We're busy as heck over here planting, propagating and potting tons of seedlings for this years big annual fall veggie seedling sale, taking place October 31st and November 1st (10am - 2pm) at our Nursery at 115 NE 76th street in Little Haiti. Many Miami gardeners rely on our seedling sale to get their season going, so here is a list of varieties we will have in stock so you can start making your shopping list accordingly. 

tomato varieties:
cherry:
sungold
blueberry
chadwick red
everglades
beams yellow pear
black cherry
indigo rose
sunrise bumble bee 

paste:
bush san marzano 
speckled roman
amish paste

full size:
green zebra
homestead 24
black krim
black prince
costoluto genovese 
chocolate stripe
anahu
indigo apple
lava flow 
tropic
garden peach

determinates: 
amber
black sea man
homestead 24
kewalo
bradley 
sprite-grape tomato

We will also have a limited selection of grafted tomato seedlings! We've grafted some of our favorite heirlooms onto nematode resistant Estamino root stock, increasing their vigor, production, and resistance to many fungus' and root based issues. Grafted tomatoes are the way to go if you have had problems keeping your tomatoes healthy in the past and you just need one or two strong plants in the garden. 

sweet peppers:
shishito
pepperoncini 
biscayne 
lipstick 
alaku hungarian
tequila sunrise 
lunchbox yellow, red and orange varieties 

spicy peppers:
ghost
fish
long red cayenne 
habanero
mustard habanero
datil
scotch bonnet
jalapeño 
yellow thai chili 
hot paper lantern

eggplants:
black beauty 
florida market 
listada de gandia
orient express 
calliope 

greens:
perpetual spinach
swiss chard 
curly kale 
dinosaur kale 
collard greens 
mizuna mustard greens
red rain frilly mustard
french sorrel
variegated sorrel
arugula 
hon tsai tai 
red malabar spinach
some lettuces
frisee 
watercress
broccoli
romanesco

flowers/ herbs:
nasturtiums 
calendula 
marigold
pea vine
spilanthes
rosemary 
culinary sage
rose geranium
oregano
peppermint
thai basil 
citrus basil
purple basil 
genovese basil
cilantro
parsley
borage 
burning sage
tulsi
shiso
bronze fennel

okra green
okra red 

strawberries! 
camarosa
florida festival
radiance florida

cukes and melons:
suyo long cucumber
ashley
pickling cornichons

pineapple ground cherry 

large plants:
comfrey
moringa
mulberry
passion fruit
loofah
winged bean
cranberry hibiscus
lemongrass
sweet potato
gotu kola
cuban oregano

We consider these hot rainy months of the summer as our “off season” although we still work almost daily at the farm. Our CSA program and farmers market stand end in April after which we focus our energy on pulling old plants, planting cover crops, and building new garden space and infrastructure. Our full season apprentices usually work through April and then we say goodbye as they move on to do other cool stuff, like drive around the country learning about farming during the busy summer months of the northwest. So its during this time of building, planning and looking towards the future that we start our search for next seasons full term apprentice. 

Apprenticing at Little River Cooperative is an incredibly unique experience filled with fun, education, and definitely a fare share of sweat, but its not for everyone. We strive to incorporate our apprentice fully into our multi faceted business so that they can learn as much as possible about running an urban farm and making a living off farming. Our apprentice is expected to make a full season commitment to us, which means working about 15-20 hours per week every week from September through April (although of course we are flexible and open to things like vacation time, or late start dates/ early ending, we know that life is complicated). Because we trust our apprentices with lots of different tasks we have to be able to rely on them being committed for a certain length of time, and committed to showing up as regularly scheduled. Apprentices do pretty much the same work as we do… theres lots of soil preparation, planting, weeding, and harvesting to be done at the farm, but we also have a nursery space where we propagate tons of varieties of edible plants, we do grafting there, educational programming, and we use those plants to plant and maintain private gardens around town. Our business is super varied which makes it a fun environment in which to learn, since there are lots of different things to get hands on experience with. In these days, an urban farm has to have a diversified income stream like the one we’ve cultivated, and we pass on our business knowledge and experience to our apprentice as well, since we want you to be really well equipped to succeed with your own farm project once you’re done helping out at ours. 

