FEATURES
FLORIDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE / ISSUE VOL. 2 • NO. 4
ON THE COVER: Writer Cally Simpson takes a journey across the state to bring Florida Cracker cattle to the pages of Florida Country Magazine. Photos by Cally Simpson/Wild Child Images. Read her story on page 42.
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Florida Cracker Cattle Spanish heritage breed that helped grow our state and nation
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Award-Winning Chef Taylor Sanders She’s only 15 but her career is already cooking
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DEPARTMENTS FLORIDA COUNTRY MAGAZINE / ISSUE VOL. 2 • NO. 4
LOCAL FLAVOR
FCM CIRCLE
BBQ, COLLARD GREENS AND CORNBREAD! OH, YUM!
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
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page 50
VET VIEW
FLORIDA EXCURSIONS
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GOOD FARRIER RELATIONS FOR A SOUND HORSE
A FUN, COLORFUL STAY ON FORT MYERS BEACH
page 52
page 10
FLORIDA CHARM
THE PERFECT VIEWS
THE MARVELS OF MARCO ISLAND
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FLORIDA 4-H
FORGET WHAT YOU HERD …
page 55
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THE BRAND
SOUTHERN SWEET TEA COMPANY
page 14
page 58
HORSIN' AROUND BONDING WITH A BLIND HORSE
PIG'S PEN
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THE ADVENTUROUS FRENCH BULLDOG
BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN OF FLORIDA
WILD FLORIDA
page 61
page 19
FLORIDA HARVEST A STORY OF FAMILY AND MISSION
WILD HOGS OF NORTH AMERICA
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60-PLUS AND STILL STEER WRESTLING
page 64
STARS & GUITARS
MEET JAKE OWEN— DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS?
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page 68
COUNTRY CALIBER
ARCADIA STOCKYARD’S CARL MCKETTRICK JR.
page 30
THE COWBOY LEGACY
THE HOMESTEAD
LEGENDARY LIVING ON 48+/- ACRES
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RODEO PROFILES
page 62
ISLAND HOPPER SONGWRITER FEST
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page 70
THE CULINARY CRACKER
COMMITTED TO THE INDUSTRY
WHIPPING IT UP IN YOUR KITCHEN
MEET YOUR NEW ‘CATTLEMEN’S SWEETHEART’
TRUCKS & TOYS
page 36
page 72
page 39
SOUTHERN TIRE & WHEEL
page 76
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PICTURE PERFECT
SALUTE TO THE BRAVE
POND BELLY-FLOPPING
page 41
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Owner/Publisher Scarlett Redenius Owner/C.E.O. Brad Redenius President Thomas Fifield Vice President Sheila Fifield Editorial Director Jack Collier Design Director Jessica Fifield Director of Photography Marsay Johnson Proofreader Katherine Waters Sales Associate Lynn Cox Sales Associate Paradise Creative Group Contributing Writers Susan E. Blackwell, Mandy Carter, Jack Collier, William R. Cox, Christopher Decubellis,Sherri Denning, Pig Devlin, Ava Isabel Grace, Kathy Ann Gregg, Dayna Harpster, Kym Rouse Holzwart, Dave Kelly, Emma J. Morse D.V.M., Jacob Ogles, Jimmy Peters, Clint Raulerson, Cally Simpson Featured Photographers Harmony Blackwell, Dave Cotsman, William R. Cox, Heith Crum, Christopher Decubellis, Lillian Gilbert, Mike Gilbert, Kathy Ann Gregg, Kym Rouse Holzwart, Ann Hopta, Dave Kelly, Joseph Mammina, Kent Morse, Ryan Noeker, Karen Pando, Jimmy Peters, Scarlett Redenius, Cally Simpson, Gregory Toth, Megan Watkins, Dee Dee Wheeler For more information about advertising with Florida Country Magazine, or joining our regional sales team, please contact:
239-692-2613 sales@floridacountrymagazine.com For other inquiries contact:
Scarlett Redenius, Publisher 239-600-4783 Published by: Florida Country Publications
PO Box 50989 • Fort Myers, FL 33994 LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
facebook.com/floridacountrymagazine F LO R I D A C O U NTRYM A G A Z I N E . C O M Florida Country Magazine is published bi-monthly, copyright 2018, all rights reserved. Reproduction of contents in print or electronic transmission in whole or in part in any language or format must be by expressed written permission of the publisher.
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All articles, descriptions and suggestions in this magazine are merely expression of opinions from contributors and advertisers and do not constitute the opinion of the publisher, editor or staff of Florida Country Magazine, and under no circumstances constitutes assurances or guarantees concerning the quality of any service or product. Florida Country Magazine specifically disclaims any liability related to these expressions and opinions. Florida Country Magazine is not responsible for any unsolicited submissions. The advertiser agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the publishers from all liability.
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FCM CIRCLE
THERE’S NO ‘I’ IN TEAM
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MANY HANDS, MANY THANKS
n the hustle and bustle of getting each issue to print, it’s often easy to overlook the many hands involved in its production. We begin with fascinating people who let us disrupt their lives and homes with photo shoots, interviews and ultimately trusting us to tell their stories. But how does the story even get to us? Most of the time it’s our readers, or simply a writer working on one story that leads to another. We receive so many fascinating emails and messages that the stories just keep coming. An example is Miracle, a blind horse that barrel races, pole bends and jumps—the ultimate bond between rider and horse. When I received that email, I couldn’t even grasp that a blind horse barrel races, but I wanted to know more and knew you would, too (page 16). What about 15-year-old, award-winning chef Taylor Sanders? Most kids these days are stuck on their phones or playing video games. Not her—she’s taking her culinary skills to whole new levels (page 46). And another chef, John Anderson from Babcock Ranch’s Gator Shack Restaurant, is so passionate about his cooking and just an all-around great person! You’ll want to keep going back again and again (page 50). Or the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, a statewide nonprofit offering a support system to cattlemen/ cattlewomen so they can work their ranches and support their families. A great organization, always dedicated to their cattle ranchers, agricultural research, education, preservation of our state’s green ranchland and much more (page 36). Even though you send us great story ideas, we’ve got to get it to the pages of Florida Country Magazine—and
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that takes amazing writers willing to tackle anything we assign them, even if it requires getting on a horse. I think by now they all own a pair of muck boots. When we get all of this material in, it then goes to our wonderful designer, who selects the best images and designs the pages, bringing the stories to life. Then it’s off to our production, editing and proofreading staff, who finesse the words and make the images sing. Meanwhile, our ad reps are constantly busy, encouraging clients to support our endeavors with their advertisements. Behind the scenes there are yet more people working in our circulation, marketing and subscription departments. As always, my heartfelt thanks go to each and every one of them. And, of course, to our readers, who so kindly pick up or subscribe to our magazine and provide the most inspiring feedback on each issue. Each and every one of you is vital to Florida Country Magazine and we appreciate your support. The campfire never stops burning, but sometimes you just need to stop and reflect. Make sure that everyone on your team knows how much they mean to you and just say, “Thank you.” I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. We look forward to bringing you the next one. SCARLETT REDENIUS, Publisher
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VET VIEW
GOOD FARRIER RELATIONS FOR A SOUND HORSE PICKING THE RIGHT EQUINE HOOF CARE SPECIALIST
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Written by: Susan E. Blackwell, CVT
he old adage “No foot, no horse” is indeed a fact if you want your horse to perform to its maximum potential on four sound feet. In addition to the simple daily tasks of maintaining the health of your horse’s feet, you’ll want to employ the services of a capable farrier to keep your horse’s hooves in excellent condition.
Association, or AFA: americanfarriers.org/find_a_farrier. It is an excellent resource to assist you in locating a capable farrier in your area.
While conferring with your veterinarian, other horse owners, and trainers, also check this link offered by the American Farrier’s
Along with researching your prospective farrier’s qualifications, here are a few inquiries that can assist you in finding
MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN FARRIER’S ASSOCIATION ARE TESTED AND THEN CERTIFIED.
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Members of the AFA are tested and then certified. Its certification categories—depending on level of skill—are as follows: Certified Farrier, then Certified Tradesman Farrier, and eventually Certified Journeyman Farrier.
out more information about how he or she works:
educate you about their hoof findings and their intentions?
• Does the farrier perform only barefoot trims or is he/she set up to shoe as well as trim?
• How do the farrier’s fees fit into your budget? Unlike the occasional veterinarian appointment, your horse needs hoof work every four to eight weeks, and the expenses can add up.
• Is the farrier familiar with the logistics and rules of your particular equine pursuit and/or the breed of horse that you own? • Is the farrier courteous and respectful of your appointment time? • Is the farrier willing to engage in a discussion with your veterinarian and you regarding your horse’s hoof care needs? And are both willing to be educated, and in turn, willing to
To keep your horse moving as well as possible, good daily maintenance and mutual respectful teamwork—with good communication between your veterinarian and farrier—are all important aspects of maintaining the maximum athletic use of your horse. Susan E. Blackwell, CVT, Calusa Equine Veterinary Services
THE PERFECT VIEWS X-RAYS ARE KEY TO HOOF HAPPINESS
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Written by: Emma J. Morse, DVM
First, as a team, the vet and farrier can help decide when your horse should be shod or trimmed, and whether it be every four, five, six or eight weeks. If your horse has a problem such as white line disease, or mismatched feet (one club foot, one with underrun heels), then a shorter shoeing interval may help your team stay on top of the issues. Second, and most importantly, your vet-farrier team can also help prevent lameness issues by using digital radiography to
Staff members at Calusa Equine Veterinary Services in North Fort Myers, Florida, use digital radiography to take X-rays of an equine patient's feet.
PHOTO CREDIT
RIGHT PHOTO BY HARMONY BLACKWELL
hen it comes to maintaining your horse’s hoof health, it is imperative that your veterinarian and farrier work well together concerning diagnostics and treatment plans. And always make sure the team has a decent place to work, such as a flat surface under a roof, and a reasonable place to watch your horse move, such as a long, flat driveway.
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VET VIEW
FRONT FEET X-RAYS ALSO SERVE AS A BASELINE TO REFER TO WHEN EVALUATING A LAMINITIS (FOUNDER) CASE.
At Calusa Equine, we have created a package of X-rays called the “Farrier Views,” which includes a lateral (side view) and dorsopalmar (front view) radiograph of each front foot. These views allow the vet and farrier to evaluate various angles of the bones of the feet in a consistent way, allowing them to check and see if there are positive or negative changes over time. These views evaluate the hoof-pastern-axis angle, the palmar-heel angle, toe length, sole depth, overall balance and heel height. Front feet X-rays also serve as a baseline to refer to when evaluating a laminitis (founder) case. Horses with laminitis can have rotation of the coffin bone and defects can be seen in the inflamed lamina. Therefore it is critical to have older normal X-rays to use for comparison. Emma J. Morse, DVM, Calusa Equine Veterinary Services
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PHOTO COURTESY OF CALUSA EQUINE VETERINARY SERVICES
take X-rays of the feet every six to 12 months. They should be done more frequently if treating laminitis or white line disease.
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FLORIDA 4-H
FORGET WHAT YOU HERD … FLORIDA 4-H DAIRY PROGRAMS ARE MORE THAN MILK attle are pretty amazing animals. They are upcyclers that take grass and convert it into something useful and nutritious—such as beef and dairy products. While Florida remains one of the top beef producing states, its dairy industry is still producing wholesome, nutritious milk from about 120,000 head of milking cows. That ranks 18th nationally, according to the USDA.
Milking Shorthorns are an old breed that were even prominent in Colonial times, when they were used for milk, meat and as draft animals. The Florida 4-H Youth Development Program offers many opportunities for young people interested in learning about dairy science, or who might want to raise a calf of their own. In Florida 4-H, young people can purchase a dairy heifer and raise that animal to show. Many 4-H’ers choose to keep the same animal for several years and use her as a family milk cow.
There are several breeds of dairy cattle in the nation. Holsteins are the big black and white cows seen at most dairies in Florida, and which typically produce the most milk. Jerseys are smaller or medium-sized brown or tan cows and usually produce the richest milk with the highest amount of cream. Brown Swiss are a large brown breed that are good producers. Guernsey cows are very beautiful fawn and white animals of a medium size. They produce very rich milk with a yellow tinge—because of high amounts of beta carotene. Ayrshires, native to Scotland, are a medium-sized red and white breed.
But not everyone wants to milk a cow twice a day, so some members sell their heifer when she gets old enough to come into production. Sometimes dairies lease animals to youths who live in town and want the experience of working with a dairy animal. In addition to hands-on experience, there are other ways young people can get involved with a 4-H dairy project. The dairy quiz bowl program is a fun contest in which young people answer questions about dairy science—in a format similar to a game show. Several contests occur annually around the state. Top entrants represent Florida 4-H at national competitions at the National Guernsey Convention and the National Holstein Convention. In dairy cattle judging, young people demonstrate their knowledge and ability in selecting and evaluating different breeds and ages. A group of four dairy animals of the same breed and same general age, known as a class, is presented to the young people. They evaluate the quality of each animal’s
At left, the author's son, Chandler, with his 4-H project Guernsey heifer, Crystal. Some project participants get involved in dairy cattle judging, as shown below left. Other 4-H'ers keep their animal as a family milk cow (below right).
