Saturday October 13 and Sunday October 14, 2012
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
GrowFest! 2012 is about connecting the dots between the farm or garden and the dinner table. We want to engage you, encourage and give you the tools you need to grow some of your own, and gain a better appreciation of what it takes for our farmers to produce the food we all eat, and whet your appetite for the best and freshest produce.
Start your gardens! Get your seedlings, fruit trees and companion plants. Bee Heaven Farm will have over 80 varieties of heirloom tomato seedlings, several varieties of eggplant, hot peppers, basil, arugula, chard, kale, Asian greens and perennial herbs like garlic chives, curryleaf, and lemongrass. Other vendors will have fruit trees, native and companion plants to promote beneficial insect habitat and gardening supplies. SNAP/EBT dollars can be used for buying veggie seeds and seedlings. And those dollars will stretch twice as far, courtesy of Urban Oasis Project/Wholesome Wave Foundation’s double-value program, to get those gardens growing!
Questions about growing? Answers here for backyard growers, urban farmers, small and big farms. The UF/Miami-Dade County Extension Office is our local source for growing information tailored to our subtropical South Florida climate. Check out their presentations and demos. There will be special emphasis on organic and environmentally friendly practices, and establishing building blocks for healthy eating.
“What’s Organic About Organic?” Florida Organic Growers & Consumers will be here to answer your questions, and will feature the documentary “What’s Organic About Organic?” in the classroom building, along with other presentations and demos. Here’s your chance to learn what it really means to be organic, why it’s important to strive for sustainability, and how locally-grown produce helps keep farms in business and boosts our local economy.
Want to learn how to prepare healthy food and kid-friendly snacks? See local chefs use fresh local ingredients to create fun and tasty dishes, school lunches, and snacks.
Enjoy fresh, great food and drinks! Tired of that same old fair food? We’ll have a great selection of healthy foods showcasing locally-grown Fresh From Florida and Redland-Raised ingredients. Local cottage food and artisanal producers will share their stories and sell their goods. Want to be a vendor or exhibitor? Click here for GrowFest! 2012 Vendor application http://tinyurl.com/GFvendor
Explore the park! The only tropical botanical garden and public park of its kind in the U.S., the Redland Fruit & Spice Park hosts over 500 varieties of tropical fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, nuts and edible plants. If you’ve ever been to the park, you know what a nice place it is to visit and learn about the amazing variety of edible plants you can grow in South Florida.
Admission:
$8 advance purchase, $10 at the gate (cash) – children under 12 free
Get your advance tickets now! http://tinyurl.com/GFTickets
Location:
Redland Fruit & Spice Park
24801 SW 187th Avenue, Redland, FL
(corner of Coconut Palm Drive & Redland Road)
GrowFest! 2012 is a fundraiser for Florida Organic Growers
Call 305-247-8650 or email GrowFest@beeheavenfarm.com at least 7 days in advance to request materials in accessible format, a sign language interpreter and for information on access for persons with disabilities.
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The stars of the party are heirloom tomatoes in a rainbow of colors — black, red, orange, yellow and green. The available varieties are tried and true and do well in our hot and humid climate.
For the first time this year, Bee Heaven is offering two kinds of organic choy and napa cabbage seedlings, started by the Miami G.R.O.W. Project.
There’s also arugula and eggplant and a variety of mild and hot peppers. GrowFest is where you need to be, to get what you need to start your fall garden.
Redland Rambles 