In exchange for the hard work and time an apprentice gives the farm, we give our apprentice a fertile growing space at the farm where they can put their new experience to work and grow whatever they want! The space has good soil and will be irrigated, and you can use absolutely all of our resources to help plant it including seeds, seedlings, tools and opinions (we’ve got plenty of those lying around!). There will also be plenty of vegetables to share! 

What else? our farming spaces are spread out throughout north miami, from little haiti up to biscayne gardens, so keep that in mind if you’re thinking of apprenticing. We expect about 15-20 hours from an apprentice, and we start at 8am so most work hours will be in the morning. We participate in a farmers market every saturday and apprentices are not obligated to come but are welcome to join us if they also want to learn about that part of the business or sell something of their own. Most of our work is very hot and physical… if you want to get a taste for what a work day would be like, we suggest you come volunteer at the farm sometime, thats really the best way to get to know us, our business, and wether you’re really interested in apprenticing and farming in Miami. email us at mail@littlerivercooperative.com for more information. 

Katia is a friend, a farm volunteer, a CSA member and most recently an avid backyard gardener.  Last year she purchased her first home with her husband Michael and they set out to give the yard a makeover before anything else.  Katia had been volunteering at our farm often and always asked questions to educate herself about growing food plants in our South Florida climate.  Her new home came with a beautiful garden full of butterfly plants, natives and orchids, but Katia and Michael didn't hesitate to make some sacrifices in order to make room for a large vegetable garden.  I've been amazed to watch the transformation and the success they had, it's a truly inspiring story.  Now that she has finished her first growing season and is transitioning the garden into summer mode, I wanted to interview Katia about her experience growing food at home.  I was curious about her process and motivation.  All of these photos are from an instagram account Katia created to document her garden, check out @gardenerkatia for many more beautiful pics.

 

Q: You recently transformed your lush tropical backyard into a vegetable garden.  What motivated you to take out large trees and plants to make room for veggie crops?

 
A: Many things motivated me to transform my garden into an edible garden: 1. The flavor and nutrition is fresher than store bought produce and cooking becomes more simple and enjoyable. 2. I do not waste food because I plant and harvest as I need and the scraps for compost go back to regenerate the soil 3. Home grown food makes wonderful gifts to friends, co-workers, clients and family. It also inspires others to grow their own food. 4. Connecting with nature is therapeutic mentally and physically. 5. It’s great for the environment and it attracts beautiful wildlife to my backyard.

Q: I understand you manage your garden using organic guidelines.  What does that mean exactly and why is important for you?

A: I practice organic farming because it conditions the soil to help build strong and productive plants that are less prone to pests and diseases. The way I keep the soil strong and healthy is by feeding it compost. I also add a little chicken manure, kelp meal and crab meal as needed. I also plant organic seedlings and seeds for my USDA Hardiness zone so that they will thrive and won't need a lot of extra care. I also follow the seasons and plant accordingly. I plant a diversity of crops which helps deter pests and attracts beneficial bugs like bees and ladybugs. I also weed by hand. However, most of the weeds are controlled because I mulch and add hay on the top of the soil which helps control weed growth while keeping moisture in the soil. I also use a rain water collection system which collects mineral rich rainwater I use to water my plants. Organic farming is very important to me because its a very simple way to interact with nature while nature feeds you and others.

 
Q: After a full growing season, are you satisfied with what your garden has produced?  Can you give some examples of the crops you grew and which ones produced best for you?
 
A: The garden production exceeded my expectations. Strawberries were one of those crops that I planted in October and are still producing in May. Sweet potatoes grew bigger and more flavorful than expected. The edamame tasted like pistachios and the tomato plants produced plentiful and healthy tomatoes. Other crops that did very well were: Suyo long cucumbers, Ashley cucumber, mouse melons, collard greens, New Zealand spinach, red rain mustards, mizuna, arugula, rainbow kale, dinosaur kale, all spice, fennel, lemongrass, pineapple, nasturtiums, Seminole pumpkin, calamondin, winged beans, lima beans, carrots, radishes, boniato, napa cabbage, rapini, cayenne pepper, habanero peppers, biscayne peppers, spring onions and many culinary herbs.
 
