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Dear Friends,
It is my great pleasure to recognize the recipients of
the 2012 Commissioner’s Agricultural Environmental
Leadership Award, Allen and Nicki Smith of Southern
Accent Farm in Okeechobee, and Paul and Annick
Deroose of Deroose Plants, Inc., in Apopka.
Since 1994, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has
recognized agricultural enterprises that demonstrate leadership in developing and
implementing innovative and progressive techniques to safeguard the environment
and conserve natural resources.
Allen and Nicki Smith understand the importance of balancing a sustainable ranch.
In addition to utilizing the natural pressure of an old artesian well to water their cattle,
they have used cross fencing and aggressive pest management to enhance forage
production and protect wetlands. They have also harnessed the power of the sun
by installing the largest commercial solar array in the Glades Electric Cooperative
territory.
Paul and Annick Deroose, of Deroose Plants, value the environment while caring for
their 400,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art greenhouse. Deroose’s irrigation system
allows the nursery to not only capture and recycle irrigation water, but also to provide
the nutrients plants need to grow through fertigation. The fertigation water is also
retained and reused, reducing the amount of fertilizer used by 90 percent. Deroose
Plants needs only four inches of rain to fill the storage tanks with enough water to
meet the nursery’s need for 90 days. As a result, the company well has only been
used twice in Deroose’s 12 years of operation.
It is an honor to highlight the efforts and accomplishments of Allen and Nicki Smith
and Paul and Annick Deroose. I am hopeful their environmental stewardship will
serve as an example to growers and producers throughout Florida. Together we can
protect and preserve our state’s vital natural resources.
Sincerely,
Adam H. Putnam
Commissioner of Agriculture
Deroose Plants, Inc.
Apopka
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Growing plants is in Paul
Deroose’s ancestry. His greatgrandfather, Francis Steyaerts,
seated, right photo, owned a
nursery in Belgium. The Deroose
family’s greenhouse was bombed
by the Nazis during World War II.
Paul’s father, Albert Deroose,
above, helped his father rebuild
the nursery upon returning to
Belgium after being freed from a
German prison camp.
At the Deroose facility in Apopka, rainwater is collected from the roof of
the nine-acre greenhouse. The water is stored in four 600,000-gallon tanks
and is used for irrigation and cooling. Four inches of rain will supply the
greenhouse with enough water for about three months. The plants are
irrigated by filling trays with rainwater which is absorbed upward by the
potted plants. As the trays drain, the water is recycled and filtered for reuse
on the plants.
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With locations in Florida,
Belgium and China, Deroose
grows millions of plants
annually. Plants are cloned
in the labs in China and
Belgium. The glass
greenhouse, known to
neighbors as the crystal
palace, was built in Apopka
in 2001 and is a Dutch
design. Paul’s sister, Anne
Deroose, and her husband,
Hugo Messiaen, manage the
facility in Shanghai, China.
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The Deroose facility in Apopka borders the Wekiwa Springs State Park. The
Wekiwa River is one of two recognized National Wild and Scenic Rivers in
Florida. Ensuring that no runoff enters the river is a priority for Deroose.
Growing plants overhead as well as in trays utilizes more of the greenhouse’s
production capability. When plants reach three to four inches tall, Deroose
sells them to other facilities for full grow-out for the wholesale and retail
markets.
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Huge trays of plants are moved by
automation. Paul Deroose and production
manager Pieter Mertens check the health
of young plants, above. Paul and head
grower Mark Berner with the pumps that
provide irrigation and cooling for the entire
facility, left. Annick and Paul, with Charlie,
at home in Apopka, right.
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Southern Accent Farm
Okeechobee
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As part of the ranch’s
tropical soda apple
eradication program, the
Smiths worked with Pat
Hogue, director of the
UF-IFAS Okeechobee
County Extension Office.
The release of natural
predators helps control
the invasive species
without chemicals and
increases the productivity
of the Smiths’ pastures.
