local to support local time we were plant- to youth gardens, which have become
farmers.” Naples resi- ing at the farm,” says an integral way to spread Slow Food’s
dent Kimberly Cava- Oakes. message of good, clean and fair food.
lier, founder of the Local Militantly organic—ev- John Puig, who facilitates the organic
Food Enthusiasts meetup erything at Food & garden project at Eden Florida’s Eimer-
group, wants to do both. Thought carries a man Educational Center for autistic
In pursuit of finding the USDA-certified or- children and adults in Naples, is
best locally grown or- ganic label—Oakes has happy teaching children about organic
ganic produce, Cavalier realized the rewards gardening. After leading an extensive
volunteers to help Batty, of the public’s grow- garden project with raised beds and
Puig and Oakes when- ing interest in organic container
ever possible. food and products: His gardening
Cavalier also did market and restaurant at Veterans
some work/trade for
Kimberly Cavalier – founder of
sales have increased Memorial
farmers while living on
Local Food Enthusiast
by 500 percent since Elementary
the Hawaiian island of 2005. Food & Thought School in
Oahu and recalls, “It was a great way to is the 13th retail store Oakes has North Na-
meet people with similar interests, and opened since 1972, and he is gratified ples, Puig did
I had a lot of fun introducing city folks by its success. “We experienced a 60 the same for
to farming friends. I think that everyone percent growth over last year during Calusa Park
should experience the joy of getting the same winter months,” he says. “I’ve Elementary
their hands in the soil and reconnecting never seen anything like it before.” This students, and
with the folks who grow our food.” was not always the case; according to then planted
Oakes, in 1995 industrial farming ac- a fruit tree
Sharon Bruckman’s
Championing home gardens
counted for 99.8 percent of the market. garden at East
home garden
Frank Oakes, owner of Food &
Today, it constitutes 96.5 percent.
Thought Organic Market & Restaurant
Reflecting upon what he consid-
in Naples, couldn’t agree more. He’s
ers a sad disconnect between people
Produce Hotspots:
never happier
and the food they eat, Oakes notes
than when he
that during his childhood in Delaware,
A Locavore’s Top Picks
is educating
close to 80 percent of families living
When Kimberly Cavalier, local food en-
newcom-
beyond city limits grew some of their
thusiast, isn’t volunteering at one of the
ers about
own food in the backyard. “There has
local farms or consulting with a newbie
the organic
been a tragic decline in home garden-
backyard gardener, she is immersed
movement
ing, because people can’t grow more
in her favorite pastime of visiting retail
and the ben-
nutritious produce as cheaply as they
markets that sell local produce; eating at
efits of home
can buy conventionally grown, but less
restaurants that serve dishes with local
gardening,
wholesome, food in the grocery store.”
ingredients; and meeting the folks who
or working
He cautions, “Don’t just find out where
grow some of their own food or want
in his field or
your food comes from, meet your
to learn more about how they can. Visit
market. The
farmer and find out how he grows it.”
her favorite produce hotspots and treat
past president
your palate to a locavore’s delight.
of Florida Or- learning by growing
ganic Grow- Young people across the nation are
CSa
Frank Oakes
ers (FOG) learning to do just that, thanks in part
gReeN vIllage ORgaNIC
at his farm
operates a
PROdUCe CO-OP
five-acre
John Puig - Garden of Eden Florida
GreenVillageOrganics.com
farm near Corkscrew Swamp Sanctu-
Email:
GreenVillageOrganics@gmail.com
ary, where he and Florida Gulf Coast
239-784-6136
Weekly $15 or $25 bag of various organic produce
University (FGCU) professor Dr. Gerry
at three locations in Naples
Segal recently volunteered as instruc-
tors for a certificated course in organic FaRmS & FaRm TOURS
gardening. Forty individuals partici-
FRaNk OakeS FaRm
pated in the hands-on learning, and Immokalee Rd. near Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
the course had a waiting list. “Florida’s
Produce sold at Food & Thought, The Gateway of
planting season coincided with the
Naples, 2132 Tamiami Trail N., Naples
239-213-2222
course, so people were learning to
—Continued on page 29.
prepare and plant a garden at the same
natural awakenings March 2010
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64