Fresh foods and history in one farmers market
SUN PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
The Punta Gorda History Park Sunday Farm Market is located in one of the prettiest parks around, and restored historic buildings like the Trabue Land Sales House make the market even more enjoyable.
SUN PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Rob De Luca holds up a bonsai juniper plant for a customer to inspect at Lou Rindner’s Lou’s Bonsai booth at the Punta Gorda History Park Sunday Farm Market.
SUN PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Artist Scott Richards uses palm boots and leaves to make interesting fish sculptures. See them and other natural jewelry at his The Toothless Shark booth.
SIUN PHOTO BY GORDON BOWER
Tropical Island Foods co-owner Jim Dembrowski hands Donna Abbate a bag of his no-transfat, no-cholesterol kettle korn and a soft drink at the Punta Gorda History Park Sunday Farm Market. Abbate just moved to Punta Gorda Isles and enjoys walking to the Sunday market with her golden retriever, Rex.
The Punta Gorda History Park Sunday Farmers Market just celebrated its second anniversary, and there is every indication it’s a permanent addition to the city’s shopping scene.
The market was conceived as a way to help the Punta Gorda Historical Society raise money to maintain the historical buildings in the park — the Trabue Land Sales Office, Price House and Cigar Cottage — and the park’s grounds. It started off with 10 to 15 vendors and has been in growth mode ever since.