JFM is always open to tours or group outings of nearly any size. Tour buses passing through on the interstates, convention excursions, school field trips, church outings, neighbor or family groups are all welcome to visit JFM. Call the JFM office at 904-354-2821 if any questions or to make arrangements. Andy’s Farmers Market Grill (904-791-3003) is also available to cater any food needs while at JFM or to fill “take-out” orders.
JFM features a “farmers’ line” on the gravel lot on the east side of the market. Most farmers sell here from their trailers or trucks and, generally, prefer to wholesale direct to JFM or other area vendors, fine restaurants, road side stands, suburban produce stores, etc. so that they can return to their farms as quickly as possible. Most farmers wholesale between 4 AM and about noon on weekdays. Some farmers will sell retail and have extended hours on the “farmers line” including weekends. A few farmers will retail direct to the public in the shed stalls during the harvest season for their crops. The reality is that, today, most farmers who farm for a living need to spend most of their time at the farm and, thus, chose to delegate selling on their behalf to regular vendors at JFM. JFM vendors not only take direct deliveries from farmers, but some drive their own trucks to farms to bring produce direct to JFM. Be assured that farmers count on your support of JFM vendors to sell their products, whether they are present in-person or not.
JFM is proud to have a wide cross section of vendors at JFM. Most are family or sole proprietor vendors that work long hours and tirelessly to provide quality product, low prices, and friendly service. Some vendors represent third or fourth generations at JFM and others are fresh faces building a business. All backgrounds and ethnicities can be found at JFM. While many vendors carry a multitude of items for shopper convenience, you will find most will also feature specialty or niche items that serve as the centerpiece of their business. Feel free to talk with vendors about your interests. JFM features nearly 200 rental blocks on 9 acres covered by no less than 30 to 50 vendors and farmers a day, often many more. JFM welcomes new vendors of all kinds. Interested parties can contact Greg, our general manager, at the JFM office at 904-354-2821 for daily, weekly, or monthly rental information.
More and more, government agencies and food safety standards are phasing in identification of individual produce items with the source of the product so that it is fully traceable should there be any concerns over food quality. Stickers do not relate to whether the product is local or non-local.
As a “working” farmers market and being open EVERY day of the year, JFM vendors must have inventory to meet demand year round and for convenient one-stop shopping. This allows vendors to sustain their businesses between various “local” seasons and to attract a wider range of shoppers looking for exotic, specialty, ethnic, or out-of-local-season items to compliment their “local” purchases. Wherever possible, JFM vendors prefer to carry “local”. If an item is not grown “locally”, is out of season, or an adequate supply is not locally available due to weather or other events impairing adequate local production, vendors must look beyond immediate “local” sources. We suggest customers inquire of the vendors they are dealing with as to the source of their products if the source is a concern.
JFM typically does have one or more vendors that sell “organic” produce. Days and hours of operations can vary but usually include at least the weekends. “Organic,” being of limited supply, can mean that vendors may not always be available so we suggest you contact your regular vendor or call the JFM office at 904-354-2821 to update on “organic” availability. As “organic” standards are variable, we encourage customers to discuss questions about “organic” with their favorite vendor.
“Local” is a relative term. Today, most would consider produce in our area to be “local” if it comes from Florida, Georgia, or even the greater Southeastern states (Carolinas, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, or Virginia). The great majority of produce at JFM comes from the closest “local” areas possible when these items are in season for the obvious reasons of lowest freight costs, freshness to market, and farmer access. You will not find more “local” produce in one place that at JFM.
JFM, located at 1810 West Beaver Street (U.S. 90), is approximately one mile west of downtown Jacksonville and is easily accessible via both I-95 and I-10.
How do I get to JFM headed NORTH on I-95?
From I-95 Northbound, exit Union St. (#353B) EAST. Follow immediate signs to adjacent Beaver Street WEST-bound. Go west about one mile and JFM is on the left at the intersection with Robinson Avenue at the western foot of the bridge over the railroad tracks.
How do I get to JFM headed SOUTH on I-95?
From I-95 Southbound, exit Kings Rd. WEST, (#353C). Follow immediate signs to adjacent Beaver Street WEST-bound. Go west about one mile and JFM is on the left at the intersection with Robinson Avenue at the western foot of the bridge over the railroad tracks.
How do I get to JFM headed EAST or WEST on I-10?
From I-10, exit Stockton St. NORTH (#362) and proceed about 1 mile to Beaver Street. Turn right and go 1 block. JFM is on the right.
Yes, lots! A quick list (availability may vary) might include fresh Mayport seafood, live crabs, honey, boiled peanuts, kettle corn, jams, jellies, syrups, preserves, spices, salsa, rubs, stir fry, bread, baked goods, pork rinds, raw sugar cane, Christmas trees, hay, snow cones, plants, ethnic & specialty food items, and so much more. Look carefully when shopping JFM for all the variety.
JFM vendors buy much of what they offer direct from farmers. And, by doing business at JFM, JFM vendors have minimal overhead. With so many vendors, JFM vendors must also work hard to stay competitive, offering favorable pricing, quality, and service, often unmatched anywhere else. Independent surveys by the local press and our steady stream of customer feedback indicates that JFM consistently is the best place in N.E. Florida and S.E. Georgia for quality produce and other food items at up to 70+% below stores and other venues.
JFM has drive up parking in front of vendor stalls. This allows convenient loading of vehicles of even the largest purchase quantities by either the customer or vendor. JFM also has public restrooms, water fountain, and an ATM. Andy’s Farmers Market Grill (904-791-3003) is open Monday through Friday, 6:30 AM to 3:30 PM, and Saturday, 7 AM to 4 PM, serving breakfast, lunch, snacks, & much more. On Sundays, JFM usually features a food truck or cart for the mid-day hours. JFM is handicapped accessible. As a community service, JFM hosts a police stop station on site. Free events and entertainment are offered periodically and should be monitored on JFM’s Facebook page.
Each vendor determines what payment methods they accept. All vendors accept cash. Select vendors take EBT, credit and debit cards, and/or checks. An ATM is on JFM’s premises for cash-short shoppers. Vendors usually post signs if they accept more than cash but feel free to inquire each vendor. If they don’t take your preferred method of payment, encourage them to do so in the future as they respond to customer requests.
JFM is Florida’s oldest public farmers market, opening in 1938. Today, JFM is a rare “working farmers market” with farmers, wholesalers, and retailers all in one place. As a result, JFM is a forum for a wide range of customers, from the public to the area’s finest restaurants, from caterers to suburban produce stores and stands. This mix makes JFM the source for an incredible variety of the freshest produce and other agricultural & food products not easily found anywhere else and at the region’s most competitive prices. JFM has nearly 200 rental blocks stretching the length of about 6 football fields, or 1/3 mile, on 9 acres covered by no less than 30 to 50 vendors and farmers a day, often many more. JFM welcomes new vendors of all kinds. Interested parties can contact Greg, our general manager, at the JFM office at 904-354-2821 for daily, weekly, or monthly rental information or email us via our “contact” page at our website, www.jaxfarmersmarket.com.
JFM is open EVERY day of the year, dawn to dusk (approximately 7 AM to 5 PM) for retail operations. JFM opens for wholesale vendors and farmers at 4 AM. Customers working with a particular vendor or farmer should contact them directly for their specific days and hours of operations. Admission is always FREE.
