Land & Livestock Development
Gardens, orchards and animal enterprises planned for later development phases, integrated with WWF's indoor and aquaculture systems where biology and infrastructure allow.
Development phase: Land and livestock enterprises are planned for Phase 4 of the WWF development sequence. No animals are currently housed at WWF. Garden and orchard plans are site-dependent and will be finalized after land acquisition and soil testing.
Land Use
Land-based production at WWF serves three purposes: food production that benefits from outdoor growing (tree fruits, perennial vegetables, row crops), animal enterprises that require pasture or outdoor space, and ecological services (pollinator habitat, windbreaks, water retention, soil building).
Gardens
Raised beds and in-ground plots for seasonal vegetables, root crops, cutting flowers and herbs that perform better in Florida soil than in hydroponic or aquaponic systems. Soil-building through compost, cover crops and vermiculture integration.
Orchard
Fruit and nut trees selected for Central Florida hardiness zones, disease resistance and market demand. Citrus (post-greening-resistant varieties), tropical fruits (mango, avocado, lychee), figs, mulberries, persimmons and native species. Species mix finalized after soil testing.
Ecological Infrastructure
Pollinator meadows, hedgerows, windbreak plantings and riparian buffers that provide habitat, pest-predator recruitment, erosion control and aesthetic value. These are production infrastructure, not decoration.
Animal Enterprises
Livestock are introduced in phases based on infrastructure readiness, carrying capacity assessment and regulatory compliance. Each species enters through a small-scale trial before expansion.
Poultry
Laying hens for egg production and meat birds for direct-sale poultry. Pasture- raised with mobile shelter systems rotated across managed grassland. Breeds selected for heat tolerance, production consistency and foraging ability in Florida conditions.
Integration: poultry follow ruminant grazing rotations to break parasite cycles and distribute manure. Kitchen and garden waste supplement commercial feed. Litter enters composting system after coop cleaning.
Rabbits
Meat rabbits and breeding stock for direct sale. Colony or cage systems with shade structures designed for Florida heat management. Breeds selected for heat tolerance, growth rate and mothering ability.
Integration: rabbit manure is a premium worm-bin input — high nitrogen, no hot composting required. Garden and forage crops provide supplemental feed. Rabbits produce marketable meat on minimal acreage with fast generation turnover.
Ruminants — Goats & Cattle
Goats for dairy, meat and brush management. Cattle for beef production on managed pasture. Both species require adequate acreage, fencing infrastructure, shade and water access that will be evaluated during site selection.
Rotational grazing on subdivided paddocks builds soil, manages forage height and reduces parasite pressure. Carrying capacity will be determined by forage productivity data collected during the first full growing season after pasture establishment.
Hogs
Pasture-raised hogs for pork production and land clearing. Managed on wooded or brushy areas where rooting behavior serves a land-management function. Heritage breeds selected for heat tolerance, foraging ability and meat quality.
Integration: hogs consume culled produce, whey (if dairy goats are in production), and surplus from other farm enterprises. Hog areas rotate to prevent soil compaction and allow vegetation recovery. Biosecurity protocols prevent disease introduction.
Florida Animal Health
All livestock operations at WWF will comply with Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Animal Industry regulations, including premises registration, disease testing and reporting, brand inspection (cattle), and humane transport and slaughter requirements.
FDACS Animal Industry
The Division of Animal Industry oversees livestock health, disease prevention, meat inspection and animal welfare in Florida. Premises identification, health certificates and movement permits are administered through this division.
FDACS Animal IndustryBiosecurity
Farm biosecurity prevents disease introduction and limits transmission between species groups. Visitor protocols, quarantine procedures for new animals, species separation and sanitation schedules will be documented and enforced from the first animal arrival.
Integration with Indoor & Aquaculture Systems
Land and livestock enterprises connect with WWF's indoor and aquaculture systems through material flows: spent mushroom substrate and microgreen root mats feed worm bins and compost piles; worm castings and compost improve garden and orchard soils; aquaponics effluent irrigates outdoor crops when nutrient profiles match; animal manures enter composting or vermiculture systems after appropriate handling.
Each integration point is documented with its rationale, its failure mode and the conditions under which it would be disconnected. Circularity is a design goal, not an article of faith. Connections that create fragility or biosecurity risk are removed regardless of their theoretical elegance.
Explore All Production Systems
Land and livestock is one pillar of WWF's diversified farm plan. See how it connects with controlled-environment and aquaculture production.