Florida Cattle Ranching topic of January 10th lecture

Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition

Folklorist Robert Stone will be the featured speaker at Highlands Hammock State Park on January 10th, at 7 p.m. Cattle were introduced into the present day United States when Juan Ponce de Leon brought Spanish cattle to Florida in 1521. Bob Stone’s multi-media presentation explores and celebrates the history and culture of the nation’s oldest cattle ranching state from the colonial period to the 21st century. Learn all aspects of Florida cattle ranching traditions including Cracker cow-whips, unique ranch gate designs, swamp cabbage, cowboy church and Cracker cowboy funerals, Seminole ranching, skills such as roping and branding, our vibrant rodeo culture, sidesplitting cowboy poetry, feisty cow-dogs and more.

Admission to the program is free. The presentation will be in the Park Recreation Hall. Highlands Hammock State park is located at 5931 Hammock Road in Sebring.