Have you ever stood in the produce section and actually looked at where your food came from? I do this more often than I probably should.
I’ll pick up a tomato, turn it over and look for the little sticker. Florida? Great. California? That tomato has had quite a road trip. Another country? Now I’m wondering how many miles it traveled before landing in my shopping cart.
That doesn’t automatically mean the Florida tomato will be better. But when Florida produce is in season, I like knowing there’s a good chance it was grown much closer to home.
And that is really what “Fresh from Florida” is about. Operated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the program helps us recognize food grown, raised and harvested in the state.
A lot more than oranges
Mention Florida agriculture and most people immediately think of oranges. Maybe strawberries and tomatoes make the list. But Florida agriculture is much bigger than that.
Florida has about 44,400 farms and ranches covering 9.7 million acres, producing hundreds of agricultural commodities. We grow everything from sweet corn, peppers and watermelon to avocados, blueberries and tropical fruit. Add cattle, seafood and nursery plants, and you begin to appreciate how diverse Florida agriculture is.
Shopping with the seasons
Buying Florida food also encourages us to pay attention to the seasons again. We’re used to walking into a supermarket and expecting strawberries, tomatoes and watermelon 12 months a year. Usually they’re there, but they don’t come from the same place all year.
I notice this most with strawberries. When Florida strawberry season arrives, those packages start showing up everywhere. They look great, the price often improves as supplies increase, and suddenly strawberry shortcake seems like a very good idea. A few months later, the Florida berries disappear and the strawberries on the shelf have traveled much farther.
Sweet corn is another example. When I see a big display of Florida corn at a good price, that often determines dinner. I wasn’t planning corn on the cob, but sometimes the produce section should get a vote.
Don’t forget the seafood counter
Living in Florida also means access to some wonderful seafood. Instead of simply asking, “What’s on sale?” try asking, “What’s from Florida?”
Depending on the season and where you live, choices can include shrimp, snapper, grouper, mahi-mahi, stone crab, spiny lobster, oysters and clams. Not everything will be local every day, but asking where seafood comes from is an easy habit to develop. The person behind the counter may also know what came in recently, what’s especially good that week or how to prepare something new.
Logo makes shopping easier
Most of us don’t have time to investigate the life history of every tomato we buy. That’s where the “Fresh from Florida” logo comes in handy. It is an easy visual clue that a product is connected to Florida agriculture.
Our grocery purchases can help support Florida farmers, ranchers, fishers and other businesses connected to agriculture. Working farms and ranches also help keep land in agricultural production as Florida continues to grow.
‘Fresh from Florida’ challenge
Here’s something to try on your next grocery trip: find five Florida foods. Don’t change your grocery list — just look. Check the strawberries. Turn over the tomato package. Look at the sign above the sweet corn. Read the watermelon sticker. Ask where the shrimp came from.
Farmers’ markets and seafood markets make the challenge even more interesting. Ask vendors where something was grown or harvested, what’s especially good that week, and how they like to prepare it.
Let Florida decide what’s for dinner
The official Fresh from Florida website includes a “What’s in Season” guide, recipes and information about Florida-grown products, farmers’ markets and seafood markets.
The next time you’re grocery shopping, take an extra second before tossing something into your cart. Look at the label. Look for the sunshine. And ask yourself one simple question: “Can I get this Fresh from Florida?” You might be surprised how often the answer is yes.
