By Brian McBride
Associate Editor

Could a small farm east of St. Cloud be helping to shape the future of the citrus industry?

Orie Lee, who owns groves in the St. Cloud area, including Harmony, allows researchers from both the University of Florida and the United States Department of Agriculture to use his land to try growing new varieties of citrus. Through his cooperation, he’s helped the citrus industry on a number of fronts, from creating sweeter oranges to developing smaller trees, allowing better access for picking the fruit.

“I suspect we have identified eight to 10 (new varieties) that are widely grown across the state on a commercial basis,” Lee, 84, said.

Here’s how it works. Researchers will approach Lee to seek his approval with the test they want to try in his groves. If he agrees, he’ll be given the tree to plant. He’ll then care for the tree for at least 10 years or until the data sought is collected.

Of course, not all have been successes.

“We’ve tasted a lot of good oranges and we’ve tasted a lot of bad ones, too,” Lee’s wife, Louise, said with a laugh.

Currently, about 20 percent of the Lee groves are used for research or a little more than 1,000 trees.

What type of research is being conducted now?

Greening is a disease that has been affecting the citrus industry since about 2005. The bacteria, spread by bugs, in the end causes the fruit to fall off and the tree to die. Researchers are trying to remedy the problem.

“Among other things, we are looking at materials that may have resistance to the greening disease,” Lee said.

Lee does not get any funding from either the university or the USDA to use his land. Not many citrus grove owners in the state are doing what he does, Lee said.

“It’s time consuming, labor intensive and it takes a commitment,” he added. “A lot of people are not willing to make that commitment.”

Ryan Atwood, a multi-county fruit crop extension agent with the University of Florida, has helped Lee over the years with any questions Lee might have about citrus.

“He’s given so much back to the citrus industry,” Atwood said of Lee. “He has gone above and beyond what a normal grower would do.”

So why does he do it? Well, he said he’s able to learn from the research.

“This is a way of continuing my education. In that regard, it benefits me,” he said.

Plus, he’s able to keep the citrus left over once the research is done. That can come in handy for a farmer who’s under a commercial contract with the Minute Maid company.

“It gives me a chance to adjust what I’m doing,” he said.

The Lees were honored at a dinner at Osceola Heritage Park in November as farm family of the year during National Farm City Week.

Lee, who spends about four to five hours in the groves each day, said he has no plans to retire anytime soon. He said he still loves what he does.

“He has really been giving as far as time, energy and money,” Atwood said. “There are few who would go to the extent that Orie has.”