Sweetwater Organic Farm: Tampa’s Best-Kept Farmer’s Market Secret Final Sunday Of The Season

If you enjoy checking out a market and supporting local community farming, visit Sweetwater Organic Farm and their Sunday Market. The final market of the year is happening this Sunday from noon to 4 P.M. But don't worry. It will pick back up again in October.

My first trip to Sweetwater Organic Farm was in 2015. Since then we’ve made it a tradition to visit the market to find fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. At the Sweetwater Farm Stand, you’ll find healthy veggies that have been raised on the Sweetwater Farm. And Sweetwater Farm doesn’t strictly sell their own farm-grown veggies. They have a wide selection because they bring in organic fruits and vegetables through a distributor. If you want to purchase Sweetwater merch, you can count on it being organic. You’ll find organic cotton T-shirts to sport your Sweetwater support.

The market hosts amazing vendors. You’ll find everything to fresh goat’s milk and yogurt to organic coffees to handcrafted products, environmentally friendly, of course. The prices are fairly reasonable, too.

What I love most about the Sweetwater Organic Community Farm is their workshops. I signed up for a class on how to grow organic fruits and vegetables. They also have courses on beekeeping. The instructors are so well-informed and helpful. All of the workshops center around healthy and sustainable living. You can learn how to store and prepare farm-fresh vegetables. And you’ll meet other people, including the instructors and attendees, who share your passion for organic living. If you’d like to take your family or friends on a tour of the Farm, you’re able to do that, as well.

Sweetwater Organic Farm truly is a secret treasure in Tampa, specifically Town and Country at 6942 West Comanche Avenue.

It's that time of year! Tampa Bay farms are opening up their fields for U-Pick events. There's nothing better than picking your produce and supporting local farms. This is always a fun event for the whole family and a great weekend afternoon activity. There are a lot of U-Pick farms in the Tampa Bay area, so we condensed our list to the best 3 farms less than an hour drive from the Tampa area.

Remember before you go to check the farm's social pages! Events can change based on weather, seasons, or availability. This is the perfect time of year to grab fresh strawberries, oranges, citrus, and tomatoes (December- March). Blueberries and peaches hit their peak during March-May, and you can find gorgeous sunflower fields during the Spring and Fall.

Some farms will have bags and boxes for you to store your produce. But sometimes that does come as an extra charge! Be sure to bring your own container when picking fruit and veggies. It's also a good idea to pack some water, sunscreen, and wet wipes (you WILL get dirty). If you're going to pick flowers, remember to bring a pair of scissors or cutters. It's also a good idea to bring cash, some farms take credit cards but it's better to be safe than go running around a rural area for an ATM. Even though these U-pick farms are mostly pet-friendly, it's a good idea to leave your dog at home (because even if they are a good boy/girl, we still don't want them peeing on crops). Tampa Bay Parenting has a full list of U-Pick farms in Tampa Bay, but some of them may be about a 1.5-hour drive.

Keel Farms is probably the nearest U-Pick farm in Tampa Bay. Keel Farms is located at 5202 Thonotosassa Road Plant City, FL 33565 (about a 35 minute drive from TPA). The only bummer is the only offer strawberries from their U-Pick fields on Saturday's only starting at 10a. The good news is there's a lot more to see and do at Keel Farms. They offer fresh food, winery tasting, say hi to their pigs and goats, and more! We think it's something that every Tampa Bay local should try at least once. They're hosting a Blueberry Festival every Saturday and Sunday through April! More info here

Hunsader Farms is located at 5500 C.R. 675 Bradenton, Fl 34211. Not only do they open up their fields for you to pick your produce, they also offer many other veggies and goodies that they pick for you! Right now, their U-Pick field is open for rhubarb, strawberries, and tomatoes. They also offer broccoli, cabbage, homemade jams, jellies, delicious homemade honey, and many other goodies. NOTE: they do close their U-Pick field at around 3-4 and will not let anyone in the field 15 minutes before closing.

Strawberry Passion Farm is now offering U-Pick tomatoes $3 per pound THIS weekend (Jan 26-18). They post their U-Pick hours weekly on their Facebook page, so make sure you give them a follow for current updates. It looks like they will offer U-Pick strawberries in March. Strawberry Passion Farm is located at 11780 Tom Folsom Rd, Thonotosassa, FL, United States, and is only about a 30 minute drive from Tampa.