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TOP PHOTO BY CHRIS DECUBELLIS; OTHER PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY OF UF/IFAS COMMUNICATIONS
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Written by: Chris Decubellis
Above are photos from decades past, showing 4-H dairy project participants. The work ethic and skills learned pay dividends throughout the participants' lives.
udder, dairy strength, feet and leg structure, and frame, and rank the animals from highest quality to lowest in their class. During the contest, young people will place several classes of cows and heifers, and present oral reasons for some of those classes. The contest teaches decision-making skills, public speaking, and critical-thinking skills. Top dairy cattle judges in Florida 4-H are also invited to represent the organization in national contests. My son, Chandler, was active in the dairy project in 4-H, raising a Holstein, a Jersey and a Guernsey heifer. He entered dairy quiz bowl contests and competed in Pennsylvania and Missouri—learning responsibility and a strong work ethic through his participation. If a young person has an interest in veterinary medicine,
the dairy project is a fantastic way to learn a tremendous amount of science and hands-on skills that will help prepare him or her for that career path. There are also jobs in the dairy industry that need a future generation of scientists, farmers and salespeople. Even if the dairy project doesn’t lead a young person to a career in the dairy industry, the work ethic and skills learned will pay dividends for the rest of the person’s life. Young people ages 8 to 18 who are interested in the dairy program should contact a local county 4-H agent, or Chris Decubellis at cdecube@ufl.edu. Chris Decubellis is the Associate State 4-H Program Leader with UF/IFAS Extension. A native Floridian and a member of a west Pasco County pioneer family, Chris lives on a small cow-calf operation and family farm in Archer, Florida.
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HORSIN' AROUND
BONDING WITH A BLIND HORSE LOTS OF WORK AND LOVE GAVE MIRACLE A MUCH-NEEDED MAKEOVER
PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY OF JANET WALLACE
Written by: Ava Isabel Grace
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MIRACLE WAS CONSIDERED BY SOME TO BE “DAMAGED GOODS,” AND UNTAMED, UNFRIENDLY AND UNRULY.
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atching a horse maneuver barrels with grace, weave poles with agility and “wow” the crowd with its sheer presence is impressive and inspiring. Watching a blind horse do it is even more astonishing.
Meet Miracle, a 19-year-old Andalusian who was, ironically, named at birth. She was born blind yet has overcome more obstacles than barrels, poles and heats—and has managed to gallop into a life of winning ribbons and pleasing crowds. While young, Miracle wound up in the wrong hands and was put out to pasture with no protection, little grass and little care. She’d circle nervously and walk clumsily, had a dull coat and lacked muscle tone and weight. She was lonely, untrustworthy and cautious. When Miracle was about 8 years old, her life changed when Janet Wallace stepped into it. Wallace boarded her adopted quarter horse, Obie, where Miracle was. “When I first saw her [Miracle], the rays of the sun glowed on her,” Wallace explains. “I felt like she was staring straight into my soul … like she was begging for me to give her a chance.” Miracle’s owners weren’t in good standing with Wallace, because of Obie’s poor care, and Wallace was seeking another barn. She says her friend Julie Granieri-Jaudeau “encouraged me to take Miracle away” and Wallace will always be grateful. After a few choice words and negotiations with Miracle’s owners, Wallace managed to “escape” with Obie—and Miracle. Miracle was considered by some to be “damaged goods,” and untamed, unfriendly and unruly. As a lifelong rider, Wallace knew she had a long road ahead to get Miracle to calm down. She says many people told her the situation was impossible and Miracle should be put down. Even her husband, Brad, although supportive, was a bit worried. But as the months went by, slowly but surely, Miracle blossomed into becoming the miracle that she is today. Initially, Wallace had to “prove to her that she could touch her without hurting her. At first, she permitted me to only lightly touch her neck.”
PHOTO CREDIT INFO
Miracle relied on hearing, smelling, feeling, and natural instincts, to navigate her world. Wallace proceeded gradually with kind words, plenty of apples and carrots, and even cherry blossom scent to help Miracle make positive connections to new places and experiences.
Far left, owner Janet Wallace rides Miracle, who was born blind, in a keyhole event. Near left is a photo of Miracle having a temper tantrum not long after Wallace adopted her. Wallace worked very hard to help Miracle calm down, and now the horse loves long walks and socializing. At right, Miracle learns to step over small jumps. F LO R I D A C O U NTRYM A G A Z I N E . C O M
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HORSIN' AROUND
From left: Wallace rides Miracle in a pole event. The horse has won many ribbons and crowds always cheer the impressive duo. An old photo shows the first time Miracle let Wallace touch her. Miracle is 19 years old and was adopted by Wallace 11 years ago.
After many months, Wallace finally took Miracle to a round pen to see how the horse would react when she sat on her. “Once she understood what I wanted to do, she stood still and allowed me to do so, and this was a monumental leap of faith for both of us.”
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enjoys going for long walks and during them, Wallace and Miracle talk the entire time. “The two of us talk about how to solve the world’s problems,” Wallace says with a smile. “The last 11 years with Miracle have been an adventure. At times, it’s been a tough, slippery mountain to climb.”
The road to ribbons took even more time. Miracle first learned to trot by following another horse. She learned barrels by first walking them and learned poles through the verbal cues of “left” and “right.”
With her can-do attitude, Miracle proves that a disability is never an inability. “She refuses to say ‘no’ to anything,” Wallace notes. She says her main goal is to help people understand that a blind horse is still first and foremost a horse, and even a disabled horse can be helped and have a wonderful quality of life. Wallace, 65 and a resident of Fort Pierce, Florida, continues to work with Miracle to compete—and win—in local competitions.
Miracle is boarded at a private facility where she is loved. She
Ava Isabel Grace is a Florida resident who loves the country.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF JANET WALLACE
“I came up with catchphrases that she understood, such as ‘necklace’ for halter and ‘hat’ for fly mask. And slowly I introduced her to Obie” via scent of shared blanket, Wallace says. “These days, they are the best of friends.”
HORSIN' AROUND
BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN OF FLORIDA LEFT AND RIGHT PHOTOS BY KYM ROUSE HOLZWART; MIDDLE INSET PHOTOS BY KAREN PANDO
KEEPING TRAILS ON THE STATE'S PUBLIC LANDS OPEN FOR ALL!
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Written by: Kym Rouse Holzwart
s the need for a unified voice for keeping trails open on our public lands continues to grow—because of increased use, increased user conflict and decreased agency budgets—the first Back Country Horsemen of America, or BCHA, chapter in Florida was formed in 2007. A state chapter, Back Country Horsemen of Florida, or BCHFL, was later created, and local BCHFL chapters are rapidly forming throughout the state. There are now six local BCHFL chapters—with hundreds of members! Back Country Horsemen of Southeast Ocala Forest started in 2015 to serve Ocala National Forest, and Suwannee Valley Back Country Horsemen was created in 2017 for the Suwannee Valley and Lake City area. This year, Sarasota Back Country Horsemen formed to serve the Sarasota area, and Back Country Horsemen First Coast was created for the St. Johns County area. This exciting growth of BCHFL means that its voice and influence continue to grow in Florida when dealing with land managers, government officials and the equestrian community.
Back Country Horsemen of America started as a grass-roots effort in Montana and Idaho during the 1970s. Its goals include the sensible use of America’s back country and wilderness areas; ensuring that public lands remain open to recreational use; assisting land management agencies with the creation, improvement, maintenance and management of trails; educating and encouraging participation in sustainable trail use, and encouraging new state and local chapter formation. Additional groups from Washington and California joined the cause. By the mid-1980s, a BCHA constitution was adopted, with a board of directors elected from each state. BCHA has since grown steadily in the four founding states, as well as across the country. Currently, there are almost 200 state and local chapters in 34 states, with about 13,000 members. The chapters are dedicated to keeping trails open not only for equestrians but also for all users on our public lands. In Florida, BCHFL, which became a BCHA state chapter in 2014, is working hard to keep the trails on the state’s public lands open for all. Similar to what happened in Montana 45
Far left, a member of Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen maintains trail markings and signs in the Croom Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest and (above) clears fallen trees. Inset photos show smiling members of Back Country Horsemen of Southeast Ocala Forest, after working hard on trails in Ocala National Forest.
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HORSIN' AROUND years ago, the organization started in Florida as a grass-roots effort in Kathy Thompson’s and Truman Prevatt’s living room in Brooksville 14 years ago. At the time, there were many issues regarding the equestrian trails in Withlacoochee State Forest: They included limited communication between the large equestrian community and the Florida Forest Service, the community’s lack of trust of land managers, land managers’ frustration with equestrians, equestrian clubs that were not united or compatible, lack of a safe equestrian trail system, and conflicts between other user groups.
Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen members recently helped the Florida Forest Service, shown above, redo one of the equestrian trailheads in the Croom Tract.
THERE ARE NOW SIX LOCAL BCHFL CHAPTERS—WITH HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS!
ROUNDUP
Back Country Horsemen of America: 860-586-7540, bcha.org Back Country Horsemen of Florida: 352-584-0002, bchfl.org Florida Forever Back Country Horsemen: 352-628-2973, ffbch.org Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen: 352-799-9272, naturecoastbch.org Go to Facebook for information on Back Country Horsemen of Southeast Ocala Forest, Suwannee Valley Back Country Horsemen, Back Country Horsemen First Coast and Sarasota Back Country Horsemen.
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PHOTO BY ANN HOPTA
Florida Forever Back Country Horsemen was formed as a BCHA affiliate chapter to unify the area’s equestrian community—and because BCHA’s goals were consistent with the needed solutions. After years of hard
work, a partnership and trust were built between the equestrian community and the Florida Forest Service, and miles of safe, well-marked horse trails were created and mapped. Trail system reconnaissance and maintenance is done by the group’s volunteers. The Withlacoochee State Forest horse trails are now model trail systems, and the group is well established, promotes good relations with land managers, encourages good trail etiquette, conducts trail maintenance, organizes work days and provides strong leadership in resolving trail issues on our public lands. In 2014, the affiliate chapter was split into two local BCHFL chapters: Florida Forever Back Country Horsemen focuses primarily on the Citrus Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest, while Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen serves the Croom Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest, Withlacoochee State Trail and Lake Townsen Preserve.
While riding (above), members of Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen also regularly clear Croom Tract trails. Below is another photo taken when members assisted the Florida Forest Service.
Next time you are enjoying a trail, remember that it is there because of the hard work of volunteers. Help keep trails on Florida’s public lands open, and join BCHFL, join a local chapter near you—or start a new local chapter.
TOP PHOTO BY KYM ROUSE HOLZWART; BOTTOM PHOTO BY ANN HOPTA
Kym Rouse Holzwart is a multi-generational native Floridian, an ecologist, co-proprietor of Spotted Dance Ranch, and has been a free-lance and technical writer for more than 30 years.
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FLORIDA HARVEST
A STORY OF FAMILY AND MISSION BETHEL FARMS HAS NEW CULTURE AND BUSINESS VISION
hen we drove onto Bethel Farms in Arcadia, Florida, to meet owners Kim and Will Nugent, we entered 2,300 acres planted in sod, grass plugs and citrus. The land is part of the Nugent family’s more than 4,000-acre natural turf grass enterprise across the state. Arcadia means pastoral simplicity and happiness—a sense we experienced while traveling through Bethel Farms’ roads. There were neatly planned fields providing beautiful “optics” for the more than 100 plantsmen and administrators who manage, plow, seed, fertilize, irrigate and mow, in addition to harvesting and packing sod and grass plugs throughout the year. We observed colorful arching rainbows— compliments of giant sprinklers. However, most of the watering system is unseen and runs through underground conduits that are engineered for water conservation. Walter Bethel, Kim Nugent’s father, started Bethel Farms in 1958. Will Nugent started working for Walter Bethel shortly
before he and Kim married in the early 1980s. Will learned the basics of the sod business from his father-in-law, and through studying and hard work. Bethel Farms was continued by Kim and Will after her parents passed away. And although they have experienced their share of tough times, their faith in each other and in God has helped them build a new culture and business vision. The result is an international sod and plug farm that distributes its harvests through big box chains across the country, under a company known as Harmony Outdoor Brands. Bethel Farms formed that company in 2010. The Nugent children, Ashley, Jason and Tyler, have also joined the family business and the executive team. Bethel Farms grows Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia sod and grass plug varieties. In addition, it has produced proprietary brands owned exclusively by Bethel Farms. When asked how they developed a proprietary grass, Will
At left, Kim and Will Nugent pose for a photo with their newest family member, Lily.
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PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE BY JIMMY PETERS
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Written by: Jimmy Peters
Clockwise from bottom: A sprinkler waters sod fields at Bethel Farms, which has an attractive entrance sign. The Nugent family also grows oranges. St. Augustine grass plugs are prepared for shipping; the grass is readied for harvest.
