Flamingo Orchids - Pete and Suzy Cowan

Lady Slipper

The Orchid Whisperer - that would be Suzy who relishes stress-free living and the joy of taking care of her gorgeous orchids.  She is the expert and decorator while her husband Pete is just happy to lend his support.  She is happiest digging in the dirt and lavishing her orchids with love.  She swears these flowering plants love the music of the market; bending and swaying in time to the beat.  Suzy has been growing plants all her life and lays claim to a very green thumb.  Inventory ranges from ground orchids and ferns to exotic beautiful florist quality bloom.  Orchids for beginners or collectors; they are all there.  Oncidium which smells like vanilla or Sherry Baby with the aroma of chocolate.  There are orchids that look like spiders and the aptly named Lady Slipper perfect for a wee pixie foot.   Suzy's flair for decorating is especially evident in her arrangements.  These beautiful gift baskets can be created for any occasion; Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Thanksgiving; you name it she can come up with the perfect orchid array.

LG Fish Market - Ceviche Parlor - Eric Papunen - Chef Juan C. Lopategui

There's a new sushi in town and actually it's an old favorite - ceviche.  This one's been coined "Miami or Floridian Ceviche" by chef Juan Carlos Lopategui who has partnered up with Eric Papunen at Yellow Green Farmer's Market.  Chef J.C. is out to create a ceviche revolution in other words ceviche for everyone with a fusion explosion of taste, color and ingredients.  There's shrimp watermelon: pink shrimp floating in a brine of fresh lime /orange juice, cilantro, red onion and jalapeno offset by morsels of sweet melon.  Keywest style mahi mahi local fish mellowed out by a blending of citrus and avocado.  Shrimp with Papaya has South Florida written all over it.  Chef J.C.  is the consummate maestro: conducting interviews between giving out samples, gauging customer feedback while espousing the merits of what local markets have to offer and why he looks to feature locally produced atypical items in his creations.  Eric found the perfect complement to his frozen fish offerings of tuna steaks, scallops, shrimp, tilipia, grouper and king fish.   He is gearing up to eventually bring in fish from the keys including stone crabs.  Chef J.C. was quick to jump on board when he called looking to expand his market offerings.  His Ceviche Parlor in Oakland Park is the springboard from where he does the three things close to his heart; providing wholesale, catering and participating in area farmer's markets.  Let the revolution begin.

Posh Gals/Baby Posh Garage - Julie Tenenbaum

A magical through the looking glass experience:  enter a fairyland of fantastic fluffy tutus looking like layers of spun sugar goodness, resplendent  rhinestone embroidered art depicting love/peace symbols and Komen pink ribbon emblems on t-shirts.  Intricate crafted flowers suspended on gossamer wings embellish the walls. The store's mantra is thus: "pick your size, pick your color and I'll gladly make it for you custom." They can rhinestone anything.  A kaleidoscope of luscious colors assail the senses - tantalizing tangerine, cotton candy pink, lemony yellow, magenta on cool mint.  An all black tutu is made vivid by orange laced streamers that adorn it.  A sea of NFL inspired hair accessories decorate a table like gaily colored bees.  Multi-colored head bands with life-like daisies will turn any little girl into daddy's princess.  No mass production here; everything is handmade!  Sales people just learned to make them though one does have a fashion designer background.  Turnaround is 3 - 4 days. All this inspired by an artistic single mom with a 4 year old.

That Way Hat - Bruce Byrd, Manager Florida Sales

What do you get when a real estate attorney visiting China on a research mission falls in love?  Unique stylized handmade hats done in small batches brought to the American market utilizing designs of manager, owner and existing models.  They are all there; the colorful sombrero, refined Sunday go to meetin, bejewelled fedora and Hawaiian cowboy.  The piece de resistance is the fold up flat hat.  There are also plenty of wide brimmed floppies perfect for the beach and to beat this Florida sun.  Owner Geoffrey Mintz decided to stay in China and woo his future fiance; proposing at a Buddhist temple in Thailand.  Their travels through Southeast Asia have spawned this innovative venture bringing the best of high quality hats to these shores.  Manager Bruce came on board when he answered a Craigslist ad. The website refers to the age old wisdom of protecting our heads attributed to Winston Churchill "First we shape our hats and afterwards our hats shape us."

Bottle Creations - Barbara and William

Here is business born of necessity; co-owner William needed a lamp for his desk - looked around, noticed an empty bottle and the rest is history.  This romantic duo has been in business one year and can make a lamp out of any kind of bottle whether it be liquor, decorative or water.  They can take custom orders if you have a bottle from a special occasion would like made into a lamp.  They get most of their raw material bottles from local establishments who recycle and donate.  Their most unusual bottle is the shoe bottle - wouldn't you agree?

Waggin' Tails - Lorraine Flock

The name says is all - what pet owner concerned with the environment and committed to green living wouldn't adore this booth "specializing in holistic, organic and earth friendly pet products."  Co-owner Lorraine exhibits a dedication to green throughout; the salmon jerky comes out of Alaskan sustainable fisheries, collars and leashes are made of renewable bamboo or hemp and even the bath products are human grade meaning the owner can use on self as well.  West Paw weather jackets can be returned by purchaser when shredded - they will be broken down and recycled into a new toy.  Planet Dog brand of chew toys 2% of all sales goes to a foundation which gives grants to service animals.  Dog beds are handmade locally and there is no banner for the booth yet: not until an eco-friendly version can be found.  This concept was nearly a year in the making, since previous opening date for YGFM.  Green connections have been made - Lorraine met Think Green Make Green at the market and is using their line of non toxic biodegradable products.  A green theme good for everyone keeps 'em coming back.

JJ's Organic Beauty Products - Deonte and his mom Jahnet

Deonte who is 18 and his mom Jahnet man this booth which specializes in beauty products and clothing from Africa; Shea butter from Ghana, Dashikis composed of mud cloth from Mali and Kenya. They alternate with mom working Saturdays and he on Sunday.  Mom was born in Ethiopia of a Creole French father from Louisiana.  A former 9th grade English teacher laid off from the Miramar school system she wanted to do something that encouraged her sons to relate to people while nurturing the earth using fair trade sustainable products.  It takes a Shea nut tree up to 45 years to bear fruit.  A mainstay is Black soap which gets rid of ring worms, is good for rashes, excellent for psoriasis and rosacea. Through her enterprise Jahnet has realized her dream of  providing precious bounty of the earth from the motherland.