Grow Your Own Loquats: Save Money, Build Community

0:00With grocery prices still biting hard in Pasco County, folks in Newport, Ritchie are firing up community gardens to grow their own fresh eats and slash those bills Leading the charge is Newport Richie Farmnet, a network linking residents to local produce like tomatoes, broccoli, and peaches plus this Under the radar star, called the Loquat, these gardens, like East Madison Garden, are popping up everywhere, making it simple for anyone to grab hyper local food The Loquats, the real gym here, a small orange fruit kin to apples and pears that thrives and floored as heat without much fuss Leaders like Farmnet Director Del De Chant say it's all about building a regenerative community that leans on what's already growing wild around us People are catching on quick, tasting the difference in loving how hardy these trees are for backyard setups They run a weekly market every Tuesday at the Newport Richie Public Library, loaded with fresh picks straight from the ground And heads up, this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the annual Loquat Festival hits Sims Park with vendors, demos, and trees you can snack for your own yard

1:09Word spreading on Loquats beyond Florida borders, turning curiosity into homegrown habits that keep communities tight and while it's fuller This has been Tampa Bay News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story