Fresh From Florida, 2021, Vol. 7

Across the state, farmers, consumers and organizations combined efforts to feed their neighbors when the pandemic struck

PHOTO: SARAH HEDDEN

let’s cook

local

Discovering “Fresh From Florida” agritourism in your own backyard

Get to Know

Meet your neighbors –the Florida growers and ranchers who lead the nation in producing food for Floridians and the world

42 Here Comes Hemp Florida’s industrial hemp industry has a bright future

45 Farming Evolved East Fork Creek Gardens cultivates greens with the help of finned friends

48 Sprouting a Family Business

Fullei Fresh has pioneered the sprout industry for over 40 years

dig deeper

Learn more about Florida agriculture

50 Consumers Ask, Grocery Delivers Retailers embrace online shopping

55 Thinking Inside the Box Kalera leverages technology to expand indoor farming horizons

56 Building Blocks of Trust Blockchain technology advances Florida agriculture to create a better, more trusted supply chain

Photo

FRESH FLORIDA from

SENIOR EDITOR Hannah Patterson Hill

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Rachel Graf, Kelly Rogers

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rachel Bertone, Julie Bettinger, Jessica Walker Boehm, Brianna Gwirtz, Nancy Henderson, Kim Hill, Lori-Joelle Johnson, Laura Leavitt, Christiana Lilly, Kayla Walden

V.P./CONTENT & MARKETING Jessy Yancey

V.P./CREATIVE SERVICES Laura Gallagher

ART DIRECTOR Amy Hiemstra

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Emmylou Rittenour

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Jeff Adkins

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Nathan Lambrecht

MEDIA ASSET MANAGER Alison Hunter

WEB DEVELOPER Richard Stevens

PRESIDENT Ray Langen

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Kim Newsom Holmberg

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Jordan Moore

V.P./BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Drew Colston

V.P./ADVERTISING SALES Herb Harper

V.P./OPERATIONS Molly Morton

V.P./CLIENT SERVICES Katie Middendorf

SENIOR AD COORDINATOR/DESIGNER Vikki Williams

AD TRAFFIC COORDINATOR Patricia Moisan

SALES OPERATIONS SPECIALIST Courtney Cook

FARM FLAVOR MEDIA IS A DIVISION OF JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS INC.

CHAIRMAN Greg Thurman

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Bob Schwartzman

CONTROLLER Chris Dudley

ACCOUNTING TEAM Maria McFarland, Lisa Owens

DATABASE DIRECTOR Debbie Woksa

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Kristy Giles

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Peggy Blake

Fresh From Florida is published annually by Farm Flavor Media and distributed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, please contact Farm Flavor Media at (800) 333-8842 or info@farmflavormedia.com.

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES:

COMMISSIONER Nicole “Nikki” Fried

Special thanks to all Department staff for their support.

For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit www.FreshFromFlorida.com or call (850) 617-7300.

No public funds were used in the publishing of this magazine.

© Copyright 2021 Journal Communications Inc., 6550 Carothers Parkway, Suite 420, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Please recycle this magazine.

#KeepFloridaGrowing

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Nicole “Nikki” Fried

as Florida’s 12th commissioner of agriculture and consumer services, i am proud to represent the farmers, ranchers and fishermen of our great state. That’s why our coVid-19 response has been one of meaningful action to support Florida’s agricultural community. we’ve worked with the U.s. department of agriculture to secure support for growers through the coronavirus Food assistance Program. we’ve also developed new resources like our Florida Farm to You commodities exchange, which connects farmers with buyers, consumers and food banks during coVid-19. we will continue to strengthen our efforts, both state and federal, in support of our hardworking producers.

in this issue of Fresh From Florida, we feature some remarkable individuals who are going above and beyond for their communities. From fighting food insecurity to improving agricultural technology to promoting agricultural education, Florida’s producers make us proud and deserve to have their stories shared.

Thank you for keeping our food supply strong during these difficult times. No matter the challenges, we’re working hard every day to ensure Florida farmers, ranchers and fishermen have the support and resources they need to keep Florida growing.

sincerely,

Nicole “Nikki” Fried commissioner of agriculture

Florida department of agriculture and consumer services

Florida Agriculture Quick Facts

SPANNING AN IMPRESSIVE 9.7 MILLION ACRES, FLORIDA’S FARMS AND ranches provide the state with strong economic stability. with a climate that’s ideal for growing a wide variety of produce and raising livestock, Florida produces more than 300 commodities. The state is home to 47,400 ag operations, run by some of the finest farmers and ranchers around.

300+ COMMODITIES

In 2019, Florida ranked first in the United States in production value of:

Oranges

Squash Sugar cane Bell peppers

Agriculture and agribusiness contribute more than $7.6 BILLION to the state’s economy. Agriculture and agribusiness employ

Farms occupy more than 9.7 MILLION ACRES

This includes land for fruit and vegetables, citrus groves, field crops and pastures.

123,436 PEOPLE

On average, each $1 MILLION IN FARM CASH RECEIPTS: Supports 16 Florida jobs

Produces $93,189 in additional indirect tax revenue

Sources: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Contributes more than $15.2 BILLION in overall economic impact

Adams Ranch was founded in 1937 and is operated today by the 3rd and 4th generations of the Adams family. Today it is the 13th largest cow-calf operation in the United States.

Adams Ranch Natural Beef is from cattle bred, born and raised by environmentally responsible ranchers on Florida’s open pastures.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT FLORIDA’S AGRICULTURE.

Adams Ranch Inc. adamsranch.com

Arcadia Stockyard arcadiastockyard.com

Atlantic Sapphire atlanticsapphire.com

Duda & Sons, Inc. duda.com

Everglades Equipment Group evergladesequipmentgroup.com

Florida 4-H Foundation florida4h.org

Florida Agriculture in the Classroom agtag.org

Florida Beef Council floridabeef.org

Florida Blueberry Growers Association floridablueberrygrowers.org

Florida Dairy Farmers floridamilk.com

Florida Farm Bureau floridafarmbureau.org

Florida FFA flaffa.org

Florida Southern College flsouthern.edu

Florida Tomato Committee floridatomatoes.org

Nickey Gregory Company LLC nickeygregory.com

Port Tampa Bay porttb.com

R.C. Hatton, Inc. rchatton.com

Southern United States Trade Association susta.org

Sunshine Sweet Corn Farmers of Florida sunshinesweetcorn.com

The Mosaic Company mosaicco.com/Job-Opportunities

TKM Bengard Farms, LLC tkmfarms.com

University of Florida / IFAS Extension ifas.ufl.edu

US Sugar ussugar.com

LET’S COOK

Meet

The Flavor of Florida

CHEFS JUSTIN TIMINERI AND BRIDGET BAXLEY HELP CONSUMERS SAVOR THE FLAVORS OF FLORIDA

Before the COVID-19 shutdown hit in mid-March of 2020, chefs Justin Timineri and Bridget Baxley –culinary ambassadors for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – were traveling the country, rubbing elbows with food makers, sports teams and the general public to share their passion for Florida food. When those face-to-face events screeched to a halt, the chefs realized they would need to adapt.

Two weeks into quarantine, they began using their cell phones to shoot how-to videos, showcasing recipes

on the “Fresh From Florida” website, along with new ones they created at home. From Panko Crusted Florida Avocado Fingers to Florida Spiny Lobster Tomato Mac and Cheese, they whipped up comfort food with a local twist for their fans. “Now we’re doing one or two recipes a week, and we’ve kind of moved back into the test kitchen a little bit, practicing all of the COVID safety requirements, but still doing homestyle videos in our kitchens,” Baxley says. “And it’s been really fun.”

CONNECTING IN NEW WAYS

Interacting with Florida growers and spreading awareness about their products will continue, whether in person or through online formats, according to Timineri. “We’re tuned in to them,” he says. “When a Florida farmer or rancher or fisherman wants to know what we do or wants us to work with them, we’re always there to help.”

