Local School And Business Leaders Explore Coffee Farming Initiative At Florida High Schools – CoffeeTalk

Highlands County school and business leaders have conducted an educational tour of Avon Park, Sebring, and Lake Placid high schools to determine the feasibility of planting coffee plants on their grounds. The tour included representatives from the University of Florida, the School Board of Highlands County, Steve Slaybaugh, owner of Strangely Warmed Coffee Roasters in Sebring, and members of Highlands County Economic Development. The goal is to plant coffee at all three schools, with the next step being to meet again to discuss whether coffee farming is a feasible option.

The project aims to educate students about sustainable agriculture, the environment, and its benefits. Luis Felipe Ventorim Ferrao, a researcher at the University of Florida, provided a brief explanation of the planned activities at Avon Park High School. The key to success is good interaction between students and researchers, ensuring they understand that this is a special program that seeks out different locations.

The plan is to use a quarter- to half-acre plot with irrigation, and up to 200 coffee plants at each high school. Lake Placid has a five-acre plot available, and all the schools are undoubtedly very excited to get started. Representatives from the University of Florida shared information about their research on coffee crops in Florida’s subtropical climate.

This project brings great opportunities for high school kids to learn alongside college-level students and experiment with new crop varieties. This is beneficial for agricultural programs, as it is a significant discovery and could grow and help the local community. Scott Morgan, Career & Technology Education Specialist for the School Board of Highlands County, believes that high school students can take pride in helping with this project.

Representatives from the University of Florida will return soon to conduct further testing and gather necessary information for the project, which is estimated to begin in 2026-2027. The tour was filled with enthusiasm among those present, and the project represents a form of learning for students that will blossom in Highlands County as a seed for the future.

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