Florida urban farmer

About Tim

Trying to have as much fun as possible with life! I'm originally a sales engineer from the upper Midwest. My wife and I relocated to the Florida panhandle to homestead away from the snow and cold. We started TnF Farms as a hobby to sell the excess food we produce.

Entries by Tim

Growing Potatoes in Your Florida Backyard: A Step-by-Step Guide

10/20/2025/in Florida Living, Homesteading/by Tim

If you’re dreaming of harvesting your own spuds right from your Florida backyard, you’re in for a treat! While Florida’s warm climate and sandy soils can make growing potatoes a bit tricky, it’s totally doable with the right know-how. Potatoes love cooler temps and fertile soil, so with some planning, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest. Here’s everything you need to know to grow potatoes in the Sunshine State, from planting to plate.

Conquer Health Chiropractic in St. John’s Florida

10/13/2025/in Let's Do Something/by Tim

Less than 5 years ago, I was running 5Ks and lifting weights. People would often mistake me for 10 years younger than I was. How did I become this fragile old man? In my early 40s, I was strong and lean. I had days that hurt, but they were not THIS bad. How did this slow and steady march into worse pain with virtually no activity sneak past me? No activity meant weight gain. Carrying more body weight meant more pain. Which caused me to slide further down. I started to feel ashamed of how I looked. Faith and I took fewer selfies together. When camera phones came out at social gatherings, I’d make a point to step out of photos or try to stand behind Faith. Looking at pictures of the man I was not all that long ago, versus what I’d become, led to depression and anxiety piling on top of my situation.

Honey crusted ribeye steaks: You should try this.

09/29/2025/in Foodies/by Tim

I have always loved being a steak eater. So who doesn’t? From when I was a kid, I liked steak. Not pizza, not chips, not candy, not as much as steak… and lots of it. As I have aged, I have tried to have as much steak as I could in my life, as much as the budget allowed. As adults, Faith and I try to have steak at least twice a month, and if you have spent any time on our website reading the stuff we’re cooking, a lot of our meals are centered around steak. I saw something on the internet about marinated an amazing cut of meat in honey . Then one day, I was talking meat with a buddy and I mentioned honey steaks. My buddy said he did that all the time, and I really should try honey steaks.

10 Positive changes for Life

09/22/2025/in Let's Do Something/by Tim

Your comeback will always trump your worst setback. In 2017, I was 41, a newfound bachelor, in poor health, addicted to tobacco, and drinking way more alcohol than I should’ve. My first marriage had come to an end, and I felt I had been thrown away. This post isn’t about the details of my first marriage or even the “if I had only…” kind of relationship advice. But simply to indicate a starting point for the positive changes, I used for my comeback.

Being an Urban Farmer

09/15/2025/in Farmer's Market, Florida Living, Homesteading/by Tim

Urban farming offers countless benefits: access to fresh, organic produce, reduced carbon footprints, and stronger community ties. In cities where green spaces are scarce, growing your own food can improve mental health, lower grocery bills, and contribute to food security. Plus, it’s a chance to reconnect with nature, even amidst skyscrapers.

St. Augustine Lighthouse

09/08/2025/in Florida Living, Let's Do Something/by Tim

The story of the St. Augustine Lighthouse begins long before the recognizable black-and-white spiral tower was built. The site’s origins date back to the late 16th century, when Spanish settlers erected wooden watchtowers on Anastasia Island to keep an eye on enemy ships. By 1737, a more formidable coquina stone tower replaced those first fragile structures, serving as a beacon to seafarers and, according to records, possibly the first “lighthouse” in North America. After Florida became a U.S. territory, the U.S. government formalized its role as a lighthouse in 1824, fitting the old tower with new lamps and reflectors.

TnF Farms Goes Pure Electric

09/01/2025/in Florida Living, Homesteading/by Tim

Did we get a BMW i8 for a new farm vehicle? I wish! Let me be the first to say, EVs are not for everybody, nor do they work in every situation. For us, electric vehicles have taken center stage as our next vehicle of choice. Nearly every major automaker—and several rising challengers—are offering compelling new models. We’ve been shopping for an EV this year, and the options have felt overwhelming. From the ultra-efficient to luxurious and SUV choices, the field has been crowded to settle on a sound decision.

Persimmons: Native Flavor, Southern Charm

08/25/2025/in Florida Living, Foodies, Homesteading/by Tim

Persimmon trees offer significant benefits to local ecosystems, attracting bees and other pollinators with their spring flowers and providing fall fruit that deer, birds, and small mammals enjoy. Their shade and vibrant fall color also make them an excellent addition to native plant gardens and food forests. When it comes to eating, persimmons—whether from wild American trees or cultivated Asian varieties—offer rich flavor and nutrients. The Fuyu type can be sliced and eaten raw like an apple or added to salads, while the Hachiya should be fully soft before being used in puddings, muffins, or smoothies. American persimmons are best when ripened on the tree or picked when jelly-soft, ideal for traditional Southern dishes like persimmon pudding or cookies. For storage, keep ripe persimmons in the fridge for up to a week, freeze the pulp for baking or smoothies, or dry slices into chewy, candy-like snacks.

Edible Flowers A Vibrant Addition to Your Garden

08/11/2025/in Florida Living, Foodies, Homesteading/by Tim

Cultivating edible flowers in Florida is a rewarding way to combine an abundant garden with culinary adventure. Thanks to the state’s warm, often humid climate and lengthy growing seasons, gardeners have the unique opportunity to grow a dazzling variety of blooms that aren’t just beautiful, but also safe to eat and delicious. Focusing on the process of growing these flowers highlights the joy and simplicity of turning your own backyard into a vibrant, edible landscape.

The ink has dried in this chapter of our journal

06/12/2025/in Florida Living, Homesteading, Let's Do Something/by Tim

Faith and I relocated from the Jacksonville area to rural Tallahassee, Florida in the fall of 2021. We worked jobs we thought were very boring and repetitive. The two of us wanted to chase a little more adventure and what we saw as an uncomplicated life. This drew us to an area known as the Big Bend part of the state. Average people can still buy a decent chunk of land in the state of Florida without being celebrity rich. We dreamt of starting a hobby farm where we would produce our own high-quality, real food. Be a little more self-sufficient and live a more outdoor, agricultural lifestyle as well.