Everoak Farm
I first met Mike Garica many years ago when he was a chef for a business inside the East End Market. Later, I lost track of him, but I kept hearing the name Everoak Farm pop up, whether it was while dining at a local restaurant and seeing their name listed as a local purveyor or hearing about an event being held at this farm that was apparently located in the middle of the city. Soon, it became clear that this was Mike’s family farm and that he was no more than ever an integral part of our Orlando dining scene.
The farm is located on Carrington Drive, a few miles East of Baldwin Park. Mike is the owner and operator of this farm, and he is entirely self-taught, which is impressive when you hear him speak about his holistic approach to the land, bio-intensive market gardening, and so many other terms I had to look up later. He and his wife, Nikki, run the farm, where they grow Certified Naturally Grown fruits and vegetables and raise pastured poultry.
It’s a true ecosystem that Mike and his team are constantly working on. Their produce is certified naturally grown, equivalent to USDA organic, and they follow the same guidelines. It’s a peer-to-peer inspection without the high fees. The farm is currently at no spray, intending to embrace ecology and create a fully balanced ecosystem. Mike explained that pests and diseases are stress responses in these crops. Therefore, having a healthy, balanced soil and creating a healthy environment where they aren’t stressed means they will exhibit fewer symptoms that attract pests. Spraying doesn’t cure that issue; eventually, it will create more issues in the future.
They focus on primary crops but also plant supplementary crops to support their main crops. Mike utilizes Syntropic agroforestry, a method that emulates and accelerates natural ecological succession and stratification, creating diverse and productive ecosystems. Different plants and species always grow for ecological support.
He’s also trying to plant more sustainable produce, such as cassava and Malanga, so that he can more widely introduce these hearty items, popular in other parts of the world, to the local community.
While it’s great to be sitting at a local restaurant like Kaya, The Neighbors, Redlight, The Strand, or Coro and see that this local farm is sourcing some of their produce, what’s even better is that you can source your produce from this farm as well. They have a CSA (community-supported agriculture) program from fall to spring, broken up into three seasons for 12 weeks. The CSA is a great way to experience truly fresh produce, which lasts much longer than what you purchase at local grocers, which was likely harvested two weeks before you purchased it.
They focus on primary crops but also plant supplementary crops to support their main crops. Mike utilizes Syntropic agroforestry, a method that emulates and accelerates natural ecological succession and stratification, creating diverse and productive ecosystems. Different plants and species always grow for ecological support.
He’s also trying to plant more sustainable produce, such as cassava and Malanga, so he can introduce these hearty items, popular in other parts of the world, to the local community more.
There are also items that thrive here, yet they continue to be imported, like bananas, so his farm is always looking for ways to bring produce to Orlando that can help us thrive, introduce us to new items, and truly let us experience something that Florida soil can produce and we can enjoy as soon as it’s harvested.
Additionally, the farm hosts events, Chef Dinners, and educational classes. The best way to take full advantage of all that the farm has to offer is to follow them on social media to keep up-to-date.
