Locally Grown Market
The Faith House
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!
Market Closes Wednesday @ Noon - Order Now
Redbor kale from Brenon’s Homegrown. Luscious!
Market Closes Wednesday @ NOON
Just a friendly reminder to place your order now so you don’t miss this week’s Market offerings.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT We are sorry but Strawberry Passion Farms contacted me today around 11AM to say that hail has damaged the remainder of his crops and the farm is closing for the season. That means if you ordered string beans, cucumbers, or radishes, they are not available this week. Sincere Regrets!
SEAFOOD FROM MADEIRA BEACH SEAFOOD is still available until Wednesday noon! The only item that had to be ordered early was the Red Grouper (by Tuesday 830AM). If you missed it, you can always order it next week, before Tuesday 830AM.
WE DELIVER ON FRIDAY TO YOUR HOME, OFFICE, OR A CO-OP NEAR YOU Please tell your friends! Interested in joining one or forming a co-op in your neighborhood? Please call Tina at 727-515-9469.
We want to convince you that we are the ultimate solution for enhancing your dinner table with great, locally grown food that is chemical-free and therefore worry-free. For those who take awhile to make up their minds, we are now offering a 6 month membership to our online Market for $50. This will grant you full access to all the benefits of the annual membership including the monthly Market socials. This offer is limited to first time members. You don’t pay the membership fee until your third order!
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to expand our delivery network and attract like-minded folks who want the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced CHEMICAL-FREE foods possible!
Market NOW Open - SEAFOOD IS BACK! - June 2, 2014
To Contact Us
St. Pete Locally Grown
on the web
on facebook
on google
on pinterest
via email
Ready To Order?
sign in & shop now
FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS You are invited to watch our Market Tutorial before you begin. If you do not receive an email confirmation immediately after you order, then you did not click the SUBMIT ORDER button and we did not receive an order from you. Call your Market Manager for help.
MARKET TUTORIAL
Don’t miss our helpful shopping hints now posted as a link at the top of every web page on St. Pete Locally Grown. Check it out and then share it with anyone who asks about us! Thanks so much to Volunteer Jeff Yentzer for his dedication to helping our Market succeed within the St. Petersburg Community.
SO MUCH TO SEE!
Customers do you know there are too many items to assign as featured on the online website marquis? Although you may shop directly from the marquis by selecting an item, you may be missing out on a variety of that produce that is listed elsewhere with maybe a better price! That’s why is it always better to scan the list of items in alpha order or, better yet, do a search for “kale” if you want to see all types from all Growers. it’s the best way to narrow down your choices and compare pricing, etc. quickly if you are concerned about missing out on limited items.
Equitable Veggie Pricing
What price can you put on FRESH? As you might imagine, it is difficult for us to compare our pricing with that of local retailers because our produces cannot be equitably compared. Our chemical-free, locally grown produce is usually harvested within 12 to 24 hours of delivery compared to (so much of it) that which is trucked in and stored before a customer can examine and purchase. What price can you assign to “truly fresh” and still keep it affordable? Even though we are chemical-free and not certified organic in all cases, our produce is fresher than most USDA produce sold by local retailers. Our pricing reflects our philosophy that healthy fresh chemical-free produce has to be affordable for the general population. Every day, we strive to meet this challenge.
Grower News
FAITHFUL FARMS
Faithful Farms is moving to the top of our major provider list and we are VERY excited for the coming summer. We’ve never had access to a large grower in the summer. Package that up with a new seafood supplier on Monday and a refresh of local pork mid-June and we’ve got a winning combination to get the summer started! This hydroponic farm in Terra Ceia is growing new crops that will be arriving as a big Blessing to us. Geraldson has said they will close probably this week or next. Strawberry Passion said they will only be open this next week and they are shutting down for the summer. We are thrilled to have FF on board!
STRAWBERRY PASSION FARMS
All orders from this Certified Organic Grower must be in by Wednesday @830AM or you will miss out. I have to place my order with them at that time. So order from them first (they have unlimited volume!) and shop for the rest at your leisure.
