Page 16 - CFAN_Mar2014

| c i t r u s
FEATURE

IRRIGATION KIDS AND
UPDATE:

GROWERS CULTIVARS:

OPTING
FOR DUAL
OPENING DOORS
SYSTEMS
for Students

A LOT OF FACTORS AFFECT a
Citrus Growers Teach
growers’ decision about how and when to
irrigate, including cost, the available gal- 2014 GRAND
the Skills of Trade
AND RESERVE
lons per minute and required water use
permits. Solutions are diverse, as diverse Champion Citrus Tree
to Highlands’ Youth Winners Hannah
as the growers themselves.
A
But in recent years, water restrictions Farr (center) and
by CHERYL ROGERS
David Bunton (left).
and environmental consciousness have led

to the increased popularity of low-volume
irrigation methods that target the root

zone. Instead of sprinkling water over a
broad area, the drip methods save water S FLORIDA GROWERS EXPLORE alternatives to citrus, industry leaders in Highlands

by delivering water, fertilizer, and even County are continuing to teach the next generation how to grow trees. Through the Highlands
insecticides directly to the roots where it County Youth Citrus Project, teens like Hanna Farr, a junior at Avon Park High School, are growing

can be channeled to the plant’s vascular their own citrus trees and pocketing some cash.
system.

As a result, a large number of growers

have incorporated drip irrigation into
their systems. But there’s a huge drawback “Our hopes are we will try to gain their interest. in Frostproof. “It’s not our grandfather’s business
That’s the real reason for the program,” says Bill anymore. There’s a lot more technology.”
with drip irrigation: It is ineffective at cold
protection, something sprinklers have long Barber, who chairs the Youth Citrus Committee Farr won the Grand Champion award this year,
working on the project, which began in 2000—five enabling her to sell her tree in a live auction. On
excelled at.
So many growers now install a second years before the dreaded citrus greening disease behalf of Lykes Brothers, Barber purchased the
was discovered in the state.
tree for $750 to plant in their office yard next to
pipe and valve system, giving them two
irrigation systems they can alternate Ray Royce, executive director of the Highlands U.S. Highway 27 between Sebring and Lake Placid.

between at will. They can use the drip County Citrus Growers’ Association, says the “Most of them are planted in the groves. The
system to fertilize efficiently and save water project has been “tremendously successful.” He grove owners have really stepped up to help buy

when the temperatures are warm. When adds, “The young people involved are doing a these trees,” says Barber, vice president and general
really good job with it.”
manager of Lykes’ Citrus Division. The majority
they need protection from freezes, they can
open the valve on their second irrigation Laurie Hurner, a citrus agent with University of trees sell for $75 to $100 at a silent auction,
of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Hurner reports.
system, ensuring they have the cold
protection they need to preserve their Sciences (IFAS) in Highlands County, says the Every tree the youths grow is now screened
Citrus Project is open to any child in the county before the Youth Fair for the disease spread by
crops.
from eight to 18 years old. “It keeps growing every the Asian psyllid. This year two had the disease,

year, which is exciting to us,” says Hurner, who although there was no outward sign of it, and were
logged 70 participants this year. “It’s not an easy destroyed.

project to do in that you have to keep up with it Farr, who wants to work as a physician’s
every day.”
assistant in the neonatal unit, is donating half of

Youths purchase one or two trees in April the proceeds to Lindsey’s Wish Inc., a Sebring-
and grow them to show and sell at the next year’s based non-profit helping children battling cancer

by BRAD WEIHRAUCH
county Youth Fair. They do a project board and and their families. The rest is for her education
keep a record book, so they learn about disease and fund.

BIO: Brad Weihrauch is a Polk County native. He grew marketing. A field trip is part of the program; last To Farr and other youths, the Citrus Project

up around a family business of agriculture and customer year, students went to Griffin Fertilizer Company may be part of their involvement in Future Farmers
service. After Winter Haven High School, he went on to in Frostproof.
of American (FFA), whether they want a career in
complete his education at Polk Community College and
Warner Southern. After serving 17 years in customer service “We love telling people about what we do,” says agriculture or not. “You don’t have to necessarily go
for a large retailer, Weihrauch returned to his agriculture Mike Roberts, sales and marketing director for into the field,” she observes. “It provides you another
roots and founded RWC, an agri-service and management
company, in 2002.
Griffin Fertilizer, a division of Ben Hill Griffin Inc.
option, or an open door.” ag

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