 

Q: What was the most difficult part of managing your garden during your first growing season?  Plant selection? Weather? Soil management? Pests? Keeping up with the harvest?
 
A: The most difficult part was crop rotation and keeping up with a planting schedule. Growing food to feed your family requires forward thinking; nature plays a big part in crop selection and some crops might are fickle harvest to harvest so expectation and production change with each year and season. I feel like I planted too much kale and New Zealand spinach but some of it is being preserved in the freezer to use for later. Being creative is really helpful when it comes to keeping up with the harvest.
 

Q: Is there an on-line source you use for reference when you have a gardening question?  If not, where do you go for information and help?
 
A: Yes and no. I use Google when looking for gardening inspiration ideas and more in-depth information regarding crops and pest control. However, it’s hard to find information regarding South Florida’s diverse growing seasons online since it differs greatly from other parts of the United States. Local resources that are available in South Florida are my best asset. For example, I love the book: “Organic Methods for Vegetable Gardening in Florida” by Ginny Stibolt and Melissa Contreras. There is a lot of information in the book in regards to South Florida. Edible South Florida and The Tropical Garden by Fairchild Tropical Garden are two of my favorite local magazines on gardening. Additionally, talking to farmers at the farmers market, visiting and volunteering at farms are great benefits for local gardeners.

 

Q: What are some of the things you learned from the experience of growing your own food at home?
 
A: I learned that great soil is needed in order to grow flavorful and healthy food. I learned how to tell when the crops are hungry and how feeding the soil is important. This task has turned into a hobby.
 
Q: Now that summer is coming you are planting a few summer friendly edibles as well as cover crops?  Why are you incorporating cover crops and which ones?  Which summer edibles did you choose to grow and why?
 
A: I am using buckwheat and Tennessee peanuts as cover crops this Summer to replenish the soil. Buckwheat acts as a weed suppressor, it loosens the topsoil and it produces beautiful white flowers that pollinators and beneficial insects love. Tennessee Peanuts provide nitrogen to the soil and you can also eat them. For Summer crops I am planting Cuban oregano, eggplant, roselle, papaya, everglades cherry tomatoes, bananas, peppers, arugula, ground cherries, passion fruit, mint, rosemary, sunflowers, collard greens, curly kale, okra, vanilla bean orchid, aloe vera, sweet potatoes, lima beans, pineapple and boniato. These are all South Florida summer loving crops.

In most parts of the country cover cropping is something farmers do in the fall to prepare for winter.  In South Florida we do the opposite, like everything else.  The weather down here supports plant growth year round so many people assume we can grow veggies year round, but that isn't necessarily the case for a few reasons.  Beginning in May the humidity and heat go up a notch making an average day very inhospitable for almost all annual vegetables, especially brassicas which is the family of plants we like to eat most (arugula, broccoli, kale, etc).  There are some annuals we can grow during the summer months, primarily things in the night shade family such as peppers and eggplants (but not tomatoes because they are very sensitive to humidity) as well as things in the hibiscus family like okra, roselle and cranberry hibiscus.  That said, just because they can grow doesn't mean it's easy to do it on a farm scale.  Bugs of all shapes and sizes come out in full force during this time of year and protecting crops can be extremely challenging, expensive and time consuming.  The cost of good quality pesticides (we only use certified organic products) is crazy high and then there's the price of all of the equipment necessary to apply the product (sprayers, protective gear, etc).  One of the hardest parts for me is the amount of time it takes to thoroughly spray every leaf of every plant... Which brings me to yet another reason why forcing a year round growing season is not all it's cracked up to be.  Working in this heat is hard for us.  Harder than normal farming, which is strenuous to begin with. 

