The composting workshop I was so excited about was canceled because of the rain, but I still stopped by Little River Market Garden for the potluck and to tour this urban farm I had heard great things about. I was also interested in the possibility of getting a CSA from them.

Little River Market Garden, right off Biscayne and 82nd Street, is operated by Muriel Olivares, a young farmer who after doing a series of farming internships in Homestead and in New York, took on the challenge of starting her own organic CSA on this small plot next to Little River. So far she has 11 people signed up for the CSA, and hopes to open a few more places next year.

She showed us what she’s been growing so far -mostly beans she plans to chop and leave there to add oxygen and nitrogen to the soil.

She won’t start growing most veggies until the fall, when the growing season begins, but we did see some eggplants, banana trees, peppers and yucca.

I also counted about five different mushroom species, which Muriel says are proof of a complete ecosystem.

The tour and potluck was coordinated by the Urban Oasis Project, a group of edible garden enthusiasts who gather once a month to share seeds, seedlings and recipes, and who have been creating raised beds of edibles for low income families in Little Haiti and Mid-Town.

For more information on Little River Market Farm visit www.LittleRiverCSA.com

Afraid of parenthood? No worries, try taking care of a tree first.

Miami’s Adopt-A-Tree summer program kicks-off this Saturday to help residents plant a tree for the future. Dade residents of a single-family or duplex home will be eligible to receive up to two free trees during the length of the program -even if they already received free trees in past years.

The program claims to be “better than ever” this year, and looking at the tree species that will be offered, there’s no question about it -part of the beauty of the program is that they are all native species. Check the dates continue

Can you name things you couldn’t find on Google? Your closest community garden is not one of them.

Thank Scott Lewis, who has taken the job to organize local gardens in an interactive Google map, which now boasts almost 50 gardens.

They are neatly organized by ownership: community gardens in blue, school gardens in green, and Miami-Dade College gardens in yellow. And note that school gardens are leading the count, which is great news.
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Remember when I planted my edible garden a few months ago? My first home-grown tomatoes are now ready to eat, so I decided to also pick some fresh basil from the garden and make a delicious Caprese salad.

Many people wonder what’s the difference between a regular and organic or homegrown tomato, and they are surprised to hear that regular tomatoes are picked green and ripen artificially with a gas called ethylene when they are closer to their point of sale location. Not only is that gas unnecessary in your food, but when tomatoes ripe naturally, they get to develop much more flavors thanks continue

(Thanks to Betsy Martinez for contributing with this story and to Chris Cutro for the picture)

When Grisel Couto asked for a bundle of fresh cilantro, she got just what she asked for. The booth attendant hand picked them right in front of her and bagged the herbs – dirt clumps still clinging to the roots. That’s what makes this crop fields-meets-city veggie mart so unique: some of the produce is grown right before your eyes.

Roots in the City’s Urban Market, the first-of-its-kind farmer’s market, ran every Wednesday through April in Overtown, offering the freshest veggies and herbs in Miami.

And besides the freshness of the produce, or the fact that it’s grown on premises, or that it’s the first of its kind in South Florida, the market was special to the city because it offered those on food stamps twice continue

The number of Earth Day events in South Florida grows every year, but that’s no excuse to miss any of them. Here’s a list of South Florida Earth Day 2010 events.

If you don’t see an event, please e-mail me at editor@theecozine.com

LET’S RE-TAKE OUR PLATES FILM SERIES
WHEN: April 10-23
WHERE: Locations across South Florida
WHY: This is your best chance to watch some of the best and newest documentaries showcasing what really goes into your food and how much damage we’re doing to our planet. Documentaries include No Impact Man, The Garden, Food Inc,
ADMISSION: $5-$7
MORE INFO: Click here to read more on the film series

EARTH DAY EVERYDAY
WHEN: Saturday April 17
TIME: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, 3109 E. Sunrise Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale.
WHY: Speakers all day and booths with great, local environmentalists and conservationists.
ADMISSION: regular park admission, $6/ car, $2/ pedestrian
MORE INFO: click here

EARTH MIAMI ON JUNGLE ISLAND
WHEN: April 17-18
WHERE:1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami.
WHY: Two-day festival commemorates Earth Day with eco-tours a local horticulturist, recycle animal sculpture display by South Florida schools, interactive eco-conscious activities and stations
ADMISSION: $20 when you bring a can or bottle to recycle
MORE INFO: Call (305) 400-7000‎ or visit www.JungleIsland.com

THE FALLS’ “GO GREEN” EXPO
WHEN: Saturday, April 17
TIME: 1-5 p.m. The Little Planet Helper’s Club from 2-4 p.m.
WHERE: The Falls’ Center Court, U.S. 1 and SW 136th Street.
WHY: Expo will showcase various businesses that will educate families about the importance of keeping the environment clean.
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO:Call 305-255-4571

