Regular posting to resume after the holidays.

The garden team has been working extra hard these past few months, expanding and planting more delicious crops than ever.  Follow us on Facebook or check back soon for updates. Happy Holidays!

Growing everyday

Passion fruit vines engulfing the fence line.

Pineapple town.

A monarch butterfly (above) waits its turn as a giant swallowtail butterfly (below) drinks nectar from a milkweed flower.

Canoe trip to Loxahatchee River with Sierra Club and Inner City Outings.

Thanks so much to Mark of Sierra Club and Karen of Inner City Outings for taking us on a wonderful canoe trip down (and up) the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter. Thanks also to Mr. Dell for driving, Jesus for chaperoning, and all the other great volunteers who made the trip a complete success. We are looking forward to the next trip soon! 

Worm Day.

After a few days of searching, I finally found a bait shop in Opa Locka that sells worms. Hi-Lo Bait and Tackle on NW 27th avenue and 176th street carries both night crawlers (good for enriching and aerating garden soil) and red wigglers (good for composting kitchen scraps). I picked up a cup of each and we all got familiar with our annelid friends. Nick is pictured here, showing Lulu and Kelvin he's not afraid to touch an earthworm, after they dared him to.

Kelvin, feeling out the whole worm thing. 

Nitzy with her hands full of worms.

Joel watches on as Carlos releases nightcrawlers in a garden bed.

Barrels of...

Claudia graciously volunteered her truck for a last minute rain barrel pick up from our organic juice bottling friends. Thank you Rafael for setting up this wonderful donation of 10 sweet-smelling blue barrels. Four barrels went to the new Little Haiti Community Garden, and six went to TROY. Now to install those gutters...

Farmer's Market Fun

A group of school kids came by the market Wednesday and fell in love with our passion fruit. They said it tastes like a mix of oranges and pineapples and mangos!

Sharing means caring. Everybody try!

A big thanks to loyal Ozzy passion fruit fans Liz (Center) and daughter Sophia! A big bon voyage to Sophia, who returns to her native Australia next week. Thank you so much for your support!

Field Trip to Kiwanis Meeting, Farmers Market

Nitzy, Nick, Carlos, Antonio and Steve joined Mr. Dell and Ben on a twofold mission of fundraising and fun. First stop was the Biscayne Bay Marriott on 16th street, where we were invited to the monthly Kiwanis Club meeting, to give a presentation about our garden program. Kiwanis of Biscayne Bay, through our own Maggie Arias(who joined us for lunch as well), donated $1000 last year with a promise of $500 more contingent on the presentation we made at today's lunch.
We were treated royally and fed well. We got to meet and speak in front of some of Miami's legal elite, winning their admiration and pledge for continuing support. Thanks guys!

After lunch we made our weekly appearance at the Overtown Roots in the City farmers market on NW 10th Street and 2nd Avenue, selling our fresh organic produce to raise money for a new shade house.
Thanks to all our loyal customers for the great support and encouragement. The students are ecstatic to be meeting so many nice people and trying so many cool new things!

Lunch was great--soups, sandwiches, quesadillas, salads--no time for a siesta though, we had to rush over to Overtown for the market!

Thank you Kiwanis of Biscayne Bay for your kind contribution to our wonderful program, we will put it to great use!

Purple Power.

As seen on Emeril live with award winning celebrity Chef Michael Schwartz, our purple passion fruit continues to intrigue and inspire the masses. Try this: empty the golden nectar and crunchy seeds of this sweet fruit into a tall glass of cold sparkling water and stir for a zesty refreshment on a hot day.

Overtown Market week #5

Don't be fooled by Steve's lucky jacket, it was 90 degrees in the shade today, and extra humid.
The garden team was cooler than cool though, unloading plenty of refreshing passion fruit, crispy spring onions and invigorating herbs. We got to sample goat's milk chocolate ice cream from Hani, and vegan ceviche and cranberry scones from Michele--all excellent and natural.
Despite earlier plans to close for the summer, Roots in the City Overtown farmers market will remain open year round, continuing to provide fresh local produce to a growing clientele.
Come see us next Wednesday afternoon!

Farmer's Market Week #3

This week we brought our beautiful red chard, swiss chard, kale, carrots, tomatoes, scallions and bush beans; we sold almost everything! Pictured above from L to R: Nitzy, Jovares, customer Vanessa, Antonio, customer Marisol and Lekeisha. Catch us next Wednesday at the Roots in the City Overtown farmer's market from 1-4. Corner of NW 10th Street and 2nd Ave. We should have passion fruit, loquat and the regular goods.