FOG’s second SE TOPP Virtual Farm Tour offered more than just a glimpse into organic agriculture — it was a celebration of mentorship, innovation, and sustainable farming in Florida.

Hosted in collaboration with seasoned farmer and SE TOPP Mentor Nick Batty, the tour spotlighted Inyoni Organic Farm, a USDA-certified organic farm located in Naples, FL.

Meet the Farmer: Nick Batty

Nick Batty is the founder of Inyoni Organic Farm, established in 2002. With a degree from the University of Florida and years of hands-on experience working on farms, Nick has cultivated a deep-rooted passion for sustainable agriculture. For over two decades, Inyoni has been a cornerstone of the local food community, providing fresh, organic produce through farmers markets, a CSA program, and partnerships with local restaurants.

A Tour of Innovation and Stewardship

During the virtual tour, Nick guided attendees through the farm’s vibrant ecosystem, which features up to 50 varieties of organically grown vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruits. Participants gained valuable insights into:

  • The farm’s use of cover crops to enrich soil health
  • Practical strategies for implementing organic practices
  • Day-to-day operations that balance productivity with ecological stewardship

This inspiring event brought together farmers, mentees, and the public to learn, connect, and grow. Events like these are a cornerstone of the SE TOPP Mentorship Program, which continues to foster community and elevate organic agriculture across the Southeast.

Watch & Explore

FOG is committed to hosting more virtual tours and networking events that empower farmers and engage the public in the journey toward a more sustainable future. Stay tuned for more farmer spotlights and upcoming events!

From the time we first started working on farms twenty or so years ago, both Aviva and I have always farmed organically. We were both driven by the desire to work directly with issues of agroecology and social justice on a community level, and small-scale organic vegetable farming offered many ways to engage with our various interests.

Engaging face to face with our customers at the farmer’s market gives them the opportunity to speak directly with us about our growing practices, addressing any concerns, and building relationships of trust. The feedback we’ve received from market customers has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, most of the people who have worked or volunteered on our farm are folks we’ve met at our regular farmer’s markets.

Over the last year or so, we’ve really leaned into no-till as an agroecological strategy on our farm. Through careful experimentation and innovation, we have been able to eliminate all major tillage, and the result has been a dramatic improvement in soil quality, and significant savings of water, time, and fuel. It was a big leap for us making the change to no-till, as it feels counterintuitive to so much of what we learned about agriculture as aspiring farmers, but I would encourage more farmers to adopt and adapt some or all of the methods out there for reducing tillage on their farms.

We’ve known or sensed for a long time that organic farming was important for health and ecology, and that one day the question of planetary sustainability would come to the fore. Well folks, that day has come, and as the climate crisis deepens, it’s more important than ever to tackle the issues at every level, including the kinds of farming we support through our daily purchases. This is our chance to create a future where humanity and all life on the planet can thrive.

Daniel Robleto and Aviva Asher

Nicoya Farm Gainesville, Florida