Between The Beaches Podcast

There's no shortage of waterways in Florida's interior, and each of them reflect the particular region of the state in which they flow. There are however certain rivers that hold a larger significance for our state both environmentally and culturally. Originating in South Georgia and snaking its way through north Florida en route to the Gulf, the Suwannee River may be the most prominent of them al...

As our name suggests, the primary focus on this podcast is the overlooked interior of Florida and all its intricacies, but we also have a commitment to sharing Florida history in general so that folks can better understand our state's story. Sometimes, sharing Florida's story takes us to the beaches and the endless blue that lies beyond. Such is the case this week as we revisit some of the Spanish...

This episode is a throwback to our very first season as a tribute to Mr. Matt Arrieta who recently passed. Matt was a cowboy's cowboy and always rode for the brand. We hope you'll enjoy this blast from the past and a glimpse into the life of a working cowboy. Rest easy Matt, and we hope you're finding plenty of good horses to ride.

Florida was built on the legacies of men like Captain F. A. Hendry and the other cow men like him; men who created a solid economic foundation, gave generously to build their communities, and had a keen vision for the future. In this episode we examine Captain Hendry's life from his earliest days in South Georgia to his cattle empire and ultimately his navigation through the state's political chan...

As we approach the hot summer and accompanying rainy season, the specter of Florida's water quality issues will no doubt rear its ugly head so it seemed like the perfect time to spread some educational science ahead of all the seasonally induced emotional rhetoric and grifting. Unfortunately, and against all scientific data, agriculture in Florida has become the easy target, the primary scapegoat...

The Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources strives to develop new skills and refine the capabilities of leaders throughout our state's agriculture and natural resources sectors. As Florida continues to face rapid environmental and demographic changes, it's more important than ever to equip our ag leaders with the means to effectively share our story and WLI is one way...

On this week's show, we're offering a live recording of Brad's April 2nd presentation "Cow Hunting On Florida's Peace River Frontier" to an audience at The Clewiston Museum. Starting off we revisit the most basic cow culture history and origins before examining why the 19th century along the Peace River Frontier was such a pivotal period in our cattle heritage but in Florida's overall success. Bra...

Mr. Paul Bowers Sr. is readily recognizable in any crowd not only for his trademark red scarf but also for his quiet, self-assured demeanor and warm smile.  You'll usually spot him nearby a couple of endeavors he's remained committed to throughout his life - working at creating and selling his wood carvings that are beautifully hand crafted in the traditional Seminole way or you'll find him near a...

Florida was the third state to secede from the Union and played a key role in supplying not only beef, but also other subsistence supplies, to the Confederate States Army. What turned out to be one of the bloodiest battles during the War Between The States occurred on February 20, 1864 in the pine flat woods near Ocean Pond east of Lake City. The Battle of Olustee was the largest battle fought in...

Thanks to our daughter we've just discovered epic new theme music for the show. It's called "Watch Florida Grow (The Cracker Theme Song) and was recorded by the South Ocean String Band. This song speaks to the heart and soul of anyone who truly cares about Florida so we debut it in this episode and discuss the backstory behind it. We then go on a rambling discussion about conservation in general,...

Leading up to the Great Florida Cattle Drive 2026, we're looking back at some of Florida's earliest settlers, the cattle drives they made, how they registered cattle ear marks and brands at the county courthouse, and some of the battles they fought for survival in Florida's unforgiving wild places. From the early 1800's through to the 1940's, we take you on a journey through time as seen through t...

Welcome to Season 7 of Between The Beaches Podcast! To kick off the New Year, we're sharing some cowboy poetry focused on transitions of various types that we all face in our journey through this life. Our hope is that these sentiments bring you some reflections and clarity to propel you forward in a positive direction in 2026. Thanks to our sponsors and you, our dedicated listeners, for your cont...

