Summer Membership Roundup
It’s Summer, and our grass roots are growing deep and strong. We are carried forward by the longstanding commitments of our Board and members – both organizations and individuals. See who has renewed their commitments this quarter, and allow us to introduce you to our newest herd mates.
Horse Farms Forever® Celebrates Six Years
Horse Farms Forever was founded six years ago to unify the community to help stop the proposed toll road, and while the toll road was stopped, the development pressure has only increased. For a traditional 6th anniversary gift, iron is given to symbolize strength. Over the past six years, the commitment to our mission has become even stronger due to the tremendous community support to protect Marion County’s iconic landscapes.
Applications Withdrawn for 500-Vehicle Storage Lot Abutting the Greenway
At the May 21 Marion County Commission zoning hearing, the applications to change the Future Land Use and Zoning and a request for a Special Use Permit to allow for storage of 500 vehicles on 15 acres directly north of the Cross Florida Greenway were withdrawn by the applicant, 1415 Brothers Holdings, LLC.
Greenway Trojan Horse – Updated
Tillman and Associates should have played Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi while they rode their Trojan Horse into the Planning and Zoning meeting this week. Not only are they applying to pave 15-acres of paradise with a 500-vehicle parking lot, but it turns out that companies apparently affiliated with On Top of the World have recently bought two adjacent parcels: the 122-acre pasture across the street and the 12-acre horse farm next door to this subject parcel.
Cowboys, Cattle and Conservation
Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and Florida cattleman Jim Strickland spoke to a packed house at Horse Farms Forever’s Spring Speaker Series Event held at Golden Ocala on April 24. Photos by Sean Dowie Photography
Spring Membership Roundup
Spring showers bring new members!New members are popping up all over the place this Spring. As a...
Spring Founder Spotlight
The community, like a herd of horses, has come together to show their support, and the herd keeps...
Call It What You Want. It’s a Truck Stop.
RaceTrac Travel Centers and EDO stores are specifically designed with truck drivers in mind. Travel center amenities include plenty of interior store space, an outdoor patio, extended canopies for high-flow diesel with bulk diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), free Wi-Fi and a seating area.
Jumbolair Meeting Ends with Win for Community
The dust has begun to settle from the Tuesday, February 20 public hearing on Jumbolair’s...
The Racetrac Shenanigan
RaceTrac has applied to build a truck stop deep inside the Farmland Preservation Area. The County says truck stops are not compatible on agricultural land, so RaceTrac has applied to change the zoning and made some modifications to the plan so that it looks more like a gas station. It’s a shenanigan! Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, RaceTrac is hoping that the disguise will get them in the gate. Once they’re in, the incremental change to a full-scale truck stop will be hard to fight. Let’s take a closer look at this “sheep-nanigan” so we can see the teeth and claws hidden under the fluff.
Help Protect Our Farms - Join Today!
Together, we can help preserve the character and culture that horses, horse farms and the Farmland Preservation Area make unique to Marion County.
Join the herd. Every voice matters.
Be the first to know!
When the farmland watchdogs sound the alarm, you’ll hear first.