Featured

by JESSICA ANDERSON Polk County FFA students have been working hard in the past month to prepare for numerous state and county career development events. On March 9, we held the Polk County Land Judging career development event at the Kathleen Middle School land lab. This contest was sponsored in part by our supporters at […]

With a Decade of Experience Under Her Belt, Teen Sets Her Sights on the Future by TERESA SCHIFFER photos provided by AMANDA SHIVER   For many in the agriculture industry, big dreams start small. For Kyleigh Criswell, the dream started when she was 3 years old.    Kyleigh, now an eighth-grader at Dundee Ridge Middle

Polk County Cattle Industry Doing Well Despite Challenges With Growth, Inflation by PAUL CATALA Even though the total number of cattle in inventory throughout the United States and Florida was down in 2021, the industry has been holding steady throughout Polk County.  According to a United States Department of Agriculture, cattle and calves in the

RVR Horse Rescue Helps Horses in Need Get Back on Their Feet by PAUL CATALA photos by MICHAEL WILSON One horse has a medical condition that leaves it unable to sweat, another is extremely emaciated, while another is learning to rebuild its trust. But the goal is to eventually have each of these horses back

sponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida by TERESA SCHIFFER When people think of cattle, not too many envision Florida as a major producer of livestock. However, Florida has a long history with the cattle industry and is currently ranked number 13 in the U.S. for numbers of cattle. More than 5.4 million acres of

Peyton Chandley Talks About the Beef Industry and Her Goals  by ANNABEL ROCHA   Eighth-generation cattle rancher Peyton Chandley is proud to represent Polk County as the 2022-2023 Cattlemen’s Association Sweetheart. Raised by Barrett and Lori Chandley, the 19-year-old says ranching is in her blood, and she is extremely passionate about conservation and the beef

Scarlett Jackson Working on Establishing Ag Education Standards by PAMELA PALONGUE Where do the farmers of tomorrow learn the skills needed for contemporary agriculture, which may involve business management skills and even the analysis of complex data to ensure the most productive crop? It starts with awareness of farming as a highly skilled profession in

Youths to Learn Why Bees Are So Important by LUIS R. RODRIGUEZ, Small Farms Agent,  UF/IFAS Extension Polk County, & SHREEMOYEE GHOSH, 4-H Youth Development Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Beekeeping, also known as apiculture, is the practice of maintaining bee colonies to achieve desired objectives. Honeybees are the most common domesticated bee species. They are

by PAUL CATALA Since 2013, things have been fishy for Rob Bullock. But since Feb. 1, 2022, Bullock, owner of Avon Park’s Bullock Farms, has been “vegging out” as he has starts to diversify his successful aquaponics and fish farm into a viable produce and row crop venture, with the possibility of adding livestock in

by JESSICA ANDERSON   National FFA Week 2022 proved to be a fun and exciting week for FFA members from various chapters to gather together and encourage each other in the largest student-led youth organization in the country. February 19-26, 2022, was designated as National FFA Week. This time each year allows students to share