In this episode, we cover some fun history by taking a look at the name origins for Florida's 67 counties. The names come from many sources including famous public figures, historic languages, prominent landmarks, and more. There are surprises here even for the seasoned Florida native so be sure to tune in and share it with your friends and family. Note:   We had multiple undiagnosed technical dif...

NOTE: This week in honor of Giving Tuesday we're re-airing our episode describing all the wonderful work done by our partners at the Florida Cattlemen's Foundation.  If you're considerig year-end giving and want to know that your contribution will used wisely, please visit www.floridacattlemen.org and select the tab for the Foundation where you'll be able to donate.  Alternatively, you can contact...

This week we're collaborating with the hosts from Herding Her Story. For those listeners who've never tuned into this podcast, their goal is to showcase women from across the agriculture industry to highlight their accomplishments, success stories, and unique perspectives. In this conversation, we dive into their individual background stories, how they came together to produce the podcast, and the...

NOTE:  On the heels of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting and a lot of time on the road for numerous other obligations, we're taking a break to regroup this week.  While we get reorganized, please enjoy this batch of cowboy poetry that originally published on the podcast a couple years ago.      Episode 117 serves up some cowboy poetry focused on finding the underlying, essential va...

This week we have a candid conversation about the current state of agriculture and its importance to our state and our nation. We discuss the Farmer of the Year program at the state level as well as its culmination at the Sunbelt Ag Expo. From there, we talk about the farmer's roundtable discussion that's part of the expo proceedings along with all the highs, lows, and in between of being an agric...

For Bud Barnes, these two places share a lot more in common than the first two letters of their names. On this week's episode, Bud shares stories of growing up in south Florida, working cows, hunting, fishing, and generally enjoying the backwoods of our state whether from horseback or the seat of an airboat. We discuss how rodeo carried him west where he met his wife and built a ranch and thriving...

On this week's episode, we're concluding our two part coverage of Chapter 7 from Joe A. Akerman's classic book, Florida Cowman. Last week's episode covered the first part of the chapter and we conclude it this week by looking at topics such as Florida cow dogs, cracker cow ponies, wild cattle, Indian cowmen, and more. Join us and learn about cow hunting in the old days of Florida's frontier.

Florida Cowman is one of those books that should be in every person's collection of books about Florida. Authored by Joe A. Akerman, Jr in collaboration with the Florida Cattlemen's Association to commemorate our nation's bicentennial, it's a painstakingly researched and very enlightening account of Florida's cattle history. Knowing that many of our listeners aren't in the cattle business and are...

The New World Screwworm was one of the costliest and most horrific diseases that livestock producers have ever faced. Its deadliest and costliest period for Florida cattlemen peaked in 1956-1957 at which point Florida cattle producers had had enough of it. Join us this week as we look back at the grassroots effort Florida's beef producers generated which spurred into existence a multi-agency and j...

Payne's Prairie basin is a natural resource of not only state, but national importance and the lush grasses, flowering plants, and other vegetation that cover this basin act as a filter purifying water throughout the vast wetland which is a big reason why it has drawn humans and wildlife to it over the last 12,000 years. In this episode, we'll take a look at how various countries and cultures acro...

We're back from our summer break with a conversation you don't want to miss. True friends are worth their weight in gold and our guest this week is one such individual. Jim Johnston seldom meets a stranger and has plenty of stories to share in his own right, but in this conversation we cover some fantastic stories and memories passed down by his dad, the late Elmo Johnston, and you won't find a mu...

As we roll further into June and the mercury climbs higher, Sam and I banter about the current state of the cattle business, recap some recent events in our life and around the state, and discuss many of the things that make summer in Florida a special time. We also touch on the Florida Cattlemen's Association Annual Convention and Allied Trade Show that kicks off next week. Tune in as we venture...

Sit back and relax for the next half hour or so as we share some cowboy poetry focused on the cycles and rhythms of change and how perseverance and resilience will carry you through those transitions. It's a bit of a follow up to our last episode on the same topic, but the message is delivered as only cowboy poetry can do it.