I love to cook while I'm on the island and would like to make use of fresh local vegetables. We're there late November into mid-December. Does anyone know what locally-grown veggies are available during that period, and where I would find them?

GAK,

I'm not sure what's local and/or in season, but I did notice there are island vegetable stands popping up across the island as well as the locally grown vegetables sold at the Marigot market. The closest one I noticed to La Vista was on the same side of the road but before you reached Johnny Under the Tree. I saw it as we were driving by and I didn't particularly note what they offered but I do recall seeing bananas and pineapple along with what may have been yams or perhaps a stack of sweet potato. But remember, this was only one of several stands we saw and I'm sure Barbara or Philippe could let you know more of the local veggies offered and where you might find them.

Respectfully,

pat

Barbara may confirm, but there are very very very little vegetables and fruits grown on the island... Even the majority of what you see on the market in Marigot or on stand table with a Lady along side the roads, are coming from the same supplier/importer I am buying mines from...: Island Merchant in Orange Grove or Guichard International in La Savanne...
Very little land left, free of concrete or construction, and most of the locals abandoned agriculture long time ago to previledge tourism industry. On the french side there are few land cultivated, one is in Bellevue at the entrance of Marigot, on the property of Louis Constant Fleming. He gave a parcel of land to a group of Rastafaries so they can cultivate and sale some produces. It is open to anyone to go there and buy. The other place I would think about is a little house with Rastafary colors on it, located on the right on Bush Road, just before Prince Bernhard Bridge. The produces there are cultivated on the land just behind the house.

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Thank you Pat! Always good to have a first-hand and recent perspective!!

I'm wondering how the growing season works there. Because the weather is warm year-round, are they able to grow the same veggies year-round, or does the rain impact that? I'm guessing it would.

You're right, I'm sure Philippe knows! Barbara is not a cook, from what I've read , but she might still know!

philippe is right.
Go to the little rasta place in Bellevue, at the entrance to Marigot..
it is fantastic what they grow there.
they will explain all the fruits and veggies to you and how to prepare them.
go in the morning..every morning except Saturday I think.




I am not sure if the rasta place on Bush Road actually sells you veggies or just has a little restaurant there?
you can stop at any of the little stands too. they will tell you what each is and how to use it.






I think most of the veggies are grown year round.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/2009 09:45AM by Barbara1.

Thank you Philippe and Barbara. Philippe, you and I were posting at the same time, so I didn't see your response before I posted. The Rasta place sounds interesting, so I"ll look for that. I see their email address on the picture of the sign, so maybe I'll send them an email and ask. On our first trip we bought a mango at the Marigot market, (that was in late February or early March), but it really wasn't very fresh and I didn't think it had been locally grown (even though the vendor assured me it had), so I was trying to figure out how to find really fresh things.

The place in Bellevue sounds like it is definitely worth a visit. Can you please tell me if it is located just before Home & Tool if coming from Cole Bay? Although not from this island, I do find that produce from Guadeloupe, especially tomatoes, generally have a better flavour than those from the US or Holland. Is this just because I know they are grown in sunshine nearby?!

yes, it is located before Home and Tool on the right hand side of the road., coming from Cole bay.
I think the Guadeloupian produce tastes better because it is fresher.

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Love the Guadaloupe cucumbers. Yummy.
irina

I agree !!! They taste like real Cucumber with real seeds in it, but that's the way a Cucumber should be!...they got TASTE!
All right.. Now I can see the debate : "Seeds" or "seedless"...!!! ROTFLMAO

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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I have been to the Rasta vegetable garden outside Bellevue. They had a huge vegetable festival the first week of April. It was great. They had freshly grown lettuce, radishes, tomatoes(with a taste), potatoes, and scallions. They ran out by noon that day. I have been back, but all they had were some lettuce. Now they have vegetables on Sunday, but they are from Guadaloupe. They said they will have pumpkin and watermellon later, but that is it. Very hard to grow here because of being soo dry and need lots of watering. Clem