Florida Food Forest Tour By Expert Permaculture Instructor

[@johngault8688]

I have bees (here in Jax, Fl) all year around; everything from native bees to honeybees (I don't raise honeybees). My secret is allowing certain weeds to grow and most are native and they do an incredible job at attracting all types of pollinators, including butterflies and various hoverflies as well as any bee species in my area. Just some of my favorite "weeds" Snow Square Stem (Melanthera nivea), Florida Betony (Stachys floridana), Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana), Wood Sorrel (Oxalis crassipes), Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella), Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), American Nightshade (Solanum americanum) and Poke Weed (Phytolacca americana). The vast majority of these are native and are incredible at attracting not only pollinators, but also other types of wildlife.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Sounds like you have a lot of diversity!

[@WildFloridian]

I love it! I have been doing similar with native plants and I'm working on adding more native edible plants to my yard too! Just added Marlberry!

[@Gibbypastrami]

Idk what species it is but there's this purple flower with three petals, yellow pollen inside, has a stem that gets pretty tall with long thin leaves, closer to a grass than a branch, I've heard them called wild irises, they're beautiful, bees love em, including green orchid bees! They're so pretty

[@torahharah2904]

That's so awesome

[@WildFloridian]

Thank you for taking us on a Food Forest tour! I have a mini-Food Forest and I’m slowly expanding and I always enjoy getting ideas. 😄 Cheers!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Our pleasure! Keep up the good work, the more forests out there the better!

[@richverreault]

Awesome! I'm looking to do the same thing in ocala forest.

[@marjoleinbaas6293]

Yes, I live near Brooksville and I want to start a food forest, so this video was very helpful, thanks!

[@arizonajo2791]

More permaculture for Central Florida please!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

you got it!

[@cl89521]

Permaculture, and garden tours....Yes please! Thank you!!!!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

You got it!

[@francestutt3661]

So many great links!

[@francestutt3661]

Yes more tours of SW FL. Yes little tidbits are great!

[@risshanson4651]

I’m in hillsborough country Florida and I’m looking for like minded people to learn from about food forest, gardening and homesteading. I read and research and experiment a lot on my own; but it’s always nice to find people in your zone to learn from and connect with.

[@waynelefleur759]

I am in Pinellas, just west of you. The best thing I did with my property was to call local tree companies to have them dump free mulch at my place. They have to pay, and drive, to dump, so they love to give it to locals for free. I covered the yard with it for 3-4 years and now have wonderful organic soil. Banana holes (a hole with a bunch of branches, leaves and yard debris) works really well for beds where you are putting larger fruit trees and... bananas. And always make room for solitary bee hotels. There are many native types and they pollinate 20X better than honey bees. Good luck.

[@northeasthardytropicals541]

Big fan of these tours. Florida’s got it going on 👍🏼

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Ill be filming another one this weekend. We do dont we?! Lots of potential here.

[@torahharah2904]

That's so awesome. Thank you all for being devoted in such priceless journey of respect to gods creations and working tog side by side with nature How wonderful

[@starryeyedwish8005]

Yes to tours!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

you got it!

[@smartinez1376]

Thank for for this video video. We live in the Spring Hill area so I’m always happy to see and learn gardening methods from people living close by. I would be very interested in seeing more tours of people’s gardens/food forests. Thanks again.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Wonderful! Ive got one planned for next month so stay tuned!

[@ajcsonsforge6370]

We just got ours going here in dunnellon we're about an hour North of spring hill. Already have some blueberries, elderberry, blackberry, Barbados cherries, sugar apples.

[@heatherdiaz2311]

I just recently found your channel, and I’m so grateful for you sharing your wealth of knowledge for central Florida growers! I have been working hard to find ways to keep adding food to our property, year round, and your channel will help me keep things healthy and growing!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

thats wonderful! its an ever changing and growing process isnt it?