MADEIRA BEACH SEAFOOD
It’s what we’ve all been waiting for! The mother lode has arrived in the form of scallops, grouper, and a wide variety of shrimp. Visit their grower page for all the details. ORDERS FOR GROUPER MUST BE IN NO LATER THAN 830AM ON TUESDAY MORNING All of their other items will stay on the website until we close Wednesday noon!
NEW PRODUCTS THIS WEEK
From Melina’s International Trading Company, those special infused red and white vinegars we all enjoyed at the last potluck social!
Bedrock Living has new sunscreen online. This is Leanna’s week to be on our Market so take advantage of the fabulous products she provides or you will have to wait a month.
I am sure there are many other wonderful things to whet your appetite on our Market this week. Please take the time to scroll through and find the many surprises that await you. Bon Appetit!
Message from Your Market Manager
HOW TO COOK BEEF AND LAMB
We now provide a QR Code (scan with your Smartphone) and a website name on every packaqe of beef that we sell. This will guide you towards learning how to make the most of your grass-fed purchases!
YOUR ASSIGNMENT SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT…
Please help us spread the word about our new 6-month $50 membership promo offering for first time members of St. Pete Locally Grown.
WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST CUSTOMERS!
Once you have submitted your order, if in doubt about what you owe, you can always confirm what you have been charged for by checking your account history and viewing your most current invoice. Instructions on how to do that are on our Q&A page under the question entitled Since you don’t provide an invoice with delivery, how do I know what I owe? Also, since your vegetables are picked fresh within 24 hours of delivery, they should be lasting for WEEKS in your refrigerator. When you accept delivery, please take a few minutes to inspect your order to protect your vegetables from unnecessary spoilage. Lastly, it is imperative that you understand our policy on Unclaimed Orders found on our Q&A page. When you make a purchase you are agreeing to abide by this policy.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are currently organizing our volunteer needs by Grower and by Market. So when you are interested in learning how to garden and/or how to run an urban market—including a model for great delivery service for the Market—consider volunteering for the organizations below. Check back for more Growers to be listed.
Nathan’s Natural Veggies
Pioneer Settlement Garden
St. Pete Locally Grown Market
The Faith House
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!
Market NOW Open - May 26, 2014
To Contact Us
St. Pete Locally Grown
on the web
on facebook
on google
on pinterest
via email
Ready To Order?
sign in & shop now
FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS You are invited to watch our Market Tutorial before you begin. If you do not receive an email confirmation immediately after you order, then you did not click the SUBMIT ORDER button and we did not receive an order from you. Call your Market Manager for help.
MARKET TUTORIAL
Don’t miss our helpful shopping hints now posted as a link at the top of every web page on St. Pete Locally Grown. Check it out and then share it with anyone who asks about us! Thanks so much to Volunteer Jeff Yentzer for his dedication to helping our Market succeed within the St. Petersburg Community.
SO MUCH TO SEE!
Customers do you know there are too many items to assign as featured on the online website marquis? Although you may shop directly from the marquis by selecting an item, you may be missing out on a variety of that produce that is listed elsewhere with maybe a better price! That’s why is it always better to scan the list of items in alpha order or, better yet, do a search for “kale” if you want to see all types from all Growers. it’s the best way to narrow down your choices and compare pricing, etc. quickly if you are concerned about missing out on limited items.
Equitable Veggie Pricing
What price can you put on FRESH? As you might imagine, it is difficult for us to compare our pricing with that of local retailers because our produces cannot be equitably compared. Our chemical-free, locally grown produce is usually harvested within 12 to 24 hours of delivery compared to (so much of it) that which is trucked in and stored before a customer can examine and purchase. What price can you assign to “truly fresh” and still keep it affordable? Even though we are chemical-free and not certified organic in all cases, our produce is fresher than most USDA produce sold by local retailers. Our pricing reflects our philosophy that healthy fresh chemical-free produce has to be affordable for the general population. Every day, we strive to meet this challenge.
