Enter my fabulous local produce farmers Jon and Debbie Butts.
Jon and Debbie are homesteaders. They own and operate EcoFarm, a sustainable, organic, biodynamic farm in the Tampa Bay area. I am fortunate enough to have access to the bounty of their produce on a weekly basis.
Jon and Debbie really have a knack for growing produce even under the extreme conditions of a Florida summer.
Yesterday, I got some figs, grapes (yes, they grow in Florida in the summer!) and sand (pineapple) pears from them.
The picture above showcases the vegetables I purchased last week. As I type this, I have the calabaza (tropical) pumpkin in the oven. My kids cannot wait until I bake some pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie with the 4-5 cups of delectable homemade pumpkin puree I will get from baking this gorgeous speciman.
Who says pumpkins are to be enjoyed just in the Fall?
I also have 3 different kinds of eggplant which make for an amazing eggplant parmesan casserole consisting of all the varieties baked together.
The long white thing at the back of the picture is a cucuzza squash. They are divine sauted in butter and cloves of garlic. It tastes a bit like a cross between cucumber and zucchini.
Hopefully, next week I can get some okra so I can make a nice, spicy pot of gumbo!
Are you particularly adept like Jon and Debbie at growing seasonal produce under extreme weather conditions? Let us know about it in the comments section!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Sarah Pope has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. Her work is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.
Her work has been covered by major media including USA Today, ABC, NBC, and many others.
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When I lived in Kissimmee last year I was able to meet Debbie and buy some great produce. They have great produce! Jamie, Eco Farm used to sell at the Lakeland (I think) farmers market. They also set up a table at a Health Food store in Winter Haven. I forgot the name of it though.
Hi Sarah
I live in the Tampa Bay area I was wondering if you could give me contact info for Eco farm. I would love go and see what they have.
Thank you
Jamie
Please email me directly, Jamie. I don’t post any personal info for anyone on my blog. Thanks.