[@ericajones3129]

Yes, please keep them.xomimg love all the tours.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Ive got a playlist of other tours ive done if youd like to check those out as well.

[@ericajones3129]

@@TheUrbanHarvest I live in Spring Hill. So glad I found local. Thank and will check them out.

[@HardcoreSustainable]

It's so true what she said about choosing the right cultivar for the climate. There are plenty of squashes selected and adapted to tropics and subtropics. Or just completely different crops that will do better and provide similar food.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Yep, it just takes thinking outside the grocery store shelves and trying new things!

[@torahharah2904]

@@TheUrbanHarvest thank you all !

[@patientlywaiting9030]

Yes, this is great! Please do more like this!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

I have a whole playlist now for tours! kzbin.info/aero/PLXaHDuLes4F9BtCCyIk6SujPI9qKLYWEJ

[@jamesparish2937]

Awesome. Doing a mini version in SW FL. Have to hand pollinate Seminole Pumpkin due to lack of bees. Appreciate the info and love that Serj Tankian attended the tour!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Thats great! Food forests can be so productive! My pumpkin seem to be susceptible to that more than other crops too.

[@torahharah2904]

OMG.. lack of bees!!!

[@gardentours]

Amazing food forest 🌱🌱💚

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

She does a great job!

[@shawnstangeland3011]

Just outstanding! Am working on one in Pensacola but am using native plants

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Very cool!

[@pedroluisIV]

Moving to Jacksonville for good, this is great information. Thank you!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kellyhummingbird]

awesome

[@nohnt9439]

Very informative.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Glad it was helpful!

[@evelynm.8967]

Paw paw?! Oh man, I want to try one. I don’t feel so bad about the zucchini now- mine never produced.

[@ajcsonsforge6370]

I've got one left. It's trying to hold in there. I lost all my cucumbers this year it something have no idea what knocked them out.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

could have been the higher than normal hear or squash vine borer...

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

give it another try in spring.

[@leannhoward7306]

Great video! Very informative!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@hgdon-homeiswheretreesare-9239]

We have sun in Florida from the panhandle to Miami, all years round, except towards the end and beginning of year; and then of course, we have soil (but it’s basically sand, so the water won’t stay in the sand: that’s why you have to treat the soil and water all year round, in order to have successful gardens in Florida).

[@waynelefleur759]

No need to treat or water much. Use wood chips everywhere. They turn into wonderful soil and hold the moisture, so watering becomes less frequent.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Sheet mulching is a great method, we use this and it works well for creating a base soil that we can plant into directly or use to keep weeds out!

[@meganlukes6679]

Not edible, but blanketflower bloom in summer and bees love it. Very easy to grow from seed and it’s then self-seeding

[@crystalh733]

Love this. Thank you!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dannyholcomb2967]

More Florida food forest there awesome

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Yes they are!

[@SouthernLatitudesFL]

Enjoyed it very much! Already subscribed.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Awesome, thank you!

[@LaRa-youknowit]

New to you, love seein what grows here

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

An amazing diversity of food since we are tropical with a touch of cold each winter!

[@dennisshields7246]

wow, I love it

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

awesome, glad you enjoyed!

[@USA1492]

Yes more tours please. Every size garden/forest possible! Extra small to full scale forests

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Alright, Ive got several more already in mind!

[@torahharah2904]

OMG wait until I show you a unbelievable place of a kind..

[@happyfamily8624]

Wow very good video my friend.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Glad you liked it!

[@studentslifeadda094]

I am saif from India I like it your show

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

thank you!

[@Ded-Ede]

I basically food the same way because I don’t have the time and definitely don’t have any type of irrigation system so I just let nature do it’s thing. I clean up /chop and drop whenever I can. I mainly just plant and reap.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Building the mulch and soil is the hardest part, after that its easy!

[@gritandgrace6425]

Def would love more of the food forest/permaculture stuff. It's becoming really popular! Do you know what that big bushy plant is behind her to the left at the 10:50 minute mark?

