Discovering the Food of the Suncoast

Suncoast’s food revolution is booming, but faces a threat as local farms disappear

By Mike Modrick

Published: Feb. 11, 2026 at 7:13 AM EST

Excerpt on Gamble Creek Farms

Farms disappearing

The farm-to-table movement faces a new challenge as the Suncoast loses farms.

“And that’s the saddest part. There was a lot more farms back in 2009, 2010. But we have been losing farms over the years. Losing them to what? To development. Farmers giving up because of citrus greening,” Freeman said.

Longtime restaurant owner Ed Chiles developed his own solution by starting Gamble Creek Farms. Zach and Natasha run the operation.

“Ed Chiles wanted a way to support the restaurants, his three restaurants, that he had prior, with the freshest food possible. He wanted to really get his hands deeper into the local, the local food movement,” said Zach.

Zach practices successional farming, planting crops that support each other.

“So for example, the pineapples will live with the bananas. They’ll live through their cycles, but they’re here to really support and, and, and a long-term support for the avocado,” Zach said.

The connection of the soil to your plate matters to Gamble Creek’s farm manager Natasha.

“Just like people know who their doctor is, they want to know who their farmer is. Because what we do directly to the soil will be a direct impact to our guts,” Natasha said.

The challenges are real, but farmers and chefs are committed to keeping the Suncoast’s food revolution alive.

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