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Gardening Delights Shared by Nina Shirley
Being invited to share in something special is part of TV Show host Nina Shirley’s life story. If you’ve been following along on Design Network’s “Farm to Table” show then you know that already.
Subtropical Garden Adventures with Nina and Brendon
Nina and her husband Brendon live on 10 acres in South Florida growing subtropical gardens of all kinds. Both in raised beds and in permaculture “food forest” gardens in the ground, their passion for learning to grow food and sharing that knowledge with others is so rewarding to them- even their 3 year old little girl River is in the middle of planting/harvesting/maintaining throughout the seasons. Nina builds custom garden-centric living spaces for her clients around town, teaches an online course about the basics of gardening called “Gardening with Nina”, and the Shirley family has a TV show on The Design Network called “Farm to Table”! Nina has been raising laying hens for years and used coops of all kinds but Horizon’s quality and features surpass them all.
Nina Shirley's Garden Ethic of Care and Connection in South Florida
If asked to describe what Nina Shirley encompasses at her sub-tropical 10-acre garden in South Florida and what represents her ethics in one word it would be this:
Gather – “To put your arms around someone or something and hold or carry them in a careful and loving way” ……Cambridge Dictionary
That is exactly what Nina does every day. Together with her husband Brendon and 3-year-old daughter River, the property is managed with high energy and compassion.
A passionate advocate for healthy living, Nina gladly shares her experience as a custom garden- centric designer of living spaces for clients around town and teaches an online course to boot about the basics of gardening in her series “Gardening with Nina.”
Flipping the Seasons in South Florida with Nina's Organic Garden Oasis
Nina’s raised bed and permaculture “food forest” garden embraces over 72 different types of fruits, vegetables and herbs including plant life with medicinal qualities. Shared with a few rascally rabbits and savvy squirrels, the gardening food to table lifestyle is an open table of everything organic and healthy, joyful and kind.
“Living in South Florida means a flipped growing season compared to most of the rest of the country,” Nina explains.
”The summer months are not the main growing months here – our planting months are in the Fall, and harvesting time is before the heat of June, July and August. But of course, we are constantly working on maintenance.
People contact me asking about everything from simple small garden designs where they can utilize raised beds all the way up to complete recreational spaces for relaxation to learning to be totally self-sufficient with their own properties. A different scale altogether.
I knew when I was in college that I wanted to do something special in environmental science. I worked on organic farms in Indiana and Tennessee, and it wasn’t long before I’d found my way -the gardening path working with nature and all her elements, flora and fauna.”
Nina's Journey from Tennessee Garden Designer to South Florida's Self-Sustaining Lifestyle
But of course, during Nina’s journey, food had to be put on the table literally and figuratively. Nina decided to start her own business in outdoor space and garden design. A successful enterprise that grew and grew, in just the same way that her ‘green thumb’ brought plants to life in the garden the business gained traction and started to blossom, and Nina found herself busy as a bee. An innovative spirit with an artistic eye and respect for Mother Nature, Nina was soon immersed in the great outdoors, connecting with people and loving the deep sense of peace that working with your hands in the soil brings and the joy of sharing her experience and the bounty of her labors with gatherings of family and friends.
“After spending years living in Tennessee and building my business designing gardens for other people, traveling the world and being busy with all that comes with living life, Brendon and I were thrilled to take our vision of a self-sustaining lifestyle to the next level and moved close to the beach. Our daughter River is fully involved in helping with all the planting/harvesting too. It’s a great place to raise a family and a great way to accomplish it. I never want to leave the farm! Even to go run errands. The vision of me in my work boots at The Home Depot at 6.a.m. gathering supplies for the daily hands-on garden building tasks with my crew when I was back in Tennessee was probably an unusual sight, a girl in the midst of all the construction guys out shopping for supplies. I’m still wearing work boots, just like to keep myself grounded at home as much as possible!”
Embracing Horizon Structures in Nina's Sustainable Farm Life
Along with the plant life Nina also farms a variety of critters, including cows and hens.
Nina began with heritage breeds of hens.
“I’ve used coops of all kinds but Horizon’s quality and features surpass them all.”
Outdoor living and agricultural enterprises necessarily include the need for many different types of structures, barns for the animals and sheds for storage of equipment and supplies.
“When I saw Horizon Structures products I loved them. I was amazed at the many types of structures they offer. I don’t think there’s anything they can’t produce! I was so impressed with the quality of the builds and the fact that they have the ability to deliver them to all parts of the contiguous USA. I am particularly fond of the clever combination shed/greenhouse designs. They are the perfect blend of purpose and so aesthetically pleasing to live with as well as so practical. Brendon and I visited the workshops over this past summer to see the carpenters building the structures firsthand. I got to walk through and see firsthand how durable and beautiful the construction is- truly incredible quality.”
Nina, Brendon, and River Pioneering Permaculture for Healthier Living and Harmonious Nature Coexistence
Nina, Brendon and River are well on their way to establishing their home farm as a great example of how permaculture can help the environment. Healthy living can bring sincere bounty of benefits, and the Shirley family encourage folks to live peacefully with nature instead of against it, utilizing modern methods of developing their properties with ease along the way.
“Horizon Structures modular buildings and their delivery system makes life so much easier for folks that want to get started or progress their journey into living with the land and producing food and enjoying their properties as their own piece of heaven on earth.”