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

You got it, I've got one coming out probably next week! To the very left of the screen about her head height is casava. To the back of the screen looking a little rough is tithonia.

[@torahharah2904]

How are you all doing brothers? I would love to come volunteer sometime this winter. How is the crops going? All happy

[@leaningpalmranch902]

I live in Arcadia FL and I have tried to grow things for years. I have over 100 acres and have not had success growing hardly anything. I would love for someone to walk my property with me and show me the plants that are edible that already thrive here. I'm desperate to feast off the land but I'm so frustrated with Florida. Help😞 Thanks for focusing on Florida, maybe there's hope for me🙂

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

There is always hope! I would suggest reaching out to Koreen at Grow Permaculture. She does site visits like you describe and full food forest plans. She is THE best your can get for Florida! Good luck!

[@kimchaney6884]

Look into the products with advanced eco agriculture for building up the soil. That has helped my soil in Polk county so much. Also you are close to ECHO development farm in Ft Myers and they are great.

[@francismeowgannou5322]

Look up jamaican slow farms. They've been doing this for years

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

So many native cultures have! Its a sustainable and productive way to grow food.

[@KimClark-1]

Thanks for the tour! I have visited your seed shop and that of Baker Creek heirloom seeds. I am trying to make a garden of perennials and re-seeding heirlooms for salad greens, fruits and vegetables that thrive in our central Florida climate. I would love for you to do a video on how to incorporate heirlooms as perennials in the garden. Can’t we just carefully choose cultivars/varieties for our climate, be careful about cross pollination within species, harvest as needed then let some plants go to seed and self-sow? Does that work?

[@robertkluson3516]

Yes, please, show us the many different types of urban Ag in FL . . . Does Koreen have an urban Food Forest to recommend ya’ to visit & film? Thanks…

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

I plan on it!

[@joshuabaughn3734]

There's very little that can be grown here in Michigan. A few fruits and vegetables and that's about it.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

I'm not very familiar that far north. But there's a book Resilient Farm and Homestead that works in a similar climate. You should check it out.

[@mandymarth8050]

Check out James Prigioni’s gardening channel. I think he’s in Michigan (maybe) and he’s growing crazy amounts of food in his backyard food forest.

[@EatSeeRV]

What's a Florida paw paw taste like? I've never heard of those!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

kind of like funky banana citrus

[@GatorLife57]

Do a H.E.A.R.T. tour in Lake Wales with Josh !!!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

I've been there but haven't taken an official tour yet. My intention was fall for that one : )

[@flgardening813]

This is really really great! Is there a link to the experimental seed network that Corrine mentions? I would love to check that out!

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

www.experimentalfarmnetwork.org/

[@cra2cra226]

Trying to do this. I like her statement about not being able to rely on the well water on your property forever. But what's killing me are the fire ants. How are you handling them, organically, around all these edibles? And the deer - they've destroyed every edible we've planted and the trees and herbs, too. I'm about to add THEM to the list of edibles we harvest.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

This is the approach I use... kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGKyYoSDoZqmn9U. as for the deer it can be challenging but Id try to keep a small area fenced with your most prized or attractive foods then plant forage specifically for them at the furthest point on your property away from there.

[@itziahurtado]

I love these videos...what type of zucchini and kale did she name? I couldn't get the name

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

alexandria is the squash, perennial kale from experimental farm network is the other.

[@mnp6398]

Check out Green Dreams...amazing farm in Spring Hill Fl

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

I'm familiar with them yes. Very knowledgeable and great nursery!

[@kimchaney6884]

Where can we obtain that cultivar of Zucchini?

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Ive been struggling to find it myself. Thats the curse and beauty of heirlooms! Im trying to get seed directly from her and plan to grow it out and save the seed to share with others. But it will be awhile.

[@soulwendy]

Is this on Salina St?

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

yes!

