Heartland Magazine August 2012

AUG 2012

HEARTL AAND Way of Life.

COVER STORY:

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August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

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August 2012

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August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

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AUG 2012

HEARTL AAND Way of Life.

14 Heartland’s Fishing Report

By Capt. Mark King

16

16 Daniels Deceivers: Lures made in the Heartland

By Brian Norris 18 August’s Hunting Spotlight:

Valentine to visit troops overseas 20 Florida Farming: Naval Stores

By Ron Lambert 24 Woman In Ag: Danielle Daum

By Robbi Sumner 26 Citrus Update: What’s Groving On

By Justin Smith

20

28 Featured Business: Newton Crouch 30 Citrus Gets Creative with Water Use

By Robbi Sumner 42 Marvin Kahn

By Ron Lambert

30

46 PepeDogs: Dogs Sniff Out Canker

By Brian Norris 48 Dining in the Heartland: Slim’s Bar-B-Q & Grill

46

52 Florida Cattlewomen Recipe: Steaked Out Pita Pizzas 62 84th Annual Florida FFA State Convention 64 4-H Summer Camps

By Robbi Sumner 70 Ag Calendar

36 ON THE COVER Cover photo byy Lauren Taylor:

“Photo of Jared and son, Brooker, Revell of Sebring.”

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Florida Citrus: The Past, The Present, The Future?

August 2012

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

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HEARTLAND A Way of Life.

Phone (813) 708-3661 Fax (813) 283-4978 Publisher Rhonda Glisson Rhonda@heartlanditf.com Karen Berry kdberry@inthefieldmagazine.com Executive Editor Morgan Taylor Norris Morgan@heartlanditf.com Business Manager Lizzette Sarria Art Directors Carrie Evans Juan Alvarez Marketing Consultant Kathryn Gladwell Staff Writers Ron Lambert Brian Norris Morgan Taylor Norris Justin Smith Robbi Sumner Contributing Writers Chass Bronson Russell Hancock Rusty Hartline Brenda Valentine Mike Waldron Lindsey Wiggins Photography Kelley Baker Jim Davis Photography Sharon Glisson Russell Hancock Morgan Taylor Norris Lauren Taylor

Editor’s Note An industry dating back to the 1500’s, citrus has been a stronghold in the state of Florida for centuries. Besides beaches, citrus and orange juice go hand-in-hand with thoughts of our Sunshine State. Justin Smith writes about the Florida Citrus Industry in his article titled The Past, The Present, The Future? You can learn all things citrus from the article starting on page 36 and hear from both long-time citrus producers and new growers in our area.

As August is our Citrus Issue, we cover the industry from innovative ideas for water use, scent detection dogs sniffing out canker and a citrus update titled “What’s Groving On.” Highlands County citrus grower Marvin Kahn has been in citrus all of his life and has a remarkable story. He is sure the citrus industry is here to stay and told me that he not only wants to come up with new ideas for the industry, he wants to make those ideas happen.

Read more about this visionary on page 42.

A woman who has given so much to the industry through her time and various organizations she volunteers with, Danielle Daum is our Woman In Ag. The Lake Placid native works with her family’s caladium business, Happiness Farms, was one of the founders of the Highlands County Ag-Venture program and has been an Ag in the Classroom volunteer for 20 years. Read about this outstanding Woman in Agriculture on page 24.

August is a busy month for the Ag Calendar. From ranch rodeos and barrel races to Grape Stomps and the Caladium Festival. Take a look at everything going on in the Heartland this month and mark your calendars to attend!

Find Heartland on Facebook and join in on the conversation! We post photos from events, special coupons from advertisers and share Florida Ag Facts. Be on the lookout, as we will be having a photo contest in August. Start gathering your Florida Ag pictures now!

Like us at facebook.com/HeartlandMagazine I want to say a special thanks to our cover models, Jared Revell and his son, Brooker. Y’all did a wonderful job. And thank you to Jared’s wife, Bonny, as she was a big help as well!

We’ll see y’all In the Field!

Morgan Taylor Norris

Heartland in the Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local businesses, restaurants and other local venues within Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Hendry and Okeechobee Counties. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes members of the Farm Bureau and those with ag classification on their land. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to Heartland In the Field Magazine, P.O. Box 3183 Plant City, FL. 33563 or you are welcome to e-mail them to Rhonda@heartlanditf.com or call 813-708-3661.

Advertisers warrant & represent the description of their products advertised are true in all respects. Heartland In the Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by their advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of G Five Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in Heartland In the Field Magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications and G Five.

All contents Copyright 2012. No part of this work may be copied, transmitted, reproduced or reprinted without the express written consent of the publisher.

Annual subscriptions to receive Heartland A Way of Life at your home or business is $25 annually. For advertising, subscriptions or editorial questions please call 813-708-3661 or email morgan@heartlanditf.com. Heartland® A Way Of Life In The Field publication has been in print since 2009.

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August 2012

Already second in the nation, Florida’s horticulture industry continues to grow. From small retail nurseries to large wholesale operations, Florida’s horticulture producers provide plants, trees and flowers to retailers and consumers throughout the country and abroad.

The Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign (FAPC), also known as “Fresh From Florida,” works with Florida’s horticulture producers to expand existing markets and establish new ones through domestic and international initiatives.

Contact us today and find out how the FAPC can help your company.

For information about the FAPC, visit our website at Florida-Agriculture.com and click on “For Business,” or contact us at FAPC@FreshFromFlorida.com or (850) 617-7330.

August 2012

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AUG 2012

HEARTL AAND Way of Life.

Index of Advertisers 58 45 23 19 53 50 69 11 27 41 4 71 33 3 25 61 12 25 34 50 51 22 9 19 27 69 51 2 12 55 53 12 69 7

2012 Ranch Rodeo Finals Agro Culture A & K Development Arcadia Stockyard Big T Tire Bullz Eye BBQ Burns Citrus Callaway Farms Cattlemen’s Livestock Market Center State Bank Central States Enterprises CF Industries Chem Containers Creel Tractor Daniels Deceivers DeSoto Machine Shop DeSoto/Charlotte Farm Bureau Elect Susie Bishop Eli’s Western Wear El Pirata Mexican Restaurant Fields Equipment Florida Fence Post Florida Department of Ag Glade and Grove Glisson’s Animal Supply Goin Postal Griffin’s Carpet Mart Harbor Nissan Hardee County Farm Bureau Helena Chemical Hicks Oil Highlands County Farm Bureau Highlands Soil KeyPlex

66 32 50 66 69 53 67 55 5 35 26 60 65 59 66 50 15 61 61 18 69 69 15 60 67 33 69 57 72 45 57 61 69

Lake Placid Caladium Festival Layes Tire Lightsey’s Restaurant Mason G. Smoak Foundation 5K Michael G. Kirsch Millers Central Air Mosaic Newton Crouch Okeechobee Dodge Pathway Peace River Citrus Repair Solutions River Pasture Metal Art Sebring Thunder Car Show Seedway Sherry’s Hideout Smiths Ranch & Garden Smith Farms Spring Lake Hardware Spurlows Outdoor Sunshine Family Dentistry Superior Muffler Taylor Oil The Andersons Tina Richmond, Realtor Tree T Pee Triangle Hardware Trinkle Redman Coton Watering Hole Wauchula State Bank Werts Welding Wicks Brown & Williams CPA Winfield Solutions

Sales Team Danny Crampton danny@inthefieldmagazine.com

Wyatt Holmes wholmes@embarqmail.com

Karen Berry kdberry@inthefieldmagazine.com

Rhonda Glisson rhonda@heartlanditf.com

Tina Richmond tina@inthefieldmagazine.com

Chass Bronson chassbronson@me.com

Morgan Taylor Norris morgan@heartlanditf.com

Cindy Cutright cindycutright@yahoo.com

Ron Brown ron@inthefieldmagazine.com

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August 2012

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 11

COUNTY FARM BUREAU

HARDEE COUNTY FARM BUREAU

HIGHLANDS COUNTY FARM BUREAU

1278 SE US Highway 31 Arcadia, FL 34266

1017 US Highway 17 N Wauchula, FL. 33873

6419 US Highway 27 S. Sebring, FL 33876

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone:

Phone: 863. 773. 3117 Fax: 863. 773. 2369

Phone: 863. 385. 5141 Fax: 863. 385. 5356

CHARLOTTE/DESOTO

863.494.3636 Charlotte Line: 941.624.3981 Fax: 863.494.4332

Web site: www.highlandsfarmbureau.com

OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICERS AND

OFFICERS AND

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President…………....Jim Selph

President……David B. Royal

President………Scott Kirouac

Vice President……….Jeffrey Adams

Vice President…Greg L. Shackelford

Vice President…Doug Miller

Sec./Treasurer......Bryan K. Beswick

Sec./Treasurer……..Bo Rich

Secretary………..Carey Howerton Treasurer……..Mike Waldron

DIRECTORS FOR 2011-2012

DIRECTORS FOR 2011-2012

Jim Brewer John Burtscher

Joseph B. Cherry John Platt

Mike Carter

Steve Fussell

Lindsay Harrington Richard E. Harvin Ann H. Ryals Mac Turner

Matt Harrison

Corey Lambert

Daniel H. Smith

Steve A. Johnson Bill Hodge

DIRECTORS FOR 2011-2012 Sam Bronson Drew Phypers Mike Milicevic

Steve Farr Charles Lanfier Jeff Williams

David B. Royal Greg L. Shackelford

Frank Youngman Marty Wohl

Bo Rich

Jim Wood Lindsey Sebring

County Secretary Susan Chapman

County Secretary Janet Menges

Ken Harrison County Secretary Katherine Ryals

Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents

Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents

Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents

Agency Manager Cameron N. Jolly

Agency Manager N. Jay Bryan

Agency Manager Chad D. McWaters

Agents Dawn A. Hines Clint Brown

Agents George L. Wadsworth, Jr.

Agents Joseph W. Bullington

1017 US Hwy 17 N. Wauchula, FL 33873 (863) 773-3117

6419 US Highway 27 S. Sebring, FL 33876 (863) 385-5141

1278 SE US Highway 31 Arcadia, FL 34266 (863) 494-3636

12 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

August 2012

District 6 Update From the Desk of Andy Neuhofer

This month I am stating several different points that are being reported to the board members in my district. Please feel free to contact me at 352.318.2506 or andy.neuhofer@ffbf.org.

The Young Farmers and Ranchers program has two contests with application deadlines in August. The Excellence in Agriculture Award is designed to recognize those who are involved in agriculture, Farm Bureau and in their community but may not own their own operation.

The second upcoming deadline is for the Discussion Meet. This contest gives participants the opportunity to meet with colleagues and discuss given topics in a public forum. The deadline to apply for both of these contests is August 24th. You may contact Michael Rogalsky at Michael.rogalsky@ffbf.org for information and an application.

Each year, county Farm Bureaus nominate members for the various advisory committees. The terms are for one year. Each committee meets twice per year. Committees pertinent to our area include apiary, aquaculture, beef, citrus, labor, tax, sod, vegetable and water/natural resources. Appointees must be active (producers) members in good standing. If you wish to be considered for nomination, contact your local county president or myself at andy.neuhofer@ffbf.org. The committees review relevant policy and members are appointed by President Hoblick.

Farm Bureau is working with members of Congress on the Farm Bill. The bill has passed the Senate and as of this writing, it has passed the House Agriculture Committee too. The current bill cuts $35 billion in mandatory funding. It repeals direct payments saving $14 billion. It consolidates 23 conservation programs into 13 programs saving $6 billion. Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program save $16 billion. The bill favorably addresses Florida’s priorities which include risk management, specialty crops, conservation and pest & disease. For details, you may contact Adam Basford at adam.basford@ffbf.org.

Agricultural producers should be aware that the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection is required by law to review state waters as to whether they are impaired. If that does not occur or nothing is found, the Environmental Protection Agency may come uninvited as they have in the Shell, Prairie and Joshua Creek watershed. My point is, look at your commodity specific Best Management Practices. Implementing BMPs will put you into compliance with state water standards cheaper than having to monitor water quality leaving your property.

It may be a way to get ahead of the regulatory agencies.

Andy Neuhofer Florida Farm Bureau District 6 352.318.2506 Andy.neuhofer@ffbf.org, www.floridafarmbureau.org

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 13

HEARTLAND’S

FISHING REPORT

Captian Mark King

What a great summer we are having here in South Florida with some nice weather and great fishing.

T

he fishing on Lake Okeechobee has been really good in spite of the eighty-degree water temperatures and very little wind.

We have been getting some good rains so the water level has remained around the twelve foot above sea level mark so far this summer, which is about two foot higher than what it was last year. For those of you who read my reports, you may not realize that Lake Okeechobee is a very shallow lake and two foot of water can make a big difference on the fishing. To put it in perspective, it is only about eight foot deep in the middle of the lake and we fish in about two to three foot of water everyday. The water has been very clear this summer so the early morning bite seems to be the best before the sun gets too high in the sky.

I have been fishing a variety of areas from up around Indian Prairie canal area all the way down to Ritta Island. I have been fishing both shallow water weed lines and open water. I have been starting the morning throwing a Gambler Lures Buzz’n Cane Toad in watermelon color in the grass along the outside grass line; you need to retrieve this bait fast and it will produce a reaction strike from the bass in the outside grass closest to open water. I like to use a fast retrieve reel like a 7 to 1 ratio Okuma Komodo for the Buzz’n Toad and also for lipless crank baits, spool it with fifty pound braided line and you will be set to catch the big ones on Okeechobee. Throwing a worm along this outside grass has also been working but once that sun gets up high in the sky, this bite really slows down. That is when I will move out to open water and start fishing a Zara Super Spook, lipless crank bait, and a Carolina rig. I fish out on the reef, holes in the reef, and other open water structures that you will need a good GPS with maps to find on Okeechobee.

