MAY 2014
FLORIDA WATERMELON INDUSTRY
The First Taste of Summer
For Greater Performance And Profit!
High Yield Fruiting Vegetables To BioCharge Traditional Programs
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Tomato - Holden Research & Consulting Gavilan tomato variety This graph reflects that the Pathway Biologic treatment had an increase in yield even with a 25% reduction in fertilizer usage. The benefit is two-fold - Environmental (best management practices) and lowered cost to grower.
80.5 80 79.5 79 78.5 78 77.5 77
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• In furrow • Drip • Injection • 1/2 lb/acre Every 2-4 weeks in soil - ¼ lbs/acre Every 2-4 weeks foliar - ¼ lbs/acre
Pathway’s microbial products & solutions function to create bio-chemical pathways to convert nutrients like only bacteria can. Bacteria can enable a plant to achieve its genetic potential, optimizing the performance of fertilizer. Key benefits from Pathway’s microbial products for Agriculture include: • Increase yields and decreased production loses • Uniform plant growth and fruiting for increased product marketability • Enhanced color, better taste and longer shelf life • Increase plant tolerance to the damaging affects of environmental extremes, disease and other plant pressures • BMP compliance with balanced soil biology
Pathway BioLogic | 111 E. Tever Street, Plant City, Florida | 813.719.7284 www.PathwayBioLogic.com
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
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MAY 2014
Departments 16
SW Florida Gulf Coast Fishing Report By Capt. Chris O’Neill
Cover Photo By Callie Maddox Photography
May Features 24
Image: Watermelon farmer Doug Miller with daughter Grace Lynn
18 May Hunting Spotlight: Hannah & Hoss Minshew
20 Citrus Update: A Pivotal Point By Justin Smith
Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery, Inc. By Ron Lambert
30
Woman In Ag: Susan & Shannyn Robertson By Kyndall Robertson
27 Florida Watermelon Industry Fun Facts
32 Farmer & Rancher: Steve Singletary
28 Racing for Watermelon: Ross Chastain
By Cindy Cutright
By Brian Norris
40 Florida Farming: Four Star Tomato
29 Florida Watermelon Association Queen
By Ron Lambert
Meagan Morgan
42 Kids Corner
36 Graham Farms Melon Sales, Inc. By Robbi Sumner
44 In Season Now: Florida Watermelon
38 Heartland Harvesting: Three Generations
46 Florida Cattlewomen’s Association Recipe: Baja
Harvesting in the Heartland and Beyond By Kyndall Robertson
Sunrise Steak and Eggs
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50 St. Lucie Cattlemen’s Association
The Future of the Industry: Kole Robertson By Kyndall Robertson
Adam’s Ranch Genuine Ranch Rodeo Photos and Article by Kathy Gregg
62 FFA Spotlight: Palmetto FFA
52 Arcadia Hosts Country Music Fest
By Dixie Thomas
Photos and Article by Kathy Gregg
66 A Series on Florida Literature: Harry Crews
54 Kim Thomas Barrel Clinic
By Brady Vogt
By Robbi Sumner
70 Ag Calendar
58 Florida FFA Alumni
72 Happenings in the Heartland
By Melissa Nichols
Look out next month for
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Annual Florida Cattle Industry Issue Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
May 2014
HEARTLAND’S Marketplace
ARTICLE HEADLINE INERTS HERE
Hardee Ranch Supply
Get Ready for Father’s Day! Maui Jim Sunglasses, Yeti Coolers, Case Knives 15% Hardee Ranch Fishing Shirt with Ad!
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Tanning, Bath & Body Products and Nail Services Come On In and Work On Your Tan!
Come in for Case Knives, Big Green Egg, Yeti Coolers and Cajun Fryers!
Monday-Friday 7am-6pm
541 S 6th Ave, Wauchula, FL 33873
215 W. Orange St. • Wauchula
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Log Cabin BBQ & Seafood Open 7 days a week 7am till 9pm. Plus Drive Thru
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May 2014
Refinishing, Repairs, Cabinets, Customer furniture, Outdoor games If you can imagine it, we can design it! Order Today!
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863.453.3106 May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
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Publisher Rhonda Glisson Rhonda@heartlanditf.com
Editor’s Note
Nothing reminds me of summertime more than a fresh slice of juicy Florida Watermelon! The hues of reds and greens put me in the mood for a backyard BBQ or a day at the beach! We Karen Berry are excited to bring you our first ever Florida Watermelon issue full of features on growers, kdberry@inthefieldmagazine.com harvesters and even NASCAR drivers! Executive Editor Morgan Taylor Norris morgan@heartlanditf.com Business Manager Nadine Glisson Lizette Sarria Art Directors Carrie Evans Olivia Fryer Staff Writers Cindy Cutright Ron Lambert Levi Lambert Brian Norris Kyndall Robertson Justin Smith Robbi Sumner Dixie Thomas Contributing Writers Kathy Gregg Rusty Hartline Laurie Hurner Capt. Mark King Capt. Chris O’Neill Brady Vogt Dr. D. Keatley Waldron, D.C. Matt Warren Lindsey Wiggins Casey Wohl Tina Yoder
Did you know that watermelons are 92% water and that Florida consistently ranks in the top five for watermelon producing states in the US? You can read these and more fun facts throughout the issue! Also, don’t forget to check out a few recipes featuring Florida Watermelon on page 45.
From growers like Steve Singletary of Bayshore Farms to harvesters that travel the country for the season like Heartland Harvesting, you can learn all about the industry this month. I enjoyed reading about the history of Graham Farms and the changes they have seen since the 1970s when they started growing melons; you can read more about their story on page 36.
The Florida Watermelon Association is an organization of growers and marketers who work to promote the industry. One of the ways FWA does that is through the Florida Watermelon Queen program; we were glad to feature this year’s queen, Meagan Morgan. Another big promoter for the industry across the country is NASCAR driver Ross Chastain who grew up on a 300-acre watermelon farm in Alva, Florida. We enjoyed visiting with Ross and are glad to share his story on page 28! As always, we love to hear from our readers and if you have a story idea or an event you think we should be covering, please let us know! E-mail me at morgan@heartlanditf.com or give me a call 863-381-8014. We hope you love this issue as much as we did putting it together! From all of us to you, Happy Memorial Day and don’t forget to pick up Fresh from Florida Watermelon at your local grocery store! Maybe even have a seed-spitting contest for a little fun! We’ll see y’all In the Field,
Social Media Director Brian Norris Photography Karen Berry Regina Blackman Sharon Glisson Kathy Gregg Russell Hancock Silver King Photography Nell McAuley Brian Norris
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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
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, Okeechobee, Lee, Manatee and St. Lucie Counties. 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 2014. 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 2008.
May 2014
Fresh From Florida: Nurturing Success. Growing the Future.
Long & Scott Farms, Inc. Scott Family Growing great produce since 1963 Fresh From Florida Members since 2002 “Throughout four generations, we continue to grow sweet gourmet corn, pickle cucumbers, kale, watermelon, red, green and savory cabbage.” “We greatly appreciate all that Fresh From Florida does to promote our industry, they are a great partner.” Home of Scott’s Maze Adventures fall corn maze and Scott Country Market & Café.
For more information on member benefits visit FreshFromFlorida.com or call (850) 617-7399.
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
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MAY 2014
Index of Advertisers 23 A&K Development
22 Glade and Grove Supply
20 Peace River Citrus
26 Agro Culture
77 Glisson’s Animal Supply
49 Quality Liquid Feed
57 Arcadia Stockyard
61 Griffin’s Carpet Mart
61 River Pasture Metal Art
5
7
Hardee Ranch Supply
17 Seedway
45 Big T Tire
7
Heartland Growers
63 Send Me Mission 5K
31 Breezy Hill Berries
17 Helena Chemical
73 Spring Lake Hardware
47 Cattlemen’s Livestock Market
69 Hicks Oil
18 Spurlows Outdoor
54 Center State Bank
13 Highlands County Farm Bureau
76 Stampede
2
22 Howard Fertilizer
73 Superior Muffler
73 Cross Ties
7
19 Taylor Oil Company
39 DeSoto Machine Shop
11 KeyPlex
31 The Andersons
26 Desoto County Watermelon Festival
73 LaBelle Feed
35 tree T-PEE
4
Lee and Associates
23 Trinkle Redman Coton
34 E&S Equipment
7
Lemon Grove Customers
53 Walpole Feed
79 Everglades Farm Equipment
7
Log Cabin BBQ & Seafood
80 Watering Hole
78 Farm Credit
77 Marmer Construction
19 Wauchula State Bank
37 Fields Equipment
73 Michael G. Kirsch
34 Wicks, Brown, Williams CPA
47 FCA Foundation
57 Mosaic
73 Winfield Solutions
55 Florida Mineral
34 Newton Crouch
17 Yetti Outfitters
9
54 On-Site Accounting
Bankers South
Creel Tractor
Florida Department of Ag
49 Florida Fence Post
3
Jan’s Tanning
Pathway Biologic
Sales Team Highlands
Morgan Norris
Manatee
Tina Yoder
Lee and Hendry
Cindy Cutright
morgan@heartlanditf.com
tina@heartlanditf.com
cindy@heartlanditf.com
Hardee & Desoto
Charlotte
Okeechobee, Glades & St. Lucie
Robbi Sumner
robbi@heartlanditf.com
Levi Lambert
levi@heartlanditf.com
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Morgan Norris
morgan@heartlanditf.com
Corporate, Polk & Hillsborough
Danny Crampton
danny@inthefieldmagazine.com
Morgan Norris
morgan@heartlanditf.com
Rhonda Glisson
Robbi Sumner
rhonda@heartlanditf.com
robbi@heartlanditf.com
May 2014
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 11
CHARLOTTE/DESOTO COUNTY
HARDEE COUNTY
1278 SE US HIGHWAY 31 • ARCADIA, FL 34266
1017 US HIGHWAY 17 N • WAUCHULA, FL. 33873
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 863.494.3636 Charlotte Line: 941.624.3981 • Fax: 863.494.4332
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 863. 773. 3117 Fax: 863. 773. 2369
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
FARM BUREAU
President…………....Jim Selph Vice President……….Jeffrey Adams Sec./Treasurer...... Matt Harrison
DIRECTORS FOR 2012-2013 Jim Brewer John Burtscher Mike Carter Steve Fussell
Lindsay Harrington Richard E. Harvin Ann H. Ryals Mac Turner
Bryan K. Beswick Ken Harrison
FARM BUREAU
President……David B. Royal Vice President…Greg L. Shackelford Sec./Treasurer……..Bo Rich
DIRECTORS FOR 2012-2013 Joseph B. Cherry Corey Lambert Daniel H. Smith
Steve A. Johnson Bill Hodge David B. Royal
Greg L. Shackelford Bo Rich Scott Henderson
Federation Secretary Mary Jo Spicer
Federation Secretary Rhonda Willis
FARM BUREAU INSURANCE.SPECIAL AGENTS
FARM BUREAU INSURANCE.SPECIAL AGENTS
HIGHLANDS COUNTY
MANATEE COUNTY
6419 US HIGHWAY 27 S. • SEBRING, FL 33876
5620 TARA BLVD, STE 101 • BRADENTON, FL 34203
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 863. 385. 5141 • Fax: 863. 385. 5356 Website: www.highlandsfarmbureau.com
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 941-746-6161 • Fax: 941-739-7846 Website: www.manateecountyfarmbureau.org
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Agency Manager: Cameron N. Jolly Agents: Dawn A. Hines, Clint Brown
FARM BUREAU
President………Scott Kirouac Vice President…Doug Miller Secretary………..Carey Howerton Treasurer……..Frank Youngman
DIRECTORS FOR 2012-2013 Sam Bronson Steve Farr Charles Guerndt
Charles Lanfier Mike Milicevic Emma Reynolds
Trey Whitehurst Jeff Williams Marty Wohl
Agency Manager: N. Jay Bryan Agents: George L. Wadsworth, Jr.
FARM BUREAU
President……Gary Reeder Vice President…Jim Parks Secretary……..Ben King Treasurer……..Robert Zeliff
DIRECTORS FOR 2012-2013 Carlos Blanco Gary Bradshaw Jerry Dakin Ralph Garrison
Ken Hawkins Alan Jones Vick Keen Bruce Shackelford
Jim Strickland Hugh Taylor Dan West
Federation Secretary Janet Menges
Federation Secretary Christie Hinson
FARM BUREAU INSURANCE.SPECIAL AGENTS
FARM BUREAU INSURANCE.SPECIAL AGENTS
Agency Manager: Chad D. McWaters Agents: Joseph W. Bullington
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Agency Manager: Branden Bunch Agents: Doug Dierdorf, Mike Shannon
May 2014
ANDY NEUHOFER FLORIDA FARM BUREAU DISTRICT 6 352.318.2506 Andy.neuhofer@ffbf.org www.floridafarmbureau.org
District 6 Update From the Desk of Andy Neuhofer
Thank You... To Highlands County Farm Bureu’s Heritage Sponsors
The County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) is a Farm Bureau program codified into state law. Agricultural producers implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) are picked by the staff of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Office of Agricultural Water Policy as BMPs are implemented successfully. Staff then recommends these producers to be recognized by Farm Bureau through the CARES program. The program began in the Suwannee River Valley in 2001. It was expanded into the Indian River citrus growing region and Okeechobee in 2009. Recently, the program has been expanded north and west into Highlands, Desoto and Hardee Counties. There are plans to move the program forward statewide.
