What it is

Roots Up map

  1. Produce

  2. Bouquet Flowers

  3. Local Vendors

  4. Cows and Sheep

  5. Bring a Picnic

  6. Ichetucknee Springs

Come as you are. Decompress on your own or bring friends and family to explore the farm. Pick fresh produce, build beautiful bouquets, check out some local vendors, pet the cows and sheep, bring a picnic basket+blanket, and relax in open fields. If you get too hot, the crystalline Ichetucknee springs are 8 minutes down the road.

If you’d like to make an overnight trip out of this experience, Glenn Farms will be opening extra primitive camping spots (for the night of May 17th only) available for booking on their Hip Camp page.

We will be open from 8AM-8PM. I highly encourage attendees to join us in the morning hours or for the sunset. The afternoon would be the perfect time to enjoy the springs. I invite you to stay for an hour, make a day out of it, or camp with us overnight.

THE SHORT VERSION

My name is Ruby Noland. I’m graduating from UF this semester with a bachelor’s in horticultural sciences. I specialized in organic systems and focused my studies on agroecology and sustainable food systems. One thing I love about my degree is the intersection of technical plant science combined with practical application in the field.

I started visiting Glenn Farms in the fall of 2023. Tom Glenn and his mom, Judy Glenn, eager to learn about organic agriculture, offered their beautiful property for experimentation. What started as a fun way to spend my free time and gain hands-on experience has since developed into my capstone project.

In trying to decide what to do for my senior project, I knew I wanted to sum my academic experience with a real-world application that explored what “sustainability” truly means, and invited others to step into my world. The Roots Up Festival on May 17th is the culmination of what I have learned during my undergraduate experience and is intertwined with my personal goals.

My project was to design a farm plan inspired by USDA organic standards that capitalizes on Florida’s early growing season- featuring vegetables, fruits, and cut flowers. I decided to transition this design into a holistic system using the knowledge I have gained throughout my time at UF.

One day I found sprouted garlic in the back of my mom's refrigerator. She told me that if I planted it, it would grow. I was hooked. This is me, Ruby Noland, as a child with my first garden.

One day I found sprouted garlic in the back of my mom's refrigerator. She told me that if I planted it, it would grow. I was hooked.

THE LONG VERSION

Hi, I'm Ruby. I’m graduating college this semester, and for my senior project, I designed, established, and currently manage a 1.5-acre ecological farm. And on May 17th, I’m opening it to the public for the first time at the Roots Up Festival.

I’m doing a pay-what-you-can model because no one’s financial position should limit their ability to eat fresh, local, transparently grown food using organic practices. Having studied horticultural sciences and sustainable food systems, I understand why organic costs more, but right now, many people are struggling to afford basic groceries.

My set-up goes beyond equal access. I’ve used zero synthetic pesticides or herbicides and have overseen and kept records of every decision that has gone into this system- quality and transparency most people don't usually have access to.

It’s fresher than a farmer’s market. Harvesting food yourself and walking the rows gives gratification and peace of mind you can’t buy at the store. At Roots Up, you’ll see exactly where and how your food was grown, meet animals that always roam free, and know your money is supporting something GOOD.

You can’t pick up a supermarket tomato and trace how many weeks ago it was picked or what was sprayed on it- it’s a big question mark. Here, you never have to wonder.

Although a lot of my produce won’t be mature until later in the summer, you’ll still be able to harvest what’s ready- just know quantities will be limited. But this is the first of many: I’ll host a pay-what-you-can farm day once a month through the end of the summer.

However, May 17th is the only festival date, with local vendors on-site, plus limited camping available through Glenn Farm’s Hipcamp page.

So join us all day on May 17th for the Roots Up Festival. Bring a picnic, relax in the shade, see the animals, take a dip in the springs, tour the farm, pick food and flowers until I run out, shop one-of-a-kind local vendors, and camp under the stars. Pay what you can- I’ll see you there. :)

Roots Up

Excerpt from an assignment I completed detailing my project plan:

“I will be anticipating and executing nutrition requirements, irrigation needs and installation, soil management, plant pathogen interaction, IPM techniques, adapting to weather conditions/events, implementing organic weed management, researching varieties and sourcing my seeds, raising them through harvest, problem solving along the way, and more. I hope that on May 17th, any attendees I have will enjoy the unique ability to trace back every decision that went into their produce. I hope they have fun. I’ll be selling fresh, local, healthy produce and bouquet flowers at a personable level where attendees get to meet their farmer (me) and see how their food was grown.”

If you only shop at grocery stores, your food was probably harvested weeks prior to you eating it. Many people will never eat food harvested that same day, let alone within hours or minutes. It doesn’t get fresher than this.

Contact me

Got a question? Fill out some info and I will be in touch shortly. I can’t wait to hear from you :)