Lake Apopka: Operation Cleanup
Pollution--Florida
Agriculture--Florida
Lake Apopka (Fla.)
A newspaper article from <a href="http://www.floridagriculture.org/" target="_blank"><em>FloridAgriculture</em></a>, 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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.
White, Earl
Photocopy of original magazine article: White, Earl. "Lake Apopka: Operation Cleanup." <a href="http://www.floridagriculture.org/" target="_blank"><em>FloridAgriculture</em></a>, May 1973: binder 1973, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, <a href="http://www.oaktownusa.com/Pages/Preserve/index" target="_blank">Oakland Nature Preserve</a>, Oakland, Florida.
<a href="http://www.floridagriculture.org/" target="_blank"><em>FloridAgriculture</em></a>
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eng
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Zellwood, Florida
Lake Apopka
Florida
Sanford, Florida
Farming Success Came Hard for Andrew Duda and Family
Oviedo (Fla.)
Farming--Florida
Agriculture--Florida
Celery
Citrus--Florida
<em>The Oviedo Heritage</em>, a supplement for <em>The Oviedo Outlook</em>, 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.
Original newspaper article: "Farming Success Came Hard for Andrew Duda and Family." <em>The Oviedo Heritage</em>, June 30, 1977: <a href="http://oviedohs.com/" target="_blank">Oviedo Historical Society</a>, Oviedo, Florida.
<em>The Oviedo Outlook</em>
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eng
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A. Duda and Sons Celery Farm, Slavia, Florida
A to Z: Zellwood Drainage and Water Control District Brochure
Lake Apopka (Fla.)
Zellwood (Fla.)
Water quality--Florida
Pesticides--United States
Pollution--Florida
Agriculture--Florida
A brochure detailing the creation of the Zellwood Farming District. The brochure gives a timeline of the district's creation and funding, and gives data regarding the District's economic output and employment. The brochure also discusses the District's impact on Lake Apopka.
Swanson, Henry
Photocopy of original 15-page brochure by Henry Swanson: binder 1962, drawer 1938-1987, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, <a href="http://www.oaktownusa.com/Pages/Preserve/index" target="_blank">Oakland Nature Preserve</a>, Oakland, Florida.
Zellwood Drainage and Water Control District
application/pdf
eng
Text
Lake Apopka, Florida
Zellwood, Florida
Acreage of Principle Crops, Seminole County, 1924
Seminole County (Fla.)
Agriculture--Florida
Vegetables--Florida
Vegetable industry
Fruits
Fruit industry--Florida
A table representing the acreage of principle crops in Seminole County, Florida, during 1924. Crops such as corn, velvet beans, and dry edible beans were listed as grain and forage crops. Tame grasses and annual legumes were categorized as hay crops. Crops such as cotton, sugar cane, potatoes, and strawberries were listed as miscellaneous. Vegetables grown for sale included cabbages, melons, lettuce, onions, corn, and tomatoes. All of the fruits and nuts were listed under orchard fruits and nuts.
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.
Cepero, Laura
Original table by Laura Cepero, July 21, 2011.
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eng
Dataset
Seminole County, Florida
Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers Formed in 1913
Sanford (Fla.)
Oviedo (Fla.)
Agriculture--Florida
Distribution
A newspaper article on the history of the Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers, Inc. Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers was founded in 1913 as a cooperative growing and shipping organization originally consisting of fourteen growers in Sanford and Oviedo, Florida. The company was also one of the first vendors to lease stalls at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market when it first opened in 1934. At the time that the article was written, the Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers was packing and shipping vegetables from more than 400 acres of land in the St. Johns River Valley under the management of William E. Vihlen. The company distributed mostly celery, with 80 percent being Pascal, but other vegetables shipped included cabbage, escarole, and peppers. The company's washhouse and packing plant located near the west side of Rand's Siding was managed by C. F. Reese and received additional wash chain equipment costing $4,000 in 1954. According to the article, Joe B. Shaw was the field manager and Lewis James was his assistant. <br /><br />The article also includes two snippets about a 4-H club livestock show in Jacksonville and the watermelon harvest for Levy County in 1952.
Original black and white newspaper article: "Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers Formed in 1913." February 25, 1952: <a href="http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/departments-services/leisure-services/parks-recreation/museum-of-seminole-county-history/" target="_blank">Museum of Seminole County History</a>, Sanford, Florida.
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eng
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Sanford, Florida
Corporate Farming: How Chase & Company Has Grown Into a Dominant Force in Florida Agri-Business
Sanford (Fla.)
Chase, Sydney Octavius, 1860-1941
Agriculture--Florida
Corporate farms
Farming
Citrus--Florida
Citrus fruit industry--Florida
Celery
Celery industry
Fruit industry--Florida
Packing industry
Packing houses--United States
Fertilizers--Florida
Fertilizer industry--Florida
A pamphlet about the history and structure of Chase & Company. One of the first vendors to lease a stall at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market, Chase & Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
Original pamphlet: "Corporate Farming: How Chase & Company Has Grown Into a Dominant Force in Florida Agri-Business": Agricultural Collection, Celery Collection, <a href="http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/departments-services/leisure-services/parks-recreation/museum-of-seminole-county-history/" target="_blank">Museum of Seminole County History</a>, Sanford, Florida.
application/pdf
eng
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Sanford, Florida
Zellwood, Florida
Belle Glade, Florida