The Florida Raised Daily
Food For Thought
We think its kind of unfair that the Texas Longhorn gets all the attention, don’t you? After all, the first beef cattle in the United States originated right here in Florida, when the Spaniards imported them in the early 1500s. And why should we be humble about it, when virtually every strain and breed of cattle in the United States started in Florida?
Have you ever heard of St. Augustine grass? It was first evaluated by the Everglades Research and Education Center, and the findings were released in 1944. The study showed that the Roselawn variety of St. Augustine grass produces a greater forage mass than other varieties. It grows low to the ground, and then produces 90% leafy tissue per plant, no matter how mature each individual cluster is.
Not only do Florida beef ranchers raise some of the most internationally recognized quality beef, but most of them consider themselves to be stewards of the land they own, or lease as part of their operations.
Talk to a Florida cattle rancher about how he or she really feels about losing thousands of acres annually to development, and you’ll get a clear picture of how committed they are do something about it. Not only to protect their livelihood and businesses, but to preserve the Florida they know and love.
In America, we find the Italian meatball served with a traditional marina or Arrabbiata sauce, but did you know in Italy, that meatballs are frequently served without pasta? The presentation of a full plate of pasta served with meatballs is a modification from how present-day Italians eat the protein, and a far departure from the way they were prepared and eaten in ancient Roman times.
