What is Slow Food Southwest Florida?
Slow Food Southwest Florida is the local chapter of Slow Food International. We are a non-profit organization which seeks to promote good, clean and fair food.
Here in Southwest Florida, our Slow Food chapter promotes local growers and chefs by hosting events in their fields, kitchens, and markets. We have developed educational programs for students harvesting from their school gardens through our partnership with Collier Greens and Naples Botanical Gardens’ school garden program. We have also created classes for adults to teach the basics of cooking local produce, as well as caregiver culinary lessons for people caring for the sick or elderly.
These classes are taught by our dedicated Chef’s Corps members whose passion for quality local ingredients is unparalleled. Our goal is to raise funds for a teaching food truck which will be used by our chefs on site for classes, events, and to promote our many local markets.
Good:
Quality, flavorsome, and healthy food
Clean:
Production that does not harm the environment
Fair:
Fair conditions and pay for producers
To learn more about the International Slow Food Movement, check the video below.
What We Do
Inspire Kids to Cook
Through our partnership with Naples Botanical Garden’s Collier Greens program we round out the school garden projects at harvest time with culinary education. Members of our Chef’s Corps go to the schools to show kids how to make their fresh produce taste good.
Growth Through Education
From simple “how-to” seminars under tents at farmer’s markets, to container gardening seminars; we strive to create learning opportunities for people interested in taking things slow. We will offer classes throughout the year ranging from organic gardening in the challenging Florida environment to nutritional choices for packing a school lunch.
Supporting Local Foodways
Slow Food Southwest Florida supports out local producers, growers, chefs, and farmers by hosting events in their fields, restaurants, and markets. We work to highlight the good that is being grown in our backyards by promoting and cheerfully consuming the local bounty. We also seek to promote endangered local foods and foodways through events that encourage sharing of stories, recipes, tips, and conviviality.
Southwest Florida Food Scene
Local Producers | Farmers | Brewers | Distillers | Co-ops
Local Producers
Food and Thought Organic market and cafe.
Oakes Farm Market, seafood, and butcher shop.
Jimmy P’s Butcher Shop and Deli
B&D Organics: Earthworm castings, gardening supplies.
Quality Cheese: Local and imported fine cheeses, pickles, breads and preserves
Lee Queen Bee: Pure and raw local Lee County honey.
Southern Hive Honey Walker Farms Honey
Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut and Seed Butters
Gone Nuts: Locally made gourmet nut butters, boiled peanuts.
My Dinner Factory: take and bake dinners/soup
Saratoga Veggie Burger Veggie burgers, pesto, & teasers
Tracie’s Jams Specializing in savory jams that can be eaten with meats and cheeses. JAM….it’s not just for breakfast…it’s what’s for dinner.
Happy Pickle: Pickles, preserves & olives.
Pickle My Fancy: Gourmet Florida grown Pickles and Olives available at Neighborhood Organics.
Epiphany Gluten and Paleo Bakery
Judi Mae Cookies: Homemade gourmet cookies.
Farms
Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm: Rosy Tomorrows is a 100 acre sustainable farm using organic and holistic practices. They raise 100% grass-fed Longhorn cows, pastured heritage breed Red Wattle hogs, and pastured heritage breed Dominique and Silver-laced Wyandotte chickens. Their extensive gardens grow heirloom vegetable varieties, culinary herbs, medicinal herbs, and field crops.
Rabbit Run Farm: a hydroponic farm that uses organic pest control methods and specializes in heirloom vegetables, strawberries, and various tropical fruits.
Southern Fresh Farms: 8500 Penzance Blvd. Fort Myers
Fresh local fruit, vegetables, flowers, jams, honey, smoothies, fish & shrimp. Playground, fishing pond and future petting zoo. Hydroponic Vertical growing system. Rental garden boxes.
Buckingham Farms: more than 50 acre hydroponic farm and country store with a variety of locally grown vegetables, seasonal fruit, farm fresh eggs, local honey, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, spinach, kale, blueberries, tomatoes, including heirloom tomatoes, and more!
31 Produce: Tomatoes and strawberries in Alva with u-pick fields and farmer-guided tours.
Better Food Farm: A hydroponic produce farm in Estero using organic methods.
Unruly Gardener: Organic, locally grown herb and vegetable seedlings, produce, loofahs and eggs.
Herban Gardens: Highest quality, locally grown microgreens and herbs.
Brittan Farm: Locally grown produce from Alva, Florida.
Father’s Greenhouse: Hydroponically grown greens and herbs on North FOrt Myers available at various farmer’s markets.
The Farm, Estero: U-pick farm featuring strawberries and tomatoes with a produce stand featuring fruits and vegetables grown on-site and locally.
Sol Natural Farm: Organic microgreens, produce, fruit, salsas and jellies.
Maverick Meats Local butcher shop, meat smoker, processor. Grass-fed beef and handmade sausage.
Frank & Lynn Cortez: Organic quail eggs & live quails. available at Fort Myers Alliance for the Arts Green Market.
Co-Ops
Worden Farm and Co-op: 85-acre certified organic family farm with produce available through farmers markets and community supported agriculture farm memberships.
Brewers
Fort Myers Brewing Company On Commerce Lakes Drive in Fort Myers.
Point Ybel Brewing Company between Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island in Fort Myers.
Momentum Brewhouse in Bonita Springs.
Naples Beach Brewery on Enterprise Avenue in Naples.
Marco Island Brewery and restaurant on Marco.
Fishmongers
Randy’s Paradise Shrimp Company
Paradise Seafood and Gourmet Market of Marco Island
Simple Seafood: Local seafood available at Fort Myers Alliance for the Arts Green Market.
Bob’s Seafood: shrimp, fish, stone crabs, crabcakes, lobster tails available at various farmer’s markets.
Rodes Fresh and Fancy fish market and restaurant on Bonita Beach Road.
Skip One Seafood at Fort Myers Beach and on US 41 in South Fort Myers
Distillers
Wicked Dolphin Rum distillery in Cape Coral.
Members
Countries Represented
Chapters
Get Involved
Become a Member of Slow Food USA
Standard membership is just $60, half of which comes back to our local chapter. Be sure to indicate you’re part of the Fort Myers (Southwest Florida) chapter.
Donate Directly to the SouthWest Florida
If you’re a member already in a different place, you can support our local chapter
Become a corporate sponsor
If your business would like to become a corporate supporter of Slow Food Southwest Florida please contact us for details.
