Our Tranquil Paradise…
Tranquilla Cove Homestead, our 1.34-acre parcel of land, is located near Orange Springs in North Central Florida. The homestead is located on the Northwest shore of a small 45-acre pond, with a mean elevation of 92′ above sea level.
Our homestead is currently a work in progress. We began in 2011 to plan and integrate several of our common interests to create a sustainable lifestyle living off the land. We still have a way to go and this website is dedicated to sharing that development as well as the knowledge and skills we learn.
The Greenhouse
was once part of a large, 66’ x 100’ triple bay structure located at my old nursery The Herb Garden. We sow vegetable seeds, nurture plants and grow an assortment of landscape plants, flowers, and several varieties of herbs. It is not heated and the sides are screened to allow good air ventilation. The greenhouse has 8 benches, four per side, and a watering system on a timer for when we are away. Here is a post with photos of the construction of the greenhouse. See The Cove Garden for more information on what we grow and tips on how we do it…
The Hen House
is a small structure, roughly 8’ x 12’, and the chicken yard is roughly 25′ x 100′. Our flock consists of Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, a Welsummer and 2 Auracanas, and our rooster, Rafael. Over the years our flock has changed due to varmints, going from close to 50 down to 3! With restocking and tighter security, we are currently at 17. The hens are a quite friendly group, very curious, and always come to the gate when we come over. We average a dozen eggs a day, keeping a couple for ourselves and selling about 5 dozen a week to the Melrose Growers Alliance. See our section on Cove Critters for more information…
The Cove Garden
Further into the homestead are our home, our kitchen herb garden, and our raised beds garden. We have a total of 9 garden beds, Three are used as kitchen garden beds and the other 6 are for seasonal fruits and vegetables, In the backyard, along the edge of Gillis Pond, we are currently creating 2 terraced areas that will eventually be the home of Bananas, Papayas and other fruit trees and spices. See more information on gardening, gardening tips, and more in the section The Cove Garden…
Cove Cuisine
We enjoy good food here at The Cove, especially on holidays and special occasions. Whether an elegant breakfast on the porch, a holiday dinner, or an evening grill out, we always try to combine delicious, fresh food with a nice presentation. Utilizing our farm-fresh eggs, seasonal veggies, and fresh-cut herbs, we never run short on a great-tasting meal. Visit our section at Cove Cuisine and enjoy some of our favorite recipes!
Seasonal Observations
Seasonal Observations here at the Cove are unique. As the months come and go, so do changes in the weather, the flora, the fauna, and the celestial sky. When do the whippoorwills sing, when do the love bugs arrive? Are the dogwoods blooming and can you observe Scorpio in the southern sky? Will it be a wet month or a dry month? We keep track of these statistics right here online and hope you find them as interesting as we do! Check out our section on Seasonal Observations!
St. Somewhere
There are those times when we all need to get away, remove ourselves from the hustle of everyday life, or, as in our case, simply enjoy the pleasures of retirement. St. Somewhere is our sub-tropical hideaway, located on the southern property of Tranquilla Cove Homestead overlooking Gillis Pond. This ideal retreat consists of an elevated Observation Dock, Tranquilla Breeze Tiki Bar and Grille, and L’ Attitudes, a screened sanctuary to take advantage of the lakeside peace and pleasure that is St. Somewhere. Check out St. Somewhere!
THE HOMESTEAD | SEASONAL OBSERVATIONS | THE COVE GARDEN | COVE CUISINE | COVE CRITTERS | ST. SOMEWHERE | THE COVE JOURNAL
“Dreams can’t come true without first dreaming…there is no harvest without first sowing seed”