New season of Boca Grande Farmers Markets begins on Wheeler

Vendor Patrick Kasprik brought a paperback Penguin Classic version of a Greek play by Euripides to the Farmers Market last Friday, Dec. 13. No one knew how the bread sales would go at the first outing of the Boca Grande Farmers Market this season.

But sales went well, and the high winds and chillier weather did not deter vendors and customers from the first outing of the 2023-34 Boca Grande Farmers Market season. Near the end of the market, the book was still sitting at the table.

Organizer Betsy Ventura of Local Roots, which runs markets across Southwest Florida, said that the only issue with the new setup was the change in the layout due to the paving of the parking areas next to the new dog park area. 

“We lost about half of our footprint with the dog park,” said Ventura.

In the next outing, the vendors will be spaced closer together in order to provide for more space for cars and golf carts.

Most of the vendors were returnees. There were a few new faces.

Because of a new Lee County ordinance, the markets are now also allowed to have a number of craft vendors. New to the market was Holicow, a local maker of Marimekko-like block print dresses. They were only challenged by the winds, which were picking up before the storm.

The vendors will be at Wheeler Road on Fridays through the end of March, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Below, views of the market.