EARTHFEST 2010
WHEN: Sunday, April 18th,
TIME: 12 to 6 p.m.
WHERE: Crandon Park Visitors & Biscayne Nature Center, 6767 Crandon Blvd. Key Biscayne.
WHY: Celebrates 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Includes performances by Expand the Love and hands-on nature workshops on organic gardening, every child outdoors, raw food preparation, yoga and deep ecology. Must bring concert blanket or portable chair.
ADMISSION: regular park entrance, $6/ person
MORE INFO: Call 305-323-8858 or click here

GREEN DRINKS SOUTH FLORIDA
WHEN: Thursday, April 22
TIME: 6:30 to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Boca Raton Resort and Country Club
WHY: This is a black-tie event with a green-tie flair. Network with green business owners, enjoy an ECO fashion show, watch the ECO lifestyle awards, and have a delicious organic buffet dinner.
ADMISSION: $125
MORE INFO: www.southfloridagreendrinks.org

MIAMI GOING GREEN
WHEN: Saturday, April 24
TIME: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
WHERE: Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd, Miami
WHY: The team onboard the Bahamas to U.S. Solar-Powered Crossing expedition will arrive to Bayfront Park. Also, dozens of local vendors and green organizations will be there.
ADMISSION: free
MORE INFO: Click here

Image courtesy of flyingsinger

Still not sure what to plant in your spring garden?

Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden is getting ready for its 31st Annual Spring Plant Fair April 24-25, only that this time it’s going to include the best from last year’s Edible Garden Festival, making it even more interesting.

This is the best opportunity to get your supplies of edibles before the summer is here.

The event will include culinary demos, a farmer’s market, lectures on composting, gardening, recycling and organic pest control, plus it’s your chance to check out dozens of local vendors.

More details will be coming soon.

Still not sure what to plant in your spring garden?

Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden is getting ready for its 31st Annual Spring Plant Fair April 24-25, only that this time it’s going to include the best from last year’s Edible Garden Festival, making it even more interesting.

This is the best opportunity to get your supplies of edibles before the summer is here.

The event will include culinary demos, a farmer’s market, lectures on composting, gardening, recycling and organic pest control, plus it’s your chance to check out dozens of local vendors.

More details will be coming soon.

If experienced farmers across Florida had a hard time protecting their crops , you’d probably guessed there was little us rookie home gardeners could do to protect our plants. Gone are my peppers, tomatoes, herbs, jalapenos, radishes, carrots, lettuce… Within days they were all frozen.

After mourning for a few weeks, last weekend we finally spent time fixing what was left and planting new crops.

I stopped by Home Depot and discovered that they are doing a great job with Bonnie Plants to promote edible gardens. I had seen this a few months ago, but the edibles selection is getting bigger and bigger, which means more people are opting for edibles instead of ornamental plants.

They also have neat home garden handouts in English and Spanish with information on creating your own raised bed and on how to grow your own container edible garden when you don’t have a lot of space.

They also have a pile of organic soil bags next to the veggies, making people opt for the healthier soil.

I also noticed new plants this trip, including strawberries and yellow peppers, which makes me excited about what they’ll continue adding to the selection.

Home depot can be a little expensive if you are easily tempted like me, but here are a few tips:

-Broken soil bags sell at a discount, sometimes up to more than 50% off, so just ask where they keep them (and be sure to bring tarp or something to protect your car).

-When selecting plants, carefully inspect them. Pick the ones that have two or more plants in the same pot… you are actually getting one or two free plants.

-Cashiers are allowed to give a 10% discount for ceramic and plastic pots that are damaged, even if it’s minimal. Just ask for it, and if the damage is more severe, don’t be afraid to ask for a higher discount.

-Don’t buy seeds or seedlings for things that are easy to grow from home leftovers. It’s really easy to grow tomatoes, peas and peppers from the seeds of the veggies you already have in the fridge.

-Compost. You save on soil, fertilizers, and recycle our resources.

Since I began growing veggies in my apartment last month, thoughts about seeds, soil, seedlings and worms (yes, worms) have occupied my mind more than they should (e.g.: I had to forbid myself from making more trips to Home Depot).

So when I heard that Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden was having its annual Edible Garden Festival Oct. 24-25, I rushed to their site to make sure it was not sold out (it’s not) and was even more thrilled after reading the list of lectures scheduled through the weekend, including one by Melissa Contreras, co-founder of the Urban Oasis Project (I was inspired to start growing veggies after attending a potluck at her home and seeing the dozens of tropical fruit trees, spices and veggies she grows).

