C. A. BridgesUSA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
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Monday is Columbus Day, and, for an increasing number of cities, it's Indigenous Peoples Day. But in Florida, it's also Farmers Day.
Farmers Day is when we take time to honor farmers, whether they're laboring on small family farms or big industrial ones. In Florida, along with the other daily hardships farmers face, they have to deal with heat that seems to rise every year and tropical weather that can send hurricanes tearing through the crops.
Roughly 1.2% of the people employed in the U.S. in 2022 worked directly on a farm, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, working hard every day to feed 337 million Americans.
Florida officially recognizes 21 legal holidays — which may or may not line up with thelist of federal holidays — when state offices will be closed. The state also lists 39 separate days, weeks or months that have been designated or proclaimed as a public holiday, with varying suggestions for observance, Two new ones were added last year: Veterans Week and 9/11 Heroes' Day.Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Daywas added in April 2024.
Closed Monday: Here's what's open, closed on Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day 2024
What is Farmers Day?
Originally known as Old Farmers Day, the holiday started sometime in the 1800s when agriculture was much more a part of many people's lives. It was set in late September or early October, after the traditional harvest times of many crops so farmers could join in on the festivities.
"In addition to feeding the growing population, farmers face challenges every day such as extreme weather, crop loss, trade wars and media scrutiny," said the Florida Farm Bureau. "They are not granted enough credit for the endless work set before them each and every day and the countless hours spent tending to crops and animals."
Farming also generates jobs throughout the community from manufacturing, distribution, marketing, the restaurant industry, textiles and tourism.
When is Farmers Day?
Farmers Day was established as Oct. 12 when it was made a federal holiday in 1970, according to AgAmerica. But some states celebrate it on different days.
In Florida, it's celebrated on the second Monday in October, the same day as Columbus Day. That's Oct. 14 in 2024.
How do you celebrate Farmers Day?
There are several ways to honor farmers.
Shop local: Most directly, you can support farmers and ranchers by buying produce and other goods at farmers' markets, farm stands or from local farms.
Visit a farm: Many farms offer classes or tours to help you learn more about the farm-to-table process and what's involved in the food you eat.
Visit pick-your-own farms: If you want a fast (and fun) way to get a sense of some aspects of farming, go to a pick-your-own farm and harvest your own crops.
Grow your own food: Try growing herbs or vegetables in your own home garden to better understand what's involved when you're coaxing food out of the ground throughout the year.
Visit historical societies or local museums: Odds are good that your community has a rich agricultural background. Farmers Day is a good day to learn more about it.
What are the legal holidays in Florida?
The legal holidays in Florida for 2024, when state offices may be closed, are the following:
- Sunday, the first day of each week
- New Year’s Day, Jan. 1
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., Jan. 15
- Birthday of Robert E. Lee, Jan. 19
- Lincoln’s Birthday, Feb. 12
- Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 13 (sometimes also known as “Mardi Gras,” in counties where carnival associations are organized for the purpose of celebrating the same)
- Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday, Feb. 15
- Washington’s Birthday, Feb. 19 (the third Monday in February)
- Good Friday, Mar. 29 (the Friday before Easter)
- Pascua Florida Day, April 2
- Confederate Memorial Day, April 26
- Memorial Day, May 27 (the last Monday in May)
- Birthday of Jefferson Davis, June 3
- Flag Day, June 14
- Independence Day, July 4
- Labor Day, Sept. 2 (the first Monday in September)
- Columbus Day and Farmers’ Day, Oct. 14 (the second Monday in October)
- Veterans’ Day, Nov. 11
- General Election Day, Nov. 4 (the Tuesday after the first Monday in November)
- Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28 (the fourth Thursday in November)
- Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
According to Florida statutes, whenever any legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday following it is considered a public holiday for "all and any of the purposes aforesaid."