African Livestock
Florida foods from across the Atlantic
African food crops have influenced Florida agriculture for several centuries, and a wide variety of African plants continue to grow in home gardens throughout the Sunshine State. Many African plants are easy to grow in poor soil and in hot summer temperatures. African plants also offer an inexpensive source of delicious and nutritious food. It is easy to bring history to life in the home garden and in the kitchen by growing and preparing African-inspired Florida folk foods. Culturally significant recipes not only offer more meaningful ways to prepare meals, they often provide a more cost-effective and efficient way to integrate healthier food choices.
A beginning gardener can plant the path to better nutrition with African food crops such as yams, roselle, okra, watermelon, celosia, pigeon peas, and aloe. The Africa in your Garden and on your Table: Connecting food and culture for healthier choices trifold brochure provides a list of African plants that are suitable for a quick and easy garden to grow African foods at home. It is available for download for free and low-cost print copies are available to order for distribution.
Guinea Fowl
Numida meleagris
Ankole-Watusi
Bos taurus
West African Dwarf Goats
Capra aegagrus hircus
The American Pygmy is descended from the West African Dwarf group of breeds. They are raised for meat or as a companion animal. They are popular in petting zoos throughout the United States.
Ostrich
Struthio camelus
Nubian Goat
Brassica oleracea var. viridis
Boer Goat
Celosia spicata
Basenji
Cucumis metuliferus
The Basenji is a breed of hunting dog bred from stock that originated in central Africa. Basenji-like dogs are depicted in drawings and models dating back to the Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt. They were originally kept for hunting small game by tracking and driving the game into nets. Most of the major kennel clubs in the English -speaking world today place the breed in the hound group, specifically in the sighthoundtype.
Grey Parrot
Psittacus erithacus
The grey parrot is also known as the Congo grey parrot, Congo African grey parrot or African grey parrot. It is a popular pet in the United States, and it is native to equatorial Africa, including Angola, Cameroon, the Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda.
Aloe
Aloe spp.
A wide variety of different types of aloe grow well in dry soil. Aloe is known for cosmetic and medicinal uses, but it is also a popular ingredient to refresh beverages. It contains vitamins A, C, E, and B12. It is also a good source of folic acid, choline, and amino acids.
