Mixon Brothers Join Forces With Citrus Expert Leotti to Expand CUPS Efforts by MAGGIE THARP photos provided Can Citrus Under Protective Screen offer relief for Florida citrus growers battling citrus greening? Mixon Family Farms is betting on it, bringing on board an industry expert and planning expansion of their current CUPS facility. Ed Leotti, a […]
by PAUL CATALA Sponsored by Visit Central Florida Kansas City, Memphis, Carolina, Texas – they all have their own distinctive barbecue styles and sauces. Add Polk County to that list as its barbecue sauces and flavors are often a mix of southern United States flavors and Caribbean mixed with other regional barbecue styles. No matter
Where Smoke Meets Swagger, Polk County’s BBQ Reigns Supreme Read More »
Polk County’s Youth Ambassadors Step Up to Spread Awareness by REBEKAH PIERCE Do you know what it takes to be the face of agriculture in Polk County? High school students in the inaugural Polk County Youth Fair Ambassador Program are discovering firsthand exactly how to do just that. This brand-new program was created to increase
The Face of the Fair Read More »
by RYAN MILEJCZAK Sponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida The orange is by far Florida’s most emblematic crop. It’s our official state fruit, appearing on license plates, in the names of our towns and cities, and much more. It was the Spanish who first brought oranges to Florida in the 1500s. As legend holds,
All Hands On Deck to Save Florida Oranges Read More »
All Florida Executive Director Travis Thompson Teaching Fourth-Graders About Conservation by REBEKAH PIERCE When Aldo Leopold wrote about land management and conservation in his book, “A Sand County Almanac,” published more than 75 years ago, he likely didn’t particularly have Central Florida fourth-graders in mind as his target audience. And while his book, which has
New at This Year’s Agri-Fest Read More »
Highlands County Youth Citrus Project Teaches Life Skills, Time Management by MAGGIE THARP A Highlands County 4-H club with a 26-year history is helping Highlands County youth practice growing high-quality citrus trees and teaching important life skills in the process. The Highlands County Youth Citrus Project was founded in 1999 by Tim Hurner, former director
Beyond Ag Education Read More »
by TIM CRAIG Sponsored by Visit Central Florida The next time tourists get ready for a Central Florida vacation, they may want to pack a knife and fork alongside their trunks and sunscreen. According to Grand View Research, culinary tourism was an estimated $2.7 billion industry in 2024 and is expected to grow nearly 20
Polk County Never Tasted So Good Read More »
Strawberry Growers Grapple With Hurricanes, Extreme Cold but Still Come Out on Top by RYAN MILEJCZAK photo by JESS McDONALD Florida growers are only a few months into this year’s strawberry season, but they’re already saying it is one of the best in recent years. In the words of Kenneth Parker, Executive Director of the
by MARY FRANCES MEIER The Highlands County Master Gardener Volunteers will offer a spring plant sale on Saturday, February 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bert J. Harris Jr. Agriculture Center in Sebring. After several weeks of especially chilly weather, some folks may need some new plants to freshen up the garden.
Highlands County Master Gardener Volunteers to Hold Plant Sale Feb. 22 Read More »
Alturas Grower David Lawson Pushes Citrus Trees for Strawberries in Bid to Forge a Future by REBEKAH PIERCEphotos by TYLER DiGIOVINE & JESS McDONALD When asked why he chose to become a farmer, David Lawson responded with a question in turn. “How many times in your life do you need a lawyer? A police officer?
