Community gardening is taking on new meaning in Martin County. A farm has opened near Palm City for locals to try their hand at cultivating vegetables and herbs for use in their own kitchens.
Members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County (BGCMC) were the first to turn soil here last March, with a ceremonial first plant of a 50-by-50-foot plot at what is known as Newfield Farm. The children planted peppers, eggplant, and herbs including rosemary, basil, and mint. The first harvest was in June, while Seminole pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and more were added in the fall.
A monthly farmer’s market launched at the site in August, offering fresh produce and artisanal goods from locally owned businesses. Visitors to the market can also participate in goat yoga sessions and enjoy bites from the Fork in the Road food truck, which is operated by BGCMC. The market currently hosts about a dozen vendors, with the next one taking place December 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eventually, an event barn (occupying approximately 4,000 square feet) will operate educational programming, cooking classes, demonstrations, and tastings, as well as a retail store and produce stand.
Under the supervision of Agmenity farm management company—which employs farming practices void of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to grow a wide variety of seasonal crops and help people reconnect with the food they eat—Newfield will grow to encompass more than 100 acres of raised beds and plotted plantings. The farm will serve as the centerpiece of a new master-planned community by Mattamy Homes. “Both our residents and members of the public will have the opportunity to subscribe to a farm club and do their own gardening,” says James FitzGerald, Mattamy’s senior manager of community development.
The 3,400-acre parcel of land belonged to the family of economic journalist Knight Kiplinger, who has long promoted sustainability and conservation. For the last decade, farmer John Long of Agri-Gators has cultivated more than 1,000 acres of the parcel with corn, potatoes, and other crops.
The community will also feature more than 50 miles of trails that can be used for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, the majority of which lies in the Kiplinger Conservancy—1,000-plus acres south of Citrus Boulevard between the C-23 canal and Southwest Boatramp Avenue. FitzGerald says Mattamy’s intention is to stay true to Kiplinger’s values and protect the land, eradicating invasive species in the wetlands, thinning out the understory with controlled burns, composting, and protecting wildlife (including making sure gopher tortoises won’t be displaced from the property). “Seventy percent of the site is going to be preserved as public open space in perpetuity,” he says.
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