Producers in the southern half of the state are recognized at the county Farm Bureau annual meetings. In 2013, producers in Hardee, Desoto and Highlands Counties received recognition for their successful efforts to comply with state law and providing good environmental stewardship as well. If you wish to acquire more information about the CARES program, visit us at www.thisfarmcares.org.
Farm Bureau members engaged in agriculture between the ages of 18 – 35 are eligible to participate in the Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) program. Desoto/Charlotte County Farm Bureau and the Highlands County Farm Bureau presently have strong committees. We are working in the other counties to get a program started.
The YF&R Discussion Meet is a contest at the state level where participants can gain further knowledge about issues that affect their livelihoods. The Discussion Meet topics are now available. Please e-mail me at andy.neuhofer@ffbf.org to get a copy of them. The contest provides the opportunity to express one’s views and to persuade others. It also provides the opportunity to learn. As mentioned in past months, the Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with efforts to illegally expand their authority under the guise of connectivity by using the Clean Water Act. Farm Bureau strongly opposes this effort. An FBACT alert has been sent out and Farm Bureau members need to send a message to Washington, D.C., to stop this abuse of power. This is round three regarding this issue. Again, please contact me for information. Farm Bureau members will be going to Washington, D.C., in May for the annual Field to the Hill excursion. They will be discussing the connectivity issue along with immigration and other matters important to agriculture.
Kudos to the Manatee County Farm Bureau for sponsoring 12 FFA members and 2 advisors traveling to Tallahassee for Farm Bureau Day in March. The members raise money every year through a clay shooting event to be able to pay for these kinds of projects and to give students the chance to learn first-hand about government and issues affecting agriculture. If you care about agriculture (you do if you eat) or if you are engaged in the agricultural industry, I have listed several reasons in this article as to why it is important to become a member. If you are a member, thank you.
May 2014
Please support these businesses! Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 13
Highlands County Farm Bureau Annual Cracker Shoot By Levi Lambert
Sportsmen and women made their way out to the beautiful Quail Creek Plantation located in Okeechobee to support and enjoy the 2014 Highlands County Farm Bureau Cracker Shoot on April 12th. A cool breeze made it a pleasant morning on the course for the shooters. Overall, the weather was ideal for a day of outdoor activity. Approximately 130 shooters made their way through the red course. Teams of four to six members were challenged with 17 stations of three report/ true pairs and one station with two pairs. Very competitive sets of scorecards were turned in after the course.
The first place team was Gator Smiles who came in with a collective score of 377. The team member’s scores break down to Ray Royce and Jason Cloud who finished with a score of 96. Stephen Phypers closed out the course with a score of 93 and Ray Broughton came in close behind with a score of 92. Individual high scores were awarded for first and second place. Highlands Independent Bank team member Nathan Brewer was the day’s first place shooter with a high score of 97. Brandt Consolidated brought home the second place team score with 375. After a tiebreaker, Ray Royce held onto the second place individual high score with a 96. My father, Ron Lambert, and I were joined by John Platt, Jason Carnley, Daniel Moore, Russ Melendy and daughter Anna representing Heartland In the Field Magazine. As
14 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
usual, we all had a wonderful time on the course. After the teams left the course, they all proceeded to the dining tables for a delicious steak lunch followed by an ever-popular raffle. Gunsmoke of Avon Park generously provided several firearms that were the high points of the day’s raffle. There was also an array of miscellaneous items on the center table that went home with smiling participants. Another wonderful day spent at Quail Creek Plantation of Okeechobee with great shooters, delicious cooking, and an impressive outdoor experience. Big thanks goes to all of this year’s sponsors, supporters, and shooters who had a part in making the 2014 Highlands County Farm Bureau Cracker Shoot into a great success. From all of us on the Heartland in the Field team, thank you for another grand sporting clay shooting experience to everyone who made the day possible. One particular person who is deserving of a special mention and thank you is Jan Menges of the Highlands Farm Bureau. In addition, the staff of Quail Creek Plantation goes the extra mile to make the day’s event so smooth and enjoyable. In closing, have a great year and I hope to have an opportunity to say hello and begin new friendships throughout the Heartland. Unless we bump into each other sooner, see y’all next year! May 2014
Sponsors HERITAGE SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
TEAM SPONSORS
STATION SPONSORS
Alan Jay Fleet Sales Brandt Consolidated Chemical Containers Florida Grove Foggers Florida Grove Hedgers Glade & Grove Supply Co. Johnson Harvesting Heartland National Bank Highlands Independent Bank Newton Crouch
BioSafe Systems Cutrale Citrus Juices USA Farm Credit of Florida Gator Smiles Helena Chemical Company Heartland In the Field Magazine Winfield
Avon Park Gunsmoke B. A. Farms, Bruce Armstrong Everglades Farm Equipment Friends of Mason G. Smoak Foundation Glades Electric Cooperative Highlands County Fair Association
Angus Investments, Inc. Artistic Frames & Graphics Bagwell Lumber Co. Barben Fruit Co., Inc. Big Sky Growers Bill Jarrett Ford Carlson Accounting Central Florida Glass & Mirror Cowpokes Watering Hole Crews Groves, Inc. Denise Grimsley, Senator Excavation Point, Inc. Fields Equipment Company Gator Ag Group Griffin Fertilizer Highlands County Citrus Growers Association
AUG 2012
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SUBSCRIBE TODAY & Help out your local Farm Bureau! $7 of every subscription goes back to your local Farm Bureau! $5 will be earmarked for Manatee’s Youth Programs & $2 goes directly to the Manatee County Farm Bureau.
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Mail to us at: Heartland In the Field Magazine, P.O. Box 3183 Plant City, FL 33563 *Subscription offer is currently only with Manatee County Farm Bureau
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 15
SW FLORIDA GULF COAST
FISHING REPORT
By Captain Chris O’Neill
M
ay is the month of Silver here in the tarpon capital of the world. Fifty to a hundred thousand of the giant silver king tarpon have moved into the Charlotte Harbor estuary. Anglers travel from around the globe to take a chance at wrangling with one of the most exciting and powerful gamefish on the planet. It’s an exciting time of year with tropical conditions, beautiful sunrises and sunsets with a typical midday coastal rain mixed in to cool things off before the afternoon fishing begins. Inshore anglers are encountering a myriad of species throughout the shallows. Snook is the premier target while sightcasting in the flats. Snook traditionally will cruise the mangrove shorelines close to the grassy areas as the sun rises, searching for an early morning meal. This is the prime time of the day to work the areas with topwater plugs such as the Bomber Saltwater Grade Badonkadonk or Heddon One Knocker Spook. The advantage of throwing plugs is that you can cover a substantial amount of water, which will eventually get you into the fish. It’s truly tough to beat the exhilarating sight of a giant linesider (snook) blasting a topwater bait as you walk the dog across the surface. I cannot forget to mention that the trout and shark bite will be excellent throughout the summer months, and can easily be hauled in with the use of live bait under a popping cork or cut bait on the bottom. Boca Grande Pass/Charlotte Harbor and nearby beaches will be featured in my articles the next two editions of Heartland Magazine. May and June boast the best tarpon fishing in the world and the season has already kicked off with a big silver bang! Recreational anglers and professional guides have been doing well in both the pass, the harbor and along the beaches. The new and improved (and perfectly
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legal) tarpon jig is doing extremely well when drifting the pass. The jig redesign is a result of regulation changes made by the FWC last fall. The new jig is better for the fish and will ensure that no fish will be snagged or foul hooked while drift fishing the deep waters of Boca Grande Pass where the fish stack up as much as 50 feet on top of each other during the spawn. Beach and Charlotte Harbor anglers are doing very well early and late in the day using traditional live baits like tarpon crab, squirrel fish, threadfins and other baitfish fished freeline or under a cork.
Nearshore and Offshore reef and bottom fishing is often forgotten this time of year along the gulf coast because of the amazing tarpon fishery. I love heading out into Florida State Waters to target permit, which are usually found hovering above our reef structure during tarpon season and the summer months. It’s a great idea to take those smaller tarpon crabs leftover from a morning of chasing “poons” and run out to scout any of our manmade reefs. Typically permit will show along the surface, but remember they are pelagics and move constantly in search of food. Sharks, Cobia and many others can be expected if you drop a line in the Gulf right now. Booking a charter this time of year is a great opportunity to spend the day “catching”. My company offers inshore and offshore charters with a hand-picked team of world-class guides to satisfy your private or corporate fishing needs. All of my guests receive complementary Tail Chaser t-shirts as well as the best service in the business.
Captain Chris O’Neill
is a full time fishing guide and host of The Reel Saltwater Outdoors radio show. Captain Chris is regularly seen on TV shows like Big Water Adventures, Florida Sportsman, Mark Sosin’s Saltwater Journal and others. As a retired U.S. Army hovercraft pilot, he has accrued over 25 years of saltwater experience and has targeted gamefish around the globe. His Reel Saltwater Outdoors Seminar Series has become the largest in the state and he speaks to thousands of anglers annually. His passion for fishing is contagious and you can always expect to have a great adventure when fishing onboard the Tail Chaser. To book a charter visit www.tailchasercharters. com or www.bocagrandetarpon.com for more information. You can listen to his FISH ON FRIDAY radio show via www.wengradio. com or the WENG app from 4-6pm weekly. Capt. Chris operates out of the world-class Gasparilla Marina in Placida, FL, just minutes from Boca Grande Pass (the tarpon capital of the world) and Charlotte Harbor.
May 2014
Walk-ins Welcome! 7 am - 4:30 pm
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May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 17
May’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
HANNAH AND HOSS MINSHEW Hannah Minshew is 11 years old and attends Woodlawn Elementary. She likes to bowfish, dance and go camping. The gator she is pictured with was featured in a hunt that aired on the Destination America Channel on Saturday, April 26. Hoss is five years old and loves bowfishing, shooting his 22, airboating, hunting, football and baseball. He is in kindergarten at the Kindergarten Learning Center in Sebring.
2013 late season gun hunt at the Avon Park bombing range. Joe Minshew of Central Florida Sportsman said, “This was the first deer with my two kids, Hoss and Hannah. 8-point taken with a muzzle loader at 35yards. We did a little dance and shed a few happy tears!”
Submit your children’s hunting pictures for the Monthly Hunting Spotlight to morgan@heartlanditf.com 18 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
May 2014
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 19
by Justin Smith CITRUS UPDATE By Justin Smith
A Pivotal Point What would you do if one morning you woke to find your life’s career was no longer there? Your job, the very essence of your being, something you had spent decades learning, years of your life in school developing an educated for. Imagine something your entire lifestyle revolved around just ceased to exist and you were totally powerless to do anything about
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it. There are many Floridians facing this situation right now. Every morning citrus growers all across the state are waking, knowing that their days as a producer could be numbered. The Florida Citrus industry has faced seemingly insurmountable odds throughout its existence. Every year there has historically been some type of threat which had the potential to completely devastate this way of life. With this as the case, what is the difference this time? It may be a simple question, but the answer is truly a complicated one. The desolation the industry is facing is caused by the bacterial disease greening, also known by its Asian name Huanglongbing (HLB). To break it down, there is basically a two-fold problem afflicting the industry as a result of greening. One, there is no cure for the disease and second, there is no known resistant type of tree. Any type of round, sweet orange is susceptible and once the tree has the disease, it is in a declining state. The bacterial infection which lives in citrus plant material, the Asian Citrus Psyllid and just a few other host plants, is not responsive to any treatment the growers have at their disposal. Penicillin has been the only product that seems to show signs of being a viable option but it could take decades and millions of dollars before the EPA would even remotely consider it as a possibility. Unfortunately, the citrus industry does not have decades. At this point, the estimated infection rate is between 75 and 80% of the entire tree inventory of the state. Many growers believe this estimate to be dramatically low and most would say it is nearing the 100% mark. When a tree contracts the disease, the symptoms can be masked for a time by utilization of nutritional therapies. However, this time is proving to be very limited. The overall, statewide decline in production, as well as quality, is the living proof time is not on the grower’s side. May 2014
Unfortunately, new plantings are not a viable option either. Since there is no known resistant rootstock, any young tree planted is vulnerable. With an almost 100% infected inventory, that simply means any new tree will contract the disease as well. To complicate the matter, young trees do not show the symptoms until they are 4 to 5 years old, which is just about the time they begin to produce a harvestable crop. So the industry is seeing a 5 year investment before returns and then finding out the returns are not coming. It is a typical catch-22 situation that is holding a nine billion dollar industry hostage. It is estimated that greening alone has had an economic impact of almost 6.5 billion dollars in damages. Over 8,000 jobs have been lost which can directly be attributed to the disease as well. These kinds of impacts cannot continue to be absorbed by an industry, particularly one with declining revenues.
This year the crop estimate has shrunk to unbelievable proportions. No one would have imagined, even one year ago, there would be so few oranges. Even more devastating
is the low quality of the juice. Florida’s claim to fame, as having the best orange juice in the world, is now coming into jeopardy due to this dark plague of greening. At the current rate of decline, the majority of growers are estimating the industry has about two more years before it is too late. During that time frame, if some type of solution is not found then the industry and an entire way of life may be doomed to extinction.
