Holiday Favorites At Seaside Farmers Market

Farmers Market Holiday Favorites

Give your loved ones divine pecans, gluten-free baked goods and puppy treats

By Wendy O. Dixon

In addition to the seasonal foods offered at the Seaside Farmers Market, you can find gifts for the people on your Christmas list. We’ve rounded up some of the market vendors’ suggestions for the holiday season.

Sirmon Family Farm

Sirmon Family Farm is run by husband-and-wife team Scott and Helena Sirmon. She bakes the gluten-free goodies while Scott specializes in sourdough bagels and loaves. “I have a starter that is over 100 years old,” Scott says. “It’s not your run-of-the-mill sourdough.” Their son, Adin, gets in on the business too. You can catch them each week at the Seaside Farmers Market.

Everyone loves baked goods during the holidays. Stop by Sirmon Family Farm’s tent to stock up on gluten-free lemon blueberry bread, banana nut bread, apple raisin cinnamon bread and many more varieties. “Our No. 1 seller is a layered toffee bar — with toffee, chocolate, caramel and a cookie underneath,” Scott says.

Sirmon also sells freshly-baked cookies. Try chocolate chip, pistachio white chocolate, blueberry lemon almond and, a new favorite, the banana pudding cookie.

“This time of year, our orange cranberry bread is amazing, as is the pumpkin bread and pumpkin rolls with cream cheese icing,” Scott says. “The carrot cake is my favorite thing my wife makes, and it’s a big seller year-round.”

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Kiwanis Club of Freeport – South Walton

Pecans, a traditional Southern snack, are a great gift for anyone on your list. Kiwanis Club of Freeport – South Walton sells an assortment of farm-fresh nuts as part of its fundraiser for local charities.

“I guess I’m the chief nut,” says Wanda Pitts, secretary for the non-profit service organization that provides support to children and families. “We just gave out $14,000 to various organizations — Children in Crisis, Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Santa Patrol, Food for Thought, the Sheriff’s Department, Children’s Advocacy Center, A Bed for Me and Habitat for Humanity.”

The club sells Priester’s Pecans, a family-owned company out of Fort Deposit, Ala., specializing in fresh, crunchy pecans. Try roasted pecan halves, pieces, honey glazed, chocolate -covered and pralines. Having a few pies on hand during the holidays is also a good idea, so pick up some old-fashioned pecan pies in classic and chocolate varieties.

Wanda gives a warning for those who want to try their various flavors of pecans. “These nuts, especially the chocolate-covered and praline ones, can be very addictive,” she says.

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Davis Dog Treats

Davis Dog Treats was started as a way for Kenneth Davis, an eighth grader at Seaside Neighborhood School, to earn extra money. After a news story about potentially harmful ingredients found in store-bought treats, Davis decided to make homemade treats for his beloved four-legged friends.

In the years since, Kenneth has returned home from college and works with his mom, Nancy, selling the all-natural gourmet treats for your pets, offering a variety of flavors that are sure to please man’s best friend and have them begging for more.

Each week, Nancy and Kenneth bake and dehydrate, preparing the various treats to take to the market. They encourage dogs to come and sample a treat to find out which is their favorite. The goodies come in a variety of flavors and include grain-free bites.

Davis Dog Treats also offers all-natural bar soap for dogs, made by the Soap Pedaler. “It’s great for sensitive skin,” Davis says of the lemongrass-scented soap. “It deters bugs, and it smells wonderful. You can use it on yourself too.”