OUT OF AN ENTIRE FIELD OF GRASS, WE SELECT INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS OF GRASS THAT SEEM TO BE GROWING BETTER THAN THE REST AND THEN WE GROW THEM OUT.
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FLORIDA HARVEST
At left, the lodge's great room provides a pool table and comfortable seating in front of the grand fireplace. Beautiful oaks (above) surround the lodge. Below, an on-site saw mill is used to build the farm's pallets. More than 10,000 pallets are kept on hand to ship sod and plugs throughout the country.
Bethel Farms, in partnership with Scotts Miracle-Gro, has recently developed a new type of St. Augustine called “ProVista,” and Will says the first press releases about it came out this past spring. Bethel Farms’
website is bethelfarms.com and includes information on its varieties of sod and plugs. Hunting, family and spirituality inspired the Nugents to create a hunting retreat right in the midst of Bethel Farms—for family, friends and spiritual retreat participants. The Nugents explain that they created the special setting so people “could get away from their normal activities to reacquaint themselves with one another and with God.” The charming wooden lodge and additional bunkhouse sleep a total of 30 and the buildings blend into the landscape of live oaks. Conversational gathering areas are both outside at the picnic pavilion and inside in the lodge’s great room. A day in Arcadia at Bethel Farms is a peaceful reminder of family, faith and community and exemplifies simplicity and happiness. Jimmy Peters is a writer and photographer living in Arcadia, Florida.
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answers, “Out of an entire field of grass, we select individual sections of grass that seem to be growing better than the rest and then we grow them out. A golf course once asked us to grow out a particular selection of grass solely for their operation.”
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RODEO PROFILES
60-PLUS AND STILL STEER WRESTLING WHO SAYS SPORTS ARE JUST FOR THE YOUNG?!
uring regular weekdays, William H. Hallman III wears a black robe to work and is addressed as “Your Honor.” Appointed to the circuit court in 2003 by former Gov. Jeb Bush, Hallman is a sitting judge in Florida’s Fifth Judicial Circuit. But on weekends, he’s just called “Bud” and there’s a good chance you’ll find him atop his horse, Jake, awaiting his turn to enter the arena as one of Florida’s premier steer wrestlers! Hallman’s rodeo career spans more than five decades, and his impressive list of wins covers that same time period. Not many athletes, whatever their sport, can make such a claim. His first year was 1972, when he traveled with his teacher and mentor Leroy Mason to the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo. Hallman met—and was beaten by— roughstock champ Matt Condo. The very next year began Hallman’s success as a bull-dogger, qualifying for the Florida Cowboys Association State Finals. As a member of the Rodeo Cowboys Association (which was the precursor to the current Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association), he won the Tallahassee Rodeo and placed at numerous others. Mason continued to mentor Hallman and introduced him to the International Rodeo Association, which is now known as the International Professional Rodeo Association. Hallman’s most notable win in 1974 was the Indiantown Rodeo. And starting in 1973, Hallman qualified for 17 consecutive Florida Cowboys Association State Finals, becoming the State Steer
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Wrestling Champion in 1986 and 1989. Over the five-year period from 1975 to 1980, Hallman’s name was often found on top of the leaderboard, notably at the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Bowling Green, Kentucky, rodeos, as well as repeat wins at the Davie Orange Blossom Rodeo right here in his home state. The 1980s was another decade of wins for this veteran bulldogger with his unorthodox style. In addition to being the FCA State Champion, the year 1986 saw Hallman also garner the title of IPRA Southeastern Region Steer Wrestling Champion. That qualified him for the International Finals Rodeo as a member of the elite “Top 15 Steer Wrestlers in the World”! The first half of the ’90s saw Hallman join the PRCA, and he qualified several times for its Southeastern Circuit Finals. Hallman then took a 13-year hiatus to concentrate on his “real” job of lawyering. But because of his love of rodeo, and prompted by friend and fellow bull-dogger Spunk Sasser, Hallman returned to the sport—with a vengeance. He qualified for—and won!—the Southeastern Circuit Finals the following year, 2009. And in 2010, at the tender age of 57, he took it up a notch, qualifying for the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, then held in Pocatello, Idaho. The current decade has seen the judge slow down somewhat. Despite his win at the 2014 North Fort Myers Pro Rodeo, Hallman is considering the “R word”— retirement. He’s deciding whether he wants to compete against fellows 40 years younger than him. “And I’d better decide before they become 50 years younger than me!” he quips.
PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY OF BUD HALLMAN
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Written by: Kathy Ann Gregg
Clockwise from below: William H. "Bud" Hallman III at the 2015 Okeechobee Labor Day Rodeo, with his hazer, John Manson. Hallman was 62 years old at the time of this run! Hallman during one of his many wins at the Orange Blossom Rodeo in Davie, Florida. Hallman, in the 1970s, about to throw the steer. He placed at the Homestead Rodeo with a time of 5.2 seconds.
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RODEO PROFILES Hallman comes from a long line of cattle ranchers, pioneer families from the 1800s with the names Roberts, Smith, Carlton, Hendry and Renfroe. Great-grandfather Robert Roberts started Red Cattle Co., one of the largest cattle ranches in Florida. It is written about in the book The End of the Ox Cart Trail, and Hallman is mentioned therein. His high school years saw him working on the 35,000-acre Cow Creek Ranch in St. Lucie County, then day working at ranches in Hendry, Lee, Okeechobee, Hardee, Broward and Charlotte counties. In between his duties as a judge and his rodeo travels, Hallman is once again building his cattle ranch in Sumter County—as he describes it—“kind of in the woods.” In the country pursuits of rodeo and cattle ranching, you have left an indelible mark, Bud Hallman. For that, thank you! Kathy Ann Gregg is a writer and photographer, specializing in all things rodeo. She and Hallman have been friends since his 2014 win at North Fort Myers.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BUD HALLMAN
After his return to the sport, Hallman qualified in 2010 for the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, when he was 57 years old. The rodeo was then held in Pocatello, Idaho.
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ARCADIA STOCKYARD’S CARL MCKETTRICK JR. CATTLE INDUSTRY LEADER DOING WHAT HE LOVES TO DO
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Written by: Jimmy Peters
n his early years, Carl McKettrick Jr. lived in Citrus County on a farm where his family grew cantaloupe and watermelon, and raised cattle and horses. McKettrick’s education in Florida agriculture and the cattle industry came from his father, the late Carl McKettrick Sr., who was a cattle buyer and a former partner in the Arcadia Stockyard. McKettrick’s dad was his mentor, friend and advocate. His dad’s influence helped form him into a grateful, outgoing man who loves the many aspects of the cattle industry,
including ranching, buying, brokering, education and marketing. McKettrick, since 2012, has been a partner in the Arcadia Stockyard along with his dad’s former partners, Libby Turner McKettrick and Joe Hilliard III. McKettrick summarizes the Arcadia Stockyard by explaining: “We are one of eight registered livestock markets in the state of Florida. We have eight full-time employees and up to 32 part-timers. We currently sell between 110,000 and 130,000 head of cattle a year. They come from as far north as Brooksville and east as far as
Cattle (left) are unloaded before being sold at the Arcadia Stockyard. At right, Joe Hilliard III (left), Carl McKettrick Jr. (middle) and John Court discuss cattle prices at the stockyard.
IN ADDITION TO ALL of his many honors, McKettrick is the 2017 recipient of the Outstanding Rancher and Leader Award.
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Yeehaw Junction, plus most of Southwest Florida.”
Between 110,000 and 130,000 head of cattle are sold annually at the Arcadia Stockyard (above and below). At right, Carl McKettrick Jr. stands in front of the sale pit.
He adds, “Eighty percent of the cattle we sell today will be shipped to north Florida, south Alabama or Georgia, to a preconditioning yard where they will be given all the required vaccinations. They will be sorted by age, size and gender and put out to feed, then sent to the Midwest to put on more weight before being transferred to the packinghouse.”
McKettrick is one of those rare, genuine persons who shines in his profession on many levels. His achievements have derived—as he says in his own words— because “I love what I do and care about relationships.” The many recognitions and awards that have come his way give credence to that statement. In addition to all of his many honors, McKettrick is the 2017 recipient of the Outstanding Rancher and Leader Award, presented by Farm Credit and the Florida Cattlemen’s Association.
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Arcadia Stockyard (above) was built in 2005 by Carl McKettrick Sr., Libby Turner McKettrick and Joe Hilliard III. At right, a 2010 photo shows the late Carl McKettrick Sr. checking on cattle at the stockyard.
MCKETTRICK'S DAD WAS HIS MENTOR, FRIEND AND ADVOCATE.
McKettrick has become a well-known and respected face in the Florida cattle industry. He is involved with Arcadia’s youth, through 4-H, Future Farmers of America, and the Arcadia Youth Rodeo Association. He has donated his time and energy to the board of directors of organizations such as the Florida Beef Council and the High School Rodeo Association, has been president of the Florida Livestock Marketing Association, and he has been involved with local and state cattlemen’s associations. When asked how he defines success, McKettrick replied without hesitation, “Doing what you love to do.” By doing what he loves, there is a universal truth that applies to Carl McKettrick Jr.: He can always be counted on to set excellent standards in health and research, marketing and education for the cattle industry in the state of Florida. Jimmy Peters is a writer and photographer living in Arcadia, Florida.
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LEFT PHOTO BY JIMMY PETERS; RIGHT PHOTO COURTESY OF ARCADIA STOCKYARD
When his dad passed away in 2012, memorial contributions were earmarked for a scholarship fund that continues today. Four scholarships, each worth $500, are awarded to graduating DeSoto High School seniors to help further their education. In addition, two scholarships, each worth $1,000, are awarded to college seniors who are continuing their graduate degrees in agriculture.
BOTTOM IRGHT PHOTO COURTESY OF C.J. CARTER; OTHER PHOTO BY MEAGAN WATKINS/MDW PHOTOGRAPHY
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THE COWBOY LEGACY WAY OF LIFE FOR RANCH FOREMAN C.J. CARTER AND CREW
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Written by: Clint Raulerson
.J. Carter walks to the barn at 5 a.m. to feed the horses and start his morning. He saddles a bay stocking-legged gelding and prepares for a day of gathering cattle in a pasture known as Carson Jam.
Carter is this ranch’s foreman. Today, he and his crew of cowboys will cover several thousand acres of country, gathering 400 head of cattle. It is spring branding time and tomorrow they will vaccinate the cattle and mark and brand the calves before driving them back to their home pasture. It sounds like something from a place far west of the Mississippi, maybe in the brush country of west Texas or the mountains and prairies of Montana. But this is in a place
far, far away from the American West. This is on a cattle ranch just north of the Florida Everglades, near the small farming and ranching community of Immokalee. Forty miles inland from the white sand beaches and three hours south of the tourist city of Orlando, Carter and his crew carry on a tradition and the work that’s been done for centuries by the cattlemen and women of Florida. Many are surprised to learn there were cattle in Florida long before the cow-drives up the Chisholm Trail or the storied ranches of the Wild West. As a matter of fact, the first cattle in the continental United States were actually in Florida. Cattle ranches—large and small—throughout the state hold a current inventory of around 1.7 million
Below, the young guns push a herd of cattle down the lane. Bottom right, ranch foreman C.J. Carter holds his young daughter, Addie.
CARTER AND HIS CREW CARRY ON A TRADITION AND THE WORK THAT’S BEEN DONE FOR CENTURIES BY THE CATTLEMEN AND WOMEN OF FLORIDA. F LO R I D A C O U NTRYM A G A Z I N E . C O M
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At left, Carter gets his saddle ready for the day. Right and below, far inland from the white sand beaches of the coasts is a world of cattle and cowboys.
THIS IS IN A PLACE FAR, FAR AWAY FROM THE AMERICAN WEST.
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Carter (right) knows that just as it was 100 years ago, a horse and dogs are still the easiest way to handle cattle in the rough woods and marsh country of south Florida.
PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE BY MEAGAN WATKINS/ MDW PHOTOGRAPHY
head of beef cattle, keeping the industry alive and well in the Sunshine State. The hardy men and women who make up this Florida ranching community have withstood many challenges and obstacles. Low beef prices, cattle sickness, drought, seasonal flooding and encroaching urban sprawl—to name a few—come with the territory. But they keep on working every day, just like their parents and grandparents did. From the Panhandle to the Everglades, these people hold on to their cowboy way of life. “Cowboying” is in Carter’s blood. His grandfather, Gene Carter, was the foreman on this same ranch nearly 50 years ago. When asked what it means to ride the same country as his granddaddy before him, C.J. Carter replies as one would figure: “It means the world to me. But more importantly, I’m continuing a legacy, so my own children can grow up just as I did. It’s about the children. It’s about our future.” Clint Raulerson is a South Florida rancher, writer and public speaker who recently published his first book, Cowboy Legacy: A Lifetime in the Saddle. It’s a collection of poetry and short stories derived from a lifetime of “cowboying” experience. F LO R I D A C O U NTRYM A G A Z I N E . C O M
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COMMITTED TO THE INDUSTRY STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION ROCKS! Written by: Kathy Ann Gregg
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he word “cowboy” evokes images of riding the range out west, and of the rugged Marlboro Man from the old TV commercials. Well, the truth is, Florida has had cowboys and cattle ranches longer than many of the western states, and remains in the Top 10 of U.S. cow-calf operations. So it should come as no surprise of the importance the Florida Cattlemen’s Association plays in this industry. The statewide, non-profit organization was founded in 1934 and flourishes to this day. Women are welcome to join and there is also the Florida CattleWomen's organization. And while members do have social occasions, this is one organization that is serious about its mission—to provide Florida’s cattlemen/cattlewomen with a support system so they can work their ranches and support their families without having to go it alone. Florida’s cattle industry is one of the 15 largest in the country. And Florida cattle ranchers are dedicated to the preservation of the state’s green ranchland. A look at the association’s committees displays its commitment to the industry—agricultural research and education, animal health and inspection, environmental and private lands management, marketing, grading and food policy, and foreign trade, to name a few. Legislative committee members make visits to state and federal lawmakers as often as something arises that impacts the industry. And while this has been a quiet year for that committee, its members are proud to have aided in having the Florida Cracker cow and horse designated as the “State Cow” and “State Horse.”
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You don’t have to be a cattleman to be a member of the association. It has “allied” memberships, for feed manufacturers and stores, companies that supply fencing options, fertilizer and nutritional supplements companies, veterinary supply companies, and anything and everything you could possibly use in running a ranch. There are feed lots and companies to raise your calves for you, and options for processing your harvest. In fact, 13 state ranchers recently banded together to establish Florida Cattle Ranchers, with the beef a “Fresh From Florida” product. The calves are born and raised in Florida, and the meat is sold as a Florida product, and can be found in the Publix chain of grocery stores. The processing can be done out of state (usually Georgia), but then must promptly come back to Florida to qualify for the use of this brand. The association is also proud to have established the 501(c)(3) Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation. It is dedicated to sustaining a viable ranching industry through the development of future leaders and preserving its rich history. One of the historical projects is the ranching exhibit permanently housed at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. Funds raised are distributed in the areas of research, educational programs and leadership development programs. The Florida Cattlemen’s Leadership Class recently graduated its fourth class. The 12 participants spent the prior year touring facilities throughout the state to cover all aspects of the cattle industry.
TOP PHOTO COURTESY OF APRIL WALKER; MIDDLE RIGHT PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT PEARCE; SECOND TO BOTTOM PHOTO COURTESY OF DUSTY HOLLEY; ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY KATHY ANN GREGG
The major fundraiser for the Cattlemen’s Foundation is the Ranch Rodeo Finals & Cowboy Heritage Festival, held annually at the end of September at Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee. This year marks its 11th anniversary. (See the February/March 2018 issue of Florida Country Magazine for 2017 coverage of the event.) Something that may be little known—Florida cattle ranchers are environmentalists. Water on most ranches is filtered through the swamps and sloughs, such that it has been “cleaned” prior to reaching the major water reservoirs. This recharges the aquifer, grows grass and produces oxygen necessary to maintain Florida’s unique wildlife, as well as their cattle. Additionally, they keep their lands in a fashion that the corridors needed for wildlife are not broken or disrupted.
Above, the 2018 Cattlemen’s Leadership Class poses at June's annual convention with Florida Cattlemen’s Association incoming president Alex Johns (third from left in front row) and outgoing president Ken Griner (far right). Below, Leadership Class members Will Bangerter and Matt Pearce flank U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL 3rd District) during their visit to Washington, D.C. Below left, field services director Dusty Holley, Griner, Johns and Jim Handley do a bit of legislative lobbying among the cherry blossoms! At left, Johns and Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam stand next to the Seminole Tribe’s “Eat More Beef” sign.
Among others, the Bull Hammock Ranch in Fort Pierce was a past winner of the Ag-Environmental Stewardship Award. It was lauded for its innovative water policies, including retention projects to protect nearby watersheds, and a plan to restore wetlands to their native state. And the concept of conservation easements will help keep Florida’s green ranchlands. The Adams Ranch, covering parts of St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Osceola counties, had its fourth conservation easement approved on July 31, 2017. That action is helping to fulfill the dreams of the recently deceased patriarch of the ranch and former president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, Alto “Bud” Adams Jr. Matt Pearce, a sixth-generation cattle rancher from Okeechobee and president-elect of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, recently attended the Young Cattlemen’s Conference sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. There were 61 attendees from around
Up to the right is a group photo of buyers and sellers that was taken after the bull auction. Far right, Doyle Carlton III receives the Florida State Fair award from Johns and Griner. Near right, Todd and Millie Carlton Bolin pose with Flint Johns at the Cattlemen’s Supper. F LO R I D A C O U NTRYM A G A Z I N E . C O M
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Clockwise from above left: The 2017-2018 Executive Committee spends time on horseback at the Seminole Tribe's Big Cypress ranch. Other photos are of allied members at their booths during the Allied Trade Show at June's annual convention.
the country. They undertook intensive training at the group’s Denver headquarters and visited the feed lot and meat packing plant of JBS in Greeley, Colorado.
The Florida Cattlemen’s Association’s annual convention was held again in Orlando this year in June. Alex Johns, director of natural resources for the Seminole Tribe, took over the reins as president. He explained to Florida Country Magazine that his theme for the coming year is “Share Your Passion.” Johns hopes to encourage the cattlemen/cattlewomen of this state to proudly promote what they do, using, among other things, social media. It’s hoped that this article will be a great start! Kathy Ann Gregg is a Florida writer and photographer, and cowboys are a favorite topic of hers. She wishes to thank everyone from the Florida Cattlemen’s Association for taking time out of their busy schedules to assist with this article.
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TOP LEFT BY HEITH CRUM; ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY KATHY ANN GREGG
Attendees also had meetings with executives of McDonald’s Corp. in Chicago, and with the company that “patties” all of the food chain’s hamburgers. The conference ended in Washington, D.C. More than 200 Congressional visits were made, and Pearce himself made seven of these visits.
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RIGHT PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH TAUCHEN; LEFT PHOTO BY KATHY ANN GREGG
MEET YOUR NEW ‘CATTLEMEN’S SWEETHEART’ ELIZABETH TAUCHEN IS SECOND HIGHLANDS COUNTY WINNER
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Written by: Kathy Ann Gregg
ne of the options available that the younger female set can participate in with the Florida Cattlemen’s Association is to become a “sweetheart.” Young ladies between the ages of 18 and 24 are eligible, and each county selects one from its respective applicants.
The title has been held most frequently by the young ladies of Marion County, for a record seven times. That’s followed by six wins for Hillsborough County, five each for Hardee and Manatee counties, and three each for Pasco and Polk counties.
From that list of county sweethearts comes the pool of eligible candidates for the statewide honor of “Florida Cattlemen’s Sweetheart.” The winner is crowned at the Cattlemen’s Supper on the Wednesday of the annual convention each June, and holds the title for the following year.
This year there were eight outstanding contestants from Clay, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Okeechobee, Osceola, Polk and Sarasota counties, all with very impressive résumés. After meeting the judges, PowerPoint presentations, several interviews and an impromptu question-and-answer time, the women donned formal gowns and awaited the crowning.
The 2015 convention marked the contest’s 50th anniversary. Many past titleholders attended, including Cyndi Padrick Watkins, the first sweetheart, who was crowned in 1965. She hailed from Fort Pierce, and was one of two St. Lucie County winners.
What a thrill it was for Elizabeth Tauchen, the sweetheart from Highlands County, to be crowned by Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam! She is the daughter of John and Michelle Tauchen and the second statewide
At right is Elizabeth Tauchen of Highlands County, the 2018-2019 "Florida Cattlemen's Sweetheart." Below, members of the sweetheart court are, from left: "Miss Congeniality" Delanie Bartell, second runner-up Paxton Evans, Tauchen and first runner-up Taylor Nichole Pearce.
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COUNTRY CALIBER “Having gone through a catastrophic event with my local agricultural community, I felt an increased responsibility to learn how to preserve, protect and cultivate the cattle industry” she explains. And now she will have the opportunity to educate different generations on how to support and grow the Florida beef industry. The 2018-2019 sweetheart court also consists of first runner-up Taylor Nichole Pearce of Okeechobee County and second runner-up Paxton Evans representing Imperial Polk County. The winner of the Julia Parrish Spirit Award, also known as “Miss Congeniality,” is Delanie Bartell of Sarasota County. Tauchen poses with members of her family. At right is her boyfriend, Cullen Lovett.
sweetheart to represent Highlands County. Tauchen, 20, was raised on the family ranch that was homesteaded in 1913 by her great-grandfather. While growing up, she worked on the ranch and in its citrus groves—and found time to raise steers as a member of 4-H. She started showing steers at age 8, initiating her interest in the beef industry, and continued to do so through graduation from high school.
Tauchen has assumed her official duties. They include writing a monthly column for The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal, carrying the American flag at the upcoming Ranch Rodeo Finals, and representing the beef and cattle industries throughout the state at various functions, to name just a few. Florida Country Magazine congratulates her! Kathy Ann Gregg is a Florida writer and photographer and enjoys meeting these talented young ladies who have such a passion for the beef and cattle industries.
PHOTO BY KATHY ANN GREGG
One of the things that influenced her to compete for the state title was Hurricane Irma, which hit in September 2017.
Kim Welch Strickland has chaired the competition for the past 12 years. The former 1982 Miss Rodeo Florida does a great job running the show. She’s assisted by Kaitlyn Gill-Donley— the 2011-2012 sweetheart, and one of the six Hillsborough County winners—and Lindsey Wiggins of LaBelle.
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PICTURE PERFECT
POND BELLY-FLOPPING
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BOOGER, BROCK AND A CAMERA NAMED BESSIE
Photo by: Dee Dee Wheeler
ey, y’all, my name is Dee Dee Wheeler and I’m a lifelong Florida resident who currently resides in Plant City. Having recently retired from my real job after 29 years, I now enjoy spending time with my hubby, two kids, their spouses and our four amazing grandchildren—who call me Booger!
I’ve been interested in photography all my adult life and have carried a camera along almost everywhere. If I can’t take Bessie (my camera), I ain’t going! When my kids were growing up and exhibiting livestock, I became more serious about my hobby and began to better craft it—I’m a self-taught “family and lifestyle photographer.” As a photographer, I’m always looking for different styles of “photo sessions” that folks might be interested in; hence, the mud picture with our grandson Brock. Realizing that our two older grandsons and two of their friends would love this type of photo session, we all “went for it”—after having had several days of rain and even rain on that day. Brock is known for his belly-flops when swimming, so here is his rendition of pond belly-flopping. This picture was captured with a Canon 6d, using a 70-200mm 2.8 lens!
Every issue of Florida Country Magazine features one or more winning photos from our Facebook photography contest. Look for our next Facebook contest beginning August 1, 2018.
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Written by: CALLY SIMPSON
PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE BY CALLY SIMPSON
I’m going to drive across the state to look at some cows.” That’s the exact statement I made to my mom when I told her about the adventure I’d planned. “You realize the traffic is going to be horrible and you’ll probably need to stay the night?” she retorted, knowing full well that I’d get up early, drive there, do what I needed to do and be home way later than I’d originally told her, not staying overnight. We had similar conversations many times while I was growing up—over various projects I’d taken on—all ending the same way: I’d go off chasing whatever wild hair had taken my fancy and Mom would start calling me about half an hour after I said I’d be home. She’d pretend to believe me when I said I was almost there, even though I was still four hours away. It was a dance we’d been doing for years and we’d both perfected our steps. Just like most of my adventures, no one really understood my exact motives, but this story should put most of that to rest. The cows that I’m so fascinated with, inspiring me to drive 230 miles from one coast of Florida to the other—and through the center of the state, which to me should really be its own country—are more than just any ol’ pasture ornament. They’re Florida Cracker cattle, prestigious creatures imported to North America in the 16th century. The backbone of Florida’s $120 billion agriculture industry, they’re also the jumping-off point for the nation’s current $67.56 billion cattle industry. There’s a good chance the U.S. would not have made it through early hard times without these animals helping fuel the economy.
CONSIDERED A HERITAGE BREED, TODAY THEY ARE BRED MOSTLY FOR POSTERITY’S SAKE.
Opposite page, a Cracker cow hangs out at the Strickland Ranch in Myakka City, Florida. At top, Cracker cattle horns have many different proportions, and the cattle come in a variety of colors and patterns. The Cracker cattle (above) on Strickland Ranch raced across the field to greet me!
