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Honors System in Florida

It’s hard to believe that in 2018, the honors system is alive and well in Florida.  You see it at some state and county parks where envelopes and collection boxes are used for entrance fees.  But what about private businesses that offer up products for you to buy without someone there to ring you up?  It may sound like a risky venture, but these business owners say most people are good and honest.

In our travels, we have come across several businesses operating on the honors system, all of them honey stands.  Located along backroads, or along highways through the rural parts of the state, these businesses are reminiscent of a much simpler time in Florida.

Putnam County

Biggers Apiaries Honey Stand

After hearing about a honey stand selling through the honors system in Putnam County, we decided to see what the buzz was all about and visit during one of our trips to Palatka.  For more than 70 years, the Biggers Apiaries Honey Stand has been selling its honey from the side of Highway 100 in San Mateo.  The old wooden structure is showing its age, but the honey is as plentiful and sweet as ever.  Jars of palmetto, gallberry, orange blossom, and wildflower honey line the shelves.  Tables in front also hold additional items, like cane syrup and pumpkin butter. A yellow sign with large red letters tells visitors to “Put money in the box.”

A small outdoor store now sits next to the roadside stand.  Lawn ornaments, additional honey, jams and jellies can be found inside.  If it is open, someone is inside to take your money.  But if you’re only looking for the honey, you don’t need to go any further than the old stand outside.

Central Florida

Homeland, Florida

South of Bartow, along SR 640 West off Highway 17/98, sits a small wooden red structure, one of the newer honor system locations we have found.  It looks like any other roadside stand, but there is no one there to welcome you or sell you the product.  The counter is lined with jars of raw honey – various sizes, various prices. Signs hanging on the back wall provide further instructions if you are looking to buy larger sizes.

If you like what you see, and the price is right, put the money in the slot on the cash box and you are done.

Lake Wales, Florida

Struthers’ Honey

About 15 minutes east of Highway 27, along Highway 60, is perhaps the state’s oldest honey store working off the honor system, opening for business in 1935.  Sitting just off the highway about 10 miles east of Lake Wales, Struthers’ Honey welcomes visitors with a quaint front porch that opens into a small store.  On the back wall, tiered shelves hold jars of honey, honey candy, bee pollen, and bees wax.  The yellow walls are adorned with old family photos revealing the history of the business, as well as various other framed posters and prints paying homage to the bee.  In the middle of the floor is a table-size box with a tiny slot for you to pay for your purchases.

Arriving early on a Saturday morning, we were lucky to be in the store when Alden Struthers entered to restock the shelves.  Alden is a fourth-generation beekeeper, taking over the business from his father.  (Alden’s son and grandsons are also working in the business.) His down-home hospitality provided an unexpected first-hand history of the business, as well as a lesson in beekeeping.

Alden Struthers, 4th Generation Beekeeper

One of the photos on the wall is with Alden wearing a beard of bees, something he says he was coaxed into doing by his brothers when he reached the age of 50.  Another picture is of his older brother donning the same kind of beard.

Struthers and his “bee beard”

Alden told us, even though most people are honest and pay for what they take, the cash table was stolen years ago when the store front faced the highway before it was four-laned.  The cash box, which had $25 in it, was found later in a nearby creek. It took a day and a half to get it out.

 

Money slot

There are probably more of these honors systems businesses throughout the state, but like other “old Florida” traditions and culture, they are not as prevalent as they once were.

Have you been to any other honors systems locations in Florida?  If so, leave a comment and tell us were they are.

 

Places to See in Palatka

Once known as the “Gem of the St. Johns,” Palatka is located in northeast Florida, east of Gainesville and south of Jacksonville.  Even though I lived and worked in Gainesville for several years, I never experienced Palatka as a visitor.  But recently I had a chance to visit twice – and each time saw something different than before.  Palatka is full of history, culture and fun.

The name Palatka comes from the Timucuan Indian word Pilotakata which means “crossing.”  Palatka was once a prosperous town with world-class hotels and was known for its timber and citrus, as well as its natural beauty.  But in 1884 a fire in downtown destroyed many of the town’s fine hotels. Then in 1894 and 1895, freezes devastated the citrus industry.  What was once a booming town, saw a sharp decline in visitors and industry.

Palatka’s Historic District

Palatka is home to not one, but two historic districts, the North Historic District and the South Historic District.  The North District is composed of 350 acres and 76 buildings with boundaries including the St. Johns River, Bronson Street, North First, North Fifth and Main Street.  The South District is bounded by the St. Johns River, Oak, South 9th, and Morris Streets.

