By Frank Giles
There are a few farming regions in Florida and around the country that have carved out unique identities and are quickly recognized by their names. The Tri-County Agricultural Area (TCAA) is one such place. Comprised of St. Johns, Putnam and Flagler counties, the TCAA has roots dating back to the very beginning of agriculture in the state.
Photo by Adam Lytch
In the mid-1500s, the Spanish arrived in Florida and introduced livestock farming as well as citrus, sugarcane, tobacco and other crops. Even before the Spanish came to the state, native people in the area where cultivating maize, beans and squash.
As Florida established itself as a major U.S. citrus producer, orange production became a staple of the TCAA. But freezes, especially those in the 1980s, devastated the area’s citrus, and growers were forced to diversify into other crops.
RISE OF THE POTATO
While the TCAA is known for various crops, it became famous for potato farming. The history of Hastings is closely tied to the potato. At its peak, Hastings was dubbed the “Potato Capital” of the nation.
The founder of the town, Thomas Hastings, believed the region had great potential for agricultural production given its soils and microclimate provided by the St. Johns River and Atlantic Ocean. Hastings was a cousin to Henry Flagler, who brought railways and hotels to Florida and opened the gateway to commerce between Florida and the Eastern Seaboard. Flagler encouraged Hastings to start a farm to serve his restaurants.
The transportation corridor allowed the potato industry to flourish in the area, especially during the 1920–1940 timeframe. Potatoes remain an important segment of the TCAA, but pest pressures, vertical integration and competition have reduced the industry’s footprint in more recent history.
In 1922, Frank Johns moved to Hastings from Illinois to grow potatoes. He was drawn by the lure of the crop’s success in the TCAA. From the beginning, three separate family farms were established: Blue Sky Farms, Tater Farms and Smith and Johns, Inc. All three of these farms have adapted over the years to remain viable. They’ve done this by adopting technologies and new crops. Danny Johns, owner of Blue Sky Farms, says embracing technology is a tradition in his family.
Photo by Adam Lytch
According to a 1930 International Harvester Tractor Farming magazine, Danny’s great grandpa Frank Johns was credited with having Florida’s first horseless farm.
“I have used that article many times to illustrate that for the last 100 years farmers have been continually looking for better, more efficient ways to feed our nation. Farmers are the ultimate scientists because we have got to continually improve our practices to stay in business,” says Danny.
He has done this in his own operation by introducing ways to automate potato production, but he also has diversified. Blue Sky Farms grew chipping potatoes, but when Eagle Snacks exited the chip business, Danny lost more than half of his potato business in one day.
“That was when I made the decision to start growing table stock potatoes and build my packing house in 1993,” he says.
Specialty potatoes remain the key crop produced by Blue Sky Farms. Danny says he likes growing specialty potatoes that others don’t want to produce. He says it has been a good niche market.
Other farms in the area felt the impact as the chipping potato market declined, and other forces reduced overall acreage in the area. Hastings-based Tater Farms was among those operations. It transitioned to turfgrass, and more recently, citrus.
The farm is owned and operated by Polly Johns and her son Carleton. Eric Hjort is the farm’s general manager. They planted their first 40-acre citrus block in 2018 and have added more since.
“In 2021, we planted 80 acres, and this spring we added another 80 acres,” Hjort says. “Between that and earlier plantings, it brings us to 220 acres in total.”
While it was a gamble to plant citrus in the era of HLB, the farm has enjoyed success with new fresh fruit varieties. This includes tangerines, which are being marketed through W.G. Roe & Sons.
LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP
Smith and Johns, Inc. is another family farm with roots tied to Frank Johns. Jeb Smith and his father own and operate the farm based in Hastings. Smith and his family live in the original homestead built by his great-great grandfather. This farm, too, has transitioned away from potatoes, having tried various crops over the years. Currently, the farm grows turfgrass and hay and raises livestock.
In addition to being productive and versatile, farmers from the TCAA have been active leaders and advocates on behalf of agriculture. According to Smith, the Johns family has been very involved with the Florida Farm Bureau (FFB) since its inception. Smith says he grew up with the organization.
Smith served the local county board for 20 years and was on the FFB state board for nine years. In 2009, he and his wife won the bureau’s Outstanding Young Farmer and Rancher award. He also served as a St. Johns County commissioner, which he says FFB helped to cultivate.
In 2021, Smith was elected by his peers to serve as FFB president. He says he’s proud to represent the growers from the TCAA and all of Florida. The main message he brings to his leadership position is that farming is all about profitability.
