e tour is an outdoor agricultural experience, complete with Florida heat, damp ground, insects, poultry and the occasional snake. Guests are advised to bring water, wear sturdy shoes and prepare for uneven terrain. Anyone expecting a serene spa excursion may be surprised, although the chickens are unlikely to apologize. Children are among the farm’s most enthusiastic participants. Pike leads the Food Forest Rangers, a Palm Beach County 4-H club created for children ages 5 through 10. Members learn about food production, plants, wildlife and environmental responsibility through direct experience. Instead of reading about agriculture exclusively from a workbook, the children can plant, harvest, observe insects and discover how food develops before it reaches a supermarket. e program has attracted enough interest to ll its available spaces and generate a waitlist, proof that mud can still compete successfully with an “ is is what happens when a Florida yard stops being purely decorative and starts becoming delicious.”
electronic device when chickens are involved.
Pike has also carried her research and teaching into a series of books. Her rst major title, *Improving Memory rough Creativity: A Professional’s Guide to Culturally Sensitive Cognitive Training with Older Adults*, was published in 2014. Based partly on her academic research, the book provides professionals with ways to use creative expression to support memory, mood, communication and social interaction among older adults. Her 2021 book, *Eco-Art erapy in Practice*, expanded the discussion to include the natural environment. Written for clinicians and educators, it explores the use of plants, gardens and natural art materials in therapeutic work. It also addresses hydroponics, program documentation, cultural considerations, ethics and safety. e book makes a practical case for incorporating nature even when a facility has limited acreage or operates in an urban setting. With *Transforming Florida Yards: A Regional Food Forest Guide*, published in 2023, Pike turned her attention to the Florida homeowner. e 224- page guide pro les 200 plants and includes growing information, regional recommendations, recipes and landscape ideas. Plants are organized for North, Central and South Florida, a useful distinction in a state with several climates masquerading under one ag. e book is designed to help readers choose plants suited to their location rather than buying whatever looks charming at the nursery and hoping for the best. A tropical specimen thriving in South Florida may regard a January freeze farther north as a deeply personal attack. Once Pike’s own food forest began producing in earnest, another problem appeared: abundance. A mature perennial plant does not consult the family calendar before delivering a mountain of fruit. When hundreds of green bananas arrive at once, admiration quickly gives way to menu planning. at challenge inspired *Florida’s Food Forest Cookbook*, published in April 2026. e cookbook
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Coastal Pearl Living - TOGETHER 35
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