Less than 1% of our population are farmers, and the number steadily dwindles. Two local farmers who continue to put food on our tables explain the ways of their business and while it's not for everyone, there has never been more of a demand for it.
Third-generation farmer, Bryan Jones, of Riverdale Farms explains that part of the problem is over-development and companies wanting bigger volume.
”There’s a scary world coming, farms continue to shut down, who will put the food on the table? It’s too expensive to start a farm if you don’t already have a family business, so many people join family farms, but there are enough starting anymore and too many closing down.”
Potatoes and cabbage are the main crops grown in St. Johns County. However, if any of those farms want to continue to profit, not just break even, they'll have to introduce new crops.
"One of my main programs is helping them find alternative crops to add to potatoes, to help them increase profits. We are looking at Brussels sprouts, artichokes and hopefully hops and quinoa in the future," said Bonnie Wells, a commercial agriculture agent.
Equipment is expensive, and at times it is a seven-days-a-week job, but Jones hopes one day his little six-year-old guy will take over the business.
"Farming is hard work. And, if the money isn't there, I can't imagine anybody really wanting to do it for fun. It's hard though, as a lot of these farmers are third and fourth-generation potato farmers. They don't want to give it up. It's their heritage." Wells said.
For Jones, waking up early and working in his fields is the most serene thing in the world. The beauty of his property never ceases to amaze him.
In a town like Hastings, Florida, where farming has been the main industry since Thomas Hastings saw the need for fresh food and crops for all the visitors, it is disheartening to see an increasing amount of farms throw in the rag.
Riverdale Potato Farm includes a little over 1,000 acres, growing chip-potatoes and carrots.
"We have to be careful that all of our water leaving the farm is as clean as possibly, because it runs out into the St. John's River." Jone's has been awarded Commissioner's Agricultural Environmental Leadership award for his innovative irrigation efforts and enironmental conciousness.
Riverdale Farm is located directly across from St. John's River
Jones explains that the soil and climate is good in Florida for growing potatoes, but Florida has more disease and water pressure than anywhere else in the country. Because of that, farms in Hastings are spending million of dollars to improve water irrigation and being more careful with fertilizer placement than ever.
Jone's making adjustments to his equipment which will spray the crops with fertilizer, which is essentially just plant food.
"People sometimes say farmers destroy the land, but we are taking great care of it. We plant a cover crop in-between each harvest of potatoes which allows the nutrients to soak back into the soil."
Jone's property includes Thomas Honey Bees, which are advantageous to everyone because of their pollinating.
Barnes Farm in Hastings, Florida, has been in the Barnes family for five generations.
The Farm specializes in growing red and white cabbage, which was planted in early September.
"Growing up in Hastings, everyone lived on a farm. Everyone in my yearbook was a child of a farmer. Now I can count on my hand how many farmers there are. Everything has become so developed," Gin Barnes, a member of the St. John's Farm Bureau, said.
The early morning sun of daylight savings is beautiful and helpful for early rising farmers, but their days no longer end once the sun goes down thanks to bright lights on tractors.
"Less farms in the area does not mean less competition for me. Us farmers all work together; we need each other to support our town."
Rising operating costs have cost a lot of St. John's County farmers businesses, but Gin Barnes and Bryan Jones continue to fight the rising prices of operation, fight off the diseases to crops susceptible in Florida, and continue to make profit off their crops.