When Sheila Gutierrez gave away over 200 squash seedlings that were grown at Vizcaya Village in Miami for free over the summer, she realized there was even more merit to this decision than she thought.
As the Vizcaya Village agriculture market program manager, Gutierrez saw that she could create a new addition for an upcoming farmers market she was developing.
“It was the perfect time to start growing squash in the summertime since it takes around 90 to 120 days,” said Gutierrez.
Vizcaya Village will be hosting its third annual Halloween Farmers Market on Sunday Oct. 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. — and a new attraction this year is a squash growing competition, where farmers and gardeners will showcase their creations and have a chance to win an award in an afternoon ceremony.
Categories in the squash competition included biggest, smallest and quirkiest.
Vegetables like squash sometimes come in odd shapes due to deformities caused by a number of reasons, including low pollination efforts from bees or irregular temperatures, resulting in either small or contorted squash.
Contest participants are recommended to register beforehand through their website or their page on “Eventbrite.” However, the judges will also accept walk-ins the day of the market.
As for participants who have already registered, Gutierrez said she has been in contact with them in order to give them tips on growing their squash and other produce.
With a passion for urban agriculture, Gutierrez hopes the market will help educate the community on its benefits to health and the environment.
“With our history in agriculture, we are really looking to connect the community to how they can be a part of their food system and learn how to grow,” said Gutierrez. “We think of pumpkins and squash as something that we carve and just toss away, but they are very much nutritional food.”
The market will have plentiful activities for visitors of all ages, including a family costume contest, trick-or-treating with costumed vendors and even morning yoga. There will be over 30 local vendors of produce and artisan goods to provide for the community.
This event also will see Vizcaya Village partner with “Feeding South Florida,” in order to create a cooking demonstration.
“We welcome Miami locals and tourists all around to have fun all together,” said Gutierrez. “We really want them to experience the farmers market in a holistic way, for it to be a place where they can come to socialize and relax.”
