The garden at "Townies Pizza Farm," adjacent to restaurant in Fernandina Beach (819 TJ Courson Rd.)
The scenery in the vicinity of Townies Pizzeria has certainly changed in recent years with the creation of the restaurant’s impressive vegetable garden. No doubt many local residents have seen the expanding bounty and noticeable progress at the garden since its inception around two years ago.
Dubbed “Townies Pizza Farm,” the rows of vegetables and some flowers is a nice addition to the Amelia Plaza shopping center locatedin-between 8th Street and 14th Street on the island. Townies even has pineapples growing in containers behind the restaurant building. Two thousand pounds of produce came out of the Townies garden and went into the restaurant in 2022.
Townies Pizzeria garden in the Amelia Plaza shopping center
Teaching The Community
A restaurant developing an onsite “chef’s garden” is not a new concept these days. However, Townies went further by also turning their sizeable garden into an outdoor classroom. Establishing a relationship with the UF/IFAS Nassau County Extension, together an opportunity was created to share knowledge with local gardeners. The “Townies Pizza Farm” has become the venue of a composting workshop that’s been happening once a month. The workshop is presented by David Hebert, UF/IFAS Extension Horticultural Agent. The next composting workshop will be held on May 6, 2023 (see link to registration form below).
Online Registration — May 6, 2023 Soil Health Workshop
Townies Pizzeria’s owner and farmer, Matt Klabacka
The photos published here were taken during an impromptu garden tour offered by Matt Klabacka, Townies Pizzeria’s “chief bottle washer,” on the last day of March 2023. Admiring the garden from the edge of the parking lot after a shopping excursion, he called out and then opened the garden gate, inviting me in. He shared his experience growing and composting, and it was apparent how much he enjoys his farming endeavor.
Winn Dixie is just across the parking lot from Townies. Interestingly, the grocery store contributes to Townies’ soil-making by providing produce past its prime, the discards go into the composting process.
“There’s Goodness In The Soil”
Pizza is much like a garden — that is, it breaks down all barriers. Who doesn’t like a good garden? Who doesn’t love a good pizza?
Learn more about Townies and its owner by watching Heartland’s video interview with Matt Klabacka, “There’s Goodness In The Soil,” at the Townies Pizzeria restaurant website.
More About Nassau County, FL Extension
Plenty of folks have relocated to Nassau County, FL from other states and geographic regions of the country and many more will be moving here in the future, coming from different “USDA Hardiness Zones.” Nassau County, FL has two hardiness zones, 8b toward the western side, and 9a toward the eastern area of the county. Newcomers may find growing a productive vegetable garden in the Sunshine State is a lot different, depending where you’re from, and can be challenging.
