FloridAgriculture, a magazine published by the Florida Farm Bureau (FFB). The bureau was formed in 1941, when Florida Citrus Growers, Inc. was reorganized as the Florida Farm Bureau, affiliated with American Farm Bureau Federation. The FFB represents Florida farmers in the Florida Legislature, studies agricultural practices, and offers insurance products for its members. This article discusses the history of Lake Apopka and its pollution, and describes research findings by Dr. Richard B. Forbes, a chemist working at the Sanford Agricultural Research and Education Center. The article also describes efforts by the Central Florida Agricultural Institute (CFAI) to stop pollution in the lake. The CFAI was a non-profit corporation formed to represent the Zellwood farmers operating on Lake Apopka's north shore and investigate potential methods to reduce pollution. The article claims that the CFAI had donated $50,000 to the Sanford Agricultural Research and Education Center and was working on reservoir systems to prevent polluted discharge water from entering the lake.

Lake Apopka is one of Florida’s largest lakes and was once considered to be one of the world’s best lakes for bass fishing. The lake’s sport fish population began to decline in the 1960s, with major die-offs occurring almost yearly. The lake’s problems are generally considered to be the result of over-nutrification from various sources. Twenty thousand acres of wetlands bordering the lake’s north shore were drained in the 1940s and used for highly fertile "muck farms." These farms were routinely flooded to protect the fragile soil, and the fertilizer and pesticide-laden water was then discharged back into the lake prior to each growing season. Other sources of pollution include discharge from citrus processing operations, as well as treated wastewater from sewage plants. The nutrient-rich discharge promoted algae growth in the lake, turning the water to a green color, and blocked sunlight from reaching aquatic vegetation, which provided food and habit to the lake’s fish population. The lake’s bottom soil became increasingly “mucky,” also disrupting aquatic vegetation from taking root.

Restoration work on the lake began in the 1960s with attempts by various agencies to remove “trash fish,” such as gizzard shad, from the lake via seining, which would hopefully allow the lake’s sportfish to thrive. The Lake Apopka Restoration Council, an initiative formed under Governor Claude Kirk (1926-2011) in 1967, launched several studies to find methods to improve the lake, though no serious action was taken. Various methods were debated to restore the lake through the 1970s and 1980s, including “drawdown,” which entailed completely draining the lake to allow the mucky bottom to consolidate. Restoration attempts were stalled for lack of funding and research.

The Lake Apopka Restoration Council was reformed in 1985 under Governor Bob Graham (b. 1936), and, in 1987, the Surface Water and Improvement Management Act was passed. Together, these actions allowed comprehensive restoration plans to take shape, such as the Marsh Flow-way, a project by the St John’s Water Management District that uses natural methods to remove nutrients from the lake. The Friends of Lake Apopka, a citizen Environmental advocacy group, began to push for further restoration efforts in the 1990s. The lake’s north shore muck farms were eventually purchased by the State of Florida, helping to reduce the amount of nutrient entering the lake.]]>
FloridAgriculture, May 1973: binder 1973, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.]]> FloridAgriculture]]> FloridAgriculture, May 1973.]]> Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.]]> Friends of Lake Apopka Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> FloridAgriculture.]]> FloridAgriculture and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
The Oviedo Heritage, a supplement for The Oviedo Outlook, published on June 30, 1977. This article describes the history of Andrew Duda, Sr., a celery and citrus farmer and early pioneer in Slavia, an unincorporated community southwest of Oviedo, Florida. Duda immigrated from Slovakia to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1909, later settling in Central Florida to try his hand at farming. Initially successful growing Irish potatoes, the market value of the crop could not cover shipping costs and the Duda family struggled financially to survive. Soon after they returned to Cleveland, where Duda and his sons worked in a factory to support the family. By 1926, the Duda family had saved enough money to return to Slavia. This time, their crops prospered and they formed A. Duda and Sons. The family owned company remains in existence today and is an international brand with locations across the globe.]]> The Oviedo Heritage, June 30, 1977: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.]]> The Oviedo Outlook]]> The Oviedo Heritage, June 30, 1977.]]> The Oviedo Heritage '77, June 30, 1977." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/5702.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Oviedo Historical Society Collection, Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> The Oviedo Outlook.]]> The Oviedo Outlook and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.]]> Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.]]> Oakland Nature Preserve Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Flash Player]]> Friends of Lake Apopka and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
In the early-1900s, Seminole County was known for its agricultural development and close proximity to shipping lanes. By the 1920s, citizens in Seminole County, particularly in Sanford, soon shifted their interests in making the area a tourist destination. This trend is made apparent in the total value of principle crops listed by the U.S. Census of Agriculture in 1924. In 1919, principle crops were valued at $186,229 in comparison to drop in value in 1924 to $22,509 for the same identified crops.]]>
Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]>

The article also includes two snippets about a 4-H club livestock show in Jacksonville and the watermelon harvest for Levy County in 1952.]]>
Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Museum of Seminole County History and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Chase and Company.]]> Sunniland Corporation and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>