Starter Projects for Your Florida Minifarm

Starter Projects for Your Florida Minifarm

Picture yourself with a few private, undeveloped acres dotted with shade trees. Relaxing on the porch of your new home, looking out over your very own land. It’s the homestead of your dreams. What will you do with your land?

Many of our properties are located in Ocala, Florida, the Horse Capital of the World, and zoned A-1 which allows for agricultural use. That means you’ll find a lot of people live side by side with animals, fruit orchards and mini vegetable farms. Even if you’ve never farmed before, you can start small with some projects well-suited for the Florida environment and be well on your way to calling yourself a bonafide farmer in no time. 

Fruit Trees

The hot Florida summers and hungry insect population can make farming challenging, which is why fruit trees are a favorite for landowners in Florida. While citrus are popular in the southern part of the state, the cooler winters in north central Florida allow many other deciduous fruit trees that need a chilly, dormant season to thrive. Stone fruits like plums, peaches and nectarines can do well in the climate of Marion County / Ocala. Certain varieties of pears and apples are also grown locally, and kumquats, fig trees and pomegranates can do quite well, too. Local nurseries can help you select cultivars that are best for the regional habitat.

Two Season Vegetable Farming

Florida has a longer growing season than many parts of the US, which means you can live off the land for more months of the year. However, mid-summer heat can cause tender plants like leafy greens to bolt and wilt prematurely. This just means you can have an early spring crop of quick-growing, cooler weather plants like spinach and radishes, and then plant again for the fall. Two seasons in one! You can even start plants in the summer that germinate well in the heat, like broccoli and zucchini, and enjoy them in the fall. Plastic row covers can also help protect tender greens from the full heat of the summer sun and from roaming insects. And there’s plenty of edible crops that enjoy the heat, too! Peppers, melons, beans and okra will love your mini farm.

Keep Horses

It’s not called the Horse Capital of the World for nothing. Marion County is home to more than 600 Thoroughbred farms and is one of only a handful of Thoroughbred centers in the world. Horses would be quite at home on your minifarm. Many of our properties are flat and zoned for animals, so you may find plenty of other horse owners, and horse lovers, in the neighborhood.

Build a Rabbit Tractor

Keeping rabbits, either for pets or as food, can be great fun and not a lot of work. But did you know you can also put your rabbits to work for you? Building a mobile rabbit cage, or rabbit tractor, allows you to not only migrate your bunnies into shady parts of your property in the summer heat, it also allows you to move them about so they can trim the grass and fertilize your yard at the same time. A sturdy hutch is smart for overnight living, especially since Florida black bears have been known to raid small animal cages if left unsecured.  

Whether you’re seeking a private piece of land to live self sufficiently, or you just want more space for animals and a life closer to nature, possibilities await you in the open spaces of north central Florida.

Call the LandBaron today to see how we can help you own your own land and build the homestead of your dreams. (888)-757-5771 or email at mylandbaron@gmail.com