Orlando, FL - 2008

9:00 Tour of the MacArthur Agro-ecology Research Center at Buck Island Ranch
Buck Island Ranch is located just 7 miles from Lake Placid, Florida and is situated on the fringe of the Everglades. The MacArthur Agro-ecology Research Center is dedicated to a mission of long-term research, education and outreach related to the ecological and social value of subtropical grazing lands. The Center is at a 10,300-acre cattle ranch on a long-term lease to Archbold Biological Station from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The ranch is representative of over 5 million acres of Florida ranchlands mostly located in central Florida. The ranch is operated at full commercial scale allowing researchers to investigate ecological interactions under the economic realities of a working agricultural landscape. It also provides researchers the opportunity to evaluate the relationship between economic and ecological factors and how these change over time. Buck Island Ranch is located just 7 miles from Lake Placid, Florida and is situated on the fringe of the Everglades National Park. Buck Island Ranch received the 2007 Commissioner’s Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. http://www.archbold-station.org/maerc

1:00 Bates Caladium Growers
Lake Placid, Florida is the Caladium Capital of the world, supplying 95% of all the Caladiums sold commercially (an ornamental plant). This is a three generation family operation. Here we will meet with the owners and get a first hand view of commercial Caladium growing practices. http://www.caladiumsonline.com/about.htm

3:30 Florida’s Natural Growers Grove House
Florida is home to more than 700,000 acres of citrus. Florida’s Natural is one of the largest citrus processing companies for orange juice in the world. It is a cooperative of more than 1,000 Florida growers. The Grove House is located just across the street from the processing plant for Florida’s Natural. The Grove House is a gift shop and museum for the industry. Here we will see a video about the company and then meet with Bob Behr, a Ph.D. Agricultural Economist now serving as Vice President for Florida’s Natural, and as a Commissioner for the Florida Department of Citrus. http://www.floridasnatural.com

Click here to view photos from the conference.

Hosted at flickr.com

Tour Stops (in order):

Bill Chambers
Stahlbush Island Farms
3122 Stahlbush Island Rd.
Corvallis, OR 97333
(fruits and vegetables)

Steve Anderson
Eola Hills Wine Cellars and Vineyards
501 South Pacific Highway 99W
Rickreall, OR 97371

Bruce Chapin
9965 Wheatland Rd. N,
Salem, OR 97303
(hazelnuts)

Tom Fessler
Woodburn Nursery
13009 McKee School Rd N.E.
Woodburn, OR 97071