The Wellington Rotary Club took a field trip to Florida Crystals and the Everglades Agricultural Area on Tuesday, Jan. 10. The trip was arranged by Wellington Rotarian and former Florida Crystals manager Ricardo Lima and Caroline Villanueva of Florida Crystals. Jessica Clasby of the Florida Sugar Cane League served as tour guide.
The tour began at the Florida Crystals Agricultural Center of Excellence, where the group got an overview of planting and harvesting, and enjoyed a brief walking tour. Next, the group visited Pioneer Growers. Best known for sweet corn, in the off season they plant cabbage, broccoli, radishes and green beans. There, the group learned about growing and harvesting these winter vegetables.
The Belle Glade Rotary Club hosted the group for a delicious lunch before the Wellington contingent headed back out on the road to the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative for a special presentation by fourth-generation farmer Keith Wedgeworth, a member of the Belle Glade Rotary Club.
Finally, the group was hosted by the Basore family for a tour of TKM Bengard Farms, the largest lettuce grower east of the Mississippi River and got a look at their spring mix production.
At the end of the day, everyone received a gift basket from the Florida Sugar Cane League and Florida Crystals filled with rice, sugar, freshly picked broccoli and green peppers.