 

At the heart of why we take a break is the fact that we need to revive our soils so that during the optimal growing season we have better, not worse, soil conditions.  These few summer months are incredibly valuable for building soil; for putting back organic matter and nutrients that we took out during the fall and winter harvest season.  We build soil two ways.  Cover cropping is one and composting manure is the other.  Cover crops are essentially a crop that you grow throughout an entire field, planted thickly so that it grows like a green carpet, literally "covering" the soil hence protecting it from compaction and erosion.  They grow quickly and are usually large and fibrous so that when we cut them down and incorporate them into the soil they break down and add organic matter to our fields.  Cover crops also smoother weeds and repel insects, reducing their populations and sort of "cleaning out" the farm for the following season.  As a bonus some cover crops also feed bees, like buckwheat, pictured above.  Buckwheat is usually used in combination with other cover crops like sunn hemp and sudan grass, both of which grow very tall and take about 60 days to mature.  Buckwheat is sown with those to provide a thicker carpet during germination and for the first month while the other crops are getting established.  After about 30 days buckwheat produces flowers, then seeds and shortly thereafter dries up and dies, leaving a fine layer of hay on the surface of the soil in between other crops. 

Adding composted manure to the fields is another very effective way of improving our soils.  We get large piles of fresh horse manure delivered at the beginning of summer and we spread it over our fields, sometimes in combination with cover crops, other times on it's own.  Over the next 5 months is breaks down and becomes food for our fall crops.  Composted manure is rich in nitrogen and micro nutrients, but it also creates an environment rich with mycelium (mushroom roots that break down woody material into food for plants and living soil organisms), soil organisms and organic matter, all of which help to feed and hydrate our fall crops.

Cover cropping and composting manure is hard work and can sometimes feel unrewarding because there is nothing to harvest and sell or eat, but sometimes, like when the buckwheat is in full bloom and buzzing with bees you feel proud to have created such a beautiful situation.  In the fall when we till in heaps of organic matter and we can see the improvement in our soil, it becomes clear that all that hard work was not for nothing, but rather for everything.   

 

Sure our main growing season is almost over, but look on the bright (and humid) side, we can keep on growing fun tropical food plants all year!

In Miami it's never too late to start planting, but it's important to be aware of what plants are appropriate for each season.  Our summer plant sale will be the perfect opportunity to educate yourself and stock up on summer friendly food plants.  We'll have basic annuals like collards, peppers and amaranth, hard to find plants like vanilla bean orchid and roselle as well as many other edible perennials, seed packets and fruit trees.  We're particularly excited about having organic turmeric and galangal roots for sale!  Check our Nursery page for a full list of plants we'll have available.

Besides plants we're also stocked with cover crop seeds like sunn hemp and buckwheat which are the right crops to grow in South Florida to increase organic matter and nitrogen in your garden soil.  We'll have soil amendments such as kelp and crab meal and innoculant for cover seeds as well as bags of compost for sale. 

10 different pepper varieties

Large roselle plants

Our demonstration garden where you can see what our seedlings look like when they grow up.  It's companion planting at it's best!

 

Guys, this is the final week of our 2014-2015 season.  We can't thank you enough for your support and enthusiasm over the past few months.  Hopefully you've enjoyed eating seasonally and locally, trying new veggies and new recipes.  This Saturday will be our last farmers market as well as our last CSA pick-up, but be sure to visit the Upper East Side Farmers Market throughout the summer for local veggies from Urban Oasis Project. 

In the shares this week:
Summer squash
Lettuce
Heirloom tomatoes
Kale
Scallions
Celery
Lemongrass
AND A NON EDIBLE SURPRISE!

Large also get:
Extra tomatoes
Spring mix of baby greens

We got lucky this week because Verde Farm happens to be harvesting a random and lucky last summer squash crop for this season.  Butter and black pepper are my favorite way to dress these guys, lightly roasted or pan seared or grilled over coals.  What about a cheesy gratin? 

Scallions!  We love to grow them!  They have beautiful white roots like wise old man beards.  Too bad the roots aren't edible.  Let's get serious though, scallions should be a staple in the kitchen.  They have such a unique flavor and texture, much more delicate than an onion.  They'd be great for a salsa with heirloom tomatoes.  I like to make a cooked salsa type thing that goes on crostini.  I chop a whole bunch of scallions and cook them in a skillet with lots of olive oil for about 15 minutes and then I add half of a tomato, salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes.  Spread on crostini or toast for an appetizer or snack.

