Community Chat

[Beauty geek]

1. I know exactly what you're talking about with Publix and I totally agree with you. The employees are all friendly and very helpful. I asked one of the workers there where I could find a particular item and instead of saying, "it's on aisle such and such", they actually walked with me and showed me exactly where it was. I've heard that the employees own the store or hold stock in the store so they know if you want people to shop at Public they need to be polite and helpful, or their stock goes in the bumper.

[Harvard99]

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@Zhills wrote:

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@Marp wrote:

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@Lindsays Grandma wrote:

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The Farmer's Markets, the roadside stands, oh, how I miss that.  I recently read an article that the reason there are no produce stands or veggie's grown in FL is because you can't grow any of it in SAND.  When my parents lived there they had a beautiful flower garden and lots of grapefruit trees.  Every year they visited me when I was living in CA and I knew the first thing out of the car was going to be a box of grapefruit.  Oh, and the aloe vera my father grew and my mother's portable sewing machine.  God I miss those two.

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I sure would like to know where to find that article.

Excerpts from https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Agriculture-Industry/Florida-Agriculture-Overview-and-Statistics

Excerpt 1:  In 2017, Florida had 47,000 commercial farms and ranches, using a total of 9.45 million acres. Florida ranked first in the U.S. in value of production of cucumbers, grapefruit, oranges, squash, sugarcane, fresh market snap beans, and fresh market tomatoes. The state ranked second in value of production of bell peppers, strawberries, watermelons, fresh market cabbage and fresh market sweet corn. Florida also ranked fourth nationally in the value of production of peanuts.

Excerpt 2: 

The 2017 value of production for the seven major vegetable crops, potatoes, berries and watermelons totaled $1.616 billion, up $13 million from 2016. The ranking from the highest to lowest value of the berry, vegetable and melon crops is:

1. Strawberries
2. Tomatoes
3. Bell peppers
4. Sweet corn
5. Cucumbers
6. Watermelons
7. Potatoes
8. Blueberries
9. Snap beans
10. Sweet potatoes

Excerpt 3:  In 2017, Florida ranked third among U.S. states, with agricultural exports topping $4 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Thank you @Marp.  Glad to see we live in the same Florida!   We have plenty of great produce in Central Florida.

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The prime produce is exported out of state and the what's left over is sold in state. Just because you can grow it and export it doesn't mean it hasany flavor.

Sounds like you have never had fresh produce from NJ, like beefsteak tomatoes or fresh corn.  That's what all produce should taste like.

In S Fl, the local produce is mediocre to terrible,  and I'm not the only one who's said that, for years and years.  Same thing as this......there are very few great seafood restaurants here, right next to the Atlantic.  Go figure.

[Zhills]

LOL  Florida has some of the best soil on earth!

[Harvard99]

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@Zhills wrote:

LOL  Florida has some of the best soil on earth!

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Lol, that's absolutely so untrue.  Florida is known for being a very challenging place to grow anything of quality, except citrus trees.  Maybe you're near Ocala and don't know about the sandy soil along the entire east or west coast of this huge peninsula.

[Lindsays Grandma]

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@Marp wrote:

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@Lindsays Grandma wrote:

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The Farmer's Markets, the roadside stands, oh, how I miss that.  I recently read an article that the reason there are no produce stands or veggie's grown in FL is because you can't grow any of it in SAND.  When my parents lived there they had a beautiful flower garden and lots of grapefruit trees.  Every year they visited me when I was living in CA and I knew the first thing out of the car was going to be a box of grapefruit.  Oh, and the aloe vera my father grew and my mother's portable sewing machine.  God I miss those two.

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I sure would like to know where to find that article.

Excerpts from https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Agriculture-Industry/Florida-Agriculture-Overview-and-Statistics

Excerpt 1:  In 2017, Florida had 47,000 commercial farms and ranches, using a total of 9.45 million acres. Florida ranked first in the U.S. in value of production of cucumbers, grapefruit, oranges, squash, sugarcane, fresh market snap beans, and fresh market tomatoes. The state ranked second in value of production of bell peppers, strawberries, watermelons, fresh market cabbage and fresh market sweet corn. Florida also ranked fourth nationally in the value of production of peanuts.

Excerpt 2: 

The 2017 value of production for the seven major vegetable crops, potatoes, berries and watermelons totaled $1.616 billion, up $13 million from 2016. The ranking from the highest to lowest value of the berry, vegetable and melon crops is:

1. Strawberries
2. Tomatoes
3. Bell peppers
4. Sweet corn
5. Cucumbers
6. Watermelons
7. Potatoes
8. Blueberries
9. Snap beans
10. Sweet potatoes

Excerpt 3:  In 2017, Florida ranked third among U.S. states, with agricultural exports topping $4 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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I sure wish I could find the article again.  To be on the safe side I am going to keep a running list of where I read anything in the future.  Your response just proves we can't believe everything we read.

[Roni18]

I love Publix.  I have two stores within about 10 minutes from me.  Both are very clean and the employees are very helpful.  

[Zhills]

@Harvard99 

Yes, it is true!  Maybe you don't know that from Central Florida, south, is some of the richest farmland in the country.  Florida is not all sand. 

Plant City is the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.   Go enjoy some shortcake!

"Watsonville, California, is " StrawberryCapital of the World;" Ponchatoula, Louisiana,is also "Strawberry Capital of the World;" and Plant City, Florida,qualifies its supremacy with the title " Winter Strawberry Capital of the World."

Strawberries grow best in a deep, sandy loam soil rich in organic matter. The soil must be well-drained. Keep away from areas that remain wet late into the spring.

[Marp]

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@Zhills wrote:

@Harvard99 

Yes, it is true!  Maybe you don't know that from Central Florida, south, is some of the richest farmland in the country.  Florida is not all sand. 

Plant City is the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.   Go enjoy some shortcake!

"Watsonville, California, is " StrawberryCapital of the World;" Ponchatoula, Louisiana,is also "Strawberry Capital of the World;" and Plant City, Florida,qualifies its supremacy with the title " Winter Strawberry Capital of the World."

Strawberries grow best in a deep, sandy loam soil rich in organic matter. The soil must be well-drained. Keep away from areas that remain wet late into the spring.

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@Zhills, you are so right about Florida soils.  When I lived in SoFl it was well worth the drive to The Redlands for fruits of all kinds and vegetables of all kinds.

Excerpt from:  hunker.com/12385329/soil-types-in-florida

Florida's soils are quite unlike those of its surrounding states. Out of the 12 soil types in the United States, eight are represented in Florida. The most common types are dark, with some being acidic and others being rich in organic matter. The soil is different in the southern portion of the state, where bogs and marshes are more common.

[50Mickey]

Zhillis, i don't buy strawberries unless they come from Florida. They have the sweetest taste of any strawberries that i have tasted.