Salina- Agriculture

Hello! My name is Salina Peace. I am a senior Broadcast Journalism student at Florida A&M University. My page is specifically for the Agriculture in the Leon County area of Tallahassee. I will be uploading audio reports live from places that I've visited and will also be uploading pictures. Stay tuned!

Vertigo

I know your'e thinking, Vertigo Burgers & Fries? What does THAT have to do with agriculture? Well my friends, unlike most fast food and burger joints in the country, Vertigo gets some of their meat and produce from local farms. Thus making their burgers tastier and more fresh. The process of receiving, weighing, and making the patties take four hours in total. They use their left over meat to put in their chilly. The food is delicious!

Check out my live report here!

Whole Foods Sign

Whole Foods Grand Opening

The world's leading natural and organic foods super market, Whole Foods, has opened its doors to Tallahassee residents who have flocked to the store in large numbers.

People wanted it to come.

After receiving emails pleas and calls from Tallahassee residents who wanted a store in this city, Jeremy Jones, the public relations and social media coordinator for the Florida region, said it was "about time" Whole Foods came to Tallahassee.

Whole Foods shopper Lisa Stoutamire

"The reason why we came to Tallahassee was because we had so much feedback from the community here that they really wanted a Whole Foods market," said Jones.

The Miracle Plaza parking lot on Thomasville Road was flooded with cars and police directing traffic.

Whole Foods also offered a complimentary breakfast for their excited customers, who had been waiting all morning.

The store also kicked off a "5% Day," where it chose a local non-profit or education organization and gave the group five percent of that specific day's net sales.

Whole Foods shopper Lisa Stoutamire was excited about the grand opening but was more enthused that her charity was chosen to help start the "5% Day."

"Plus, the charity today is five percent of sales go to my charity at my church, Boy Scouts USA," she cheered. "So I'm spending money!"

While people were spending money, they were also saving money. Shoppers were thrilled about the grand opening specials Whole Foods had to offer.

Fresh Cut meats

Healthy eater Paula Kapral shared some sale items in her basket that she was excited about.

"I'm excited about the Garden of Life Raw Protein. It's on sale for $20 with a $5

coupon," said Kapral.

"I'm excited for the Ezekiel

Shopper's shopping cart

bread, which is also on sale which I love!"

The grand opening sales lasts for two weeks, so residents who couldn't make it to the grand opening still have time to take full advantage of those sales. 

Employee Straightening up

Toward the end of their grand opening specials, Whole Foods will be having a week-long celebration of local foods.

There, they will host workshops, demos, activities, forums and more, giving local businesses a chance to come by and share their food.

Residents like Stoutamire enjoy having local businesses recognized. She said she is very excited because "it's all natural products" and the store is supporting other local businesses.

The grand opening of Whole Foods was a success and "it was the perfect, most natural fit," said Jones

Fresh veggies from Whole Foods

By Salina Peace

Lake Ella: More Than A Lake 

Lake Ella

Not only is Lake Ella home to lake wildlife surrounded by a bunch of houses, It is a place that people come to for peace, exercise, to walk their dog and so much more.

Historic Oak Tree

Lake Ella was originally known as the Bull Pond and had been a place for picnics, swimming hole and baptismal site in the 19^th century. Jabez Bull renamed the lake for his daughter. According to lonelyplanet.com, more than 2000 free slaves

Lake Ella

celebrated Emancipation Day at the lake. In the 1920’s Lake Ella became popular and was established by the city of Tallahassee in 1984.

Family Feeding Ducks

The Lake lies behind Monroe Street, which is one of the busiest streets in Tallahassee. The lake itself is about twelve acres with surrounding land that occupies picnic areas, wildlife and a sidewalk that wraps entirely around the lake.

The sidewalk is convenient for dog walkers, especially. Janie Penner from Neptune Florida would rather walk her dog at Lake Ella than at a dog park.

“I do like it better than the dog park because dog parks are unruly sometimes; Just dogs you don’t know,” she said.

On top of walking her dog, Penner also enjoys having picnics with her roommates at Lake Ella.

While Penner goes to the lake for picnics and to walk her dog, Charles Campbell goes to play his guitar. He hasn’t played his guitar at Lake Ella in fifteen years and said the day was too beautiful to pass up.

“... it’s just really serene out here, its really nice,” he said

Lake Ella

Campbell plans to go back to the lake soon, to play his guitar.

Though some people go to the lake to walk their dog or bask in the beautiful scenery, Lake Ella also houses a cluster of small buildings that are known as the Cottages at Lake Ella. These cottages are home to small business’s that are locally owned in the Big Bend area. Some of these businesses’ range from café’s to barber shops.

 When Campbell first started playing his guitar, he played it outside, on the hood of his car in Carrabelle, Florida, which lies on the beach. The scenery at Lake Ella and the shops alongside, remind him of home.

“yeah,” he said “It kind of reminds me of home.”

By Salina Peace

listen to ‘Lake Ella’ on Audioboo