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Centuries ago, the original cowboys who roamed Florida rode horses, used dogs and learned to crack a whip to herd these beasts. The distinctive sound these men made with their whips led to their nickname of “Cracker.” The term has gone on to have other meanings, yet at its heart is Florida’s cattle industry—and it is only fitting that our cattle carry that name. While the beef industry has evolved to include breeds from many different countries, none is as specific to Florida as the Cracker. Other breeds perish in the sweltering heat. Most humans and beasts flee from mosquito attacks but Crackers continue to graze peacefully on palmettos. Rivaled only in these traits by Brahman cattle, Crackers edge them out as the perfect breed for Florida because of their ability to exist on the sparse diet that much of the state offers. Long before most of the ranches we associate with the Florida cattle industry were fenced, Cracker cattle roamed across the land and had to be caught and branded before being driven to market. It was survival of the fittest. For these “flight” creatures, that meant hiding in oak hammocks
and palmetto patches that dotted the giant saw grass fields that were rich in nutrients. The breed survived on basically nothing and thrived. They, like most original Floridians, adapted to our state’s distinct environment and climate and “insisted” on survival. Considered a heritage breed, today they are bred mostly for posterity’s sake. Some are cross bred with Angus but because of their small size (most top out at about 700 pounds) and incredibly lean meat, purebred Crackers can’t compete in the global beef production market. For now, a few closed herds remain intact, preserving our traditions and history for generations to come. So you see, the journey that took me across the state, like so many cowboys from the past, wasn’t just to look at some cows in a field. It was to learn about where one of our major industries got its start—and who better to learn from than the original breed! For info, visit floridacrackercattle.org. And I’d like to thank Aaron Grovonsky of Two Son Farm in St. Augustine, Florida, and Reneé Toussaint Strickland of Strickland Ranch and Exports in Myakka City, Florida, for letting me spend time with their Crackers! Cally Simpson is a mother of a beautiful boy and loves to travel around the state commemorating our history and heritage. Check her blog, callyinwonderland.com.
While size usually matters in the cattle industry, true Crackers stay on the small size.
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PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE BY CALLY SIMPSON
Like so many Americans, especially those whose families got their start in Florida, Cracker cattle can trace their heritage to Spain. Through DNA testing, we’re certain the cattle registered as Cracker cattle are related to those brought over on ships. And, as has happened with many immigrants, they were given a new name upon arrival.
WHILE THE BEEF INDUSTRY HAS EVOLVED to include breeds from many different countries, none is as specific to Florida as the Cracker.
At top, the eyes have it, with a little friendly play. Strickland Ranch's bull (right) is helping to ensure we'll have true Crackers in the future!
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alking to Taylor Sanders is like chugging a Red Bull. In a good way.
She’s 15 and full of energy and enthusiasm about what she does, and she does a lot. Most notably, Sanders is an award-winning chef who appeared last year on the Food Network’s Kids BBQ Championship—and won $10,000!
Florida Insider Fishing Report's Brie Gabrielle and Taylor Sanders go over a recipe that Sanders cooked on her FireDisc.
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Since then, she has become a “brand.” Locally, she appeared on the Naples Daily News’ “Storytellers Project” online in a segment titled “Behind the Kitchen Door.” Sanders was in a Great Neighborhood Cooks segment on Fox 4. And the attention she received by appearing on the Food Network led to her becoming a celebrity marketer for FireDisc portable propane cookers. “Ohmygosh,” Sanders says, starting to talk about her FireDisc gig. “I’m a ‘pro ambassador,’ the youngest one they ever had!” Along with her mom, Jessica Blair, Sanders sat and talked at a Naples restaurant one afternoon when she got out of school at Golden Gate High, where she recently finished her freshman
TOP PHOTO BY DAVE COTSMAN; BOTTOM PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDA INSIDER FISHING REPORT
Written by: DAYNA HARPSTER
PHOTOS BY DAVE COTSMAN
Photos are from when Sanders appeared on a segment of Great Neighborhood Cooks. At left, the show's creator, Rob Kircher, and chef Ruth Manchester (right) were amazed by the 15-yearold's poise, ability and performance.
SANDERS’ SUMMER has been stocked with culinary experiences, including a class in New York City and stints at local restaurants.
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year. “I have companies from all over sending me stuff so I’ll try their products.” Sanders’ summer has been stocked with culinary experiences, including a class in New York City and stints at local restaurants. She works with chefs preparing Lebanese, Indian and American food. Sanders also has been on camera for the Florida Insider Fishing Report, which airs on the Fox Sports Sun Channel.
SANDERS HAS COME A LONG WAY from the first kitchen tool she remembers getting when she was about 6 or 7 years old.
Sanders has come a long way from the first kitchen tool she remembers getting when she was about 6 or 7 years old: an Xpress Redi Set Go. It was sold by infomercial and advertised as being “an electric grill that cooks, bakes, steams, fries, and grills in a flash.” Her great-grandmother bought her two or three of them, Sanders says, adding, “But we’re down to one now.” Her great-aunt and great-uncle own a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It’s called Kelly’s Landing New England Seafood Family Restaurant and that’s where her passion for cooking got an early boost. “Ohmygosh, I just remember saying, ‘Uncle Matt, can I go back in the back and make ice cream sundaes?’ I cannot tell you how many ice cream sundaes I made in that kitchen. That was my favorite thing,” Sanders explains. “Also my dad cooks awesome,” she says. “He never writes anything down. … I do that, too, though, with spice rubs. They’ll come out great and then I can’t remember what’s in them.” Sanders’ father and stepmother, Mike and Kara Sanders, own a ranch in Wauchula, Florida. She spends time there and also in Naples with her mother and stepfather, Jessica and Wade Blair. Sanders says she has learned Southern-style cooking from her stepmother. But in Naples, she’s all about “fresh and fancy,” she says. And yes, Sanders is the cook at the Blair house. Even better, she does most of the grocery shopping. “I’d say four or five nights out of seven, we grill,” Sanders says. “We grill everything. Pork chops, chicken, fish.” Jessica Blair pipes in: “I’m her sous-chef. And she’s a messy cook. You can write that down.” Sanders is working on a cookbook that should be published in December. And in the midst of maintaining her Chef Taylor Sanders Facebook and Instagram accounts, she does pole vault for her high school track team and plays golf. Dayna Harpster is a writer, traveler, yogi and friend to animals. She lives in Southwest Florida.
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TOP PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDA INSIDER FISHING REPORT; OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY OF CONSERVANCY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Above, Sanders stands between Florida Insider Fishing Report's Capt. Rick Murphy and Brie Gabrielle. Sanders' mother, Jessica Blair, is at right. Photos below are of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida's 2018 "Magic Under the Mangroves" gala. First photo shows Sanders with Samantha Arner, red-tailed hawk Horatio and Jessica Blair. Bottom photo is of Sanders, chef Brian Roland and auctioneer Scott Robertson.
She supports the Naples nonprofit organization known as Take a Soldier Fishing, and last year she raised $3,000 for it. For the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Sanders paired with well-known local chef Brian Roland on silent auction prizes and a cooking class with another chef, earning about $30,000 for that Naples nonprofit.
PHOTO BY DAVE COTSMAN
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LOCAL FLAVOR
BBQ, COLLARD GREENS AND CORNBREAD! OH, YUM! ‘SOUTHERN COMFORT’ AT BABCOCK RANCH GATOR SHACK RESTAURANT Written by: Mandy Carter
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mmm … “Southern comfort.” Although I’m a fan of the whiskey with that name, I’m not talking about liquor. I’m talking about the “home sweet home” feeling I had as a child while having Sunday dinners at my grandmother’s house in the rolling green acres of Tennessee. It was a tradition to stop by Grammy’s after church for a meat-and-potatoes meal with family and friends. It’s a memory that stirs up emotions and activates my taste buds. Southern cooking is what I was raised on. It was my breakfast, lunch and supper. But now that I’m a transplant in Florida, with children of my own, our daily meals do not reflect the big flavor and down-home comfort I grew up on. So I often seek out foods from my past. Recently, I lucked upon a gem off the beaten path in Southwest Florida: Take your taste buds on a true Southern trip with a visit to the Babcock Ranch Gator Shack Restaurant.
This is country cooking my grandmother would serve. Many diners arrive at the Gator Shack Restaurant by following the enticing smells after taking a swamp buggy eco-tour of Babcock Ranch. But it’s worth wandering your way here just for the food. Chef John Anderson, formerly of John’s Good Food, will not disappoint your Southern food desires when dining at Gator Shack. He has a passion for food and you can’t go wrong with anything you order. Try a dinner of ribs, coleslaw, collard greens (the best around), cornbread and some good ol’ sweet tea to treat your stomach to the comfort feeling that it is craving. After all, an original Southern BBQ menu is truly incomplete without a good rack of ribs.
ROUNDUP Babcock Ranch Gator Shack Restaurant 8000 State Road 31 Punta Gorda, Florida babcockrancheco tours.com/ gatorshack
And there is a lot more to choose from. Chopped pork, light and crispy alligator bites, hush puppies and white chocolate
Clockwise from left: Gator Shack employee Tess, chef John Anderson and Babcock Ranch Eco Tours guide Rhonda. Locally grown vegetables are used by Anderson. The pork sandwich comes with ranch beans and coleslaw. Southern Fuelwood provides the restaurant's charcoal. Bonita residents Lynda and Gordon Rehse, with 7-year-old twin grandsons Luken and Sayer, enjoy their hearty meals. The chopped pork plate includes ranch beans, collard greens and garlic-Parmesan potatoes.
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From left are delicious pieces of cornbread, the rib dinner plate and the swamp seafood platter, which features hand-breaded alligator, shrimp and flounder.
bread pudding are other mouthwatering items on the menu. Like all Southerners would expect, the plates are full, the price tag is low and the people are kind.
Depending on who you ask, the definition of Southern cuisine may vary. However, I think we can all agree that Southern food is comforting. Satisfy your heart, soul and appetite at the Babcock Ranch Gator Shack Restaurant. Mandy Carter, originally from Tennessee, lives in South Florida with her two children and has a passion for travel. She is a digital marketer and professional blogger, and has her own blog at Acupful.com.
PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE BY SCARLETT REDENIOUS
In addition to the friendly, hospitable service “where no one is a stranger,” grabbing a seat at one of the picnic tables in the screened-in dining area reminded me of back porch dining in the middle of the country—the only thing missing was the lightning bugs. Whether or not your grammy served comfort food like mine, make plans to fill up on chef John Anderson’s South-
ern home cooking the next time you are in Southwest Florida.
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FLORIDA EXCURSIONS
A FUN, COLORFUL STAY ON FORT MYERS BEACH
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Written by: Mandy Carter
ocation, location, location! Lighthouse Resort Inn & Suites is located in the ideal spot for an enjoyable stay on Fort Myers Beach. If you are looking for the best hotel rates with a fun atmosphere and friendly service—surrounded by beautiful beaches in a quaint entertainment district—then you are in luck.
Lighthouse Resort Inn & Suites is just footsteps from the heart of Fort Myers Beach, where you will find shopping, dining and many activities. The soft, sandy beach is just one block away from the hotel’s corner spot, a location that feels like paradise. This Southwest Florida hotel is a unique, pet-friendly property with an “island vibe” and “Old Florida” style. The colorful exterior is inviting and full of character. The hotel’s bright rooms are safe, cozy and clean. A variety of room types are available—from a standard motel room to a two-bedroom suite. There are two pools and both of them are heated during the winter months. A picnic area with barbeque grills makes having a casual outdoor meal simple to achieve. And although you can walk to a number of restaurants and bars, you will find it just as pleasing to stay poolside at the resort’s Lighthouse Tiki Bar & Grill. It is a popular spot for locals and visitors alike to grab a drink and some food.
PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY OF PARADISE CREATIVE GROUP
THE PERFECTLY LOCATED HOTEL
The “energetic” full-service bar offers live entertainment, which makes it easy to meet new friends among the regulars and beach guests. The beer is ice cold and the food is delicious—all of which are offered at reasonable prices. When you are ready to explore the surrounding area, take a short walk to Time Square and the pier. Or take a drive to have some adventures off Fort Myers Beach, such as experiencing the world-famous shelling on Sanibel Island—just a few miles away. Go back in time by taking a
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LIGHTHOUSE RESORT INN & SUITES IS JUST FOOTSTEPS FROM THE HEART OF FORT MYERS BEACH.
At left, sun-splashed faces are always found in and around the pools at Lighthouse Resort Inn & Suites. And be sure to "capture" your stay with a one-of-a-kind photo keepsake in the resort’s “welcome” chair, shown above. F LO R I D A C O U NTRY A u g u s t | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 8
Clockwise from top: The resort sits in the heart of Fort Myers Beach, steps from Times Square and the Gulf of Mexico. It offers cozy rooms in which to unwind during your visit. Foliage and a waterfall enhance the ambience at one of the pools. Starry skies and tiki torches add colors of fun to the night air.
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FLORIDA EXCURSIONS
LIGHTHOUSE TIKI BAR & GRILL IS A POPULAR SPOT FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS ALIKE TO GRAB A DRINK AND SOME FOOD. short trip to the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford Winter Estates in downtown Fort Myers. And of course no visit to the region is complete without taking part in a nature experience in the Everglades!