One last hurrah for local lettuce! 

Lemongrass is a local delicacy.  We can grow it year round and it makes for a beautiful landscape plant.  The long (sharp) blades of grass are pleasantly lemony and can be boiled in any liquid for flavor.  Water for tea or broth.  Coconut milk for cooking fish.  Coconut oil for your skin.  You can also chop up the white bulb really fine and use it to season stir fried beef or veggies, you know, Thai style! 

Second to last share this week.  With the season winding down the landscape at the farm is slowly starting to look very different.  There are certain fields we are planning to cover crop sooner than others so we've stopped planting new things in those areas and they look so bare at this point.  The weeds are trying to take over, but we're putting up a good fight (at least until it starts raining!).  We're excited about one field in particular that is going to stay productive through most of the summer if not all of it.  Just yesterday we transplanted over 200 okra babies.  Also featured in that field is lots of eggplant, ground cherries, summer cherry tomatoes (more like a tomato test because we aren't sure how they'll do), papaya and scallions.  We call this field The Island because it's a big island of growing space right in the middle of the property.  Besides the annuals I just mentioned it contains fruit trees (mulberry, keylime, banana) pineapples and a mini moringa forest.  Most of this stuff will go to chefs throughout the next few months to help support the farm financially during our "off season".  Fingers crossed.

Enough about the farm, lets see what's in the shares this week!
Purslane
Kholrabi
Bush beans
Mibuna
Turnips
Herbs, your choice between parsley, oregano, lemongrass and sage
Grape tomatoes

Large shares also get:
Asian eggplant

 

Kohlrabi is very hard to find in stores so enjoy your last taste of this unique vegetable.  The flavor is what I like to describe as a cross between broccoli and apples, weird I know.  People always ask what to do with kohlrabi and there are many recipes on the internet to give you ideas, but my favorite suggestion is to peel it and eat it like an apple.  The leaves are very nutritious so don't toss them; add them to soups or stews for extra green.

Mibuna is an Asian green we tried for the first time this season and we really love it.  It's super tender and the flavor is mild.  It's closely related to mizuna (hence the name), bit in person it looks and feels more like arugula (without the spicy bite).  Enjoy them raw or very lightly wilted, seasoned with an Asian inspired marinade (think miso, sesame, ponzu sauce, etc).

Grape tomatoes this week are coming from Teena's Pride, our local tomato experts!  As much as we'd love to be growing tomatoes for you ourselves, we haven't mastered that art yet.  We will continue to try so that hopefully next season we can fill your kitchens with Little River Cooperative tomatoes!

Asian eggplant are incredibly beautiful.  It's one of our favorite crops, not just for looks, but for flavor.  They tend to be smaller than the big ol' eggplant you find at the store, but they are less spongy and jam packed with flavor.  They also tend to be way less bitter so you can skip any prep steps suggested for a lot of eggplant recipes that call for soaking slices in brine or rubbing them with salt to remove bitterness.  Just cut and cook!  I love them roasted with a pinch of salt, paprika (smoked paprika to be exact) and loads of olive oil.  Enjoy!

 

Third to last share.  This is the part where I talk about how fast the season has gone by... It's really overwhelming in the beginning, then we hit the halfway mark and I begin to feel like I can manage it and before I know it, literally within what feels like a blink of an eye, the season is over.  This week's share is beautiful and I hope you guys enjoy it, especially because it's one of the last.

This week everyone gets:
Choice between rainbow chard or kale
Napa cabbage
Carrots
Onions
Lettuce mix
Celery
Dill

Large shares will also get:
Radishes
Green and purple bush beans
Parsley

You'll be able to choose between curly kale and rainbow chard.  Both have their perks.  Curly kale makes a mean kale chip, which is something I've been addicted to this season.  I found a little blog post that points out the most basic and important tips for successful kale chips, check it out.  If you go with chard, well you get to cook and eat a rainbow!  Check out this recipe for ricotta and chard stuffed cannelloni; maybe you have tomato sauce from the bounty of red ones you got last week ;)

Carrots are coming from Verde Farm this week.  They grow some of the best carrots in town.  You may or may not know that cold weather, particularly freezing temperatures, make some veggies taste sweeter and carrots are one of those.  You may or may not have noticed that it's been far from cold here in Miami (just kidding).  That said, these carrots probably wont be the sweetest you've ever had, but I can guarantee they'll be crisp, fresh and very earthy.  They'll be great for roasting or adding to soups, but they'll also be yummy for snacking or adding to salads.

