C&D Fruit and Vegetable Co.
| April 3, 2012 | Posted by Kim under Agriculture, Produce |
Want to learn more about agriculture’s busy bees here in Florida? We did just that when we visited C&D Fruit and Vegetable Company at their farm last week. We stopped in to check out the fresh Florida produce with a group of buyers from Canada and discovered more than just a farm.
From the road it appeared to be just another metal structure which looked like it might be housing a packing facility or farm equipment. After touring the fields and getting a firsthand look at their farming operation, our next stop was the big metal structure. When we stepped inside, to our delight, we discovered the C&D Farmer’s Market and General Store. The market, which is open to the public, sells fresh produce and value-added items like honey and even strawberry shortcake when it’s in season. C&D opened the market to give people in the
community a place to purchase Florida produce picked fresh from their fields. Being the shopper that I am and enjoying fresh produce, I wasn’t about to leave empty handed. My treasures that day included Florida sweet onions, tomatoes, a half flat of strawberries and my favorite new kitchen gadget which slices a strawberry perfectly every time you use it.
It was apparent to us that the O’Brien family takes pride in growing fresh produce but we also discovered the passion they have for education. Inside their market is a classroom for children called the “Bee Hive Observation,” complete with tables, chairs, educational posters and a live bee hive enclosed behind glass. The classroom gives children and adults an opportunity to learn how bees make honey and why they are important to Florida agriculture. On the day we visited, each of us felt like children again as Tom led us from the classroom into a garden outside so we could pick and sample the fresh Florida strawberries growing.
So if you find yourself in Bradenton, Florida, stop in for some fresh produce or a jar of honey, say hello to the O’Briens, and you might “bee” delighted too!
