Small farmers find conservation solutions





South Florida’s Highlands County is known to be home to a predominance of large cattle grazing ranches and citrus groves. Nestled within this rural landscape is a small 33-acre sheep farm, ornamental plant nursery, and small-scale vegetable production farm owned by Pedro Velez and his wife Maria.

The owners’ dogs doze under an awning at the homestead. A rooster crows in the distance as sheep rest under covered structures and graze on healthy pastures. But it wasn’t always this way… Pedro and Maria didn’t always have time to enjoy a leisurely mid-morning coffee on their farm. Originally from the country of Colombia, Pedro and Maria used to live in Miami and worked with motorcycles and in corporate America, respectively.

“The first two years were really hard, because it was only Pedro,” said Maria. “This was a farm where nobody was taking care of it.” They now have three people on staff helping on the farm.

The fresh air and peaceful scene are exactly why Pedro and Maria chose to move from the bustling city of Miami to a rural farm in Sebring, Florida – opting for a better, quieter life for their family which includes two school-aged children.

Read more at USDA National Resources Conservation Service.

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