Captain Mark King

During the summer months I try to start my charters early in the morning and as the sun gets up high in the sky and the fishing really slows down, it is usually time to call it a day.

There are windy and sometimes overcast days that you can catch bass all day long on the lake and I will stay out and fish till they quit biting, but for a typical summertime charter it is good to start by six am and end around noon. You will want to use plenty of sunscreen to avoid a bad sunburn and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. You will also want to keep an eye on the weather as storms can roll in pretty quick in South Florida whether you are fishing on the coast or fishing on Okeechobee; I keep an eye on the weather and the radar through an app on my iPhone.

is a full time guide and tournament angler guiding out of the world famous Roland Martin’s Marina and Resort in Clewiston Florida and also in the Florida Keys out of Marathon area. Mark is an IGFA Certified Captain, active member of the Florida Guide Association and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association.

Captain Mark is sponsored by Ranger Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Roland Martin’s Marine Center, Power-Pole, Minn Kota trolling motors, Charlie’s Worms, Okuma Fishing, AFTCO clothing, Smartshield Sun Protection Products, RMR Industries, Fuel Medic Ethanol Treatment, and Yeti coolers.

Mark can be contacted to book a guide trip, seminars, personal appearances, test rides in his Evinrude powered Ranger or to fish a tournament with him at 863-677-0983 or atwww.markkingfishing.com andwww. tarponinthekeys.com

Now is also the time to do some shark fishing and if anyone is interested I do charters in the Florida Keys for sharks this time of the year.

I am looking forward to an awesome year on Okeechobee. With the water level staying up through the summer we should be able to access some great spawning areas this winter. I am already booking trips for 2013 for bass on Okeechobee and tarpon during May and June in the Florida Keys.

Roland Martin Marine Center is a full service marina including boat, motor, and tackle sales and boat and motor service by one of the top service crews in South Florida. Are you looking for a new or used Ranger boat or maybe you just need a new outboard to put on a boat you already have well than a new Evinrude E-Tec would put you right back out on the water. They have the hottest tackle on the market in the story with names like Gambler, Reaction Innovation, Charlie’s Worms, Duckett rods, Lews Reels, and Live Target Kopper. They also have all your boating needs from oils to anchors and everything in between. With two full time mechanics and a fully stocked parts room getting your boat back out on the water will be no problem. They also have minnows, worms, crickets, sodas, beer, and ice at all times. If you are looking for a one stop marina than Roland Martin Marine Center is the place to go. They are conveniently located just before the ramp in Clewiston on world famous Lake Okeechobee. Stop in and see my wife Diane in the parts department and she just might give away a few of my fishing spots.

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August 2012

Available in 2 1/2 gallons and 30 gallon drums

S

mith’S

RANCh AND GARDEN

August 2012

ACE HARDWARE 117 W. Magnolia Street, Arcadia, FL

863-494-2142

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 15

By Brian Norris

W It’s 6:30am and the sun is just starting to rise, the water looks like glass and you are set up on your secret spot ready for another day of fishing. You reach into the tackle box and find that special lure. You know, the one that you have caught all of your best fish on; the one that you will go swimming for should you lose it. You make your cast, and we all know where it goes from here; you proceed to catch that monster Largemouth Bass, or that over the slot Snook, all because of that special lure.

16 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

e all have this lure. We will tell all of our friends about it and even promote the company on the back window of our vehicles and wear their t-shirts. But what connection do we really have with this lure, or the lure making company? Most of us probably could not say where the lure was made, or even what the lure is made of. We just know it catches fish and that’s all we care about. But what if we knew the history behind the lure we always use? What if we knew the name of the person who painstakingly hand crafted every single part of the lure.

The reality is that this is impossible for most of the lures we use. They are mass produced overseas in Japan, and made from plastic. From start to finish there is very little human interaction. Each lure is exactly the same. Handmade lures are simply collector’s items and only found in museums or grandpa’s old tackle box.

While this is true and there is great value is old handmade lures, I can tell you there is a local man who is carrying on this unique art and producing quality handmade lures that catch fish right here in the Heartland.

The man I am referring to is Billy A. Daniels Jr. Bill was born and raised in Arcadia and currently lives in Port

Charlotte. Bill is quick to give much of the credit for his ability to make these lures to his Dad, Billy A. Daniels Sr. Bill Sr. was born in Cubitis, FL in 1938 and worked 25 years for the telephone company. He began tinkering around with lure making “out of necessity,” according to Bill Jr. Bill says that there was a particular wooden lure, the “Creek Chub,” that he and his dad always fished with. This wooden lure was eventually produced out of plastic, completely changing the action and ability of the lure. Unhappy about this, Bill Sr. decided to take matters into his own hands and started Daniels Deceivers and making his own lures.

Originally using pine, Bill Sr. began to hand carve lures as a hobby. His friends quickly began requesting some of his lures and became his first field testers.

Bill eventually started using basswood and then clear western cedar, which his son Bill Jr. still uses today. In 1982, what used to be a hobby for Bill Sr. turned into a business and he printed his first brochure of lures for sale. This brochure consisted of 6 different lures: 3 top water, 2 underwater and his wood chugging cork. Bill eventually grew the business to the point where he had a hard time keeping up with orders since he was hand carving each one, so he and his friend August 2012

She said “I was always looking for my spatulas and spoons when I was cooking in the kitchen. I came out to the shop just to find out Bill had taken them because he needed a new pattern for his lures!”

NIELS

Deceivers

Mr. Simons developed and built machines from scratch to help produce the lures.

All while Bill Sr. was creating and growing his business, he enlisted his son Bill Jr. to help out when he could. Bill Jr. recalls spending many weekends in the shop with his dad, helping him with whatever he needed done. It’s because of these long weekends that Bill Jr. now has the same passion to create these lures as his dad did. Bill Sr. eventually turned the family business over to his son before he passed away in 2003. Since then, Bill Jr. has found a way to work full-time for the telephone company and spend time with his family (just like his dad) all while he continues to create the lures and grow the business.

While taking a tour of his lure making facility, which is still in the original location in Arcadia, one can really see where it all began and how not much has changed over the years. The workshop is filled with all of the original machines that Bill Sr. built, and Bill Jr. continues to use today. The process is exactly the same with the exception of some upgraded paint and techniques. Bill Jr. wanted to show us just how each lure was made, so we started at the woodshed. When he opened the door, the wonderful aroma of cedar filled the air.

August 2012

Today, Bill Daniels Jr. and his company Daniels Deceivers, produce 25 different lures that come in 6 different paint patterns.

When working at full speed and with the help of a second person, Bill can produce about 100 lures a day ready to move onto the paint process. Not only do they make fishing lures, but also ink pens and other fully customizable items.

When asked where his wood supply came from, Bill informed us that much of this wood is from the original supply his father gathered from trades and was given from friends. None of it has been purchased; just one of the many ways that he is able to keep costs down. The first step then is to cut the wood down using a table saw.

It then moves to the lathe, and the lure begins to take its shape. From then through about 25 steps and a total of 5 days, with painting and drying, a finished product emerges and is ready to be tied on.

Bill, being a conservationist at heart, really tries to do all he can to reuse and recycle his supplies. This is evident all around his shop. From the used water bottle paint funnels to the plastic casket covers as paint drip sheets, Bill finds a way to use whatever he can for needed supplies.

Some of the most innovative items that we noticed in the shop were in the painting part of the shop. We asked how he created the different lines and spots on the lures.

Bill proceeded to pull a cooking spatula out of a drawer and said that was his secret, cooking utensils. He pulled out more spatulas and spoons with different holes and cuts in them and even pulled out a sewing loop that he uses to make scales.

Bill’s mom happened to walk in right as he was showing us all of these paint patterns.

Whether you target Largemouth Bass or prefer Snook and Redfish, Daniels Deceivers make a great lure and Bill Daniels will be happy to show you many photos of monster fish caught with one of these deceivers. More than just being a lure that will catch fish, it’s a lure that you will want to hold on to, one that you will swim to get. It’s not just a lure made from a mold overseas, it is one that one man spent days working on so that it is perfect. Its one that has a story even before it catches that first fish. Once you pick up one of these lures, it is easy to see how special each one is to Bill and what he hopes becomes that special lure for every angler who ties one on.

For those of you who are interested in these handmade lures, contact Bill Daniels himself at Danielsdeceivers@yahoo.com go to Smith’s Hardware in Arcadia for a retail selection.

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 17

August’s Hunting Spotlight brought to you by Spurlow’s Outdoor Outfitters 1 East Wall Street Frostproof, FL 33843 spurlows.outdoors@hotmail.com 863-635-0240 www.spurlows.com

NWTF’s Brenda Valentine to Visit Troops Overseas NWTF’s Brenda Valentine to Visit Troops Overseas NWTF spokesperson Brenda Valentine is one of several outdoor personalities heading overseas to support our troops as part of the Outdoor Legends Tour.

Valentine, Jim Shockey and Bill Miller will be traveling to military bases in Germany and Southwest Asia to entertain and thank U.S. troops in July.

The NWTF partnered with Armed Forces Entertainment and the Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund to participate in the Outdoor Legends Tour.

NWTF CEO George Thornton and Mossy Oak’s Ronnie “Cuz” Strickland worked closely with retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Lew Deal to recruit outdoor industry celebrities to travel overseas to visit and entertain active-duty U.S. military personnel.

The first half of the tour took place in March with Thornton, NWTF spokesman Michael Waddell, NWTF Foundation Board member and former majorleague baseball player Ryan Klesko and a number of other outdoor personalities visiting military posts in Germany and the Middle East.

“Honored, humbled, flattered, anxious – there are so many adjectives to describe how I feel about being the only woman invited by Armed Forces Entertainment to join the Outdoor Legends Tour in Germany and Southwest Asia,” said Valentine. “If I can thank our troops in the field and the hospital for their service and brighten their day with news and stories of

hunting, home and the outdoors, it will be a mission accomplished.” Deal will lead Valentine, Shockey and Miller on the 10-day tour.

“For those currently serving in a war zone there are few things that mean as much as knowing the folks back home care about you,” said Deal. “It’s a handshake tour. There will be no production crews, no agents or sponsors; just high-profile outdoor people mingling, posing for photos with the troops and thanking them for their service.”

Valentine will be posting a number of blog entries during the trip to give readers a first-hand look at the tour. The posts can be read at www.nwtf.org/blogs.

The NWTF is the leader in upland wildlife habit at conservation in North America and was a driving force in restoring wild turkeys, which now number more than 7 million.

The NWTF and its volunteers, working closely with wildlife management agencies and other partners, have invested $372 million and conserved 17 million acres of habitat to benefit wild turkeys and countless other species. The NWTF also works to preserve our hunting heritage, and its dedicated volunteers introduce about 100,000 people to the outdoors every year through NWTF programs.

To become a member of the NWTF, join a committee or start a chapter, visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF. Follow the NWTF on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theNWTF.

Submit your children’s hunting pictures for the Monthly Hunting Spotlight to morgan@heartlanditf.com

18 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

August 2012

Closed Labor Day No Sale Monday, Sept. 3rd!

Friday, Oct. 5th at 1:00pm Florida Fall Black Bull Sale Mo Brangus & Hines Cattle Co. Friday, Nov. 9th at 1:00pm Black & White Bull Sale Meadows Creek Farm & Pintlala Cattle Co. Wednesday, Jan. 2nd at 12:00 Noon Slaughter Cow and Bull Sale

Regular Sale Days and Times Monday’s Sale 12:00 Noon Bring your Cattle Sunday 10:00 am to 7:00 p.m.

Or on Sale Day Wednesday’s Sale 12:00 Noon Bring your Cattle Tuesday 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Or on Sale Day

w w w. arc adiasto ck yard.com

Owned and Operated by Carl McKettrick and Joe Hilliard II Located on Hwy 17 (8 miles north of Arcadia, FL) 863-494-3737 • 863-494-1808 • Fax: 863-494-5933

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 19

By Ron Lambert Last month I stated my intent to write a conclusion to July’s article dealing with Florida’s first huge industry. This was not citrus or cattle, vegetables or tourism.

This industry provided thousands of jobs all throughout the South for close to 100 years. The actual name for this business was naval stores.

Old textbooks in schools would show various symbols representing various products from specific areas. North Florida was dotted with a pine tree as a symbol for naval stores. More specifically, this was turpentine and pitch, or rosin. These products are still in use today in a vast number of household and industrial applications. Turpentine was used in paints as well as thinner and solvent to clean brushes. Rosin was widely used to seal seams in a wooden ship. The list of uses goes on and on.

Very few people know or remember the company known as The Petteway Turpentine Distillery. My father refers to it as the Petteway Still. It was located on what is called Griffin Road east of Wauchula. Today, there are no signs to hint of the existence. At its peak, hundreds of men worked long and hard

20 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

hours to keep the operation going. It and the first style was known as a bird was essentially a small town of its own. beak cup. It was formed in a triangular There was a company store and housing pointed shape, much like a bird’s beak. for many of the laborers.

