Category Archives: SOGALO14

Door Yard Citrus at Loch Laurel Nursery

Update 2 Feb 2014: Citrus Resources.

In addition to many camelias, Loch Laurel Nursery has Door Yard Citrus:

Many gardners are not aware of the wonderful citrus that can be grown in North Florida and South Georgia. Loch Laurel Nursery is proud to offer varieties that are cold hardy and produce tasty fruit you would assume could only be grown in semi-tropical climates. In fact, many of our varieties that are well-suited to our region (USDA Zone 8b), produce inferior fruit in Central Florida.

Satsumas

—Mandarine Orange, The fruit is easily peeled and contains loose segments that are easily separated. They are sweet and a bright orange color when ripe and nearly seedless. Satsumas are believed to be native to southern China and are widely grown along the gulf coast of the US. Satsuma trees grow 10 to 15 feet tall. The most popular variety is Owari that ripens in mid to late November. Hardy to 20°F. The variety Miho, developed in Texas is much earlier ripening in early to mid-October. Grafted on trifoliate orange, (Poncirus trifoliata) for improved cold hardiness.

That same Loch Laurel Nursery web page also lists Continue reading →

Raisin’ Cane on Friday Farm Tour and in Growing Produce Magazine

We’ll visit Raisin’ Cane on our Friday Farm Tour at South Georgia Growing Local 2014:


Photo credit: Rosemary Gordon
Rosemary Gordon wrote for Growing Produce Magazine 13 January 2014, Ken Corbett Farms Knows How To Provide Customers With High-Quality Produce,

Ken Corbett doesn’t have to worry about succession planning. He knows who will lead his farm in the future: his sons, Justin, 26, who is the farm manager; Jared, 21, who is in charge of the packing shed; and Jessica Bolesta, 25, who has taken the reins of the family’s agritainment business, Raisin’ Cane….

The Corbett family wasn’t content to simply grow, pack, and ship bell pepper, eggplant, squash, zucchini, and cucumbers. In fact, it was Ken and Kim Corbett’s daughter, Jessica, who saw a need for an agritainment operation, and so Raisin’ Cane was started in the fall of 2013.

Located near Valdosta, GA, Raisin’ Cane features a corn maze, farm animals, hay rides, a playground, and a produce market and bakery. The Corbetts have already entertained numerous school field trips in the short time the operation has been open.

The plan is to have Continue reading →

Water Conservation –Marilyn Dye

How to Lower Your Water Bill by Collecting Rain Water is the topic of Marilyn Dye’s presentation at South Georgia Growing Local 2014:

My presentation will include information on the limited water supply available globally, the amount of water used by households on a daily basis, and how we can decrease the amount of tap water we through water conservation and by collecting rainwater.

Her conference bio: Continue reading →

2014 General Assembly and Rural GA –Neill Herring

Neill Herring will speak at South Georgia Growing Local 2014 about conservation issues at the Georgia General Assembly.

Here’s Neill speaking at WWALS Watershed Coalition in Tifton in August, at which he remarked about citizens of Georgia:

“…these natural resources particularly the water systems are their private property, they have a property interest in the water.”

He was written up by Terry Dickson in the Florida Times-Union 6 June 2009 as Lobbyist who walks the walk: Continue reading →

Gretchen on the radio about South Georgia Growing Local 2014

We will be on the radio twice on Monday. First on the Chris Beckham show at 7:30 and then on a Jasper station at 11:30. Listen in and invite your friends.

Here’s a facebook event about the Black Crow Media 105.9 FM radio show, 7:30-7:45 AM. You can listen to it online with Streema.com or any of several other apps. Or over the air!

And remember to register for the conference.

-jsq

Honeybee Roulette: Gambling with our Future –Heather Davis

Heather Davis will speak at South Georgia Growing Local 2014:

My presentation will be about how I became interested in honeybees and where my research has led me. It will begin with very basic information about honeybees and how they are important to our ecology. Then I will touch on how the monocultures and industrialized farming, pesticides and GMO/systemic pesticides are killing the bees and our culture and environment as we know it.

I will have pamphlets on GMO’s, how to make your own pesticides/insecticides that are safe for pollinators, what plants to grow to encourage a bio-diverse ecology at home for pollinators and a few others.

She’s on facebook as Sage Apiaries, “Pollination is the future of our food!”

Her conference bio: Continue reading →

Bringing Nature Home –Beth Wiggins Grant

Student Naturalist Beth Grant will speak at South Georgia Growing Local 2014:

In his book Bringing Nature Home, Dr. Doug Tallamy explains how everyone who loves the wonders of the natural world can contribute to the survival of our native birds, butterflies, and other treasures by providing the native plants needed to support them. Beth Grant has recently obtained permission from Dr. Tallamy to present his slideshow on his findings. By acting on Dr. Tallamy’s practical recommendations, you can make a difference for bio-diversity while bringing endlessly fascinating wildlife to your home. Handouts will be provided. Copies of Bringing Nature Home and Dr. Gil Nelson’s Best Native Plants for Southern Gardens will be available for purchase with all proceeds going to Birdsong Nature Center.

Here’s her conference bio: Continue reading →

Growing up Growing –Maria Arambula

Maria Arambula will speak at South Georgia Growing Local 2014:

Gardening is an essential skill that every child and adult should learn. How can we work in our families and communities to ensure that young people understand how our food is grown? This workshop will share creative ideas and resources for gardening with youth of all ages at home and in the community. Attendees will be encouraged to share their own experiences through a fun and collaborative workshop format.

Her conference bio: Continue reading →