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Southern Accent Farm
borders Taylor Creek,
which flows south to Lake
Okeechobee and beyond to
the Everglades. To prevent
runoff into the sensitive
area, the Smiths worked
with the South Florida Water
Management District and the
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to replace old
culverts and risers with a new system that can retain all rainfall from a normal
season. Linda Crane, with the FDACS Office of Agricultural Water Policy,
and Allen examine the system that holds water to help in forage production.
The Smiths also worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and
cleared a mile-long, dense thicket of invasive Brazilian pepper from along the
banks of Taylor Creek, leaving the native cabbage palms and oaks.
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Allen Smith, who has
worked for years
improving the genetics
of his herd to offer
higher quality breed
stock, is now the
owner of R532, the top
artificial insemination
sire in the Brangus
breed for 2011.
Working the cattle at
Southern Accent Farm
is handled mostly by
Allen, Nicki and a ranch
hand.
15
The Smiths’ solar energy
system, the largest
commercial solar array in
Florida’s cattle belt, supplies
half of the ranch’s electricity.
Allen designed and built his
own grass-planting machine
that teases out the hay and
spreads it more evenly.
With 80 percent pastures
and 20 percent woods, the
Smiths have created a
thriving habitat for wildlife.
Deer and turkey are
abundant, and numerous
pairs of the threatened
crested caracara nest on the
ranch.
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Toward the end of
the day Allen and
Nicki enjoy riding the
pastures in their utility
vehicle, admiring the
beauty of the land and
wildlife and checking
the condition of the
herd. After a hard day
of work the Smiths like
to saddle their horses
and have friends
over to rope steers
for recreation and
enjoyment.
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Previous Winners
2011
Straughn Farms, LLC - Waldo
2010
2001 Carlton 2x4 Ranch - Arcadia
Barthle Brothers Ranch - San Antonio
Saturiwa Conservation Area - Elkton
Three Boys Farm - Ruskin
Arapaho Citrus Management - Fort Pierce
2000
2009
1999 Dairy Production Systems - High Springs
Loop’s Nursery - Jacksonville
2008
Carroll Brothers Nursery - Clearwater
Brock Family Farm - Monticello
2007
Butler Oaks Farm - Lorida
Gwinn Brothers Farm - McAlpin
Buck Island Ranch - Lake Placid
Fraleigh Nursery - Madison
2006
Tampa Wholesale Nursery - Dover
Riverview Flower Farm - Riverview
Lightsey Cattle Company - Lake Wales
2005
Kerry’s Bromeliad Nursery - Homestead
Larson Dairy - Okeechobee
Richard N. Raid, Ph.D. - Royal Palm Beach
2004
Blue Heron Groves - Lakeland
M&B Products - Tampa
McArthur Farms - Port St. Lucie
2003
Williamson Cattle Company - Okeechobee
Sun City Tree Farm - Ruskin
Aquatica Tropicals - Plant City
2002 Holloway Irrigation Systems - Leesburg
Daniel A. Botts - Orlando
Sanwa Growers - Wimauma
Pacific Tomato Growers - Palmetto
Evans Properties - Vero Beach
Two Rivers Ranch - Thonotosassa
Lykes Bros. - Okeechobee
Suwannee Farms - O’Brien
1998 Longino Ranch - Arcadia
V&W Farms - Avon Park
1997 Anclote River Ranch - Odessa
1996 Edward “Jack” Campbell - Homestead
Citrus World - Lake Wales
Ekkwill Waterlife Resources - Gibsonton
1995 Schroeder Manatee Ranch - Bradenton
Burt McKee - Tampa
Davie Dairy - Okeechobee
O.F. Nelson and Sons Nursery - Apopka
Bright Hour Ranch - Arcadia
Deseret Ranches of Florida - St. Cloud
Fulford Farms - Monticello
1994
Rafter T Cattle Company - Avon Park
A. Duda and Sons - Oviedo
Babcock Florida Company - Punta Gorda
Gustafson’s Dairy Farm - Green Cove Springs
Jon’s Nursery - Eustis
Adams Ranch - Fort Pierce