St. Marks Episcopal Church (circa 1846), Palatka

One of the more famous houses in the district is the Bronson-Mulholland House, built around 1853 for Isaac Bronson, who proposed the legislation for Florida to become a state. A long and storied history, plus the city’s intent to demolish it after purchasing the property in 1965, have brought the house full circle.  It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and is now open to the public for tours.

Ravine Gardens State Park

When you are done strolling down the brick streets of the historic districts, take a drive out to the Ravine Gardens State Park.  It is one of nine New Deal-era parks in Florida and is also included on the National Register of Historic Places.  It was created in 1933 by the Works Progress Administration and Federal Emergency Relief Administration in an effort to help Palatka recover from the Great Depression.

Today you can walk or drive along the nearly two-mile road around the park and get a glimpse of the two ravines. The ravines are up to 120 feet deep and have steep banks with springs that flow into the St. Johns River. Because the ravines are considered active, there is a chance of them getting wider and deeper.

There is more to the park than just the ravine. A formal garden, an amphitheater and reflecting pool also provide visitors with intriguing views.  The Court of States sits just inside the entrance and displays 48 of the 50 state flags – leaving out Alaska and Hawaii because they were not states when the Court was built.  An obelisk dedicated to President Franklin D. Roosevelt can also be viewed in the Court of States.

A few notes about the park:

  • The best time to see the flowers in bloom is from January to March, during the peak flowering period.
  • The main park drive is open to vehicles beginning at 8:00 in the morning and closes an hour before sunset.
  • There is a minimal entrance fee to the park. If the ranger station isn’t staffed, make sure to use the honor box to pay.
  • The park is open 365 days a year, including all holidays.

City of Murals

To learn even more about the history of Palatka, print out a map and tour the city’s murals.  Part of the Florida Mural Trail, the Conlee-Snyder Murals are larger than life renderings of the history, culture and natural riches of Palatka and Putnam County.  Mural efforts began in 1998 and now include more than 20 artistic representations, including the Battle at Horse Landing, Putnam County Wildflowers, Senator B.C. Pearce Agricultural Mural and Cattle Drive to Payne’s Prairie. The mural To God be the Glory depicts the story of Billy Graham, from his baptism in Putnam County to his first pulpit at the Peniel Baptist Church.

Battle at Horse Landing

Putnam County Wildflowers

Senator B.C. Pearce Agricultural Mural

Cattle Drive to Payne’s Prairie

To God be the Glory

There are also additional murals painted by local students and artists not sponsored by the Mural Committee.

Riverside

The St. Johns River has played a big role in Palatka’s history with steamboats plying areas south of Palatka.  In its heyday, Palatka was known as the gateway to the interior of Florida.  The river is still one of the most picturesque locations in Palatka today.  A clock tower stands tall at the edge of the riverside park.  Placards provide information about the river or the history of the Doughboys. It is worth a stop to walk out onto the docks and view the boats anchored offshore or watch the personal watercraft riding the river.

But from August through October, the docks take on a whole new look.  This part of the St. Johns River is a popular spot for shrimpers, all vying for that perfect spot to cast their nets.  Nets are rolled and prepped, then thrown with precision into the water, some nets creating perfect circles as they hit the surface.  They are then hauled back in to check for shrimp, then rolled and cast all over again.

Eateries and Places to Drink in Palatka

No trip is complete to a Florida town or city without looking for some of the area’s favorite foods.  Palatka lays claim to the state’s oldest diner – Angel’s.  Set up in an old train dining car, Angel’s has been serving its customers since 1932 – and it still offers curb service.

Angel’s is a favorite of regulars and visitors alike. Cooks are busy keeping up with the orders.  Menu highlights include the Puscalow – a chocolate frosty drink that tastes a lot like a Yoohoo, and the Black Bottom – scrambled eggs, bacon and ground beef on a bun.

Puscalow

Black Bottom

While you’re in Palatka, head on over to Uncork & Unwind on South 2nd Street for a drink and a little relaxation.  This modern establishment offers a wide variety of craft beer and wine. In fact, there are about four pages of drinks to choose from.  Not sure what to order? The owner/bartender is extremely knowledgeable and can recommend the perfect drink.  This hidden gem is a great place to end the day!

If you plan a trip to Palatka, plan for a whole day to see all the sights – from the historic districts to the riverfront to Ravine Gardens. Get out and learn a little more about another of Florida’s old towns.