Hydroponic U-Pick Strawberry Farm to Open in St. Augustine

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- St. Augustine's new u-pick strawberry field is not like most you have seen.

"We're pretty new at the hydroponic thing," John Alexon laughed. But that didn't stop him from building a hydroponic u-pick farm. 

He wanted to pull more people off the interstate and into his St. Augustine Flea Market at the State Road 207 exit.

"Really the goal was to create more of an attraction to the market," Alexon explained.

So after a lot of research he built a one-acre hydroponic u-pick farm that grows about four acres of fruit, vegetables and herbs. 

The farm opens to the public on December 1st.

The plants are grown in small pots that are stacked on top of one another, and that means there's more to harvest than if the plants were grown in the ground.

"It's all vertical. It's a spin environment where people can pick easily," Alexon said, spinning a post full of potted strawberry plants.

And in those vertical buckets, there's more than just big red strawberries.

Managers Robert and Colleen Lowe are growing all sorts of lettuce, herbs, and vegetables without soil.

Robert Lowe said the plants' roots are in a "50 -50 perlite and vermiculite mix."

He said that combo helps aerate the plants and also helps with water retention.

Lowe explained the plants are fed through a "little black tube" three times a day and that "provides all the nutrients these plants are going to get... and obviously all the nutrients they need."

Alexon explained that because of the way in which the strawberries are grown, the berries are ready for picking before the typical Florida strawberry season of February and March.

Colleen Lowe said, "People can come in. We'll give them a brief tutorial, and then turn them loose...I love providing a fresh product...You can come here and cut it or have it cut for you, take it home, and within an hour have it on your table and eat it."

All of these plants are growing right before it gets cold, so the staff has frost cloths on the ground by the plants.

Colleen Lowe explained that if temperatures get close to freezing, they'll pull the cloths over the plants and turn on misters to keep the temperature warm underneath the cloths, and that will help protect the plants from the cold weather.

Creating a place where people can get fresh - really fresh - produce was part of Alexon's plan.  

He laughed and said, "Farming is not easy.  It's a lot of work, but it's exciting. At this point, it's fun!"

Alexon had the land, saw the potential customers along the interstate, and is banking on the idea that if he plants it, they will come.

The farm will be open Thursdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and it's located next to the St. Augustine Flea Market on I-95 and State Road 207.

COMPLETE FLEA MARKET INFORMATION

First Coast News