The chefs are also giving small- and medium-size farms a boost by featuring the growers’ shelf-stable products in some of the video recipes.

Encouraging consumers to shop, cook and eat healthy with fresh Florida ingredients is a top priority for Timineri and Baxley, who regularly use social media platforms to keep followers engaged. The culinary team recently launched the “Fresh From Florida” Club, which features, among other things, a monthly email newsletter with new recipes and cooking tips the chefs use in their own kitchens.

Another club perk is direct access to Timineri and Baxley via the Ask the Chef option on the website. In the future, they plan to host recipe contests and post the winning entries online.

“More than really any time in our lives, I think people are craving a human connection,” Baxley says. “We’re just trying to figure out new ways to stay in touch with them.”

HAVING FUN, EATING HEALTHY

The virus-induced shutdown caused some people to slack off on exercise and nutrition, making

the “Fresh From Florida” healthy-eating mission even more important. Another goal of the “Fresh From Florida” team is to show how to use what you already have in your pantry rather than make an extra trip to the store. “If you don’t have chicken but you have shrimp, feel free to replace that,” Baxley says. “Recipes are always good, but we would rather you use them as a guide rather than saying, ‘I have to have this yellow squash’ or ‘I need to choose another recipe.’ Cooking seasonally is always our message, but you still have some creative liberties in the kitchen.”

Some video viewers have even been inspired to step out of their food comfort zones. “It gets me super excited that the thought of someone who hates broccoli looks at a stir-fry dish and says, ‘I could try that,’” Baxley says.

The chefs also emphasize family-friendly recipes and the enjoyment that cooking together can bring. Timineri’s 7-year-old son, Deklen, often makes an appearance in his dad’s videos.

“Being in the kitchen as a family is just so important,” Timineri says. “It not only feeds our bellies; it feeds our souls.”

To sign up for the new “Fresh From Florida” Club, go to followfreshfromflorida.com/register.

– Nancy Henderson

ABOUT THE CHEFS

Chef Justin Timineri is a certified executive chef, author, award-winner, teacher and television personality who serves as the state chef and culinary ambassador. He won the Food Network Challenge Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans and worked internationally at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Chef Bridget Baxley serves as chef and culinary ambassador for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, delighting audiences with creative recipes that feature beloved Florida ingredients at events like the Orlando Food and Wine Festival, PMA Fresh Summit and Boston Seafood Expo.

PHOTOS: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Florida Grouper with Citrus Salad

4 (6-ounce) Florida grouper fillets

3 Florida oranges, peeled, seeded and segmented

2 Florida grapefruit, peeled, seeded and segmented

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

½ cup jicama, peeled and julienned

Florida Blueberry Cobbler

Filling

4 cups fresh Florida blueberries, rinsed and drained

1 cup Florida sugar

1 stick unsalted butter

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Topping

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup Florida sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Combine the fennel, jicama, citrus segments, 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Preheat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season grouper fillets with salt and pepper. Carefully place the fillets into pan and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until completely done. Serve over chilled citrus salad.

Breakfast Potatoes with Florida Bell Peppers and Bacon

4 large Florida potatoes, diced medium

3 medium Florida bell peppers, diced large

½ cup bacon, cooked crisp and roughly chopped

½ cup sharp cheddar, shredded

1 tablespoon allpurpose seasoning (your favorite)

1 tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped fine

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Par-cook potatoes in boiling water for

5 to 7 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain water and set aside.

Preheat cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to skillet. Add peppers and saute for 2 minutes. Add potatoes and saute for another 2 minutes. Season with all-purpose seasoning, herbs, salt and pepper. Stir in bacon bits and mix for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and top with cheese. Put skillet in oven on high broil for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with hot sauce and eggs your style.

½ cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter and pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, combine lemon juice and blueberries. Add sugar and mix well. Add the blueberry mixture to the baking dish. Do not stir.

Combine flour, sugar, vanilla and milk in a small bowl. Pour over the blueberry mixture and bake for 45 minutes, or until brown.

PHOTOS: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Florida Mushroom Bisque

2 pounds Florida mushrooms, roughly chopped

½ onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 quarts vegetable broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

5-8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed

Vegetable oil

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Melt the butter and oil together in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and saute until translucent (5 to 8 minutes). Add in the minced garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Reduce heat to medium and add chopped mushrooms and thyme.

Cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms release moisture. Add vegetable broth, heavy cream, all-purpose seasoning, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Cook for an additional 15 minutes then reduce heat to low. Blend soup using an immersion blender, or use a countertop blender and blend in small batches. If using a countertop blender, use caution when blending hot liquid. Serve warm.

FIND MORE ONLINE

Find more delicious recipes like these online at FollowFreshFromFlorida.com

FRESHER Than Fresh

DISCOVER WHAT’S IN SEASON

IN FLORIDA, WE KNOW A THING OR two about good weather – there’s a reason so many people flock to our state for the winter. Year-round, the sunny weather provides prime growing conditions for all kinds of different produce.

With such an ample supply to choose from, finding and consuming the freshest foods is as easy as going to your local farmers market or grocery store,

especially when you know which foods to look for. Discover what’s in season all year long using this handy seasonal availability calendar or by visiting our website, followfreshfromflorida.com . Whether you’re craving a hearty vegetable, like eggplant, or a juicy fruit, like strawberries, you’ll be able to shop confidently knowing you’re buying at just the right time of year. Do yourself a favor and take the guesswork out of meal planning and shopping and fill your diet with the best, freshest foods available.

PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/MAYTHEEVORAN

Join

the club

CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT WITH THE FRESH FROM FLORIDA CLUB TO ACCESS EXCLUSIVE MEMBER BENEFITS

THE FRESH FROM FLORIDA CLUB LAUNCHED in september 2020 with thousands of followers eager to create an account and explore the new features of followfreshfromflorida.com . “we wanted those who already know and use the website to have an easy way to save recipes, interact with our chefs and access exclusive cooking shows,” explains alex redding, media and communications manager for the Florida department of agriculture and consumer services. “we really wanted to create a fun experience for followers of “Fresh From Florida” that would give them direct access to experts and information.”

RECIPE AND MENU COLLECTIONS

Anyone can visit the website and access the expansive library of recipes developed by chefs Justin Timineri and Bridget Baxley. But by signing up for the “Fresh From Florida” Club, you get special benefits like the ability to save recipes and create custom menus. As you browse recipes on the site, you can easily save ones you like, or ones you want to try, to your menu. You aren’t limited to a single menu, either. The “Fresh From Florida” Club allows you to create menus based on any criteria you want. You can save them for the season, for holidays and family gatherings, or even on a week-by-week basis to make meal planning a simpler and more streamlined experience.

streamlined experience.

PROMOTING LOCAL AGRICULTURE

The new site doesn’t just supply recipes – one key aim is to promote local Florida products. Users are encouraged to cook with food grown and harvested in Florida. The guacamole recipe, for example, includes Florida-grown avocados, tomatoes and Key limes as part of the ingredients. A list of what’s in season along with fresh new recipes is emailed once a month to club members. “The consumers who follow ‘Fresh From Florida’ want to know where their food comes from,” Redding says. “They’re supporters of Florida farmers and fishermen.”

One of the top tabs on the website is dedicated to the farmers, fishermen and ranchers who singlehandedly provide a more than $132 billion economic impact to the state. You can watch videos on featured farmers and even find Florida farms that are selling their products directly to consumers.

ASK THE CHEF

We all know how it feels to be in the middle of cooking a new recipe and suddenly wish we could

ask an expert for advice. With the Ask the Chef feature, you can do just that. The “Fresh From Florida” Club not only makes it easy and convenient, but it also gives you access to two remarkable experts.

can to

All you have to do is go to the Our

All you have to do is go to the Our Chefs tab at the top of every page and click on the Ask Chef Justin or Ask Chef Bridget button to send your question.

