A Gainesville resident for almost 60 years, Austin Gregg waits in line to purchase a pair of oak leaf lettuces at the Union Street Farmers Market. Gregg said he was glad the farmers market was back at Bo Diddley because he felt the space had more character than Lot 10.
Despite fewer UF students living in Gainesville during the summer, the Union Street Farmers Market keeps its liveliness.
So far, farmers say the decrease in visitors has not led to a decrease in sales.
“It doesn’t really slow down until July and August,” said Joelle Jaskiel of Swallowtail Farm.
The farmers market sells organic vegetables such as kale and squash, which cost less than their store-bought counterparts.
Audrey McNamara, an 18-year-old UF sustainabilities studies freshman, said she tried Swallowtail Farm’s patty-pan squash.
“It’s the perfect complement for creating a buttery dish,” McNamara said.
The Florida heat poses challenges for farmers in the summer. Wisconsin native and Swallowtail farmer Sophie Patterson said she is experiencing her first summer in Florida.
“I basically came to get away from the cold,” Patterson said.
Compared to Midwest farming, summer acts as an off-season for those in Florida.
Ramon Angeles of Angeles Farm said he doesn’t experience this off-season as much because his produce is grown year-round in a greenhouse. This helps protect Angeles’ produce from extreme heat, animals and insects.
McNamara, a Gainesville native, said she enjoys shopping at the farmers market year-round.
“Knowing where your food comes from and having a relationship with those growing it is so cool,” she said.
