Golden Grove

This is one of a
series of paintings
by Robert Butler
that depict
turn-of-the-century scenes from twelve
of Florida's major
agricultural industries.

Citrus originated in the Malay Archipelago and Southeast Asia, and spread westward to India and the Mediterranean before Columbus brought the first seeds to the New World (Haiti) in 1493. Floridas first cultivated grove was planted in Pinellas County sometime between 1803 and 1820. Today, Florida produces about 80 percent of the countrys citrus, generating farm cash receipts of $1.6 billion. Citrus was grown on more than 845,000 acres in Florida in 1997-98, with Polk County still the leader in total citrus acreage with 102,457 acres.

All narratives accompanying the paintings were written by Robert Butler.
All rights reserved by the artist.

Cracker Cowman

Golden Grove

Equine Splendor

Farmers' Harvest

Fern Garden

Timber Shadows

Shipping Cotton

Ocean Farming

Strawberry Patch

Sugar Harvest

Tomato Garden

Beekeeping in the Pines

Golden Grove

Citrus, like many foreigners who came to these shores, has flourished under diligent stewardship. Florida and Polk County, in particular came to be called the "Citrus Capital of the World." A long and illustrious pedigree was developed from the original citrus brought to the New World in the hold of Spanish ships. Today, many countries have a thriving population of New World citrus creations.

It seems that the fabled gold once sought by explorers is finally discovered. The "Land of Flowers" is not a place of broken dreams after all.

I grew up in a small town in southern Florida, a state forever splendid
And enchanting in my minds eye.
A place where smiling blue skies, dressed up with fluffy white clouds
And lavished the land with diamonds that fell from the sky.
A place where the earth smiled back with lush-green decadence and accents of orange and yellow gold. Poem by the artist.