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In the Grove & On the Record - Fred Bohde

Fred Bohde, Citriculturist

After working in citrus and taking an early retirement from fertilizer sales and management in 1996, Bohde began his own citrus consulting business without a single acre. Now, nearly 13 years later he consults for central Florida growers representing several thousand acres.

Triangle: Where are you from?
Bohde: Bartow

Triangle: What is your educational background?
Bohde: B.S. Citrus, Florida Southern College

Triangle: What is your business/grove name?
Bohde: Fred J. Bohde, Citriculturist.

Triangle: Please give me a little history on your business.
Bohde: In July 1996 I took early retirement from IMC Rainbow and started my own citrus consulting business. I started with 0 acres and today I consult in central Florida with growers that represent several thousand acres.

Triangle: What other jobs/positions have you held?
Bohde: In the early ‘70s I worked for a citrus management company that was managed by Richard H. Langford. After that I was in fertilizer sales and management for IMC Rainbow.

Triangle: What is your first memory in a grove or the industry?
Bohde: My parents owned a small grove in Lake Garfield (which I own today) and my job as a teenager was to keep the weeds hoed around the resets. This was not one of my most favorite grove jobs!

Triangle: Who or what were the key influences in your life related to citrus?
Bohde: My father was a fruit buyer for B.C. Cook & Sons and my uncle Fred was president of Alturas Packing Company. Between their influence and my exposure to the industry I knew at an early age that I wanted to be involved in the citrus industry.

Triangle: What do you find the most challenging about being in the citrus industry?
Bohde: Some of the old timers told me years ago that you are constantly learning in this industry because there are no two years that are the same. This held true back then, and holds true today.

Triangle: What advice would you give someone thinking about getting in to the citrus industry?
Bohde: If you enjoy it, follow your heart and do it! Our industry will always have a presence due to our unique climate. It will be a smaller one than that of years past, however I feel that it will be challenging and profitable for those that enjoy it as I do.

Triangle: What do you think will change about the industry in the next five years?
Bohde: We will learn to manage diseases through new scientific methods with selective genome/variety selections and we will learn to manage pests with the use of predatory insects.

Triangle: If you weren’t working in citrus what would you be doing for a living?
Bohde: I can’t imagine not working in the citrus industry. Much of my time is spent in the field. That is what I enjoy. I get restless when I have to sit behind a desk.

Triangle: What do you like to do when not working?
Bohde: Fishing and spending time with my wife, children and grandchildren.

Triangle: Why is it important to be a Mutual member?
Bohde: Mutual is the best information source for the grower. Without the representation of Mutual on an international and national level as well as locally, the Florida citrus growers would be at a great loss. Science is of utmost importance in today’s industry and Mutual makes sure that we the growers are informed and up-to-date regarding current and future scientific matters.