“We must be able to make a profit. If we are not profitable, we are not sustainable,” Smith says. “If the public values agriculture, they must realize that everything that cuts into our profitability — like regulations, rising input costs, foreign competition in our markets, labor and on and on — really impacts our sustainability.
“A lot of folks enjoy driving through the countryside and seeing production agriculture rather than seeing more and more houses, strip malls and concrete. Some of the greatest challengers to agriculture have become some of our greatest advocates, because they know the alternative is not what they want.”
Adam Lytch is another grower who has stepped up be an advocate for Florida agriculture. His agricultural roots are tied to North Carolina, but he met people from L&M Farms while in college. That eventually led to a farm manager position with the company working in the TCAA.
Lytch currently serves on the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association’s executive committee, so he stays on top of important issues. He recently testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about challenges specialty crop producers are facing with the H-2A visa program. Lytch stressed the H-2A adverse effect wage rate (AEWR) no longer functions as intended since domestic laborers will not work on farms.
“In fact, American families are the ones adversely affected (by the AEWR), as agriculture’s workforce crisis will drive food prices even higher,” Lytch said in the hearing.
For 2023, the AEWR increased by 15.5% in Florida, which was among the highest increases in the country. Lytch received notice of the increase just 38 days before the wage went into effect on Jan. 1. Between the wage increase and other costs, H-2A worker pay can add up to more than $23 per hour.
“We had workers on the way from Mexico when we found out we had nearly a $2 per hour increase coming. At the same time, our crops were mostly all planted, giving us no time to react,” Lytch testified.
He argued H-2A needs to be modified to make it a more viable resource for growers, and larger reform is needed. Lytch said the attempt to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act was a start. The recently reintroduced Dignity Act would even better address the farm labor crisis.
WORKING ON WATER
The TCAA is in the heart of the St. Johns River Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) area. The region has been one of the more scrutinized when it comes to water use and quality. In fact, the St. Johns was the first BMAP in the state. TCAA growers have been proactive and have worked with regulating agencies to protect surface and groundwater resources.
Tater Farms is an example of this cooperation. The farm applied for several cost-share water conservation projects over the years through the St. Johns River Water Management District. The farm also follows the recommended best management practices from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Drainage systems have reduced runoff and nutrient leaching by as much as 40% to 50%. In addition, overhead and lateral irrigation systems have reduced water usage significantly. Soil moisture sensors and precision irrigation controls are utilized to optimize water and nutrient management.
“Farmers, and especially those in the TCAA, are great stewards of the land and our resources,” Lytch says. “It is our goal to use the minimum amount of water and inputs to grow the crops we produce. There are many great technologies like our soil moisture monitoring probes that were nice when we got them, but now we can’t imagine farming without them. The same thing goes with nutrient testing and leaf tissue sampling to show our crops have exactly what they need and not too much of anything.”
PERSISTENCE PERSONIFIED
It is not an overstatement to suggest the TCAA is among the cradles of modern agriculture in the United States. Farm families have persisted in the region for generations through adaptability and adoption of new technologies.
That persistence will continue as new technologies emerge that will enhance automation and efficiency. TCAA growers will continue to adapt, advocate and lead to keep Florida agriculture sustainable going forward.
GROWING TOGETHER
The growers in the Tri-County Agricultural Area (TCAA) have a long history of cooperating with researchers and Extension personnel from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
Much of that cooperation has centered around the UF/IFAS Hastings Agricultural Extension Center. The facility was established in 1923 right as the area’s potato boom began. Researchers have also helped growers with other key TCAA crops, including turfgrass, brassicas, ornamentals and potential alternatives.
Prissy Fletcher, a commercial Extension agent for St. Johns County, says she has developed strong relationships with area growers.
“The farmers welcomed me into their community, trusted me to learn about their operations and gave me the opportunity to help them when needed,” Fletcher says. “I love how my farmers are strong advocates for educating the community about how our food is produced. I can count on them to help me with educational tours for our 4-H clubs, legislature, social media influencers or the public.
“I am proud when I go to local restaurants or grocery stores and see my farmers’ names on the menu or produce labels. The TCAA farmers are very open minded and adventurous. There is so much willingness to test new techniques or to adopt a new variety when the opportunities are presented. As with any other industry, we are constantly evolving, and that is necessary to stay relevant and competitive as our conditions and demands change with time.”