Mandy Carter, originally from Tennessee, lives in South Florida with her two children and has a passion for travel. She is a digital marketer and professional blogger, and has her own blog at Acupful.com.
ROUNDUP Lighthouse Resort Inn & Suites 1051 Fifth Ave., Fort Myers Beach 800-778-7748, lighthouseislandresort.com
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF PARADISE CREATIVE GROUP
The location of this budget-friendly beach hotel certainly makes for a fun getaway in Southwest Florida. Currently, Lighthouse Resort Inn & Suites has a special, limited-time offer: Until Dec. 15, 2018, if you book four nights, you will get a fifth night for free. Plus, as a bonus, you will receive $25 in “Tiki Bucks” to enjoy at the Lighthouse Tiki Bar & Grill!
BOTTOM PHOTO BY RYAN NOEKER; TOP PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCO ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
FLORIDA CHARM
THE MARVELS OF MARCO ISLAND ‘OLD FLORIDA’ HERITAGE AND ‘TRUE FLORIDA’ FEEL
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Written by: Dave Kelly
arco Island’s skyline can be intimidating. High-rise condominiums and resort hotels are everywhere. Fast food restaurants and tourist shops abound on the main drag. Who would guess that Marco is the oldest city in Southwest Florida and is full of wonderful “Old Florida” charm? The city was founded in 1870 by William T. Collier, who developed the north end of the island and christened it “Key Marco” long before Fort Myers and Naples existed. Island history can be traced to the Calusa people in 500 A.D., and a number of Calusa artifacts were discovered on Marco in 1896 by anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing.
December, it will go on exhibit at the Marco Island Historical Museum until April 2021. To find that “Old Florida” feel on the island, you just have to know where to look—and The Boat House This photo of The Boat House Motel, taken in the 1960s, is part of a collection owned by the Marco Island Historical Museum. Below, guests can immerse themselves in Marco's subtrop ical splendor when they have a front seat to it all from the motel.
Most notable is the beautifully carved wooden “Key Marco Cat”—a 6-inch statue that is half feline, half human—and considered one of the most complete examples of pre-Columbian art in North America. It’s displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. This
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FLORIDA CHARM and spot, count and confirm individual dolphin sightings. Passengers serve as “citizen scientists,” assisting dolphin researchers with the 10,000 Islands Dolphins Project. It’s the only ongoing study of bottlenose dolphins in the U.S. that engages with and is supported by the public. Dolphins have called the Ten Thousand Islands home for millennia and it is exciting to be a part of a crew that documents the whereabouts and habits of them as the years go by. “We tell the dolphins apart by their dorsal fins,” explains resident naturalist Kent Morse. As photo ID manager for the project, Morse has collected thousands of photos of individual dolphins in the waters surrounding Marco. Recognized by the many unique attributes of their fins, each dolphin is given a name and its whereabouts and habits are tracked. The project started in 2006 and dozens of dolphins seen that first year still populate local waters.
Motel is a good place to start. It’s located at the historic northern tip of Marco, hugging the banks of Collier Creek, and offers guests “Old Florida” charm with modern amenities. Originally built in the 1960s, The Boat House Motel stays true to its Key Marco roots. With 24 rooms, traditional wooden docks and a waterfront pool, it offers visitors a unique island experience. The location couldn’t be better—guests can fish from the docks, watch breathtaking sunsets and walk to the shops and restaurants of historic “Old Marco.” Snuggled into lush tropical grounds that are “pure Florida,” the motel’s “feel” harkens back to more carefree days. No wonder it is listed No. 1 out of 12 “Historic Marco Hotels.” And for those also looking for excursions that have a “true Florida feel,” check out Dolphin Explorer Cruises. Explore the back part of the bay on Dolphin Explorer, a 30-foot catamaran,
ROUNDUP The Boat House Motel 1180 Edington Place, Marco Island 239-642-2400, theboathousemotel.com
Museum info divides Marco’s history into the Calusa Era, the Pioneer Era and the Modern Era. As its website says, the museum “explores Southwest Florida’s Calusa Indians and brings this vanished civilization to life with informative displays and an exciting recreated village scene.” Displays about the Pioneer Era of 1870 to 1960 document Marco’s growth. Key Marco’s history is showcased in hundreds of pictures, exhibits and artifacts, with info by the museum’s curator of collections, Austin Bell. “Many folks don’t realize the historical significance of Marco Island in Southwest Florida’s history,” Bell says. “It started here—the Collier family built the foundation of the area that would eventually become what it is today.” For those seeking an experience that showcases the best in Southwest Florida history, book a trip to Marco Island. You’ll be sure to enjoy all that this remarkable area has to offer. Dave Kelly is a 45-year resident of Southwest Florida. His travel writing has taken him all over the world, but he always finds his way back to the Florida home that he loves.
The Boat House Motel (inset) is perched on the edge of where the Marco River flows into the Gulf of Mexico (below). Its docks are ideally located for watersports enthusiasts.
The Dolphin Explorer 951 Bald Eagle Drive, Marco Island 877-523-7266, dolphin-study.com/home.htm Marco Island Historical Museum 180 South Heathwood Drive, Marco Island 239-642-1440, colliermuseums.com/about/ museum-locations/marco-islandhistorical-museum
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To “visualize” the island before tourism arrived, visit the Marco Island Historical Museum. Operated by the Marco Island Historical Society, it is part of the Collier County Museum System.
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BOTTOM PHOTOS BY RYAN NOEKER; TOP PHOTO BY KENT MORSE
Passengers on Dolphin Explorer serve as "citizen scientists" and spot, count and confirm individual dolphin sightings.
AT A GLANCE For “fresh Florida dining experiences,” try these two restaurants on Marco: Family-owned Pinchers Crab Shack pursues the concept of “local fishermen fishing local waters for a local restaurant.” From Tampa to the Keys, fishermen and crabbers scour the Gulf, taking the best and freshest catch to Island Crab Company on Pine Island. It is distributed to 13 Pinchers, including the Marco branch at 591 South Collier Blvd.
BOTTOM PHOTO BY DAVE KELLY; TOP PHOTO BY GREGORY TOTH
When looking for breathtaking views and a lively twist on traditional Florida seafood, try The Deck at 560, located at the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa, 560 South Collier Blvd. Open to the public daily, it focuses on locally sourced and sustainable seafood, and farm-fresh produce. The shiso, as well as most of the fresh herbs and produce used by the restaurant, comes from a newly cultivated on-site holistic chef’s garden.
Top is a table view at The Deck at 560. Grouper tacos from Pinchers are shown above. F LO R I D A C O U NTRYM A G A Z I N E . C O M
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THE BRAND
SOUTHERN SWEET TEA COMPANY BOTTLED DRINK FINDS ITS OWN FAST LANE TO SUCCESS
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Written by: Jacob Ogles
uto racing fans know Laura Jean Mammina best for her speed at the track, but she just made it through a business green light in record time as well. The race car driver’s beverage business, Southern Sweet Tea Company, got the go-ahead in late May to start selling the drink to Walmart stores in Florida, a major deal for any family-run business. Already in Winn-Dixie, Lucky’s Market and Bravo Supermarket coolers, the bottled drink has found its own fast lane to success. “We’re selling through product quickly and our brand is getting out there,” she says.
Southern Sweet Tea Company co-owner Laura Jean Mammina is a popular figure among racing audiences. They know her No. 77 from venues such as the 4-17 Southern Speedway in Punta Gorda, Florida.
SOUTHERN SWEET TEA COMPANY’S PRODUCT GETS BREWED WITH ALL-NATURAL, PURIFIED WATER BEFORE THE CUSTOM-BLENDED TEA IS SWEETENED WITH PURE CANE SUGAR. 58
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PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE BY JOSEPH MAMMINA
Laura Jean and her father, Joseph Mammina, started brewing tea to sell trackside to pit crew and later to fans, but over the last couple years realized the potential of bottling the beverage and selling wholesale. After shipping tens of thousands of bottles of tea within a few months of mass production, more Florida
Laura Jean regularly does in-store sampling with her tea, which is now carried in Winn-Dixie, Lucky's Market and Bravo Supermarket coolers. Below, Joseph Hager and Sofi Anderson enjoy a Southern Sweet Tea.
consumers than ever can find a store selling the family’s tea. And now, the company branding acts as the chief sponsor for the Chevy Cavalier she drives at tracks around the state. Joseph first introduced his daughter to cars when she was a toddler. He’s always been a fan of exotic automobiles and would take Laura Jean to the track on weekends to watch races. She soon wanted to get behind the wheel herself. She started racing go-karts at age 10, and the 21-year-old now drives a 1996 Chevy just a touch older than her. The father also helped his daughter develop the tea, and watched as fans lapped it up as well. As the beverage’s popularity grew to more than the track could handle, the family business started setting up booths at events
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such as the Bradenton Blues Festival. Pretty soon, customers wanted to take the tea home with them, and the Mamminas shopped for a plant to bottle and bar-code the beverage. Joseph designed a red-checkered logo evoking a country picnic table, building the brand to reach the same country-loving fans found in racetrack grandstands. Laura Jean sensed a market thirst for traditional tea, something sweeter than what’s found in corporate cans, and not the green tea taking over grocery aisles and convenience store coolers. Southern Sweet Tea Company’s product gets brewed with all-natural, purified water before the custom-blended tea is sweetened with pure cane sugar. So far, every time the drink has been poured for a new market executive, he or she has been pleased by the flavor. And the race car driver takes advantage of her prowess behind the wheel by showing up at shops with her high-profile Chevy to announce the tea company’s arrival. Typically, Laura Jean sets up tasting booths outside a store carrying the brand, so she can serve samples and talk up the product. Then, more often than not, she directs inquiries for purchase inside to cash registers. In fact, while she was waiting for the final paperwork with Walmart, she received permission to start demos at stores and to sell her tea directly in the lot. Jacob Ogles is a Florida freelance writer.
Top left, the Mamminas joke that their tea is sweet enough for Laura Jean but not so sweet that Dad (co-owner Joseph Mammina) can't drink it, also. Top right, Laura Jean still races competitively throughout Florida. Above, Southern Sweet Tea Company branding now adorns the 1996 Chevy Cavalier that Laura Jean races.
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PHOTOS BY JOSEPH MAMMINA
THE BRAND
PIG'S PEN
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ey guys, Pig here! I’m so excited to tell you about some of the adventures my mommy has taken me on this summer. Mommy loves to do things outdoors—and so do I!
She took me to a couple different parks and I got to see and smell a lot of cool things. First we went to Lake Eola in Orlando. Mommy took me to something there called a farmers market. It was weird, though—I didn’t see any cows or chickens but I did find food on the floor. I was petted by lots of people who kept saying how cute I was. (As if I didn’t know that!) After we walked around the big lake, I got a BigCrush Slush and barked at some swans. I wasn’t quite sure what they were but they chased me and made funny noises when I went to investigate them. Another super place was Silver Springs State Park in Marion County. Mommy used to go when she was little but it is different now. I saw lots of animals I’d never seen before, including a humongous lizard. I wanted to chase it like the ones in my backyard but Mommy freaked out and picked me up before I could grab it.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PIG'S MOMMY
I don’t understand what the big deal was—I chase lizards all the time and she never yells at me. She said I wasn’t allowed to go near alligators. I don’t know why she called that lizard an alligator or how she knew it wasn’t safe but she definitely was very persistent about my not chasing it! So far, I’m having a pretty great summer. I’ve been to lots of fun places and Grandma is letting me swim in her pool. Being a French bulldog, I’m not the best swimmer. But that’s OK because I have a life jacket and really cool boat that I float in. Plus, Grandma is always cooking, so I get to eat all the chips and hot dogs I want— well, at least the ones I’m able to sneak off the table. Just don’t tell Mommy! You can write to me at the following address, and ask me whatever you’d like: P.O. Box 50989 Fort Myers, FL 33994 Hope to hear from you soon! Oh, yeah—you can also follow me on Instagram @ Datfrenchiepig and like me on Facebook @PigtheFrenchie.
—Cheers from Pig
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WILD FLORIDA
WILD HOGS OF NORTH AMERICA AN AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL NUISANCE
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Written by: William R. Cox
he feral hog (Sus scrofa) population of North America was estimated to be 6 million pigs in 2013—and they caused billions of dollars of property damage in the United States in agriculture and wild lands. Their range includes all of the U.S. south of 36 degrees north and includes 35 states, from California to the east, terminating in all of Florida.
According to FWC’s website (myfwc.com), the feral hog population in Florida is estimated to number 1 million.
They are omnivorous and root for food underground with their tusks and snout. A group of wild pigs can wreck acres of land in just a few days. They destroy plants and animals native to the areas they invade.
They live 4 to 5 years in good conditions. Litter mortality averages 30 percent from diseases such as hog cholera, pseudorabies, brucellosis, anthrax, etc., and from predators. It takes three to five years for them to be fully grown, so young pigs are easy prey to bobcats, fox and coyotes. I’ve observed piglets taken by Audubon’s crested caracaras.
