RUSKIN, Fla. — A brother and sister are carrying on their family's produce legacy while serving their community.
Nicole Ferrera and her brother David own Ruskin Fresh Market. It operates out of part of their father’s tomato repacking warehouse.
WATCH Ruskin siblings turn childhood farm experience into thriving fresh market
“My dad has worked in produce his whole life. My brother and I co-own this store, and we have both grown up in produce, helping him farm, as well as repacking. We have gone with him ever since we were kids, and ever since after school. So, it has just been a non-stop ride, honestly,” said Ferrera.
The Fresh Market offers everything from fruits and vegetables to jams and more.
One interesting thing Tampa Bay 28 learned during our trip to Ruskin is that this city has deep roots in Tomato farming, dating back to the early 1900s.
"We used to just be all farmland here in Ruskin, and the biggest thing we would do was tomatoes. They sat well in the soil. They came out well, they produced well, they tasted great, and they had such a great color,” said Ferrera.
“We used to have a tomato festival and a tomato queen. It was so cute," said Ferrera.
Both Nicole and her brother are in their 20s and say the community has embraced them and their business.
The Ruskin Fresh Market also hosts monthly vendor markets supporting other small local businesses.
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