Organic Food Stores

[ILuvChocolate]

I eat almost exclusively organic. It takes me an hour to get to my local Whole Foods from where I live now in NJ. I'm thinking of moving to the Villages, but I swore I would never live anywhere further than a half hour from a Whole Foods. This is very important to me. Can someone please tell me how far the nearest Whole Foods is? Also.. are there any other stores in the area or in the Villages that offer organic foods?

Thanks so much!

[Cedwards38]

I eat almost exclusively organic. It takes me an hour to get to my local Whole Foods from where I live now in NJ. I'm thinking of moving to the Villages, but I swore I would never live anywhere further than a half hour from a Whole Foods. This is very important to me. Can someone please tell me how far the nearest Whole Foods is? Also.. are there any other stores in the area or in the Villages that offer organic foods?

Thanks so much!

There is a FRESH MARKET on 466, across from the softball fields and schools.

[Aandjmassage]

There is a Fresh Market grocery store on 466 and farmers markets Thursday & Saturday in the squares.

[ILuvChocolate]

I've never been to a "Fresh Market" but that sounds promising! Thank you very much!

[NotGolfer]

Or if you want Whole Foods, you can go to Orlando area (think there's one in Winter Garden)...also a Trader Joe's.

I would google for your information! The farmer's markets are pretty popular here though with a plethora of choices.

[sunglow]

Yes, you are going to love the farmer's markets around here. There are several vendors that sell organic. Plus with this weather you could grow your own vegetables and fruit.:)

[courtyard]

Sadly, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are an hour away. :-(

Fresh Market in The Villages has some organic veges but NO truly organic chickens (free range and not GMO fed) nor even any organic beef.
Publix Supermarket in The Villages (at the Colony shopping mall) has grass fed beef (the White Oaks Pasture brand), and is my favorite.
Their chickens are only non-hormone/non-antibiotic but are definitely GMO corn fed (per the mfr.)
They do have a nice variety of organic veges but wish they had more!

[NotGolfer]

Sadly, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are an hour away. :-(

Fresh Market in The Villages has some organic veges but NO truly organic chickens (free range and not GMO fed) nor even any organic beef.
Publix Supermarket in The Villages (at the Colony shopping mall) has grass fed beef (the White Oaks Pasture brand), and is my favorite.
Their chickens are only non-hormone/non-antibiotic but are definitely GMO corn fed (per the mfr.)
They do have a nice variety of organic veges but wish they had more!

I haven't checked....but one might be able to find the meats (ie. chicken) at the farmer's market. "IF" they don't have it, maybe they can tell you who does!

[mickey100]

The nearest Whole Foods is in Orlando, about an hour 10 minutes from The Villages. Fresh Market is no Whole Foods. They have some organics, as do most grocery stores today, but not a particularly large selection.

[ILuvChocolate]

Oh. This may be a deal breaker. I'm very concerned about GMOs which is why I eat nearly all organic. I also only eat grass fed beef, and eggs from chicken that were fed non GMO feed. I don't think I could live somewhere without organic foods. I was getting so excited about moving to the Villages. What a shame. I'm surprised with such a big population of baby boomers, there is nothing near by.

[obxgal]

Grass-Fed Wagyu Beef is sold at the farmers market in Brownwood on Saturdays according to their website.
They also have free range poultry.

Contact Us At The Farm | Pasture Prime Wagyu Florida Grassfed Beef (http://www.pastureprimewagyu.com/contact/)

[Country Dreamer]

I also try to eat mostly organic. Living in the most southern part of The Villages would bring you to about 45 minutes from Whole Foods in Orlando. I love shopping there and go once or twice a month. I also shop Fresh Market, Publix and Winn Dixie, all have a nice selection of organic vegetables, but being a vegetarian, I do not know about organic meat. You can also buy organic at the farmer's markets and at Fernando's in Pedro. You can also check out Earth Origins in Ocala. I am pretty sure they have organic meats, you could probably call them to get more info. I have also seen local co-ops listed on the Internet where you can buy organic meats directly from the farms.

[sunnyatlast]

Oh. This may be a deal breaker. I'm very concerned about GMOs which is why I eat nearly all organic. I also only eat grass fed beef, and eggs from chicken that were fed non GMO feed. I don't think I could live somewhere without organic foods. I was getting so excited about moving to the Villages. What a shame. I'm surprised with such a big population of baby boomers, there is nothing near by.

This farm (linked) is right in our backyard and they sell at the farmer's market on Saturdays at Brownwood.

Stop implying that 105,000 of us here are wandering around like dummies eating nothing but junk in a place with no decent food to eat.

Pasture Prime Farm - Summerfield, FL

"Our family farm raises all natural 100% grass-fed meat from Wagyu cattle, free-range chickens, free-range turkeys, Berkshire pigs and Mangalitsa pigs."

Pasture Prime Grass-fed Wagyu Beef from Summerfield, Florida (http://www.pastureprimewagyu.com)

[Halibut]

The nearest Whole Foods is in Orlando, about an hour 10 minutes from The Villages.