Later, styles included the one-piece I learned most of this during an interview concave system. These pots were made with Roy Petteway whose grandfather, out of red clay. The Lerio Corporation, H.H. Petteway, owned the Petteway Still. founded by Walter Bellingrath of Mobile, I am told that this was the largest naval AL, made many of these pots. Today, stores operation in the United States. they manufacture containers for nursery plants. Walter Bellingrath built what is H.H. Petteway was one of 12 children. known today as Bellingrath Gardens, a He was born and raised in Onslow beautiful home and garden in Theodore, County, North Carolina. He left home at AL that attracts many visitors each year. age 21 and settled in Adele, Georgia in 1890. There, he worked at a job called In later years, a popular container was Woods Rider. He was responsible for known as the herty cup system. This overseeing a large crew of harvesters was a round clay pot resembling a clay who gathered sap from the pine trees. pot used for growing orchids. Over the One harvester was assigned a section years, we have found a few of these still numbering 1000 trees to tap. They were intact in the woods. expected to maintain a fresh cut each week as well as gather the collected sap In the mid 1890s, H.H. Petteway came from a cup attached to the tree. to a settlement named 5-A Junction near the town of Floral City. There he worked Tending these trees required a wide with one of his brothers, G.A. Petteway, variety of tools to make the cuts and at a turpentine operation. scrape the pitch from the tree trunk and collection containers. The containers They both traveled by train to Desoto used to hold pitch changed over the years. County to check out reports of huge They were originally made out of metal stands of virgin pine in South Florida.

August 2012

The Petteway Still was built in 1898 on Griffin Road. At one time, this was the main road over to Avon Park. As I mentioned earlier, this was a small town, home for hundreds of workers. There was also a large set of barns and pens for livestock, as H.H. Petteway owned several hundred mules. There was also a cooperage shop where storage barrels were built. All in all, it created a classic example of a southern mill town.

Variety of cutting tools (hacks) used to make fresh cuts in the trunk of the tree. It would cut and pull away the bark to drain the sap.

H.H. Petteway raised a family there in what was soon to become Hardee County.

Roy Petteway has a picture showing his grandfather in a Buick automobile, which was said to be one of the first cars in the county. Roy was told that his grandfather bought the car over in Tampa and because automobiles were so unknown, a common practice was for the dealer to send an instructor along with the car to give operating lessons.

There were several steps involved in preparing a tree for sap harvest. The first cut made to the tree trunk was made with a starter wood hack. Incidentally, these cuts were called a cat face. Each week the man in charge of that section of trees came around and gathered and collected pitch and made a fresh cut to encourage the sap to drain into the containers. He would use a tool called a shade streak hack for subsequent cuts. As the cut surface grew higher, a new cut was necessary. This was done with a tool called a jump streak hack. These tools were fashioned in local blacksmith shops to fit specific tasks.

An assortment of a collection of tools used to collect the sap and rosin. The round, clay pot (right) was a herty pot. Workers would place the galvanized bucket (back) at the base of the trunk when they used the yoyo scraper and the hardened sap would fall into the bucket.

Roy Petteway’s great uncle George designed and received a patent on a tool called a yoyo that was used to scrape hardened sap from the cat face.

Well, today all that is left behind, as a reminder of a bygone age, is a collection of tools, containers and photographs in the home of Roy and Wendy Petteway. As I stated earlier, each one of the tools shown in the included images had a specific purpose and I have included a brief description pertaining to each.

Roy Petteway holding an ax that was used to make cuts in the trees from the early 1800’s.

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 21

THE MOSAIC COMPANY FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $2.79 MILLION INVESTMENT IN FLORIDA COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Inaugural online grant round makes Florida a priority will make community investments in several grant rounds each year. The The Mosaic Company Foundation inaugural grant round, completed today announced community in May, invested in 37 Florida investments totaling $2.79 million organizations, including the Florida to organizations serving Florida’s Association of Food Banks, Tampa Bay Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Hardee, Watch, Mote Marine Laboratory and DeSoto, Sarasota and Charlotte Florida Agriculture in the Classroom. counties as part of a global launch of the Foundation’s new online grant The Florida Association of Food system.

Banks received a grant for its Farmers Feeding Florida program, which will Mosaic has awarded grants to Florida enable it to collaborate with Florida organizations implementing initiatives produce growers, producers, packers focused on hunger relief, agricultural and distributors to deliver more than research and development, water 1.25 million pounds of fresh produce to conservation and stewardship, and Central Florida food banks. community enrichment.

“Mosaic is proud to support these organizations that are on the front lines of fighting hunger, conserving resources and ensuring our communities thrive,” said Gary N. “Bo” Davis, Mosaic senior vice president, head of its Florida-based phosphate operations, and a Foundation board member. “We are grateful for their tremendous service and partnership.”

Mosaic is committed to investing at least one percent of its profits into its communities globally, Davis said, noting that, with the Foundation’s new online grant system in place, it

22 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Tampa Bay Watch will use its grant funds to support a three-year, comprehensive, community-based oyster habitat and water quality initiative that promotes watershed protection and supports youth education programs.

Schools, community groups, corporations and individuals will be able to participate in hands-on oyster restoration activities as part of the initiative.

Mote Marine Laboratory received a grant for its SeaTrek interactive program, a live-televised distancelearning program for K -12 students

on ocean science education that will reach more than 2,000 students and provide 100 in-school SeaTrek experiences in the coming school year.

Florida Agriculture in the Classroom was awarded a grant to support its K -12 school-garden program that uses a science-based curriculum to grow Florida fruits and vegetables.

The program will fund over 60 school gardens with this grant.

“The strength and vibrancy of our local communities are the roots of our success, and Mosaic has a long history of investing in Central Florida,” said Chris Lambe, Executive Director of The Mosaic Company Foundation.

“We are proud to support these very worthy organizations, and many others, with this recent investment by the Foundation.”

Over the past year Mosaic and its Foundation have donated more than $8.4 million to community organizations focused on Central Florida.

To read more about Mosaic’s focus on food, water and local community investments and its online grant system, visit: www.mosaicco.com/ community/community.htm .

August 2012

Denise Grimsley

HONORED BY FLORIDA’S CATTLEMEN For Denise Grimsley, time is marching on.

“It seems like just yesterday, I was beginning my service in the House,” said Grimsley, a four-term House member from Highlands County.

W

ith term-limits bringing her service in the House to an end, the Florida Cattlemen’s Association recently tapped Grimsley as their “Legislator of the Year” in the group’s annual conference at Marco Island in June.

“Florida’s cattlemen have been long-running partners in our state’s history and our region’s economic viability,” said Representative Grimsley, a longtime member of the

August 2012

Association herself. “In many ways, they have been some of our state’s first conservationists, long before it was in-style, and they’ve been voluntarily promoting sustainability practices for years. I am proud to have been a voice for Florida’s cattlemen in the legislative process.”

Grimsley is chair of the House Appropriations Committee, the first woman to hold the key position as state budget-writer in the House. She

now plans to stand for election to State Senate District 21, which includes parts of Osceola, Polk, Highlands, Martin, and St. Lucie counties, and all of Okeechobee County.

The Florida Cattlemen’s Association is a statewide, non-profit organization established in 1934. It is devoted entirely and exclusively to promoting and protecting the ability of cattlemen members to produce and market their products.

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 23

WOMAN IN AGRICULTURE

Danielle DAUM

A

fter earning her degree in Elementary and Special Education from Florida Southern College, Danielle returned home to work at Happiness Farms, Inc., the largest commercial caladium grower in the world. “As a child, I did everything from stuffing mail order envelopes and office work after school to pulling weeds in the field and packing bulbs in the barn.

But it’s a family rule that you get an education before choosing to work fulltime on the farm,” she shares.

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“I love agriculture!” states Lake Placid native Danielle Daum. She feels that meeting new people and getting to learn about different commodities are just some of the wonderful benefits of being involved in the agriculture industry.

Founded by her grandfather Paul Phypers, Sr. in the 1940s, Happiness Farms grows about fifty different varieties of caladiums, including both lance and fancy leaf varieties. In fact, Fancy Leaf Caladiums is the name of the retail division of Happiness Farms.

Mr. Phypers moved to Lake Placid from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin where he had successfully grown potatoes at his original Happiness Farms location. He

would spend winters in Florida selling tractors and also farmed potatoes here before turning to caladiums. “He had a lot of ideas,” shares Danielle. “He even developed a new variety called the Galaxy, a green lance leaf caladium with a white center and central veins and light pink spots.”

Most days find Danielle in the office analyzing the chemical inventory and work orders for the family’s citrus August 2012

operation, or managing the wholesale caladium orders including tracking freight and booking trucking services.

She also attends garden club meetings around the state to promote caladiums, and gives tours of Happiness Farms to groups who prearrange their visit.

Those visitors are shown a video about the industry and tour the packing house, fields and wash rack. “It’s a very seasonal industry. Caladium season starts in November, with shipping being heavy the end of December through mid-May. Summers tend to be slow as we wait for the crops growing in the fields.” Of course, summer is the perfect time for her to volunteer with the annual Caladium Festival coming up August 24th – 26th.

A long-time member of the Caladium Arts and Crafts Co-op, Danielle explains that all of the items in the store are hand made by people in Highlands County.

“My mother and I can mango butter and mango jelly from trees that grow around our homes, and make crafts and handmade quilts. It’s fun to share these activities with my daughter and nieces.”

Danielle’s passion for agriculture and education is made obvious by her numerous volunteer activities that center on the industry. She is one of the founders of the Highlands County AgVenture, an annual event for Highlands County third graders that looks forward to its thirteenth year this October 16th – 18th. “I have facilitated numerous ‘How to Start Your Own Ag-Venture Program’ workshops at Florida Ag in the Classroom and Florida Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Conferences and even made an Ag-Venture Manual that we give to other counties who are looking

to start their own similar programs. This year alone, we helped Okeechobee County, Desoto County, and two others start their own Ag-Venture programs,” shares Danielle.

She joined the Highlands County Cattlewomen 14 years ago and has served as Secretary since 2005. Says Danielle, “Our goal is to serve our community, promote the beef industry, and have a good time while we do it.

We assist at many events including the Highlands County Fair Buyer’s Dinner, 4-H Fair Participants Awards Dinner, the Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring and the Lake Placid Country Fair. We work hard earning money to give scholarships to our local high school seniors. This year we were able to give nineteen $500 scholarships with the proceeds from the sales of our BBQ beef sandwiches, homemade potato salad and my Grandma Phypers’ coffee cakes.”

Danielle has been an Ag in the Classroom volunteer for close to 20 years and currently serves as a volunteer on the Florida Ag in the Classroom Advisory Committee and as a facilitator. Florida Ag in the Classroom holds workshops to show teachers how to incorporate agriculture and gardening into their core curriculum areas. Danielle has a passion for Ag Literacy Day in Highlands County, typically held in late April or early May. “We have volunteers read ag related story books in classrooms, particularly kindergarten through fifth grades, to help students understand the importance of agriculture. This is a great way to get students excited about joining FFA when they enter middle and high school.”

Danielle “grew up as a Farm Bureau member” and is serving her second year on the Florida Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee.

She represents District 6, which encompasses Highlands, Hardee, De Soto, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota and Manatee counties, and is also serving her second term on the Florida Farm Bureau Oversight Advisory Committee.

Danielle and Andy Neuhofer, District 6 Assistant Director of Field Services, are organizing a Women’s Meeting to be held at ECHO Farm in Ft. Myers on October 6th. Participants will learn about initiatives at ECHO Farm as well as ways to become more involved in local Farm Bureau Women’s Committees. All women in District 6 who are members, or who are interested in becoming members, of Farm Bureau are invited.

In her free time, Danielle enjoys cooking and “being a mom.” She and high school sweetheart D.W. have two children, 16-year old son Laine and 14-year old daughter Lydia. Danielle enthusiastically states, “I have a hard time sitting down and watching other people work. I would much rather take part in the effort. Serving Highlands County and our agricultural industry are my main hobbies!”

CITRUS UPDATE By: Justin Smith

by Justin Smith

What’s

GROVING ON

I

t’s right around the peak of the growing season, so there is no lack of activities in the grove these days. The muchneeded summer rain is making its regular appearance and has got everything growing at full pace. We all know every year brings its own little challenges and changes, so what does it seem like is on the minds of many of the growers this year?

For starters, weeds are growing like, well, weeds. Somewhere between increased nutrition being poured out in mass to the trees and our regular rain, which has not been so regular over the last few years, the weed populations are up everywhere. With the conditions being just perfect for weed growth and no lack of nutrition, herbicide management is a top priority. Even if a good residual program was being utilized before, the growth time

kicked in it is highly probable, given the current conditions, the summer herbicide programs will not last as long as in years past.

If there is an extra application needed this year be mindful of modes of action being rotated. Weeds have the ability to become resistant the same as insect pest, so always rotate residuals between applications.

Next on some of the grove talk topics over the last month is canker, or should it be the lack of it. For what ever reason the canker outbreak this year has not been as severe as in seasons past; as usual there is a but coming. But, that doesn’t mean it’s time to relax yet. Normally, somewhere around the middle to late part of July copper applications can stop as the threat of new infections on the fruit are about over. This year, however, that period is being extended just a little longer. Partially due to the late and prolonged bloom period that was experienced, the fruit has not reached the “normal” size for this time of year.

Since the rapid expansion of the fruit peel is where the canker infection occurs, it looks as though canker control will need to be monitored and managed just a little longer than normal. Mixed with the high amounts of rain, it will be likely to see the need of at least one extra application of copper. Don’t sell it short either, just because the infection can’t be seen yet doesn’t mean it is not happening.

