Mixon Fruit Farms, so much more than oranges

Mixon Fruit Farms, 2525 27th St. E., is so much more than a local grower, and like many local treasures, remains a hidden gem for some who may still be unaware of “Florida’s Sweetest Attraction” since 1939.

The farm is host to a unique gift shop, nature trails, wildlife tours, historical agricultural tours and a cafe where local lore says you can enjoy some of the best orange and vanilla twist ice cream in the land. Or perhaps just sample a variety of orange juice and, yes, even some orange wine.

To top it all off, Mixon is in the middle of its arts and crafts season and on Saturday, several dozen people greeted vendors as soon as the doors opened at 10 a.m. with the even ending at 3 p.m. Kaliah Muck organizes the arts and crafts fair, as well as takes people on the company’s tram through the groves to enjoy the history of agriculture in Manatee County, wildlife from Wildlife Inc., an Anna Maria Island wildlife rescue agency, and Florida’s largest Koi pond.

Muck said the fair is the fourth Saturday of every month from April through September, and with shipping season at an end while trees are in the midst of producing the next crop, “We have a lot of fun putting this on. It’s not as big as it is during harvest and blossom time when we see the most visitors, but as you can see, the parking lot is filling up.”

The fair attracts a variety of vendors as well, from national brands like Scentsy, to home businesses like Jamberry, a unique heated pressure array of nail designs for the ladies that includes everything from the sensational to NFL teams. Samantha Lieberman runs the business out of her home, and though she attends other events, it was her first time as a vendor at Mixon’s.

“It’s a great way to reach out to the community and getting to know people,” Lieberman said. “It’s the people part of the business that I like the most.”

Christina Hatzakais, a local Scentsy consultant, also does a lot of different events, “But if I can get into a Mixon event, I will get into a Mixon event. The atmosphere here is amazing. The other vendors and the people who come here are so friendly.”

Hatzakais said it’s also a great opportunity for networking with other vendors to learn about other events, as well as ensuring Scentsy customers that may just be visiting the area have a local consultant on hand to meet their needs. It’s a perfect case of mixing business with pleasure.

“Coming to Mixon’s is like a party every day where you come in and it’s always like being on vacation,” said Marie Loby.

This story was originally published June 24, 2017 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Mixon Fruit Farms, so much more than oranges."