Green Lion Festival – Sustainability in Jacksonville

Was fortunate enough to attend the USGBC Florida Green Lion Festival 2017 yesterday and meet tons of amazing folks passionate about sustainability and building green. Really enjoyed meeting Stephanie and Tim from the Creative Animal Foundation Their partnership with 84 Lumber is a great sign for the tiny house movement, and how they got that partnership was even cooler.

In addition I was particular happy to see the urban gardening and local micro-farming community show up. We eat fruits from half way around the world when they could grow in our back yard. In my grocery store the fresh live herbs for sale are from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, where I was born and grew up, which is both ironic and sad. I met two organizations address this issue in two different ways.

Eat Your Yard JAX

Here  is some information from their site about their offerings:

We are a family run Farm-Nursery specializing in Cactus, Succulents and Edible Landscape and Garden Plants.

See our booth at Jarboe Park Farmers Market, 1166 3rd St. North, Atlantic Beach Every Saturday, 2 – 6 pm

We firmly believe in practicing organic principles and sustainable agriculture practices. Our farm uses composting, vermiculture, rainwater reclamation, aquiponics, chicken production for a manure source and mushroom production from waste wood reclamation as part of our sustainable practices

Eat Your Yard

Yes it is possible to incorporate attractive food producing perennials, trees and bushes into your landscape. We believe a yard should be more than a postage stamp sterile environment. It should be a place that feeds mind, body and spirit, a place to share nature with children, family and neighbors.

Edible Landscape & Garden Plants

We are a provider of wholesale berry and bramble bushes, selected herbs and perennial tea and Salad gardens. We also sell retail at selected farmers markets that support the CSA-“Community supported Agriculture” concept.

Cactus and Succulents

We are primarily a wholesaler of 2”,4”and 6” cactus and succulents, focusing on locally grown and acclimated specimens. We also offer dish gardens and select, unusual hanging baskets. We work with interior and exterior landscape designers and installers on water thrifty container garden and landscape ideas including green roof projects.

Giving Greens

Here is some information from their Facebook page:

We are Giving Greens. We are striving to make fruits and vegetables more accessible to children, families, homeless, underprivileged families and our community; by creating gardens at schools, shelters and local communities. But that isn’t all; we are also going to show the children and adults how to manage and create meals from their gardens. Our goal is to show our community that eating healthy is affordable, fun and delicious! We are working on cookbooks, children’s books, shirts, canvas bags and other retail items to sell to help fund our cause.

http://www.Instagram.com/givinggreens

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