Edible gardening is in this season. Come to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for the annual Food & Garden Festival featuring the 34th Annual Spring Plant Sale to celebrate the arrival of spring. Sample delicious seasonal foods, learn how to care for and maintain your edible gardens throughout the summer months, and take home healthy plants grown by Fairchild and local plant societies. The festival is Saturday, April 20 – Sunday, April 21, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
If you’re looking for locally grown fruits, veggies, herbs, honey and jams, the Farmers Market on the Garden House Lawn is the place to be. Sample distinct tropical fruits at the Fairchild Farm Fruit Market and take home plants from the Edible Garden area like the native Everglades tomato that can grow year-round in South Florida. Stop by the Spring Beer Tasting Garden to try unique flavors like guava brown ale and pear cider. If you want to learn how to grow your own edible plants – even edible palm trees – attend the outdoor gardening demos and gardening lectures in the Science Village. Cooking demos by local chefs from places like Whole Foods Market and Swine Southern Table & Bar will show how to cook up delicious meals while special cooking demos for kids by Short Chef will feature hands-on and interactive ways to make pasta with vegetables. Children of all ages can visit KidWay to examine their favorite foods under a microscope and learn how plants germinate into edible items. After getting your fill of food, join one of the walking tours with different themes like composting and bee farming.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL 33156. Admission to the Food & Garden Festival is free for Fairchild members and children 5 and under. For nonmembers, admission is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors 65 and up, and $12 for children 6-17. Those who walk, bike, or take public transportation receive $5 off adult admission and $2 off child admission. Those with a Military ID have free admission, with $20 for their spouses and $10 for their children.
For more information and a complete schedule, please visit www.fairchildgarden.org or the Food & Garden Festival web page.