Wellen Park partners with Worden Farm to offer weekly organic produce delivery at the Welcome Center

VENICE, Fla. (Sept. 13, 2022) – Locally grown organic farm-fresh produce is coming to the Wellen Park Welcome Center this growing season. Wellen Park has partnered with Punta Gorda’s Worden Farm as a member delivery location for local residents to pick up weekly farm boxes brimming with just-harvested vegetables and herbs, starting in early December.

“We are excited to support local family farms while providing our residents with convenient access to the nutritional benefits of fresh organic produce grown close to home,” said Christine Masney, vice president of marketing at Wellen Park. “Participating in Worden Farm’s box program is like bringing the farmers market to the Welcome Center every week.”

Worden Farm Boxes, available only to members who pay in advance for the 20-week program, are packed with 100% USDA-certified organic produce harvested just a day or two before delivery, said Eva Worden, who founded the 85-acre farm in 2003 with her husband, Chris Worden. Recognized as organic farmer experts by the Organic Trade Association and the USDA, both have doctorate degrees and are Florida Innovative Farmer Award recipients.

“Everything in the box is humming with vibrancy. It’s so fresh,” she said. “The boxes are great for people who care where their food comes from and want affordability and convenience.”

Members receive a half-bushel box of farmer’s choice selections, which vary weekly depending on the harvest and season. The boxes fit easily on a refrigerator shelf and typically include leafy salad and cooking greens, root crops, fruiting vegetables and culinary herbs. For example, a box may contain a head of lettuce – the farm grows 20 different varieties – as well as quarts of tomatoes and squash, bunches of carrots, kale, scallions, green beans and basil.

Worden Farm harvests crops Monday afternoons and Tuesdays, packing and delivering boxes on Wednesdays for ultimate farm freshness to nearly 20 locations along Florida’s gulf coast between Palmetto and Naples. By contrast, it can take up to two weeks before produce appears on supermarket shelves, said Worden. The farm boxes contain only top-quality produce, without fillers like ice packs or packing peanuts. Wellen Park’s Welcome Center is Worden Farm’s only delivery location between Port Charlotte and Venice.

Farm box pickup will be available to Wellen Park-area members every Wednesday, 2:30-5:30 p.m., from Dec. 7, 2022, to April 19, 2023, at the Wellen Park Welcome Center.

Memberships are $38 per week, with the full 20-week program payment due upon sign-up. The farm is accepting memberships now through mid-November, which are limited on a first-come basis. Anyone interested can sign up for a membership online and learn more at bit.ly/wfwpfarmbox.

As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s community-supported agriculture program, Worden Farm has been offering local farm boxes for 20 years, relying on memberships to sustain its regenerative and climate-wise agricultural practices while bringing field-to-table produce to members throughout Southwest Florida. The farm plans its annual crops and harvest based on membership.

Health and wellness are emphasized throughout Wellen Park, consistently ranked among the U.S.’s top-selling master-planned communities annually by prominent real estate consulting firm RCLCO. Wellen Park offers expansive greenspaces for connecting with nature and each other, miles of interconnecting walking, running and bike trails, and Downtown Wellen, where the fully leased first phase is nearing completion with several businesses planning soft openings at the end of the year.

Located off U.S. 41 just west of South River Road in Wellen Park, the pedestrian-friendly downtown is envisioned as a regional destination for dining, entertainment, outdoor recreation and social connections with the 80-acre Grand Lake creating a scenic backdrop for unique alfresco gathering venues and Downtown Wellen’s array of restaurants, boutiques, healthcare offices, and beauty and professional services. The lake offers a floating dock and recreational activities, including fishing, kayaking and paddleboarding with rentals available at Kind Vibes Outfitters. The outfitter will also rent bicycles and e-bikes for exploring the 2.8-mile walking, cycling and jogging trail circling the lake.

Natural connections are elevated by the sweeping events lawn, an outdoor lounge with an expansive deck under a 100-year-old relocated oak tree, lakefront promenades, a playground immersed in natural play, and a lakefront splashpad and fountain area.

Diners will discover a variety of cuisine – from new American and fusion at The Banyan House, downtown’s flagship waterfront restaurant, and rustic family recipes at Mirabella’s Italian Coast Cuisine to stone-baked pizzas and tavern fare at Oak & Stone Craft Beer & Artisan Pizza, steak and small plates at Villani & Co. Steak Seafood Raw Bar, and super-premium ice cream at Bright Ice. The Banyan House is also the exclusive caterer at Solis Hall, Downtown Wellen’s lakefront community space and event venue for weddings, parties, concerts, anniversaries and community celebrations.

For those looking for a relaxed and playful environment, The Yard offers ultra-casual food and beverages served counter style from retrofitted shipping containers, an outdoor dining courtyard and activity center. The Yard will feature gourmet ballpark favorites from Atlanta Braves-affiliated Pop Dawgs, Greek specialties at Agapi and New England-style seafood at Claw & Co.

Downtown Wellen has also welcomed Breakwater Home Fashions, Paint Nail Bar, Naples Soap Company, Dana Tyler Jewelry & Fashion, Dr. Jeffrey Seymour Smiles Orthodontics, Kind Vibes Outfitters, Capstan Financial Consulting Group, Agility Physical Therapy, Florida Lakes Vein Center and Florida Lakes Spa.

Wellen Park offers a mix of single-family and multifamily residential, commercial and recreational options. The community currently has approximately 9,500 residents, and at full buildout will have more than 50,000 residents and 22,500 homes within its three distinct districts: West Villages, Downtown Wellen and Playmore.

Homebuyers at Wellen Park begin their journey in the award-wining welcome center highlighting the community’s unique lifestyle and expanding residential choices, including single-family homes in picturesque neighborhoods, a bundled golf and country club community, paired villas, coach homes and condominiums. Wellen Park also offers one- to three-bedroom apartments, single-family rental homes, a rental apartment community for active adults 55 and older, and world-class independent, assisted living and memory care.

Wellen Park is close to top-ranked beaches and the area’s many attractions.

To learn more about living at Wellen Park, call 941-960-7805, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center at 12275 Mercado Drive in Venice, Fla. The Welcome Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Contact:

Jennifer Hamilton, Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and PR, 239-275-5758, [email protected]