[jambo101]

What fruits are you looking for that cant be found at the local super market.
I've noticed most Flea markets usually have a produce section..
Until you finalize where exactly in Fla. you are going to live this link will tell you where the farmers markets are.
http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Florida.htm

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by jambo101

What fruits are you looking for that cant be found at the local super market.
I've noticed most Flea markets usually have a produce section..
Until you finalize where exactly in Fla. you are going to live this link will tell you where the farmers markets are.
Florida farmers market directory at farmers market online

In tandem with this information it's important to note to the OP that a vast majority of Florida "farmers markets" are really flea markets and the produce offered is typically of questionable origin, meaning not grown by those who pose as farmers selling it and are in fact resellers who purchase the goods at one of the major produce terminals which are in essence filled with the same stuff that winds up at Publix. Why Florida has such a sketchy/screwed up version of "farmers markets" is a mystery to me but important to know when moving in from any other state where legit farmers markets are prevalent.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

In tandem with this information it's important to note to the OP that a vast majority of Florida "farmers markets" are really flea markets and the produce offered is typically of questionable origin, meaning not grown by those who pose as farmers selling it and are in fact resellers who purchase the goods at one of the major produce terminals which are in essence filled with the same stuff that winds up at Publix. Why Florida has such a sketchy/screwed up version of "farmers markets" is a mystery to me but important to know when moving in from any other state where legit farmers markets are prevalent.

You bring up a good point,who knows where farmers markets and flea markets get their products from.
It seemed the op was looking for cheaper options to where she buys her fruit , the only places i could think of were flea markets and farmers markets.i buy all my stuff from the local super markets,prices seem reasonable and choice is diverse and labels tell which country the produce is grown in.

[Crane's Rooster]

Fort Myers (Lee County) has an abundance of fruits and vegetables. They grow everything from tomatoes to lynchee.

[SeaLark7]

Moldavite, if you want help from people here, I suggest you change your attitude. Calling a poster a "simpleton" when he is just trying to be helpful is NOT the way to get people to want to help you. If this is your general mindset in dealing with others, please stay in California.

[Cubanchic]

You can also buy at a distribution warehouse but you have to buy in bulk to get the biggest discount. If you do heavy duty juicing then you will not waste much product.

For a quite place but inland might try Sebring, we have land there on the big lake and lots of farmers markets and if you are into oranges, there are tons of groves there.

Palm bay might seem perfectly fine, but when we were looking at places to retire in back over a year ago the crime stats were pretty high compared to other places in Florida.

[StarfishKey]

Note that this thread was dead for about 4 months.

But aside from the OP's attitude criticizing basically everyone who bothered to respond, it should be noted for others looking for a similar situation that Homestead or Florida City are not in the least expensive - in fact, they are known for being the opposite. And yes, that area is known to have some of the best and most diverse fresh fruit in the state. The store/stand "Robert Is Here" is known to be an excellent place to get fruit, there are plenty of U-picks, acres and acres of commercial and smaller fruit farms, and the area is also home to the Rare Fruit Council, tropical fruit enthusiasts who hold tastings and lectures, and the Fruit & Spice park nearby.

As another note, if one needs an abundance of the freshest and best fruit, the best thing to do is grow your own. Even apartments in Homestead - again because the land is cheap - usually all have a patio or a strip of land, and plenty of windows. FL as a state is known to have highly alkaline soil, in which few fruits can grow reliably. But you can take the time to amend the soil, or you can grow pretty much everything you need in pots - the sun is so strong you can reliably fruit many things even indoors, if you just take a minute to pollinate all the flowers yourself.

I myself eat a lot of fresh fruit, and I am currently growing more than a hundred varieties here in the Keys, both inside and outside, in pots and in amended soil. Nothing can beat it. And yeah, most "farmer's markets" in FL just sell produce they bought from stores or wholesale and are reselling, they are not fresh, nor are almost any organic - most of the produce is actually older than one gets in a grocery store because of the resale. I personally have found that small Asian markets in FL cities have the freshest produce, after growing your own or picking at a farm that allows U-pick, because they tend to buy directly from farmers daily and keep the produce in water to keep it fresh.