By Meredith Bauer-Mitchell and Jamie Groh
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a small, rugged breed of cattle roaming Florida’s pastures is helping tell a much longer American story, one that predates the nation itself and may offer insight into the future of agriculture.
Heritage Florida cattle can be traced to the Spanish livestock introduced after the arrival of Juan Ponce de León in 1521 and the later founding of St. Augustine in 1565. Their descendants today, known as scrub cattle, Pineywoods cattle, swamp cattle or Cracker cattle can be found across Florida at small farms operated by ranchers in St. Johns County.
Well before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock and long before the 13 original colonies were formed, these cattle played a critical role in early Florida settlements and trade.
They also provided economic opportunity and a stable food source for early Floridians, according to Diane Ross, owner of Cat Tail Pond Ranch and a lifelong Pineywoods cattle rancher. “They’re a huge part of our history.”
“There are people like me who grew up in agriculture, and we don’t want others to forget about them,” Ross said. “If we forget our history, we won’t be able to see our future.”
Some wild descendants still graze Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park just outside of Gainesville, offering a brief glimpse into Florida’s pre-development landscape and agricultural heritage.
Source : ufl.edu