As a member of the “Fresh From Florida” Club, you are just one click away from these culinary professionals. Request help with a specific recipe, ask for an ingredient substitution or seek advice on creating a dinner-party menu. Chef Justin and Chef Bridget are here to help!

– Kayla Walden

HOW TO SIGN UP

Joining the “Fresh From Florida” Club is free and only takes a minute. Visit followfreshfromflorida.com/register to create your account.

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES; ISTOCK.COM/ELI_ASENOVA

Chefs Justin and Bridget

Florida Guacamole

2 Florida avocados, pit removed and mashed

1 Florida tomato, diced small

2 Florida Key limes, juiced

¼ red onion, diced small

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

½ teaspoon cumin

Several dashes hot sauce (optional)

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

LOCAL FUN

with Florida agriculture GET OUTSIDE

AGRITOURISM OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND IN EVERY REGION AND SEASON

PHOTO: MARK VAUGHN

ACCORDING TO THE

2017 Ag Census, 62 of Florida’s 67 counties are home to farms that identify as agritourism operations. Agritourism is an increasingly popular and welcome addition to the wonderful world of agriculture, but it’s even more of a treasure as we see a greater desire for safe, outdoor activities. Fortunately, these agricultural gems are in every region of the state.

NORTHWEST REGION

GREEN GATE OLIVE GROVE, ALFORD

greengateolivegrove.com

If you’re looking for an outsidethe-box agritourism experience, spend an afternoon at Green Gate Olive Grove. The first olive grove in the state, Green Gate offers tours and tastings, catered breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, as well as one-of-a-kind U-pick events during the harvest season.

JUBILEE ORCHARDS, TALLAHASSEE

jubileeorchards.com

With over 50 acres to explore, Jubilee Orchards is perfect for a family U-pick blueberry outing. Check out the organic farm store that sells everything from produce and jams to cheeses and baked goods from local artisans.

NORTHEAST REGION

ROONEY’S FRONT PORCH

FARM, LIVE OAK

rooneyfarm.com

Indulge in a bounty of blueberries and thornless blackberries for guests to pick themselves in the spring months. Pack a picnic and enjoy the good weather under the pecan trees while you’re on the property.

CENTRAL REGION

SOUTHERN HILL FARMS, CLERMONT

southernhillfarms.com

Southern Hill Farms is a familyowned and -operated farm, offering U-pick blueberries, peaches and flowers in the spring and festivals and pumpkin patches in the fall.

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: ISTOCK.COM/LEONORI, KALI9

Long & Scott Farms

LONG & SCOTT FARMS, MOUNT DORA

longandscottfarms.com

Long & Scott Farms has provided the public with fresh produce, farm tours, field trips and more since 1963. Fall on the farm includes corn mazes and hayrides, and their country market is filled with jams, jellies, gifts and snacks.

both U-pick blackberries as well as pre-picked blackberries, figs and passion fruit by the pound. They also have an assortment of jams, soaps, sauces and honey for sale.

SOUTHWEST REGION

ROSY TOMORROWS HERITAGE FARM, NORTH FORT MYERS

rosy-tomorrows.com

subscription boxes that allow you to enjoy a variety of cuts from their organic and sustainably raised beef, pork and chicken.

BUCKINGHAM FARMS, FORT MYERS

buckinghamfarmsonline.com

BRAMBLE

CREEK FARMS, BROOKSVILLE

bramblecreekfarms.com

This Brooksville farm offers

Ag Across the State

The award-winning and freshly-renovated restaurant at Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm is back open. The farm also offers

Buckingham Farms is a multipurpose operation that serves as a farm, U-pick, farm-to-fork restaurant and event venue all wrapped into one. It even opened a microbrewery in 2019 for visitors to enjoy local craft brews.

FARMER MIKE’S U PICK, BONITA SPRINGS

farmermikesupick.com

The store at Farmer Mike’s U Pick is ready to provide visitors with plenty of fresh produce. They also offer U-pick sunflowers, pumpkins, corn mazes and an annual fall festival.

SOUTHEAST REGION BOB ROTH’S NEW RIVER GROVES, DAVIE

newrivergroves.com

This citrus and farm market hot spot makes for a perfect outing in fall, winter and spring. Choose from fresh fruit boxes and gift baskets to smoothies, juices and an assortment of Terry’s famous pies.

RICHARD LYONS NURSERY, MIAMI

richardlyonsnursery.com

Richard Lyons Nursery is open all year long, but it has a particularly interesting assortment of tropical fruit crops available for purchase during the summer months. It doesn’t ship its products, so be sure to visit in person if you want to make a purchase.

– Kayla Walden

FIND MORE ONLINE

For more information on agritourism destinations in your area, check out the new agritourism mapping tool at followfreshfromflorida.com/ agritourism

From the

Ground Up

CONGAREE AND PENN SERVES AS A PRIME GATHERING PLACE FOR A RANGE OF AUDIENCES AND ACTIVITIES

FRESH ON THE AGRITOURISM DESTINATION scene, Congaree and Penn may only be a few years old, but this Jacksonville farm dedicated to agriculture and culinary arts is already receiving significant attention. The 330-acre business was referred to as a boutique operation in one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation by Food & Wine magazine and was added to the Tour de Farm showcase hosted each year by the Slow Food First Coast nonprofit.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Even though the farm is now turning heads, it comes from humble beginnings.

“We basically fell into this farm,” says Lindsay Meyer, who owns the business with her husband, Scott. “My husband was in graduate school at the University of Miami and we weren’t sure what we were going to do after he graduated. When his father offered us the land, we thought, let’s give this a shot.”

Meyer says Congaree and Penn began as a rice farm since that’s what worked best for their clay soil, which is known for retaining moisture. From there, she says they listened to what the market asked of them and grew in those directions.

The land now boasts over 2,500 Mayhaw trees, including a variety indigenous to the South that

handles humidity and heat with ease. It also features the Little Trout River, a Quonset hut that houses a bar and commercial kitchen, and an abundance of fruit trees, blackberry bushes and an impressive assortment of muscadine grapes.

BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER

Congaree and Penn has also become a sought-after location for culinary events and workshops, farm-totable dining, and private events like weddings, goat hikes, and canine field days in more recent years.

“We’re fortunate to have such diversified offerings and activities,” Meyer says. “We have those to thank for keeping us afloat this year, given the widespread pandemic.”

Due to COVID-19, the farm temporarily suspended several of the culinary workshops and activities they would normally host throughout the year, but they were pleasantly surprised by the number of people who still wanted to come enjoy the fresh air in a space that makes social distancing easier than indoor alternatives. Congaree and Penn is also still actively open and taking reservations for regular restaurant service.

“There are so few places people feel they can gather safely, but guests have continued to come to Congaree

and Penn,” Meyer says. “We’re beyond grateful to be able to offer a place where people feel they can still gather.”

MOVING TOWARD THE FUTURE

While the circumstances of 2020 threw a wrench in the plans of many, Meyer says they still have high hopes for future expansion. There’s a peace of mind that comes with knowing they have grown organically over the years and can likely continue to do the same in the years to come.

“We had no idea that this would turn into what it is now,” Meyer says. “We weren’t trying to go into the restaurant or event business, but here we are. We do want to continue expanding and have hopes to build a place where people can stay on the farm overnight.”

Meyer also says she wants to open an equine boarding facility on the property one day. They currently have a few horses on site, but they can envision a more comprehensive equestrian presence in the future.

Even though she admits their dreams for growth are a big undertaking, she’s excited for everything to come. “We’re so proud of where we are today,” Meyer says, “but we’re also looking ahead to everything else we want to do here.”