Extinction is a natural process; however the industry has the choice of simply giving up or fighting for every shred of hope. The fortitude of the citrus producers in Florida has proven over and over throughout history, they do not give up. There is currently a movement, championed by the regional grower’s associations, for growers and researchers all across the state to work together gathering data. Then, unite as one voice to present this information to the appropriate sources and attempt to speed policy change. This effort could be a last stand in the face of an overwhelming adversary, before total defeat, or it could be the grassroots movement to turn around a beloved industry. Either way, Florida Citrus has come to a pivotal point and the pendulum is about to swing.
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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 23
Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery, Inc. By Ron Lambert
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Although you wouldn’t know it now with his successful operation, Phillip Rucks didn’t start off in the citrus industry. His family was in the dairy business and he expected to become a third generation dairyman. However, due to regulations imposed by the DEP, his father and he made the decision to lease the dairy to a relative and go into the citrus business. Phillip was 17 years old at the time. In 1983, he graduated from Florida Southern College with a bachelor’s degree in citrus and marketing. This degree was a launching pad for a career that began with Becker Groves, Inc. in Ft. Pierce in 1984-1991. During that time, he was in charge of developing a new citrus nursery. He also held the responsibility of specific production practices for this company. In 1991 he moved into much the same position with Jack Berry Citrus. He was responsible for the design, development and construction of another large citrus nursery as well as assisting with quality control and production on a 2000acre citrus grove. Gaining this valuable experience enabled him to move out on his own in 1997 and establish Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery, Inc. It is the largest screened citrus May 2014
nursery in the United States. Annual production is one million trees with a goal to produce the highest quality trees possible. This is made possible by strict attention to safe and dependable seed sources, a tissue culture lab and disease free screened scion trees. This entire operation is completely inside screened, insect proof greenhouses. These houses and an unwavering commitment to detail make Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery, Inc. one of the finest operations of its kind in Florida. Phillip has a strong desire to see Florida remain in its hard earned position of producing the best orange juice in the world. As we all know, development, canker and greening have the growers in a very difficult and challenging situation.
Seven years ago Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery began offering growers looking to diversify their operations a choice of three varieties of low chill peaches developed for central Florida. These trees produce a crop of early fruit that generally hits a market window that will bring the grower a favorable return. At the present time, they grow 12 varieties of low chill peaches and are producing 100,000 trees annually. This fruit begins to appear in the produce sections of local grocers in March. At that time of year, the State of Florida has the only peaches available in the world. Many people hope that the peach will give citrus growers some much needed income to help offset the ever increasing cost of keeping the citrus psyllids population suppressed.
Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery, Inc. also produces trees for windbreak protection in citrus groves. Phillip and his staff are dedicated to being a part of the future of the Florida citrus industry. They are now in their new five million dollar high tech facility, which employs over 50 full, and part-time employees. This new facility is the result of a mandated state and federal law requiring all citrus nursery plant material be grown in insect proof structures. Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery, Inc. will play an important role in helping the Florida citrus industry in general remain competitive in the world marketplace by providing the highest quality citrus trees.
Rucks served as President of the Florida Citrus Nurserymen’s Association (FCNA) for a total of six years from 19931997 and 2002-2004. During his tenure as President, he successfully led a campaign that united the Florida Citrus Nursery Industry to implement the mandatory budwood program to protect the industry from graft-transmissible diseases and prohibit the movement of trees containing severe Tristeza virus strains. “I have a personal commitment in preserving the utmost quality and integrity owning and operating one of the most efficient citrus nurseries in the State of Florida,” said Rucks.
I have a sincere wish that my grandchildren’s children will be able to pick and enjoy fresh locally grown citrus! Thanks to all those who are part of keeping this part of the Florida heritage alive!
DeSoto County Watermelon Festival
Saturday, May 17, 2014 • Veterans Park • 9 AM- 4PM Food and Entertainment Arts and Crafts Wacky River Race Bed Race Kids Korner Watermelon Pageants
www.arcadiamainstreet.com • 863.494.9904
Better Yields, Better Quality, Safer for the Environment Available through Jim Dorman of Charlie’s Plant Farm, Inc. (813) 601-2540
www.agroliquid.com
26 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine FL-Ad.indd 1
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9/18/2012 10:54:40 AM
FUN FACTS ABOUT
Florida Watermelon In 2010, Florida ranked first nationally in watermelon production, accounting for 18% of the total U.S. production, 23% of the U.S. crop’s total value, and 19% of the national watermelon acreage Florida is the only U.S. supplier of watermelons from December to April.
The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt. Watermelon is 92% water.
Watermelon’s official name is Citrullus Lanatus of the botanical family Curcurbitaceae. It is cousins to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash. By weight, watermelon is the most-consumed melon in the U.S., followed by cantaloupe and honeydew.
FLORIDA WATERMELON ASSOCIATION The Florida Watermelon Association was founded in 1968 by a small group of farmers to enable growers and marketers of Florida Watermelon to unite and through a concerted, organized membership work to promote the consumption of Watermelons grown in Florida. Also, to assist its membership in the growing and marketing of watermelons by providing a forum through this Corporation’s meeting and establishing of this Association’s business office, for the exchange of pertinent information, with particular regard to the watermelon industry. 1255 N 15th St Suite # 7 Immokalee, FL 34142 Office: 239-658-1442 Fax: 239-658-1448 Email: patty@flfwa.com Queen Promotions contact: Debra Harrison Phone: 863-633-8306 Email: debra@flfwa.com
Early explorers used watermelons as canteens.
The first cookbook published in the U.S. in 1776 contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles.
According to Guinness World Records, the world’s heaviest watermelon was grown by Lloyd Bright of Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 2005, weighing in at 268.8 lbs.
May 2014
The United States currently ranks 5th in worldwide production of watermelon. Forty-four states grow watermelons with Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Arizona consistently leading the country in production. Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 27
RACING FOR WATERMELONS: ROSS CHASTAIN When you grow up in a small town on a family farm, it is often assumed that you will graduate high school, possibly attend college then return to help run the family business. Sometimes, college is bypassed and it’s straight to work, but other times opportunities arise that might take you in a slightly different direction. Growing up in Alva, Florida, Ross Chastain started working for the family business at a very young age. Chastain’s family owns and operates a 300-acre watermelon farm off of SR 31. Farming has been in his family ever since his relatives came to America. Ross says that his family has grown just about everything over the years from tobacco to cotton, but since settling in Southwest Florida, watermelons have been the crop of choice for his family.
Just like many other kids, Ross was involved in sports throughout school. He said his uncle is a very good soccer player, and he played for a little while as well, but realized that soccer was not for him. Seeking something else to do, Ross’ father asked him one day if he wanted to give car racing a try. His father used to race cars locally and did very well, but retired from the sport once his second son was born. So at 12
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BY BRIAN NORRIS
years old, Ross Chastain began his racing career. After taking some time to figure it all out, Ross began to do really well, eventually racing in the late model series around Florida.
Ross admits that he was pretty late in life to start pursuing a career in racing. He says many of the successful drivers began racing go carts when they were 4 years old. None the less, he has been able to compete with some of the best. In fact in he says one of his big breaks came in 2011. While racing in New Smyrna at the World Series of Asphalt, he was able to win 3 of the 8 races he competed in. Since then, he has moved to North Carolina to pursue his racing dream. He has raced and is currently racing in the NASCAR Truck series and looks forward to what this year has to bring. Even though Ross is not home working on the family farm, he is still doing his part to promote the business. Since his early late model days, Watermelon.org has been a key sponsor, giving Ross the opportunity to promote the watermelon industry everywhere he goes. The National Watermelon Association, along with the various state associations have also partnered with Ross helping promote watermelon through outreach events and truck sponsorships, ensuring that every time he takes the May 2014
track, he is promoting that delicious fruit. Ross says that he really enjoys being partners with his watermelon sponsors because it’s more than just a sponsor for him. He fully understands what it takes to grow watermelons and is happy to do all he can from afar to help out the industry. He also says getting to hang out with Watermelon Queens isn’t too bad either!
Chastain says that he feels racing has helped bring his entire family closer since they all like to come watch his races. He admits at first, some were skeptical, but they quickly changed their minds once they saw him on the track. His little brother is even following in his footsteps in racing as well. Though he now resides in North Carolina and is a NASCAR driver, Ross says he plans to move back home and work on the farm, he just hopes he gets to race for a while first.
Meagan Morgan
Crowned Florida Watermelon Queen
M
eagan Morgan from Chiefland was crowned the 2014 Florida Watermelon Queen during the recent 46th annual Florida Watermelon Association Convention held in Tampa, Florida.
The 19 year old is a student at Santa Fe College majoring in Dental Hygiene with a Minor in Business. She enjoys playing volleyball, cooking with her grandma, helping with the local livestock fair and spending time outdoors. She is also a member of the Florida Dental Club and an FFA State Degree Recipient.
Meagan will travel extensively throughout the state of Florida, as well as the United States and Canada, making guest appearances and promoting the Florida Watermelon industry. She will help inform the public on both the economical and nutritional valve of watermelons. Meagan is the daughter of Peggy and Mickey Morgan of Chiefland. She is also a graduate of Chiefland High School class of 2012 where she finished 8th in the class. Information regarding an appearance of the Florida Watermelon Queen, please send inquires to Debra Harrison, Florida Watermelon Promotions Coordinator, at Debra@flfwa.com or call (863) 633-8306.
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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 29
WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE
Susan & Shannyn
Robertson By Kyndall Robertson
They say that “behind every successful farmer is a wife that works in town.” Susan and Shannyn Robertson the wives of Robertson Farms are no exception to that rule. Robertson Farms is a family business started by Wilbur Robertson decades ago; when his son Kord was old enough to take on part of the responsibilities, it become a joint effort. Over the years, Robertson Farms has done a little bit of everything. In the 1960’s Robertson Farms was mostly running as a cattle operation with hundreds of cattle across the Heartland. They spent many years breaking colts and running dogs through the scrublands, they have grown cucumbers, cut and baled hay, planted grass, grown oranges, they’ve even done land reclamation, and grown a u-pick. Today, Robertson Farms focuses on cattle and citrus production, custom hay harvest, and grass planting.
One of their biggest ventures started in 1984 when they catapulted into the watermelon industry. They started very small, working with a friend and have gradually grown each year since. Today, they have grown into three of their own barns used for packing, storing, and shipping watermelon, and a brand new office large enough to accommodate meetings, meals, truck drivers, and paperwork.
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Robertson Farms sees their melons through from start to finish. It all starts in the fall, when they begin preparing the land by clearing and leveling, followed by laying out the beds, planting transplants and keeping plants healthy. Then comes in a harvesting crew and packing crew to get the watermelons in the barn. Next, the melons are loaded on semis, sent by their broker Graham Farms, sending them sometimes as far as Canada; it finishes when they return the land back into pastureland by planting grass.
Susan and Shannyn say that is part of what makes farming so rewarding is seeing commodities from start to finish and seeing the fruit of their labor. Susan is married to the patriarch of Robertson Farms, Wilbur Robertson, and Shannyn is married to Wilbur’s son Kord. This year, both the ladies have been very busy with watermelon season even before harvest has begun. The deer have really been loving Robertson Farms melon plants this year and each night someone has to stay in the field all night trying to keep the deer run out; when 30 deer descend, it’s a hard job to accomplish. Both of the women have spent countless hours in the fields riding the Kubota running deer.
May 2014
For decades, Susan and Shannyn spent the majority of watermelon season running the U-Pick operation. Since they quit operating that, their expertise has been utilized elsewhere. When the season starts, Susan will take a month off from her job at Cat’s on Main in Wauchula. At the watermelon barn, Susan will help Kord with the paper work on trucks, making sure the weights on the melons are compatible with what the trucks can hold; making sure the right size and amount of melons get loaded and the paperwork is passed along to the right people. She also spends time on the dock at the belt, making sure only good watermelons are going down the belt, keeping an eye that the melons don’t get packed in the wrong place, making sure every bin has a lid and after big rains, wiping the dirt off melons.
checks to keeping employee records. Both women are very accommodating and are thrown all kinds of various tasks on the farm. They work cows, help move equipment, feed animals, cook meals, and both of their favorite: ride around and admire all their blessings.
Susan and Shannyn are both Heartland transplants; Susan is from Chattanooga, TN, where she grew up a city girl who loved visiting her cousins on the farm every summer. Shannyn grew up in Southern Illinois on a hog farm. Both of them have always had a love for the farm life, they say it is the most frustrating and exhausting thing to work on a farm all day and lay down in bed exhausted each night, but they can’t imagine anything more rewarding than providing the things other people rely on. Both women said their favorite thing about watermelon season is the hustle and bustle of each day, with trucks coming and going, buses constantly in and out, people running around everywhere, forklifts running all over the place, and best of all having the family working together for one common goal. The family that makes up Robertson Farms say they are so blessed by the good Lord for getting to do what they love every day.
