Agricultural and Environmental Scenes of Jefferson County

Over the past 4 weeks, I've had the opportunity to witness the pristine natural environment and productive agricultural lands of Jefferson County.

During the weekend of September 17th, I went to the Jefferson County Farmers Market off of East Washington street. The Market is a stand which sells grocery items (mostly vegetables, fruits and meats) throughout the week. They try to sell local products when they are in season. From my observation, they are the only other fresh producer supplier in the County in addition to Winn Dixie. There are many convenience stores throughout the County but the ones I visited did not sell produce.

Near Ashville, I had a conversation with a friendly dairy farmer. The farmer explained that he was part of a larger dairy cooperative and had been in Jefferson County for the past 7 years. His farm supplies milk to Publix supermarkets throughout the southeast. He also explained his innovative practices of processing water which has been contaminated with manure to fertilize his corn crops. This has helped decrease his fertilizer costs and prevented excess fertilizer runoff.

At the Lake Ella Farmers Market on Wednesday, I had the opportunity to speak with a Jefferson County goat & sheep farmer and an apiarist. Both farmers have been farming in the County for 15 years or less. They are also participating in the New Leaf Farm Tours on October 16th. They told me about a potential new farmers market in Jefferson County.



This past weekend, I went with two of my colleagues to kayak the Wacissa. Since a written narrative has been expressed on the blog, I'll present a visual one.

Join Us for a Community Visioning Meeting!!

Mark Your Calendars!

Please join us for a Community-wide Visioning Meeting! Through this meeting we hope to gain an understanding of community perceptions of Jefferson County, strengthen the vision of our project and role of the community, and brainstorm solutions to help shape the future of the county.

Meeting Details:

Where: Monticello Banquet Hall, 185 West Washington Street
When: October 18th, 7pm
Who: Everyone with a vested interest in Jefferson County! Tell your friends!

Come out to enjoy food, company, and ideas as we all work to unify our views of Jefferson County!

A beautiful Saturday on the Wacissa River

A Jefferson County resident was kind enough to take my studio colleague and I out on the Wacissa River this past Saturday. Before making arrangements to visit the Wacissa, it was the understanding of our group that getting to know the river was necessary before reaching any conclusions about what the priorities in the county currently are. During our numerous trips to the area, especially at the recent BOCC meeting, I have spoken with residents who have told me that the ultimate priority for them is the preservation of the Wacissa River and its surrounding environment.

When we arrived at the headwaters, our guide already had his airboat in the water and was carrying a conversation with another gentleman who was playing with his young son and Labrador Retriever in the water. Our guide took a moment to speak with us about the current condition of the river. Though drought conditions had lowered water levels by approximately two feet, the water remained clear and pristine and one could see the smaller fish swimming to and fro near the bank. A rope swing hung from a tree just to the right of where we stood.

The county recently closed a second boat ramp located farther down the river. Our guide, Mr. Stephen Walker of Waukeenah, explained how the boat ramp on which we stood was currently the only boat ramp available to anyone wanting relatively easy access to the river. The county had closed the second boat ramp under the assumption that they would be deeded another ramp quickly. This has not happened yet. Mr. Walker explained how this has been problematic because swimmers access the river using the same ramp he and others use to load their boats into the river. Luckily, we had chosen a day that many people had decided to use for canoeing and kayaking, so he did not need to dodge swimmers near the ramp as we departed.

The trip started slowly and we were able to take in the sights of the glassy water and the amazing aquatic environment beneath it. Our guide also stopped at Blue Springs. My colleague and I both jumped into the rejuvenating deep blue water and even tried our luck a few times with the rope swing attached to a tree there. Large fish swam beneath us as a Blue Heron flew overhead. As we climbed for another attempt at the rope swing, we saw a snake swimming in the water. Though it seemed that is was just swimming away from the disturbance of our swimming and splashing, we were extremely cautious moving forward.

Mr. Walker took us farther down river and showed us the old dam that had been constructed to allow the laying of railroad tracks. Though the tracks have been removed for a while now, a large portion of the dam remains. An eight foot gap was dug into the dam to allow passage back and forth. Our guide also told us about the "slave canals." These are canals that were dug by slaves to allow for the transport of cotton from the Wacissa to the Aucilla. They were unsuccessful, however, due to continuously low water levels and were abandoned years after they were dug. Some remain to this day but we were unable to travel far enough to see them.

