By DAVID DiPINO
Forum Publishing Group

October 24, 2007

The Delray Green Market in the Park is planning an organic-themed opening Saturday featuring fresh organic foods. The debut will showcase produce, sauces and baked goods in an outdoor weekend morning setting at Worthing Park, 150 E. Atlantic Ave. The market will take place from 8 a.m. to 1p.m. and continue every Saturday through May. This will be the 12th season for the market started by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency in 1996.

“I always make sure the Green Market starts the weekend before Halloween. This year we will have pumpkin carving for the children, trick or treat at the market, and live music by Rick Nelson who has a Jimmy Buffet style and will be in a Superman costume,” said Lori Nolan, the market’s manager.

Music will entertain the crowd from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 35 food vendors will be available as well as several organic vendors – two of which are locals from Pineapple Grove and Boynton Beach.

Howard Goldfinger from the Woolbright Farmers Market, 141 W. Woolbright Road in Boynton Beach, will be on site with a full line of organic items.

“We have seasonal local fruits and veggies for sale,” he said. 

Goldfinger is a pioneer involved in organics for more 30 years.

“Back in the ‘70s I began flying and trucking in organic produce from California. I was also at the first meeting of the FOG meeting [Florida Organic Growers].”

Goldfinger said a large amount of organic produce is imported because Florida is a tough site to grow it due to the bugs and heat.

“I wanted to participate in the GreenMarket for a couple of years now. It’s a nice addition to enter the market,” he said.

“I was just out in California and organics are so normal out there, and it’s not an issue, everything’s organic.”

Suzanne Perrotto and Reny Hodan are the new owners of the Brulee Gourmet Market at 200 NE Second Ave.They will have items for sale at the market.

“We will have a combination of all-natural items, artisan cheeses, artisan breads, including cheese bread, recipes, oils, vinegars and pestos all hand prepared and made at Brulee,” Perrotto said.”We’re going to change it up every weekend and don’t want to clash with anyone else, instead work with one another.”

Perrotto assisted a local farmer in Arizona with his stand and was the executive chef at Ibis Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens for two years.

Organic foods consist of foods produced without pesticides or fertilizers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has strict guidelines in place in order for food to be labeled “organic.”