UF/IFAS Extension Monroe County Presents:  Florida Keys Tropical Fruit Fiesta at Big Pine Key Community Park

MONROE COUNTY, FL – The University of Florida, IFAS Monroe County Extension Service and Grimal Grove are bringing back the Florida Keys Tropical Fruit Fiesta to Big Pine Key!  Come out Saturday, June 18th from 10am to 2 pm to Big Pine Key Community Park, 31009 Atlantis Drive.  It is a free, family friendly event.

Many beautiful local varieties of tropical fruit will be on display and available for tasting and purchase provided by the University of Florida Tropical Research and Education Center. Looking for plants and fruit trees to purchase? We have that covered too! Grimal Grove will have an assortment of mango, avocado, banana, papaya, and breadfruit trees available, in addition to some exotic tropical fruit to tase from the Grove. Marc House from Key West, Key West Botanical Garden Nursery and Soroa Orchids, from Homestead, will have native and ornamental plants, orchids, and vegetable seedlings available.

Educational talks will occur throughout the day to help solve fruit care and vegetable gardening questions. Jeff Wasielewski, Tropical Fruit Extension Agent from Miami-Dade is giving two presentations, Why Won’t My Tree Fruit? And How to Prune Fruit Trees.  There will be cooking demonstrations using Thai vegetables and breadfruit.  Master Gardener Volunteers will discuss veggies that can be grown in the summer and thanks to a grant from Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, Monroe County Extension Service will be handing out UF bucket gardens to those that preregister through Eventbrite. The self-watering bucket gardens are an easy, less stress option to growing vegetables in the Keys. Quantities are limited and preregistration is required. The educational talks will be indoors.

Our kid’s area will have lots to offer young attendees. The plant-a-piney activity shows how to plant and care for pineapples and participants get to take home their very own planted pineapple tops. Farmer Jeanne and her fun-loving animals will be on hand from Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm. Educational booths showing the important conservation work being done in the Keys, painting with fruit to demonstrate the function of seeds and roots, coloring activities, and much more. Not to mention the beautiful playground area at the park.

There will be additional local vendors selling tropical vibes and products. Centennial Bank’s Weenie Wagon will be slinging burgers and hot dogs and other snacks and refreshments will be available for purchase.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]