Here on the western side of the Azuero Peninsula there are many perks that lure people - the western facing lands, the beautiful sunsets, the world-class fishing, the hospitality and the relaxing pace of life - but one perk that our family loves the most: the wonderful assortment of fresh produce in the area.
Not only does our backyard have limes, mangoes and pineapples, but the entire area has pockets of produce growing wild. Plaintains, watermelons, 'noni,' and lemons are all fruits that one can find in abundance in the area. Just walk, drive or bike down the main road and there will be plenty of choices of fruit/watermelon/vegetable stands to choose from. This time of year brings almost all of these fruits. We, as a family, also know when mangoes are ready, as after they grow on the trees, they tend to drop onto the ground around the house and even onto the house. There is nothing like the startle ones gets when a bang! happens because of a falling mango. Just beware of kicking the soccer ball or playing with kids in the yard when an errant mango wants to allow gravity to do its job.
Mariato has one of the largest watermelon stands in the area, while Malena and Atalaya also tend to have large fruit stands located on the side of the road.
Now, on the vegetable side - we all know that rice, potatoes, corn, yucca and beans are widely available. The climate, soil and history of the area dictate those veggies' importance. Find the local person that has their own garden and one never knows what treasure they will find. Tomatoes, squash, and peppers grow well here and several friends and ourselves alike enjoy the personal garden and neighbors' garden treats. Mariato just opened up with a vegetable stand between the two markets on the main road. This option is important for people looking for home-grown food and options in their diet.
The food options are growing and will only continue as our community gets strong