What Our Participants Are Saying…

Recently I was able to attend an introduction gardening class with Farmer Tone, the Tropical Urban Farmer. I really enjoyed the class and his enthusiasm for keeping everything organic. Farmer Tone is willing to work in any small space that you have to grow a few plants, even if it’s not a large garden plot.

For me, I realized the key to successful gardening is the base of everything – good, rich soil. Farmer Tone showed us how to work with some typical (and difficult) Florida soil, full of fertilizer pellets to begin with. He explained why store-bought, chemical fertilizer is not good for the soil. And he showed us how to neutralize the soil. Together we layered the soil with good layers to build up a raised bed garden – from scratch. We looked at how to create our own compost from vegetable scraps on a small scale.

Farmer Tone encourages his classes to get their hands dirty and their feet dirty. He also gives tips on how to protect your back while working in the garden, very important for anyone who wants to nurture a garden. He believes in “working hard, playing hard and eating hard.” So on the day that I attended, Farmer Tone prepared a beautiful spread of food, all from his organic gardening yield.

Anyone who has been “transplanted” to Florida like myself needs to understand how to work with this sandy, unproductive soil and build it back up again before starting a garden. It’s also great to learn about native plants to Florida, which grow more easily than some of the vegetables, for example, that we are used to growing up North. I would recommend Farmer Tone’s gardening class to anyone who wants to start a new, organic garden or needs tips on continuing their organic gardening! ~ Krista Martinelli, Owner/Editor of AroundWellington.com

If you want a mind, body and soul approach to gardening this is the class for you. Farmer Tone’s passion and enthusiasm inspired me to start my own organic backyard garden.

After taking his class we were served a meal prepared with such loving care, truly a feast for the eyes that exploded with flavor. Not only did we get to enjoy this amazing meal but we were able to continue our conversations with Farmer Tone. What a great day! ~ Suzanne W. – Photo Preservation Specialist

I have had a dream to grow food in a home garden for many years now. I kept saying “one day” I will start but that day never came, until Farmer Tone showed up in my life. Within a matter of months, thanks to his incredible generosity, I have a flourishing Eden in my yard, filled with edible food, growing in the best organic soil. I am leaning valuable techniques to maintain my garden and how to use and recycle every part to create more. I feel a sense of peace and purpose as I tend to my garden each day. I love to see it grow, never knowing what will come next.

Farmer Tone is more than a gardener or even an instructor. He has a deep spiritual connection to the Earth and a wisdom to understand and incorporate the processes of nature into growing, yielding the best results. He has such a deep commitment to growing food, not lawns and he is constantly sharing fruits and vegetables from his many gardens.

I have become abundant in food and get joy from passing it on to others. If you are like me and feel a higher calling to begin growing your own food, telling yourself one day some day you will begin, please make that day today and attend the next class led by Farmer Tone. At his classes you will learn in a hands on way the importance of re-connecting with the earth and what you can grow in our tropical environment. If you can cultivate love and a little bit of patience, you too can become part of the growing movement, food not lawns. Thanks Farmer Tone! ~ Joshua L.

I have only met with Tony 2x but I have learned so much already. He is so passionate about teaching and a joy to work with. He helps you connect back with nature and truly learn about mother earth and farming practices. If you are considering going, don’t hesitate. You will be happy you did! ~ Linda

I have wanted to contact Tony and attend one of his classes for well over a year now. My advice to you is to stop procrastinating and attend one of his classes. I finally attended his Ayuvedic herbs class at Greenlands and am now reinspired to grow my own organic herbs and veggies. He is truly a gift to our community and his knowledge with organic gardening far surpassed my expectations. Take charge of you and your family’s health and start your own urban garden! ~ Catherine A.

As a qualified Nutritionist and Aromatherapist I can recommend Tony’s class as necessity in this time of “frankenfood era”. To be able to grow your own food in your back yard or even balcony should be everyone’s priority. Farmer Tony is God’s gift to Florida, thanks to him you will know how to grow with fun and ease. Thanks to him I now know all the tricks and shortcuts for my farming even though I live in Canada. Tony is able to tell you and teach you about farming no matter where you live on this planet earth. His teaching abilities are grater than many I have come across. His ability to explain body metabolism and compare it to plant world comes from his continuous work and love for earth and humanity. Thank you Tony for being who you are and touching our harts. We promise to cary this experience to our farm. ~ Biljana Pantic Scholes and Robert Scholes

I had a private class and attended a free presentation by Tony. I learned so much in just a few hours I could not wait to get home and apply my newly acquired techniques. I plan to take more lessons from Tony and finally get going with my raised container organic garden. Tony does not have much of a farm, the 5 stars are for his lessons. Tome una clase privada y atendi a una presentacion gratis de Tony. Aprendi mucho y me apure a mi casa a usar todas las tecnicas nuevas en el jardin. Pienso tomar mas clases con Tony y empezar a comer del contenedor con mi jardin organico en mi patio. Tony no tiene un “farm”, las 5 estrellas que le di son por sus lecciones. ~ Gloria Fasce

>What a unique and precious experience it has been attending classes with Tony. He not only is an expert in the field of organic gardening here in South Florida, but he has such a tremendous respect for the Earth, which he infuses into every aspect of his teaching. This perfect blend of knowledge and heart is what has made my time with Tony truly memorable. I hope to put into practice all I have learned from him. ~ Seiuma McCulloch

My husband and I attended one of Tony’s classes today for organic gardening for beginners and left with all the tools we needed. He was very informative and described to us what exact problems we could face living in South Florida. Tony is definitely passionate about what he does and we left feeling blessed to have had such s great opportunity. Can’t wait until our next class. ~ Olivia Flynn

I decided to take a private class with Tony simply because I was unable to fit it into my weekend schedule. We met at the library in Delray for some theory on gardening. Even though I’ve been at it for a bit, I learned so much from this initial hour of the class. We then went across the way to the community garden for some hands on work. I learned all about the wonderful neem tree and it was great to see some of the composting already in progress. I had a chance to see several small plots that are cared for by other members. Tony continued to enlighten me on the relationship between the different plants and how they help each other ward off pests in the most natural ways. He shared knowledge, cuttings and seeds, soil with some lovely worms and casings and the type of passion that made me eager to get back to my own garden and put to practice some of the wisdom imparted. I plan to go back for some group sessions and help spread the word. Tony rocks! 🙂 ~ Dannielle

My husband & I were interested in learning to grow our own organic food. And WOW did we learn! We met Tony at a community garden where we were able to see firsthand the results of proper & improper/neglected gardens. He gave us a lot of techniques for dealing with the unique gardening challenges we face in South Florida. Tony is extremely passionate about gardening and it is contagious! We highly recommend his workshops. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, there’s always something more to learn! ~ Kathy DAmbrosio