– Kayla Walden

Congaree and Penn provides a picturesque setting for dining, hosting events and enjoying the outdoors.

Signs of the Times

Driving tour showcasing artistic labels honors Central Florida’s citrus heritage

Fresh fruit from Florida was once shipped to Northern markets in wooden crates marked with labels intended to gain buyers’ attention – and to distinguish the offerings of one packing house over another. Used from the early 1900s through World War II, these artistic labels featured renderings of sunshine, palm trees and other iconic Florida imagery.

“I’ve always called them ‘Florida’s First Billboards’ because they depicted sites people think of when thinking of Florida,” says Brenda Eubanks Burnette, executive director of the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame and co-author of two books on the labels’ history. A new driving experience, the

Polk County History and Heritage Trail’s Citrus Label Tour, directs visitors to 23 sites throughout Polk County, which was once the leading citrus county in the U.S. Almost 50 labels have been reproduced on signage at the sites.

One of these, Peace River Packing Company in Fort Meade, has been part of the citrus industry for more than 90 years. General Manager Larry Black’s greatgrandfather and other growers founded Peace River Packing Company as a cooperative in 1928. Since the 1950s, Black’s extended family has owned and managed the cooperative. Today, the company employs about 135 people in peak season and packs

around 400,000 cartons of fresh fruit from its 3,200 acres of citrus trees and from a few nonmember growers. The “Romance” blue label at this site depicts a young woman in a bathing suit preparing to dive into the Peace River, according to Black, who himself owns a collection of labels. “Those labels meant something to the buyers,” he explains. “Blue was always U.S. #1 or grade ‘A.’ Red was U.S. #2, and yellow or green was a ‘C’ grade of fruit, which primarily was sold only in Florida.”

Black says he supports efforts to preserve Central Florida’s citrus history. “It’s great to highlight the historical citrus marketing with today’s modern operations,” he says.

Burnette says the Citrus Label Tour, which has now expanded into Manatee, Indian River and Lake counties, serves double duty both as public art and history lessons. “After World War II, the industry went to cardboard boxes instead of

PHOTOS: FLORIDA CITRUS HALL OF FAME

CITRUS LABEL TOUR STOPS

Polk County

crates for shipping, so those labels weren’t used anymore,” Brunette says. “We are trying to preserve that bit of history in the state’s most important agricultural crop.”

To start a program in your area, contact Brenda Eubanks Burnette at (561) 351-4314 or bburne1003@aol.com.

– Kim Hill

Davenport Haines City

Lake Alfred Auburndale Lakeland

Lake Wales Bartow

Fort Meade Frostproof

Proof Positive

Distilleries craft award-winning spirits with Florida grains

Rye for Wild Buck, a 100-proof rye whiskey. Filtered rainwater and the three-year aging process in oak barrels (without additives!) help create Wild Buck’s unique, goldaward-winning flavor profile.

They also grow sugar cane for their gold-medal-winning Mermaid Rum, named for the legendary “mermaids” that perform at nearby Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

Distillery tours include samples of whiskey, rum and ryes in Shine Moonshine, a 100% farm-grown, rye grain moonshine straight from the still. With beehives, citrus and olive trees, muscadine grapes, and other crops, “Florida farm-grown” is an important talking point for Natalie. “Every single tour, I point to the ‘Fresh From Florida’ label on our bottles,” she says. “We encourage folks to support farmers like us and everyone who is getting their hands dirty growing things.”

SUPPORTING LOCAL PRODUCERS

Located on Aaron Barnes’ family farm near Crestview, Timber Creek Distillery was founded in 2014 to combine locally grown grains and limestone spring water (plus a healthy dash of time and effort) to create unique whiskeys. Barnes and his business partner and neighbor, Camden Ford, also make rum, gin and the award-winning Florida Vodka.

Fresh From Florida distilleries are using locally grown commodities to craft award-winning spirits for even the most discriminating palates.

RAISING GRAINS TO RAISE A GLASS

When Kevin and Natalie Goff acquired an old hunting camp within the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area, Natalie’s dad suggested opening

a distillery at the location. After her dad died, Natalie found an old book about distilling in his attic. “This is a sign,” she recalls telling Kevin, her husband. Initially skeptical, Kevin, a contractor by trade, eventually built a primitive still and began experimenting. By 2012, they were licensed as NJoy Spirits Distillery, a play on words that incorporates Natalie’s middle name, Joy.

The Goffs raise Florida 401 Black

Timber Creek uses Florida 401 Black Rye, soft red winter wheat, yellow #2 dent corn and other locally sourced grains to distill single-grain whiskey.

“That’s very unique,” Ford says. “When we make our whiskeys, we create blends using the different single grains.” Their Florida Whiskey is a wheat bourbon blend, while their Southern Reserve Florida Whiskey is an awardwinning combination of all four grains with a high rye content.

If you want to take the fun home with you, Timber Creek sells a bourbon blending kit, which

NJoy Spirits Distillery

PHOTOS: NATALIE GOFF

Florida Sunny Mary Mix

4 cups Florida tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 cup Florida cucumber, roughly chopped

1 large Florida bell pepper, roughly chopped

1 cup Florida celery, roughly chopped

1 cup Florida vodka (optional)

½ sweet onion, roughly chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon garlic, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon hot sauce (your favorite)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning (divided)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons oil for cooking

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat saute pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Saute celery, onion and bell pepper until soft. Season with ½ tablespoon all-purpose seasoning. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Blend cooked vegetable mixture and remaining ingredients on high until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Strain the liquid for a smoother product.

includes small bottles of corn, Black Rye, single-malt barley and wheat whiskies, along with a mixing beaker and blending guide.

Timber Creek also supports local fruit growers. “We try to do theme weekends based on what’s in season,” Ford says. “Working with our local producers is a great relationship. It keeps all the revenue in the state, and we’re creating higher-value products out of their commodities.”

– Kim Hill

PHOTO: FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

WHAT MAKES A FLORIDA FISHING TOWN SPECIAL?

we dropped anchor along the coastline from the northern Gulf to the Keys and back up the atlantic coast to find out.

FIND GEMS IN THE EMERALD BLUE IN DESTIN

As an 11-year-old, David Krebs started fishing with “Buck” Destin, the great-grandson of the town’s founder and one of the early “saltwater cowboys.”

“When I drive across the Destin bridge and look to my right at the pass, I see the white sand, the beautiful turquoise water and how it drifts off into the dark blue,” Krebs says. Besides the gorgeous scenery it offers, Destin has gained a reputation as the “luckiest fishing village.”

Krebs still owns a fishing vessel, the Alleluia, that he purchased from Buck. He also owns Ariel Seafoods Inc., which processes 3 million pounds of fish two blocks from the Destin Harbor. Those fish wind up on plates all over the world. There’s a lot to love about Destin, but that view from the pass is it for Krebs. “Even for a waterman like me, it’s unique.”

APALACHICOLA’S BOUNTIFUL WATERWAYS

Off the beaten path, Apalachicola offers a taste of old Florida. “You’ve got your choice: freshwater fishing, bay fishing and offshore fishing,” says Tommy Ward, owner of 13-Mile Seafood Market. Part of the Forgotten Coast, Apalachicola is dotted with oak trees and offers a full view of the sky stretching over the Gulf.

Ward is a fourth-generation owner and says his fish house is the first stop when many visitors arrive in town. “They bring me something from their part of the country, maybe sausage or cheese,” he shares. And before they leave, Ward fills up their coolers with fresh catch from Gulf waters: 13-Mile brand oysters, shrimp and snapper, if it’s in season. “My dad was a big believer in quality products. He told me, ‘Don’t sell anything you wouldn’t feed your own family.’”

