Resource Conservation Is Our Family’s Heritage

Like other farmers across the nation, my work is not a job, but a calling. I am grateful for the life career that allows me to produce nutritious food and conserve the natural resources surrounding us while I do it.

I live my family’s legacy. We have been involved in producing food in South Florida since the early 1930s. This legacy has imparted an obligation upon all of us to preserve the land, water and wildlife habitat on our land as we work to make a living.

My family and I have implemented numerous best management practices for resource conservation developed by university researchers and state and federal agencies. One example of these practices is our conservation of water. We have established water control structures that allow us to contain and store the water on our property. We clean the water and re-use it to irrigate our crops. This continuous recycling process not only provides a dependable supply for our farm, it also eliminates the need to use other water sources.

Dairy farming is my primary work, although I also produce beef cattle and grow hay, sod and native trees. My sons and other family members join me in making our enterprise successful.

The main food product of our Okeechobee County farm is milk. To harvest this food we must attend to the comfort and care of our dairy cows as a daily duty. We provide them with climate-controlled housing. Everyone who works at the farm is trained in animal care procedures and follows them routinely. A veterinarian periodically examines our animals to re-certify that they receive optimal care.

Our quest for conservation has included an innovative change in the source of energy we use to run the farm. Several years ago we partnered with the Chevron Corporation to install special digester equipment that captures methane gas from cow manure. This equipment allows us to produce electricity or natural gas by using a recurring raw material.

Our beef cattle live on large tracts of grassland that include oak and cabbage palm hammocks. We have placed a significant portion of this land in permanent conservation easements. More land will soon be added to these easements. We manage these landscapes so that we maintain their intrinsic natural beauty and function while guiding the productivity of our farm. Preserving these acres will allow our family to continue producing food well into the future.

I would like our urban neighbors to know about our conservation commitment. Our family’s heritage exemplifies that commitment. Our next two generations are already involved in demonstrating it.

As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, our family is proud to have produced nutritious food and served as hands-on stewards of nature’s gifts for nearly a century.

Woody Larson is a farmer and Farm Bureau member in Florida. Florida Farm Bureau recently honored him as Florida Farmer of the Year.