Local farmers honored at CARES dinner

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“Farming since he was a boy,” Wesley Sache can talk for hours about how farming has changed over the years. He remembers when his grandfather plowed with a mule, his family purchased a tractor, and his father installed an electric fence to keep the hogs in. He has also seen changes to farm practices that have improved the environment. One of the most notable, he recalls, is the advent of the drip irrigation system his farm now uses to irrigate watermelons and cantaloupes.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is shown with members of the Sache family,
from left, Debbie Sache, Wesley Sache, Tiffany Sache and Jake Sache.
Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick is pictured on the far right.

Sache cultivated his first crop of melons in the 1970s when he was studying agriculture in college. Irrigating them with stationary guns and pipe that had to be rotated around the field was a chore. “We would water an area for two hours and then have to move the pipes to another location,” he remembers of the daunting task. “It took 24 hours just to water 20 acres.” Now through drip irrigation, Sache says he can irrigate 40-80 acres of melons at one time on his Levy County farm. The method saves time, fuel, and water, and can also be used to apply fertilizer.
Watermelons and cantaloupes are planted in raised beds. Irrigation piping and tubing are installed. Sheets of plastic are placed around the crops, covering beds and pipes. The method applies water and fertilizer near the root zone to give a precise application. The result is a healthier crop and environment. “There is less evaporation when irrigating a covered bed, and precision application allows the plant to utilize more nutrients and water, so less is lost to the environment,” said Hugh Thomas, who has assisted Sache in his efforts to protect the environment through the Suwannee River Partnership (SRP).
With the help of the SRP, an organization that works with farmers to protect and save water, the Sache family farm is now managing nutrients and irrigating more efficiently than ever. The farm’s center pivot irrigation systems have been upgraded to save water and efficiently apply fertilizer. Irrigation management practices, such as irrigation scheduling and soil moisture testing, conserves water. Testing crops for nutrient concentration helps reduce the amount of fertilizer needed and protects water quality. Global positioning system (GPS) and light bar equipment prevents overlap of fertilizer and chemicals.
Sache’s farm has been in his family since his great-grandfather settled in Levy County from France. He, a Levy County Farm Bureau board member, and his son, Jake, who serves as a board member for the Levy County Soil and Water Conservation District, take great pride in preserving the integrity of the land his family has long called home. “The best management practices on our farm help protect and save water, fuel, and energy and have increased production,” he said. “I plan to pass those practices on to future generations who will farm on this land.”
Sache’s hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. He and his son were among 19 area farmers recognized on June 30 for the role they play in protecting the environment at the 11th Annual County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) dinner. The CARES farmers were recognized and congratulated by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick at the UF/IFAS Research and Education Center in Suwannee County.
The Florida Farm Bureau and the SRP created CARES to highlight efforts by farmers to conserve water and improve nutrient management in the Suwannee River and Santa Fe River basins.
For more information about the CARES program, contact Darrell Smith at (386) 362-1001. You may also call your county Farm Bureau office or Scot Eubanks, Florida Farm Bureau Federation, at (352) 384-2633.

MoBo Angus Farm of Gilchrist County, was recognized at the 11th Annual CARES dinner on June 30. Pictured from left, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, and members of the Douglas family: H.E. Douglas, Elmo Douglas, Brent Douglas and Jarrett Douglas, along with Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick.

Canaan Ranch Timber Farm of Gilchrist County, was recognized at CARES dinner by
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who is shown with
Nolan Galloway III, and Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick.

The following local farms were recognized at the CARES dinner: Nolan C. Galloway III, Canaan Ranch Timber Farm (Gilchrist),MoBo Angus (Gilchrist), Sache Family, Sache Farms (Levy), Green Acres Farm (Alachua), Graham Farm (Alachua), UF/IFAS Boston Farm/Santa FE River Ranch Beef Unit (Alachua), Rodney Dicks and Sons (Columbia), Lafayette Dairy, LLC (Lafayette), and Lyons Poultry (Lafayette).