Growing greens, tropical fruit (including carambola, jackfruit, monstera, mango, avocado, cotton candy fruit, and bananas), herbs, and even oyster mushrooms following organic and biodynamic principles, Gabriele Marewski and her Paradise Farms are a favorite among South Florida chefs. The farm is run with plenty of human energy, from hand-planting seeds to hand-pulling weeds, and was designed to have positive vibes in the sense of feng shui, which stresses harmony with the environment.
Marewski, who was born in Germany and raised on a farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, has a degree in agronomy from the University of Maryland and served on the Miami-Dade County Commissioner’s staff, specializing in agricultural issues. She started the farm in 1999, and with chef Michael Schwartz, of Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink, she launched a series of farm-to-table dinners dubbed Dinner in Paradise.