One more subject being discussed is the lower psyllid population this year. We all know the importance of keeping the greening vector in check. The credit for much of this is given to the CHMAs. The growers that are actively participating in their local CHMAs are seeing the results. There are now 38 active CHMAs located throughout all the major growing regions of the state and all have directors and contact people. The website is very easy to navigate and get information from. The directors can help with product selection, information on rates and timing and contact information for applicators if you’re in need of help getting sprays completed. The bottom line is, the CHMAs are working. All the growers who are participating can attest to this fact and the monitoring program by the Department of Plant Industry is further proof.

So, there is plenty going on to keep everyone in the grove busy. It’s getting harder to even find a few days to get off and go fishing. But, don’t forget with everything going on that it’s summer and time will pass quickly, so make sure it doesn’t get away from you.

26 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

August 2012

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August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 27

LOCAL BUSINESS

RANDY WHITE

Newton Crouch

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Based in Griffin, Georgia, Newton Crouch, Inc. has had a Sebring location for about 10 years now. Manager Randy White has been with the equipment company nine of those years.

The family owned Newton Crouch, Inc. began as a fertilizer company, but it didn’t take long to realize the need for quality equipment to spread the fertilizer.

In addition to spreaders, their products now include high-tech sprayers as well as water and chemical containers. Every product manufactured has features to accommodate the needs of a specific customer or industry.

Randy moved to Sebring from Homestead in 1993, having been prompted to relocate by Hurricane Andrew which devastated south Florida in August 1992.

“We already owned property here but the permanent relocation sounded even better after that,” he shares. A former aircraft mechanic, Randy decided to put his expertise to work in the agriculture industry. After becoming familiar with the local industry and people, his connections led him to Newton Crouch, where he began as the Inside Parts Manager, and was later named Branch Manager. He has been in that position for seven years now.

While the majority of Newton Crouch customers in our area are citrus growers, they also provide equipment for golf courses, vegetable growers, dairies and beef cattle operations. Dana Ritenour, their Outside Salesperson, covers territory from Interstate 10 to the Florida Keys and is very familiar with the wide variety of commercial and agricultural operations that call Florida home. Golf courses use their equipment to spread sand, fertilize fairways, and spray the greens. Beef and dairy producers use the equipment for everything from spraying cattle and hay fields to storing and dispensing liquid feed.

August 2012

While most of the equipment is manufactured at the Griffin location, Randy shares “we get basic models from Georgia and modify them to meet Florida needs. One example is of a fertilizer spreader that we added skirts and side skirts to in order to protect citrus fruit in the groves. We also changed the single chain spreader to two chains so that each row can be treated differently if needed.

We then added electronic eyes to detect the rate of fertilizer needed – more for mature trees, less for re-plants, none if no tree is present. We also added a diverter on back to prevent fertilizer from being spread down the middle of a row. The eye can read left and right independently, saving money on fertilizer and being more environmentally sound.”

Citrus Water Seminar

The company’s dedication to innovation doesn’t stop with agriculture. Spawned by the droughts that impacted Northern Georgia a few years ago, they developed rainwater holding tanks to capture water that can be used for watering lawns and flushing toilets. Tanks can be installed above ground or underground during new construction, and range in sizes up to a 10,000 gallon capacity.

Newton Crouch Sebring relocated its operations to 5427 DeSoto City Road in November 2011. “We felt the need to purchase our own property instead of continuing to rent,” says Randy.” We’ve seen our business grow from just two employees to four full-time and one parttime employee. Now we have more room to expand and grow with our customers.”

The Highlands County Citrus Extension Program, the Highlands County Citrus Growers Association, and Florida Citrus Mutual, are sponsoring a “Citrus Water Seminar: Introduction to the Revised Citrus BMP and other Water-Related Topics”. The seminar will be held Wednesday, September 26, 2012, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Bert J. Harris, Jr. Agricultural Center in Sebring, Florida.

The seminar will focus on several water-related topics of interest to citrus growers. The primary subject will be an introduction to the new “Florida Citrus Best Management Practice” manual which incorporates all former Citrus BMP’s into one Florida Citrus BMP including the former Ridge Nitrate BMP. The New Florida Citrus BMP manual will include a few new requirements, a check sheet, and a new NOI (Notice of Intent Form). Those growers in the former Ridge Nitrate BMP will have to submit a check sheet and NOI form for each grove they own or manage under the new BMP.

August 2012

According to Randy, “Adapting to industry changes is the key to longterm success. Chemical prices are higher, environmental regulations and restrictions continue to increase. We get out and talk to people, and listen to growers to keep our minds fresh for new ideas. Our goal is to stay on the cutting edge of technology and continue to adapt to our customer needs.” Their focus on customer service extends to their website, where customers can find everything from product information to how-to guides on set-up and programming new equipment. Stop by and visit Randy at the Citrus Expo or give him a call at 863.471.0105 to see how Newton Crouch equipment can benefit your operation.

The seminars will include presentations on: “The Water Future for Citrus in Florida, The Status of Numeric Nutrient Criteria Implications for Florida Citrus, The Revised Florida Citrus Best Management Practices Manual, The FDACS BMP Implementation Assurance Program, Overview of Current Water Management, Consumptive Use Permits and other Ag Water Components for Citrus in the South Florida WMD and the Southwest Florida WMD. The New Role of Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District in Water Programs will be discussed.

Pre-registration is REQUIRED. To register either Email Becca at southardr@ufl.edu , or FAX (863) 402-6540 the following information: Name, email address, and telephone number.

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 29

SPECIAL FEATURE

CITRUS GETS CREATIVE

WITH WATER USE

By Robbi Sumner

As is true with most agricultural commodities, efficient use of water is a top concern for many citrus growers.

Fortunately, creative ideas for both the re-use and conservation of this valuable natural resource are available.

Funded by a grant through South West Florida Water Management District, the City of Arcadia began recycling effluent (treated discharge from a waste water plant) by pumping the water to nearby areas for use as irrigation. According to Steve Underwood, the Waste Water Plant Supervisor for the City of Arcadia, the first phase of their project began in April 1993 and included one residence, one grove, the city ball fields, golf course and Oak Ridge cemetery. Phase two came in 1999, adding another half dozen residences and groves, all of which are located on the loop of underground pipe that runs from the Reclaimed Water Facility located at 300 Oak Ridge Drive.

That facility includes a 600,000 gallon tank in addition to two run-off ponds that hold a total of 2.5 million gallons.

Water treated at the plant is electronically monitored to ensure compliance with EPA standards. The plant is manned 16 hours a day, 365 days a year, and someone is always on call should a problem be detected with the system or the effluent quality. The system is programmed to automatically switch flow to a reject pond until any such problem is rectified.

30 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

When asked his thoughts about using the effluent to water his 40-acre grove, Kenny Pepper replied “What’s not to like?” According to Underwood, while the City regulates the use, there are no time restrictions on use, and the grove owners also use their own fresh water sources for irrigation if needed. Each grove that uses the reclaimed water has a header system equipped with double check valve to keep effluent from mixing in with the fresh water source. The eight groves which use the treated waste water use between 30,900 and 78,100 gallons per hour depending on the size of the grove. Interestingly, the golf course uses between 50% and 60% of the overall treated water from the plant. Residences on the system are given yard signs to identify them so that Code Enforcement officers don’t ticket for non-compliance during water restriction times.

The Okeechobee Utility Authority (OUA) has a similar arrangement for use of treated effluent. Its Cemetery Road Waste Water Treatment Facility is close enough for effluent to be pumped to Williamson Cattle Company’s citrus groves. “More than 20 years ago we began taking reuse water from OUA and partially irrigating our citrus groves with it. This has given OUA a very economical alternative to dispose of its effluent. It has also allowed WCC to be less reliant on sub-surface wells for irrigation,” shared John Williamson.

August 2012

Like the groves in Arcadia, Williamson also has their own private wells that are used in addition to the effluent from OUA. Sonny Williamson describes the agreement as a “win-win” for the grove owner and utility, as the water contains nutrients useful for agricultural irrigation and puts water back in the cycle.

According to OUA Executive Director John Hayford, on an annual average 500,000 to 600,000 gallons of treated effluent are piped to the grove per day.

OUA has two other methods for effluent disposal: they own about 300 acres of spray field that can produce hay crops and in 2010 a 3,400 foot deep injection well was added to the plant at a cost of approximately $6.5 million.

Innovations like Johnny Georges’ Tree T Pees are also designed to reduce the amount of water needed through more efficient use of the natural resource.

The cone-shaped tree guards made of recycled plastic are positioned at the base of young trees and have been known to reduce water consumption by 75-90% in addition to saving on fuel and fertilizer costs. In addition to their use in the citrus industry, Tree T Pee’s are now also utilized by many peach, olive, pecan and jatropha growers.

August 2012

Johnny shares an example of a client with 5,000 citrus trees who without the Tree T Pee would be using over 100,000 gallons to water each day, but instead is using 26,250 gallons – a significant savings of not only the natural resource but also the power required to run pumps.

A third generation farmer, Johnny shares “In the past, people used natural resources with no regard to limitations. Now, most people recognize the need to conserve for future generations. The young people entering the agriculture industry have even a greater understanding of the need and will be the ones who develop further innovations to become even more efficient.” Johnny has become a big fan of Twitter as a communication tool to learn and share information regarding water conservation. “I follow several groups and share my opinion and others’ on the topic so we can all be better informed.”

more. I’m glad to be a part of farming a better way, with respect for our natural resources and not just the bottom line.”

That’s a sentiment for the future, a future that is certain to continue bringing fresh, new ideas to improve the way we grow our crops and feed a growing population.

Cole Brewer, a Senior at Florida Southern College majoring in Citrus with a minor in Business, has worked with Georges the past several summers and represents the fourth generation of a local citrus family. ”We talk about conservation in class but when I see ideas put to work in the groves and fields it means a lot Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 31

LORIDA SUGAR FARMERS NEARLY TRIPLE EVERGLADES RESTORATION WATER QUALITY REQUIREMENTS Sugar farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), south of Lake Okeechobee, achieved a 71 percent reduction in phosphorus leaving the farming region for the 2011-12 water year—almost three times better than required under Florida’s Everglades Forever Act. This follows last year’s recordbreaking success of 79 percent on-farm reduction and an overall average reduction of 55 percent for the past 17 years.

The South Florida Water Management District, the agency tasked with Everglades restoration, announced the successful results demonstrating the EAA’s on-farm Best Management Practices (BMPs), developed by university scientists in collaboration with farmers, continue to be a resounding success.

“Contrary to what some detractors claim about restoration, the numbers do not lie and the facts speak for themselves—water flowing to the Everglades is significantly cleaner today as a

32 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

direct result of the farmers’, the State’s and the SFWMD’s efforts,” said Judy Sanchez, senior director of corporate communications and public affairs. “The farmers’ BMP program is an outstanding success and nearly two decades of scientific data proves farmers are doing their fair share to improve water quality in South Florida.”

In addition to improving water quality through high-tech sustainable farming practices, farmers have paid “agricultural privilege taxes” of than $200 million for the construction of Stormwater Treatment Area (STAs) to further clean water from farms, urban areas and Lake Okeechobee.

Built on nearly 60,000 acres of former farmland, the STAs had their best performance year ever in 2012. STAs have removed an additional 1560 metric tons of phosphorus, on top of the 2,500 metric tons farmers have removed through on-farm BMPs.

Florida Agriculture Fast Facts:

“Florida’s sugar industry has been a stable economic force and major job provider for South Florida for more than 80 years and we have a strong track record of working with state and federal partners on developing successful, sciencebased solutions to Everglades restoration,” Sanchez said. “These latest results again demonstrate the significant role sugar farmers play in protecting the Everglades as well as providing jobs producing safe, affordable food for all Americans.”

• Florida Sugar Industry provides 7,000 direct jobs & 23,500 indirect jobs in the state

• Supports 1.4 Florida jobs

million

• Generates $100 billion annual economic impact in Florida • Responsible for more than $3 billion in tax revenue for local and state government

• Florida Sugar Industry generates more than $3 billion in annual economic impact

August 2012

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 33

34 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

August 2012

on the leaf ...

In the soil

F or C it rus Microbes will maximize the critical late summer/early fall root flush … optimizing nutrient feeding and storing potential!

Also a progressive approach for Canker & Greening. Microbes just aren’t beneficial … they’re necessary!

Available through: Pathway’s microbial science solutions are providing growers with the benefits of plant health and disease resistance for a multiplicity of crops from improved nutrient cycling, root architecture and soil structure.

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 35

FLORIDA CITRUS

THE PAST THE PRESENT THE FUTURE?

by JUSTIN SMITH

The Citrus Industry in Florida gets its roots from the Spanish explorers who visited the shores of this great State in the Early 1500’s.

St. Augustine was undoubtedly the first area to see citrus trees in the United States. Over the next few years, seedlings were spread to other parts of the state and primarily down the banks of the St. Johns River. This indicates Native Americans were the first “Floridians” who took a liking to this grand fruit and played a part in what would start an industry.

W

ithin a hundred years of the first citrus sprout on Florida’s shores there were fully-grown groves spread out for miles. Although these were not what we think of as traditional orange groves, they are how the name came about. The plantings of modern citrus are actually, by definition, orchards.

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 37

escalated until the mid 1890’s when yet another major freeze took out the majority of the industry. It is estimated that one freeze killed approximately 90% of the commercial acreage in the state. However, the pioneering sprit and determination of Floridians were not destroyed and the growers persevered.

The industry was rebuilding, leaning on scientific discoveries of their own specialized grower driven research and working together, citrus once again rebounded.

A grove is a sporadic planting of trees, generally in no set pattern or shape, so technically Florida has thousands of acres of orange orchards and no longer any orange groves. However, we are deeply ingrained in tradition and it is not advisable to argue the Webster defined meaning of the word, as any citrus grower will be happy to discuss their orange groves but not an orange orchard.

