Wednesday, October 22, 2025

November Meeting - Mark Bailey - Persimmons

November Meeting - Mark Bailey - Persimmons

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, November 10th, 2025 7pm

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

Mark Bailey is the Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems

Extension agent for Marion County. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelors in Entomology and Nematology, and received a Masters in Plant Protection and Pest Management from the University of Georgia.

Mark has served as an extension agent for more than ten years, and works to develop a sustainable local food system. His specializations include entomology, plant pathology, edible landscaping, and agricultural entrepreneurship. He is currently engaged in the research and development of passion fruit as a crop in Florida.

At home he grows hundreds of fruit trees, which include varieties of citrus, persimmons, passion fruit, and mulberries. He will speak on Persimmons, an underutilized fruit in Southwest Florida.
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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 

Monday, September 22, 2025

October Meeting - Muaaz Hassan - The Essence of Grafting

Slides from Presentation


October Meeting - Muaaz Hassan - The Essence of Grafting

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, October 13th, 2025 7pm

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


Muaaz Hassan has been cultivating a 1.5 acre permaculture-inspired food forest in Bradenton since 2018.  He is passionate about sub-tropical fruit trees, and is an advocate for sustainable and natural farming practices focusing on soil health.

Muaaz propagates a selection of high quality nursery stock tailored for central Florida at his backyard nursery. He will present on the essence of grafting.  


His favorite fruits are mangos, annonas, jaboticabas, mulberries and loquats. He is available for appointment at 941-538-2959.

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.

Do you have a suggestion for a topic or a specific speaker? Let the Program Committee know by completing this online form: Suggestions for Program Topics and Speakers.

MRFC members are encouraged to bring a dish for the tasting table or a plant for the raffle table if you can. Please sign the registers at these tables so that our editor can credit you in next month's newsletter.

We are now accepting 2025 dues (still only $12), please click here for more information about dues and to pay online.You may also pay with cash or check (made payable to MRFC) at this or a future meeting. If you are not sure whether you have paid yet, please ask at the membership table at the meeting.