Importance of Farming “Without agriculture, we’d be hungry, naked, and sober,” said Gene McAvoy of UF/IFAS (University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences). Agriculture is a 140 billion dollar industry in Florida – second to tourism. Among the state’s population, 2% are farmers, and agricultural land spans 10 million acres. So, why don’t we think about these farmers more in our everyday lives? The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association recently invited me to tour several farms in south…
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Tis the U-Pick season in Florida! Driving down the backroads, the signs all point to fresh fruits ready for picking. I’m a newbie to the whole fruit picking scene, so I get overly excited by the concept. My overflowing fridge will prove that. This past weekend, we went to Southern Hill Farms for blueberries, peaches and flowers. This was my third time at Southern Hill Farms and as always such an enjoyable experience. Before we went to work picking our…
Sunflowers make me smile, for obvious reasons, so when I heard about a sunflower maze about an hour away from Orlando, I knew I had to check it out. Down a narrow dirt path in Mims, Florida you will find yourself at Sledd’s U-Pick Strawberries. The sprawling yellow fields can’t be missed as you drive up. Corn Maze: Check Sunflower Maze: Check Where will I find myself lost next? It’s a fantastic afternoon activity for families, and of course quite…