Discovery Farm and Garden

Building community and learning to grow great food is what the Discovery Farm and Gardens are all about. We are developing our Gardens in partnership with the City of Oakland Park, Florida. The Farm and Garden area of Jaco Pastorius Park is comprised of several working components.

Each of the growing approaches can be successfully implemented in the home garden or on a larger scale – where space permits. The Discovery Farm and Gardens at the Urban Farming Institute will be comprised of several growing environments all suited for food production in the urban setting.

Growing techniques will include: hydroponics, raised bed gardening, in ground permaculture, aquaculture, as well as, aquaponics where the production of fish along with fruits and vegetables are combined.

Community Gardens

Today there are thirty two raised bed gardens offered to residents of Oakland Park and surrounding communities. The gardens are supported with full irrigation, resource center and master gardener oversight. With regular “how to grow” garden classes, activities and demonstrations the gardeners are learning how to grow a range of farm to fork products in a subtropical setting. Gardens are available for rent through the Parks and Leisure Services Department of the City.

Chefs Garden

The commercial production of food for a restaurant of a community supported agriculture program needs quality and quantity. One of the most productive ways that this can be accomplished is through vertical hydroponic growing. The Chefs Garden, at the Urban Farming Institute, is a professional demonstration area of vertical growing, as well as, horizontal growing techniques.

As a result of the demonstration project individuals, families, and advanced hobby growers, will observe vertical growing on a scale that is workable for the home or the commercial producer.

Apiary Project

We are proud to location for the first micro apiary project in Broward County. This project, funded by the Broward Regional Health Planning Council, is designed to serve as a ‘test bed’ for the development nd enhancement of honeybee populations throughout the County.

Through careful management of the honeybees brought into the apiary, specific activities will be used to determine the levels of honey production, management of hive pests, and diseases. We will also consider the well being of our honeybee population.

Overseen by the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Apiary Division and with on sight supervision by a master beekeeper, this demonstration apiary project will identify key aspects of honeybee activities in a carefully monitored way. The longer range aspect of the project is to place additional managed apiaries around the County in order to provide better honeybee habitats, as well as, an expanded ‘best management requirements’ for urban honey bees.

Permaculture Area

Permaculture is more easily defined as permanent agriculture. This means that a productive area is allowed to grow naturally while at the same time providing various fruits and vegetables grown through indirect and occasional intervention by the gardener. This area will focus on natural habitat and cultural practices.

Grow With Us!

Contact us now and discover all the UFI has to offer you and the community. Community Gardens, apiary, chefs garden and more.

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