CORTEZ: A WORKING WATERFRONT VILLAGE

“There are fish houses on our shoreline that have been there since the 1920s,” says Karen Bell,

co-owner of A.P. Bell Fish Company and sole owner of Star Fish Company in Cortez Village. “People say, ‘I can’t believe a place like this still exists.’” Buildings are white clapboard, houses have porches, and boats and nets are in front yards. “It’s a simpler kind of life.” Bell is the fish house’s third generation. “We sell exactly what the boats are catching,” she says. Grouper is available year-round, and the mullet are fat and flavorful in the fall through December. Pompano season is spring and fall, trout season is summer (most years) and stone crabs open up in October. And you can’t beat Bell’s view. “The bay is beautiful; it’s a great place to live and work.”

BEHIND-THE-SCENES DOCKSIDE IN KEY LARGO

Spiny lobster can be plucked from Florida waters today and on

Key Largo Fisheries

PHOTO: KEY LARGO FISHERIES

your plate tomorrow, wherever ground shipping delivers. Key Largo Fisheries has come a long way since Tom and Rick Hill’s mother sold conch fritters from a pop-up tent on Saturdays.

The Hill brothers have preserved a way to experience the Florida Keys through access to a working waterfront, complete with docks, a wholesale/retail fishery, a marina and a cafe.

Their market buzzes with workers wielding knives at the fillet table, grading lobster and packaging bait. Fishermen bring in their fresh-caught black grouper and yellowtail snapper in one section, while product is gel-packed in coolers for FedEx and UPS in another.

Tom Hill says their ballyhoo fisherman father started the business in 1972. “They’re now shipping upward of 110 boxes of seafood a day all over the world.”

Deliciously Diverse

FERNANDINA ISLAND LIFE

Fernandina Beach is a friendly community with old Victorian homes, a downtown anchored by a scenic harbor and historical ties to the modern shrimping industry. The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival celebrates that connection annually and legendary net maker Billy Burbank still calls Fernandina home. The third-generation owner of Burbank Trawl Makers, Inc., Burbank drew national attention to Fernandina’s maritime heritage by developing an effective Turtle Excluder Device to protect turtles (still required for wild-caught shrimp today).

With its natural deep-water harbor, there are plenty of seafood and fish houses in this authentic seaport village.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a state with such diverse and plentiful access to fresh seafood. Along the Florida coasts, aquaculture thrives – and many towns and cities have their own seafood specialties.

1 PENSACOLA’S SPECIALTY: SNAPPER

Pensacola features many artificial reefs that serve as habitats for bottom-dwelling fish, like snapper. While there are many varieties of snapper in the area, red snapper are the most commonly caught here. Weighing anywhere from 5 to 30 pounds or more, these fish are both gorgeous and tasty.

2 APALACHICOLA’S SPECIALTY: OYSTERS

Producing 90% of the state’s oysters, Apalachicola Bay features 30 miles of shallow water that create the perfect environment for oysters to grow and thrive. Located on the Florida panhandle, Apalachicola Bay benefits from the nutrient-rich fresh water that flows from the Apalachicola River, and as a result, Apalachicola oysters are notoriously fat and sweet. Mechanical devices are not allowed in the area, and all oysters are picked by hand (with long tongs).

3 FERNANDINA BEACH’S SPECIALTY:

SHRIMP

Home to the annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, Fernandina Beach is known as the birthplace of modern shrimping in America. The town celebrates its shrimping heritage through the Fernandina Beach Marine Welcome Center & Shrimping Museum. Among other things, the museum showcases the families that helped make the Fernandina Beach shrimping industry a success.

4 KEY WEST’S SPECIALTIES: SPINY LOBSTER AND MAHI-MAHI

An area surrounded by water on practically all sides, it’s no wonder that Key West has not one but two seafood specialties. Spiny Lobsters are different from traditional lobsters found in Northeast America – they don’t have claws, so all the meat is located in the tail. The spiny seafood is celebrated each year at Key West’s Lobsterfest, which is a huge tourist draw. Mahi-mahi, Key West’s second specialty, are one of the most popular sport fishes around and are particularly abundant in the area. They generally weigh 15 to 30 pounds and feature gorgeous scales of green, blue and yellow.

5 CORTEZ’S SPECIALTIES: GROUPER AND STONE CRAB

For fishing enthusiasts, Cortez is prime for catching grouper. There are dozens of private fishing charters available in the area with guides that specialize in grouper. Cortez is also well known for stone crab, with the community coming together each year to celebrate with the Cortez Stone Crab & Musical Festival. Stone crab season starts in October and lasts for five months, with the festival typically taking place in November.

– Julie Bettinger

FARMERS

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS,

the Florida growers and ranchers who lead the nation in producing food for Floridians and the world.

TOGETHER Banding

ACROSS THE STATE, FARMERS, CONSUMERS AND ORGANIZATIONS COMBINED EFFORTS TO FEED THEIR NEIGHBORS WHEN THE PANDEMIC STRUCK

who were unable to leave their homes, as well as families reliant on school lunches to feed their children. Months later, the “Florida Blue, Farmers and You” program has served more than 120,000 pounds of food to people in seven counties, supplied by local and regional farmers.

“People are getting, for the first time, high-quality, Fresh From Florida, amazing produce right from their neighbors,” TenBroeck says. “It’s given me an opportunity to tell a story about us as farmers and the fact that we want to serve our neighbors.”

FARMERS HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN BACK, BUT WHEN the coV id-19 pandemic hit Florida in march of 2020, they went the extra mile to serve their

FOODERY FARMS

After spending eight years developing greenhouses around the U.S., Angela TenBroeck settled on building an urban farm in Jacksonville. She had planned for 2020 to be the year to expand into a hub-and-spoke model for small and medium farms to collaborate. She also won a Florida Blue grant for produce vending machines.

Then COVID-19 hit Florida.

And while it stalled her expansion plans, it also created a new opportunity to give back. Talking to her contact at Florida Blue, TenBroeck learned that local food banks and others were in need of fresh produce.

TenBroeck reached out to her farmer network, and soon there were 53 trucks loaded with produce. Volunteers dropped off bags of produce to seniors

TenBroeck isn’t slowing down, though – she’s still working on building her farm, with plans to hire reemerging women, such as those recently released from prison, overcoming addiction or who are part of the LGBTQ community. While she’s not as far along as she originally planned, she’s excited to say they’re still moving along. In fact, they just turned on the power in one of the buildings.

SAM S. ACCURSIO & SONS FARMS

When the pandemic first shut down the state, orders from grocery stores suddenly stopped

communities.

PHOTOS: SARAH HEDDEN

Foodery Farms’ Angela TenBroeck worked with several farms to support a program funded by a Florida Blue grant to deliver reduced or free produce boxes from Northeast Florida farms during the pandemic.

and pickup dates were pushed. Meanwhile, workers at Sam Accursio’s family farm continued to pick green beans, zucchini and squash. With more than 1 million pounds of produce at risk of going to waste, Accursio had a late-night epiphany.

“I woke up and I said, ‘Let’s just give this produce away at cost. Let’s put it out on Facebook,’ and it was a huge success,” he says. “We never realized how hungry people were for local, safe, fresh, affordable food.”

Folks drove up from the Keys for fresh produce. Some even brought trucks to load up with vegetables to bring back to their neighbors. Accursio estimates he’s given away about 750,000 pounds of vegetables at cost. Additionally, when President Trump visited North Carolina in August, Accursio was able to speak to the president about the needs of farmers.

However, as he’s lauded alongside other farmers who have given back to the community when they needed it most, he feels that they helped him too.

“We haven’t forgotten those consumers that are local that bailed us out of thousands and thousands of pounds of produce that I had already harvested,” he says. “The community really stepped up, and I met a bunch of nice people I never knew existed in my own town.”

R.C. HATTON FARMS

In farming, there are ups and downs. But for Paul Allen, he’d never seen a complete shutdown before.