Although citrus had been growing in what is now Florida for a couple hundred years, it wasn’t until 1763 that the first commercial operation of citrus was commenced. The first long distance shipment of fruit was in 1776, which set the pattern for the industry’s ups and downs to this day. Just as the commercialization of the young and blossoming industry was taking off it saw its first stumbling block. The American Revolution began which

38 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

squelched the shipments of citrus.

But, combined with the newly found American spirit and the desire of the people to become self sufficient, the new citrus industry flourished right along with the new country.

Over the next 50 years grapefruit and mandarins were introduced to the commercial market of Florida citrus.

Growers learned to top-work and bud rootstocks to different varieties. At the same time these early citrus producers were learning how to battle the natural elements and overcame many threats to the industry. Freezes were the main hardship the first few generations of citrus producers had to face. The cold pushed the industry slightly farther south and citrus continued to thrive.

The year 1870 saw the first citrus research station located around the Sanford area. From there, the production really

The 20th century was nonetheless brutal to citrus growers. For the majority of the hundred-year time span, freezes continued to plague the industry.

About every 10 years Mother Nature would flex her climatic muscle and the industry was forced to regroup again.

Growers continued to move south in an attempt to distance themselves from bone chilling arctic blasts. The industry finally gained a major victory over the cold with the employment of the micro sprinkler irrigation system. Now, citrus producers have the ability to use the constant underground water temperature against the cold air. The use of microjets had an added benefit as well since now the trees could be supplied with enough water when drought conditions were present to sustain larger numbers per acre.

Now enemy number one was put at bay, to a certain extent, the industry was free to thrive with one less limitation. But, as usual, something generally brings in a balance. For citrus that has been the onslaught of pests and diseases.

The first major disease that growers had to battle was citrus canker. Originally introduced back in 1910, it was believed to be completely eradicated by the mid 1930’s until it was again found in Manatee County in 1986. Once more, growers believed they had won the battle until another discovery in 1995.

Since then, canker has swept through the entire industry. But, resilient as producers have proven themselves to be, through research and industry wide August 2012

Both of the veteran growers are wellknown and respected in this industry: Mr. Wendell Cole with 55 years of experience and Mr. Joe L. Davis Jr., who has been in citrus his entire life. These gentlemen have contributed much to the industry over the course of their careers.

They have seen first hand, more than once, the devastations of weather events and diseases, then the rebuilding of a better more knowledgeable industry.

Our two younger interviewees were Ms. Emma Reynolds and Mr. Mitchell Blackman. Ms. Reynolds has been involved in her family’s citrus operation full time for three years. This year she has also taken on the roll of the Highlands County Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer and Rancher President.

Mitchell has completed a Citrus Degree from Florida Southern College and has been employed full time in the industry, for one year, with Ned Hancock.

efforts, they have learned to control the infection rate of canker as well.

Another, almost devastating virus hit the industry hard in 1994; Tristeza was introduced by the brown citrus aphid.

This virus causes extremely quick decline and death by eliminating the flow of nutrients within the tree. Luckily, Tristeza only affects one rootstock, which was sour root. Not so luckily, sour root was the preferred stock used on flat woods soils for a number of years prior. So, once again the industry was hit hard and began the recovery process.

Some of the newer threats include Citrus Greening Disease (HLB) and Citrus Black Spot, which is a fungal infection.

As growers have proven, generation after generation, this is not stopping them. Combined with efforts from the entire industry, including research, private funding and just good oldfashioned hard work, there is still great optimism and no lack of going strong.

As if pests, funguses, diseases and weather are not enough, there is yet another threat to the industry. Possibly, the

August 2012

one responsible for more lost acreage than all others combined. The culprit is economics. Of all the other conditions that can be fought by joining together, this one is on a singular front. Due to the increased environmental pressures, producing citrus has become much more expensive. Economic downturns throughout the world have forced consumers to cut back, making profit margins a much smaller column in the citrus books. Financial impacts combined with increased land values have turned many citrus acres into parking lots and shopping centers. An industry is only viable if it generates money. If, on an individual basis, there is no longer revenue but there is great value, the only option left is to sell out. Unfortunately this is the reason so many have left the industry over the last generation. But, is this the sign of the future or is it just natural equilibrium? In order to get a better idea of this, I questioned a few Florida citrus producers. Looking for a broad range of ideas, knowledge and perspective, there were two lifelong producers and two younger growers chosen to be interviewed.

As with many citrus producers, one commonality among all the participants was their reason for being in citrus.

All have some type of family ties in the industry as well as agriculture in general. Reynolds did express her original desire to seek a more business profession but changed her career choices citing, she admired the qualities of people in agriculture. Also, she said, “It’s just what our family does”.

From the newer growers I was looking for a sense of where they believe the industry is today and where it will be as they progress into leadership positions.

Although neither of them have been full time producers for a long time, they do both have past experiences. So when asked about the changes they have seen, they have a little more than a couple of years worth of knowledge to pull from. Mitchell, with a true productionmanaging eye, sees the spray programs as being a major change. He understands the importance of making them as efficient as possible in order to keep up with the environmental demands placed upon citrus trees now. Emma on the other hand is looking at technology as the greatest change of business. As she Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 39

the greatest difference in growing citrus now versus 30 years ago. Right out of the gate Mr. Cole said, “just keeping a healthy tree”. He says the challenges of keeping up with what a tree needs is so much greater than traditionally and it can change overnight. Mr. Davis, along the same lines, discussed the lack of fresh fruit. Now all of Florida is almost exclusively processed fruit for the juice market. Fresh fruit requires a pristine product and that is difficult since the harder it is to keep a healthy tree, the harder it would be to keep a flawless piece of fruit. Therefore, the grown for fresh producers have been making a change to the other side. Diseases and pests have hit some areas so that they are completely out of production all together. An example of this is the east coast, which have produced the largest amounts of fresh fruit in the past.

said, now there is a computer in ever tractor and many use iPads in the field every day.

I asked what they believed the biggest long-term issue facing citrus was.

While Mitchell is looking to psyllid management to control the spread of greening, Emma did not want to pin point one issue. Her belief is there is no one thing larger than another as everything works together and must be balanced. Her list of topics included labor, diseases and global economy.

Since Emma and Mitchell have family backgrounds as well as historical knowledge of the industry, I also questioned their idea on the difference in the challenges we have today compared to those of the past. Both agreed that although the challenges themselves are very different, the method of dealing with them is not. Learning and adapting was the general theme of their perspective answers. Mitchell discussed the devastating ability of HLB as opposed to canker and the challenges of bringing young trees into production but

40 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

maintained we (the industry as a whole) have always figured it out. Emma again looks to technology as a driving force which helps keep up with faster paced more difficult challenges.

Mr. Cole and Mr. Davis had their own set of questions. From these gentlemen I wanted to get their take on how far the industry has progressed and where they can see things going from here. When asked what the most significant things they had seen happen in the industry over their lifetime, their answers, were not surprisingly, very similar. Both cited environmental challenges as the major setbacks. Davis pinpointed freezes and hurricanes while Cole concentrated on the disease stresses which have increased spray needs exponentially.

Both of these issues have cost the industry time, money and production.

Some areas have never recovered from each of these events but the ones that have, have emerged stronger and more resilient.

One question I was very interested to get an answer for was what they saw as

Now it is time to move on to the harder questions, those that don’t necessarily have a quantifiable answer, yet these men had no problem with them. First, I asked if they believed the Florida citrus industry was sustainable in today’s world. Then what they thought the future for Florida citrus truly is. Neither of them hesitated in their first answer, which was emphatically yes, Florida citrus is sustainable. As for the future they agreed as well and emphasized growth and working together. Both encourage the younger generation to get involved and believed there is still a future to build a career on. Mr. Cole smiled as he talked about his grandson being interested in citrus and how he is starting to spend more time in the grove.

Davis believes that not only is the industry a place to build a future, but it is vital that the next generation gets involved. As he recapped there was once a million acres of citrus in Florida; now, that number has dwindled to half a million. At the present rate, we are not replanting as quickly as trees are dying out. He sees a very gradual contraction due to this fact. He stated, “We have a niche market with not from concentrate, but we must be a reliable supplier of our August 2012

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product.” The best way to correct the issue before there is a shortfall and it becomes a problem is to continue to learn and adapt. Mr. Cole added, “Florida’s fruit is the best in the world”. As long as people want good juice and the agriculture industry can stay in Florida, then Florida Citrus will be around.

Emma and Mitchell likewise feel fairly confident in the future. Although they both believe it is no longer a business to break into and you must have some type of connection.

Gone are the days someone buys a few acres, puts in some orange trees and makes money. It takes dedication and commitment to keep going. Emma says, “You have to love it.” They too agree, we must all work very closely together.

Since I had the great privilege of talking with these industry elders I wanted to know one more thing from them. That is if they had any parting wisdom for the younger growers.

Mr. Davis wanted everyone to understand that when things look like they are down, to remember, one disease or weather event has never taken out an entire industry and it’s not very likely to start now. “This industry is resilient.” He believes there is a future and like anything else, it is risky but hard work will pay off. Mr. Wendell said to put faith in citrus. “Take care of an orange tree and it will take care of you.” He said if he was a young man he wouldn’t hesitate to plant a grove, but you need an education also. Keeping up to date on science is vitally important and once again put a lot of hard work into it.

At around 9 billion dollars, the Florida citrus industry is the largest economic producer of Florida agriculture. Since the day the first shipment of a box of fruit was sent out, there have been major challenges. All of those ups and downs have led us to this point. Many people have made a great life for themselves and their families by growing oranges and it seems as though there will be many more to come. Both the seasoned veteran growers and the fresh young ones have spoken. Citrus is here to stay, all the way to the end. I believe we can conclude on the words of Mr. Joe Davis,

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August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 41

9

MARVIN KAHN

by Ron Lambert

Since August’s issue of Heartland In the Field is focused upon citrus, I knew that Mr. Marvin Kahn would be a perfect feature as he and his family are pioneers of citrus in the Heartland.

After a phone call to his office, we had an interview set.

Upon arrival at Kahn Groves’ main office in downtown Sebring, I found Mr. Kahn at his desk in the midst of another busy day.

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August 2012

“I humbly consider myself a visionary” Mike and Sadie came to Sebring with one son, Leon, on the way. All together they had four children, Leon, Ruth, Bucky and Marvin. Ruth and Marvin are the only two living children.

The Kahn family rented a store from George Sebring to begin a dry goods business. Mike Kahn became partners with Fisher Sauls to run the store, which was located next to the Nancesowee Hotel in downtown Sebring. Early friends of Mike Kahn were Dick Maye of the Federal Land Bank, Fisher Sauls and Raymond Canto of the Sebring Café, and Henry Crutchfield, then as a citrus worker but soon after as a citrus grower.

names changed this, so Mr. Kovalsky became Mike Kahn just like that. In 1918 Mike married Sadie Sarasky, another Lithuanian name that was changed to Shears when she entered the U.S.

Marvin Kahn’s father was an immigrant from Lithuania. He came to the United States in 1914 entering through the port of New York at Ellis Island.

In Lithuania, their family name was Kovalsky but immigration officials who had no patience with difficult European

August 2012

The Kahns traveled south and lived in Atlanta, GA, Pelham, GA and briefly in a small town known as Sales City. He earned a living working as a peddler, selling out of a horse-drawn wagon.

Marvin shared with me that his mother was not impressed with life in Georgia and the Kahn family came further south into Central Florida. After a brief stop in Avon Park, the Kahns settled in Sebring.

He soon met George Sebring, the founder of the town and a friendship formed.

Mr. Sebring provided a building lot for a place of worship for the Jewish people who came to build a new life in Sebring.

The Kahn children were each born in a different home in Highlands County. It wasn’t that they just bounced around; Mike and Sadie were on the lookout for something a little better for their growing family. Marvin was born in 1933 and his first memories are of the house on old Desoto City Road. This home was located on a twenty-acre citrus grove that was the beginning of Kahn Groves.

Marvin has a photo in his office today of his father and him at eight or nine years of age in front of an orange tree on that original twenty-acre grove.

This parcel was eventually a wedding gift to Marvin and his wife, Elsa. It is a producing grove still owned by the Kahns today.

Marvin shared with me that both his mother and father were from a rural area in Lithuania, but Jewish people were not allowed to own land there.

Consequently, they both had a strong desire to work harder for a little extra money to purchase land of their own.

I found the background story of Marvin Kahn’s life to be so interesting that I felt that I should include the previous paragraphs to build a foundation for the rest of the story.

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 43

Before his untimely death at age 54 in 1943, Mike and Sadie Kahn had increased their citrus acreage to 200 or more acres.

After her father’s death, Ruth, Marvin’s sister, left college to take over the operation of the family dry good store.

Sadie took the reins of management of Kahn Groves. Marvin was only 10 years old and mentioned his involvement in 4-H clubs as well as Future Farmers of America in high school. He spoke very highly of the influence of county agent V.T. Oxer who preceded Bert Harris in Highlands County. He gave much credit to each of them in encouraging him in his increasing interest in citrus.

After high school, he enrolled at the University of Florida. Marvin’s degree was in citrus at the university, a degree that unfortunately no longer exists. It is now known as an all-encompassing title of ‘Horticultural Science.’ Upon graduation from UF, Marvin returned to Sebring to manage Kahn Groves.

Marvin married Elsa Kessler in 1954 and they have two grown children, Steve and Leah. Steve and his family live in Israel, as he is a Rabbi in that country. He and his wife have three children. Leah is still living in Highlands County and has one son.

