Carl Grooms, Fancy Farms, Hillsborough
Fancy Farms, Inc. is a family- owned operation that got its start on just 15 acres of strawberry production has now grown significantly and produces high quality strawberries on nearly 250 acres in Plant City, Fla. Owner, Carl Grooms, has implemented Best Management Practices since 1990 throughout his strawberry fields with the hopes of producing better strawberries while impacting the land and his local natural resources less. Through the use of drip irrigation, Grooms is able to consistently reduce water and fertilizer use as well as nearly eliminate runoff and soil erosion. Soil moisture sensors provide regular data on water needs for each strawberry bed. GPS guidance systems help Grooms prepare the ground and effectively apply chemicals exactly where needed. Grooms answers the call for farmers to be in outreach to the local community. His family is extensively involved with farm tours, ag literacy activities, Strawberry Festival and 4- H/ FFA events.
Grooms himself is active in associations such as Florida Farm Bureau Federation, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association and Florida Strawberry Growers Association. It is important, most of all, to the entire Grooms family that they donate a portion of their strawberry harvest each year to local organizations and people in need. With a desire to preserve his land and local natural resources for his son, Dustin, to continue farming on, Mr. Carl Grooms of Fancy Farms is well- deserving of the 2017 CARES Award and gives thanks to God and our farmers who bless our nation greatly.
