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Newsletter
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Returning Vendors ............... 2
Vendor Categories ................ 2
SNAP/EBT ............................ 3
Recipe ................................... 3
Holidays ................................ 4
Market Manager Advice ....... 4
What’s in season? ................. 5
Featured Vendor ................... 6
Map to Market ...................... 7
Market Parking Directory ..... 7
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST
Music line up
SNAP/EBT updated info
Directions and Parking Guide
This month’s featured mar-ket recipe
Contact / social media in-formation
Holidays
MARKET HOURS
RAIN OR SHINE EVERY SATURDAY (UNLESS UNDER SEVERE WEATHER
ADVISO-RY)
OCTOBER—APRIL 8AM-1PM
MAY-SEPTEMBER 8AM-12PM
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MARKET, PLEASE CONTACT:
JERRY PRESSELLER:
EMAIL: [email protected]
OR CALL: 941.391.4856
1 January, 2021 Issue 13
Downtown Punta Gorda Farmer’s Market
WELCOME FROM THE MARKET MANAGER As You May Know, We’re Still
Going Strong! January is a great month. The temperatures are much
cooler. Our snowbird vendors and customers are back. We are still
adding food vendors as space allows. Due to tent spacing we don’t
have the space for all of our vendors at this time. Be assured we
are implementing safety standards for the public and our ven-dors
according to guidelines. We have pedestrian traffic lanes marked so
people are not just wondering as in the past. We sincerely
appreciate your support. As our guests we request the you practice
the following:
Social distancing 6 feet please
If you are sick please stay home
Please do not touch the food
Thank you for wearing a mask Procedures to be followed every
Saturday until further notice by all vendors:
Upon arrival all vendors go directly to the information tent to
get their tem-perature taken. If they or their employee have a
fever, home they go!
Tents will be left open for air flow.
Only 2 people at one time are allowed under a 10 x 10 tent.
Pre-packaged samples are allowed. They must be handed to the
customer while wearing gloves.
Vendors and employees must wear masks and gloves.
Vendor must have a bottle of sanitation for their use and
customers use.
Money should not be hand to hand but…table to hand.
We have Live Entertainment! We are Open rain or shine!
It is with much gratitude that we express our appreciation for
your support of local small businesses. Please share and help
spread the
word that we are open for business.
Eat Fresh, Shop Local! Small Businesses Need Support Now!
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“So happy to be back in Charlotte County to enjoy the great
restaurants and my personal favorite, The Farmers Market! So many
exciting new vendors!” ~ Jan N.
Produce
Meat
Seafood
Dairy
Bakeries
Producers
International Pre-
pared Foods
Art and Crafts
Commercial Services
Non-Profits
Health $ Beauty
Jewelry
Plants
Clothing
Home Décor
And More!
WELCOME NEW AND RETURING VENDORS!
VENDOR
The following vendors are back!
BAM German Baker
Sharon only Silver
Tie Dye
Punta Gorgeous Clothing Line
Olive Oil
Elderberry goods
Fresh made mini donuts
Indoor and outdoor plants
Orchids
We will be open after Christmas day and New Year’s Day.
New vendors will follow as the
month goes on.
Plan on buying all your Holiday
goods here at the market.
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CATAGORIES
JANUARY
ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP
Terry 1/2
Lori 1/9
Danny 1/16
Rick A. 1/23
Tony 1/30
Music makes the market festive and fun! Support local
Musicians.
Find the SNAP/EBT booth, swipe your EBT card, get
your tokens. You will receive two different colored to-
kens. Doubling your swipe. For example, take $20.00
off your card, you will get $20.00 for one color and
automatically an additional $20.00 of another color
token.
Exchange SNAP tokens with participating vendors
around the market for SNAP-eligible items: fruits and
vegetables, bread products, meat, fish, poultry, eggs,
dairy products, seeds & plants which produce food to
be taken home to eat.
Exchange grant provided green FAB tokens for Florida-
grown produce, plants, and seeds that produce food.
SNAP and FAB tokens do not expire.
Green FAB tokens can be used at any FAB market.
SNAP Tokens are unique to the market where you re-
ceived them and can only be spent at that market.
The grant mentioned in place to also help our farmers.
Many public-school students are getting cards. If you have not
received yours contact the school or DCF.
