SAMSULA -- Farmers across Central Florida are finally starting to see a recovery four months after flooding from Tropical Storm Fay.
The lettuce on the Tomazin family farm has hit the local farmers markets, where Mike Tomazin found himself busy selling the fruits -- and vegetables -- of his labor.
"We ended up with, like, 18 1/2 inches of rain in about four days. Our field was almost completely underwater," Tomazin said. "We have big drainage ditches out in our field that surround the whole property, and they were actually full and flowing back into the field."
Back on the farm, Mike's father, Bill Tomazin, started working on removing the weeds.
Known around the Samsula area as the "Barefoot Farmer," Bill never wears shoes while working the fields. He and his bare feet have seen good times and bad times in those fields.
"It's been great. Since Fay, we've had just the right amount of rainfall. The weather's been good. We've had cool weather, warm weather mixed up. It's been beautiful," Bill Tomazin said.
However, Mike Tomazin said he could see firsthand working the farmer's market that not everyone has been so fortunate.
"I know some of the ones around here that were trying, they lost everything and went back to their old business, and are now trying to replant," Mike said.
"To survive, you have to -- basically all of these lettuces -- you have to cut and sell almost every single head that you grow in order to make it," Bill Tomazin explained.
Without crop insurance, it makes it that much more important to sell that lettuce.
The elder Tomazin said he was reminded of an old farmer's addage: In farming, you either have a lot of money, or you don't have any.
The Tomazins hope their future is found in the former.
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