SET FOR LEADERSHIP

A Helping Hand

FLORIDA TEEN SOLVES NEED FOR FARMERS AND CONSUMERS

By Amanda Overstreet, Communications Coordinator By Amanda Overstreet, Communications Coordinator

Fresh grapes are ready to be pressed.

LAST SPRINGCOVID-19 reared its ugly head on Florida’s farmers and ranchers and our food supply chain. With hotels, schools and restaurants being forced to close their doors, farmers were left with fields of ready-to-harvest crops that they couldn’t sell.

Seventeen-year-old Hunter Williams came up with a plan to help. Williams’ family grew watermelon, soybeans and vegetables in the Florida Panhandle and his love for agriculture began at an early age.

“Mom and I would can and put up enough vegetables to last us a whole year,” he said. “We would use vegetables from my grandparent’s farm and also buy from local farmers.”

With guidance from his mother, Kristi, and Levy County farmer and former FFA state officer Scott O’Steen, Williams’ plan to save Florida farmers from disposing of perfectly good produce became a reality.

The plan was to visit farmers throughout North Florida and collect vegetables for boxes to be sold to people in need of fresh food. “Mr. O’Steen took me under his wing and taught me a lot about the business and assembling the boxes, product availability, and what was in season,” Williams said.

Hunter Williams, right, is pictured with FFB President John L. Hoblick at the state office in Gainesville.

“The farmers were happy to see me,” he explained. “They were grateful to see someone stepping up to help them stay afloat during this tough time.”

Boxes are filled with fresh, Florida-grown products like squash, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables. Also located in each box is a bumper sticker with a message that reads, “Save Our Farmers. Ask For and Buy American.”

“This message helped get the word out to the public that local farmers were struggling among the pandemic,” Williams said.

Each week Williams and his team of friends and family assemble the boxes. “Mom helps me with the book work and Mr. Scott and I work together on the contents of the bundles and he places the orders for our produce,” he said.

“Hunter is probably the hardest working kid you could ask for,” O’Steen said. “In today’s society and in today’s world, most kids are trying to win video games and Hunter is trying to win at life. He’s a self-motivator and a self-starter, just a great kid!”

The boxes are pre-sold online through O’Steen’s Farm https:// osteenfarms.com/ and pick-up locations are in Lake Butler, Starke, Baldwin and Middleburg. Williams assembles boxes and takes the bundles to the drop off locations. He picks up produce on Wednesdays and delivers on Thursday afternoons.

Produce boxes are packed for people in need.

“We use a drive-thru service method to comply with social distancing guidelines,” he said. In the beginning, Williams explained that he was packaging up to 250 boxes per week. Now, production is at roughly 75 boxes per week.

“Production has slowed down quite a bit recently and it’s honestly not necessarily a bad thing, it just means that farmers and other business are able to operate under more normal circumstances which is good for everyone,” he said.

Williams’ stepfather, Travis McCallister, is a Florida Farm Bureau Insurance Agent in Lake Butler. Williams is heavily involved in 4H. He serves as president of the Community Service Club and is a member of the county and district councils.

He is the incoming President of 4H District 5 Council and the current 4H State Sargent-at-Arms. This month he is running for the office of 4H State Treasurer.

“I have always been drawn to agriculture,” Williams said. “I have a passion for raising livestock, especially cattle.” The young farmer grows vegetables of his own at home and often shares his bounty with others through his produce boxes.

“I think my love for farming goes back to my grandparents’ farm and their garden,” he said. “They instilled in me life-long lessons and knowledge.”