PSA
Some downtown events are coming back. Please check here to see
what’s going on in the City.
https://puntagordachamber.com/calendar-events/ With social
distancing, some vendors may be in different locations. Look
around, as there are new vendors all the time. Enjoy! The Market
will be open on Jan-uary 2nd following New Year’s Day. Happy New
Year to you and yours!
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3
Florida Gulf Shrimp and Sweet Pepper Stir-Fry
INGREDIENTS
1-pound Florida shrimp, peeled and
deveined
3 Florida bell peppers, assorted colors,
sliced
1 tablespoon Florida honey
1 cup Florida orange juice
1 large onion, sliced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
Olive oil for cooking
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
PREPARATION
Lightly coat the shrimp with the cornstarch. Preheat a large
sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to
the preheated sauté pan. Carefully add the coated shrimp to the
sauté pan and cook until almost done, about 3 minutes. Remove the
shrimp from the pan and add the peppers and onions. Cook the
peppers for 4 minutes. Add the hon-ey, orange juice, and soy sauce
to the pan. Turn the heat up slightly. Bring the liquid
ingredi-ents up to a boil. Turn the heat back down to medium-high
and add the shrimp back to the sauté pan. The sauce should thicken,
and the shrimp will be cooked after 3 minutes. Serve over brown
rice. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Unlimited SNAP and P-EBT Benefits Match Extended Through April
2021
At Florida’s Fresh Access Bucks Markets
Initiative increases access to healthy food for SNAP
recipients
TALLAHASSEE, FL (December 18, 2020) – Earlier this year, in
response to the COVID-19
pandemic, FAB removed the cap on incentive dollars matched
through December 31, 2020. While the pro-
gram typically has a $40 cap on matches, the cap will be lifted
through to aid food insecure individuals in
this critical time.
FAB is a statewide incentive program designed to encourage SNAP
and P-EBT customers to
redeem their benefits at farmers markets, farm stands, mobile
markets, CSAs and community grocery
outlets to purchase fresh, healthy foods directly from Florida
farmers. This measure is designed to en-
sure all food insecure individuals have access to affordable,
fresh, locally sourced produce in their commu-
nity. More than $425,000 has been spent on fresh, Florida-grown
fruits and vegetables since the unlimited
match was first offered in April 2020.
At participating farm-direct outlets, FAB matches what a SNAP or
P-EBT cardholder spends
with FREE Fresh Access Bucks - without limit, every market day.
Customers can use them right away or
later to buy Florida grown fruits and vegetables.
Currently there are 52 market outlets participating in Fresh
Access Bucks throughout the state.
Increasing the affordability and accessibility of healthy foods
and nutrition education efforts is integral to
increasing the purchase and consumption of fresh, local
produce.
FAB outlets are abiding by CDC and Florida Department of Health
safety measures and social
distancing guidelines to ensure the safety of customers,
farmers, and market staff. Many FAB market out-
lets have adapted the customer experience by offering online
ordering, home delivery, drive thru markets,
and other measures.
For more information on FAB and active markets operating around
the state through the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit
www.feedingflorida.org/promotional-materials/Covid19
FRESH ACCESS BUCKS
Fresh Access Bucks (FAB) is a USDA funded statewide nutrition
incentive program that encourages SNAP recipi-ents to redeem their
benefits at farm-ers markets, produce stands, CSAs and mobile
markets to purchase healthy produce directly from Florida
farmers.
At participating locations, FAB match-es or discounts what a
SNAP cardhold-er spends with FREE Fresh Access Bucks - up to $40,
every day to spend on Florida- grown fruits & vegetables. Other
than qualifying & receiving SNAP benefits, there is no need to
sign up or do anything in advance.
SNAP/EBT PARTICIPANTS
Exchange SNAP tokens with partici-pating vendors around the
market for SNAP-eligible items: fruits and vegeta-bles, bread
products, meat, fish, poul-try, eggs, dairy products, seeds &
plants which produce food to eat. Exchange free green FAB tokens
for Florida-grown produce, plants, and seeds that produce food.
Match up to $40: $40 SNAP + $40 FAB = $80 per market day SNAP and
FAB tokens do not expire. FAB tokens can be used at any FAB
market.
