Market Farming

["David Guthrie" <dguthrie AT egyptian.net>]

Sue:

just ran across your post today a little late but. . .

we lived in the Orlando metro area for six years a few years ago.

the area of central florida is usually associated with a large sand ridge 
running down the middle of the peninsula

there are "muck farms" in the area where the swamps and wetlands have been 
drained years ago. . .by now the soil is mostly gone

in the Sanford area there was at one time the so-called celery capital (of 
us?)

when we were there i read the local gardening expert Tom McCubbin and got 
his book re gardening in fla.
unfortunately his position is that the "soil is just a medium to hold the 
roots" and asserted that "you can grow anything in central fla as long as 
you water and feed it"

we went to the strawberry festival at Plant City (southwest of Orlando) one 
year and found berries grown on black plastic with one plant every foot or 
two with about 4 or 5 large berries per plant...the kind you get from wal 
mart during winter

i grew green beans and some things in our flower beds. . .it all did much 
better with a truckload of local compost. . .
a lot of people garden in fla. . .mostly ornamentals (periwinkles are 
considered weeds and crepe myrtles abound)  but vegetables are possible and 
will thrive year round since the season is mild all year. . .provided you 
amend and build the soil (sand ) a lot,  after that experience and living 
back on a farm in the midwest i have concluded that copious amounts of 
organic matter are necessary wherever you live. . .but particularly on the 
sand ridge in fla.

best wishes

(ps.  there really is good cuban food in the area though)

David Guthrie
southern illinois


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sue Wells" <farmersue AT hughes.net>
To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 8:54 AM
Subject: [Market-farming] florida farming


> My husband may get transferred to the Orlando area. Can anyone tell me how
> the soil is there and what vegetables is it possible to grow there?  I am
> just curious. I am under the impression that is not good land for growing
> vegetables, I hope I am incorrect.
> Thank you, Sue Wells
> Vermont
>
>
>
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