Where are the Food Entrepreneurs?

On July 1, 2011 House Bill 7209 was enacted allowing individuals to prepare certain foods in their homes for direct sales to consumers.  The Cottage Food Law has finally opened doors for people to bake, can or prepare a limited amount of food products in their home kitchen with a permit or license.

This is great news at a time when people are searching for additional income and other people are searching for locally produced artisan foods!  These foods are very much needed at the Wildwood Growers' Market, to compliment the produce and crafts being sold there.

The following foods are now allowed to be prepared in a home kitchen and sold, up to $15,000 gross annual sales.
Loaf breads, rolls, biscuits
Cakes, pastries and cookies
Candies and confections
Honey
Jams, jellies and preserves
Fruit pies and dried fruits
Dry herbs, seasonings and mixtures
Homemade pasta
Cereals, trail mixes and granola
Coated or uncoated nuts
Vinegar and flavored vinegars
Popcorn, popcorn balls
 
So, food entrepreneurs out there - get cookin'!  The public is waiting for your delicious foods and the Wildwood Growers' Market would be the perfect place to sell them!  For a copy of the law or more information please call me at (352) 793-2728 x236.

Summer At The Wildwood Growers' Market

Summer can be a rough time for a farmer's market, with temperatures at their peak and visitors on vacation.  But the Wildwood Growers' Market is still going strong, every Saturday and year round!

If you haven't visited the market in Wildwood, it is on Main Street in front of Wildwood City Hall.  The City of Wildwood sponsors the market and has been great supporters of it since it began on October 24, 2009. The focus of the market has always been locally grown produce when we can get it, and hand made crafts.

This Saturday it is Christmas in July at the market!  Come by and start your Christmas shopping early!  This is an example of what creative market managers do to keep people coming to the market during the summer months.