Wilson Family Farms

Wilson Family Farms, Putnam County

Scott Wilson along with his brother Tommy, son Evan and mother Betty Jean own and operate Wilson Family Farms in East Palatka and St. Augustine, Florida. The farm was started by Mr. Wilson’s father in 1960. They proudly produce potatoes. Wilson Family Farms has been implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) on the farm for decades. BMPs are a set of guidelines that advise producers on how to manage the water, nutrient and pesticides they are using to reduce agriculture’s impact on the state’s natural resources. Wilson Family Farms apply fertilizers and crop protection tools more frequently in lower amounts to reduce runoff and leaching into the groundwater. Applying in this manner, allows the fertilizers to percolate through the soil just enough to reach the root zone where it is absorbed into the plant, rather than into the groundwater. To apply the fertilizer and crop protection tools precisely, Mr. Wilson uses a Global Positioning System (GPS). . Water control structures, irrigating at night and many other recommended BMPs are also being followed on the farm. Mr. Wilson is actively involved in his local community. He is a Florida Farm Bureau member, a Mason Shriner and the Fire Chief for East Palatka Volunteer Fire Department. Mr. Wilson also works closely with the local 4-H and FFA clubs at the county fair. He and his family regularly attend Pine Tree Baptist Church in East Palatka. When asked why he is a farmer who CARES, Mr. Wilson responded, “the environment is the way we make a living and it is our job to take care of it for the future farmers and generations to come.”