January 2020
Florida Cattle Heritage and Agricultural Trade
Florida’s cattle ranching heritage shares the page with a turning point in U.S.–China poultry trade. This January issue also revisits the 2019–2020 Florida citrus forecast and efforts to support growers through research and experimental grove plantings.
Read the January 2020 Newsletter
February 2020
Hunting Traditions and Wildlife Conservation
The historic connection between hunting and wildlife conservation comes into focus through the 1937 Pittman-Robertson Act and declining hunting participation. Also inside: USDA research into dogs trained to detect citrus greening in Florida orange groves.
Read the February 2020 Newsletter
March 2020
A Land Remembered and Florida’s Ice-Making Pioneer
Patrick Smith’s A Land Remembered brings Florida’s cattle drives, pioneer families, and changing landscape into view. This issue also remembers Dr. John Gorrie’s ice-making invention and highlights a 2020 study of orange juice and exercise hydration.
Read the March 2020 Newsletter
April 2020
Easter Pine Trees and Florida Citrus History
Spring pine growth inspires an Easter tradition, while Florida’s citrus story traces Spanish introductions, commercial groves, and orange juice becoming the state beverage in 1967. Also inside: the connection between Florida’s name and Pascua Florida.
Read the April 2020 Newsletter
May 2020
DeSoto County Stories and Florida Orange Juice
DeSoto County’s cowboys, citrus growers, pioneer families, and Arcadia rodeo traditions provide the historical backdrop. The main article captures the surge in orange juice sales during the early pandemic and its significance for Florida’s struggling citrus industry.
June 2020
Punta Gorda’s Early City Dock
Punta Gorda’s early City Dock connected oyster fishermen, commercial boats, and Charlotte Harbor’s working waterfront. This issue recalls its construction and eventual loss, alongside the 2020 CCA Florida STAR fishing competition and a citrus import debate.
July 2020
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Since 1792
Long before smartphones, the Old Farmer’s Almanac brought weather predictions, practical advice, and folklore into American homes. This July issue follows its publishing history from 1792 and shares seasonal traditions, calendar history, and citrus research.
August 2020
Tarpon Lodge and Pine Island Fishing History
Tarpon Lodge’s story begins in 1926 and follows the changing fortunes of a Pineland landmark on Pine Island. Nearby fishing cabins and ice huts recall the Punta Gorda Fish Company and Southwest Florida’s early commercial fishing life.
Read the August 2020 Newsletter
Fall 2020
Florida Citrus Roots and Fall Traditions
Florida citrus heritage reaches from ancient trade routes to Spanish introductions and early orange plantings around St. Augustine. Family football traditions frame this fall issue, which also recalls the Florida Buck Registry’s establishment in 1982.
November 2020
Florida’s Competing Thanksgiving Stories
Was an early Thanksgiving celebrated in St. Augustine or near present-day Jacksonville? This issue considers Florida’s competing colonial Thanksgiving stories involving Spanish and French settlers and the Timucua, alongside a look at the citrus market in 2020.
Read the November 2020 Newsletter
December 2020
Florida Tech’s Great Quail Escapade
A 1972 trip to Colombia inspired Florida Institute of Technology founder Jerry Keuper’s unusual quail hatchery venture. The December issue recounts the Great Quail Escapade, shares northern bobwhite facts, and revisits pressures on Florida citrus production.