PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A new farmers market is making a difference in many people’s lives.
The Lealman Farmers Market is open one Sunday a month and provides fresh food to those who have limited access to stores.
Seminole Bee Farms is one of the many vendors that set up tents at Lealman Farmers Market every month.
“We are neighbors selling products to another neighbor…so it’s just amazing how we support each other," said Alejandra Pedroza, co-owner of Seminole Bee Farms.
Owners Pedroza and Slobo Djordjic move bees from homes to a safer location and then harvest the honey to sell at the market.
“People can get their fresh products and it wont have preservatives," said Djordjic.
For people who live in Lealman, fresh products like this are hard to come by.
“There is a lack of available fresh and healthy foods…and Lealman as a community does not have a grocery store, and the couple of stores that are within walking distance are not healthy options," said Amy Cianci with the Lealman Exchange.
Lealman is a food desert and it makes it difficult for people without transportation to get fresh food.
“We need it here, we need the fresh fruits, we need the local shopping, and it just brings us all together," said Cianci.
Cianci said the need for more accessible foods is critical, especially right now. That’s why she started the market back in October.
“There are still people out there with tarps on their roofs, there are people out there with trees in their yards that they can’t afford to have removed, so our work keeps going," said Cianci.
Djordjic and Cianci said they hope to see the market grow over time.
“It’s important because we are seeing a lot of families coming in, and a lot of them are walking," said Djordjic.
“I think this is exactly the energy this community needs," said Cianci.
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