“When we farm and produce food to the scale that we do, we plant every day, cultivate every day, we harvest every day, we ship every day,” the Pahokee farmer explains. “We had nowhere to go with our produce.”

With 12,000 acres of cabbage, green beans, sweet corn and sugar

“Every one of us needs a farmer three times a day, right? We want people to understand that farmers take feeding their country seriously. We get up before the sun comes up and get in after it goes down. That’s just the life of the farmer.”

PAUL ALLEN, farmer

Sam Accursio, pictured here with his family, spearheaded efforts to give away thousands of pounds of vegetables to the community – at cost.

PHOTO: ALLIE ACCURSIO

cane, Allen was forced to destroy more than 1 million pounds. It hurt to see so much go to waste. So, he used his voice to speak for farmers via the media. Allen appeared on CNN, NBC, BBC and Fox News, talking about the struggles farmers were facing and how they wanted to help.

“There was a lot of prayer that went into it, I’ll say that, but we had to get the word out to the administration about what was going on because we needed help,” Allen says.

And the outreach worked –people began to buy more produce and the government found a way to connect farmers with groups in need. Florida farmers were even able to help people beyond the region, sending truckloads of produce to the Bahamas and major food banks up the East Coast.

– Christiana Lilly

R.C. Hatton Farms

PHOTOS: DEBRA ALLEN

HEMP here comes

FLORIDA’S INDUSTRIAL HEMP INDUSTRY HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE

FROM COSMETICS, LOTIONS and pain creams to drywall, cement and protein powder, there are thousands of uses for industrial hemp – and Florida farmers are getting in on the action.

“The approval to grow hemp in Florida has always been a priority for Commissioner Nikki Fried because she saw the opportunities it would present to farmers,” says Holly Bell, director of cannabis at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). “It was a specialty crop that we wanted to add to a normal rotation.”

It wasn’t until recently that hemp could be legally grown in the U.S. As part of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp was made legal in all 50 states, though it came with many restrictions.

“It’s been a process,” Bell says. “After the Farm Bill was signed, the first bill in Florida was Senate Bill 1020, which became law in 2019.” That bill created the hemp program in the state under FDACS. Bell says they then continued writing rules to regulate the program, the last of which came into effect in April 2020.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Because hemp is closely related to marijuana, there are several regulations covering its cultivation, not just in Florida but in the U.S. as a whole. Bell says there are two things that stand out about hemp in relation to other crop regulations: One is that farmers must obtain a license to grow hemp.

“To receive a license, they have to have a background check and can’t have a controlled substance conviction within the past 10 years,” Bell says.

The second is that farmers have to have their hemp tested by an independent lab when the crop is ready to be harvested. The THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) level in the hemp – the same chemical that causes psychotropic effects in marijuana – must be at .3% or less for it to be considered hemp. If it’s higher than that, the tested crop must be destroyed.

A MYRIAD OF USES

With hemp’s many applications, including cannabinoid oil (CBD), which has become increasingly popular over the past few years, Bell says Florida’s farmers are eager to grow the new crop, though more research is still needed.

“We need to continue to do research on hemp because there are different varieties that will grow in different parts of the state,” Bell says. “Farmers are planting smaller plots and experimenting to

PHOTO: LONG’S PHOTOGRAPHY

see what works well.”

Available in two varieties, the fastgrowing crop has a growth cycle that’s only about 12 weeks. One variety is used to make CBD and other products with hemp oil, such as hair-care products and balms. The other variety is grown for the fiber and grain, which can be used to make everything from clothes to carpet.

“It’s a very environmentally friendly, biodegradable crop,” Bell says.

LEADING THE PACK

Several Florida farmers have already begun growing it, setting the standard for the future of the state’s hemp industry.

One farmer taking advantage of the new crop is Leonard Inge of Monticello, who started growing hemp in the summer of 2020. He and his partners started with a 5-acre plot, but they are growing in several locations in order to experiment with different growing conditions. Currently in the experimental stage, Inge is learning about this crop one day at a time. Inge and his team have passed all the state

requirements and THC testing, and they are committed to following directions and asking for help as needed. They’ve even gotten in touch with some hemp consultants who have been a great resource.

Other hemp endeavors in the state include Newberry-based Green Earth Cannaceuticals, which is currently involved in the research of industrial hemp under Florida A&M University’s pilot project. The farm has experience cultivating medical marijuana, and it shares its expertise and consulting services with other cannabis growers. Another operation dipping its toe into the hemp industry is V&B Farms of Homestead. Founded by two childhood friends, Tommy Vick and Brandon Boyd, V&B Farms specializes in growing high-quality produce for the wholesale market, retail and restaurants. They are applying their extensive horticultural knowledge to the burgeoning Florida hemp industry.

GOLD STANDARD

Though the crop is still new, Bell says the future looks bright.

“We are one of two states that regulate our entire program under one department, and others are looking to us for guidance and input on what we’re doing,” she says. “Because of that, people want to come here and do business.”

– Rachel Bertone

PHOTOS: LONG’S PHOTOGRAPHY

Leonard Inge and his partners started growing hemp in 2020.

Farming Evolved

East Fork Creek Gardens cultivates greens with the help of finned friends

In Fort Myers, rumors flew when a property that had been a nursery for 88 years came under new ownership and construction began on the site.

“They thought a rich person had bought it to create a private aquarium,” says Frans Kox, co-owner of East Fork Creek Gardens.

In fact, East Fork Creek Gardens was beginning an exciting endeavor into sustainable agriculture growing lettuce using aquaponics. Owners Frans Kox and Jana Telecka bought the property with this goal in mind, bringing their substantial background in sustainability and horticulture studies to the work.

Instead of relying on traditional fertilizers, Kox and Telecka created a system that uses water from large tanks of live Blue Nile tilapia to grow lettuces. After being filtered, this water flows gently through tubes with small holes in them, where lettuce plants grow with their roots in the water.

“We feed the fish an organic vegetable-based food and monitor them, because if the fish are comfortable, they excrete more ammonia – we keep them very happy,” Kox says. “The ammonia in the water becomes nitrates and nitrites when we filter it, which then feeds the lettuce.”

SUSTAINABILITY SOARS

While their system reduces the use of fertilizers, the efficiencies don’t stop there. Growing lettuce using aquaponics and distributing it in the local area has allowed for further sustainability efforts.

“In traditional growing, a head of lettuce would take 70 to 100 days to grow and would need 11 to 14 gallons of water. We wanted to do better,” Kox says. “With aquaponics, we can grow lettuce in 45 to 55 days and use a little more than 2 pints of water per head of lettuce. We also don’t have to reset soil between plantings, since lettuce grown in water can be replanted with no lag time.”

When demand from restaurants took a dramatic dip due to pandemic-related shutdowns, East Fork Creek Gardens’ team sprang into action, partnering with other local farms to make sure that they could offer direct-to-consumer options and share more about their farms directly with consumers.

“This pandemic has made people more aware of where their food comes from,” Kox says. “We are a little part of educating people that things grown in Florida have extra value because they’re grown right here.”

In the future, East Fork Creek Gardens hopes their facility can serve as a model that can be adapted to other locations to create sustainable, efficient and profitable aquaponic agriculture.

– Laura Leavitt

East Fork Creek Gardens grows lettuce using aquaponics. PHOTOS: LUMINAIRE FOTO

WELL-LIVED A Life

HUGH HINTON BRANCH, considered the “Sweet Corn King,” was an icon in the produce industry, starting his 60-year career in 1957 as the founder of Hugh Branch, Inc., known today as Branch: A Family of Farms.

Branch, 95, died Jan. 23, 2020, in Belle Glade.

“Hughʼs company is the sweet corn leader and they ship more sweet corn than anyone in the country,”

‘Sweet Corn King’ shaped Florida agriculture with innovation and integrity

says Paul Allen, co-owner and president of R.C. Hatton, who spoke at his funeral. “In 45 years of shipping corn, if you lined every single crate up in a line, it would go around the planet twice. It was well over 160 million crates, which is enough for every single person on the planet to have one ear to eat.”