Shannyn works with students with disabilities through the Hardee County School System, so she doesn’t get to spend as much time at the barn as she would like to. When she comes in the evenings after work, she is usually responsible for making sure the crew at the barn gets a good home cooked supper. On afternoons when possible, she also helps on truck paperwork, wiping melons, and supervising on the dock. Susan and Shannyn are not only crucial to watermelon season, but the rest of the year they pull their weight on Robertson Farms as well. During hay season, Shannyn does all the billing to customers. Susan does most of the Robertson Farms bookkeeping throughout the year from writing
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FARMER & RANCHER STEVE SINGLETARY By Cindy Cutright
OF BAYSHORE FARMS
Heide and Steve Singletary, married for 28 years, make sure everything is running smoothly in the packinghouse.
For Steve Singletary, President of Bayshore Farms in Lee County, April 15 of this year marked the culmination of several months of hard work. It was the first day of many needed to harvest a labor-intensive watermelon crop spanning hundreds of acres. Unlike grain farmers who are able to store crops for extended periods of time, Steve has a limited window in which to bring his to market. “We’ll be done by June 1st,” he said. But before that, some 45,000 lbs. of watermelon per acre will be picked, packed and readied for shipment to grocery stores and chains in the northeast including Sam’s Club and Walmart.
Timing is everything when it comes to selecting which melon is ready to be picked and which one is not. “You can’t pick a watermelon when it’s green but you can’t pick it dead ripe either,” Steve explained. “It will ripen a little bit after being Assembled containers that will hold 750 lbs. of watermelons when picked but it really needs to ripen on the vine. We pick them packed.
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when they are about three-quarters ripe.” This allows time for the melon to finish ripening while being shipped to the point of sale.
Mathew, Steve and Cody Singletary
The process of growing the watermelons begins long before spring comes to the fields in Southwest Florida. “We start preparing the land in September,” he remarked. The land to which Steve referred has been leased during the last 22 years from the massive 92,000 acre Babcock Ranch. New fields must be selected each year because they have to be rotated and cannot be re-planted from one year to the next. A seven to ten year rotation is preferable. “So, we start with cow pastures and Bahia fields each year,” he stated. The infrastructure alone needed to gain access to plant and tend the fields is significant. “If you take 500 acres in pasture, I’ll end up with about 250 acres net of watermelons.” Once the ground has been worked, the ditches dug, the drive road put in, the plastic laid and the irrigation run, the job of planting begins in mid-January. It is an enormous undertaking. But before planting, the seed was purchased and then delivered in December to Mobley Plant World in LaBelle. Following six weeks in the greenhouse, the seedlets were transplanted by hand from trays containing 128 plugs each for a total of 435,000 plugs. After all is said and done, a ton of fertilizer per acre was added. Steve confirmed that this year has been a good growing season. “We had a few cold snaps that slowed them down a little bit.” But, gratefully, growers in this area did not have to deal, as in years past, with a hard freeze that can negatively impact a crop.
When asked what is needed to produce a good watermelon, he quickly replied, “Sunshine and warm weather.” Two ingredients of which Southwest Florida has an abundance. In fact, Immokalee farmers produce the first watermelons of the season grown in the United States. Picking in those fields began the last week of March this year.
May 2014
As you might expect, consumer preference dictates the type of melon the farm chooses to grow. Steve said Bayshore Farms raises seedless watermelons (varieties include 7187 and Liberty) because, “That’s the way the market is anymore. People like the seedless.” And the farm grows big watermelons because Melon 1, the company handling the sales, marketing and shipping of the crop, has customers in the northeast that prefer the larger melons. Some markets differ; “Some people will grow a ‘Melody’ that will produce probably the same tonnage, but the watermelon is smaller.” When asked what challenges growers face today, Steve replied, “The cost is getting so high and the risk is high. A bad crop can put you out of business.” Unlike grain and some row crop farmers, Steve and other growers do not have the advantage of utilizing crop insurance. “Your insurance is your wallet.”
Guillermo Rios Jr. and Mathew Singletary in the packinghouse.
Preservation of the bees, which are needed to pollinate the melon crop, is a primary concern to Steve as well as disease control. He said Downey Mildew is a big problem at this time of year as well as soil borne diseases. Like other fruit and vegetable growers, Florida watermelon farmers face competition from countries that import produce into the United States such as Mexico. Of course, other melon producing states will be shipping to northern markets in the next month or so too. Texas, for instance, will start picking mid-May. “But we’ll be halfway through before Texas starts. And they (the Texas melons) stay in the Midwest and are not really considered competition for Bayshore because we shoot right up the northeast versus the Midwest.” What Steve has in his corner are reliable working relationships with vendors who have been with him for years. Of Melon 1, one of the largest shippers in the United States, he says, “They have been lifelong friends that handle everything from when the melons leave here to when they arrive in the stores.” The company provides 10 to 15 tractortrailers a day to the Bayshore operation.
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Those trailers are filled with the help of another valued vendor, Rios Harvesting. This firm has been handling the labor needs of the farm year in and year out ever since Bayshore has been in business. As the labor contractor, Mr. Rios is charged with supplying approximately 30 experienced workers in the field as well as another 30 needed in the packinghouse.
Steve who organized the company with his brother, John, the firm’s vice-president, credits their father with getting them started in the business. Farming as part of his heritage is a given and he hopes the next generation, which includes his two sons, Cody and Mathew, will be able to continue the family business. Growing watermelons on the scale of Bayshore Farms is not for the faint of heart. Steve admits that it is this time of year - some eight long months since the process began - when he feels a sense of satisfaction and relief. “After all the heartaches and the worrying and fighting through the weather and diseases, you finally get to see the watermelons on the trucks and they are getting shipped out. Today it all seems worthwhile.” I imagine consumers in the northeast, who eagerly await the first bite of a Florida watermelon each spring, would tend to agree.
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Graham Farms Melon Sales, Inc. By Robbi Sumner
“Our family started farming tobacco in the 1960s,” shares Horace ‘Binky’ Graham, Jr. “My Uncle Marty and his Uncle Fred started with just ten acres of seed bed plants (up to 4”-5”) that were shipped to farmers in Georgia and North Carolina. That grew to a couple hundred acres, and we became one of the largest producers of tobacco seed bed plants in the world at that time.” The family later expanded in to cucumbers, peppers, and squash, settling into watermelons in the mid 1970s.
“Back then the melons were brokered through other people, but Uncle Marty decided that we should broker them ourselves around 1979-80,” Binky continues. So the Grahams began marketing not only their own melons, but those of other local farmers as well. While they also have a small orange grove and some beef cattle, the watermelons have been the primary business focus for a number of years.
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While watermelons could be grown year-round in our area, the Graham’s begin preparing land for planting the first of October and usually plant between February 10th and March 1st, with cutting starting around May 1st. “Sometimes we start earlier, depending on the weather,” Binky says. “We want to harvest by Memorial Day for the best market in this part of Florida.” They typically purchase seed that is taken to a plant house operation where in approximately six weeks the seeds have grown to transplant size. “We grow both seeded and seedless watermelons, in rows spaced 10’ from the center with 2.5’ between each plant,” Binky explains. “The seeded plants are pollinators, and are used every fourth plant because they are not as popular. They have a shorter shelf life and we mostly sell them to local farm stands, rather than shipping them.” There are over 500 varieties of watermelons including Ice box, Liberty, and Jubilee, just to name a few. May 2014
What surprised me the most was to learn that fields in our area are only planted in watermelons once every ten years, due to the prevalence of Fusarium wilt, a disease which causes the vines to wilt and die. Given the lengthy crop rotation, finding farmable land has become one of the Graham’s greatest challenges. The process of moving irrigation and other equipment is also quite costly. Regulated food safety requirements and the cost of crop insurance to protect against hail damage also come in to play. According to Binky, “When we started, the cost per acre to plant and grow watermelons was about $800 to $1,000 per acre – now it’s about $4,000.” While their goal is to farm within a 20mile radius of their Avon Park packing house, they’ve had to venture farther in order to lease farmable land. At harvest time, about 150 people are needed to pick, load, and haul the melons. It takes 21 people to run the packing line, where between 20 and 30 semi-trucks are loaded daily. “Back when we started, melons were packed on the trailer and we produced around 300 loads. Now they are packed in bins or cartons that go on the trailers and we are selling around 2,000 loads each season,” Binky said. Average production is 60,000 to 70,000 pounds per acre. When local harvesting wraps up, Binky travels to Georgia where the Grahams have two additional packing houses located in Cordele and Rochelle. He brokers melons for two farmers in Georgia and picks up others when the opportunity arises. From there he travels to North Carolina and on to Maryland. Graham Farms Melon Sales ships as far north as Canada and west to Chicago, for customers that include popular food chains. “A lot of our buyers have been with us since we started and have become good friends,” says Binky. His travels typically end around Labor Day when he heads back to Florida.
Graham Farms has always been a family owned and operated business, with Binky’s father Horace joining Marty and Fred until forming his own harvesting company. Marty’s wife Gayle is the Office Manager and handles bookkeeping with assistance from their daughter Lynn Tomblin, who will take over those responsibilities when Gayle retires later this year. Lynn’s husband Steve is in charge of production, managing the packing house and binning process, and their son Jared works on the farm. Cousin Mark Bryan runs the farm in Lorida and is also involved in sales. James “Wimpy” Hilton has worked with the Grahams for 35 years and is considered to be “just like family.” Although farming has become more specialized and complicated through the years, it’s still hard working families that help provide the safe, bountiful food supply that we all enjoy.
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Heartland Harvesting:
THREE GENERATIONS HARVESTING IN THE HEARTLAND AND BEYOND By Kyndall Robertson Everyone enjoys a big slice of cold watermelon on a hot and steamy mid-summer day in the Heartland. Travis Wise, Mike Hill and Travis Hill of Heartland Harvesting are a few of the guys to thank for getting that watermelon off the vine and into a box ready to be shipped to grocery stores everywhere. Travis Wise, the patriarch of Heartland Harvesting, grew up in Sebring, as did his wife of 52 years, Kaye. He obtained a degree in Citrus at Florida Southern College and went on to the University of Florida to study Agriculture Education. After graduation, Travis taught agriculture for 5 years, followed by working in the cattle and citrus industries. In 1979, Travis went into business for himself consulting and in 1986 his son-in-law, Mike Hill, joined the business.
Mike grew up in Immokalee and was around agriculture and construction all his life. Mike spent a few years in Jacksonville working in construction before returning to the Heartland and going into business with Wise. Mike has been married to Wise’s daughter Kimberly for 31 years and they have two children, Travis and Amanda.
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Travis Hill started working summers with his dad and grandfather in 2001. After high school, he went to Webber University where he received a business degree. In 2006, he started working with the family business full time. He and his wife Christina have a one-year old daughter, Kalyn. These 3 men have built a tremendous business together and look forward to great things for Heartland Harvesting in the future.
Wise and Hill started harvesting citrus in 1996 and in 2000, the guys started harvesting watermelon in the citrus off-season. They credit their successful introduction into watermelon harvesting to Mark Bryan and Marty Graham. Heartland Harvesting started picking and packing Mark and Marty’s watermelons 14 years ago, and are gearing up for another season to start the beginning of May. When the guys started harvesting watermelon, they operated with 3 buses and only 6 extra sets of hands. Their season would start in the Heartland around the first of May; when they finished here, they would follow the harvest north through Georgia, May 2014
North Carolina, Delaware and Indiana, ending around Labor Day. When citrus production took a big hit as a result of the 2004 hurricane season, Heartland Harvesting as one of the smaller players in the industry, also took a hard hit. That was the deciding factor that shifted the focus of the business from primarily citrus to primarily watermelon. Today, they still dabble in citrus harvesting, but their watermelon harvest is thriving.
The guys all agreed that the hardest part of their job is keeping up with the constant changes in government standards regarding Food Safety and Labor. Heartland Harvesting prides themselves on the level of food safety they maintain. Wise said his first inspector was one of the toughest in the business, so he was trained right and ever since then, they have blown right through inspections.
The business is looking to expand their horizons and venture into the harvest of other fruits. Travis, Mike, and Travis all agree that their favorite thing about harvesting is the adventure that each day brings. While the end goal is the same each day: harvest and pack fruit, you never know what challenge you might face. The pace is so fast in the field and packinghouse that you do not have enough time to get nervous about tough situations; the adrenaline kicks in and keeps you running. That excitement is what makes a tough harvesting season well worth it for the men of Heartland Harvesting.
This month will begin their season, starting harvesting and packing watermelon in the Heartland. When they finish around June, they’ll head for Georgia where they will harvest normally until mid-August. After Georgia’s harvest is complete, the guys will move on to Indiana to harvest until Labor Day. In those four months, Heartland Harvesting (in an average year) will pick and pack 50 million pounds of watermelon; they will use 110 pairs of hands and 49 picking buses. During that time, the guys will very rarely make it in to the office, which means their secretary, Paula Lingenfelder, will have her hands full keeping everything running smoothly on the home front. They all said their success would not be possible without all of Paula’s hard work. Watermelon season for Heartland Harvesting only lasts 4 months, but during those 4 long months, there are no weekends or days off; if weather permits the work starts with the sunrise and ends when the sun goes down. When the season is over, the guys try to slow things down a bit to recuperate, but that does not last long. With 49 buses, there is a lot of maintenance to fill the off-season, while Wise is keeping busy with paperwork.
