Treacherous walking conditions — with sand so soft and fissures so wide you can get swallowed up, trees that resemble skeletons, and smoldering fires. Are we in a war zone? You would think so, but we are not.
Where the Food Comes From visited Dundee Citrus in Dundee, FL on October 27. Not your typical Behind-The-Scenes introduction but trust me the outcome will surprise you.
What happened? Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus — more commonly known as “citrus greening.” It is one of the most serious citrus crop diseases in the United States and once it infects a citrus tree there is no cure—hence the war zone.
The enemy is an insect called the Asian citrus psyllid. You can learn more about it in Season 1, Episodes 8 & 9 Deadline Florida Citrus, and how it has affected two citrus farmers in Season 4, Episode 2 Sunsational! But all is not lost! Let’s see how one citrus farm is dealing with this important issue.
Chip’s first interview took place with Steven B. Callaham, the CEO of Dundee Citrus Growers Association, in what used to be a healthy 60-year-old citrus grove. We could not get there in our vehicle so to the F150 we go! Considering this is my favorite truck, I was not mad about it.
When we stepped out of the truck the first thing I noticed was the devastation around me like the war zone I mentioned above. The second thing was how my sneakers just sank in the war-ridden field. This would make walking kind of hazardous and that is something I truly need to avoid... read more
