Everyone has their own traditions for St. Patrick’s Day, but no matter how you plan to celebrate the farmers market in Fernandina Beach is bound to have what you need for a great weekend of Irish luck, tradition, fun, and especially food. Highly influenced from locally grown crops, Irish food and the culture’s favorite recipes have been passed down from generation to generation. Cabbage, potato pancakes, cottage pie, Irish stew, and scones are all delicious dishes that can be bought, or made from ingredients found, at the farmers market.

Look for Boatright Family Farms to find onions and beautiful heads of cabbage. Carrots and radish from Cabbage Creek Farms are a must, and the flavored sea salts from Percy’s Sea Salts booth are perfect to rub into any meat you are planning to roast. Rudy’s and Great Harvest bakeries are wonderful options for scones, whole grain breads, and hearty rolls. Something Good offers gluten-free versions of a bread lovers favorites.

JD Beef has a small selection of pork, as well as beef, and Chesser seafood brings local shrimp and a variety of fresh fish for you to whip up a tasty seafood chowder. Upstream Seafood brings salmon, scallops and Alaskan crab legs, all of which compliment a side of fresh greens, organic beans, or sliced eggplant.

March 17th brings the return of Steephill Designs and their fresh Vermont maple syrup, and Gaia’s Garden has a booth full of organic snacks, elixirs, and flat bread. So put on your green, and join us at a green market, this Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine, on North Seventh Street, between Alachua and Centre Streets in historic Fernandina Beach.

Laura Cramblet will be our featured musician, and this will be her last visit for the season. Her CD, “Shadyside of Heaven” has ten songs that show off her prolific song writing skills as well as her talent on the multi-stringed, hammered dulcimer.