Gainesville Observed – September 25, 2013
Written by Jeffrey Hyatt
For a retired guy James Steele sure keeps busy. With 40 hard-working years growing food and supporting those that do in the books, one might think Steele would aspire to quiet days on the front porch. But the 63-year-old Steele is excited about new endeavors – some on the land, others online.
Raised in Miami since 1953, Steele moved to a 5-acre tract of land near the Santa Fe River outside of High Springs in 1972. It was here Steele developed a homestead, growing fruits and vegetables, raising chickens.
He preserved all the food, bartered the excess.
Working on the homestead was a natural classroom where Steele sharpened his organic gardening skills; He graduated from Santa Fe Community College with a degree in Farm management/Horticulture and would later teach organic gardening through the Santa Fe College Community Education Program.
In 1987, Steele started his own business. Ready to put his years of farming and management experience to the test, Steele took a 1.25-acre cow pasture and turned it into The Herb Garden.
As the only herb grower in North Central Florida at that time, The Herb Garden soon became established as the place for quality herbs, with wholesale accounts in Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando and Gainesville.
Steele has been the main herb supplier to Ward’s Supermarket for 18 years.
Looking for new avenues to promote his passion for farming and sustainable agriculture, Steele launched Gainesville Farm Fresh in 2009. The online hub is both resource and virtual market that supports local growers, organizations and the local food economy.
In 2010, Steele was elected to the Board of Directors of Citizen’s Co-op. He was also the assistant manager and Produce Manager when the doors opened in 2011.
Steele says he’s officially retired, but he and his partner Donna continue to dedicate much of their time to promoting a sustainable lifestyle and growing herbs. They are currently developing The Herb Garden into a teaching homestead for sustainable gardening, holistic living and growing herbs. Steele also continues teaching at the annual Florida Herb Conference on how to grow herbs in Florida’s unique climate.
Steele said he looks forward to seeing everyone back at the farmer’s markets this fall.
* I recently had a chance to speak with Steele about a variety of food and farming topics.
Explain Tranquilla Cove and what products we can expect to see in the future
Retiring in January (2013) has given me the freedom to re-establish a homestead, as I did in the early 70′s with the ‘Get Back to the Land’ movement. Tranquilla Cove is the name given to our property by my partner Donna. Our lives have crossed throughout the years when I was the owner of The Herb Garden; she took several classes I offered, as well as attended my yearly Herb Festival. Her interest in Herbs, gardening and living a practical lifestyle, always in the direction of self- sufficiency, brought us together, and thus we have decided to work toward establishing our own formulas for lip balms, skin salves, soaps and practical remedies for around the home – not only for medicinal value, but for health in general.
Our gardening and cooking skills have led us to producing wonderful, unique Jams and Jellies, cakes, muffins and more. The cottage food act, passed a little over a year ago, has opened the door for us to produce and sell some of the many flavorful foods, herb vinegars and other items that we once could only pass on to friends. We currently sell several dozen of our eggs each week, from our flock of Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds and Auracanas – just enough to offset the cost of the feed.
What was the reason behind launching Gainesville Farm Fresh?
My interests were always rooted in growing, organic gardening and promoting our local growers. During the time I owned The Herb Garden, the Gainesville Community started expanding their interests in local food and food security issues. I took the idea from LocalHarvest.org, which lists farms and markets from across the country, and made it more personal for the Gainesville community.
I wanted to not only get farms and markets listed, but also list the organizations that were making big differences in our community in supporting the local food movement. That information wasn’t always easy to find, and I wanted to have a website that consolidated that information for easy access for those looking to be involved in our local food community.
What are your thoughts on the local food community?
My opinion is that Gainesville is certainly setting a pace for other communities to follow. Not only is our city government and Alachua county involved in promoting the need for food security, many of our citizens are dedicated to promoting fresh and healthy foods from local organizations and businesses like Hogtowne Homegrown, Blue Oven Kitchens, Forage and many more. Plus, we have restaurants supporting local growers by not only purchasing their products, but also creating wonderful meals with them.
Our town is a great example of a commitment to local food. So many new businesses develop each year, and are successful selling their products, from coffee roasters, soap makers, candy and sweets, breads – it is amazing. We have such a wonderful source for local fruits and vegetables in our area alone. As the produce manager for Citizen’s Co-op before I retired earlier this year, I had the privilege to establish sincere relationships with numerous growers, beekeepers, fishermen, dairymen, cattlemen, cheesemakers, etc., all dedicated, wonderful folks, wanting to supply our community with fresh, healthy products.
Tell us a little about the Herb Garden.
Ah, The Herb Garden! My passion of over 40 years! I started growing herbs from a culinary interest in 1970. Then, when married with kids, expanded to producing many of my children’s common household medicines: cough syrups, insect repellents, eardrops, skin salves, burn ointments and more. I travelled, took classes, and participated in weekend seminars with many of the best, like James Duke, Rosemary Gladstar, David Hoffman and James Green. Herbs consumed me based on their versatility, whether for ornamental use, medicinal use or culinary use. It was the smells, the flavors and the healing qualities that lured me in from day one.
When my youngest daughter Molly was born, I made a decision to start my own business in order to be close to home with her. I was the only herb grower in our area at the time. Doris McCrory was down in the Eustis area, and Maggie, just a couple of years before me, was in the St. Augustine area. At first, many retailers did not even know what to order, so I would give them sample trays of assorted herbs, I would visit their nurseries and give talks about the herbs.
Soon I was speaking to Garden Clubs, Master Gardeners, Woman’s clubs and more throughout the area, and this knowledge that I passed on resulted in my business thriving.
Over the years I made a point to give classes on growing and cooking with herbs to making medicinal preparations with them. I expanded into the elementary schools teaching 3rd to 6th graders about herb history and the herbs contained in the household products and foods they use today.
What advice do you have for someone who dreams of becoming a farmer?
Make your dream a reality or it will always just be a dream. Over the 40 years since my first homestead at Rum Island, I have met several types of growers. Those who are trying it to make a living and see if they can make some money, and those who have to do it because it is in their soul!
Any young aspiring farmer needs to volunteer on a farm in every season, deal with the heat, the cold, the water, the insects, the diseases, the long hours – and then when they have their own farm, go through the sleepless nights of concern on those hard freezes or monsoon rains or crop failures.
It is not an easy lifestyle, but my goodness, if it is in your blood, you still get up early in the morning and grow, and at the end of the day, you know you have a good relationship with the earth, the soil, yourself and your community.
Looking ahead 20, 30 years, where do you see Gainesville’s local food economy?
I see more small, intensive gardens, more permaculture – a great increase in urban gardens and aquaculture. The large scale industrial farms will continue to exist, trying to feed the world, until they ruin our soil, but it will be the communities that thrive with small scale, organic farming, Aquaponics, community gardens, etc. I serve on the USDA Grant Review Board, and it is obvious the trends and innovations for sustainability are in those directions.
Many cities that are now considered food deserts are making vacated lots and land available to communities that are turning them into profitable productive gardens. You will see more and more communities taking charge of their food security and willing local governments helping them achieve it.
