SPI Hosts Farmers Market Every Sunday

by Tony Vindell/LFN

Although Sunday is that day of a week to take it easy, a drive to South Padre Island should be a must for the health-conscious consumers.

Each Sunday from 11 to 1 p.m. about a couple dozen vendors bring organically-grown and -produced foods, like vegetables, goat cheese, eggs, pies, granola, chips, jellies and even fish balls to the town’s Farmers Market located on the north side of the Island.

Some of the vendors come from Bayview, Rio Hondo, Lozano, Harlingen and from as far as Minnesota, like Terry Larson, who is a fishing and canoeing guide who sets up a tents selling a dip he makes using white fish and cream cheese and also offers wild rice grown by Native Americans from his home state.

The market, now in its eighth year, has grown from a small group of vendors to a larger congregation of producers selling the freshest and most pesticide free products.

Among them are: Donkeys’ Butt Coffee that has coffee grown in every Central American country, Mexico and Colombia, Bayview Veggies on West San Marcelo; Peggy’s Cakes and More, Oso Bay Farms, La Rose Soap Co., Healthy Snacks, and small producers that grow a variety of vegetables and herbs on backyard plots.

Jack Moffitt, who is the person in charge of running the Farmer’s Market, said their operation has been very successful.

‘We started off with a few vendors,” he said, “and now have a waiting list of folks wanting to be here.”

On Sunday, Feb. 25, scores of people were seen talking to the vendors, sampling foods and buying fruit, vegetables, plants and any other items they liked.

“This is my second time,” Ohio resident Pam Vaisaro said. “I wish I could take a lot of this stuff home.”

Rocky Guerra, of Port Isabel, said he has noticed that the outdoor market keeps growing.

Moffitt and some vendors said the Winter Texan season is coming to an end and invite Valley residents to stop by on Sunday as the market is open all year round.