Being so far south, we are able to grow vegetables right through the winter months. Cool-season crops like broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and strawberries do well on the ECHO farm this time of year.Pictured to the left are vegetables growing underneath gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) tree branches in the rain forest area. The reason this is working is that the gliricidia tree has no leaves this time of year, allowing light to reach the vegetables below. Gliricidia is a multipurpose, leguminous tree used in agroforestry systems to provide- among other things- living fence posts, soil nitrogen, and shade to crops such as cacao and coffee. On our farm here in Florida, gliricidia does not set seed, so there are no gliricidia seedlings at the base of the tree to compete with vegetables. It looks like winter vegetables under gliricidia is a winning combination here in Florida.