[@padmajajampala6935]

Thank you. Is there any way can I have this Brockville food forecast address please. Is there any way can I tour this. I

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

growpermaculture.com/

[@msdramamusic]

Can't she plant native black-eyed Susans out there it's extremely drought tolerant and I found that I cannot keep bees off of that plant I actually don't water The Black-Eyed Susans in the front of my yard and they are holding up really good. It naturally reseed itself so it's not one plant that they have to keep planting every summer.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

I've chatted with her (not specifically about black eyed susans) and other bee keepers and I think some flowers have blooms but aren't very heavy in nectar which is what the bees are looking for. Maybe that is one that doesn't have as much nectar? Just guessing here...

[@cetriyasArtnComicsChannel]

The is issue is that I need to taste these foods before I invest in growing them. I don't like the taste of kale nor Kolorabi and the others I have not found in stores to try. All the veggies I love are winter or spring veggies and I really don't care to have much tropical fruits because of the high sugar and too many larger pests.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Just keep experimenting, there are a ton of easy to grow crops out there for every season here!

[@shawnstangeland3011]

Think this lady could get rid of the kudzu and air potatoes

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

This property is only a few years in cultivation. Always a work in progress!

[@onimandisa7304]

What kind of zucchini did she say that was?

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

alexandria

[@Kinjo2008]

*At **3:55** the plant you use as your chop n drop what is the name?*

[@TylerLukey]

She said acacia something but it looks like a leucaena leucocephala to me which is a great nitrogen-fixer/chop and drop. Huckleberry Holler Farm recommends tithonia diversifolia for chop and drop instead of a tree. Just my opinion though, both are great!

[@Kinjo2008]

@@TylerLukey Thank you! I just got some Tithonia diversifolia but am always looking to learn more varieties as chop n drop to help with my woodchips to battle my florida sand here.

[@TylerLukey]

@@Kinjo2008 Yes, we need anything we can get to add to this sand haha.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

its leucaena!

[@Kinjo2008]

@@TheUrbanHarvest Thank you!

[@georgewashington4731]

That's not what a land race is.

[@lalalol1215]

No native plants to attract birds and pollinators

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

She has loads of natives and other pollinator/bird species. If your in her area you should definitely take the time for a tour or class. She si a wealth of knowledge and has so much information to share!

[@tonyv1505]

Not really a food forest permaculture where are the fruit trees, also no bug control bugs are eating the leaves wild vines over trees suffocating them i saw trees dying of thirst no definitely not a manageable permaculture

[@marijuanacannabis6958]

BUILDING A FOOD FOREST...WILL YOU HELP ME? IJA PLZ REPLY

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

I don't do full build outs but have several contacts who do. I would suggest contacting Koreen (her info is in the show notes from this video). She will be able to help with site specific plans.

[@greenhousefun3235]

It’s seems that people can grow everything in Florida. No one shouldn’t go hungry. This is beautiful. I’m in Va my food Forrest is coming along wonderfully. Thanks for the inspiration

[@NixPix]

great video and worth the 2nd watch

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@cyrusp100]

Lol what are you talking about? Permaculture theory was developed in the subtropics in Australia. The best examples of food forests come from the permaculture institutes in Australia.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

They do have amazing examples there! I think it is really helpful for people to see systems in their own location though.

[@soilbellefarm3710]

Great video ❤

[@jthorpe1989]

I'm doing some experiments of a food forest in Lakeland I really like how the kill grows Dino kill Dino kale looks beautiful

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

cool

[@nancyfahey7518]

Where do you get alexandria zuccini? I'm in citrus county. Trying to get rid of excessive ornamentals like crepe myrtle.

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

I'm not sure where she got them specifically. I did a google search and several online retailers popped up but my guess would be a seed exchange for her.

[@torahharah2904]

Is anyone driving towards central Georgia that could pick me up please i want to go there help you all

[@missjones8123]

Oh I live in Orlando, I need to visit this place. Cool

[@TheUrbanHarvest]

Yes pretty close to you!