Watermelons will not sit in the field and wait for you, when they are ripe you have to be there to get them out. This requires a very reliant work force that will be there every day and work hard. To attain this, Heartland Harvesting is working with the Department of Labor to implement the H2A program.
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FLORIDA FARMING By Ron Lambert
Four Star Tomato:
Manatee Farmers Growing Melons
T
his month I will share a bit of history on the Shackelford family and their farming heritage in our state. My uncle Orion was a very friendly man who also was a very knowledgeable farmer. He was one of six children of Lee and Lola Shackelford. His younger brother Rufus moved out to the Rio Grande valley in the late 50’s and grew tomatoes there as well as in California’s Imperial Valley. He later moved into the San Joaquin Valley and continued growing tomatoes there up into the 1970s. At that time, he moved his family back into Hardee County and began to farm tomatoes in Manatee County as well as continuing the California operation.
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The company name remains Four Star Tomato even though they no longer grow tomatoes. The farm operations are carried on today by brothers Scott, Gary, Bruce and Brent Shackelford. In the mid 80’s they began to grow potatoes for chipping for a well-known company. They currently produce a potato crop on 1000 acres in Florida for a May harvest as well as 700 acres in California for early fall harvest. Brent Shackelford oversees the watermelon operation for the company. They are growing around 400 acres in the spring crop and plant 200 acres for a fall harvest. They May 2014
The yield per acre on seedless melons is expected to be 50,000 pounds per acre and a grower can cut melons several times from a field as long as the price holds at a level that can still return a profit. Early in the season, watermelon prices can be very high, but the market is very much susceptible to supply and demand, as are all food crops. A yield of 50,000-60,000 pounds per acre is normal for a spring watermelon harvest. By contrast, a fall yield will be roughly half of springtime totals. Taking into consideration that production costs are more or less equal for either season and handling cost are the same, a grower hopes for a higher return in the fall.
will begin to cut melons early in May. They grow seedless melons exclusively now to cater to consumer preferences. A number such as 7187 or 7197 labels today’s varieties. In prior years, melon varieties were grown in trials at research centers and identified by numbers until released. At that time, a name would be given to the new introduction that would appeal to the consumer. Crimson Sweet was a well known seeded type of round melon. Sangria was a very popular elongated melon
Up until the last five years or so, watermelons were commonly harvested in the field and transported to a loading area where they were loaded in bulk onto semi trailers and shipped to markets. As labor cost rose, a trend of handling in bin boxes grew in popularity for several reasons. Today’s smaller melons were easily handled in this manner from packinghouse to the grocery store. Melons of all types are now available to the American consumer year round.
The Shackelford Brothers are members of a dedicated group of American farmers who earn their living providing a safe and dependable food supply for the American people. They are 4th generation farmers born into the business and still enjoy the challenge! Support American farmers by asking for products grown at home. Look for the Fresh from Florida labels on food products. Earlier this year I put together some information comparing fruits and vegetables grown in Florida from the 1960s to the present time. Watermelons are currently in a position of the fifth or sixth most important Florida vegetable crop. Florida is the leader in total acreage, production and crop value. All the more reason to enjoy a nice, cool, sweet slice today! Check out your local grocer or fruit stand this weekend!
During my conversation with Brent Shackelford, we discussed issues pertaining to watermelon production including disease control, irrigation and labor cost. All of the prior have an effect on profitability of an agricultural crop. The labor required to get a crop out of the field and into a bin box is significant and is constant no matter what the price per pound to the grower may be.
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 41
Kids Corner Step 1
Step 2
A bee pollinates the plant blossom.
Step 4
Watermelons are ready to harvest.
A seed grows into a tiny plant.
Step 3
The plant vine spreads and watermelons start to appear.
How to Grow a Watermelon You can plant your watermelon seeds right from your next watermelon slice! Supplies you will need: — JTgXe`X_ba FXXWf TUbhg $# $( — C_Tag\aZ pot or a sunny place outside to plant your seeds — 7\eg XabhZ[ gb ž__ g[X cbg — JTgXe — Fhaf[\aX If using a planting pot, place your dirt inside planting pot. C_TVX lbhe fXXWf TUbhg $ \aV[ WXXc \agb g[X W\eg! JTgXe \``XW\TgX_l TYgXe c_Tag\aZ!
JTgXe baVX T jXX^ TaW Vbag\ahX gb jXXW bhg eX`biX g[X jXT^Xfg c_Tagf TaW Tal jXXWf g[Tg `Tl Zebj V_bfX gb lbhe fXXWf! Lbh f[bh_W UXZ\a gb fXX c_Tagf \a TUbhg $# WTlf! >XXc \a `\aW g[Tg gb Zebj T jTgXe`X_ba gT^Xf XkgeT fcXV\T_ VTeX! J[\_X lbh `Tl abg Zebj T jTgXe`X_ba lbh f[bh_W UXZ\a gb Zebj g[X i\aX! <Y lbh Wb Zebj T watermelon, it may not taste as good as those you Uhl Tg g[X ZebVXel fgbeX UXVThfX jTgXe`X_ba ZebjXef [TiX lXTef bY XkcXe\XaVX Zebj\aZ great tasting watermelons.
watermelon.org
FLORIDA
Watermelons In Season Now www.ffva.com
twitter/ FlaFruitandVeg
For years, you’ve seen watermelon images on print dresses, 1970s wallpaper, patio serving ware, but did you ever imagine seeing watermelons depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics on the walls of ancient buildings?
Watermelons have been enjoyed for thousands of years. They may have originated in Africa’s Kalahari Desert. They obviously were valued as they were often placed in the burial tombs of kings. According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, watermelons traveled throughout the Mediterranean region by way of merchant ships. The Chinese took to them and became, eventually, the world’s largest producer of watermelons. Finally, possibly via slave ships, they made their way to the Americas, where they not only nourished the population, they were also turned into useful items such as canteens.
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Facebook: Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association Forty-four states grow watermelons including Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Arizona, which lead the country in production. Today, about 200 varieties are grown in the U.S. and Mexico, with about 50 varieties that are most popular. The latest development, ‘seedless’ melons, have caught on in a big way. They were actually invented more than 50 years ago. Many are not technically seedless as they contain the white seed coats that did not mature into seeds. You can eat those. You can also eat the mature seeds. Just roast them as you would pumpkin seeds. Seedless varieties are sterile hybrids. The National Watermelon Promotion Board compares the process to breeding mules by crossing a horse with a donkey. It doesn’t involve genetic modification.
Watermelon is a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium and it’s a wonderful way to make sure you’re hydrated. One cup is only about 50 calories and it’s very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. The calories it does contain come mostly from the sugar that makes it so sweet.
Choosing a good watermelon is easy. Look for a firm, symmetrical melon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents. Watermelons are about 62 percent water, so they should be nice and heavy. Finally, look for a creamy yellow spot where it sat on the ground. If this spot is white or green, the melon may not be ripe. Watermelons will not ripen on the countertop. Select a ripe one and dig in! Watermelons will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Once cut, make sure they are kept in plastic wrap. Gobble them up sliced, in chunks or balled. Or try something new … May 2014
Arugula, Watermelon and Feta Salad From the Food Network, 199, Ina Garten Serves 4
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons) • 1/4 cup minced shallots (1 large) • 1 tablespoon honey • 1/2 cup good olive oil • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 6 cups baby arugula, washed and spun dry • 1/8th seedless watermelon, rind removed, and cut in 1-inch cubes • 12 ounces good feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced • 1 cup (4 ounces) whole fresh mint leaves, julienned
Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, shallots, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly, to form an emulsion. If not using within an hour, store the vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator. Place the arugula, watermelon, feta, and mint in a large bowl. Drizzle with enough vinaigrette to coat the greens lightly and toss well. Taste for seasonings and serve immediately.
Open Face Watermelon Sandwiches From the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Serves 4 • ¼ medium-sized Florida watermelons, seeds and rind removed • 1 handful mint leaves • 8 ounces goat cheese (chevre) • ½ loaf crusty bread, sliced thin • Olive oil • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper Crumble chilled goat cheese into a small bowl. Lightly mix cheese and chopped mint. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper. Cut bread into 8 small slices and drizzle with olive oil. Toast bread slices until golden brown and crispy on top. Let bread cool slightly. Spread cheese mixture on top of each slice of bread. Cut watermelon slices into fun shapes and layer watermelon on top of the chees. Lightly season the top of the sandwiches with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 45
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Baja Sunrise Steak and Eggs
Marinade time: 6 hours or overnight Total recipe time: 30 to 35 minutes Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 beef eye round steaks (4 oz each), cut 3/4-inch thick 1 cup salsa, divided 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon orange peel, divided 4 large eggs Salt and pepper 4 medium whole wheat or multigrain tortillas, toasted 1 medium avocado, sliced Lime wedges (optional)
Instructions: Combine 1/2 cup salsa, orange juice, cilantro, chili powder and 1 tablespoon orange peel in small bowl. Place beef steaks and salsa mixture in food-safe plastic bag; turn steaks to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours or as long as overnight, turning occasionally. Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place steaks in skillet; cook 11 to 13 minutes for medium rare (145째F) to medium (160째F) doneness, turning occasionally.
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Meanwhile, cook eggs as desired. Keep warm. Combine remaining 1/2 cup salsa and 1 teaspoon orange peel. Carve steaks into thin slices; season with salt and pepper, as desired. Evenly place steak slices and egg on each tortilla. Top with salsa mixture and avocado slices. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.
May 2014
Cattlemen’s Livestock Market 3305 Hwy 92 E • Lakeland, FL 33801
Weekly Beef Sale:
Tuesday 12:00 Noon Pairs and all Vet checked cattle will be sold at 3pm
Cattle Receiving Schedule:
Mondays: 8am-9pm April thru October 8am-8pm November thru March Tuesdays: 7am- End of Sale For Competitive Prices, Let Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction Market handle your Livestock Merchandising
Special Sales:
Replacement Heifer Sales, Direct Sales, Video Sales, All Breed Bull Sales, On Site Dispersal Sales (Includes Dairy, Beef and Equipment)
Watch our sales online at LMAAuctions.com Superior Livestock Representative
Dave or Mike Tomkow
Dave Cell (863) 559-3266 or Mike Cell (863) 559-5091 Office (863) 665-5088 or Home (352) 523-2081
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 47
OKEECHOBEE LIVESTOCK MARKET BQA CERTIFIES EMPLOYEES First auction market in the nation to hold Beef Quality Assurance Certificates Photos by Jason Kuhlewind
The Okeechobee Livestock Market took full advantage of the free promotional offer from Boehringer Ingelheim for Beef Quality Assurance Certification. All full time employees of the Okeechobee Livestock Market that handle and process cattle recently passed the BQA Certification test, making this the first auction market in the nation to hold the merit. “Today, consumers are more concerned with how their food is produced. This is a good program to ensure the safety and security of U.S. beef, and we wanted to be a part of it,” said Todd Clemons, President of the Okeechobee Livestock Market. “Having BQA Certificated employees verifies that all cattle that pass through our auction ring will be handled under consistent guidelines with sound practices. ” The BQA certification modules are customized to fit each segment of the cattle industry – cow-calf, stocker, feed yard and dairy operations. The program covers best management practices such as proper handling and administration of vaccinations and other products, eliminating injection site blemishes, and better cattle handling principles.
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“Some of the challenges that beef producers face is having all of their employees become BQA certified,” says Dr. Jerry Woodruff, BIVI Professional Services Veterinarian. “BIVI’s partnership with BQA helps offset some of those expenses, and we encourage producers and their employees to use the web-based training programs.” The Okeechobee Livestock Market is a progressive cattle auction known nationally for tried-and-true marketing of Florida calves to buyers. With a premiere location for central and southern Florida ranchers, the Okeechobee Livestock Market is located in Okeechobee, Florida, on Highway 98 North, with sales starting at noon every Monday and Tuesday.
For more information, please visit: www.okeechobeelivestockmarket.com or www.facebook.com/okeechobeeivestockmarket, or call (863) 763-3127.
May 2014
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 49
Wins
Trinity Ranch
The Adams Ranch Genuine Ranch Rodeo, put on by the St. Lucie County Cattlemen’s Association, hosted its fourth annual event at the Fort Pierce arena on April 5. A total of 27 teams competed in two performances. The events were ranch bronc riding, double muggin’, team sorting, trailer loading and wild cow decorating. The payout for each event was $500, except for the bronc riding, where the winner received his very own belt buckle and $350.
