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🌞 What's In Season in Florida: Mid-July to August

News & Updates

Summer in Florida might be sweltering, but it’s also bursting with local flavor. While many states slow down during peak heat, Florida growers, gardeners, and makers are still harvesting, crafting, and selling — especially those who’ve mastered our unique subtropical seasons.

Whether you're a conscious consumer, a backyard gardener, or a vendor listing items on FarmPixie, here’s a breakdown of what’s in season and what’s fresh across Florida in mid-July and August.

🥬 Florida Summer Produce: What’s In Season Now?

🍉 Fruits:

  • Watermelon (late season)
  • Muscadine grapes
  • Guava
  • Avocado (South Florida varieties)
  • Carambola (Starfruit)
  • Dragon fruit / Pitaya
  • Mangoes (late season)
  • Passionfruit
  • Lychee (early July only)
  • Papaya
  • Bananas (Homegrown dwarf or backyard varieties)
  • Figs (short window — check with local farms!)

🥒 Vegetables:

  • Okra 🌱 (a Florida heat lover!)
  • Eggplant
  • Peppers (including hot and sweet varieties)
  • Sweet potato greens (edible leaves of sweet potato vines)
  • Long beans / Yard-long beans
  • Malabar spinach (tropical vining green)
  • Roselle (Florida cranberry) – getting ready by late August
  • Seminole pumpkin (harvested now in some parts of the state)
✅ Note: Many traditional spring vegetables (tomatoes, squash, cucumbers) have faded out by now, but tropical and heat-tolerant crops thrive!

🧀 Local Goods Beyond Produce

Florida’s local food scene doesn’t stop at fruit and veggies. Here’s what else is often available during July & August from local producers, farms, and cottage kitchens:

🥚 Protein & Pantry:

  • Fresh eggs (from chickens, ducks, or quail)
  • Pasture-raised chicken, beef, and pork
  • Goat’s milk & cheese (check for licensed dairies or herd shares)
  • Raw honey (great time to stock up before fall allergies!)
  • Fresh-caught seafood (see below ⬇️)

🍞 Cottage Foods:

  • Naturally fermented sourdough
  • Jams & preserves from summer fruits
  • Herbal teas and dried seasonal blends
  • Pickles, fermented veggies, relishes
  • Herbal salves and apothecary goods
  • Homemade spice blends, sauces, and syrups

🦐 Florida Seafood in Season: Scallops & Lobster!

July and August are peak months for fresh Florida seafood, especially if you're near the Gulf or Atlantic coasts.

🐚 Bay Scallop Season (Gulf Coast)

  • Season runs: July 1 – early September (varies by region)
  • Recreational scalloping is popular along the Nature Coast, especially in:
    • Homosassa
    • Crystal River
    • Steinhatchee
  • Many local seafood markets sell freshly harvested bay scallops during this time — or you can book a scalloping trip and catch your own!

🦞 Spiny Lobster Season (Atlantic Coast)

  • Sport Season: Mini-season is last Wednesday & Thursday of July (July 30–31, 2025)
  • Regular Season: Starts August 6th, 2025
  • Popular in the Florida Keys, but fresh Florida lobster also makes its way up to markets and co-ops across South Florida.

Whether you catch your own or buy from a dockside market, scallops and lobster are some of the most seasonal, local proteins Florida has to offer.

🍽️ Grill them with butter, toss them into summer pasta, or serve with starfruit salsa for a true Florida feast.

🧑‍🌾 Supporting Local in the Offbeat Season

Summer can be tough for Florida growers — the heat, humidity, bugs, and storms create challenges, and many farmers markets slow down. That’s why it’s even more important to support local farms, bakers, and backyard growers during this time.

Here’s how to help:

  • ✅ Shop from farmstands, U-picks, or backyard growers in your area
  • ✅ Look for seasonal listings on FarmPixie
  • ✅ Preorder baked goods or protein shares directly from producers
  • ✅ Try tropical crops you’ve never cooked with before!
  • ✅ Stock up on jams, honey, and preserves now — they sell out quickly!

🍋 Recipe & Meal Inspiration

Want to use what's in season? Try these Florida-forward meal ideas:

  • Okra + tomatoes in a gumbo-style stew
  • Eggplant grilled or roasted with local goat cheese
  • Mango + avocado salsa over fish or chicken
  • Muscadine grape jam with sourdough toast
  • Starfruit + limeade mocktails (or cocktails!)
  • Fried green bananas or tostones
  • Florida fig + honey crostini
  • Grilled bay scallops or spiny lobster with summer citrus

🌴 Stay Seasonal with FarmPixie

FarmPixie is the easiest way to find and support local food producers near you — without fighting algorithms or endless scrolling.

🛒 Search by ZIP code to find:

  • Fresh produce
  • Local eggs & meat
  • Cottage kitchen products
  • Upcoming farmstands or pick-up dates

💬 Are you a grower or cottage kitchen maker?
 You can list your items for free and connect with buyers nearby.

➡️ FarmPixie.com — where Florida food lives.
📍 Follow us for seasonal tips + listings: facebook.com/FarmPixie

🌞 Eat with the Season. Support Your Region.

Mid-summer may not feel like harvest time — but in Florida, it’s still growing season. With the right crops and the right people behind them, our local food scene keeps thriving even under the July sun.

When you shop local this summer, you’re not just getting fresher food —
 You’re keeping farms alive, preserving food freedom, and investing in something real.

Let’s keep Florida’s food roots strong. 🌱

Kim

FarmPixie Founder