Loving Coconut Grove

I haven't quite decided if I like this place so much because it reminds me of the Central West End where we lived in St. Louis, or if I just like this place on its own merit. Either way, the result is the same. I really like this place more each day I'm here. 

This morning on the cruiser's net they announced the Farmers Market which happens to be just 4 blocks from the dinghy dock. Since it was still howling outside and it was way too windy to risk hauling the generator over to our kids' boat to work on it, I decided to take the shuttle in to town and go to the farmers market and do laundry. I expected the type of market that we had in St. Louis, a bunch of different vendor stalls that you perused, choosing the best from each as you went along, but this farmers market is just a bit different. The entire market is set up in a parking lot under a tent and is run by Glaser Organic Farms, which is a certified organic farm located in Miami. There are tables of vegetables, fruit and herbs, and there are tables of boxed and bagged vegan raw nuts, seeds, various mixes, spices, sprouting seeds and grains. On the other end they have prepared food and some amazing milk-free ice cream based on cashew milk and coconut milk and almond milk as well as some fruit-based sorbets like berries and mangoes. The prices were a little higher than non-organic food at a grocery store, but way lower than prices at the nearby Fresh Market and substantially lower than places like Whole Foods. Everything was wonderfully fresh, colorful, and plentiful. It was sensory overload for me after just returning from the produce-starved Bahamas.

All along the outside of the farmers market there was also individual vendor booths with various health food and sustainable living products. There was a booth for organic cotton clothing, one for fermented fizzy drinks for good digestion, one for organic coffee, and many many more. The market is open 10-7 each Saturday all year round and I'm so looking forward to making it a regular part of my week.