As we headed down highway 997 skirting Everglades National Park we saw fields of vegetables and fruits covering the landscape. Just north of Homestead there were acres of beans, tomatoes, peppers, squash, strawberries and fruits found nowhere else in the nation. Some fields were being planted, others were in full force of growth and still others were being hand picked. At Florida City we turned west on highway 9336 and before reaching the Everglades we saw it - "Robert is Here - Fruit Stand."

Forty-two years ago Robert began his career of growing and selling fruits and vegetables. He started at age seven when his father, a farmer, had some extra cucumbers and he sat Robert beside the road in a chair with the cucumbers on a plywood table. At the end of the day his father returned and asked how many cucumbers he had sold. Robert replied "None." The next day his father left Robert in the same place and erected a sign about ten yards on either side of Robert. The signs simply said "Robert is Here." By the end of the day Robert had sold all the cucumbers.

Today Robert is still selling vegetables and fruits beside the road. Being located in Dade County he is able to get the pick of the crops and before purchasing, customers are encouraged to sample anything they have. Want the freshest strawberries, some flowers or herbs - pick them outback! Sample his honey produced by his own bees. Robert also offers a large selection of sauces that can be found nowhere else. At their snack bar try a fruit smoothie including key lime which is tart, but tasty. There is a self-guided tortoise zoo out back that is dominated by an 800-pound Galapagos tortoise.

We found a place to park the motorhome off the road and bought some fruits at the stand. A few days later we drove back and bought some more fruits and met Robert and his daughter Toya. On weekends the place is packed and they have live entertainment. We visited on a Sunday and there was a cowboy plucking and singing and an old timer showing antique cars.

As a farmer specializing in tropical fruits, Robert has been featured in NBC's Today Show and World News Tonight and in newspapers across the country. In addition to citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, tangelos and tangerines, Robert sells twenty-three other fruits. Depending on the time of year you may find anon (sugar apple), atemoya, avocado, canestel (egg fruit), carambola (star fruit), Florida sweet onions, kumquat, key lime, lime, longan, lychee, mamey, mango, monstera, papaya, passion fruit, sapodilla, sapote (black), strawberries, sugar cane, tamarind and water coconut.

Linda picked up a Tropical Fruit Cookbook at Robert is Here and prepared a delicious meal of Star Stir-Fry with carambola (star fruit). It tasted very much like sweet and sour chicken. Below is the recipe.

Star Stir-Fry
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken sliced into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
1 onion chopped
2 carambolas, sliced thick
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon smoked sesame oil
1/2 cup pecan halves (optional)
 

Step One: Place chicken pieces, soy sauce, sherry and lemon juice into a covered bowl and refrigerate for one hour.

Step Two: Remove chicken and strain, reserving marinade. In a hot skillet or wok, add oil, garlic and ginger and toss. Add chicken and onion and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add carambolas, and stir in soy sauce, orange juice, smoked sesame oil, pecans if desired and reserved marinade. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Step Three: Remove to serving dish and serve with rice.

Yield: 4 servings