ANNA MARIA – The city-sponsored weekly farmer’s market has returned to City Pier Park.
Featuring 13 vendors, the market will be held every Tuesday through May 7, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The market started on a trial basis in March 2018, then resumed the following fall and has continued since then. Taking over for the now-retired Debbie Haynes, Deputy City Clerk
Fran Berrios now organizes and manages the market under and around the City Pier Park shade sail structure. Berrios said the vendor roster is set for the season and vendor applications are no longer being accepted.
“We’ve had a great turnout, the weather’s beautiful and the people are happy,” she said on opening day, Oct. 10.
Jimmy Hernandez manned the Dynasty Guacamole vendor booth that featured fresh guacamole and salsas.
The Milagros Produce booth offered a wide variety of locally grown vegetables and fruits.
Rosibel Malheiro operates the Bella’s Gourmet Cuisine booth and she’s among the original market vendors that have participated each year since the market started. Her booth offers pasta, various kinds of ravioli, including lobster ravioli, porcini mushroom sauce, marina sauce, empanadas and more.
When asked how it felt to be back at the market, Malheiro said, “Lovely. It’s a beautiful day and we have a lot of regular local customers.”
The Anna Maria Bake House, part of the Chiles Hospitality group, was among those who made their market debuts on opening day, offering sourdough, ciabatta and Cuban bread.
“We started as a bread program for the Sandbar restaurant in 2015,” head baker Ted Louloudes said. “Recently we became Anna Maria Bake House, making all the breads and desserts for the Chiles Hospitality restaurants. We also make breads and pastries for the Gamble Creek Farm market in Parrish.”
In a neighboring booth, Gamble Creek Farms also made its market debut, offering organic produce that included eggplant, okra, squash, lemongrass, chives, plantains, turmeric, papaya and more.
“We’ll be here every Tuesday through May,” vendor Tricia Snow said.
At the Spiked Pickles booth, vendor Chip English sold craft beer-infused pickled goods.
“We partner with breweries in the state of Florida. We utilize their beer to make a different kind of pickle through lacto-fermentation. We work with about 24 different breweries in Florida. If it grows in Florida and it’s in season, we will pickle it,” English said.
His offerings include pickled green beans, red onion, jalapenos, peppers, cucumbers and more.
“This is our third year. We have some very loyal customers that come back year after year. We sold a lot today,” English said.
When asked what he likes about the Anna Maria Farmers Market, English pointed across the street to the City Pier and Tampa Bay and said, “Look at the view.”
Now in her third year at the Broccobabe booth, Lelia Tavrides sold broccoli greens (the leaves and greens from broccoli plants), broccoli microgreens and kits to grow broccoli greens and microgreens at home.
“Most people are familiar with broccoli sprouts and the microgreens have the same benefits. They’re nutrient-rich and contain antioxidants. I use them in smoothies, sandwiches, omelets salads and anywhere you would use greens,” Tavrides said.
She also offered fresh dill, arugula, basil, orange mint, tomatoes and more.
At his Surferdude Cooks tent, vendor Roman Strykowski sold Marek’s Authentic Polish Food, of which he is an independent distributor.
“It’s authentic Polish food, all manufactured in Chicago by Poles. Our sausage doesn’t have any gluten, no fillers, no corn starch. They’re made with meat imported from Poland, are made in the old traditional way and contain less sodium than most American sausages,” he said.
His offerings included several varieties of frozen and fully-cooked sausages, pierogi and more.
Strykowski said Marek’s is the only nationwide company that uses Polish flour to make its pierogis.
Making her market debut in the Red’s Farm booth, Julie Richie said, “We’re selling pastured chicken, pork and eggs. It’s regenerative farming. They’re in poultry netting and we move it every day so they get fresh ground. It allows them to fertilize the ground but not over-fertilize it. It really is great for the land but for the birds and pigs as well. We have pigs in a wooded area. It’s our first day and our first year at the market. I heard about it from another vendor at another market. It’s great. It’s been busy.”
At the Hahn’s Handcrafted Lemonade booth, original market vendors Garrison and Chanhsy Hahn enjoyed their market return.
are original Anna Maria market vendors. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“We’ve been here since the beginning. We love the people here and the atmosphere. This is my favorite market. It’s a beautiful day and the customers are nice,” Garrison said.
“It’s local produce and local products,” Chanhsy added.
As one of the market’s large produce vendors, Fibela Produce offers a wide range of fresh produce.
At the Devs Bevs booth, company owner Devinne Whittaker sold the fresh-pressed juices she also sells daily inside The Center of Anna Maria Island. Whittaker made her debut at the Anna Maria market this month and is a regular vendor at the downtown Bradenton market.
“This is my first time at this one. I grew up here, I live out here and I’m happy to be part of something in my community. It’s amazing. I’m almost sold out,” she said.
Whittaker shared a sample of her Funky Lemonade wellness shot and said, “It’s for allergies, congestion and gut health. It kind of opens up your sinus cavities,” she said of the slightly spicy concoction that includes pepper, garlic and turmeric.
“All my juices are good for specific ailments. I started my company and helped my mom beat stage 4 cancer by juicing and plant-based eating. She’s two years in remission now,” Whittaker said.
The Mr. Fun Guy booth offered several varieties of dried mushrooms, tinctures and other mushroom-based products.
Original vendor Thomas Tillman manned the Grumpy’s Farm Market booth that’s part of Tillman Farms. His offerings included raw honey, homemade bread, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, celery, zucchini and peppers. When asked what he likes about the Anna Maria market, Tillman said, “It’s local and we’ve got a lot of variety.
“The weather’s nice, sales are good and we’re running out of things,” Tillman said as noon approached.
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch volunteers Kathy Noonan and Barbara Riskay manned the Turtle Watch booth that offered in exchange for a donation several turtle and sea-life-related items such as shirts, books, hats, cooling towels, books, license plates and Christmas ornaments. The proceeds generated at the market booth help fund the organization’s sea turtle monitoring, protection and preservation efforts.