And $10 or so in tolls.

[SusanOfWoodbury]

There is a small store that sells some organic foods on Rt 441/27 Lady Lake, called the Green Apple... Take 466 west, take a right onto 441/27 approx. 5 miles behind the Oakwood BQ restaurant is where this store is located..

[courtyard]

I asked the seller of free range chickens at the Brownwood Saturday Market if he feeds those chickens any GMO corn. His reply was "yes." Also, he charges upwards of $17 for his small chickens.

However, the closest place to us that sells totally Organic Chickens is Trader Joe's in Ocala, FL. They sell them for $12+ which is a great price.

[courtyard]

I asked the seller of free range chickens at the Brownwood Saturday Market if he feeds those chickens any GMO corn. His reply was "yes." Also, he charges upwards of $17 for his small chickens.

However, the closest place to us that sells totally Organic Chickens is Trader Joe's in Ocala, FL. They sell them for $12+ which is a great price.

CORRECTION: Trader Joe's is in Gainesville, not Ocala, which is one hour away from us here in The Villages.

[mickey100]

///

[bimmertl]

This market recently opened in Ocala.

The Organic Chef Foods | Florida Grass Fed Beef | Pastured Organically Raised Chicken |Nitrite/Nitrate Free Sausages |Free Range Meats | Hormone Free Meats | Pork | MSG Free Sausages (http://www.organiccheffoods.com/)

[DruannB]

I wish I could tell you the name of the place, but we were just in TV and we passed a farm as we approached TV entrance and it had a sign that they grow only grass fed animals and they will butcher them for you. What you are looking for must exist in this day and age. Don't give up without looking. Heck, you might even be able to convince a local farmer to grow or raise what you want. It might become a growing business for them.

[Sophie11]

I was really surprised upon moving here that is would be so difficult to get organic beef. I found a good tasting beef, like the organic beef back home and it is at Winn Dixie but it is not organic.

[joldnol]

surprised the villages has an aldis but not trader joes.....Earth Fare (out of Ashiville, NC) just opened in Jax. so maybe they will expand farther into Fla. We will be Village Idiots in two weeks

[MoeVonB61]

You can get all the organic you want in Orlando but that's an hours drive:
Chamberlains Health Foods
Fresh Market
Whole Foods

[scroll]

trader joes is great too

[CFrance]

This farm (linked) is right in our backyard and they sell at the farmer's market on Saturdays at Brownwood.

Stop implying that 105,000 of us here are wandering around like dummies eating nothing but junk in a place with no decent food to eat.

Pasture Prime Farm - Summerfield, FL

"Our family farm raises all natural 100% grass-fed meat from Wagyu cattle, free-range chickens, free-range turkeys, Berkshire pigs and Mangalitsa pigs."

Pasture Prime Grass-fed Wagyu Beef from Summerfield, Florida (http://www.pastureprimewagyu.com)
I don't think she implied that at all. She implied that the marketplace should be more responsive to the population.

[KathieI]

The nearest Whole Foods is in Orlando, about an hour 10 minutes from The Villages. Fresh Market is no Whole Foods. They have some organics, as do most grocery stores today, but not a particularly large selection.

And $10 or so in tolls.

I've been a Whole Foods shopper since the 70's (in LA it was known as Mrs. Gooch's), and I don't think the Orlando store is as good as the Tampa store. No tolls to get there, but it is about 1 hr and 15 min. Once your in the car, to me, it doesn't matter, a few minutes more either way. I was very spoiled, in LA I had Whole Foods all around me, so I'm very sad that there isn't one closer. I'd settle for Ocala which is only 30 min. from the Villages.

[2BNTV]

I eat almost exclusively organic. It takes me an hour to get to my local Whole Foods from where I live now in NJ. I'm thinking of moving to the Villages, but I swore I would never live anywhere further than a half hour from a Whole Foods. This is very important to me. Can someone please tell me how far the nearest Whole Foods is? Also.. are there any other stores in the area or in the Villages that offer organic foods?

Thanks so much!

Depending on where you may live in TV, you can be as close to a minute or 15 minutes by car, to a whole foods store. Trader Joe's is an hour away in Gainesville.

I lot of people wanted a home Goods store in TV and it is in the process of coming to TV. Maybe Traders Joe will too!!!

One can only hope.

[billethkid]

GMO's....a great subject for another thread.

How many countries do no think GMO's are safe? Most developed countries:shocked:.

GMO's are approved by our government....GMO providers and the government and the chemical lobbyists prevent the labeling of foods with GMO's cause they don't want you to know.

Now how is it possible to have something that most of the people do not want in a land that is governed for the people?:1rotfl:

[mrbgull]

Whole foods is an excellent market. Fresh Market gives these folks a run for their money(stock price to bare) ,taking market share ect. I am very happy with our Fresh Market here in the Villages.Great fresh produce,nice deli,good coffee selection,nice meat,excellent produce,variety

[Bonanza]

And $10 or so in tolls.

Not that much with SunPass or if you take 441, which is free.