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by RYAN MILEJCZAK Sponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida There are few things better than a sweet and juicy strawberry. And when it comes to winter strawberries, nobody beats the sunshine state.  The strawberries we eat today, known more specifically as the “garden strawberry,” are a hybrid species known as Fragaria x ananassa.  While […]

by KENDALL FARRAR, Bok North FFA Reporterphotos by advisors JENNIFER WILLIAMS and HAYLEY NEAL December was a festive and fruitful month for our chapter at Bok Academy North FFA! True to the FFA mission statement — “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve” — we’ve enjoyed incredible experiences filled with

by REBEKAH PIERCE Picture this: Cattle grazing lazily, their tails swishing back and forth languidly as their profiles stand starkly against the horizon. Wild turkeys dot the landscape, picking up seeds and bugs as they wind across the pasture and back into the forest. Wood storks, ducks, stands of palms, and freshwater marshes abound. It

by BRAD BUCK, UF/IFAS Scientists at the University of Florida are testing a new type of citrus tree that can fight off the tiny insects responsible for citrus greening.  While the genetically edited tree has only been tested so far in the lab and the greenhouse, it is one of the most promising discoveries to

Meet the 2025 Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Inductees The Selection Committee for The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame has announced the selection of Dr. Charles W. Adams (deceased), formerly of Auburndale, Dr. James H. “Jim” Graham of Lake Alfred, and Daniel R. “Dan” Richey of Vero Beach as the Class of 2025 inductees. The

UF/IFAS Team Secures Funds to Expand Avocado Production Into Central Florida, Combat Laurel Wilt Disease by LOURDES MEDEROS, UF/IFAS Scientists with the University of Florida have secured a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture to combat the lethal Laurel wilt disease and the redbay ambrosia beetles

Florida’s Farm to School Program Aims to Connect Local Farmers With the Classroom by RYAN MILEJCZAK You’ve likely heard of farm to table—but what about farm to school? Florida’s Farm to School initiative aims to connect our schools with growers around the state, improving nutrition for our students and building their connection to agriculture.  “Florida’s

Orlando Oasis Showcases Botanical Beauty With a Nod to Rare, Endangered Plants by REBEKAH PIERCE photos by HARRY P. LEU GARDENS When most people think of the city of Orlando, camellias, cycads, and agaves probably don’t come to mind first. Yet within the bustling hub of the downtown area, on the calm shores of Lake

by RYAN MILEJCZAK Sponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida The bell pepper is a fresh, crisp, and delicious favorite across the nation. As Floridians, we’re especially lucky because they grow so well right here in our own state!  While they might not get the spotlight like other crops such as citrus and strawberries, bell

78th Polk County Youth Fair Takes Place Jan. 24-Feb. 1 by PAUL CATALAphotos by TOM HAGERTY (2024) For the past year, youths from across the region have been working to get ready for what always proves to be one of the most exciting weeks of the year. When the 2025 Polk County Youth Fair takes