Grower News
STRAWBERRY PASSION FARMS
All orders from this Certified Organic Grower must be in by Wednesday @9AM or you will miss out. I have to place my order with them at that time. So order from them first (they have unlimited volume!) and shop for the rest at your leisure. I had hoped for blueberries this week but they are gone for the season! HOWEVER, we have stringbeans, cucumbers, and black spicy Spanish radishes so take advantage now from our new Grower in Thonotossassa. Their farm will likely close down in the next 3 weeks but we are committed to partner in the fall. UNTIL THEN, please take advantage of what they have available.
SUMMER GROWERS ON BOARD! WILL YOU BE A CUSTOMER THIS SUMMER?
As far as we know, we’ll have plenty of produce this summer to serve your voracious appetites for freshly harvested, locally grown, chemical-free produce. So far we have commitments from Brenon’s Homegrown, Faithful Farms, Glory Road Gardens, Nathan’s Natural Veggies, Pioneer Settlement Garden, The Faith House, The Dancing Goat,and Toad Stool Ponds. We sincerely appreciate our customers who inform us that they are leaving for the summer. It helps us not to wonder why their orders stop coming! THANKS IN ADVANCE to all our summer Growers AND summer Customers. We need ALL of your participation to sustain this local Market especially during the hot months ahead.
LOOKING FOR A NEW LETTUCE EXPERIENCE?
Do a product search on our Market for beautiful salad mixes foraged from the urban food forests of Nathan’s Natural Veggies & Brenon’s Homegrown. Salad dressing recipes are included on many of the product descriptions. These mixes will be available all summer long and offer a nice change of pace to the lettuces of which you are more familiar. Here is a new Paleo-Style French Dressing I tried recently! It was a big hit at Saturday night’s potluck.
Message from Your Market Manager
SOMETHING’S BURNING… tada-tada-ta-ta… SOMETHING’S BURNING…
Not sure what’s happening but I am pretty sure we have hit a milestone this week. Our Market is seeing the WIDEST VARIETY OF PRODUCE ever listed online and the VOLUME IS STEADILY increasing due to expanding grower commitment. Can you say “Alleluia!”? BTW, where else can you buy 1 pound of collards for $1? I am estimating that we have no less than 4 varieties of eggplant and kale and spinach, 12 varieties of herbs and greens, and LOTS of tomatoes and carrots and beets at last. Faithful Farms has got some flat leaf spinach and will be having young string beans soon. It may be a coincidence and temporary but I’ll take it as an omen that we are “arriving”. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU for the support. Please keep spreading the word and they will come!
YOUR ASSIGNMENT SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT…
Please help us spread the word about our new 6-month $50 membership promo offering for first time members of St. Pete Locally Grown.
IF FRUIT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU
OK, I broke down and bought Certified Organic apples from Chile. They are just $4.99 for 3# at RO! I cried “Uncle!” as I SO missed my apples. Go get them while they last! They are small but juicy and crunchy. YUM. Please tell them that St. Pete Locally Grown sent you over!
WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST CUSTOMERS!
Once you have submitted your order, if in doubt about what you owe, you can always confirm what you have been charged for by checking your account history and viewing your most current invoice. Instructions on how to do that are on our Q&A page under the question entitled Since you don’t provide an invoice with delivery, how do I know what I owe? Also, since your vegetables are picked fresh within 24 hours of delivery, they should be lasting for WEEKS in your refrigerator. When you accept delivery, please take a few minutes to inspect your order to protect your vegetables from unnecessary spoilage. Lastly, it is imperative that you understand our policy on Unclaimed Orders found on our Q&A page. When you make a purchase you are agreeing to abide by this policy.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are currently organizing our volunteer needs by Grower and by Market. So when you are interested in learning how to garden and/or how to run an urban market—including a model for great delivery service for the Market—consider volunteering for the organizations below. Check back for more Growers to be listed.
Nathan’s Natural Veggies
Pioneer Settlement Garden
St. Pete Locally Grown Market
The Faith House
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!