A major driver of R.C. Hattonʼs growth and success was the partnership between Branch

and company founder Roger Hatton.

“Weʼve been with Branch for 60 years, and his company is the only one to have ever shipped any item from our farms,” Allen says. “Thereʼs just not that many people in this industry you can have that kind of relationship with.”

Branch was considered a pioneer, a foresighted leader and an innovator. He was known for his strong work ethic and caring nature.

Born on June 29, 1924, in the small town of Bonnie Clabber Bluff, Georgia, Branch led a life full of successes and happiness with his family. After graduating high school, he served in the U.S. Army European Theater of Operations.

Branch founded Hugh Branch Inc. with the encouragement of his wife, Barbara, and brother, Julian. The business saw success early and quickly grew into one of the largest marketers of vegetables throughout the United States. Sweet corn became its main product, and Hugh Branch Inc. became the largest distributor of fresh sweet corn in the world.

When Branch retired in 2007 at the age of 82, the company was still going strong, run by the devoted employees who acquired the business.

Brett Bergmann, current president and co-owner of Hugh Branch Inc., started working with Branch in 1993 and learned a lot from him through the years.

“Hugh filled many roles in my life. I was a young man when I first got into this business and he was there to show me the way,” he says. “Thereʼs the side of Hugh in the business world, with the many successful accolades, but the other part of him is that he was a sincere, genuine human being.”

“He was a very humble man and always gave credit to his team and just wanted to get up every morning and go to work, do his job and come home to his family,” Allen says. “He was a man of faith and very spiritual. He loved his Lord and loved his family very much.”

Branch mentored Allen and many others through the years. His guidance and tutelage will live on through the many lives he touched along the way.

Branch is survived by his wife of 70 years, Barbara, and two daughters, Tammy and Kimberly.

Photos, from top: Hugh and Barbara Branch; Hugh and son Hugh “Chip” Branch Jr.; Employees Sam Scruggs (left) and George Mills.

Sprouting a Family Business

Fullei Fresh has pioneered the sprout industry for over 40 years

my family,” she says. “I had always worked there growing up during holidays or in the summer, but I never had plans to work there full time. The film industry was never boring and it was fast-paced, and it’s the same with the food industry. Every day is different.”

Running the business involves a lot of learning by doing. “My dad learned a lot through trial and error,” Olivia says. “He learned some from his dad, too, but there were no books or classes.”

Olivia works closely with her parents still, who retain ownership of the business in their retirement.

SPROUT SPECIALTY

WHILE LIVING IN HAVANA, CUBA, IN 1938, Yuk On Wong, who went by the name Cesar, noticed there was something missing from the kitchens of the Chinese population on the island. To the delight of his community, he began growing bean sprouts, a staple of Chinese cuisine. And while he only grew sprouts for a few years before moving to America, the family legacy he began continues to this day.

His son, Manny Wong, grew up in Miami. After attending college, Manny noticed a similar lack of sprout growers in the United States, and like his father before him, he decided to do something about it.

Named after the combination of two Chinese words meaning “full of prosperity,” Manny launched his sprout company, Fully Inc., in 1978. Today, Fullei Fresh (as it’s now named) has grown tremendously from its humble roots. The company is a category leader and hydroponically grows more than 20 varieties of sprouts. The sprouts are sold to wholesalers, who then distribute to retailers, restaurants, caterers and more. Notable locations that sell or use Fullei Fresh products include Whole Foods, Disney World and The Fresh Market.

THE NEXT GENERATION

Manny and his wife, Silvia, recently retired and their eldest daughter, Olivia Wong, was appointed CEO in January 2020. Though she had pursued a career in the film industry, Olivia returned to the family business when the recession hit.

“I never imagined I would be back working for

Growing sprouts is a very niche market, and it’s highly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Sprouts are grown in warm, moist environments and they used to always get a bad reputation for being unsafe for those reasons,” Olivia says. “Food safety is very important to us. My dad has been working with the FDA’s Sprout Safety Alliance since 2011 to write guidelines on how to safely grow sprouts commercially.”

Before planting, seeds must be free of pathogens and sanitized. Water samples are taken regularly to ensure no E. coli or salmonella bacteria are present. They also test for listeria and sanitize all surfaces daily.

“Sometimes people don’t think of us as a farm, because we grow indoors and do more extensive cleaning than a typical farm,” she says.

Sprouts have a quick growing cycle, anywhere from three to 10 days. They are watered every few hours.

“We plant our alfalfa sprouts twice a week and our bean sprouts five days a week,” Olivia says. “It’s a perishable item, so we have to keep inventory flowing. We adjust planting schedules based on supply and demand. Most of our sprouts make it to your plate in a matter of a week from harvest.”

Today, Fullei Fresh employs 40 people and grows 3 million pounds of sprouts annually. Back in 1938, Yuk On “Cesar” Wong couldn’t have known that he would inspire future generations of his family to carry on his legacy of growing sprouts – but the company is a true success story, exemplifying what can be achieved by multigenerational family farming.

– Brianna Gwirtz

PHOTO: FULLEI FRESH

Olivia, Manny and Silvia Wong keep the Fullei Fresh legacy going strong.

Consumers Ask,

Groceries deliver

RETAILERS EMBRACE ONLINE SHOPPING

AS COVID-19 HALTED NEARLY ALL DAILY activities, one major aspect of life remained – grocery shopping. Retailers reexamined their in-store shopping experience as well as e-commerce capabilities. In response to growing public safety concerns and consumer demand, grocery retailers expanded online shopping options and saw a significant increase in e-commerce market share. This sudden shift to online grocery shopping may change the grocery retail market indefinitely.

ONLINE ORDERING

With more people staying at home, there has been a significant change to online grocery shopping with

an emphasis on mobile apps. Two years ago, online grocery shopping only held a 3% market share and struggled to maintain market visibility. By mid-2020, the market share had more than tripled to 10%.

A September 2020 survey of 60,000 shoppers indicated that only 24% had shopped online for groceries two years ago; however, 43% of surveyed shoppers responded that they have purchased online groceries within the past six months, indicating a 79% increase in online shoppers since the pandemic began. Consumers now have access to a variety of online grocery platforms, and many of these platforms offer incentives to retain both new and loyal consumers. In a comparison of online grocery app downloads

from February to mid-March of 2020, an increase of at least 120% could be seen across grocery shopping apps such as Instacart, Walmart Grocery and Shipt. Conversely, food delivery apps such as Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash saw declines in downloads and app use as consumers found cooking at home was both safer and cheaper.

ADAPTING TO NEW CHALLENGES

The surge in online grocery shopping left little margin for error as suppliers dealt with implementation and execution. During the onset of the pandemic, many early adopters of online grocery shopping experienced difficulties that stemmed from product availability and delivery. Due to disruptions in the supply chain, grocery retailers struggled to manage stock availability and the influx of delivery requests as many consumers, both online and in-store, bought products in bulk. As a result, many online shoppers were unable to schedule an order, received incomplete or late orders, and sometimes never received their order. After a few months, retailers resolved issues, and though grocery e-commerce growth has skyrocketed, consumers aren’t abandoning the opportunity to shop in stores. Seventy-eight percent of surveyed shoppers stated that they still prefer to shop in the store or pick up groceries, indicating that the accelerated online grocery growth may stall once consumers are able to shop in stores

again regularly. It is apparent that moving forward, consumers will have the opportunity to choose their preferred grocery shopping channel, whether that remains on an online platform or in stores.

POSITIVE CHANGE

The challenge now for retailers is to solidify their stake in the e-commerce grocery market and retain consumers who will continue to shop online after the pandemic. A few retailers have designated distribution centers solely for the purpose of fulfilling online orders. These new distribution centers also offer an opportunity to improve the quality and freshness of products that are delivered to consumers.

