Jason Futch
reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) will host a Community Day at the Farm. The event will be held at the North Florida Research and Education Center-Suwannee Valley (NFREC-SV) on Saturday, April 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public. Four tours will be provided: an Orchard Tour, a Greenhouse Tour, an Equipment Tour and a Trolley Field Tour.
The Orchard Tour will introduce visitors to a series of plants, including blackberries, chestnuts, cold-hardy citrus, muscadine grapes and more. Visitors will also learn more about the variety of fruit and nuts in the orchard and what can be grown in each visitor's yard.
The Greenhouse Tour will provide several tour options for the greenhouses. Visitors can learn about NFREC-SV's new Smart Garden Container Pod with LED lights. They can also visit the homeowner's plot, learn about different methods of growing hydroponic crops, and learn how to grow their own food in containers.
The Equipment Tour will showcase new equipment that producers across the state are using, while the Trolley Field Tour will show visitors the research projects that focus on water and fertilizer management that helps farmers in the Suwannee Valley. It is also an opportunity to show visitors and their children how food is grown.
The event will also allow visitors to speak with experts and learn more about what the NFREC-SV does to support the community.
To learn more about the event, contact the UF/IFAS Suwannee County Extension Office at (386) 362-2771. The NFREC-SV is located at 8202 CR 417, in Live Oak.