County Line Produce, Hastings, Fla.: Fresh Kale & More

Hastings, Fla.—County Line Produce started their Florida-grown vegetable farm stand in 1965. They are a seasonal 70-acre farm, owned by the Bland family, located in Northeast Florida between Putnam and St. Johns County. They sell homegrown vegetables like kale, eggplant, string beans, cabbage, sweet onions, Brussels sprouts, corn and more. They also sell produce from neighboring farms like creamer potatoes.

County Line Produce stand selling Florida-grown vegetables located on
CR 207, Hastings, Fla.
Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

I bought eight pounds of collard greens and a four-pound curly leaf cabbage for just $5.

They started the produce stand in 1965 when brothers Brad and Bradley Bland decided to sell some cabbages from their family farm for five cents a head. They did it for a few days and then decided they had had enough. 

But by then locals had become very fond of the vegetable and they kept dropping by the farm asking where the boys selling nickel cabbages were. That’s when the Bland family decided to open their farm stand.

County Line Produce stand selling Florida farm grown vegetables,
Hastings, Fla. Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

They also sell honey, boiled peanuts and Indian River citrus. And they some items from further away like ginger.

But be quick in getting to them because they are only open from mid-November to mid-June. But during that time they are there seven days a week except for major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Phone: (904) 692-9400

Address 848 State Road 207, Hastings, FL 32145

Cherokee Satsumas Farm, Marianna, Fla.

Marianna, Fla.—Farmer Mack J. Glass’s satsuma citrus feeds school children. His fruit are full of nutrients because they are tree ripened and are only three days old when they get into North Florida School District lunches.

Photo taken Oct. 2013 of Mack J. Glass owner of Cherokee Satsumas,
Marianna, Fla.
Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

They are ideal for children because they peel easily, have no seeds and come in half-cup portion sizes. He supplies many Farm-to-School programs in North Florida.

You won’t see satsuma (also known as satsuma mandarin) growing in South Florida anytime soon, “They need a cold snap. It shuts the tree down so the fruit can ripen,” said Glass. The season is very short from November to December.

Photo taken Oct. 2013 of immature Cherokee Satsumas citrus on the tree,
 Marianna, Fla.
Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

There are only three farms including his growing satsuma citrus in North Florida, “We’d like to see more satsuma farmers so the growing season could be longer.”

Back in the early 1900s there were more Satsuma farmers according to Glass. There were even Satsuma Festivals in 1928, 1929 that attracted over 34,000 visitors. But a freeze in 1935 wiped out 3000 acres of fruit and destroyed the industry.

Glass would like to see the festivals return to the Panhandle.

Glass started his seven-acre Cherokee Satsumas farm back in 2001. He decided satsumas were a better crop to grow than the traditional ones for the area of peanuts, soybeans or corn. At the time a new federal farm program had lowered the price of these crops a lot.

Today, he sometimes finds satsuma farming does not pay enough but he persists, “I do it because I love it. I wake up every morning and see the challenge of it,” said Glass.

Along with supplying fruit to schoolchildren Cherokee Satsumas farm also supplies fruit to Winn Dixie stores around Florida.

To find out more about Cherokee Satsumas farm call (850) 579-4641. But be aware the farm is on Central Time.

Goodness Gracious Acres, Raw Goat Milk, West Palm Beach, Fla. Updated

West Palm Beach, Fla.—Are you looking for Florida fresh raw goat milk pet food? Then Goodness Gracious Acres near Loxhatchee is your place. Owner and self proclaimed resident milk-maid Jojo Milano shepherds a flock of 41 goats, 15 of which she milks, on her one and half acre property.

Jojo Milano owner of Goodness Gracious Acres, milking goat, West Palm Beach,
 Fla. Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

She started her business in 2003. On her website she is quoted at saying, “I love the challenge of dairying and goats in general.” 

 

Jojo Milano owner of Goodness Gracious Acres entertaining
 guests during farm tour, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

In February, the Gold & Treasure Coast Slow Food chapter organized a self-driven multiple county farm tour.  I and a dozen or so people descended on Goodness Gracious Acres to pet goats, to take pictures of goats, and to watch goats get milked. 

 

Two and four legged kids play in yard at Goodness Gracious
Acres, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

Several kids, both human and goat, played jump the plastic bin, in the closed off front pen. There were numerous free-range chickens, ducks, and geese. She sells the eggs at the Ft. Pierce market under the “For Pet Consumption Only,” label. 

 

LaMancha (naturally earless goat) and Nubian have a snack,
Goodness Gracious Acres, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

As Milano led a Nubian doe (female) goat, by the collar, to be milked she explained how goats were foragers and not grazers like sheep. To make sure the goat stood still while milking she fed it healthy treats.

Milano sells the raw unpasteurized milk under the Florida Department Of Agriculture label— “Pet Food Supplement— not for human consumption.” And she definitely does not want to know that her customers, instead of their pets, are drinking her milk. If someone does tell her this then Milano can’t sell them any raw milk products.

She also takes and stores all the names, addresses and phone numbers of the people she sells to in case the State ever investigates her. She has many more pre-sale requirements listed on her website.

Free-range hen at Goodness Gracious Acres, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Copyright 2014 by Helen A Lockey

Along with raw-milk she also sells goats-milk soap, handmade art, raw honey, kefir and occasionally fresh raw-milk goat cheese under the  “For Pet Food Consumption Only,” label.

To find out how you can buy her her raw-milk products, soaps or artwork you can email her at milanodesign@mac.com or or call her at (561) 422 -9906. 

To find out more about her farm you can go to her website  www.goodnessgraciousacres.com