Creating Space for Pollinators, People & Possibility

Maressa Benz
Oct 21, 2025
3 min read

UF/IFAS Week 2 Recap

From solarpunk dreams to real-world action, here’s how sustainable food systems start and how you can join the movement.

When I first joined the UF/IFAS Sustainable Urban Food Production course, I knew I wanted to use these six weeks to shape the future of The Eco Connection.

Not just as a business, but as a movement. After diving into the philosophy of agroecology in Week 1, Week 2 got far more practical: money, marketing, and mission.

But even if you’re not looking to start a farm, this week’s insights apply to everyone who wants to grow food, live more intentionally, or be part of a better system.

Whether you’re tending a container garden on your porch or dreaming of buying land one day, I hope what I learned inspires you to think deeper about what we grow and why.

Our Why

At The Eco Connection, our “why” is simple: to create a solarpunk future rooted in regeneration and in harmony with nature. That starts with growing food, yes, but it also means growing relationships, knowledge, and hope.

So if you’re growing herbs in a windowsill or joining a local CSA, you’re part of this vision too!

How to Plan a Farm or Garden That Reflects Your Values

We explored the UF/IFAS 9-part farm business model, but I think it works just as well for any personal or community food system. Here are some questions to get you thinking:

What does success look like for you and the planet?

What do you love to grow, share, or teach others about?

What do you have now? (Space, time, connections)

Tip: Start a garden journal to track plants you have with a monthly recap on what you’ve learned.

For home growers: know your local codes (yes, some cities regulate rain barrels!)

This helped me realize: regenerative planning isn’t just for farmers. It’s a mindset anyone can adopt, one rooted in intention, equity, and resilience.

If you’re growing veggies to share with neighbors, starting a garden club, or even just posting your compost journey on Instagram - you’re marketing something better. You’re inviting people into a story of hope.

Here at The Eco Connection, we’ve decided that our brand voice is more than aesthetics. It’s an open invitation: Come live slower. Grow more. Heal with the earth. And don’t be afraid to share your story.

Solarpunk Living: Growing a More Beautiful, Balanced World

This week reminded me that solar cities and regenerative farms aren’t just future dreams. They begin with the choices we make today. Every seed planted, every story shared, every small act of care becomes a building block for something more resilient.

Solarpunk isn’t about escaping the world. It’s about actively healing it.

It’s about designing food systems and daily lives that honor nature’s rhythms instead of trying to dominate them. It’s rooted in permaculture principles: Care for the earth, care for people, and fair share.

When we work in harmony with our local ecosystems, we create spaces where pollinators return, soil comes back to life, and people reconnect with their food and each other.

And yes, it is just as beautiful as it sounds.

From native wildflowers in a front yard garden to vertical veggie towers on an apartment balcony, aesthetics and sustainability are not opposites, they belong together.

Imagine neighborhoods where every colorful garden supports bees and butterflies. Where food is grown steps away from the dinner table. Where composting is normal, and abundance is shared.

That’s the kind of solarpunk world I’m building through The Eco Connection, and I truly believe we can all take part, no matter the size of our space or skillset.

Because change doesn’t always start with a revolution.

Sometimes, it starts with a rosemary cutting, a neighborly exchange, or a blog post that sparks something in you.

Feel Inspired to Take Action?

No matter your space or skill level, here are 3 ways to join the movement:

Map Your “Why” – Why do you care about food systems or growing? Write it down.
Grow Something Simple – Microgreens, rosemary, or even scallions in a jar. Start small, start now.
Support Regeneration – Buy from a local farm stand, repost your favorite growers, or share this post 🌿