During the late 50s and early 60s, he acquired additional acreage in both citrus and cattle land. In the early sixties, he founded Kahn Grove Service out of necessity. He explained that the machinery needed to provide care for the family groves was expensive and they could not pay for the existing acreage without additional groves. This same equipment required labor to operate and the Kahn Grove Service was able to provide full-time jobs. Crews were put to work not only in Kahn Groves but other citrus acreage whose owners chose to hire out their citrus caretaking to the skilled professionals at Kahn Grove Service.

Marvin Kahn, as a concerned grower determined to contribute to the health of the citrus business, served upon the Florida Citrus Commission from 1971

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“We as citrus growers are at the brink of being more history than reality.” until 1979. This group of citrus growers is representative of each part of the state where citrus continues to be grown.

Marvin and I spoke at length regarding the significance of the term ‘Florida Orange Juice’ and how important it is to promote the quality and to strive to hold on to the consumer. Statistically, orange juice has gradually declined in popularity with the consumer over the past few years, there are several reasons behind this including a lesser budget competing with huge advertising budgets of products ranging from bottled water to well-known soft drinks.

He and I talked at length of the positive results in advertising enjoyed by Florida orange juice with Anita Bryant as the official spokesperson. We agreed that changes are constantly on the horizon and recognizing them and adjusting to continue to move forward is crucial.

Once upon a time on State Road 66 on the North side of the road stood a large two-story wooden building; a sign out front proclaimed it to be the Crewsville Feed Company. About twenty-five years ago that area was planted in citrus by Kahn Groves. By no means was this the first flatwoods grove but it was created and planted with the intent to avoid previous mistakes that plagued flatwoods groves. The single greatest issue was, and remains to be, that of water control, primarily drainage.

Marvin Kahn is one of a group of men who have spent their lives not only making a living out of citrus but also providing jobs in their communities and their home state. I don’t have enough ink in this pen to even write all their names. They would include the names of Crews, Griffin, Smoak, Maxcy, Smith, Stephens, Ward, Crutchfield and the list goes on and on.

I will close with these thoughts; I am fortunate in that I have met a number of these men, most of who are second or third generation citrus men. I feel that this in itself is a high honor and I would like to thank Marvin Kahn for the time that he spent sharing with me.

I would also like to point out one more remarkable aspect that becomes plain when you examine the development of an area or of a previously unknown industry. This country was made what it is today because of people like Mike and Sadie Kahn and thousands of others who left behind a doubtful future for a totally unknown land. A country where they knew few, if any, people, could not speak the language, knew nothing of the laws and customs of the land, but came anyway! People like this made America into the greatest country ever known.

We as their descendants have a great responsibility to uphold.

August 2012

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 45

DOGS Sniff Out Canker

by Brian Norris

Those of you involved with citrus know that certain diseases have had a significant impact on the industry. Canker alone nearly wiped out half of the citrus trees in Florida not too long ago. Now with other diseases like greening and black spot, the citrus industry in Florida continues to struggle to stay ahead. As with anything, early detection is key. Today, growers use teams of trained humans to walk through groves and greenhouses looking for signs of canker, sometimes spending close to an hour on one plant to find one lesion. Jose “Pepe” Peruyero, of J&K Canine Academy Inc. felt there had to be a way to speed this process up and make it easier for the growers to deal with this disease.

Peruyero is no stranger to the detection industry. His canine academy has trained dogs to detect things like bed bugs and termites for years. He decided that there had to be a way to train dogs to detect citrus canker. The idea of scent detection is fairly simple and can be done without too many issues in a controlled lab environment. But how would it translate to sandy and swampy Florida orange groves? This proved to be a tall order, especially for Peruyero’s high standards.

Peruyero decided to start this process in

46 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

1998. As many of you know, the Florida orange grove can be a challenging environment, full of mosquitoes, fire ants, stagnant water and other animals, not to mention pesticides and fertilizers.

For a dog, this could be a sensory overload. This is where Peruyero knew he needed to focus. He had to figure out a way to get the dogs to focus on the one scent, alert on detection and be able to work within the specific boundaries of the grove they were working. Through hard work and research, Peruyero was able to develop a model to follow in order to train dogs to detect the disease.

The first dog took 9 ½ months to train, but they have been able to speed up the process to only take 3 months for a dog to be ready to go into the field. Peruyero’s dogs are trained to very high standards and boast an impressive 95% detection rate with less than 5% chance of a false detection. Now, as a grower, how can this help you? According to Peruyero, his dogs can examine 16 acres of citrus in just 6 hours. This is the equivalent to about 108 man-hours. Furthermore, a dog can alert immediately on a tree that has a canker lesion 13ft up in the tree. This may take a human close to 45 minutes to find.

August 2012

Peruyero says that what he has helped developed are for citrus growers, not government inspectors. He did it to help a citrus grower maximize his ability to produce citrus. Also, this program gives the dogs a second chance. All of the dogs used with his programs are rescued dogs. With these dogs, a grove that has been abandoned due to canker can be cleared and determined eradicated of the disease by the dogs. Then, new young trees that have been checked, by the dogs, in the nursery can be planted.

The new trees can be monitored on a quarterly or monthly basis by the dogs and any detection can be dealt with and quarantined immediately, limiting the spread and exposure. This process would allow for the growers to utilize abandoned groves and begin increasing the production of citrus in Florida.

Peruyero wants to emphasize that early detection is key to limiting the spread of these diseases and with the dogs’ help this is possible. He plans to begin the research and development of a model to train dogs to detect Citrus Greening and Black Spot in addition to Canker. Peruyero also plans to introduce this service to growers in Texas and California, where these diseases are just beginning to appear and hopefully be able to help limit the spread and destruction there.

For more information on J&K Canine Academy, Inc. and the services they offer, visit www.pepedogs.com or call their office at 386-454-3647.

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 47

SPECIAL FEATURE

DINING IN THE HEARTLAND:

By Robbi Sumner

SLIM’S BAR-B-Q & GRILL

S

lim’s Bar-B-Q & Grill in Arcadia has been owned and operated by members of the Clement family since 1957. According to Martha Clement, who has managed the restaurant since 1981, her father Slim came up with the idea while living and working in Miami. After moving to Arcadia, his ideas became a reality and the restaurant continues on today in its original location Martha proudly states that while they have expanded both the building and the menu, the main recipes have not been changed.

“We make everything from scratch – the coleslaw, potato salad – even the BBQ beans are started from dried beans and cooked in a pressure cooker. BBQ is our specialty; everything else springboards off of, and compliments that,” she shares.

What started as a simple, half-page barbeque menu has expanded to include items like market fresh fish, steaks, burgers and salads. Bo Riley has been the main cook at Slim’s since 1997 and like Martha, takes great pride in the quality of food they serve. Meats are smoked for several hours over Blackjack oak wood and served with sauce on the side.

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August 2012

319 S. Brevard Avenue (Highway 17 South) Arcadia, FL Tuesday through Saturday: 11:00am to 8:00pm Sunday: 11:00am to 3:00pm

Kick off your meal with a taste of homemade Brunswick Stew, grilled shrimp or jalapeño poppers. A variety of salads, including Chef, Caesar, Gorgonzola, Tropical Fruit or Garden salad, are offered. Burgers include a traditional version made with onethird pound of fresh ground choice beef; a Santa Fe burger with roasted green chilies, jack and cheddar cheeses, and spicy avocado; and even a vegetarian option.

Slim’s grill items include juicy grilled chicken plates and baskets, with Key West and Southwestern sandwich versions. “Expertly grilled” market fresh salmon, mahi and shrimp are also available. For the more traditional barbeque enthusiasts, a variety of plate dinners or sandwich baskets featuring their deliciously slow cooked barbequed meats – ribs, chicken, beef, pork, or turkey – are of course the main event. The sliced beef on the Meat Special was described by one diner as “the most tender, lean and delicious” they had ever tasted!

Slim’s original recipe BBQ sauce is prepared the same it was 55 years ago, and is available in hot or mild. You can purchase a bottle to take home and share with others after you enjoy it at the restaurant.

Even the desserts at Slim’s come from long-standing traditions, with favorites like Aunt Flo’s Key lime pie and Nan’s Pecan Torte pie (Nan was Martha’s mother.) From January 1st through Easter, you can enjoy homemade kumquat pie, a special version of the Key lime recipe.

If you’re lucky enough to get to Slim’s for a meal, you’ll quickly realize that it’s not just the food that makes it a special place. Martha and her staff take pride in running a clean restaurant that serves quality, great tasting food in a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

While Martha is quick to brag on her staff, the feeling is mutual. “She is fantastic to work for,” shares Jennifer, one of the long-time employees.

Slim’s Bar-B-Q & Grill is a downhome treat you don’t want to miss!

Only USDA Choice cuts of beef are served at Slim’s, so if you’re craving a big juicy steak, rest assured that the rib-eye or sirloin will satisfy your taste buds.

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 49

SHERRY’S HIDEOUT RESTAURANT & CATERING CO. www.sherryshideout.com 12044 East SR 78 in Lakeport in the Northlake Estates

863-946-0050 Catering Call 863-227-0371

“Glades County’s Hidden Gem” Whether you feel like pasta, chicken, steak or seafood, Sherry’s is the place to go for a mouth-watering meal with local flavor. Catering services are also available with the same quality food found in the restaurant.

Summer Hours: Friday and Saturday 5:00 to 9:00 pm Sunday Lunch Buffet 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

EL PIRATA MEXICAN RESTAURANT Visit Dora and Emmanuel on Hwy 70 East in Arcadia

863-993-2203

In Arcadia and looking for delicious Mexican fare? This family-owned authentic Mexican restaurant is the perfect place for that. At El Pirata, you can find something for any taste! From enchiladas to quesadillas to mouth-watering tacos- all their food is so fresh, a perfect Mexican feast. Open 7 days a week so you can put a little spice in your life during the holidays anytime. Order take out and bring the fiesta home to all your summer celebrations.

BULLZ-EYE BBQ 1029 E Oak Street in Arcadia

863-993-4227

Visit Bullz-Eye BBQ in Arcadia and come try the taste of our good home cooking. All of Bullz-Eye’s meats are smoked fresh every day and served per pound.

Let us help you with all of your holiday parties and events. We have full menu, catering and family style platters available. Visit Bullz-Eye at 1029 E Oak Street in Arcadia or call us at 863-993-4227 and we will help you feed your friends at all your summer bar-b-ques and parties!

LIGHTSEY’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Coming soon to Hendry County

For Hendry County reservation requests, call the Okeechobee location 863-763-4276

Lightsey’s Fish Company and Restaurant is opening a second location at The Glades RVPark located on Hwy 80 about 10 miles west of Clewiston and 12 miles east of Labelle. This location is situated on a hilltop with a birds-eye view of the Caloosahatchee River. Renovations are under way and we are looking forward to a late May to early June opening. You’re welcome to come by on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays to sneak a peak at Hendry County’s future destination.

And remember…If it Swims, Crawls or Hops, we probably serve it!

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August 2012

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 51

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Steaked-Out Pita Pizzas

Marinade time: 30 minutes Total recipe time: 30 to 35 minutes Makes 4 servings

Ingredients: 1 pound beef shoulder center steaks (Ranch) or boneless top sirloin steak, cut 3/4 inch thick 2/3 cup reduced-fat non-creamy Caesar dressing, divided 4 whole wheat pita breads 3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Italian cheese blend, divided 6 cups loosely packed chopped romaine lettuce (about 6 ounces) 1 cup diced seeded tomatoes 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions: Heat oven to 350°F. Cut beef steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8-inch thick strips. Combine beef and 1/3 cup dressing in medium bowl; toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Place pita breads slightly overlapping on metal baking sheet. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese on each pita. Bake in 350°F oven 10 to 12 minutes or until pitas are toasted and cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, remove beef from marinade, draining well; discard marinade. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1/2 of beef; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. Remove from skillet.

Repeat with remaining beef.

Toss lettuce, tomatoes and remaining 1/2 cup cheese in large bowl. Add beef and remaining 1/3 cup dressing; toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide beef mixture evenly over pitas.

Serve immediately.

FCA/FCW Fall Quarterly • Okeechobee Sept. 13-14 52 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

August 2012

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 53

go in under an hour.

We have all supplies in one place.” They also offer items ranging from specialty pottery and garden statues to the wrap that used to contain tree root balls.

Although many customers come in knowing exactly what they want, others need assistance in choosing

By Robbi Sumner the right plants for Due to a misprint in last month’s issue, their project. Depending on the size we are running the Farmer & Rancher of the project, Bobby will visit a home or business, take measurements Special Feature article again. and provide ideas and options based the age of 14, Bobby Heffner on things like the amount of sunlight took a part-time job at Robbins available, building colors, shingles, Nursery, not realizing at the time that and the desired amount of maintenance it would become his future career. “I required for different plants. He then was fortunate to find something I felt provides a sketch for customers to use passionate about at a young age,” he to better envision the finished project. says. Bobby’s father, the late Jack Heffner, owned Drake’s Garden and While the staff is happy to offer Lawn, a small garden center that was expert advice in landscape design, closing at about the same time that installation, and plant choices to meet family friend Jess Robbins opened individual needs, the business does not offer on-going maintenance contracts.

Robbins Nursery.

