Basil, Chaya, Milk and Honey

Journeyed on down to the weird world of South of Gandy, South Tampa yesterday, where a completely different vibe emanates from the rest of the city (sorta), born of obnoxious McMansions sitting uncomfortably next to squat little 50s concrete block ranch houses built to accommodate the Airforce families in the 1950s; white and blue collars living in uneasy truce. The first place we visited down there (after Schiller's German Delicatessen, who serve up some mighty good corned beef sandwiches, and Sunshine Thrift, a requisite not only for the one dollar shirts but for the twenty five cent buttered popcorn!) was one of those 50's concrete block deals on a sunny street around the corner from the Airforce Base. A guy named John lives there and he has an organic garden project/urban farm of sorts in his yard which is more like a small jungle threatening to take over his house any day now. John wasn't there, but he had an outdoor honor system plant store set up out front. We picked out some Greek Columnar Basil (a hybrid variety that doesn't seed and is rumored to grow up to 5 feet and produce the best pesto known to man) and a Chaya plant (Mayan spinach/tree spinach) said to be high in protein, iron and calcium and mighty good in an omelette. We shoved the money in the slot.

The next stop, just a few blocks away, was a hidden 4 acre fully functioning farm complete with a dairy cow, horses, pigs, chickens, and about 200 beehives. This is the homestead of proud Florida cracker Marion Lambert, a small scale organic dairy farmer, beekeeper, and civil war enthusiast who appears to have stepped into a time warp back in the 19th century and gotten spit out smack in the middle of 21st century suburban Tampa.

Now, I know a lot of folks don't like Marion Lambert seeing as he's responsible for that giant confederate flag hoisted up at the intersection of I-4 and I-275 recently, and that's understandable. I think the flag is obnoxious myself, but I'm intrigued with the guy who put it up and his farm is one of the coolest things going around here, despite his throwback political views.
(too be continued)