“Early Birds” Catch The Fish–Summertime Fishing on Florida’s Big Bend

There are several reasons to get up early and go fishing on hot summer days.  One, if you’re fishing from one of our busy scalloping areas (Steinhatchee, Keaton Beach, St. Marks), you’ll beat the crowds to the water.  Another, the weather is more likely to be calm, unlike the afternoons when thunderstorms usually develop. The …

Attend the 8th Annual Southern Music Rising Festival April 25, 2015 in Monticello, Florida

Southern Music Rising organizes, promotes and holds major musical events in Monticello, Florida.  The Spring music celebration brings numerous world famous musicians to Monticello.  Thousands of people come to enjoy this wonderful annual event which serves to enhance the community and stimulate the local economy. Monticello is located at the junction of US19 and US90, …

Monticello Bike Fest, March 20 & 21, 2015

Monticello Bike Fest, March 20 & 21, 2015 Rolling hills and canopied roads make the panhandle of Florida the perfect setting for cyclists who want a change of scenery. Jefferson County offers the quaint town of Monticello as a unique host of the festival. With plantations, heritage roads and historic homes, your weekend to get …

Cold Outside? Paddle Natural North Florida Springs–They’re “Warm” Year-Round

Most of us in North Florida are chickens!  Not about getting outdoors, but about cold weather.  Yes, we have a decidedly cooler climate in winter than our neighbors in the central and southern parts of the state, but we also have over 200 constant-temperature (72-degrees) springs that actually feel warm in winter. Several of our …

The Wacissa River–An Unspoiled Stretch of Fishy Water in Florida’s Jefferson County

The Wacissa River begins (where else?) but near the village of Wacissa, in southern Jefferson County.  As the crow flies, the headwaters are but 20 or so miles from urban Tallahassee, but in terms of time, it may represent centuries.  The headwaters are fed by numerous springs, including several with first magnitude flows.  Depending on …

Wait, what? Wheat?

When most people think of America’s wheat fields, they picture those amber waves of grain in the midwest. Turns out, the birthplace of American wheat was in Natural North Florida, where it is still grown at Barnhart’s wheat farm in Monticello. Monticello historians David Ward and Jack Carswell discovered that the first wheat ever planted …

Special Occasions at the Avera-Clarke House, Monticello

Staying at Monticello’s Avera-Clarke house is a treat: In addition to the honeymoon cottage, which is the oldest building in Jefferson County, the inn also offers a second-story balcony, a fascinating history and beautiful details, such as this painted cardinal. What guests don’t always notice is that in addition to overnight accommodations, the Avera-Clarke House …

What Makes a Mayhaw a Mayhaw? Find Out in This Video

At Golden Acres Ranch, you’ll find goats, sheep, even bees, but what really gets Southerners’ hearts going pitter-pat is the mayhaws. When the Goldens bought their property in Monticello, they had no idea it contained a mayhaw pond. It didn’t take long, though, until folks around town pointed it out, drawn in by the promise …

Ancient Mysteries at Monticello’s Letchworth-Love Mounds

Bucket by bucket, the earth was gathered more than a thousand years ago to form the nearly 50-foot temple mound at Letchworth-Love Archaeological State Park. Stop by the open-air visitors’ center on your way to the mound, and you can lift a recreation of just how heavy that basket of dirt would have been. It’s …

Behind the Scenes at Full Moon Apiary in Monticello

For Becky and Tony Hogg, owners of Monticello’s Full Moon Apiary, a beekeeping business began with their daughter Katherine’s fear of bugs. Becky knew that a girl growing up in Florida can’t be scared of creepy-crawlies, so the family came up with a way for Katherine to conquer her fear: keeping bees. The rest, as …