Growing A Legacy

FORTY YEARS AGO, blueberry growers Jimmy and Vohnda Miller decided to take a chance on their future when they planted their first blueberry bush. This leap of faith would change the course of their lives and their farm would eventually become the largest and now oldest commercial blueberry farm in the state.

Their venture began in 1979 when the couple inherited property from Jimmy’s family in Interlachen, located in the south central region of Putnam County.

“All we have to worry about are cedar wax wings!” Vohnda clearly remembers her husband’s enthusiastic words like it was just yesterday.

“We wanted to do something with the property,” Jimmy said. “We needed to make good use

of the different varieties.

Miller Blueberry Plantation and Plant Nursery is the definition of family-owned and operated and the Miller’s children all have a role in the operation. The farm also operates a plant nursery, tissue culture lab, packing house and a seasonal U-Pick.

Daughter Katie oversees the plant nursery and tissue culture lab, daughter Summer is the office manager and bookkeeper and her husband, Tim, is the farm manager.

Jimmy explained that the typical growing season is six weeks long. The Millers utilize mechanical harvesters to pick the berries as well as farm employees who pick by hand.

As pioneer Florida blueberry growers, the Miller family has maintained their operation at the height of innovation. The family uses Best Management Practices (BMPs) to keep their farm sustainable for future generations. “We have been using drip irrigation for years now,” Jimmy said. “This method helps us reduce water evaporation and produce disease tolerant plants.”

The Millers also installed soil moisture sensors to determine

out of it.” The property, nearly 300 acres of lush landscape with Gum Creek running through its center, has been producing sweet blueberries since that first bush was planted forty years ago.

The University of Florida’s blueberry breeding program was in its infancy when the Millers began their operation and Jimmy and Vohnda took advantage of an opportunity to grow blueberries, a relatively new concept at the time.

crop water use information and help monitor weather data pertinent to their farm.

The Miller’s plant nursery is supported by their tissue culture lab. The lab has the capability of propagating blueberry plants at a fast rate for wholesale marketing to other growers.

In the packing house, a produce tract is used for traceability. This system allows the Millers to know which part of the field a blueberry came from. “In the event that a problem arises, we can isolate that particular part of the field instead of the whole farm,” Vohnda explained.

Although cultural practices have changed over the course of forty years, the “Miller’s Way” of picking and packing has not.

University researchers continue to work with the Millers and grow trial plots on their farm. “We evaluate the plants that are grown and help the university make a selection on which are the best varieties for Florida,” Jimmy said.

Today, more than 140 acres of blueberries grow on their grounds, all of which have been planted by hand. Chickadee, snow chaser, kestrel and primadonna are some

Miller blueberries have been picked and packed on site since day one.

“We used to pack in the barn under the sunshine using pintpulp cups and rubber bands,” said Jimmy. Today, the operation has a state-of-the-art packing facility to get the job done more efficiently.

The farm’s U-Pick will open on April 12 and is expected to attract visitors from all over the state. The farm contributes to the local economy and is a sweet spot in the community.

Miller blueberries are sold under the Naturipe label and can be found throughout the Southeast. “It’s a wonderful way to make a living,” Jimmy said. “It is what the Lord has called us to do.”