New virtual classes guiding Florida's food entrepreneurs from garden to market

For people looking to turn their homemade food into cash at farmers markets, new virtual classes are here to help you. Fox 4 Community Correspondent Austin Schargorodski talked with a food science expert about how she’s hosting classes to help guide people through the process.

You see them every weekend - farmers markets packed with fresh, homemade food. But, how do you get from garden to market?

Watch how below:

“Helping you build those best practices right out of the gate so you can steamroll through as they say,” said Stephanie Brown, State Specialized Food Science Extension Agent at the University of Florida.

With Florida’s Cottage Food Law allowing up to $250,000 in annual sales from homegrown or homemade products, Brown said people are hungry for this information. But, she said understanding the law can be tricky, so she steps in to answer questions and help people avoid mistakes.

Austin Schargorodski

“Just helping people find those answers. ‘Hey, there’s this term, potentially hazardous food, what does that mean?’ And then someone like me with a food safety background gets excited and says, ‘Let me help you understand that,’ so that you’re not only producing a product people love, but one that’s safe,” Brown explained.

Austin Schargorodski

Making food comes with risks, so Brown stresses doing it right - from food safety to getting insurance for unexpected issues. Plus, for those wanting to sell items requiring refrigeration, Brown says she can even help people move beyond the cottage food limits.

“Maybe I can make a certain food, like I have a great cheesecake or key lime pie, I maybe can’t make it in that space, but I’m okay with moving into a shared kitchen space and looking at a pathway to get licensed with the state to sell that. How do I successfully do that,” said Brown.

Austin Schargorodski

Brown says it’s all to make the process smoother and less overwhelming for food entrepreneurs. You can book a virtual consultation with Brown through the UF/IFAS website, or meet with her in person twice a month at the Naples extension office.