Wild pigs eat small animals such as white-tailed deer fawns, wild turkey poults and other young of ground nesting birds, eggs of birds and reptiles (including sea turtle eggs), frogs and toads, and turtles. They destroy many agricultural and native plants by their rooting and wallowing, because plants have difficulty regenerating in disturbed soils—except for exotic vegetation. This leads to erosion problems, especially along stream banks and wetlands, causing water quality problems. These invasive animals are especially impactful in Florida because of their feeding behavior. They destroy native habitat and disrupt entire food chains, depriving native wildlife of their important food sources. These impacts are magnified because of the large number of protected animal and plant species found in Florida.
Predators of adult feral hogs only include humans, Florida panthers, Florida bears and alligators. Therefore, in most cases, hog reproduction exceeds mortality—favoring a growing and overabundant population. The highest hog population in Florida is west and north of Lake Okeechobee. They are less abundant in intense agricultural areas and urban environments because they favor forested, dense shrub and wet habitats. Their favorite foods are acorns and plants. However, when food is scarce, they invade agricultural land— and that is what costs millions of dollars in damage and millions of dollars in preventive measures. On agricultural land, wild hogs trample and consume grasses, grains, vegetables, corn, sorghum, peanuts, melons, tree seedlings, etc., and consume livestock, goats, lambs and poultry. They also exploit livestock feed, game feeders and wildlife plots.
PHOTO BY WILLIAM R. COX
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC, lists 14 fish, six amphibians, 24 reptiles, 35 birds, 32 mammals and 22 invertebrates—for a total of 133 protected species. Florida’s protected plant list is also extensive.
Feral hog biology is thoroughly discussed in William M. Giuliano’s Publication No. WEC277 at edis.ifas.ufl.edu. He states that feral hogs are sexually active at 6 to 12 months of age. They average two litters per year and can farrow one to 13 piglets (average five to seven) per litter.
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Wild pigs destroy many agricultural and native plants by their rooting and wallowing. Feral hogs have an average two litters per year. They can farrow one to 13 piglets (average five to seven) per litter. Below is a hog that was photographed in south Florida.
Population control includes hunting, trapping and exclusion. Hogs are very intelligent and become nocturnal when pressured. Shooting at night on private land may be effective using red filtered spotlights and night vision optics. A Florida hunting license is required on private and public lands. The FWC should be contacted concerning control measures to be used on private and public lands, for applicable permits, licenses and regulations. William R. Cox has been working professionally as a wildlife biologist, educator and nature photographer for more than 40 years. His passion is to entertain, inspire and educate others in the beauty of nature and the art of photography. See more of his work on Facebook and on his website, williamrcoxphotography.com.
BOTTOM AND MIDDLE PHOTOS BY WILLIAM R. COX
THE HIGHEST HOG POPULATION IN FLORIDA IS WEST AND NORTH OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE.
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THE HOMESTEAD
LEGENDARY LIVING ON 48+/- ACRES DISTINCTIVE SW FLORIDA RANCH FEATURES TWO LOG CABINS
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Written by: Sherri Denning
legant—exclusive—exquisite! Enjoy your new life in the country with this luxurious yet rustic log cabin ranch on 48+/- acres in the beautiful rural Muse area of Glades County, Florida, near the community of LaBelle.
It’s an enticing start to a real estate listing for those seeking the good life in rural Florida. And the information only gets better: Centrally located, just 45 minutes from Fort Myers or an hour and 15 minutes from Naples. Perfect for a personal or corporate retreat, or a family compound—with memories waiting to be made! The property is primarily improved pasture, fenced and cross-fenced, with some scenic wooded areas for wildlife. Two picturesque log cabins make the ranch truly exceptional, with brandnew copper roofs installed on all buildings. Also featured are a breezeway, triple garage (with
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At left is an upstairs bedroom in the main lodge, with cathedral ceiling and double closets. The main lodge's living room (right) also features handsome beams and a stone fireplace. F LO R I D A C O U NTRY A u g u s t | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 8
PHOTO CREDIT INFO
THE PROPERTY IS PRIMARILY IMPROVED PASTURE, FENCED AND CROSS-FENCED, WITH SOME SCENIC WOODED AREAS FOR WILDLIFE.
PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY OF SOUTHERN HERITAGE REALTY
PERFECT FOR a personal or corporate retreat, or a family compound—with memories waiting to be made!
At top from left are the guest cabin and main lodge. The main lodge's three-sided screened porch overlooks pasture land.
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THE HOMESTEAD
Clockwise from top: The ranch is located on a paved road and in addition to the two log homes, there are multiple outbuildings. The guest cabin’s dining room is off of the full kitchen; a doorway leads to a bunkhouse-style bedroom. The guest cabin has a cathedral ceiling.
The two-story main lodge has three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms. It is built of warm, honey-hued logs and includes multiple features, such as a wood-burning stone fireplace and “sit-a-spell” wraparound porches on three sides. The matching guest house is 1,300+/- square feet. It has a cathedral ceiling living room with brick fireplace, kitchen, dining room, downstairs master bedroom, bunk room, full bath, upstairs loft bedroom with half bath, and front and rear screened porches. Both homes were completely renovated during 2017 and 2018. They are luxuriously appointed with unique specialty furniture and décor, providing rustic elegance for customized perfection and fine living. (Furnishings and décor are negotiable.) If you are looking for craftsmanship and quality—and a new life in the country—consider it FOUND! Sherri Denning is the owner/Broker-Realtor of Southern Heritage Real Estate & Investments in LaBelle, Florida. Contact her by calling 863-675-4500 or visiting soland.com.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF SOUTHERN HERITAGE REALTY
loft storage), an open-bay building for up to five vehicles and/or ranch “toys,” a 25-x-52-foot steel barn, plus horse stalls and multiple animal and bird cages.
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STARS & GUITARS presented by
A full moon shinin’ bright Edge of the water, we were feelin’ alright Back down a country road The girls are always hot, and the beer is ice cold. —“Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” sung by Jake Owen; reached No. 1 in September 2011 on U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs
Dear Magic Genie:
Yes, Sahib? Grant me three wishes. Take a ticket … No. 391, what are your wishes? Nice and clear, please. First, I’d like to sing—sing as if the music flowed from a child’s heart. And I’d like it to be country music. I’d like that. Then? I’d like to be a stylish guy, more curious about life’s mysteries. I’d like music lovers, real fans, country fans, to hum along to my songs, run to my shows. I’ve pictured this, like, forever. Another one, huh? I’d like my golf ball to travel miles, touching down as if on wings. And a smile to light the night. These are my wishes. Done. Poof. Now go look in the mirror. Waaaiiit a minute. Something’s wrong? No, no, no, it’s just, well, this is amazing. You’ve turned me into Jake Owen. Exactly.
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peaking from a Tennessee farm, Jake Owen is rooting in the dirt for Indian arrowheads. It’s odd, but only because big performers have publicists screen their phone calls. Jake Owen, however, is alone and talking of his interests … away from music, his fame, new horizons, “I Was Jack (You Were Diane),” the hard pace he must keep, or like a Buddhist monk, self-immolate. Back in the moment at his Nashville farm, Owen tells you he’s curious about Native Americans,
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MEET JAKE OWEN—DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS? FLORIDA NATIVE DIGGING HIS NASHVILLE FARM, AMONG COUNTRY’S ELITE STARS Interviewd by: Jack Collier
maybe fascinated, even awed, buzzing with the idea that others long ago had stood that very ground, at absolute ease sharing this info, as he is on most things. Only dodging the ball on Pearl, his young daughter; perhaps that’s too close, and that’s OK. Some rules are inviolable. Divorce murders hearts. The talk with Owen returns to easy things, about deciding after kicking around college bars to pack his stuff for Nashville, tough-love parents saying nope, yet caving and trusting, and assuring their freespirited boy his back was covered. You picture him telling you this amazing story, a directionless “no one” finding a golden thing, genie magic—and us inside his music, squeezing the juice from it.
Jake Owen
HIS SOUTHERNNESS IS NEVER FAR OFF.
PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY OF BIG LOUD RECORDS
And he’s still kicking at the Tennessee dirt, his voice drifting from the phone speaker. You’re scrunching your face to hear; then his warm tone is again at the device. His Southernness is never far off. It also indicates that while he is a huge star, he remains rooted in simple one-on-ones, of authentically listening. To return that rare gift he’s given, you picture arrowheads. They’re falling from the sky. Enough to fill all four pockets and the bed of his Ford truck. Jake Owen is, after all, immensely successful, a superstar for better than a decade, at first gliding from beach kid to novice college musician to country music comet, that rare air we cannot know or imagine. “Every day,” he says, “… right? This is real? Guess I would have a hard time telling a sad story.” Joshua Ryan Owen, 37 in August, is a Floridian from Vero Beach, a natural athlete (remains close friends with tennis pro Mardy Fish, a boyhood friend), drifting, as warm breezes do, not especially interested in much, he says. Golf would rock his life, but a serious arm injury killed that dream. (He still holds a 2 handicap, pictures a mini-tour at some point). We pick up at 20-something Jake Owen borrowing a friend’s guitar, college gigs. Three or four years later, onstage with country legend Kenny Chesney, a bottle rocket that hasn’t lost all that much elevation. Yet, Owen yearns for having made more of himself as a kid, at least having stuck with something so his parents wouldn’t burn incense as he made the giant leap from Tallahassee beer joints to superstardom about 600 miles due north. Maybe we should loan him Magic Genie. Jack Collier is the editorial director for Florida Country Magazine.
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STARS & GUITARS
ISLAND HOPPER SONGWRITER FEST CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF SONGS, SAND AND SUNSETS Written by: Jack Collier
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t was modeled after a monster south Florida music festival. Now the prodigy, the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest—at multiple Southwest Florida venues— stands alone.
The event offering influential American songwriters’ performing their music this September turns 5 years old. The Island Hopper Songwriter Fest places writers/performers such as Kristian Bush, Lindsay Ell, Chase Sandford, Even Stevens and others in seaside pubs and outdoor venues on Captiva Island, Fort Myers Beach and in downtown Fort Myers. Island Hopper Songwriter Fest runs Sept. 21-30. It has also introduced local musician/songwriters and others peeking through the curtain of music’s big stage. Expect
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good turnouts at the many locations, as promoters promise surprises. The music is mostly country/Americana. What’s great here is unraveling the mysteries of song, meeting these gifted storytellers and musicians, some Floridians, most in Nashville. You watch and hear such songwriters as Aaron Barker, Wendell Mobley, Bob DiPiero and Wynn Varble perform words and music written for Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Jake Owen or Jason Aldean, for instance. The value of an Island Hopper is deeper than traditional concerts, more of an alliance, as if the performer is our friend away from the shadows, and at no cost, says Mike Tyler, an Island Hopper coordinator and an air-personality on Cat Country 107.1 It is an original sponsor, along with The Beaches
Top left, Clint Daniels is silhouetted by the sunset on Captiva. Brandon Kinney and Julia Cole (inset) perform at PierSide Grill & Famous Blowfish Bar on Fort Myers Beach. From left: Paul McDonald closes out the 2017 Island Hopper at the Pink Shell Beach Resort pool party on Fort Myers Beach. Lindsay Ell headlines the first of two featured artist events at Pinchers in downtown Fort Myers. Daniels performs at the Mucky Duck on Captiva.
BOTTOM RIGHT PHOTO BY LILLIAN GILBERT; ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY MIKE GILBERT
THE VALUE OF AN ISLAND HOPPER IS DEEPER THAN TRADITIONAL CONCERTS, MORE OF AN ALLIANCE.
At left, Rae Lynn headlines the final 2017 Island Hopper performance at the Pink Shell Beach Resort pool party on Fort Myers Beach. At right, Aaron Barker and Wynn Varble perform on the Mucky Duck's outside patio on Captiva.
of Fort Myers & Sanibel, iHeart Media and BMI records. Island Hopper performers are now so eager to return to Southwest Florida, in fact, there’s disappointment as the performance line-up rotates, Tyler adds. “It’s crazy … but we want to get fresh blood.” Genesis of Southwest Florida’s Island Hopper Songwriter Fest is the Key West Songwriters Festival, a 1990s event that brings 200 or so writer/performers over five days in May. BMI is also a presenting sponsor in Key West.
Island Hopper in Captiva is perfectly suited for such an event: That end of the island is isolated, festival-goers strolling between performances, which can be in a quiet beachfront dining establishment such as the Mucky Duck. You are backdropped by the Gulf of Mexico, the sun vanishing into that giant bowl of water, the wonderful music of accomplished writers and performers dancing along with the breeze. Good luck trying to out-wait the next Island Hopper Songwriter Fest! For more information, visit island-hopper. fortmyers-sanibel.com Jack Collier is the editorial director for Florida Country Magazine.
