With grocery prices remaining high and food recalls regularly making headlines, knowing how to grow your own food is becoming an increasingly valuable skill for families.
That idea will be a central focus of the 2026 Fall Horticultural Expo & Plant Market, presented by the Gainesville Garden Club and the UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County Master Gardener Volunteer Program from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center (23100 W. Newberry Road, Newberry).
The free, family-friendly event will explore how edible landscapes can help families build food knowledge, resilience and greater independence.
“None of us knows exactly what the food system will look like when today’s children are adults,” said Kathy Stevens, a UF/IFAS Alachua County Master Gardener Volunteer and Gainesville Garden Club member, in the press release. “But we can teach them where food comes from and how to grow some of it themselves. This isn’t about fear. It’s about resilience, independence and knowledge they can use for a lifetime.”
A major focus of the expo will be Food Forest Central, where visitors can learn ways to create edible landscapes that produce food, support wildlife and help protect the environment.
“People sometimes hear ‘grow your own food’ and picture acres of farmland or a huge vegetable garden,” said Nicki Byers, a county Master Gardener Volunteer and Gainesville Garden Club member. “We want people to see that it can start much smaller. A fruit tree, blueberries, herbs or edible plants tucked into a beautiful flowering landscape can be the beginning. The Expo gives families a chance to learn how to do it successfully right here in North Central Florida.”
Visitors will find experts and demonstrations covering food forests, edible landscaping, growing fruit in small spaces, hydroponics, fall gardening and Florida-Friendly Landscaping.
Nationally recognized horticulturist and bestselling author Brie Arthur, known as “Brie the Plant Lady,” will present “Florida-Friendly Foodscaping” at 1 p.m. Arthur is the author of “The Foodscape Revolution” and “Gardening with Grains” and is known for showing homeowners how vegetables, fruits, herbs and grains can be incorporated into traditional flowering landscapes while maintaining their beauty.
The expo’s theme is “Edible by Nature: Plant for People, Pollinators & the Planet.”
Additional activities will include a large plant market, Orchid Showcase, native plants, children’s activities, insect and bird exhibits, Fang Fest featuring live nonvenomous snakes and reptiles, food trucks and educational programs throughout the day.