April Meeting - Darryl McCullough - Growing Avocados in Southwest Florida

April Meeting - Darryl McCullough - Growing Avocados in Southwest Florida

Meeting Date/Time: 

Monday, April 13th, 2026, 7pm

Location: Harlee Building/County Fairgrounds, 1303 17th St W, Palmetto, FL 34221

Our April Speaker

From the Program Committee:

Our planned April speaker, mulberry expert Jan Doolin, had to postpone her visit in order to care for a family member. She will be rescheduled for a future meeting. MRFC member and treasurer Darryl McCullough will fill in, speaking about his favorite fruit, avocados.

Darryl retired from academia in 2012 and moved to a 2-acre property in north Sarasota County, where he grows avocados, mangos, jaboticabas, and other fruits. He became treasurer of the MRFC in 2013, and is also the treasurer of a local non-profit organization that supports local food producers and businesses, charity harvesting, and community composting.

The presentation, Growing Avocados in Southwest Florida, will include some advantages and disadvantages of growing avocados; avocado ecotypes; buying, planting and caring for avocado trees; pests and diseases; variety selection; and some of Darryl’s favorite varieties.

March 2025 Meeting - Mack Lessig - Community Gardens in Manatee County

March Meeting - Mack Lessig - Community Gardens in Manatee County

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, March 9th, 2026, 7pm

Location: Harlee Building/County Fairgrounds, 1303 17th St W, Palmetto, FL 34221

Mack Lessig serves as the Residential Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County. A proud Manatee County native, Mack earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Florida. His professional expertise is grounded in vegetable and fruit production, with a specialized emphasis on vegetable entomology and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Beyond his official duties, Mack is an advocate for sustainable living, channeling his personal passions for beekeeping and backyard food production into helping residents cultivate productive, resilient landscapes.

Mack will speak on the Community Gardens Program in Manatee County, in particular the development and management of the community gardens program in Manatee County over the last eight years. This includes community gardens, which provide shared land for residents to grow fresh produce, and school gardens, which serve as outdoor laboratories for student education. He will explain the "Manatee Model" of operation—focusing on site sustainability, the integration of food forests for low-maintenance perennial production, and the technical support provided by the Extension. He will also discuss future expansion goals, and a guide for how we can support these initiatives 
through volunteering or mentorship.

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Please bring fruit for the tasting table and/or plants to donate for the raffle (no citrus plants, please). Don’t forget to collect a free raffle ticket for your donation. Your participation is very much needed and appreciated.

A friendly reminder: If you bring a plant, please label what it is. Also, write your name and the plant on the Raffle list. If you win a plant, please put your name next to the plant on the Raffle list.

Meetings are not recorded. First time visitors are welcome! Become a member for only $12. Join online or at a monthly meeting. https://www.mrfc.org/p/become-member.html