The width of the river and the unobstructed view of the sky from the water made me think about coming back to the river at night during a full moon. The river is a beautiful resource and it is one I can understand being priority for residents in Jefferson County.

My most recent trip to Jefferson County

Today my husband and I drove from our home in Tallahassee up Highway 90 to Monticello. I absolutely love the canopy road, especially with all the crepe myrtle trees lining each side of the highway. I look forward to taking the drive next Spring, when the crepe myrtles are in full bloom.

Being a Sunday afternoon, we didn't see much activity around downtown. We assumed this was due to most people attending church, or just choosing to relax on a Sunday. We did, however, have a chance to briefly speak to two avid cyclists who were actually from Tallahassee. They said they love biking from Tallahassee to Monticello, because it was the perfect distance and they enjoy the calm scenery in downtown Monticello.

Overall it was a good trip and I have quite a few pictures to add to our visioning board.

The beautiful Wacissa River

Good morning!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to kayak on the Wacissa River with two of my classmates. We started out from Tallahassee around 9 and enjoyed the scenic drive down Apalachee Parkway to Wacissa. We all agreed the countryside was lovely. The double-kayak rental was $30 for three hours from Wacissa Canoe and Kayak rentals, furnished by the very friendly Amy.

The river was stunning. From the launching point at the rental store, we headed down a shallow creek for about 5 minutes before emerging onto the wide and sunny river. We saw coots, egrets, herons, alligators, turtles, and mullet as we made our way down the cool waters of the Wacissa. After kayaking for an hour in search of Blue Spring, we were forced to admit we'd passed it and head back. Luckily, there were plenty of other paddlers enjoying the water and after a few inquiries we struck gold (or blue). Blue Spring was breathtaking. We pulled our kayaks out of the water and swam around with about 10 other visitors. Only one of our party was brave enough to try the rope swing, for which we were rewarded with several cannonballs.

After about half an hour at the spring, we paddled back to return our kayaks. My trip to the river was eye-opening. Not only did I get to enjoy the calming and restorative peace of nature, I got a glimpse of what the Wacissa River means to those who use and enjoy it. It is such an important resource for the people of Jefferson County and is one they really seem to value. We met a lot of people on the river, many from Tallahassee, but there was a spirit of friendliness and respect for nature in all them.

Great meeting today - Mark your calendars for upcoming Visioning Meeting!

Today our studio group had a great meeting with 4 members of the Jefferson County community. The meeting, held in our studio here at the FPDL at FSU, allowed us to advance our knowledge of the situation in Jefferson County. We would like to thank our attendees for their insight today.

We would also like everyone to begin marking their calendars for the upcoming Community-wide Visioning Meeting, which is scheduled for Oct. 18 at 7pm. The location is still to be determined, but check back for updates!

Gaining Physical Awareness & Appreciation for Monticello and Lloyd

On September 8th I had an opportunity to take the Historic walking and driving tours of Lloyd and Monticello. Using the maps provided by the Chamber of Commerce, I arrived around 9am on the Thursday morning to explore the historical and physical surroundings of these two historic areas.

I first visited Lloyd, parked my car in the post office lot and walked the streets, taking pictures of each historic house. By mid-morning there was a good deal of car traffic, but virtually no foot traffic (aside from myself). The houses listed on the historical registry could not have been more varied, both in architectural style as well as in general upkeep and care. Some of the buildings were clearly well kept, even down to the manicured lawn. Other houses appeared to be barely standing, with weeds growing up over the porch banister. However, the one thing every building on the historical map had in common was the bronze plaque with the historical name and designation that it was on the Historical Register. Most of the buildings are named after the owner and many of the names repeat, evidence of particularly strong families in Lloyd’s history.

Some other general observations I had from my trip to Lloyd was that it was all-in-all a very quiet place. I received a few smiles and greetings from people entering and leaving the post office while I took pictures, but besides that there were no other people around. The area is not very pedestrian friendly, lacking sidewalks on the major streets, but the drivers waved and slowed down around me as I walked. The natural environment was amazing, massive trees in nearly every yard beautifully framed the very traditional architecture of the houses. Without reading the historical pamphlet, there would be no doubt in a visitor’s mind that this little town once was a flourishing and affluent railroad village.