Florida agriculture is well positioned to benefit from the online grocery boom. Consumer behavior is showing a shift toward home-cooked meals using fresh products and an interest in knowing where food comes from. These habits have increased awareness and support among consumers for local products, a sentiment that aligns with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ mission to increase both support of Florida farmers and brand recognition of “Fresh From Florida” products among consumers.

COVID-19 has brought challenges to the grocery retail and agricultural space this year, but opportunities lie in the horizons beyond. Florida farmers continue to work tirelessly to get fresh products in our stores, and retailers continue to improve the grocery shopping experience whether online or in person.

– Lori-Joelle Johnson

PHOTOS, FROM LEFT: ISTOCK.COM/PIKSEL, FILADENDRON

Ag in the City

Big-city students receive top-level agricultural education in Florida schools

Access to agricultural education is expanding for Florida students –even those who live in densely populated urban areas.

As a result, Florida’s young people are gaining the knowledge they need to become informed consumers. Many of them take that knowledge a step further, using it to pursue work in the state’s agriculture sector after finishing their education.

“In more rural areas, agriculture is typically part of students’ school curriculum – as well as in their local economy – so they are pretty familiar with ag and have at least a basic understanding of where their food comes from,” says Terra Redditt, a development representative with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “However, that’s not usually the case in big cities, so it’s important for those students to be exposed

to agriculture and the wide variety of career opportunities available in the industry.”

The Veterinary Animal Sciences Magnet program at Orlando’s Colonial High School is a perfect example of how impactful and lifechanging ag education can be for students living in cities. Home to a land lab covering about 1.5 acres, Colonial High School allows agriculture students to grow their own plants and build raised garden beds. Those who are in the school’s FFA chapter can even raise

livestock on the property.

“Our facilities aren’t perfect or the biggest or most impressive, but for many students, this is the only way they’ll get hands-on experience in agriculture,” says Caela Paioff, a former Florida FFA State Secretary. Paioff currently teaches agricultural and animal sciences at Colonial High School and serves as one of the FFA advisors at the school.

Several of Paioff’s pupils have gone on to pursue careers in agriculture, including two students

“I would not be in the career I’m in now if it wasn’t for ag education. Not only did I learn about agriculture, but I also learned leadership and public speaking skills and I was pushed out of my comfort zone.”

KAITLIN VICKERS, program specialist with Florida Department of Education

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: ISTOCK.COM/SEAN PAVONE; ORLANDO COLONIAL FFA

who started raising goats for their Supervised Agricultural Experience project in FFA. Five years later, they have created a thriving business based on what they learned.

“Those students are now raising and selling goats to other agriculture programs in our area,” Paioff says. “It’s amazing to think they started a production agriculture endeavor right here in our land lab and took it with them when they graduated.”

Kaitlin Vickers, a program specialist with the Florida

Department of Education, is another urban ag success story. Growing up in Palmetto, Vickers fell in love with agriculture at school and found her niche in FFA. Today, she is the Florida FFA State Advisor.

“I would not be in the career I’m in now if it wasn’t for ag education,” Vickers says. “Not only did I learn about agriculture, but I also learned leadership and public speaking skills and I was pushed out of my comfort zone. It helped me become who I am today.”

– Jessica Walker

Boehm

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: SIENA GONZALEZ; ORLANDO COLONIAL FFA

Top: Instructor Caela Paioff teaches poultry development to her animal science students. Below: Colonial High School animal science students Emily May and Elenna Vias instruct their peers about dairy goat care and management.

Thinking Inside the Box

Kalera leverages technology to expand indoor farming horizons

GROWING FOOD LOCALLY WAS STANDARD

for thousands of years. Thanks to modern innovations, however, consumers have had access to fruit and vegetables from all corners of the globe. But local produce is making a comeback, and one Florida farming operation is combining a local mission with modern innovation. Enter Kalera, an industry leader in indoor farming. Kalera uses a food production model that leverages advances in modern lighting and computer technologies to create hyper-local food production that returns to the hyper-local model for growing and eating produce.

Kalera uses indoor vertical farming with hydroponics, growing greens of various kinds in a system that uses a mixture of water and nutrients. By layering many sets of perfectly calibrated lights and plants on top of each other in a clean room, it maximizes the square footage of its facilities.

Years of experimentation and learning have resulted in impressive growth in both flavor and shelf life of the company’s lettuces and microgreens.

“The taste starts with the plant science, the perfect nutrition,” says Daniel Malechuk, CEO of Kalera. “Everything is fine-tuned to ensure that the plants are perfect every time: the temperature and humidity, the airflow, and the water and nutrients.”

The result of this technological innovation is a product that

doesn’t need pesticides or herbicides – plus, it can be grown, harvested and replanted rapidly.

“These are living lettuces delivered hours after harvest,” he says. “They don’t have to travel across the country like traditional products.” Greens are a particularly challenging crop to get to Florida, since many of the traditional lettuce farms are in Arizona and California.

Kalera’s team thought “inside the box” to solve this problem. They realized that reductions in the cost of lighting could make indoor farming (which doesn’t depend on the local climate or soil) a viable possibility that would save lots of travel time, increasing the greens’ shelf life.

One of their most impressive facilities is the HyCube, a transparent-walled indoor farm at the Orlando World Center Marriott, which grows various hydroponic greens to supply the entire Marriott facility with “pick-to-table” fresh food. It’s about as local as food production can get, only a few feet from the guests as they eat.

Malechuk sees a bright future and a growing demand for Kalera.

Kalera regularly sees 300+ times the productivity per square foot in its facilities compared to a square foot of traditional soil farming.

“Indoor farming is likely to become more and more prevalent as population centers continue to grow,” Malechuk says. “We see indoor farming as the answer to feed the growing population more sustainably –cleaner, healthier and fresher.”

– Laura Leavitt

PHOTOS: KALERA

For the agriculture industry, this means total visibility and transparency in the supply chain, which can help everyone from the grower all the way to the supplier. For example, blockchain technology allows users to view data input by the grower, harvester, shipper, processor, supplier and anyone else involved in its life cycle. Using internal identifiers allows for improved tracking and data gathering capabilities, ideal for supply chain disruptions, such as a delay in shipping or a product recall.

Building Blocks of Trust

Blockchain technology advances Florida agriculture to create a better, more trusted supply chain

Though still in its innovative infancy, blockchain technology is connecting every aspect of the agricultural supply chain like never before.

“Simply put, blockchain technology is a set of rules about how data will be shared,” says Ed Treacy, vice president of supply chain and sustainability at the Produce Marketing Association. “The cool thing is, blockchain secures the data and makes sure no one can change it.”

First presented in 2017, blockchain technology is most commonly associated with cryptocurrency, but Treacy says you don’t have to use cryptocurrency to use blockchain.

“With blockchain, you can completely trust the data to be exactly as it was entered,” he says.

Treacy says that Walmart was the first major produce supplier to pilot blockchain technology, using IBM’s Food Trust program, though there are others using it as well. Walmart saw such tremendous value that it invited other competitors and partners to help the industry as a whole to understand the value and develop the application, including Kroger, Driscoll’s, Wegmans and Dole.

“The produce industry is unique in its supply chain because produce is bought and sold as a commodity,” Treacy says. “You might have one item, like strawberries, with 40 to 50 suppliers. Consumers don’t care about brand with produce, so it’s not like other products where stores are buying them all from one supplier.”

Because of that difference, produce in particular can have many challenges with aligning data – and that’s where blockchain technology can help.

“Blockchain is connecting the dots across the entire industry,” Treacy says. “It’s all about developing trust around data.”

While there’s still a ways to go, this technology has a huge potential upside for Florida’s produce industry.

– Rachel Bertone