There's nothing quite like eating fresh tomatoes, carrots or spinach picked, just minutes before you gobble them up.
You can feed your family the freshest produce possible by joining an organic community farm right here in the Tampa Bay area.
I joined Sweetwater Organic Community Farm in Tampa after I realized I was paying top dollar for vegetables grown in California. The vegetables travelled thousands of miles to get to the grocery store. I literally had days to eat them before they would spoil.
Read more of my stories on Heather's Natural Health.
Now I eat fresh, locally grown produce that doesn't travel thousands of miles to get to my plate. It lasts longer (about 10 days in my refrigerator) because it only travels 5 miles to my house. Sweetwater also installed a state-of-the-art UV water filtration system to protect plants from contaminants.
Here's how some organic community farms work:
You pay the farmer up front before the harvest season. I pay about $425 each May for the entire harvest season which is the following November through May.
*Sweetwater Organic Community Farm still has memberships available.
Every other Thursday during the harvest season, I swing by Sweetwater Farm, which is located near Tampa International Airport off Hillsborough Avenue. Volunteers & helpers pick the fresh produce and put them in baskets.
Make sure you bring your own bag (or 2 to 4 grocery bags) so you can easily carry 10-15 different bundles of vegetables.
These vegetables taste much better than the organic veggies I used to buy at the grocery store. It's also a great way for parents to get their kids to eat their veggies too! Many are surprised to see where their foods come from.
I checked and found several organic farms in the Tampa Bay area:
Heather Van Nest, Heather's Natural Health