An array of carrots on display at the Little Pond Farm booth at the weekly Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. Petersburg.
For farmers, food is more than just taste and a price tag. Food production is a creative process. Food is the product of attentive care and labor.
Cole Turner wakes up before dawn and tends to his farm.
He plants, seeds, weeds, trellises and even does some office work, often until the sun sets.
He and his fellow farmers rotate lunch duties, usually trying a new recipe with the day’s harvest, and spend most of their days cultivating the land.
They discuss goals and concerns, watch movies and share a beer to watch the sunset.
Growing up on a lake in Tampa, Turner, 22, was exposed to nature from the beginning.
He spent his time on the water learning about plants, soils and cultivation. In high school, he volunteered and lived on a farm. He quickly adopted a passion for gardening.
Farmer Cole Turner gathers a bouquet of flowers from Little Pond Farm, a business he started and operates.
Taking the interest further, Turner established the Little Pond Farm in 2013 on a small plot of land in rural Sumter County, Fla., accompanied by his two “canine sidekicks.”
His vision: Communicate the importance of knowing your food.
Little Pond Farm works closely with the land, ensuring all farming processes are regenerative and nondestructive. It aims to serve as a reliable food source for customers, reduce reliance on outside resources, and build trust within the producer and consumer relationship.
“I want them to know more than just who grew it, but how many times we planted and replanted, failed and succeeded,” said Turner.
In 2014, Turner sought out more farmers to work for his growing business.
Ellen Trimarco joined the team in 2014, contributing a specialized knowledge of microbiology, botony, soil, and a passion for farming. Trimarco now lives on the farm and according to Turner, has “helped the farm progress by leaps and and bounds.”
Today the farm boasts 26 acres of land, four of which are currently being used for crop development.
One of the Little Pond Farm’s recent harvests include sweet corn, garlic, tumeric, red Russian kale, pea shoots, holy basil and bok choi.
Turner and his fellow farmers grow an array of produce, amounting to more than 200 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. While vegetation is Little Pond’s focus, the farm is home to three Florida cracker cows, laying hens, two dogs and Trimarco’s cat.
From harvesting dozens of black beans a day, to gathering bouquets of vibrant flowers, even to operating the farm tractors, Turner considers farming a creative, yet scientific process.
“It’s not sterile or constant; it’s alive and moving and growing. The farm itself is an organism,” he said. “We are working with and facilitating natural processes. In that, there is a lot of room for experimentation and innovation – we are always working to produce the best food, be efficient, and steward the land in a way that’s respectful.”
Turners work certainly seems to be paying off, but not without some challenges.
“The biggest hurdle has been establishing the farm as a business,” he said. “This includes utilizing and remodeling existing infrastructure of the land and fine tuning our growing methods.
Lots of challenges arise in the form of bad weather, diseased crops and unexpected equipment failures. The nature of farming is unpredictable, and we have to always be thinking on our feet.”
Though he doesn’t come from a family of farmers, Turner’s family and friends are supportive of his farm.
“My family loves and supports my farm efforts. And (they eat) more vegetables than ever.”
In fact, his parents are his “generous” landlords.
Ellen Trimarco plants a patch of pumpkin and winter squash using an organic and soil-based practice on the independent Little Pond Farm in Bushnell, Fla.
Turner’s parents can be found at the Little Pond Farm helping with crops on the weekends in their free time.
In 2014, Turner welcomed 12 aspiring farmers to the farm as interns through WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms).
Now, he has two dedicated full-time interns and two employees. The second farming season was so successful, that Turner decided to bring in four more apprentices for the first full season.
But while a majority of modern food producers aim for business expansion and profit, Turner continues to grow local for the sake of improvement. He doesn’t have plans to attend college, as he expects to be farming for the rest of his life.
“Being attached and dependent on the land and our own ingenuity frees me. There is so much opportunity to create and do better.”
Get your fresh produce fix by visiting Little Pond Farm’s booth at the weekly Saturday Morning Progress Energy Park.