All sorts of activities for the youngsters took place around the outside of the arena and there were plenty of good eats and treats. The St. Lucie CattleWomen ran the concession stand, which included the delicious treat of swamp cabbage among the regular fare. Lemonade and kettle corn were offered by the vendors, as were Adams Ranch Rodeo T-shirts and ball caps. There was a lot of action in the arena, with the teams hoping to win first place and a coveted spot at the Florida Cattlemen’s Association Ranch Rodeo Finals in Kissimmee on September 26-27. Bronc riding was up first, with Cole Fulford of the Fulford Cattle team taking top honors with a score of 74 points. Cole gets another buckle to add to his collection, and the cash will certainly come in handy with a new baby in the family! The team-sorting event was next. This is a large herd of cattle that the riders must sort from, and this is no easy task. The Grace Ag team of Brad Moss, Bobby Lines (who also did
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Adams Ranch Rodeo Article and Photos By Kathy Gregg
double duty as one of the pick-up men in the bronc riding event), Tommy Stokes, Lee Watford and Sage Adams won this event with a time of 29.81 seconds. The double muggin’ event is always wild and crazy, and this one was no exception! Cowboys get stomped into the dirt and cowgirls get dragged by their heels in an effort to get those 3 bovine legs tied together. When all the dust had settled, it was the Lazy JB team of Buck Lee, Shane Perkins, Tyle Oxer, and Dusty and Whitney Savoie who took home that prize money, with a time of 37.47 seconds. Svelte Buck Lee took some ribbing from the announcer because Whitney beat him to the steer, gaining a new nickname of “Pumpkin”.
The trailer loading was up next. Having to cut the steer from the herd, guiding it into the trailer, securing it in the front divider, loading all five horses, securing the trailer and running back across the line can be fun or frustrating. Steirwalt Cattle, with Shane Steirwalt and Jenna Adams in from Oklahoma, joined by Jenna’s Dad Billy and Uncle Jimmy, along with John Adams, took it in stride, winning with a time of 39.84 seconds. Last up was the wild cow decorating. This can be even crazier and wilder than the double muggin’ and they always manage to find cows with BIG horns. Raulerson Cattle won this event, in an impressive time of 31.65 seconds.
This ranch rodeo is a fundraiser, with the proceeds going to support the local youth with scholarships and sponsorships, May 2014
and to promote agricultural education. The winners of this year’s scholarships were announced between the two performances, being Allie Schelin and Nicole Miller. In order to qualify for these scholarships (first issued in 2013), they must be a resident of St. Lucie County, and have been a member of 4-H, FFA and/or the market animal program through the St. Lucie County Fair. They have completed the IRSC Foundation STARS online scholarship application, and will each receive the 2014 scholarships for the fall semester at Indian River State College.
and son David and Ty Bennett, CJ Carter, and Jed Gray. They won belt buckles, prize money of $5,000, and their entry fee into the Finals. The second place prizes of breast collars and $3,500 went to Grace Ag, and third place was Fulford Cattle – with brothers Bobby Jo and Cole Fulford, Preston Stokes, Sam Clemons, and Roxanne Murphy – taking home $2,500 and saddle pads.
Following both performances was a junior sorting event for the 18-and-under set. There were 17 young competitors, many of who had a parent in the ranch rodeo. Blaine Albritton is the son of tall and lanky Myron; Sam Clemons’ boys, Cole, Owen and Brody; Tyle Oxer’s son Shooter; Reston Stokes, son of Preston; Beau Anastasio’s son Brody; Carson Davis, son of Clint (who needs to be velcroed into his saddle!); Brad Moss’ son Easton; Bobby Jo Fulford’s son Cross; Blake Butts, daughter of Cab Butts; and Buck “Pumpkin” Lee’s oldest son Aubrey, who was the winner, receiving his very own plaque. Wes Godwin came all the way from Myakka City to compete, with no one in the ranch rodeo related to him. When it came time to award the top prize money – First place went to the Trinity Ranch team of Frankie Chessler, father
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 51
Arcadia Hosts
Country Music Fest
Article and Photos By Kathy Gregg
On Saturday, March 22, the Arcadia Rodeo Arena played host to a different kind of country event – the Six Gun Country Music Showcase.
Sponsored by the family of Sun Newspapers, and MC’ed by a 92.9 KIX Country disc jockey, this was a concert that long-time country music fans dream about.
The event opened with a special award to Labelle resident and cowboy poet Carl Sharp. The plaque presented to Sharp by Joe Gallimore, General Manager of The Arcadian, was in recognition of Sharp’s years of service promoting the cowboy way of life through his poetry, including entertaining the American troops on repeat occasions, and serving in the role of Florida’s poet laureate. (Sharp will be celebrating his 100th birthday this month.)
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The line-up of performers reads like a Who’s Who of 1970’s-1990’s country Top Ten artists. It opened with the act of Moore & Moore, twin sisters Carrie and Debbie Moore. Having sung together their entire lives, it comes as no surprise that their songs are successful due to the close-knit harmony they create. They have performed on the stage of the world famous Grand Ole Opry and opened for wellknown country singers like the Statler Brothers, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and the Bellamy Brothers. The list of artists that they have shared the stage with is almost endless. David Frizell comes from a country music family, being the younger brother of country legend Lefty Frizell. Best known for his No. 1 country hit “I’m Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home”, he also had great success singing duets with his sister-in-law Shelly West.
Janie Fricke was one of the most popular female country singers of
May 2014
the 1980’s. The year 1981 started her rise to fame with two Top Ten hits, followed by an enviable six Number One hits over 1982-1984. The next two years saw another five Top Ten hits, including another Number One. Moe Bandy followed Fricke on stage. Bandy was believed to have been one of the great honky tonk singers. His songs centered around the traditional barroom fare, based on loving, cheating, and drinking, as well as patriotic songs. His song “Rodeo Romeo” was based on the life of his brother Mike, a professional bullrider. Bandy’s career reached a peak in 1979, during which year he teamed up with Janie Fricke for “It’s a Cheatin’ Situation”. This Number Three hit won the Song of the Year award from the Academy of Country Music, and Fricke joined him on stage to perform this duet.
T.G. Sheppard emerged as one of the leading country-pop singers in the 1970’s. He worked for RCA Records promoting such great singing artists as Elvis Presley, Perry Como, and John Denver, and his well-known hit “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. Over that decade and the early 1980’s, Sheppard had a total of twenty Number One hit records, all country-pop, and all featuring his smooth crooning voice – a style that he made his own. His song “Last Cheater’s Waltz” was nominated five times for the Country Song of the Year. The show wound up with a performance by John Conlee. His 1978 hit “Rose Coloured Glasses” (which he also wrote) became his signature song. All in all, he had 29 single releases throughout the years, with 26 of them making the Top Twenty, and eight of them becoming Number One hits on the country charts. Conlee is known for his support of various causes, including the nine Farm Aid concerts that he has performed in, helping to raise $13 million to aid the family farmer. During this performance, he set up a bucket for collections to go to the Wounded Warriors Project, as he belted out his hit song “Busted”. These artists pre-dated this writer’s love of country music, but even I was familiar with the songs listed above, as well as “Bandy the Rodeo Clown” (co-written by Lefty Frizell). The day was quite warm and sunny, but that didn’t stop the crowd from getting up and dancing. The cold beer was flowing, with plenty of good eats from the many food vendors.
Many of the officers and directors of the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo attended the concert. Former National High School Rodeo finalist Jacey Johnson of Arcadia took the weekend off from her new home at the University of Florida to attend the concert with her Dad, Dale. She didn’t bring her college roommates with her, as she said they already thought she was a redneck! If enjoying a concert filled with these artists means that you are a redneck, then I have officially joined their ranks! And as the Moore & Moore website states, what you can expect is More and More. Let’s hope that Sun Newspapers will have MORE of these concerts!
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 53
Kim Kim Thomas
Barrel Clinic By Robbi Sumner
Circuit WPRA Qualifier, 3-time Prairie Circuit WPRA Champion, and Finals Qualifier at the All American Quarter Horse Congress among her numerous accomplishments.
Professional horseman Dave Stinson joined Thomas at the clinic, focusing on the basic horsemanship skills of each participant. Lea Watson was on hand providing video coverage of the entire clinic, giving participants the opportunity to review their individual work sessions at a later date.
Professional barrel racer and horse trainer Kim Thomas held a barrel racing clinic the weekend of March 29th and 30th. “We scheduled the clinic at the Arcadia Rodeo Arena, but due to inclement weather had to move to the covered arena at Winding Trails for Saturday,” shared clinic coordinator Christi Pryor. “They have a beautiful facility and were great to work with, as well as the Arcadia Rodeo staff where we were for Sunday.”
Originally from Wauchula, Thomas moved to Oklahoma 16 years ago to further pursue her barrel racing dreams. A member of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) since 1980 and the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) since its inception in 1992, she counts being a past Oklahoma City Barrel Racing Futurity Champion, WPRA Divisional Tour Champion, 10-time Southeastern
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Limited to twenty horse and rider teams, Pryor had no problem filling the spots. “Kim has a way of breaking down information so that it is easy to understand,” she shared. One participant, Hannah Moss, attended the Saturday session and then won her barrel racing division at the Okeechobee Youth Rodeo Association event the very next day!
Several prizes were awarded at the end of the clinic including Most Improved Rider: Millie Bolin; Most Improved Horse: Wisty Watson; Sportsmanship: Melinda Nickerson; and 5 Star Pad Drawing Winner: Laura Weeks.
Thanks to the success of the clinic, Pryor, the DeSoto Senior FFA Advisor, was able to donate a portion of the proceeds equaling $500 to the DeSoto Senior FFA Chapter. “We hope to host another Kim Thomas clinic in the future,” she added. May 2014
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May 2014
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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 55
YOUTH SPOTLIGHT
SPONSORED BY:
Glisson’s Animal Supply
The Future of the Industry: KOLE ROBERTSON By Kyndall Robertson
responsibility at the watermelon-packing barn from wiping dirt off melons as they go down the conveyer belt, to using a broom to wipe love bugs off bin boxes full of melons before they are loaded onto the semis. Now, Kole has moved up the ranks to occasional forklift driving; he says that is his favorite job at the barn. So far this year Kole, has enjoyed helping inject liquid fertilizer in the irrigation systems, running deer out of the field to keep them from eating the plants, scouting the field for disease and helping run irrigation.
Watermelon farming for some is a hobby and for others, a legacy, which is the case for Kole Robertson. Kole is a sophomore at Hardee Senior High School and is the son of Kord and Shannyn Robertson of Zolfo Springs. Kole’s dad and grandfather, Wilbur Robertson, run Robertson Farms. The operation currently grows citrus, raises cattle, harvests hay and plants grass, along with their annual watermelon harvest. Robertson Farms has been growing watermelons for 30 years, so it’s only natural Kole would love the industry and has spent long hours preforming different duties in the field and packinghouse. The first job Kole remembers having was as a small child helping move, load and unload watermelons at the family u-pick. As Kole has gotten older, he has developed more
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Kole is also very involved in the Hardee Senior FFA chapter; he currently holds the position of Chaplain. He is on the Livestock Judging team that recently took 5th place at the state contest; he is on the Citrus team who took 6th at the state contest. He also serves as the Tractor Driver and won sub-districts and went on to the district contest. Kole’s Grandpa Wilbur is helping Kole start his own cowherd. He gave Kole eight heifers, which have been calving recently. Kole says one of the things he enjoys most on the farm during watermelon off-season is riding through looking at “his girls” and the new calves.
In the upcoming years, Kole looks forward to gaining more responsibilities at the watermelon barn and on other farm projects. After graduating high school, Kole wants to attend Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) in Tifton, Ga., to pursue a degree in Diversified Agriculture. Upon graduation from ABAC, Kole plans to return to Robertson Farms to help in the daily management. May 2014
Kole says the absolute best thing about growing up in a watermelon farming family besides the unlimited access to watermelons during the month of May, is seeing the product from start to finish; it begins with a piece of land that might be unusable due to overgrowth to a watermelon loaded in a box on a semi trailer headed for a grocery store. Kole plans to stay involved in farming forever because he knows that no matter what else changes, people will always need food to eat and it gives him a sense of pride knowing that he can provide those means.
The work we do at Mosaic is critical to helping feed the world. We provide farmers with phosphate crop nutrients that enable them to produce more food on less land.
IMAGINE A WORLD WITH HALF AS MUCH FOOD. Without crop nutrients, that would be our reality.
Essential crop nutrients — like phosphate mined and manufactured in Florida — are responsible for 40-60 percent of the crop yields farmers produce worldwide.* That translates into more abundant and affordable food here at home. As our world keeps growing, Mosaic keeps working to help put food on the table, for all of us.
We help the world grow the food it needs. ®
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Source: Agronomy Journal
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 57
FLORIDA FFA
ALUMNI
By Melissa Nichols
The Florida FFA Alumni is a vital and active part of the Agriculture Education program throughout the state of Florida. It is a group of hardworking individuals devoted to making FFA bigger, better and brighter than ever before. These members are from all walks of life, as some previously served as FFA chapter officers and members, while others are former Ag teachers and some never wore the beloved blue jacket, but they are united with a love for the program. This love for the program and overall love for the youth involved in agriculture is what empowers the Alumni to succeed so they can help these young people reach their ultimate potential. The board of directors values the importance of agriculture in our community, Agriculture Education in our schools, and the youth as a whole. The Florida FFA Alumni has a mission to help programs be successful, reward the ones that are and assist the ones who need assistance. If you are a part of a FFA Alumni in your county, you are already a member of the Florida FFA Alumni. If you have ever wanted to get involved but didn’t know exactly what Alumni to join, you can join as an “at large member.” The Florida FFA Alumni is the perfect fit for everyone interested in getting involved in a great program.
