Plant City, in Hillsborough County, has bragging rights as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. Its farms produce millions of berries each year. In fact, Hillsborough County, where Plant City is located, produces about 15 percent of the nation’s strawberries and nearly all of its winter strawberries, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. But this wasn’t always the case. Today, we’ll learn how a single event more than 100 years ago changed everything. I recently chatted with Jennifer Morgan. She’s a public relations and media representative for the Florida Strawberry Festival, which takes place March 3 to 13 in Plant City. Jennifer explains how strawberries—and the festival—became such big business.

Related episodes:

You could call Chris and Kiona Wagner trendsetters. In 2019, before the COVID pandemic forced all of us to reevaluate our priorities, the couple decided to make a big change. They moved from bustling South Florida to the sleepy town of Monticello, just outside of Tallahassee. That’s where the Wagners run Rocky Soil Family Farm. 

They sell their fruits, vegetables, herbs and eggs at local farmers markets. They’re also adding spaces for a bakery and farm-to-table dinners. Maybe you’ve been dreaming about quitting your 9-to-5 and living off the land, as the Wagners did. But trading traffic for tractors isn’t always easy. During their transition to rural life, the Wagners welcomed twin daughters who—while adorable—take up quite a bit of their time and energy. They also have a teenage son. 

During the twins’ nap time, Chris and Kiona made time to chat with The Zest. In this conversation, the Wagners get transparent about how the fantasy of farm life lives up to the reality—and why, for them, it’s ultimately worth it. They also how we can all reconnect with our food without going off the grid. Chris starts by explaining how Rocky Soil Family Farm got its name.

Related episodes:

Winter is prime growing season in Florida. And each February, thousands of folks from across descend upon the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum to celebrate one crop in particular: collard greens. This year’s Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival is set for Saturday, Feb. 19 at the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg. There’ll be plant giveaways, nutrition seminars, a collard green cook-off and more. But the significance of the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival goes far beyond the leafy vegetables. The event attracts around 3,000 people of all ages and races to the historically Black neighborhood of South St. Petersburg, making it a celebration of diversity. Heading into the festival’s fifth year, Dalia chatted with festival cofounders Boyzell Hosey and Samantha Harris. Boyzell starts by explaining how the event came to be. Listen to the end to learn who this year’s headliner will be.

Related episodes:

Real talk—today’s episode won’t make you hungry. But it will make you think—about where your food comes from, and where it goes after you’ve eaten your fill. The eggshells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable scraps… to us, it’s trash. But with the help of Mother Nature, you can turn your trash into compost treasure. You’ll reduce waste and have rich soil to grow your own food. Quinn Metoyer is the founder of Miami Compost Project. The organization teaches people how to grow their own food and waste less. In my conversation with Quinn, you’ll learn the benefits of composting, how to get started no matter where you live, and mistakes to avoid.

Related episodes:

If you’re gonna do an episode about Valentine's Day chocolates in Florida , then there’s just one man for the job—and not because his last name happens to be Love. Norman Love is the founder of Norman Love Confections, a Fort Myers-based candy company that specializes in chocolates that look as good as they taste. I chatted with Norman about how to choose chocolates for that special someone, somebody you barely know at all or just to treat yo’self. Norman also discussed how he got into the dessert biz and the challenges of running a chocolate company in hot, humid Florida.

Related episodes:

If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, then that makes First Watch one of the most important restaurant chains in Florida. The Bradenton-based company has more than 430 restaurants in 28 states, and they’re all open for breakfast and lunch only. Eleni Kouvatsos is director of communications for First Watch Restaurant Group. She’s here with advice for how we can step up our at-home breakfast game. And Dalia had to ask Eleni why First Watch doesn’t serve dinner.

Related episodes:

For many of us, eating sustainably means remembering to bring our reusable bags to the grocery store. But Rob Greenfield wanted to go further. Much further. The sustainability, equity and justice activist has garnered a huge social media following with self-imposed challenges to raise awareness. Awhile back, he simplified his life down to just 44 possessions. Then there’s the time he rode his bike across the U.S. while bathing only in natural water sources like lakes and rivers. 

In 2019, Rob embarked on what might be considered his most extreme feat yet: an entire year of growing and foraging all of his food in Orlando. No grocery stores, no restaurants, no takeout, no dinners cooked by friends. He says his weight didn’t change, and he stayed in good health.

Dalia caught up with Rob in Gulfport, just south of St. Petersburg, where he was staying with a friend. We chatted in the backyard over  glasses of homemade kombucha. In this conversation, Rob shares how the yearlong experiment impacted his social life, the kitchen appliance he swears by and advice  for how we can all eat a bit more sustainably. Dalia started by asking Rob why he decided to give up grocery stores and restaurants for an entire year.

Related episodes:

New episodes drop on Thursdays, right here in your podcast feed. You can find previous episodes, recipes and more at TheZestPodcast.com.

Wintertime is when many Florida fruits and vegetables are at their peak. So we think it’s the perfect time to catch up with Gail Eggeman. She’s co-founder and manager of the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market, where each week thousands of visitors shop for produce, craft items and a lot more. Gail chats about the market's early days, her food heroes and why bargain hunters like myself should stop haggling at farmers markets.

Related episodes:

Florida is home to more Puerto Ricans than any other state. This week, we’re exploring how many of Florida's Puerto Rican communities celebrate the winter holidays. From pig roasts to all-night parties to Puerto Rico's answer to eggnog, you'll want to incorporate these traditions into your next holiday gathering, if you don’t already. 

Our guide is Yanira “Yaya” Cardona of Jacksonville.  She owns Yaya Productions, a company that produces and markets events for Jacksonville’s Hispanic community. She's also the new  morning show host the Jacksonville reggaeton radio station Flow 105.3 FM. You heard it here first!