Where to shop

Where to shop when you are looking for fresh quality ingredients and good deals?

• I shop at Native Sun for all ''bulk'' items: all types of grains, flour, oats, seeds, spices, beans, nuts, tea, fig bars... and packaged items such as dry flat bread, canola oil, and jams.
• I shop at Whole Foods for dry fruit in bulk (Native Sun does not have them in bulk), and their 365 brand nut butters, pasta and olive oil. I used to buy olive oil in cans, but since I found out that cans contain BPA, I buy the 365 brand that comes in glass, both for olive oil and nut butters. Always buy in glass, and avoid plastic and/or cans at all cost. If a brand comes in plastic, I look for another brand that comes in glass.
• I go to the Riverside Arts Market to buy fresh local vegetables. Hoover Farms, Down to Earth Farms and Magnolia Farms are there every Saturday at 10am. And 10am is when you want to be there, because the earlier you go, the fresher the vegetables are. All 3 are great organic local farms.
• I call Sweet Grass Dairy, and pick up my order at the Riverside Arts Market once a month. If you call ahead, they can bring you a whole, half or quarter wheel of cheese; their cheese is made with raw milk; it is fresh, and they will wrap it in paper for you (no plastic, no trash).
• I go to Cognito Farm to buy fresh milk, chicken, pork, meat and eggs.
• I buy coffee from Sweetwater Organic Coffee, in Gainsville; they ship their coffee to me (shipping included, it comes to less than $8/Lb). Their bags break down in the landfill. I may go back to buying in bulk, but not sure yet, since the price is so low, and the coffee tastes so good.
• I shop from CSA's such as KYV and Magnolia Farms. KYV delivers downtown and Neptune Beach. Magnolia delivers in Mandarin (Whole Foods), Beaches (Our Lady Star of the Sea) and Riverside Arts Market. Down to Earth is also a CSA, and delivers at the Riverside Arts Market.
• I shop for honey from Five Points Honey.
• I go online for items such as: cloth coffee filters, ceramic coffee makers (Melitta), stainless steel containers, glass jars for storage, stainless steel baking ware etc.

Other great farmer's markets locations:

• Neptune Beach Farmers Market
• St. Augustine Farmers Market
• Whole Foods Farmers Market

Important: the Beaver Street Farmers Market is not a small farms retail location. The people there are not farmers. They are just middle men/women selling for big corporation farms. Nothing small, nothing organic.
All the above locations are listed under Local Links and Resources in the website.

Good luck in your shopping adventures!