Page 8 - Palm City Spotlight - January '24

Page 8, Palm City Spotlight

spotligHt

Farm-City Luncheon 2023 threats to an operation that

Celebrates The Rich Heritage is “a price taker, not a price
maker.” As LeeAnn Adams
Of Martin County Agriculture explained, when prices at
the supermarket go up, the
Third, fourth and fifth generation farmers and ranchers shared consumer assumes that
their knowledge of Martin County’s rich agricultural history and farmers are making more
current challenges with a sold-out crowd at the annual Farm-City money. “That is simply not
Luncheon on Nov. 16 at the Rockin’ H Ranch in Palm City. how it works,” Adams said.
Since 2016, the nonprofit organization One Martin, in “There is a long production
cooperation with the Martin County Farm Bureau, has brought chain, and the original
together urban and rural residents of the county to celebrate the farmer or rancher gets very
important relationship between farmers, consumers, business little at the end of it.”
and civic leaders, and everyone in between who contributes to The cost of land, pressures
the community’s safe, abundant food supply. to sell from developers to the
This year’s program included a panel of younger, local south of Martin County,
farmers and ranchers whose families have deep roots in Martin high estate taxes when a
County’s agricultural history. It is not well-known that agriculture farm is passed on to the next Farm-City Luncheon panel members, left to right: Tom Hurley, Ransom Reed Hartman, LeeAnn
is one of Martin County’s key industries and economic engines. generation, and the difficulty Adams Simmons, John Legg, Adam Yingling, and Wyatt Carlton
Panel members included: LeeAnn Adams Simmons with of sustaining the operations
Adams Ranch; Wyatt Carlton with Spur Land & Cattle; Ransom also have negative impacts on preserving the family farm.
Reed Hartman with Hartman Real Estate; John Legg with Finding the next generation of farmers and ranchers is also
Legg Cattle Company; Adam Yingling with Crescent A Cattle an issue, according to the panelists. Wyatt Carlton said, “If you
Company. Facilitated by panel moderator Tom Hurley, CEO, don’t grow up doing it, you’ll never be involved in ag. You
Becker Holding Corporation and Becker Tree Farm and Nursery, won’t be able to make money, and you just won’t do it.”
the panelists shared their family stories and discussed some of Public perception and lack of awareness were also cited
the biggest challenges facing agriculture today. as a big concern. “People generally have no idea of what ag
All agreed that high costs for every aspect of agriculture, requires,” John Legg said. Even those who realize that food
from feed for cattle to the plastic that binds the hay, are comes from farms, not the grocery store, don’t appreciate what
it takes to raise crops or livestock.
club neWs Rick Hartman, president of One Martin, quotes Florida’s
Commissioner of Agriculture as warning that the United
States has become a net food importer. This dependence on
Organize Your Ancestry foreign markets puts our national food security in danger,
and the trend is not positive.
Research Trip With The Martin The panel had ideas on what can and should be done to Three generations of Hartmans at the 2023 Farm-City
Luncheon. Pictured from left to right: Rick Hartman, Rick
preserve Florida and Martin County agriculture. “Buy local!”
County Genealogical Society Adam Yingling advised. “Support Florida’s Rural and Family Hartman’s grandson, Hunter, and Hunter’s dad, Ransom
Lands Program,” LeeAnn Adams said, “so we can put land Reed Hartman
Although today’s technology puts a world of information into conservation and keep agricultural operations going.”
at our fingertips, genealogy sleuths may still have to leave Reed Hartman added, “Know your source of information so Corporation, Three Natives of Hobe Sound, U.S. Sugar, Agri-
home to do research. When that’s the case, the trip will be you get the real facts about agriculture instead of myths, half- Gators Inc., Camo Farms, Captec Engineering, Family Lands
most successful when you plan and prepare. At the Martin truths, and downright misunderstanding of how ag works.” Remembered, Farm Credit of Florida, Haley Ward, Lucido &
County Genealogical Society’s (MCGS) February meeting, Also during the luncheon, Martin County Farm Bureau Associates, Market on Main, Ralicki & Company, Shearwater
in a presentation titled “Organizing Your Research Trip,” President Brittany Bearden recognized three Martin Marine Florida, Team Parks, Theresa and Richard Anderson,
Drew Smith will explain exactly what to do before, during County farmers who received the coveted 2023 This Farm Water Point Realty Group, and Wedgeworth Inc.
and after your trip. Free and open to the public, the meeting CARES (County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Farm-City Week is celebrated nationally each year during the
will be at the Blake Library, 2351 S.E. Monterey Road in Stewardship) Award: Wes Carlton, Nicole Kirchhoff, and week leading up to Thanksgiving. Educational events during this
Stuart, from 1 to 3 p.m., Friday, Feb. 15. To participate via Tom McCrudden. They are the first farmers in Martin County time celebrate and recognize the beneficial partnerships between
Zoom, go to mcgsfl.org/events and register by Feb. 14. in more than 10 years to be nominated and receive this award. rural and urban communities that make our food supply safe and
Smith is an associate librarian emeritus at the University Sponsors for this year’s Farm-City Luncheon include Ashley plentiful. Across the state of Florida, members of the agricultural
of South Florida Libraries in Tampa specializing in Capital, Becker, Three Lakes, Florida Power & Light, Midbrook community join with local businesses and residents to learn more
genealogical research. He is the co-host of The Genealogy 1st Realty, Gunster Law Firm, Hartman Real Estate, O-Rourke about the importance and impact of agriculture on the economy,
Guys podcast and host of the Genealogy Connection Engineering, RV Johnson & Auto-Owners Insurance, Star Farms the culture, and the future of the state and nation.
podcast. Drew is a founder and administrator of The
Genealogy Squad Facebook group with more than 60,000
members. He co-authored Organize Your Genealogy:
Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher, and his latest
book, Generation by Generation: A Modern Approach to
the Basics of Genealogy, was published in February 2023.
The Martin County Genealogical Society offers a
variety of services at the Genealogy Room in the Blake
Library including an extensive research library, access to
several genealogy websites and assistance from MCGS
volunteers. For more information about membership,
activities and services go to mcgsfl.org.

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