So what can you learn at the festival? See it for yourself; here is the complete schedule: (I’m still trying to get a schedule broken down by day so I can decide which day I’ll go):

Lectures

Saturday, October 24

* 10:00 a.m. The Sustainable Edible Garden, Ginny Stibolt
* 11:00 a.m. Creative Container Gardening, Carolyne Coppolo
* 12:00 p.m. Growing Organic Heirloom Tomatoes, Margie Pikarsky
* 1:00 p.m. Edible Landscaping in Paradise, Gabriele Marewski
* 2:00 p.m. Organic Pest and Disease Management, Andres Mejides
* 3:00 p.m. Raised Bed Vegetable Gardening, Adrian Hunsberger
* 4:00 p.m. Growing the Chocolate Pudding Fruit in South Florida, Noris Ledesma

Sunday, October 25

* 10:00 a.m. Get Your Veggie Garden Growing!, Angela Garrison
* 11:00 a.m. Creative Container Gardening, Carolyne Coppolo
* 12:00 p.m. Sustainable Gardening: Rain Gardens, Ginny Stibolt
* 1:00 p.m. South Florida Gardening with Fruits and Vegetables, Dr. Richard J. Campbell
* 2:00 p.m. Counter Top Gardening with Sprouts, Keith Seidler
* 3:00 p.m. Easy as Takeout: Asian Edibles in the Landscape!,Ron Mossman
* 4:00 p.m. Extreme Edible Landscaping: Urban Homesteading!, Melissa Contreras

Gardening Demonstrations:

Saturday, October 24

* 11:30 a.m. The Fall Veggie Garden: South Beach Style, Danny Ackell
* 1:30 p.m. Composting and Worms, Lanette Sobel

Sunday, October 25

* 10:00 a.m. Slow Food School Gardens, Hunter Reno
* 1:30 p.m. Square Foot Gardening with Kids, Hunter Reno

Cooking Demos

Saturday, October 24

* 11:30 a.m. Johnson & Wales
* 12:30 p.m. Chef Sean Bernal of Oceanaire Seafood Room
* 1:30 p.m. Herb Pesto, Chef Kira Volz of Creek 28
* 2:30 p.m. Avocado Tartar, Chef Elizabeth Barlow of Canyon Ranch

Sunday, October 25

* 11:30 a.m. Chef Adri Garcia of Green Rocks Foods and Mise en Place
* 1:30 p.m. Chef Giancarla Bodoni from Escopazzo
* 2:30 p.m. Chef Lori Moldovan, Certified Holistic Health Counselor

A scarecrow contest will be going on too. Although it’s too late to participate, it should be interesting to watch, specially since the materials have to be environmentally-friendly.

Click here for a printable coupon worth $5 off admission. Check back for a schedule broken down by day, I’m hoping to get a copy soon.

What lectures are you looking forward? Which one is a can’t miss? I’d love to read your comments and thoughts!

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: Fairchild’s Edible Garden Festival and Scarecrow Contest
WHEN: Oct. 24-25 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd., Coral Gables
MORE INFO: Visit Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden’s website

First you start recycling, then you start saving water and electricity, and so the search for greener home techniques begins. With the web saturated with information and tips, it’s hard to know what’s good for your home and what’s not (heard FTC’s recent warning against fabric makers passing toxic rayon as hip organic bamboo?)

Well, the Miami Beach Botanical Garden is making it easier to green your home with a series of free monthly lectures and workshops on subjects such as rain water collection, composting, and sand and wind tolerant plantings. It’s a great way to learn and get all your questions answered… for free!

SCHEDULE:

Composting
Sept. 12, 9 to 10 a.m.
Learn the fundamentals of composting and how to set up a home composting system from Lanette Sobel, co-founder of the Fertile Earth Foundation.

Rain barrel workshop
Sept. 12 / 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
A rain barrel can save most homeowners about 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months. Learn about water conservation and make your own rain barrel at a workshop presented by the Miami-Dade Cooperative Extension Service. Lecture is free, $45 for a rain barrel. Registration required. Call 305-248-3311 or email: bmcadam@ufl.edu.

Salt and wind tolerant plantings
Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
A workshop on coastal horticulture explores plants that are wind tolerant, salt tolerant and recommended for seaside balconies and South Florida’s coastal landscapes. By Steve Woodmansee, biologist.

Teas, tonics and tinctures
Nov. 14, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Dr. Sandra Breiterman lectures on the many herbs that enliven our diets, are “natural” cures with medicinal properties, and key ingredients in health and beauty treatments.

Cactus and succulents
Jan. 9, 10 to 12 p.m.
Peter Multach of the South Florida Cactus and Succulents Society discusses the culture and propagation of cacti and succulents.

All lectures and classes will take place at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach. Lectures are free unless noted. Call 305-673-7256 for more information.

Photo by dnorman