About This project
The Florida Heritage Foods Initiative at Santa Fe College aims to stimulate the heritage food economy in Florida farmers markets by providing public education about heritage foods for consumers and providing farmers markets with tools to reach culturally diverse communities already purchasing heritage food.
Funding for the Florida Heritage Foods Initiative: Connecting Local Food with Local Culture in Florida Farmers Markets was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant Agreement Number 21FMPPFL1026-00. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
This initiative is in partnership with Florida Organic Growers and Consumers.
The goals of this project are to:
- increase access to heritage foods in farmers markets with educational marketing materials for farmers, consumers, and K-12 students that provide information about the cultural, historical, nutritional and culinary value of heritage foods,
- expand direct-to-consumer marketing opportunities with a Multicultural Heritage Food Event Planning Tool-Kit for farmers markets, and
- provide training and education on heritage foods to consumers, farmers, market managers, and local food stakeholders through three virtual and on-site symposiums. students and faculty at Santa Fe College.

Meet the team
Project Directors

Vilma Fuentes, PhD
Administration, Political Science

Vilma Fuentes, PhD
Administration, Political Science

Sarah Cervone, PhD
African Humanities, American Humanities, European Humanities, Religion

Sarah Cervone, PhD
African Humanities, American Humanities, European Humanities, Religion
Faculty

Marcela Murillo
Spanish, Latin American Humanities

Marcela Murillo
Spanish, Latin American Humanities

Eva Casanas
Chinese

Eva Casanas
Chinese

Joshua Braley, PhD
Religion

Joshua Braley, PhD
Religion

Mirian Hay-Roe
Department of Natural Sciences

Mirian Hay-Roe
Department of Natural Sciences

Dan Stepp
Fine Art

Dan Stepp
Fine Art

Nicole Nesberg
American History

Nicole Nesberg
American History

Val Leitner
English, Humanities

Val Leitner
English, Humanities

Diana Matthews
Library Sciences

Diana Matthews
Library Sciences

Elizabeth Ziffer
French

Elizabeth Ziffer
French
Administrative Support

Kathy Anderson

Bhakti Gibson

Gabriel Frank

Santa Fe College
Marketing & Communications

Santa Fe College
Marketing & Communications
Partners & Collaborators
Write a thing or two on your relationships in the community and how they support your project.
Andi Emrich
Kyndra Love
Melissa DeSa
Botanical Illustrator
Kelli Brew
Alachua County Farm To School
Karissa Raskin
City of Gainesville, Dept. of Strategy Planning and Innovation
Frog Song Organics
frogsongorganics.com
Nicoya Organic Farm
nicoyafarm.com
grovestreetfarmersmarket.com
GNV Farmers Market
gnvmarket.com
instagram.com/korfarmsocala
India Cultural and Education Center
icec-florida.org
latam.ufl.edu
UF Center for African Studies
africa.ufl.edu
Matheson History Museum
mathesonmuseum.org
Feeding Florida – Fresh Access Bucks
feedingflorida.org