They do however work closely with When Bobby was just 21, Mr. Robbins many of the local lawn maintenance made it possible for him to take over companies. They also offer several free the business, which was then located seminars throughout the year, typically on one acre in downtown Sebring, near between October and May. According the courthouse. Thirteen years later, to Bobby, employee Debbie Armstrong with a vision of great growth potential coordinates the seminars which are for the business, Bobby was able to held in the nursery’s pavilion, with purchase 35 acres and relocate to the topics such as Orchid Repotting, Frost current location on Highway 27 South. Protection, and Planting Dish Gardens.

The relocation provided opportunity to expand from a retail garden center When asked about how the plants get to incorporating landscape design and started at the nursery Bobby explained, “We purchase a lot of the fruit and wholesale components. flowers that we offer, but buy starters Being one of the largest retail garden and propagate approximately 60-70% centers in central Florida allows the of the plants on our own.” Since the nursery to cater to everyone from property sits on an old caladium field, private homeowners to professional the back portion is rich muck-land that landscapers. “What makes us unique, provides an excellent bed for growing “ says Bobby, “is that anyone doing a a variety of plants. In addition to the project can get bulk dirt, rocks, trees – nursery plants, they also grow some whatever they need - and be loaded to vegetables and have introduced a lot

Nurseryman Bobby Heffner

At

54 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

of folks to gardening fresh vegetables like collard greens, corn, onions, and celery.

About three years ago, they began using horticultural soaps and oils instead of commercial pesticides. Says Bobby, “We are virtually chemical free. It’s better for the environment and has proven beneficial to us because we don’t have to worry about safety issues related to commercial chemical spraying and public exposure.”

The nursery has 13 full-time employees, most of who have been there between ten and twenty years. “We even have three who live onsite,” shares Bobby. A sign above his desk reads “Work hard and be nice” a slogan that he believes in and that apparently works, given the longevity of the business and its staff.

Through the years the nursery has become a family affair, with both of Bobby’s daughters and his wife Amy being involved. “My daughter Sadie attends South Florida Community College and helps on weekends.

Alexandra is now at Texas Christian University but also worked here while in high school. Amy helps with our bookkeeping.” Amy also has a couple of pet donkeys and some free-range chickens that are kept on the backside of the property, adding to the natural farm-appeal of the nursery.

Bobby is a member of the Sebring Chamber of Commerce, Florida Nursery Growers Association, and serves on the City of Sebring Tree Board. He also enjoys purchasing and renovating homes for resale, working on four already this year.

To learn more about all that Robbins Nursery offers, visit them on Facebook or at www.robbins-nursery.com. Better yet, stop by 4803 US Highway 27 South in Sebring and enjoy their beautiful plants and friendly service. They’re open Monday through Saturday from 8:00am to 5:00pm.

August 2012

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 55

Syngenta Scholarship Continuing its investment in the future of agriculture, Syngenta is supporting the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association’s (FFVA) education scholarship. Applications are currently being accepted.

The scholarship is open to Florida high school seniors and college students interested in pursuing a career in agriculture. The $5,000 scholarship opportunity is available to students who meet one of these requirements: 1) any high-school senior participating in Florida 4-H or FFA programs who will attend the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida; the College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture at Florida A&M University; or the Horticultural Science program at Florida Southern College in the fall; 2) any student (graduate/undergraduate) enrolled in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida; 3) any student (graduate/ undergraduate) enrolled in the College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture at Florida A&M University; 4) any student (graduate/undergraduate) enrolled in the Horticultural Science program at Florida Southern College.

Applications must include: 1) name, 2) address, 3) phone number, 4) email, 5) school/college, 6) major/intended major; and 7) an essay that does not exceed 700 words. The essay must address the following: In 700 words or less, explain your interpretation of the commonly used term “sustainable agriculture” and why you think its continued implementation will be important in meeting the challenge to produce more from less and feed the growing global population.

Explain, citing specific examples, the role of science and research in the development of sustainable production practices; what factors have influenced and led to the adoption of these practices in Florida vegetable production, and how the implementation of these practices impacts food security and quality of life worldwide.

Applications and essays must be submitted online by Aug. 17, 2012, at www.SyngentaFFVAScholarship. com. For additional information, please contact Alex Moss at (919) 870-5718 or amoss@gibbs-soell. com. There is also a Facebook page called Syngenta Scholarships that students can “like.”

Naples, Fla., Sept. 20, 2012. The winner will be informed via letter and invited to attend the luncheon where the scholarship will be presented.

Syngenta is dedicated to the future of agriculture, and this is the ninth consecutive year Syngenta has sponsored this scholarship. In addition to scholarships, Syngenta also conducts an internship program in Florida. Participant responsibilities include scouting, soil sampling and collecting, analyzing and reporting on various citrus agricultural data.

Syngenta is one of the world’s leading companies with more than 26,000 employees in over 90 countries dedicated to our purpose: Bringing plant potential to life. Through worldclass science, global reach and commitment to our customers we help to increase crop productivity, protect the environment and improve health and quality of life. For more information about us please go to www.syngenta.com.

The scholarship will be presented during the FFVA 69th Annual Convention at The Ritz-Carlton in

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August 2012

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 57

THE BUCK STARTS HERE 2012 Florida Ranch Rodeo Finals and FREE Cowboy Heritage Festival Silver Spurs Arena, Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, Florida Ranch Rodeo Tickets: $10 per person, Kids 10 & under FREE!

Friday, September 28 Ranch Rodeo Finals – 7 p.m.

Saturday, September 29 Cowboy Heritage Festival 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Ranch Horse Competition – 10 a.m.

Ranch Rodeo Finals – 7 p.m.

Cowboy Heritage Festival Celebrate and Learn about Florida’s Ranching History Fun & Educational - Arts & Crafts Displays Living History Exhibits Find details at

www.FloridaCattlemen.org

Lodging Facilities

Ask For Florida Cattlemen’s Ranch Rodeo block price.

Clarion Resort & Water Park – 877-846-2221 Holiday Inn Express & Suites – 407-997-1700 Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center – 407-586-2000

Find Information about Kissimmee area activities at VisitKissimmee.com

58 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

August 2012

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 59

69th Annual Convention September 19-21 The Ritz-Carlton, Naples Fruit and Vegetable producers and other industry members to gather in Naples for FFVA convention Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association will offer opportunities to network, learn about agriculture industry issues and hear exciting speakers at its upcoming annual convention.

“FFVA 2012” will bring together Florida’s specialty crop industry and top experts in agriculture to provide the latest information on issues of concern.

The convention takes place Sept. 1921 at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples.

In addition to presentations and issues forums, FFVA 2012 offers activities such as a benefit golf tournament, fishing excursion, BINGO for guests and spouses and much more.

Learn more about the convention and register at http://www.ffva.com/ ffva2012/.

60 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Issues Forums include: The Labor Landscape: A Growing Concern Access to an adequate workforce is an ever-present concern for growers, and the outlook does not appear to be getting brighter. Find out what’s on the horizon related to immigration in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.

Imports and the Economy: Assessing the Impact Competition from Mexico is an ongoing challenge, but the situation was especially troubling during the 2011-2012 growing season. Learn what options exist for the grower community to help ensure a strong market for domestic production. Also on tap: A discussion on the European economy and how it’s affecting the fresh produce market.

Election 2012: What’s Ahead for Agriculture?

From immigration to private property rights to water quality and quantity, the 2012 state, congressional and presidential elections will affect a variety of issues important to Florida growers. Hear a forecast of what could be in store for agriculture after voters go to the polls this fall.

Former CIA officer talks about leading a double life For 31 years, FFVA 2012 keynote speaker James Olson led a double life as a career officer with the Central Intelligence Agency in overseas clandestine operations. Olson also served as chief of counterintelligence at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. Among his many honors are the Intelligence Medal of Merit, the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal and the Counterintelligence Excellence Medal. Olson serves on the faculty of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. He is the author of “The Ten Commandments of Counter Intelligence” and “Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying.”

August 2012

Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association’s Grower Round Table PRVCGA and UF/IFAS Extension will host a Grower Round Table August 7 beginning at 11:30 a.m. Grower Round Table Luncheons are set to provide growers with pertinent information from researchers in a relaxed setting. This luncheon will be held at the Family Service Center, 310 W. Whidden St. in Arcadia. The meeting will be sponsored by ORO AGRI, Inc. and they will provide lunch at no cost to attendees. Dr. Bob Rouse and Dr. Bill Castle will give presentations immediately following lunch. Dr. Rouse has

August 2012

proven to be a popular speaker with PRVCGA growers by concentrating his research on survival strategies for existing groves. He will discuss the possibilities of using hedging for rehabilitation of HLB diseased trees.

He will review current experiments underway and observations from those and other trials he is monitoring.

Several local growers are already experimenting with these ideas. We will attempt to have them on hand for their observations as well. Dr. Bill Castle has built his career on citrus scion and rootstock development and evaluation.

He will discuss rootstock selection and characteristics.

Many local growers have begun to reset and replant. More growers are in the evaluation stage, trying to decide the proper rootstock for today’s grove environment.

Dr. Castle can provide insight on old and new varieties, but will concentrate on historical favorites. Mark your calendars to attend now!

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 61

The 84th Annual Florida FFA Convention was held June 25-29, 2012, at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.

District XI Secretary.

Additionally Erin Lamb, Sebring Senior was the high individual in Food Science Technology Career Development (CDE) event.

In the Proficiency Awards category Jennifer Swain from Sebring Senior was a finalist (top 4) in Swine Production and Feeder Swine categories. Stein was a finalist in Agricultural Communications and Taylor Crutchfield, Sebring Senior in Equine Entrepreneurship.

T

here were in excess of 80 students, advisors, guests, and dignitaries from Highlands County in attendance. President, Charlie Brown from the Avon Park Chapter presided over not only a record breaking convention with more than 4300 in attendance, but Florida FFA Association set a new membership record of more than 16,300 members in 2011-12.

Numerous members placed first in their specialties including Mariah Avarez from Hill-Gustat Middle in Extemporaneous Speaking. Chase Griffin from Lake Placid Senior placed 1st in Agricultural Mechanics Proficiency area. Megan Stein, Sebring Senior receiving 1st in Agricultural Education Proficiency Award and also selected as the Outstanding District Officer and was the recipient of the Ryan Rimmer award for her outstanding accomplishments as

Career Development finalists were Taylor Brown-Avon Park Senior in Horticulture Demonstration, Garrett Barr-Avon Park Middle in Horticulture Demonstration, Stein in Horticulture Demonstration and Prepared Public Speaking and Savana Fisher-Sebring Senior in Horticulture Demonstration. Elton Gargano form Sebring Senior also competed in Extemporaneous Speaking.

As winners in District competition both Avon Park Middle and Sebring Senior Parliamentary Procedure teams competed. Leighton Jahna, Alyssa Cloud, Jocelyn Jackson, Paul Devlin, Charles Southerland and Kaitlyn Whitman comprised the Avon Park team.

Stein, Teresa Ware, Ashley Palmer, Tara O’Berry, Kelby Mahoney and Jessica Belcher were members of Sebring team.

Avon Park also had two of its members serve on the Courtesy Corps.

The State FFA degree was awarded to the following: Avon Park Senior- Norma Badilla, Celeste Breylinger, Brittany Gates, Mitchell Guerndt and Kyle Jahna.

Lake Placid Senior-Nick Swain. Sebring Senior-Jayme Faircloth, Tara O’Berry and Jennifer Swain.

Three members will be receiving their American FFA degree in October at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Charlie Brown-Avon Park, Carlee Hill-Sebring and Lauren WelbornSebring.

Stein was selected by the 16 Chapters in District XI to serve as 2012-13 District President. Angie Patino from Sebring Senior also ran for the District Secretary position filled by Brandon McKee from Okeechobee. Stein and Gargano were among 10 members recognized in the FFA Alumni Essay Contest, with Stein taking 1st and winning a scholarship to attend the Washington Leadership Conference.

Sebring Senior excelled in numerous Chapter competitions including: SAE Award (submitted 10 or more proficiency applications in 6 different categories), National Chapter Award (among 30 Chapters recognized), 4th in Harvest of Change fundraiser for Florida FFA Foundation and 2nd in Outstanding Alumni Relations.

Photo Top Left: 2nd Sebring Sr. FFA Megan Stein and 3rd Advisor Hallie Webb Photo Top Right: (L-R) Sebring Parliamentary Procedure team: Tara O’Berry, Ashley Palmer, Jessica Belcher, Kelby Mahoney, Teresa Ware and Megan Stein

62 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

August 2012

2011-2012 State President Charlie Brown of Avon Park after his Retiring Address

Cora Bishop from Charlotte Sr. FFA receiving her State Degree

Orin Webb, Haley Webb and Cindy Webb of Charlotte County after the parent recognition video for the retiring officers

The new 2012/13 Vice Presidents from left to right: Area VI Vice President – Ashley Hassan, Okeechobee Brahman FFA, Area V Vice President – David Walden, Durant FFA, Area IV Vice President – Katie Hutchinson, West Orange FFA, Area III Vice President – Justin Watson, Pine Ridge FFA, Area II Vice President – Sarah Trimm, Bronson FFA, Area I Vice President – Shelby Calloway, Malone FFA

The new 2012-13 District X Presdent Wally Martin from DeSoto FFA and Secretary Victoria Baker from Charlotte FFA

The new 2012-2013 State President Clayton Willis from South Lake FFA (right) and Secretary Matthew Cantrell from Baker County FFA (left)

2011-2012 President handing the final session to the new 20122013 State FFA President Clayton Willis of South Lake FFA

August 2012

Haley Webb and Charlie Brown

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 63

What do horses, science, mummies, and food have in common?

Okeechobee 4–H Summer Camps

O

keechobee Extension Service staff stayed busy again this summer coordinating a number of day camps for local students.