Monticello and Lloyd could not have more different vibes. Driving into Monticello, I was flanked by semi trucks and other vehicles all headed towards the center of town and the roundabout. Again, I parked my car and started the historical tour. Having visited and wandered around Monticello downtown before, I walked beyond the dots on the map and strolled around most of the streets, talking to other pedestrians and residents going about their normal Thursday business. The historical houses were beautiful and just as varied as the ones in Lloyd. With examples of Greek, Roman, and Colonial influences, the buildings on the registry were all well-kept and many are open for visitors, while others are still private residences.

My favorite part of walking and driving around Monticello was the ability to put together the past and present factors that make the city such a unique place. Dispersed among buildings that are hundreds of years old there are new developments and quaint shops, constant activity, churches on nearly every corner, and people walking the streets downtown. This town, despite the evidence of economic decline, has character and charm, qualities that are earned over decades and are treasured by the members of the community. I was frequently stopped by residents to ask if I was lost or looking for something, when I explained that I was enjoying the Historic Tour, they would direct me to their favorite locations and give advice on what should not be missed during my visit. Everyone was friendly and helpful, more than willing to discuss their hometown. Despite this vibrant culture, there is evidence of struggle. Many stores are closed, some whole buildings are shut down, others have signs that they are going out of business. For being the largest town in Jefferson County, the economic downturn in Monticello alone bespeaks the need to find a method for economic growth without losing the charm of the historic city and county as a whole.

Thank you!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of the BOCC meeting attendants who came to the County Courthouse Annex this evening. We appreciate you having given us a moment of your time to talk to us about the county you call home. It was wonderful to speak with each of you and we certainly hope you will continue to communicate with us by e-mail, telephone, or feel free to comment on any of the ideas or concepts you see on this blog.

Once again, thank you!

A community leader’s perspective on living in Jefferson County

09/06/2011 - Date of visit

I had a chance to talk to a community leader to gain their perspective on Jefferson County. This local leader described how the residents valued the “small town” feel and wanted to preserve the natural resources. She especially enjoyed the small town atmosphere; however, she did have a few concerns over the lack of commercial retailers. She felt that for any medium to large-scale purchase she would have to drive to Tallahassee.

She described the “From the Farm to the Table” initiative that was going on in the county. The farmers sell their produce in Monticello and throughout Northeastern Florida with an emphasis on buying local. She brought up the Watermelon Festival that was this past June, where between 3,000 to 5,000 people attended. This event was a yearly tradition, although the number of watermelon farmers dropped to a remaining few. She said the reason for the decrease in watermelon farmers was that the growing seasons were better in other parts of Florida.

Being a relative new resident, she couldn’t give me that much background other than what I already researched on the web. She did talk about the Opera House and Art Museum as being especially important to her as a resident. This past spring students from all the area schools came to the art gallery to display their artwork and to learn more about art history. An unofficial, on-going initiative that I thought was interesting was the search for informal cemeteries. She described how these cemeteries were overgrown and many were former slave cemeteries.

Lastly, I asked about the public school system and she described how the school was transitioning with a new administrator. She believed that the school district was working on a grant to help improve educational standards and test scores. She mentioned that the private school, Care Charter School of Excellence, was taken over by the Jefferson County School District last year. The kids were transferred over to the public school system and this caused some frustration among parents. I sensed that racial problems may have been carrying over in this school district as well.

Discussion of Jefferson's assets and impediments

On 9/7 I had a great conversation with a Jefferson County leader regarding their views of Jefferson County. This individual stated that they believed Jefferson's greatest strengths for economic development potential was its location, with close proximity to I-10 & U.S. 19, easy access to the Capital City of Tallahassee, cultural and historic resources, plantations, and old families.

For industries/areas where there was greatest potential for economic development in the county, this individual believes that transportation & logistics, distribution, some manufacturing and light industrial hold the most promise for the county in the immediate future.

For impediments to growth, the individual was quick to point out that some of the county's strengths are also some of the county's impediments to growth. An example of this are the older families and large land holders. Other issues discussed were the county's lack of a natural gas tap, as well as the county's land use designations.

From this point our discussion turned toward local incentive programs and grants the community is taking advantage of, which include a local incentive ordinance to refund capital improvement valorization.

This individual stated that she is proud that many of the local officials are beginning to re-evaluate their role and are increasingly enthusiastic about increasing the county government's sopihistication level. The person encouraged us to take a look at the I-10 interchanges and evaluate their development potential.

At the end of our conversation we agreed that the rest of our studio group should have the opportunity to meet and discuss the vision for Jefferson County's future.