PRESS RELEASE SNAP/EBT
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January Holidays
1st New Year’s Day
18th Martin Luther King, Jr Day Please check here to see what’s
going on in the City.
https://puntagordachamber.com/calendar-events/
https://allevents.in/punta%20gorda-fl/all
ADVICE FROM THE MARKET MANAGER:
Market Manager, Jerry Pres-
seller gives advice to all vendors
and customers, “Hi all: As you
all know by now the Governor
said, ‘FULL SPEED AHEAD.’ I
say ok but let us be cau-
tious. This Covid thing has not
gone away and we need to be
careful about OURSELVES as
well as the PUBLIC.
The Market will continue to op-
erate as we have for the past sev-
eral months. A few
changes are a rede-
sign of booth spaces
soon to add more
vendors and SAM-
PLING is now
ok. Please be cau-
tious!
Six-foot distancing is
required, masks and
sanitizer are still nec-
essary. As far as our policy goes
vendors only need to wear masks
when talking with custom-
ers. Please do not let your guard
down. I do not want to shut the
market down because one of us
gets the Covid! That is the reali-
ty of the result. I do not want to
even think about all the conse-
quences we could face.
So, let us all get together and get our Market hopping once
again!! Thanks!!”
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929
– April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist who
be-came the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil
rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. King is
best known for advancing civil rights through nonviolence and civil
diso-bedience, inspired by his Christian beliefs and the nonviolent
activism of Mahatma Gan-dhi.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR DAY
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Incase you Missed it!
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“Without a doubt it is meeting new people and socializing.” ~
Irma and Don
It has been 6 years since Irma and her husband Don, have been
participating in this
market annually.
Irma and Don make a great team. They met during the Vietnam War
in Japan. Don was
injured and Irma, a nurse, was by his side while Don healed.
They have been married ever
since. Editor’s note: Thank you both for your service.
Irma is a self-taught seamstress that started as a hobby many
years ago. Purses are
made of fabric and cork. She has extremely high standards, “If
my product does not satisfy me,
it is not going to be for sale.”
All their products are handmade, in fact, a purse will have
about 30 or more pieces to
sew and assemble. Irma specializes in purses, wallets, and
custom embroidery. She also fills
custom orders. For example, she recently made a custom memory
quilt for a client. It was
made from nine t-shirts provided by the customer. Irma cut them
into squares and created a
masterpiece of a quilt. Needless to say, her client was thrilled
and grateful.
When asked, what is your favorite part about being among the
Market family, Don re-
plied, with big smiles on their faces, “Without a doubt it is
meeting new people and socializing.”
Irma added, “I like to play a little game, I count the number of
my purses that go bye knowing
there’s another satisfied customer.”
You can find them every Saturday during the season. You can
reach them at 941.625.4764 or send them an email at
[email protected]
IRMA’S FABRIC ART AND EMBROIDERY
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MARKET MAP
Down Town Punta Gorda Farmer’s Market is located in the heart of
Punta Gorda.
Map search the Herald Court Center Free Public Parking Garage
:
117 Herald Court
Punta Gorda, FL 33950
From The North
Take Interstate 75 to Exit 164 (Duncan Rd/Marion Ave) and head
West into
Downtown, turn left onto Taylor, then left onto Herald Ct. and a
right into the free
parking garage; or take U.S. Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail), into
Downtown, turn left
onto Olympia Ave., observe for parking or continue to 41 N, make
a left and another
quick left onto Herald Ct. and a left into the free parking
garage.
From The East
Head West on Highway 17 (Duncan Rd/Marion Ave), turn left onto
Taylor, then left
onto Herald Ct. and a right into the free parking garage.
From The South
Take Interstate 75 to Exit 164 and head West into Downtown, turn
left onto Taylor,
then left onto Herald Ct. and a right into the free parking
garage; or take U.S.
Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail), into Downtown, turn left onto Herald
Ct., observe for
parking or continue into the free parking garage on the
left.
From The West
You’re already here! Corner of Olympia and Taylor. Every
Saturday! YOUR LOGO HERE
DIRECTIONS
Market Vendor Locations Customer Parking
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook for Punta Gorda Cham-
ber:
https://www.facebook.com/
PuntaGordaChamber/
Facebook for Downtown Mer-
chant’s Association:
https://www.facebook.com/
DMAPG/?ref=settings
Facebook for Saturday Farmer’s
Market:
https://www.facebook.com/
PuntaGordaFarmersMarket/
URL for Saturday Farmer’s Mar-
ket:
www.puntagordafarmersmarket.c
om
URL for Punta Gorda Chamber:
www.puntagordachamber.com