PHOTOS BY MIKE GILBERT
Record visitor turnouts were reported. Many of those songwriters either perform in Southwest Florida or now wish for a spot on the roster in September, explains Louis Kaplan. He is a senior vice president with iHeart Media in
Fort Myers, overseeing the Island Hopper on Captiva and Fort Myers Beach, and in Fort Myers.
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THE CULINARY CRACKER
WHIPPING IT UP IN YOUR KITCHEN Every issue of Florida Country Magazine is filled with easy, delicious and seasonal recipes you’ll want to make again and again.
AVOCADO BACON BOATS Yields 4
INGREDIENTS 2 ripe avocados, pitted and halved 4 large eggs Salt and pepper 3 slices of thick bacon Freshly chopped parsley, optional for garnish PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place avocados in baking dish, crack eggs into bowl. Transfer yolks to each avocado half, using a spoon. Spoon in as much egg white as fits without spilling over avocado. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes or until whites are set and yolks not runny. If avocados begin to brown, cover with foil. While waiting for eggs to cook, place large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon, place on paper towel-lined plate and chop. Top avocados with chopped bacon and parsley (optional). Serve.
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INGREDIENTS cubed potatoes, peeled and ld Go n ko Yu ds un 1¼ po d 3 cloves garlic, halve beef 1-pound lean ground 2 tablespoons flour ¾ cup beef broth p 3 tablespoons ketchu getables ve d 4 cups frozen mixe er pp 1 teaspoon black pe dar cheese ½ cup shredded ched ¾ cup sour cream 1 teaspoon salt
SHEPHERD’S PIE Serves 8
th enough water PREPARATION garlic in large pot wi d an es to ta po d be heat to mediumPlace cu er high heat. Reduce ov il bo a to g in Br r. minutes. Preheat to cove til tender, about 20 un er m sim d an r ve edium heat in low, co n ground beef over m ow Br s. ee gr de 5 37 Add beef broth, oven to with beef drippings. ix m , ur flo in ir St . skillet ok 5 minutes, until Stir to combine. Co . es bl ta ge ve d an p role dish. Drain ketchu e into oven-safe casse ur ixt m ef be r sfe an Tr grated cheese and thick. before adding ½ cup t bi a h as m d an es onto middle of potato ooth. Spoon potatoes sm til un h as M . m ea m center to edges sour cr rk, spread potatoes fro fo a ith W e. ur ixt m until golden. Let meat ke 20-25 minutes, or Ba . er lay p to e th to form re serving. cool 15 minutes befo
SALISBURY STEAK WITH INGREDIENTS ef MUSHROOM GRAVY be d un gro 1-pound s mb Serves 4 cru ad bre dry 1/3 cup s ion on d pe op ch ¼ cup 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon salt peppercorns ¼ teaspoon fresh ground 2 cups beef broth 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 cup sliced mushrooms 3 tablespoons water PREPARATION , ad crumbs, chopped onion Combine ground beef, bre nly eve ercorns in bowl until egg, salt and ground pepp tties out ¾-inch thick. Cook pa mixed. Make 4 patties, ab both on m heat until browned in large skillet over mediu to ms oo d onions and mushr sides, about 10 minutes. Ad il. bo a d beef broth, bring to sauté, about 5 minutes. Ad are es and simmer until patti Reduce heat to low, cover re. ter, about 10 minutes mo no longer pink in the cen Bring . r or dish and keep warm Transfer patties to platte ter x cornstarch and wa in onion mixture to a boil. Mi til mixture. Cook and stir un small bowl, stir into onion er ov about 1 minute. Pour onion gravy is thickened, oes. over rice or mashed potat patties and serve. Perfect F LO R I D A C O U NTRYM A G A Z I N E . C O M
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THE CULINARY CRACKER SALMON WITH MANGO SALSA Serves 4
INGREDIENTS 1 large cedar plank 1 large mango, peeled and diced 2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 4 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
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PREPARATION Soak cedar plank in water for 25 minutes. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Combine mango, red onions, cilantro, extravirgin oil, lime juice, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside. Sprinkle salmon with remaining salt and black pepper. Prepare cedar plank by placing on grill rack. Grill for 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Turn plank over, place salmon on charred side. Close grill top and grill 8 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Place each fillet on a plate and top each with 1/3 cup mango salsa.
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INGREDIENTS o slices 4 tangerines, separated int , melted ips ch ½ cup dark chocolate hios tac pis 3 tablespoons chopped PREPARATION rchment paper. Clean Line baking sheet with pa gerine slices. Melt dark white string y pieces off tan wl in microwave for chocolate chips in small bo smooth and creamy. til about 1-2 minutes. Stir un o melted chocolate until Dip each tangerine slice int on parchment paper, 1/3 of slice is covered. Place tachios. Place baking sprinkle with chopped pis chocolate hardens, about sheet in refrigerator until y or store in covered 12 minutes. Eat immediatel container in fridge.
CHOCOLATE-PISTACHIO DIPPED TANGERINES Serves 8
INGREDIENTS 1 Ruby Red Florida grapefruit 2 tablespoons honey Cinnamon, to taste
BROILED RUBY RED FLORIDA GRAPEFRUIT Serves 2
CAJUN BOILED PEANUTS Serves 8
PREPARATION Cut grapefruit in half and loosen the sections with a sharp knife. Place cut side up on baking pan. Drizzle each half with 1 tablespoon honey. Sprinkle each half with cinnamon. Broil 4 inches from heat for 2-3 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm.
INGREDIENTS 1-pound raw peanuts, in shells 1 3-ounce package dry crab boil ½ cup red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon garlic powder ½ cup salt 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning PREPARATION ic Place peanuts, crab boil, jalapenos, garl per pep red and g onin seas n powder, salt, Caju r cove to er wat in r Pou ker. coo flakes into slow k on peanuts, stir to combine. Cover and coo rs. hou 24 t leas at , soft are uts low until pean keep to ed need as er wat add Stir occasionally, . cold or hot e Serv in. Dra peanuts covered.
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TRUCKS & TOYS
SOUTHERN TIRE & WHEEL WHEN YOUR VEHICLE NEEDS A LIFT, IT’S ALL ABOUT QUALITY WORKMANSHIP our vehicle needs a lift? Southern Tire & Wheel is the place!
Established by James “Jimmy” Henderson and his father, Daniel Henderson, in November 2003, then joined by co-owner Jared Grossenbaugh in 2014, the company takes customers’ rides to the next level. When your vehicle requires lifts/leveling, engine performance/off-road gear, winches, welding, any accessory, repair or enhancement, Southern Tire & Wheel on Fowler Street in Fort Myers is your first choice. Look for the monster truck on the front apron that catches you looking every time. Truck lifting is an art form. And an expression of the owner. It traces back generations, to metal blocks bolted into the
suspension. And then monster trucks arrived in the 1980s. That’s when things got interesting, and manufacturers provided the gear we need to get lifted. A hometown Pennsylvania boy, Jimmy Henderson arrived in Florida at the height of the monster generation, with a passion and outlook that “bigger is better.” Known around town for his own aggressively lifted trucks and jeeps, and fun-loving demeanor, he’s a true entrepreneur, being the original face of Southern Tire & Wheel. He’s also the owner of his well-established steel building company, J&W Steel Erection. With co-owner Grossenbaugh to run the show at Southern Tire & Wheel, Jimmy Henderson is able to focus more on his steel company.
Southern Tire & Wheel can handle any vehicle when it requires lifts/leveling, engine performance/off-road gear, winches, welding, any accessory, repair or enhancement.
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PHOTOS ON THIS AND OPPOSITE PAGE BY SCARLETT REDENIUS
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Written by: Jack Collier
Southern Tire & Wheel has become a trusted retailer, and a dealer for such quality products as BDS Suspension and JASPER engines and transmissions.
TRUCK LIFTING IS AN ART FORM. AND AN EXPRESSION OF THE OWNER. Former Ohio firefighter and semi-pro football player, Grossenbaugh on the farm was all about vehicles as the “new world” unfolded, he says—speed and performance, lifting and lowering, tearing up the countryside. “Always about making it faster,” he says. “I had that bug,” estimating he’s owned and rebuilt a fleet of 150 cars and trucks. “It was fun.” Southern Tire & Wheel has become a trusted retailer, and a dealer for such quality products as BDS Suspension and JASPER engines and transmissions. Mechanics, techs and installers have decades of combined experience, which is key in Fort Myers, where shops sometimes come and go like the tide. The best advice in choosing the correct accessory shop for “your baby” is to invite yourself to stop by the shop and speak to one of the knowledgeable staff members. On a
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TRUCKS & TOYS MECHANICS, TECHS AND INSTALLERS HAVE DECADES OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE.
tour of Southern Tire & Wheel, even a greenhorn sees organization and tidiness. The place is run well, the techs friendly and making eye contact. Over here is a Dodge Ram undergoing lift surgery, a Kelderman kit installation that’ll put the vehicle well into the air. The truck’s owner also has custom wheels, chrome scrolling and detailed work that will make his ride the talk of the town. The average working men and women can expect to pay around $3,500 for a quality suspension upgrade, the bells and whistles may run upward of $1,000 plus, all based on your wants and needs. There’s no getting around it: Excellence comes with a price tag.
Jack Collier is the editorial director for Florida Country Magazine.
PHOTOS BY SCARLETT REDENIUS
From left are Southern Tire & Wheel co-owner James "Jimmy" Henderson, co-owner Jared Grossenbaugh, and employees Anita Turcotte, Lyle Thompson and Jessica Thompson. Not pictured is employee Colton Fordyce.
And if you’re trying to budget by hunting online, Southern Tire & Wheel will install your new gear. “Still going to need somebody to put [it] on.” For further information, visit southerntireflorida.com, military/ law-enforcement discounts
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TRUCKS & TOYS
SALUTE TO THE BRAVE NOTHING AVERAGE ABOUT SAVAGE PROJECT OR ITS HEROES Written by: Dayna Harpster
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAVAGE 4X4
Hard work by the "Savage Fam" results in a fabulous rebuild for 2016 Hero Project recipient Jeff Kelly.
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nyone who still thinks tough guys don’t cry wasn’t at Savage 4x4 that day. A big crowd of the Savage family—call the members the “Savage Fam”—was gathered outside Savage 4x4 in Fort Myers. Army E3 Staff Sgt. Jeff Kelly was waiting to see what was done to his Jeep. He was about to be a recipient of Savage’s 2016 Hero Project, which enhances or even rebuilds the vehicles of veterans or first responders to make them fourby showpieces. Kelly was told to close his eyes, and he did. Savage 4x4 president and co-owner Jim Thompson stood with his arm around the veteran, who lost a leg to an improvised
explosive device in Afghanistan and spent six months in a coma. While everyone watched, someone drove up in a red Jeep. As anyone familiar with the business’ slogan would say, clearly the Jeep before them hadn’t been “Savaged.” It was just average. It couldn’t be a Hero Project vehicle, could it? While Kelly and the group were laughing, having figured out that the Jeep in front of them was just a decoy, Jim’s wife, co-owner Linda Thompson, drove up in Kelly’s real and newly Savaged ride while their backs were turned. Kelly’s favorite song, “Proud to Be an American,” was playing for the crowd as he turned around and … was overcome with emotion.
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TRUCKS & TOYS THE STORIES BEHIND THE NOMINATIONS— DONE THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH AND SOCIAL MEDIA, MOSTLY—ARE COMPELLING.
“It was the most amazing thing we’ve ever done and we said, ‘We’re going to do this every year,’ ” Linda Thompson explains. True. The Hero Project is in its third year. The stories behind the nominations—done through word of mouth and social media, mostly—are compelling. Savage employees, vendors and the Savage Fam stay after business hours and work together on the lift, the gears, wheels, tires, fender flares, bumpers, winch, whatever, keeping it all a secret from the winner until the reveal. Or rather reveals, as the first two years involved five vehicle rebuilds or enhancements. The third Hero Project finale will be the biggest yet. Named the “Salute to the Brave” Hero Project, it combines Savage 4x4’s event and Six Bends Harley-Davidson’s “Salute to the Brave” into one celebration. It will take place at Top Rocker Field in Fort Myers on Nov. 3, with food trucks, music and no doubt an emotional reveal. Each year in 2016 and 2017, Savage owners received more than 30 nominations of deserving veterans and first responders. Linda Thompson drafts a board whose members make the very difficult decisions about which vehicle(s) to upgrade. The Thompsons spend their own money, as much as $15,000 to date, and rely on supporters and vendors. These include Mike Patrick Electric, City Electric, Rough Country suspensions, Vinnie Munoz from American Tire Distributors, Advance Auto, John Palmer, and John Borio of Abs Recovery Inc.—which has donated an SUV for this year’s project. In addition to the financial support of the Thompsons and their vendors and friends, events have been held to raise money for the project, including a truck pull tug-of-war and a poker run. And it’s not too late to join in as a sponsor. For information, call Savage 4x4 at 239-689-1428 or go to savage4x4inc.com. Dayna Harpster is a writer and editor who lives in Southwest Florida.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAVAGE 4X4
Jay Lamborn is the 2017 Hero Project recipient.
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