By Tacy Callies “I went to college so I wouldn’t be a farmer,” says Rex Clonts. After earning a business degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1972, Rex had several job offers and wasn’t sure which one to accept. He asked his father if it would be OK if he came home and worked on the …
From Corn Mazes to Pumpkin Patches, Find Fall Agritourism in South Carolina
As the weather cools, farms across South Carolina are welcoming visitors onto their farms with a variety of fun and educational fall events. “Agritourism continues to grow in South Carolina, and fall is a perfect time for people to get out and experience it,” said Jackie Moore, agritourism marketing specialist at the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and director of …
Finding a Fit for Blackberries in Florida
By Frank Giles Blackberries have been produced in Florida for some time, but new efforts have been made to learn more about the crop to grow production and markets in the state. Blackberries have been proven to be a popular item at U-pick operations. For farmers who grow U-pick strawberries and blueberries, blackberries offer a way to extend the picking …
2022 Florida Women’s Leadership Conference Focused on Outreach
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF) hosted more than 100 women from across the state for the 2022 Women’s Leadership Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Melbourne, March 24-26. The conference featured keynote speakers, an awards banquet, breakout sessions and farm tours. Keynote speakers included Lorenda Overman, vice-chair of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee; national speaker Betty …