Ag Center Holds Annual Open House

 

LABELLE, FL. -- The University  of Florida's Southwest Florida Research and Education Center held it's annual open house for the public Wednesday at it's center north of Immokalee.

Tours of the site were available to the public and a boxed lunch was served from Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

The center was established in 1958 by Dr. Paul Everett and dedicated in 1986 as a UF/IFAS station on 320 acres serving citrus grower, farmers and the public for Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. 

Dr. Everett developed plasiculture mulch, fertilization, and irrigation systems still in use today.

The site includes a new building with offices and labs, the original 1955 buildings, dormitories for 15 visiting scholars and graduate students, a FAWN weather station, and test plots for citrus, peaches, sugar cane, and vegetables.

More information at swfrec.ifas.ufl.edu

Photo: Demonstration room of agricultural studies underway presented by IFAS students.