Did you like the salad mix we got last week?  So good right?!  Our buddy Chris at French Farms has been growing most of our lettuce this season and I have to say it's been a pleasure.  The sad news is that this is probably the last lettuce harvest on his farm this year.  Think about that when you make your salads this week and be thankful for those velvety, buttery, speckled leaves.

Hopefully you aren't feeling over beaned.  This week we are finally able to harvest you truly bi-color bean, green and burgundy mixed.  Check out this perfect recipe for a green bean salad that includes cherry tomatoes, hazelnuts (!) and a creamy herb vinagreta (!).  The hazelnuts caught my attention and some of the ingredients in the slightly complicated dressing are mouth watering; think chives, thyme, heavy cream, honey... hmmmm

Ok guys, this is the final count down.  Third to last share of the season!

This week we're harvesting:

Starfruit
Beets
Lettuce mix
Corn
Green beans
Tomatoes

Large shares also get:
Daikon radish
Rapini

The starfruit in your share this week comes from a beautiful family farm down in the Redlands, LNB Groves.  Their 15 acre grove is certified organic and is being managed by the second generation of the family.  They grow a variety of tropical fruit including pineapples, passion fruit, mangoes, jack fruit and many more.  The second generation managing the farm these days is doing a great job of shifting the focus from wholesale shipments to value added products sold directly to consumers at farmers markets; they make things like smoothies, dried fruit and juices. 

Beets are an intense vegetable.  They are loaded with sugars, they have so much pigment and they taste super earthy.  You can store beets for months in your fridge so don't feel hurried to eat them this week.  Most people think they need to be peeled, but I love to roast them whole and eat them cold with skin and all.  Beets pair beautifully with cheese and herbs.

 You guys, check out Heidi Swanson's recipe for Pomelo Green Beans.  I love how simple it is and the idea of combining walnuts and garlic with barely cooked green beans.  She describes a technique for making a dressing that involved lightly boiling garlic cloves and then mashing them in a mortal & pestle with walnuts and herbs and olive oil.  Also, you may have a grapefruit left over from last week's share that you can use instead of pomelo!

 

This week everyone gets:

Napa cabbage
Shunkyo radishes
Choice between spicy salad mix or baby lettuce mix
Sweet potatoes
Grapefruits
Scallions
Kale

Large shares also get:

Fennel
Choice between cauliflower and broccoli

I want to talk about napa cabbage first because I feel like it's the one item in this week's share that most of you wouldn't choose to buy at the store.  This is an amazing vegetable.  It's a fast growing crop that is beautiful to watch develop in the field and at home it lasts in the fridge for months.  Yes, months!  if kept in a plastic bag, the outer leaves will turn a bit brown and maybe become a little dry, but the core, just 3-4 leaves down will stay fresh and crisp for a long long time.  I almost always have one in the bottom drawer of my fridge and I use a few leaves here and there for stir fries or for adding to stews and soups.  It's a nice addition to all of those things because it adds a crunch that other greens don't have. 

Shunkyo Long radishes are native to Northern China and are traditionally pickled.  Don't let history sway you from eating these beauties raw.  Try them sliced and dressed with sesame oil and sea salt.  They are also great paired with salmon; think bagel and lox with thin slices of this radish.

You'll have a choice between our spicy salad mix (mizuna, arugula, mustard, frisee and nasturtium flowers) and our friend Chris' baby lettuce mix.  They are both awesome, it's just a matter of taste.  The baby lettuce is very mild, crisp and light; it'd be good paired with a very simple vinaigrette.  The spicy mix is, well, spicy.  It has a lot of texture, color and fun flavor that would pair nicely with something cheesy like this feta dressing or sweet and sour like this orange poppy seed dressing.