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May 2014
There are ample opportunities throughout the year to get involved. On July 3, the Florida FFA Alumni will host their annual public meeting at the Florida FFA State Convention at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, FL. In August, the Alumni will hold their annual retreat, which is a two day event held at the Leadership Training Center in Haines City. At this retreat, they have several workshops to inspire, encourage and develop bigger, better programs, as well as chances to meet and get to know other Alumni chapter members.
There are several fundraising events that the Alumni participate in. One of the largest events is the sale of Robert Butler Prints. Mr. Robert Butler had a long-standing relationship with Polk County FFA Chapters. He was commissioned in 1994 to complete a series of paintings that were to represent Florida’s Agriculture Heritage, 1000 prints of each painting were produced. This series took several years to complete and is still known to be one of the most successful series that Robert Butler ever completed. Mr. Butler had a devoted relationship with FFA as a whole. He felt teaching kids agriculture was vital to survival and one of the most important programs offered in schools. His love for nature and agriculture is obvious in his paintings. Robert Butler has tirelessly given to local fundraisers over the years. He was widely known as one of the “Highwaymen” painters, who made a living traveling and painting wildlife portraits that captured the true essence of Florida. Mr. Butler and his wife Dorothy raised nine children in Polk County Florida. Butler was a down-to-earth person who worked very hard, loved what he did and inspired people everywhere he went.
May 2014
In the summer of 2013, Mr. David Coile, District VIII FFA Alumni Director, became aware of large collection of 30 different Butler prints that were available for purchase by the State FFA Alumni. When Mr. Butler was contacted, he was pleased that the FFA could once again help in promoting his work. The Alumni was granted permission from Mr. Butler to sell these prints. Included in this collection are the matching numbered and signed “Cracker cowboy series”, which consists of five prints that are selling for $200 on their website. In
honor of Robert Butler always wanting to set the prices of his prints where the everyday person could afford them, prints start at $15 and go up to $45. It is with great sorrow that in the process of completing this story, Mr. Robert Butler passed away. The Florida FFA Alumni and FFA programs will forever be grateful for the dedication of Mr. Robert Butler. He will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him as well as those who will continue to proudly display his fine artwork. You can view and purchase prints by going online to www. floridaffaalumi.org today or contacting Mr. David Coile at 863640-4518. Each year the Florida FFA Alumni supports the youth by providing scholarships opportunities to help members attend National Convention, Florida Outdoor Adventures, or Florida Leadership Adventures. If you want to see the youth of today become the leaders of tomorrow, don’t stand on the sidelines and watch, get involved and join today! If you are interested in joining a local Alumni chapter, contact the school FFA advisor of your choice and they can assist you in getting involved or contact Mr. Coile who can tell you of the various schools who have existing Alumni affiliates.
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 59
Remembering American Painter Robert Butler
By Dorene Butler*
Remembering an American painter is not the same as the memories of a husband, father, friend and confidant. Robert Butler was all of those things and as sure as the sun shines, he touched many lives in a positive way.
Authoring his life’s bio, “Timeless Echoes,” Robert took a million trips down the memory lane of his 48-year career as an artist. Of course, that meant endless days and nights of writing, phone calls, emails, letters, etc to collect the necessary data for his conglomeration of “the art of words.” Dorothy Butler, his wife of fifty years, respected his venture into the second act of his life. She knew some of the same adventures of being drafted as the in-house proofreader and editor as she knew when he first began his art career at the age of 20 years old when he worked out of “Trail-ways” bus station office in Okeechobee in the early 70s. As in any creative process, there were some disagreements and some brainstorming that had good results. No one can count how many cups of coffee, how many eggs and toast plates, water or bacon was served to the author during this creative process. All those years, while writing this story of his life, Butler never lost sight of where home was. Many people got to know him and care for him deeply as though he were part of their family. That was no surprise. The routes he traveled put him in places where it would be as though the family he created was extended out to every corner of Florida and the world. But, when the lines became blurry, he would make a way for them to be clear. “No need to weep over the moving on of an artist. The wind carries them and their paint brush must follow.”
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Robert Butler will be remembered by many and missed dearly by his wife, family and friends. However, we can all smile with what he has brought to us. A visual of what it would be like to live in paradise, forever.
Many thanks to his autobiography, “Timeless Echoes” written by his own hand, mostly keyboard with computer, many more will be able to understand why it is he did what he did and thought the way that he thought. He believed in something and his paintings help us to believe as well. No editing will ever take that away. ‘Dorene Butler (oldest daughter of Robert Butler)
May 2014
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May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 61
FFA SPOTLIGHT
FFA Spotlight:
Palmetto FFA Palmetto High Ag Program Takes a Hands on Approach to the Community By Dixie Thomas A land lab at the school that consists of over 10 acres of land is available to ag students for all the hands-on learning. The lab has two cattle pastures, a swine facility, a goat facility, chicken coop, a fully functioning greenhouse, a three acre garden and some Tilapia tanks. In the ag program, students are required to assist in all areas of the land lab, including walking and feeding the cattle and goats, feeding and cleaning Tilapia tanks, disking and laying plastic for crops in the garden, planting, weeding, and harvesting crops and caring
With a history that spans 75 years, the agriculture program at Palmetto High School has influenced and inspired at least three generations in the community. Palmetto High School is now the last community high school, drawing from the communities around it, including Duette to Sneads Island, and the Hillsborough county line to the Manatee River Banks. T.P. Winter was the agriculture teacher that initiated the first FFA Chapter at the school in 1939, and the story goes that he and his students built their own ag classroom on 10th Street across from the school. The ag program at Palmetto High currently has about 150 students enrolled in agriculture classes and the school’s FFA has 77 members. Students are drawn to the program because of the hands-on nature of the agriculture classes. “Students thrive in agriculture due to the fact that we work in real world situations,” says Julie Tillett, Palmetto High Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor. “In many instances, we are able to bring the academic lessons to life and students have a better understanding,” she explains.
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for the chickens. Students train and show the cattle and goats at the Manatee County Fair. In the past two years, 10 calves have been born on campus. The students were able to see a calf born that had to be pulled, another real life learning experience.
Throughout the year, the students are involved in various activities and compete in Career Development Events such as tractor driving, speaking, floriculture, livestock judging, horticulture judging, citrus judging and land judging events. This past year, students took part in the National and State FFA Conventions and were named one of Florida’s Finest. The Chapter was also nationally ranked as a three star chapter. The chapter FFA officers also gained valuable skills at officer leadership training. One of the aspects of the ag program at Palmetto High that sets it apart from other schools is the level of student involvement in the community. In the past six years that Julie has been teaching ag, the
May 2014
students have given over 500 hours to the community by serving at different functions. At the Manatee County Agriculture Museum, students volunteered at stations, read to children, opened the doors and greeted people and aided with whatever the museum staff needed. The ag students also assisted in a project at the Gamble Mansion Plantation by planting sugar cane crops at the site. Rodney Potter of the Manatee Historical Society arranged the project, and old time local farmer, Dillbert Bernett, taught the students how to plant and grow the sugarcane. Last year, the ag program donated about 3,000 pounds of food to a local food bank called the Palmetto Hope Center. A large portion of the food came from the vegetables and eggs harvested off the land lab. A Barn Dance held at the land lab’s barn also brought in a vast amount of canned food. Students cleaned and decorated the barn in preparation for the dance, and four canned goods were the ticket to get into the dance. The Palmetto Hope Center in turn distributed the food to over 80 families in need in the local community. Julie encourages the students to connect and give back to the community and she hopes that students will learn the value of doing so while being involved in agriculture. “Agriculture doesn’t just teach about the labor intense skills,” she explains, “it also teaches the soft skills of how of how to communicate with others and how to be a productive member of the community.”
3rd Annual SendMeMissions 5K Run/Walk
May 9, 2014 7pm Hardee County Court House (courtyard) 417 W. Main Street Wauchula, FL 33873
Register online at www.sendmemissions5k.com
$20 (pre-registration thru April 29th & T-Shirt Guaranteed) $25 (April 30th thru day of race) $15 Kids 12 & Under (T-Shirt included thru April 29th) A special thanks to our Title Sponsor:
All proceeds support SendMeMission projects & mission trip scholarships.
www.sendmemissions5k.com
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 63
Highlands Youth Archery
On Saturday, March 29th, the Highlands County Shooting Sports 4-H Club hosted a 3D 4-H archery match at the Highlands Bow Hunters’ range in Sebring. 4-H members from throughout central Florida took aim at 20 targets placed at various distances on the course that winded throughout the wooded property. Juniors, ages 8-11, shot unmarked up to 20 yards; Intermediates, ages 12-14, shot unmarked up to 30 yards; and Seniors, ages 15-17, shot unmarked up to 50 yards at targets of bear, deer, turkeys and other wild “animals”. The event was well organized and enjoyable for shooters and their families. According to Don Perdian, event organizer, “We were happy to have the opportunity to put this event on with the Highlands Bow Hunters Club, and hope to host similar events in the future.”
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Results were as follows:
Sighted Compound Junior Division: 1st Cody Kantz - Polk County 2nd Ashley Parham - Orange County 3rd Shelby Sumner - Okeechobee 4th Josh Jenkins - Okeechobee 5th Camden Leal - Highlands 6th Nichole Beard - Highlands 7th Jorden Perez - Glades 8th Kaden Roberts - Highlands 9th Taylor Derr - Highlands Unsighted Recurve Junior: 1st Bud Cox - Highlands 2nd Shela Cox - Highlands
Sighted Compound Intermediate: 1st Jake Cross - Martin 2nd Keith Roberts - Highlands 3rd John Pearce - Okeechobee 4th Lyndsey Perdian - Highlands 5th Evan Polk - Martin 6th Ashton Powers - Glades 7th Megan Stockingberg - Highlands 8th Jared Roberts - Highlands 9th Alister Ibrahim - Highlands Sighted Compound Senior: 1st Allen Abe - Highlands 2nd Lane Prevatt - Glades 3rd Raif Prevatt - Glades 4th Caleb Leal - Highlands 5th Emma Cahoon - Glades 6th Ashley Perdian - Glades Unsighted Recurve Senior: 1st Rebekah Lopez - Glades May 2014
5th Annual Tater Hill Fun Shoot:
Another Successful Year!
The DeSoto County Chamber of Commerce hosted their 5th Annual Tater Hill Fun Shoot on Saturday, April 12th. Held at Square One Sporting Clay, the event is the Chamber’s largest fundraising event. This year, over 100 shooters came out to participate in the friendly competition. The event was made possible through several sponsors. The Chamber is grateful for all of these sponsors including Title Sponsors, Mosaic and Seacoast National Bank; Gold Sponsors: Summit Roofing, 106.9 The Bull, Clean Cuts, Southern Salvage, Desoto Jewelry, CCC Group, Joshua Citrus, and Moretrench; Team Sponsors: First State Bank, Arcadia Stockyard, GEO Care, Arcadia Computer, Mow Flow Lawn Maintenance and Irrigation and Heartland In the Field Magazine; Arcadia Pawn and Jewelry and Gator Gun provided guns for the raffle, and thank you to the numerous station sponsors.
This year’s lunch included barbecue chicken, pulled pork and all of the fixin’s. Thank you to SOAR, Inc for sponsoring this year’s lunch. Thank you to Johnny Patton for barbecuing for the event. A very special thank you goes out to all of the people who participated and/or donated items for the raffle event.
May 2014
Congratulations to the following winners of the 5th Annual Tater Hill Fun Shoot: • Grand Champion - High Overall: Bob Isaly • Team Championship – Arcadia Computer (Yvette Singletary, Mike Singletary, Paul Cutshall, and Clayton Cutshall) • Individual Champion – Bob Isaly • Ladies Champion-Yvette Singletary • Youth Champion- Clayton Cutshall • Traveling Industry Trophy Winners• Seacoast National Bank (Business Services) • Summit Roofing (Construction) • Moretrench (Manufacturing) • Arcadia Stockyard (Ranch and Agriculture) • Arcadia Computer (Retail)
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 65
LITERATURE FEATURE
A SERIES ON FLORIDA LITERATURE:
Harry Crews By Brady Vogt
H
arry Crews was a large and startling figure. I knew Harry Crews; he lived in Gainesville and I went up there many a time over a period of a few years to visit him and soak up some Alachua County culture. Harry taught Creative Writing at the University of Florida for many seasons. His classes were among the most popular, especially in the days when hippies roamed the campus, looking for…something. Long lines formed at registration tables to be admitted to the classroom where Harry ruled the roost. He was a big man, six feet tall, easy a couple of hundred pounds. He had a tattoo of a hinge inside his right arm and on one of his shoulders, the last three lines from an E.E. Cummings poem that went something like this… Buffalo Bill was a real good shot and he could knock down clay pigeons just like that and what I want to know is how do you like your blued eyed boy now mister death
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Harry has been gone already two years. His writing career, what is called a “body of work” was punctuated and exclaimed by his enormous capacity to dig deep into life, deep into the fiery bowels of erratic behavior, wherein, of course, he developed his ideas for stories. He wrote maybe twenty novels, essays and articles by the many dozens, a screenplay and for several years wrote a column for ESQUIRE magazine called “Grits”. He was as accomplished as a writer of nonfiction as fiction, in fact “A Childhood: The Biography of a Place” is considered to be as fine a memoir of the American experience as has been published.
