Wednesday, January 28, 2015

The Great Tropical Fruit Farm Tour of 2015. By Geniusofdespair

Like any good reporter, I didn't take any notes on my farm tour. So don't expect any facts. I am not Joe Friday. Just enjoy the observations. I went to an avocado (yes it is a fruit) farm with mangoes, a lychee farm and what appeared to be a mamey and other fruit farm. The amazing thing is 2 farmers were farming on about 2 acres (one had 5). These small farms are viable and the backbone of our farming district, far outweighing our row farmers (the ones with all the clout and the tomatoes). The fruits these farmers grow CANNOT grow anywhere else in the continental United States. Please correct in comments any mistakes I have printed by photo number.


1. Tropical Fruit. That is not a grapefruit. And the little fruit has some white liquid that they once made chiclet gum out of -- Sticky, don't drink it.



2. A flowering tree. forgot the name.

3. Mango blossoms.

4. This is a graft. The tree was cut and now they are making it into a different variety of Mango. The graft will grow into the branch. They will cut the branch and the graft will take over with the new variety.

5. This is an invasive species lizard. Forgot the name.
6. Hmmm. Now what are these.

7. Lychee trees on a two acre farm.

8. Mamey Fruit.

9.  Ripe Mamey. Tastes pretty good and doesn't give you the runs. I just scoop it out and eat it. I even put it in my salad. Looks pretty erotic to me.


10. Mango grove all those flowers, Mangoes.  This farmer cuts out the middle of the tree so it can get more sun. He also leaves room in between the trees so they can get sun. He said to keep them at about 12 feet to make them healthy.

Okay there you have it. My tour. The farmers were concerned for the future of farming in Miami Dade County.  People are moving in and you need lots of farms to survive. Sprawl and farming don't mix. If you want to comment on a specific photo with information, use the numbers.  I love farmers. County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava has been out here but not the Mayor. Mayor Gimenez get to these farms!!!

Let's buy one of them a new cherry picker. The old one was dying.  He used to just pull down the branches to pick them.  These farmers work hard. Make sure you read the comments for real information. I am just an observer, and a bad listener.

One farmer said if we don't preserve the UDB farming in South Miami Dade will be over. Please say it ain't so. Commissioner Zapata are you listening?

14 comments:

Lois Jones said...

I enjoyed your pictures, all except the lizard. Although I grew up on a farm and around lizards, I have never liked them or any other creepy crawly things.

The trees and fruit however, were spectacular. No matter you did not know some of the names, just looking at the photos made my day.

Such a delight, the first thing I saw this morning was the beauty of nature.

Thank you.

myamuhnative said...

pic 1)
not a grapefruit=pommelo?
carambola=starfruit
mamey=good in shakes
sapodilla/naseberry/nespero (depending on where you are from)=chicklet fruit tastes like a cinnamon pear. mmm

pic2) bombax ceiba -grows a huge root, flowers have a lot of nectar that hummingbirds ,orioles and cedar waxwings swoon over

pic5) tokay gecko-often heard calling to others at night "GECK...O!, GECK...O!

Geniusofdespair said...

Thank you so much for the info. I knew I wouldn't need notes with you good people.

Anonymous said...

If we want to keep farming we have to keep the UDB line.

Geniusofdespair said...

Omg that sapodilla tastes great. Just as you said, a cinnamon pear.

Anonymous said...

Genius, I may disagree with you from time to time but I do appreciate your spirit and desire to preserve what little unpaved land we have in the county. Love those tropical fruits, you can make great shakes with them. Keep up the good work and thank you for the great photos.

Anonymous said...

#5 is a knight anole, AKA Cuban anole

Riley said...

Riley said...
From our farm you and your spouse
came and delighted us showing great interest on our rural tropical fruit paradise, Your
photos and description were terrific along with observations and statements stating small farms are the backbone of the Redland South Dade (even Zapata's District 11). With Agriculture we eat and without it we starve,
"No Farmers----No Food"

Anonymous said...

What Riley said! Zapata, don't destroy our farming community by pushing to move the UDB to help a few campaign donors. These farms our lifeline, literally.

Myamuhnative said...

Oops yep on second look, Cuban anole it is.
They both like to bite. Hard.

Anonymous said...

Two things we must protect our farms and our environmentally sensitive land. They truly complement each other. These are great pictures. Genius: please report and continue your support for us. We here in South Dade are so happy with Daniella's support of preserving the small farms and our environment. I loved your visit and please return. THANK YOU
for all that you do.

Steven said...

Correction to the lizard ID given by "myamuhnative"
The lizardis NOT a tokay gecko. Tokays have vertical pupils and pad-like toes. This is another invasive exotic, the Anolis equestris; common names include Knight anole and Cuban anole. They are often bright green; this one is probably a juvenile and, like other anoles including the native "American chameleon" Anolis carolinensis, the coloration can change a bit and is not a reliable marker.

Photo 6 is of longan trees.

Anonymous said...

The only farmers that commissioners listen to are the row crop farmers with big acreage, farmer/developers/Farm Bureau leaders, who grow industrial tomatoes that look perfect and taste like cardboard in the winter. They are the ones that get appointed to society places like Fairchild / Bruce Greer Garden you write about. The small growers like Rodney Dangerfield don't get no respect at County Hall or why else would Gimenez never have visited.

Anonymous said...

Anon above:
Only a few large land owner farmers in So Dade own the land. Most row crop large track acreage & groves are owned by foreign investment hoping someday to develop. This land is leased at a good price to many row crop farmers,who get 2 crops + per season