The Redland is the farming country north and west of Homestead, an unincorporated part of Miami-Dade County named for the pockets of red clay soil that sit on top of a layer of oolitic limestone. It was settled by homesteaders in the late 1890s, opened to larger-scale farming after a rock-breaking machine came into use in 1914, and became known for winter vegetables, tropical fruit and, later, ornamental nurseries. Much of it is still farmland today because most of the area lies outside the county's urban development boundary. Here is how that landscape came to be and what you can see of its history now.
Rock, soil and the first homesteaders
The first house in the Redland area is usually dated to 1897. It was built by John Brinsell, a surveyor who also acted as a go-between for pioneer settlers looking for land. Homesteaders followed, living in tents and lean-tos while they cleared the pine forest by hand. The problem was the ground. Red soil lay only in scattered pockets in the rock, which limited farming to small patches. That changed in 1914, when Alvin Lindgren's "scarifier," a machine that broke up the surface rock, made it practical to farm larger fields. Rock plowing and, later, rock crushing turned the pinelands into the field pattern you still see along the section-line roads.
A timeline of Redland agriculture
| Period | What changed |
|---|---|
| Late 1890s | First homesteads and cleared plots in the pinelands |
| 1904 | The railroad reaches Homestead, giving farmers a way to ship produce north |
| 1914 | The scarifier makes larger fields possible on rocky ground |
| 1920s | Railroad engineer turned grower William J. Krome and others plant citrus, avocados and mangoes |
| 1929 | The state founds a subtropical experiment station near Homestead, now the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center |
| 1940s | Construction of a county fruit and spice garden begins in 1944 |
| 1980s | The county's urban development boundary leaves most of the Redland outside the area planned for urban growth |
| 1992 | Hurricane Andrew destroys groves, nurseries and several historic buildings |
What the Redland grows
The warm, nearly frost-free climate lets farmers here grow crops that are not grown commercially almost anywhere else in the continental United States.
- Avocados. The largest commercial fruit crop in the area. The varieties grown here are mostly large, green-skinned West Indian and hybrid types rather than the small dark avocados common in supermarkets.
- Mangoes, lychees and other tropical fruit. Passion fruit, longan, jackfruit, starfruit and many lesser-known fruits are grown on small farms.
- Winter vegetables. Tomatoes, beans, squash and other vegetables are planted in fall and harvested through winter, when the rest of the country cannot grow them outdoors.
- Limes. South Dade was once a major source of commercial limes in the United States.
- Ornamental nurseries. Palms, tropical foliage and landscape plants now cover a large share of the farmland and supply buyers across the country.
William Krome and the experiment station
One of the most influential figures in local farming came from the railroad. William J. Krome, chief engineer on the Overseas Railroad to Key West, bought land in Homestead around 1904 and, after retiring from the railroad in 1919, devoted himself to citrus, avocados and mangoes. He served as vice president of the Florida State Horticultural Society and became an important figure in South Dade agriculture. His family later donated land for the state experiment station founded in 1929, which still does research on tropical fruit and nursery crops. His full story is on the page about Flagler's railroad and William Krome.
Fruit & Spice Park
The best single place to understand Redland agriculture is the county's 37-acre Fruit & Spice Park. Mary Calkins Heinlein, the daughter of pioneer subtropical farmers, pushed for a public garden of useful tropical plants. County commissioner Preston B. Bird completed the land deal in 1943, construction began in 1944 and Heinlein served as superintendent until 1959. The park was renamed for both of them in 1980. It grows more than 500 kinds of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, including more than 100 mango varieties, and is operated by Miami-Dade County's parks department. Check the county's parks website for current hours, fees and events.
Historic places in the farm country
Hurricane Andrew took several Redland landmarks, among them the 1906 Redland schoolhouse and the 1913 Redland Community United Methodist Church, and it forced the permanent closure of the Redland Farm Life School. Some places survived and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
| Place | Area | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| William Anderson General Merchandise Store | Goulds area | 1977 |
| Silver Palm Schoolhouse | Goulds area | 1987 |
The full list for the region, including downtown Homestead and the national parks, is in the guide to National Register sites in South Miami-Dade.
Why the Redland is still rural
In the 1980s Miami-Dade County drew an urban development boundary to steer growth toward areas with urban services. Most of the Redland lies outside it, and agricultural zoning there generally requires large lots, commonly five acres per house. The boundary is debated almost every time the county considers moving it, with farmers, preservation groups and developers taking different sides. For visitors, the result is a rare stretch of working countryside within an hour's drive of downtown Miami.
Visiting the Redland respectfully
- Farms and nurseries are private property. Stay on public roads unless a farm invites visitors.
- Many farm stands and u-pick fields are seasonal. Winter and spring are the busiest months; mango and lychee season runs into summer.
- Roads are narrow and shared with farm equipment and trucks. Drive slowly and pull fully off the road to stop.
- Do not pick fruit from trees along roads or fences. It belongs to the grower.
A day in the Redland pairs well with a walk through historic downtown Homestead, and the main entrance of Everglades National Park lies just beyond the farm fields to the west.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called the Redland?
The name comes from the pockets of red clay soil found on top of the oolitic limestone that underlies the area. That red soil was where early farmers could plant before machines made it practical to break up the rock.
Is the Redland part of Homestead?
No. The Redland is an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County that lies north and northwest of Homestead. Many addresses there use Homestead as the postal city, which causes confusion.
What crops are grown in the Redland?
Avocados are the largest commercial fruit crop, along with mangoes, lychees and other tropical fruit, winter vegetables such as tomatoes and beans, and a large ornamental nursery industry.
When was Fruit & Spice Park founded?
The land deal was completed in 1943 and construction began in 1944. The county park was renamed in 1980 to honor Preston B. Bird and Mary Heinlein, who led its creation.
Why is there so much farmland so close to Miami?
Most of the Redland lies outside Miami-Dade County's urban development boundary, drawn in the 1980s, and agricultural zoning there generally requires large lots. That has slowed suburban development.