Farm Safety 101 While the total number of agricultural fatalities has been decreasing in recent years, farm safety is still an important topic, with 285 farmers and ranchers being killed on the job in 2007 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Farming life often brings to mind an idyllic setting: tranquility, a breeze, a […]
Florida’s Favorite Red, Juicy, Triangle by MARY TOOTHMAN There’s no question that watermelon is a popular crop among growers: it’s grown in more than 96 countries in the world and 44 states in the United States! According to the Florida Watermelon Association, it’s particularly well suited for the Sunshine State, where watermelon production is ranked
How Did the Farm’s Switch from Citrus to Berries Pan Out? by MARY TOOTHMAN The Tom West family farm that once grew citrus in Ocoee switched to blueberries in 2010, after severe freezes. We chatted with Stacy Williams, granddaughter of the late Tom Williams, to see how things have gone since. Some background: After World
Harvest Time: Catching up With Tom West Blueberries Read More »
Looking to the Soil for Solutions in the Fight Against Greening On 15 acres at Howey-in-the-Hills in Lake County, a citrus grove once abandoned by its owner has new life, witnesses say. Hamlin orange trees with obvious symptoms of greening are growing healthy, new leaves. “My goal was just to make a perfect, healthy living
Adding Citrus to Your Summertime Cookout We have determined that every day is cookout day in Central Florida. And Central Florida citrus is a natural flavor for barbecues. But when the trees are bare, we have to turn to juices and jams to keep the home fires tasty. Frozen orange juice concentrate, invented in the
Preserving Our Way of Life With more than 1,000 people moving to Florida every day, we must continue to prioritize the preservation of our agricultural lands and world-renowned natural spaces.
Commissioner’s AgriCorner Read More »
WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF FUN cooking and eating Central Florida blueberries since I first wrote about them in Central Florida Ag News in 2011. We have more berries now, thanks to adventurous Florida farmers who plant, prune, and pluck larger acreages every year. This season, for all “in tents and porpoises” (couldn’t resist
Recipe Spotlight: Favorite Recipes that Paint Your Plate Blue Read More »
For good health and good rating, snap the beans and boil the collards FARM-GROWN GREEN THINGS are good for you. There’s a generalization you can take to the bank. Other colored foods are equally good, but today’s focus is on green. If you had a short nap, you might have missed the two hours
Recipe Spotlight: It’s easy cooking green Read More »
SO, YOU AND THE KIDS went strawberry picking. Or, you and the kids went strawberry buying. Either way, your fridge is overflowing with baskets of red sweetness and you’re stuck trying to find something to do with them.
Recipe Spotlight: What to do with all those strawberries from your U-pick adventures Read More »
THE 2017 ANNUAL POLK COUNTY YOUTH FAIR has come and gone. Every year is a great one, but this year we saw several “firsts” on multiple fronts!
Ag Time with Abby: Celebrating the many ‘firsts’ from the Polk County Youth Fair Read More »
