Parrish farmer Blake Whisenant selected for Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame

MANATEE -- Robert B. "Blake" Whisenant, 84, who invented The EarthBox and whose family has been farming in Manatee County for 100 years, has been elected to the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Whisenant is revered in Manatee County farming circles not only for his far-sighted agricultural practices but also for his humanity and kindness, said Dan West, manager of the Manatee County Fair.

Whisenant is operator of a 1,600-acre farm with cherry tomato packinghouse, where he was one of the first in the state to use laser sorting, according to the hall of fame nomination.

He also served as chairman and part-owner of Harllee Packing House in Ellenton.

"It's been said that farmers were the first environmentalists. They must have known Blake Whisenant, whose primary goal in agriculture has been to be a good steward of the land," said extension agent emeritus Phyllis R. Gilreath, who drafted the hall of fame nomination. "Whether mentoring students, working with university research/extension, or sharing knowledge to foster a better understanding of agriculture in today's changing technology and regulatory climate, he has spread the message that we cannot take this precious resource for granted."

Blake Whisenant is the second member of his family elected to the hall of fame. His father, Robert, was previously inducted.

"It's quite an honor," Whisenant said Friday of his selection. "I was amazed when I heard the news, I didn't know."

Asked about the things that have been important in his life, he answered family, church, work.

"I always enjoyed my work," he said.

His Earthbox is a patented container-gardening system, that reduces watering and fertilizer needs, and is currently used internationally.

Gilreath noted that Whisenant also has been a leader in providing safe, quality housing for migrant workers.

"He consistently treats his employees with respect and has fought for better migrant-housing standards. His own migrant housing, on his farm ... near his own home, has been praised by other growers," she wrote.

West got to know Whisenant first as a 4-H Club member, and later as an FFA student, then as an agriculture teacher at Palmetto High School, and finally as fair manager.

"He is a fantastic man, just wonderful. He has done so much for students. When I was a student, every year we would tour Whisenant Farms. Everyone always looked forward to it," West said.

Whisenant has a lengthy resume of honors and accomplishments, including induction into Manatee County Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1969, selection as Manatee County Distinguished Citizen in 1995, serving as a Hope Seeds advisory board member to fight hunger on a global basis, and, in cooperation with fellow tomato grower Peter Harllee, establishment of the Harllee/Whisenant Agricultural Scholarship Trust Fund for Manatee County students.

Blake Whisenant's son Bob said his family has a strong agricultural background and that it is proud of the new honor.

"He has a good passion for people; he is a very kind person, very positive, and very persistent about what he believes in," Bob Whisenant said of his father.

Blake Whisenant is scheduled to be inducted into the hall of fame Feb. 10.

Other Manatee County residents who have been inducted the hall include Egbert Reasoner, Pliny Reasoner, Anthony Rossi, Peter Harllee, Edgar Price, Robert Whisenant, Vick and Faye Blackstone, and Dan McClure.

James A. Jones Jr., East Manatee reporter, can be contacted at 941-745-7053 or on Twitter @jajones1.

This story was originally published October 4, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Parrish farmer Blake Whisenant selected for Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame."