Florida citrus industry to induct hall of fame members

By Doug Ohlemeier

Bernard Egan, the founder of one of Florida’s leading citrus growing and packing organizations is a member of the 2010 class of the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame.

Old Man Winter puts squeeze on Florida orange growers

Jeff Casale

MIAMI—Florida growers have yet to determine how much damage their crops suffered from the cold snap that gripped most of the country the first week of January, but insurance experts say much of the expected losses will be covered.

Pythons and citrus and iguanas, oh my! Frigid Florida copes

Ordinarily a sunny playground that mocks the rest of winter-suffering America, Miami, Florida, was in sore need of a giant Snuggie on Sunday.There wasn't a scantily clad beautiful person at any of the outside tables at South Beach's tony Balans restaurant. Everyone was crammed inside to assuage their Saturday nights with pancakes and Cuban coffee, chuckling at the heat lamps that waiters had scrambled to put up outdoors.

Fern growers fear worst from frost

By Eloísa Ruano González and Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel

Volusia County fern growers have watered their plants relentlessly the past several nights hoping to prevent frost. Despite their efforts, the damage looks chilling.

Central Florida's fern industry – which raked in $70 million last year – will lose an estimated 40 to 60 percent of its foilage, commercial horiculturist Dana Venrick said Wednesday after visiting several Volusia ferneries this week. Small ferneries already reported losing at least four to five acres of foliage.

"I've observed a lot of ice and a lot of damage," Venrick said "This is the longest, continuous freeze I can remember in my lifetime."

Kumquat Festival Around the Corner

By Melissa

The Dade City Chamber of Commerce hosts the festival every year for a great number of happy festivalgoers who register for contests and make purchases from food and craft vendors. Why not take a road trip the last weekend of January to sample kumquats and kumquat products and celebrate the tiny fruit with the big flavor?!

Flying Under the Radar

by Tom
Can it really bee possible that there are people who still do not realize the importance of pollinating insects to our food supply. Sadly enough, I can answer my own question. Approximately 1/3 of our food supply is directly dependent on pollinators, but as a group Americans don’t seem to really understand the need to keep them healthy and producing.

Florida Produce: Strawberries

Posted on December 7, 2009 by Sterling

Florida is known for being the largest producer of strawberries during the winter, and the primary growing area is Plant City. Strawberries are available from November until the beginning of April, with peak months of production in February and March.