Caladium Festival 2021

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8 30th Annual Caladium Festival July 21, 2021 Florida Boys continues a family legacy By AMANDA FERNANDEZ CORRESPONDENT LAKE PLACID — In 1948, LL and Vivian “Boots” Holmes started Lake Huntley Bulb Farm with a half bushel of seed. As time passed, they would move their operation from the shores of Lake Huntley to Lake Istokpoga, where they expanded up to 125 acres of caladiums and operated until 1966. Several years later, their son Bill Holmes started his own bulb operation and took on once more the name Lake Huntley Bulb Farm, while his son Jason Holmes would follow in his footsteps under the operation name Heartland Caladiums. Jason’s wife, Sandi Holmes, who left her physical therapist job in 2018 to work full time at Florida Boys, spoke on how they came to be the company they are today. “In 2000, we started our own business called Heartland Caladiums. And in 2015, we initiated Florida Boys Caladiums to get our children more involved in the business.” They have three boys Walker, Lincoln and Weston are the future fourth generation farmers. Sandi proudly explains that the oldest, Walker (17), has gotten more involved with the whole aspect of the business. “He actually helps with harvesting at times. He works daily, helping to fulfill orders and packing and counting up the bulbs.” She also happily mentions that her two other sons help with smaller tasks. The small family company manages 37 acres, and besides the helping hands of their three boys, have five main employees for the season. Jason Holmes though, is the Renaissance man and heart of Florida Boys. “He pretty much does everything,” said Sandi. “He is the one who plants the bulbs, he harvests the bulbs. He runs majority of the packing house, inventory, the fertilizing and the plowing.” For the first 15 years, they operated in wholesale. But as time went on and their children became more involved, they changed route and went retail. Florida Boys in the past year had 42 different varieties to BOYS | 35 COURTESY PHOTO Future fourth generation farmers Walker, Lincoln and Weston. AMANDA FERNANDEZ/CORRESPONDENT Workers at Florida Boys Caladiums take down a stack of bulbs. AMANDA FERNANDEZ/CORRESPONDENT Jason Holmes with family: Sandi, Lincoln and Weston, and their family dog. HEARING • TINNITUS • EQUILIBRIUM Make Vibrant Your World More With Better Hearing While you are in Lake Placid, stop in and see why the locals shop here. Vitamins, Herbs, Bulk Nuts Food, Oils, Organic Veggie Bags, Amish Foods & Much More Compassionate, personalized patient care. Appropriately selecting from most major manufacturers. Call to schedule your appointment today! 863.658.4874 214 N Main Ave., Lake Placid, FL 33852 863-465-3980 Mon.-Fri. 10 AM - 5 PM • Sat. 10 AM - 2 PM Dr. Andrea Livingston Board-Certified Audiologist Maxwell Medical Plaza 4040 US Hwy 27 N, Ste A, Sebring, FL 33870 www.centralflhearing.com Experts in Sebring for over 35 years adno=00067034 adno=00068182

July 21, 2021 30th Annual Caladium Festival 9 Classic Caladiums is just getting started By AMANDA FERNANDEZ CORRESPONDENT AVON PARK — Formed in 2000, Classic Caladiums aims to bring caladiums to their full potential. Their parent company, Abbot-Ipco of Dallas, Texas, a large bulb broker, has been an international source of caladium bulbs and more since the early 1970s. Feeling as if the caladium market was being under supplied, Abbot-Ipco decided to get into the bulb production business with the help of Dr. Robert (Bob) Hartman to guide them to success. Dr. Hartman is the President and CEO of Classic Caladiums and a very accomplished horticulturist. He graduated from the University of Florida with degrees in Plant Pathology and Entomology, and a minor in Ornamental Horticulture. He’s been involved with multiple horticultural businesses, including starting his own plant cloning company which he sold to Ciba Geigy in 1984. “I was working for a plant cloning company and thought it might be interesting to go into the Caladium business,” said Dr. Hartman. “So we joined forces. We’d known each other for 30 years.” From then on, Classics has only evolved. And with the help of his team, manages 850 acres of production. This production puts Classic Caladiums as the biggest producers of Caladium bulbs in the world. The company first started with about 30 varieties and now sells roughly 100 varieties, some the traditional kind, but they also specialize in “not your granny’s caladiums.” With Dr. Hartman not only being one of three people that breed caladiums, but also being a Cell COURTESY PHOTO Dr. Robert (Bob) Hartman in the caladium fields with raised bed. culturist and having a degree in Plant Pathology, he and his team have created and renovated what caladiums can look like as well as their performance. Clay Wallace, head grower of the finished caladium program said, “As you clean the caladiums up, different traits are expressed. You can see inside the leaf better it’s cleaner, brighter. So, you can see different genes.” Wallace explained it as a couple who both have dark hair birthing a child who is a AMANDA FERNANDEZ/CORRESPONDENT Close-up of caladiums at Classic Caladiums in Avon Park. redhead. “Instead of saying, ‘Oh crap, you know what colors the milkman?’ you say, ‘I like that’ and so you pick out the traits that are expressed and you continue to express them.” By being able to see those characteristics and being able to do the work in-house, Classic Caladiums can customize and experiment, creating a whole new look. One of Wallace’s favorites is a caladium that has a white leaf that measures 16 by 18 inches, with dark prominent veins and a black stem. In fact, they are close to having one hundred patented caladiums. Dr. Hartman mentions a variety they have patented called Real Red River with a red color and very curly leaves, more curly than usual. “And we got some negative feedback,” said Wallace. “I mean it was just too curly and so we’ve been looking for still curly, just flatter. And so, CLASSIC | 36 Turn Lunch or Dinner Into a Fiesta! Heartland National Bank Try our fresh salsa! While at Caladium Festival, come have a great meal and get out of the heat. at Our EXCITING NEW LOCATION! NOW OPEN AT PLACID LAKES COUNTRY CLUB. adno=00067423 320 U.S. Hwy 27 North Sebring, FL 33870 386-1300 5033 U.S. Hwy 27 North Sun ‘N Lake, FL 33870 386-1322 600 U.S. Hwy 27 North Lake Placid, FL 33852 699-1300 800 W. Main Street Avon Park, FL 33825 453-6000 www.heartlandnb.com 24 Hour Banking • 1-877-626-1300 adno=00068453 3601 Placid Lakes Blvd. Lake Placid • 863-659-1483 Mon-Thur 11am - 9pm Fri & Sat 11am - 10pm • Sun 12pm-9pm

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