Frostproof farmer plants hundreds of avocado trees in hopes of growing them commercially

FROSTPROOF, Fla. - It's a new beginning for seven acres of Mitchell McLellan’s farmland in Frostproof. 

"We're gonna plant 700 avocado trees in replacement of 780 citrus trees," McLellan explained. 

That's a big deal, because commercially, avocados currently aren't grown in this part of Florida. 

Citrus is typically the chosen fruit for Florida farmers.

In fact, most you find at the grocery store - aren't even from the U.S. at all. There's no doubt that growing avocados here will be risky.  

Young avocado trees don't like cold snaps. But McLellan says the alternative wasn't doing that great either. 

READ: Frostproof man determined to be the first to commercially grow avocados in Central Florida

He's been fighting citrus greening for years and then hurricane Ian was the last straw, destroying what was left of his old crop.  

So, he worked with the University of Florida to come up with an alternative.

A Polk County farmer is getting Avocado trees from further south.

"I like avocados and said, ‘Well if I’m gonna gamble I might as well gamble something I can eat,’" he shared. "In five years, each tree they're telling me will produce 4 bushels.  Each bushel weighs 30 pounds, that' 120 pounds of fruit per tree and right now they're $1 a pound," he said. 

The trees are coming from a nursery in Miami-Dade. 

READ: Lithia veteran, owner of Stalk and Vine on 39, finds community in farming

"What it takes, warm weather, rain, and you have to fertilize it," said Arturo Gonzalez, grower of the avocado trees. "The only concern I have ….is how cold it's gonna get?" he said. 

Avocados could be at risk if it gets too cold.

One by one, hundreds of trees went in the ground Tuesday.

Are avocados Central Florida’s fruit of the future?  McLellan thinks so, and he's banking on it.

"I’m excited to get going on this project and see how it ends," he said.