| Plant City, Florida | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| Plant City’s city hall | |
| Seal | |
| Location in Hillsborough County and the U.S. state of Florida | |
| Plant City, Florida Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 28°1′N 82°8′W / 28.017°N 82.133°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Hillsborough |
| City | Plant City |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Nathan Kilton |
| • City Manager | Bill McDaniel |
| Area | |
| • Total | 29.12 sq mi (75.43 km 2 ) |
| • Land | 28.19 sq mi (73.02 km 2 ) |
| • Water | 0.93 sq mi (2.41 km 2 ) |
| Elevation | 128 ft (39 m) |
| Population ( 2020 ) | |
| • Total | 39,764 |
| • Density | 1,410.42/sq mi (544.57/km 2 ) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 ( Eastern (EST) ) |
| • Summer ( DST ) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 33563-33567 |
| Area code | 813 |
| FIPS code | 12-57550 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0289021 |
| Website | www,plantcitygov,com |
Plant City is an incorporated city in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, approximately midway between Brandon and Lakeland along Interstate 4, The population was 39,764 at the 2020 census, Despite many thinking it was named for flora grown at plant nurseries (especially vegetables and fruits, as well as tropical houseplants) in its subtropical Gulf Coast climate, it was named after prominent railroad developer Henry B.
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Where in Florida is strawberries grown the most?
Published March 3, 2022 at 11:05 AM EST Listen to the episode Nicknamed the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, Plant City’s farms produce millions of berries each year. In fact, Hillsborough County produces about 15 percent of the nation’s strawberries and nearly all of its winter berries.
But this wasn’t always the case. Historically, Plant City’s big industries were lumber, cotton, citrus and cattle. That was before the big freeze of the late 1800s. READ MORE: Here are the musical acts at the 2022 Florida Strawberry Festival “After that big freeze, it was too challenging for those farmers to produce those things,” says Jennifer Morgan, public relations and media representative for the Florida Strawberry Festival.
“So there was a small group of little trail blazers that started to plant berry plants. They were shocked at how resilient those plants were to the frost and the cold weather, and so that’s how it started. The other farmers just jumped on board with them.
- They were like, ‘Wow, this is easy.’ And then strawberry farming just took off.” Then railroad magnate Henry Plant settled in the town.
- He built a railway from Plant City (yep, the town is named after him) to Tampa, allowing farmers to sell their berries far and wide.
- Grateful for the berries’ economic impact, farmers and volunteers organized the first Florida Strawberry Festival in March 1930.
“It was a great way for us to really thank these little things that had created so much in such a little town of Plant City and really put us on the map,” says Jennifer, a Plant City native and strawberry farmer’s daughter. In its early days, the festival’s hallmarks included an agricultural program, penny voting, small produce stands and perhaps a dunk tank.
Nearly a century later, the festival has ballooned into an 11-day that attracts as many as 600,000 visitors to Plant City. (The town’s residential population is around 40,000.) In addition to the agricultural program and festival queen scholarship pageant, the modern Florida Strawberry Festival features modern attractions like rides and A-list concerts.
Among past headliners are Willy Nelson, Taylor Swift and Blake Shelton. And of course there’s the food. Strawberry everything. Tacos, salsa, sundaes, milkshakes, pancakes and more, all showcasing the stars of the show: Plant City strawberries. And let’s not forget the shortcake.
An estimated 250,000 to 300,000 shortcakes are sold during the festival. There’s even a berry named for the event: the Festival Berry, As new berry varieties, dessert concoctions and concert headliners bring the festival into the modern era, at its heart the festival remains unchanged: a family-friendly, volunteer-driven celebration of the ruby-red gems that put Plant City on the map.
“The strawberry is still king in the city of Plant City,” Jennifer says. “This little piece of Americana has stood the test of time.” Related episodes:
Chef Allen Susser Brings Good Mango Mojo Florida Fruit & Vegetable Gardening 101 It’s Always Sunny at St. Petersburg’s Brick Street Farms Writer Heather McPherson on What You Don’t Know About Florida Food
Thank you to our sponsors: Seitenbacher and TECO Peoples Gas
Where are strawberries produced in Florida?
Where are most strawberries grown in Florida? – Most strawberries in Florida are grown in the central part of the state, particularly in the area around Plant City. This region is sometimes referred to as the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World” because it produces a large percentage of the strawberries consumed in the United States during the winter months when other regions are too cold to grow the fruit.
Are strawberries grown in Florida?
Growing Conditions – Growing strawberries requires temperatures between 50°F–80°F and less than 14 hours of daylight for the strawberries to flower and produce fruit. In Florida, these conditions occur throughout the fall, winter, and spring. Strawberries in Florida are planted in September to early November, and flowering and fruit continue through April or May.
Are there strawberry fields in Florida?
When you think of Florida, which fruit do you think of first? Oranges, of course. Well, there are lots of oranges in Florida. However, you might not have thought are Florida strawberries. 🍓 So today, we will talk about the best strawberry farms in Florida! If you’re planning a Florida vacation and looking for the best strawberry picking, you’ve come to the right place.
- Picking berries with your kids is a wonderful experience and something that we really love to do as a family.
- Plus, you’ll get the freshest strawberries if you pick them yourselves.
- Strawberry u-pick farms are a great way to spend a relaxing day in Florida.
- So let’s find a strawberry patch and head on out.
Now, you might wonder, “when is strawberry season in Florida?” Winter! Florida is known as the winter strawberry capital of the world. The strawberry picking season in Florida runs from November through May. Yes, you’ll experience plenty of sunny days, even in the winter in Florida. By the way, if you decide to rent a car during your Florida vacation, I recommend renting a car from Discount USA Car Rental. Whenever I need to rent a car, I use Discount USA Car Rental; you can use it at all major Florida airports as well as most smaller airports.
How many strawberry farms are in Florida?
10 facts about Florida strawberries that might surprise you DOVER — At a farm in late February, Sue Harrell is talking about Florida strawberries, which are thriving right now despite a too-hot start to their season. Harrell, director of marketing for the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, kneels down until she’s even with a row of plants dotted with the bright red jewels, picks one off and sinks her teeth into it.
- This is the “Sweet Sensation,” a variety being tested in the 10-acre Florida Strawberry Research and Education Foundation field behind the association’s event center.
- The goal? To create the perfect strawberry.
- Florida is No.2 in strawberry production behind California, and the 65 growers and more than 10,000 acres that make up the Florida Strawberry Growers Association are responsible for a lot of that produce.
March is the fruit’s best month, even this season, when a warm December threatened the crop. Harrell spends her days getting the word out about the state’s berries, the majority of which are grown in the Plant City area. She is full of facts about strawberries you likely don’t know, her ultimate goal to educate people about the fruit cultivated right here in the Tampa Bay area.
Which European capital is known as strawberry Tree?
El Oso y el Madroño (The Bear and the Strawberry Tree) – Madrid, Spain – Atlas Obscura.
Do strawberries grow in South Florida?
Characteristics – Strawberry plants are low-growing herbs that spread into clumps via runners. Strawberries are normally grown as annuals here in Florida because they usually decline once temperatures heat up in the summer. While there are many cultivars on the market, not all are suited for growing in Florida.