October Meeting - Muaaz Hassan - Containers Gardening and Sub-irrigated Planters

October Meeting: Muaaz Hassan - Containers Gardening and Sub-irrigated Planters

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, October 12th, 2026, 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 subtropical fruit trees, and is an advocate of 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. His favorite fruits are mangos, annonas, jaboticabas, mulberries and loquats. He is available by 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.
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 

September 2026 Meeting - Raleigh Barnes - Organic Vanilla Growing, Tutor Tree Importance and Simple Clonal Propagation

September Meeting - Raleigh Barnes - Organic Vanilla Growing

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, September 14th, 2026, 7pm

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

Our September Speaker

From the Program Committee:

Our September meeting will feature another longstanding member of the MRFC, Raleigh Barnes. He is a graduate of the Tropical Tropical Fruit Production Course (perhaps better known as “Jonathan Crane’s course”) at the Tropical Fruit Research and Education Center in Homestead. More recently, Raleigh has studied horticulture in Central America and Asia, and now ranks as one of Florida’s well-known tropical fruit experts. His multifaceted business, Third Insight Design (thirdinsightdesign.com), continues to be one of the top vendors in our annual tree sale.

Raleigh has volunteered for the MRFC in many capacities, and last spoke to us in 2022. His topic this time will be Organic Vanilla Growing, Tutor Tree Importance and Simple Clonal Propagation. He will have vanilla plants, tudor trees and ice cream beans for sale.