Southside Farmers Market

Welcome to the Southside Farmers Market. Focused on serving the nearby community, this market provides easy access to fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs and seafood from local farmers. The market will be open from 2-6 p.m. on July 16, August 6, September 10, October 8, November 12 and December 10 at the Walker-Ford Community Center, 2301 Pasco Street.

Nestled within the Greater Bond Community, the Southside Farmers Market is a safe space and also provides free health and wellness screenings. Through the frequent visitor punch card, you earn a free gift after six visits. More features and services will be added. Check back monthly for updates and special events.

2020 Market Dates

Stay Safe at the Market

Please do not enter the Market if you:

• Are sick
• Have been in contact with someone who is sick
• Have traveled recently.

Also, please note:

• Masks are required
• Wash your hands, or use hand sanitizer
• Please do not bring reusable shopping bags to the Market
• Do not touch produce, your friendly farmer will bag your purchase
• Leave pets at home
• Wash produce once returning home
• Maintain 6 feet or more of social distance
• No more than 10 patrons at a time will be allowed inside the Market area
• One shopper per household

Mission

To provide a fresh food market to the Southside community that improves access to and reinforces healthy food options for community well-being.

Vision

A self-sustaining market that provides access to healthy food and engagement for the Southside community.

Background

Areas of the Southside are considered food deserts, which is an urban area where it is difficult to buy affordable or good quality fresh food. To address this issue, the City Commission approved funding in 2015 to establish a farmers market on the south side of Tallahassee. A small market was established but soon diminished. In 2018, the City received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to gain training and resources for operating a farmers market and to rejuvenate the Southside Farmers Market. More recently, the market was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Health Planning Council of Southwest Florida. The City of Tallahassee collaborated with local residents, community partners and local healthcare providers, including Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, CarePoint Health & Wellness, Neighborhood Medical Services, Bond Health Care Center, Whole Child Leon, University of Florida/IFAS, Tallahassee Food Network, Second Harvest of the Big Bend and others, to establish the revamped farmers market.

Partners

• City of Tallahassee
• Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare
• Invest Health/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Supporters

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Rx Program

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Rx Program is a community-driven partnership that addresses the overall health and well-being of Southside residents. This program is a partnership between the City of Tallahassee, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and Florida A&M University. This program is designed to address social determinants of health (particularly environments and behaviors linked to healthy nutrition choices and fruit and vegetable consumption) and the clinical care needs of patients.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Rx program will expand beyond healthy food access to provide educational and skill building experiences for participants that will help them better manage behaviors affecting nutrition and health.

This program is conducted in coordination with the Southside Farmers Market; a $20 voucher will be provided after each class for use at the next market. There will be a total of 6 classes, which will be conducted twice per month on alternate Thursday evenings from the market.

The classes, which are both educational and experiential, will cover the following topics:

• Optimal fruit and vegetable consumption
• Diabetes self-management
• Meal planning
• Shopping for healthy food
• Food preparation
• Food portions

Participants will take a pre and post survey and have health and wellness screenings and evaluations. There will be hands-on cooking demonstrations, as well as free cooking supply giveaways.