Q: Could you recommend any Florida cattle ranches that offer tours? If so, how do I go about making arrangements? -- Rick
A: Sure thing, Rick. As you probably know, Florida raises a lot of cattle. And cowboys lived in Florida before they lived in the American West. Ever heard of a Florida cracker? From the 1800s, these folks "hunted" scrub cattle for the market and were named crackers because of the crack of their whips, with which they could brush a fly off a cow without touching the cow. "Florida cracker" is now also used to describe the style of simple houses that early Florida settlers lived in.
It's this kind of lore you're likely to learn on a Florida cattle ranch tour. You'll also likely learn about native wildlife and plants, and more good Florida stuff.
I've met folks from the following Florida cattle ranches that offer tours:
And you may also consider the Buck Island Ranch in Lake Placid.
To make arrangements for a tour, just visit the links above, which have phone numbers for you to call to make your reservation.
Do you have a question? E-mail the editor.