Four different types of camps were offered this summer, including Horse, Environmental Education, Adventures in History, and a new Culinary Capers camp. According to Debbie Clements, Okeechobee County’s Extension Agent in charge of 4-H, the Environmental Education Encounter was the original camp, having started back around 1990. All camps provide positive alternative activities for Okeechobee youth between the ages of 8 and 18.

Participants in each camp are given preand post-tests, and consistently show an increase of knowledge in the topics experienced during the camps. Grant monies requested annually through the Children’s Services Council of Okeechobee allow the camps to be reasonably priced and provide access to a variety of children.

The fun kicked off June 19th with the first week of “Just Horsing Around” camp held at the Agri-Civic Center.

Participants were able to sign up for any one, two or all three weeks offered. Week one focused on Basic Horsemanship with instruction by renowned Dressage trainer Stephany Fish. Campers honed their grooming skills, learned the proper way to

64 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

wrap horses’ legs, watched a shoeing demonstration by a professional farrier, and were given individual instruction to improve their overall horsemanship.

During the second week of horse camp different equine disciplines such as Western Dressage, Equitation and Extreme Trail Chal¬lenge were covered. Campers learned the basic rules of each event, the special equipment required for each discipline, nutritional and physical re¬quirements of the horse, and basic care of a performance horse. Several pro¬fessional trainers and riders, including 1998 AQHA Horsewoman of the Year Andy Moorman and Grand Prix Dressage Trainer Stephany Fish, were on hand to share their expertise.

The Environmental Education Encounter camp, more popularly known as “H2O Camp” because of its focus on water activities, was offered four separate weeks with 60 to 70 children attending each week.

Trips to the Environmental Learning Center in Vero Beach, SeaWorld, Crystal Springs Preserve, the Orlando Science Museum and Blizzard Beach provided learning opportunities on a variety of topics including the weather; local reptiles like alligators, turtles and snakes; explosive gases; and different ecosystems and the animals that live there.

The third week of horse camp focused on Rodeo events. Campers learned about bar¬rel racing, pole bending, goat tying, break¬away and calf roping. The rules of each event, how to choose a performance prospect, proper equipment, training and conditioning of the horse, nutrition and care of the performance horse, and how to handle warm-up and compe¬tition were among topics covered.

August 2012

History Camp was held the weeks of July 9th and July 16th and included trips to the Edison and Ford Estates in Fort Myers, the Tampa Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), the Navy Seal Museum in Fort Pierce, the Naples Depot and Collier County Museums, and Epcot. According to camp coordinator Dianne Spann, History Camp started about four years ago and has grown steadily. The locations typically visited require smaller groups and enrollment is limited to 40 children each week. Highlights for many campers included the mummy exhibit at MOSI and the Lionel train display at the Naples Depot Museum.

The new “Culinary Capers” camp was added to this year’s schedule, with

August 2012

Diane Conway and her team of experts sharing their broad culinary knowledge.

An off-shoot of the Spice of Life 4-H club that was founded in 2011, the camp offered students opportunities to learn the basics of sanitary food preparation and kitchen safety, and how to prepare a number of edible items from freezer jelly and canned tomatoes to breakfast

foods, pizza, and pasta. On a special “Florida Day” campers enjoyed fried gator and swamp cabbage!

Thanks to the County Extension Service and Children’s Services Council, hundreds of Okeechobee youth were once again able to enjoy a safe, fun, and educational summer!

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 65

~4th Annual ~

Mason G. Smoak 5K Run & Family Fun Festival

For the last three years, the community has displayed support of the Mason G. Smoak Foundation by showing up and having fun at this event! We hope this year is no different. Please come out and enjoy the following activities: » » » » » » » » » » »

5K race for all ages Family fun walk Delicious food Games Booths Hands on exhibits Dunk tank Root-beer floats Clowns Face Painting and much more

Race day registration at 7:00AM

5K Race at 8:00AM Family fun walk at 9:00AM Festival from 9:00AM - 1:00PM

DeVane Park, Lake Placid September 29, 2012

to register please visit:

scan our qr code...

www.masongsmoakfoundation.org /masongsmoakfoundation

66 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

August 2012

/mgsfoundation

I help the land yield its best.

I am Mosaic.

It’s no surprise to find an orange grove here in Florida. But most people don’t realize that, along with providing crop nutrients to farmers across America, Mosaic farms its own citrus groves. We have about 6,000 acres of citrus in production, and 500 of those acres are on reclaimed land. As grove superintendent, I see things through, from planning to harvest.

It makes sense that I keep Florida’s land growing.

®

www.mosaicfla.com

Tina Richmond - RealToR®

In The Market For Central Florida Property?

863-557-0606 CELL

Several waterfront properties available with dwellings already in place!

Vacant Lots Available on water!

Looking for the perfect weekend or fishing getaway!

Here you go, bring the boat and fishing poles. Lovely WATERFRONT wooded lot on canal to Lake Rosalie in Lake Wales. Bring in a mobile home, or build a new home if desired. Lot 8 includes seawall and bull shed.

Lot 9 includes seawall, concrete dock, private boat slip, storage buildings. Opposite side of canal is 500+ acres of natural woods. Has country atmosphere yet just 10 minutes to town. Just over an hour to Vero Beach, 25 minutes to new Legoland. Adjacent .24 acre lot also for sale; double your lot size! Take a look today! No impact fees for one of the lots. Buyer to verify any and all information as deemed necessary.

info@tinarichmond.com EMAIL

www.tinarichmond.com WEB

5 MILES TO CAMP MACK, CAMP LESTER FISHING RESORTS OR LAKE KISSIMMEE STATE PARK ON LAKE KISSIMMEE…TRAVEL BY BOAT ALL THE WAY NORTH TO LAKE TOHO OR SOUTH TO LAKE OKEECHOBEE!

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 67

POLLINATION SERVICES Strong bees when you want them. We also have honey and skin care products made with honey and ingredients from the hive. Cantu Apiaries, 863-735-1679 WORM CASTINGS Add living microbes to improve your soil, use less water. Call Sean, Green Leaf Worm Farm, 941-626-5970. www.GreenLeafWormFarm.com CHICKEN MANURE FOR SALE Dry and available immediately! Call Tim Ford or Danny Thibodeau (863) 439-3232 AKC GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES 3 older females that are 11 weeks old, from my first litter (2 sables, 1 blk and tan), they’re 500.00 ea, also I have a 2nd litter that has 6 puppies, (4 males, 2 females) that will be ready to go 7/21/12 when they are 8 weeks old, and these are $600.00 ea (solid blacks and (2) very nicely marked sables). For additional information please contact (863) 452-9770 or email buckeyeohio@centurylink.net

CHEAP METAL ROOFING Discount Metal Mart 8’X10’ sheets in stock!

Prices from $5 to $12. Custom lengths available.

If you buy elsewhere, we both lose. Call 813752-7088

DISCOUNT EQUINE SERVICE BUNDLE Coggins, vaccination, teeth float.

Call 813-752-0224 or 813-951-0118

2006 JOHN DEERE (3320) INCLUDES: End loader, Box Blade, and Forks and an 18’ Trailer with ramps and electric brakes 200 Total usage hours Like new condition $17,900 Currently being stored in a covered building (863) 314-0395 2004 MASSEY FERGUSON 461-2-55 pto hp, 2 wheel drive, shuttle shift, hydraulic remotes. $10,500.

Call 813-752-8722 42’ REACH FORKLIFT 3,952 hours. $29,469 Call 863-698-4114

ALL-PRO FLATBED TRAILER 7X20 with beavertail and ramps. Tandem 7,000 pd axels $2,500 Call Hank 863-559-8718

1 Private bedroom w/attached bathroom (shower/ skylight). 4 Bunk beds. New bearings rims & tires. $5400.00/OBO NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED. Contact David Swart david@advantageccg.com, 954-868-2580

PORTABLE BULK FEEDERS Excellent Condition!!! Call 863-528-4356 NEW HOLLAND REPOS TN60A 2WD 2007 models w/front brooms and box blades. Never used, sold new $31,270. Sell $27,000, balance of warranty. 813-623-3673 1992 GREAT DANE FLATBED TRAILOR Measures 48’96”, Good Floor, Winches & Straps on both sides. Price $6500.00 Call Eugene Tolar 863-673-0048 3000# TOYOTA WAREHOUSE FLATBED Low Hours, Side Shift, Excellent Condition, One Owner Price $9500.00 3 BARNS W/ 27 STALLS FOR RENT Ft. Ogden area. Call Lisa 941-234-7660.

2003 CATERPILLAR MT225 CHALLENGER TRACTOR 23 HP with 4 wheel drive making it much stronger and more versitile.2 ptos rear and middle. Used for mowing only so light wear833 hrs. $5,199 Excellent tractor for a small farm. Great condtion-barn kept. email for more pix:gwhnsh@hotmail.com 813-299-1635 Arcadia, Fl 2006 JOHN DEERE TRACTOR (3320) Used 200 Hrs. End Loader, Box Blade, and Forks, 18’ Trailer with ramps and electric brakes. All like new condition - $17,900.00. Call 863-835-0757

1.25-ACRE LOT IN VIKING ESTATES known as “The Prairie” is for sale by owner. Zoned for residential or agricultural. West End of 2 mile Rd. Lot has been cleared/surveyed fenced & gated & has DEP approval for building. Includes 2-story observation tower. For info please call Between 9am-9pm EST David at 954-868-2580.

Owner financing terms available (NO credit check) $7000.00 Cash or $8000.00 with Owner Financing Requires 2000.00 down. See more at www.floridaprairie.com MURPHY N.C VACATION RENTAL CLOSE TO TOWN RENT BY THE WEEK CALL 352-787-6855 HOME FOR RENT 3-4 Bedroom, 8.5 Acres of Pasture, Zolfo Springs. Call Keith 863-381-1978 ***Lake Placid Christian School Students: Have Your Parent(s) sign below and return to Mr. G. _____________________________________

2.26 BEAUTIFUL, PARTIALLY WOODED ACRES in northern Arcadia for sale. Zoned Agricultural. $34,900. Call (941) 914-8588 35 FOOT TRAVEL TRAILER Interior remodeled.

Imported Kentucky cedar table with beveled edge. Custom cedar framed couch. Single Bed in living room.

Full kitchen (stove/microwave/refrigerator).

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD EMAIL rhonda@heartlanditf.com

Trade in your old, tattered American Flag for proper disposal at Goin' Postal and receive a NEW 3'x5' American Flag FREE!

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COUNTRY & OUR TROOPS!

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE

August 2012

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 69

Date

Event

Details/Time

Aug. 3rd-4th

4th Annual DeSoto County FCA Ranch Rodeo

Aug. 4th

NBHA Barrel Race

Turner Agri Civic Center—Arcadia

Aug. 5th

SBRA Barrel Race

Turner Agri Civic Center—Arcadia

Aug. 6th

Meet and Greet with US Congressman Tom Rooney

Hosted by the Hardee County Farm Bureau & Hardee Chamber of Commerce, 5-6:30 pm at the Joe L. Davis Barn

Aug. 11th

Open Christian Rodeo

Turner Agri Civic Center—Arcadia

Aug. 11th

12th Annual Grape Stomp Festival

Henscratch Winery—Lake Placid

Aug. 15-16th

Citrus Expo

Lee Civic Center---Fort Myers

Aug. 17th

Friday Night Live Back to School Tailgate Party

Heritage Park—Downtown Wauchula 6-9

Aug. 18th

Steer Grooming Clinic

Turner Agri Civic Center—Arcadia

Aug. 24th-26th Calusa Agility Dog Show

Turner Agri Civic Center—Arcadia

Aug. 24-26

22nd Annual Lake Placid Caladium Festival

Aug. 25

16th Annual Caladium Festival Car and Bike Show

Aug. 25

Dr. Tom McDonald Caladium Festival 5K 2012

7:30 am Begin at First Presbyterian Church, Lake Placid

Aug. 25th

Benefit for Susan Knight Raffle at Hardee Ranch

$10.00 per ticket for drawing for Beretta 12 ga. W/5 chokes.

Drawing on Aug. 25

Aug. 30th

4-H Open House

Sept. 3rd

BRAT Club Labor Day Parade Sponsored by American Drilling Services

Sept. 5th

Highlands County Citrus Grower Forum

Stuart Park, Lake Placid

Turner Agri Civic Center—Arcadia

Okeechobee 10:00 am For more information, contact Teresa Chandler at 863-801-4996

If you would like to see your upcoming event on the Ag Calendar

e-mail morgan@heartlanditf.com

70 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

August 2012

For over 30 years, CF Industries has supported Hardee County by providing good jobs, taxes, and community service, and by partnering with education leaders and community organizations.

CF INDUSTRIES CARES ABOUT SAFETY, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE CITIZENS OF HARDEE COUNTY.

Phosphate Rock Mine & Beneficiation Plant

6209 County Road 663 | Wauchula, FL 33873

Hours: Mon-Thurs 11-8pm Fri-Sat 11-2am Sun Noon-8pm

Better Food!

Better Atmosphere!

Bring it to the “HOLE”

SUNDAY FUNDAYS

Live Music 4-7 AND $.50 wings and $1 oysters on the half shell (while supplies last)

AUGUST band Dates:

Rebound 3-4 J.J. McCoy 10-11 Logan Brothers 17-18 The Chase 24-25 Fakahatchee 31-Sept 1

KA RA O KE under the T iki ever y

Fr id ay & Sa tu rd ay

(863) 314-9459 • 6813 US 27 South, Sebring, FL