Boiled Peanuts at Maria’s Dixie Nut House in Oldtown

Located at the intersection of US 19 and 55A, the owners of Maria’s Dixie Nut house have been serving up boiled peanuts for 34 years.  They started at a roadside stand and eventually moved into the building you see today.  They have green peanuts from May-October, and they get them from local sources whenever possible.  The Jumbo peanuts …

Putting the Green in Blueberries: Earth-friendly Farming at Monticello’s Green Meadows Farm

When longtime organic gardener Delores Green retired from teaching, she wanted to turn her hobby into a small business. “I wanted to be outside growing things,” she says. Delores and her husband, Ronny, searched for a crop they could grow organically on land they owned in Monticello. They settled on blueberries and opened Green Meadows …

Stop and Smell the Roses: Florida’s Wildflowers

One of the prettiest things about summer in North Florida is all of the wildflowers that you see blooming everywhere.  After the dreary gray of winter, the flowers of spring and summer bring a much needed splash of color back into the world.  Here is a guide to identifying some of the wildflowers that you …

Gainesville Farmer’s Markets: Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday

For those who have never been, Gainesville has 4 farmer’s markets at various locations throughout the week.  The farmer’s market is the best place to get your produce, as it is all locally grown and its fresher than anything that you’ll find in the store.  Right now the market is full of all different kinds of …

Kids are Welcome for Blueberry Picking at Green Meadows

A u-pick blueberry farm makes a great outing with kids, and when the blueberries are organic, you don’t have to worry about any pesticides getting on your little one’s hands — or in his mouth if he samples a few in the field (and who doesn’t?). At Green Meadows Farm in Monticello, Delores Green ensures …

Head to Hagan’s Cove for Spectacular Gulf Views

If you’re heading to Steinhatchee or Keaton Beach, don’t miss a side trip out to Hagen’s Cove, a state-owned park near Perry, part of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Big Bend Wildlife Management Area. You’ll find hordes of folks during scallop season — Hagen’s Cove is one of the few spots where you …

U-pick Fruits and Veggies, Summer at its Finest!

In today’s world of supermarkets and mega marts, why pick your own produce when you can just go out and buy it? Well, first of all, they’re fresher.  Less than 24 hours from the farm to your belly.  Second of all, the produce is likely of a higher quality.  When farmers pick for supermarkets, the …

On the Trail of White Squirrels in Wakulla County

Reading through the brochure the ranger gave us as we entered Ochlockonee River State Park in Sopchoppy, I noticed a brief mention of the rare white squirrels in the park. “Patient park visitors may be rewarded with a glimpse,” I read aloud to the family. No sooner had we stepped out of the car than …

Natural North Florida in Florida Trend Magazine!

Florida Trend‘s Chris Sherman highlighted scalloping in Steinhatchee in his latest Getaways article, “No Stein Unturned,” in the monthly business mag. The article describes Steinhatchee’s charm as well as top scalloping spots and the accommodations available at Steinhatchee Landing.

Cabin Camping at Madison’s Jellystone Park

We cooked breakfast in a full kitchen, then ate at a dining room table that seated six. Wait a minute. This is a campground? At Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Madison, roughing it doesn’t have to be rough at all. Sure, you can tent or RV camp, but you can also enjoy the resort …