Not just oranges and cows, we have berries, herbs and gators

Everyone who's driven along U.S. 27 knows Highlands County is a big citrus producer. In fact, it ranks second or third in Florida.

Drive along SR 70, and it becomes apparent that a lot of cows do their mooing here, too. Highlands is the fourth largest cattle producer.

But who knew that there's a specialty herb farm in Avon Park? Or that modern tractor drivers must program a computer to spray fertilizer in just the right spots? Or that gators are processed for their meat and hides in Lake Placid?

One hundred lucky tourists will see a smidge of that diversity Jan. 7 on the day-long Agricultural Tour of Highlands County. If you haven't already got a ticket, don't bother. Both buses are sold out, but Ray Royce, whose day job is the executive director of Highlands County Citrus Growers Association, says more will be offered in 2010.

"The Blue Head Ranch tour will knock your eyes out," said Jack Richie, chairman of the Highlands County Homeowners Association, who e-mailed flyers to members. "You have to see it to believe it. The stewardship there is just pristine. They're growing blueberries and strawberries there, and there's an incredible, beautiful hunting lodge."

Plant City is known as the strawberry capital of Florida, but in fact, says Royce, one of the tour planners, 300 people are employed in Blue Head's berry operation.

He's also one of the step-on guides. Susie Bishop is another.

"The tour sold out in 24 hours," said Bishop, who represents Blue Head. "We didn't think there would be this much interest."

Blue Head is a 62,000-acre ranch southwest of Lake Placid, split by SR 70. Even so, it's only the second-largest in Highlands. It's the first stop on the tour.

"Lykes is the largest," said Bishop, a Highlands County native whose husband runs Bishop Dairy. Her father was large animal vet Frank Handley, and her mother is Ruth Handley, the former superintendent of schools.

Both she and Royce have conducted previous ag tours.

"It's important to expose people to the value of the agriculture industry," she said.

The second stop is Parker Island Gator Farm, south of Lake Placid. The aquaculture industry is forming an acquaintance in Highlands County, Royce said, that includes fish farms.

Parker Island is the oldest and largest in Florida, said Genie Tillman.

"We collect the eggs and raise the babies for the meat and the hides. We have a processing facility, too," she said. Nuisance trappers, alligator management programs and even a South Carolina farmer bring reptiles there, where 10 people work.

Tourists will see the breeding area, and if it's a sunny day, they'll see thousands of reptiles basking on the banks. Tillman will fry some gator nuggets for the visitors.

"People say they taste very similar to white chicken nuggets," Tillman said. "We correct them. We say the gators were here first, so chicken tastes like gator nuggets."

Gator is higher in protein than chicken and has less fat than chicken, Tillman said.

Parker Island is a working farm and a meat market, Tillman said. Except for this tour, customers aren't allowed into private areas. However, they can buy 1-pound and 5-pound packages of meat, and 5-pound packages of nuggets at $6 to $7 per pound. More info: 465-3161.

Although citrus and livestock are better known, horticulture is actually Florida's biggest agriculture industry, according to self-reported figures. Florida Citrus Mutual says $9 billion worth of oranges and grapefruit are grown here. The University of Florida's 2005 study says horticulture - which includes caladiums - is a $15 billion industry.

Counting landscaping and retailers, horticulture has created a $152.6 million industry in Highlands County alone, employing more than 3,000 workers. And that doesn't include spin-offs and supporting industries.

The biggest is the 200-acre Highlands Greenhouses, on old State Road 8.

"You're going to be completely blown away," Richie said. "This place is huge. If you bought poinsettias this year, they probably came from this greenhouse."

In fact, if bought a burgundy ficus from Lowe's or Walmart in Des Moines, it also may have come from Highlands Greenhouses, which sends trucks all over the country.

The next industry has already been picked: BP and Verenium are partnering with Lykes Brothers to grow jatropha, cane and other plants for biofuels.

Which leads to Royce's final point, that agriculture has even greater significance when counting the secondary dollars - chemical distribution, equipment dealers, truck sales and gasoline.