Initially, Dr. Bonnie Wells wanted to pursue a career in journalism, but her history pulled her back to the farmland that runs through her veins. She grew up in the agriculturally-rich heart of the Mississippi Delta; her father managed grain bins and her mother worked as a secretary for 35 years at Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center in nearby Stoneville. Bonnie’s winding educational journey led her to become a Doctor of Plant Medicine. This achievement began with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry in 2003 and culminated with an additional four years of classes, labs, and internships in the agricultural fields of Louisiana before receiving her DPM from UF in 2013.
After Bonnie’s mom was diagnosed with cancer, her journey led her home to Leland. While there, she worked for six years in DREC’s Plant Pathology department where she studied ways to manage fungal diseases and nematodes attacking soybeans, cotton, rice, and wheat. This research sparked her fascination for fungi and the microscopic world. “I became fascinated with fungi and the diversity of life that we can’t see with our naked eyes,” Bonnie says, “I spent hours under the microscope isolating and keying out every fungal species I could find.”
There are no typical days for Bonnie at the UF/IFAS St. Johns County Extension office, but she can expect to answer dozens of messages before she heads outside. “Often, on my way out to the field,” she says, “I am delightfully interrupted by someone coming into the office to identify an insect, whether it be a suspect termite or a tiny mite eating on a leaf.” Bonnie says, “Building solid relationships is crucial to my success.” She loves playing a part in helping farmers produce the highest quality produce possible while helping them increase profits and reduce inputs that preserve natural resources.
“Our local farms,” she says, “once dominated by the potato industry, are diversifying. Asian vegetable acreage has been increasing, and we are seeing more sweet potatoes, especially a purple variety, as well as increases in crops such as brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Artichokes and sweet corn are trending this year, and certified organic production is gaining interest. Stay tuned!”
Diversification of crops brings with it a learning curve. Asian vegetables bring higher prices but also higher expenses. Many of them grow on netted trellises, so the labor demand to plant, maintain, and harvest these crops is tremendous. The goal of Dr. Wells and the agricultural program in St. Johns County is to help growers find solutions to their production challenges by helping them grow more, using less, thereby increasing their profits and sustainability. “We aim to educate the communities,” says Bonnie, “so there is an appreciation and respect for where their food comes from, and in return, they will understand that it is respectfully produced and of the highest quality possible.”
At the end of a day, Bonnie says, “It is a blessing to be able to get out into the field, experiencing nature every day.”
Learn more about the UF/IFAS St. Johns County Extension by visiting www.sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/stjohns. Photography by Brian Miller.