STARKE – According to UF/IFAS, Clay County is home to more than 400 farms of varying sizes and types of operations: cow/calf and beef, beekeeping, timber, hay, hydroponics and aquaponics, vegetable, fruit and citrus operations.

The county has a proud rural culture.

However, rural living can be challenging. Sunlight, rainfall, weather, invasive species, pests, soil and erosion are all confounding variables that can make or break a harvest.

That’s why Bradford and Clay Soil and Water Conservation Districts are partnering to host a multi-county event to help farmers across North Florida.

The inaugural Landowner Assistance Expo will be there to showcase resources and assistance for landowners such as best management practices, technical help and conservation. Some of the federal and state agencies in attendance will be the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, the Florida Forest Service, UF/IFAS Extension, the North Florida Land Trust, Alachua Conservation Trust, and Clay and Gilchrist Soil and Water Conservation District.

These agencies will give presentations and will be available to answer any specific questions about your property, farm or greenhouse and how to manage it best.

Amy Morie is the chairwoman of Bradford Soil and Water Conservation District. She invites all landowners in North Florida to come out and learn how to bring the best out of their properties.

“We’ll be able to talk to landowners individually about how to best manage their properties and how to improve their land for conservation,” said Morie.

“We’ll be exhibiting an irrigation equipment demo. It’s based on a new technology, a soil moisture sensor, that can be controlled with a phone,” she said.

The event will be held in the Governor Charley E Johns Conference Center in Starke on Feb. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m.