Video Script: Florida Blue Farms

Video Script: Florida Blue Farms

Commissioner's Agricultural Environmental Leadership Award

Video Script

·  Title: Florida Blue Farms

·  Type: Agricultural Environmental Leadership Award

·  Length: 7:36

·  Year: 2017

Florida Blue Farms, Waldo

Brittany H. Lee: “We grow southern high bush blueberries, I believe they're a great tasting, big, sweet, and quality berry. Our harvest season begins in March and goes through early May every year, with our blueberries sent all over the world and the United States. We've been in production agriculture for blueberries since 2010, with our first harvest being 2011.”

Narrator: Located in Waldo, Florida – just outside of Gainesville -- Florida Blue Farms began with 50 acres of Southern Highbush Blueberries. Today this family-run farm is currently undergoing a 20-acre expansion, increasing the farm to 110 acres of berry production.

Florida Blue Farm is operated by Brittany Lee, who as Vice President, manages the farm with her father Dennis, mother Carrie, sister Prentiss, and brother Adam. The family pursues environmental conservation efforts on a day-to-day basis -- the same philosophies that were applied when the farm was established.

During the grading and clearing process, drainage issues were discovered. Dams were forming, creating unnatural flows and injecting large volumes of water throughout the farm’s newly converted fields. Looking for a drainage solution with the least amount of environmental impact, Brittany’s father, Dennis turned to renowned Gainesville engineer Ralph Eng. Working with Eng and other industry organizations, the farm created a drainage system that allows better management of water flows throughout the farm. Engineered in accordance with BMPs and conservation guidelines, the innovative design channels water across weirs and through sediment basins into a 2-acre tailwater recovery pond. Grassy filter strips are also employed to sponge up already minimized nutrients and sediments. Additionally, rock rip-rap berms reduce flows during heavy-drainage events and serve as ditch-blocks or dams in order for further enhanced filtration and erosion prevention.

Ralph Eng: “I have known the Lee family for quite a few years, last twenty – thirty years. And once I got involved in this project, I really loved working on this project with them. They are really committed to maintaining the system and making sure it's operating functionally and the system will provide the best water quality from their farming operation. They are basically doing a first class operation of it; and Brittany Lee has taken the lead and her passion is to do everything right and do everything to the top scale; not to cut corners, so to speak. I'm very, very proud to be associated with Florida Blue Farm.”

Narrator: Florida Blue Farms’ tailwater recovery pond is also used to collect irrigation runoff that is then reapplied to its crops. This conserves irrigation water supplies and improves offsite water quality.

The system has enabled Florida Blue Farms to pursue its goal of reducing overall water usage by 50 percent, as well as reducing their aquifer withdrawals. In fact, up to 70 percent of the irrigation runoff collected in the pond is used to protect the crops during frosts and freezes.

In addition to the state-of-the-art drainage system, Florida Blue Farms uses many different avenues to achieve and prioritize water and land conservation. Florida Blue Farms implements FDACS’ Specialty Fruit and Nut Crop Operations Best Management Practices.

The farm’s conservation plan includes multiple weather stations for accurate on-site weather conditions; drip irrigation and ground cover to reduce irrigation needs and inputs; soil moisture monitoring; and plant tissue and root growth monitoring and testing to aid in nutrient and herbicide application decisions.

Florida Blue Farms also uses highly efficient fertigation systems that, when combined with an

integrated pest management practice, minimizes the need for excess crop protection materials.

Brittany H. Lee: “To me, good stewardship means not only preserving the water quality but also conserving the quantity. We value the importance of being good stewards, not only for our land but also how our actions affect others real and perceived.

I believe it's very important, for the agriculture community, to inform the public on all the efforts that we're making on this very important matter.”

Jason Mathis: “Brittany is a great representative of agriculture in the state of Florida. And through her implementation of best management practices, you can see her commitment to her own land. But she's also committed to helping other farmers and ranchers across the State with their production and making sure that they're taking environmental stewardship at heart whenever they're implementing their own management plans.

“One of the things that stands out to me about Brittany and a lot of the farmers across the State is their connection to the land and their connection to their families. This is a family run organization, and you can tell that it means a lot to Brittany. It means a lot to her family to do things right and to make sure that they're taking into account that their property is effective and viable for many generations to come.”

Narrator: Florida Blue takes great pride in the conservation and preservation of the natural resources on and around their property. Through innovation, and participation in Best Management Practices, the farm strives to preserve the environment while maintaining the farm’s economic viability.

Brittany H. Lee: “I love working in agriculture and farming. There’s something very rewarding during picking season. And when you’re harvesting a crop that not only going to provide for your family but also provide a food source for the nation.”

Narrator: Through the years, Brittany and her family have found many ways to celebrate and use the fruits of their labor.

Brittany H. Lee: “There are many ways to use blueberries of course. And as a blueberry farming family, we have figured out our favorites: which include cobblers or pancakes, sometimes some muffins, and most recently, making baby food. But there's nothing that could beat eating freshly picked blueberry during our harvest season.

As our family continues to grow and add more children to the next generation, I come to work and look over the farm and the fields and I'm excited and proud at the legacy that we're building for their future.”

FL Blue Farms – Final Video Script 10/25/2017 11:00am