Erin Thursby
Growing Rice in Jacksonville Leads to Mayhaw, Muscadines & Bees
Frequent any of the local farmers markets and you might have seen the cheerful folks from Congaree and Penn. Their product is unique–locally grown North Florida rice, and you can take one of their recipe cards if you aren’t quite sure how you’d like to prepare it. The recipes were all crafted by local chefs from restaurants such as Black Sheep, Moxie, Jacksonville Golf and Country Club, and 29 South.
Congaree and Penn has revived a local tradition of growing rice that dates back more than a hundred years. The wetland conditions of Florida are actually perfect for the crop, although owner/operator Scott Meyer says the hardest part “is the labor. It’s a very labor intensive crop.”
A superior and unique local product has lead to growth at the farm, in more ways than one. Congaree and Penn is on their way to making some local fruit shrubs, a type of fruit-based drink, often used as a mixer and gaining in popularity as a stand-alone beverage. They’ll be buying fruit from local farmers to make the shrubs before their mayhaw berries and muscadine grapes yield enough to give them enough product to market. Both the muscadine and the mayhaw are fruits that evolved or adapted to Florida’s clime, so unlike most non-citrus fruits, they thrive here.
They’re also developing bee hives. In year or so, Congaree and Penn may have honey available at the market, but mainly they are going to used to pollinate the mayhaw trees. “The bees are going to be a big factor in getting better yields,” says Meyer. Mayhaw is a type of wild berry related to the apple that grows in clusters and resembles a crab apple. It’s used to make jellies, and is very sought after, though there isn’t much farm grown. Mayhaw can be found all over the south and grows locally in swamps and wetlands. From the mayhaw and the grafts onto those trees, they plan to make shrub beverages and perhaps in the future, a type of cider. Congaree and Penn looks to have a viable crop of the fruit in the next 3-5 years.
On the property, they’ve built a facility where folks can watch rice being processed and the fruit beverages being made. That’s slated to be complete by November, and they will be holding a fish fry celebration on the 13th.
This fall you can expect to find at the markets Congaree and Penn’s freshly milled purple rice from Louisiana. Milled just 1-2 days before hitting shelves, Meyer has found that the purple rice has been very popular. The first time he brought it to a farmer’s market here in Jacksonville, they were nearly sold out before the market even officially began. You can expect to purchase the first of their shrubs either late this year or early next. See their website at www.congareeandpenn.com for a schedule of which local farmer’s market you can find them. Support your local farmers!
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