Harry had a platform. He was very well read. He said that good writers borrowed from great writers and great writers stole from each other. He was not much on research, that is, he could write about his world, the places he had associated with, been born into and suffered through. He said he didn’t find his voice until he figured out that he should write about what he knew, and what he was finding out. He told me that the correct way for writers to open a letter from one to another was by using the person’s full name in May 2014
the salutation. For example, if John Steinbeck wrote to Ernest Hemingway, he would begin…”Dear Ernest Hemingway”. I’ve tried it out but no one seems to get it. He said the way to negotiate an airport and getting aboard a plane bound for home when dead drunk was to be placed in a wheelchair and covered with a blanket. He traveled some, I expect. When he was moving from city to city at book signings for his novel “Body”, he hired oiled up women body builders from local gyms to smile and flex beside the table. I imagine he stalked the front of his classroom, moving with that just noticeable gait from when he’d had rickets or polio so bad when he was a little boy that his heels were curled and drawn up to behind his knees. Perhaps the tattoo of the hinge inside his elbow made him remindful of when his poor lower body was wracked with cramps, and he could bend his arms at least, freely.
Harry went to the University of Florida on the G.I. Bill, stayed with it and finished with a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing. He studied under and greatly admired Andrew Lytle, a man held in extremely high regard by literary experts as one of the finest writers from The South. Harry never dedicated a book to Mister Lytle, he didn’t figure any of them were good enough to associated with the man’s name. Mister Lytle told him, so far as writing goes, that fire was a great refiner…if it wasn’t right…burn it. Lytle, in addition to writing several acclaimed novels about the southern experience after the War of The Rebellion, began and edited for many years “The Sewanee Review” and taught creative writing to James Dickey, among others, who wrote “Deliverance” and other novels but was admired mostly for his poetry. Sally Crews asked Harry after a couple of books if he intended to make a career of writing about midgets. His characters were always a certain circus like or carnival like or zoo-like part of a generally messed up minor population. His protagonists and antagonists alike are to be marveled at or pitied or shunned. For me, the most memorable of Harry Crew’s novels is titled “The Gypsy’s Curse”. Harry said the most difficult person to write from was the singular,
May 2014
wherein the narrator, who must be present or informed of all that transpires in the story, tells the story. He said it was therefore doubled down difficult to write a story in which the narrator and the protagonist is unable to speak or hear, but signs his way through conversations with his people. Marvin Molar had twenty-six inch biceps and stunted, withered legs. He walked on his knuckles and performed at Cub Scout events by shimmying up a flagpole with his hands and holding himself at the top at ninety degrees to the pole, as a human pennant or human flag.
If a writer indeed has a significant “body of work” let’s say twenty books over twenty years, and is well, perhaps vain enough to feature a picture of oneself on the rear flap of the dust jacket, it is evident to even the most casual observer that changes have taken place. Harry Crews immersed himself in rough living. He was a very disciplined writer and again a very dissolute adventurer. He was no Dorian Gray. For “The Gospel Singer” (his first book) he appears in a photograph as a young man, clean cut and smiling. By the time he was finished by “The Mulching of America” he was unrecognizable, wizened, grotesque. Hard living saps a fellow. Better to use one early picture and just keep showing it over and over again.
Harry Crews was a writer of and about the Deep South. Most of his stories take place in lower Georgia and upper Florida. “The Gypsy’s Curse” is set in St. Petersburg, and “Karate Is A Thing Of The Spirit” is set in Fort Lauderdale. He wrote about what he knew, which was people on the margins of normal, and their stories could have taken place anywhere. I have in my library, First Editions/First Printings of nearly every book Harry Crews wrote. There are inscribed by him to me, some less legibly than others, depending on where he was at between battle and bottle. It was an honor to know him, and to brush against a literary giant.
“To My Buddy Brady. You made my day Pal. All the Best, Harry Crews”
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 67
Sharks Landing in Downtown Sebring on May 10 at Mother’s Day Festival Sharks are landing in Downtown Sebring on May 10; The Landshark Band, that is. What is a Landshark? It is a fun, interactive band that has played with Jimmy Buffett in Key West, at Margaritaville in Orlando and with the Beach Boys. They have performed at the Super Bowl, played more than 100 Disney and Universal shows and have played for the troops overseas. Everyone has a great time at a Landshark concert. The Landshark Band will perform at the Girls Gone Wine Festival on May 10, which will be held from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. This family-friendly event will include merchandise and service vendors, Wine & Cheese Tasting, as well as Culinary Demonstrations, will be held in historic Circle Theatre with live music by the Landsharks Band, a variety of food vendors, beer, as well as the galleries, boutiques and eateries of historic Downtown Sebring. A portion of the proceeds will benefit two non-profits: the Champion for Children Foundation and the Getaway Girl Foundation, both 501c3 organizations.
Free general admission to the Festival; Wine & Cheese Tasting/Culinary Demonstration tickets are available online at www.GirlsGoneWineFest.com and at Dogtown USA (112 N. Ridgewood Drive, Sebring). The first 100 tickets purchased will include a signature Girls Gone Wine tote filled with goodies, coupons and free merchandise samples.
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Friday May 9: 80s Party Wine Walk, 5-8 PM The monthly 2nd Friday Downtown Sebring Wine Walk at participating merchants will feature 80s music to set the tone for the weekend. Dress in your best 80s attire. Get free wine tastings from the local merchants (while supplies last). Saturday, May 10: Girls Gone Wine Festival, 10 AM – 4 PM The Girls Gone Wine Festival (www.GirlsGoneWineFest. com) is sure to be a memorable event with free general admission for everyone. Non-drinking festival guests and kids under 21 are welcome to attend. There will be a $25 fee to participate in the wine and cheese tasting (ages 21+ only), as well as the Culinary Demonstrations, which will be held inside Circle Theatre.
Vendor applications for Saturday, May 10 are available on the Girls Gone Wine Festival website (www.GirlsGoneWineFest. com) and vendors will have the option of receiving additional promotion by contributing to the Swag Bags (for the first 100 wine tasting tickets sold) and raffle items. The deadline to register for vendor space is April 30, 2014. Vendor categories include: • Art & Culture • Beauty & Fashion • Culinary/Food • Health & Wellness • Community & Non-Profit This event is coordinated by Push Event Productions and cosponsored by the Sebring CRA, City of Sebring, Cohan Radio Network, Creative Printing, Highlands Today, the News Sun, Gray Dog Communications, Plan B Promotions and the Highlands Co. Convention & Visitors Bureau.
May 2014
Creative Kids Camp 2014 Scheduled at Highlands Art League The Highlands Art League is pleased to announce its 2014 Creative Kids Camp sponsored by Agero. The camp will span four weeks in June and July and provide kids ages 6-12 the opportunity to learn new skills in the creative arts while advancing their art education focus. Themes for the weeks include: Beachy Art Week, Multimedia Madness, Holiday Happenings and Mimicking the Masters. Students will learn about various artists and various techniques that are used to create different styles of art, as well as take home a wealth of knowledge about art and culture along with the projects they will create daily.
OPTIONS INCLUDE: Full Day: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (4 sessions) Morning Half Day: 8:00 AM-Noon (2 sessions) Afternoon Half Day: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM (2 sessions)
The camp sessions will be held Monday-Friday the following weeks: June 9-13 - Mimicking the Masters June 16-20 - Holiday Happenings July 7-11 - Multimedia Madness July 14-18 - Beachy Art Week
Kids can sign up for either a full day or half day session each week; limited to 15 kids/week. Full day students will need to bring their own lunch. Camp registration is $60/half day/ week or $100/full day/week.
Register at www.HighlandsArtLeague.org or call (863) 385-5312.
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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 69
AG CALENDAR MAY 1ST NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER MAY 3RD National Wrestling Hall of Fame Fun Shoot 3rd Annual Sporting Clay Tournament Quail Creek Plantation, Okeechobee 863.763.2529 MAY 4TH Cinco de Mayo & Taste of Latin American Festival- McKechnie Field 1pm-9pm Bradenton 941.358.7065
MAY 10TH Watermelon Dinner/Auction Turner Center Annex, Arcadia 6pm www.arcadiamainstreet.com MAY 10TH Okeechobee Marshalls Cowboy Action Shooting Club 8:30am Ok Corral Gun Club - Okeechobee www.okeechobeemarshals.com
MAY 21ST - ARMED FORCES DAY MAY 23RD - 24TH 2014 State Finals Qualifying Ranch Rodeos- Williston Ranch Rodeo Williston 352.5297696 MAY 24TH Mixon Fruit Farms - Arts & Crafts 9am-3pm www.mixon.com
MAY 11TH MOTHER’S DAY MAY 14TH-15TH Floriculture Field Days, FNGLA & Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival www.fngla.org
MAY 5TH CINCO DE MAYO MAY 9TH 3rd Annual SendMeMissions 5K Run/ Walk Wauchula www.sendmemissions5k. com MAY 9TH Gulf Citrus Growers - Gulf Classic Golf Tournament Verandah Golf & Country Club Ft. Myers gulfcitrusevents@embarqmail. com MAY 10TH Girls Gone Wine Wine & Culinary Festival Downtown Sebring www.sebring.org MAY 10TH 18th Annual Fishing Frenzy Tournament Ft. Pierce City Marina 6:30am-6:00pm info@stluciechamber.org
MAY 16TH-18TH 10TH Annual Hibiscus Festival Punta Gorda www.thehibiscusfestival.com MAY 16TH-18TH Fleamasters’ Watermelon Festival Ft. Myers - www.fleamall.com MAY 16TH-18TH Gotta Luv Them Fishing Tournament Islamorado-Bud N’ Mary Marina www.gottaluvthem.org MAY 17TH Desoto County Watermelon Festival DeSoto Park - at Peace River Arcadia www.arcadiamainstreet.com MAY 17TH Bostwick Blue Festival Palatka 386.325.5075
MAY 10TH Windsor Zucchini Festival Gainesville 352.372.4875
MAY 26TH - MEMORIAL DAY MAY 31ST 2014 State Finals Qualifying Ranch Rodeos Mid Florida Ranchers Ranch Rodeo Windy Ares Arena, Fruitland Park 352.255.4071 JUNE 12TH 7th AnnualYouth Field Day UF/IFAS Range Cattle Research and Education Center 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. http://ufrcrecyfd2014.eventbrite.com Questions, 863-735-1314 ext. 204 JUNE 30TH - JULY 4TH 86th Florida FFA Convention Orlando, registration opens May 1 352.821.0774 www.flaffa.org
Submit your events for the ag calendar to morgan@heartlanditf.com
IN THE FIELD MAGAZINE Your Monthly Agricultural Magazine Since 2004, Serving the Heartland Since 2008 70 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
May 2014
Heartland’s Growing Businesses
DESOTO COUNTY WATERMELON FESTIVAL SATURDAY MAY 17 • 9:00AM-4:00PM
arcadiamainstreet.com Silver King Photography
Family, Children, Weddings, Livestock
Kelley Baker 941) 661-4859 Victoria Baker (941) 380-4202 skfshowcattle@aol.com
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 71
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May 2014
Happenings IN THE HEARTLAND
EASTER IS CELEBRATED IN HARDEE COUNTY
M
any residents of Wauchula erected a single white cross in their yard, surrounded by plants and flowers to celebrate the Easter holiday.
The Hardee County Library promotes all the holidays, big and small, throughout the year. On display from late March through Easter were the Easter bonnets made not only by the Library employees, but also by various patrons of the Library, including youngsters. Shown here are Library employees Alyssa Purdy-Grimes, Rhonda Dorty, and Dee Shackelford modeling some of the hand-made Easter bonnets. HARDEE COUNTY HOSTS A SLICE OF LIFE AGRICULTURAL EVENT
O
n March 29, the streets of downtown Wauchula were filled with agricultural displays and exhibits, farm equipment, fresh produce and other products for sale and arts and crafts. Debbie & Doyle Carlton III, VegKing International and Hardee County Disposal sponsored this event. Wilbur Robertson of Robertson Farms was spotted atop one of the tractors on display. David Royal, President of the Hardee County Farm Bureau, was working a commercial juicing machine with assistance from Johnson Harvesting, offering cups of fresh-squeezed orange juice to the spectators. Jane Klein was selling her home-made jams and jellies, Peace River Bees had their honey products for sale, the Hardee County Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association were offering samples of grilled beef, and the local 4-H Club was selling caladium plants. The Pick Up Artists Band provided entertainment, while a local cowboy demonstrated his whip-cracking techniques.
Submit your photos and events for Heartland Happenings to morgan@heartlanditf.com
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 73
Happenings IN THE HEARTLAND
DESOTO 4-H UNVEILS TEACHING KITCHEN
F
rom pancake breakfasts to fresh fruits and vegetables, DeSoto County 4-H members will now be able to prepare and preserve their own food. We live in an era where there is a disconnect between the farm and the consumer. DeSoto County 4-H, through a grant from the Mosaic Company, will address this issue through the new teaching kitchen at the County Extension Office. This kitchen will allow youth to work with supportive and knowledgeable adults to learn life skills ranging from making healthy lifestyle choices to teamwork and marketing skills as they work together to prepare, preserve and consume foods that are healthy for them as well as those around them. In addition to learning about preservation and preparation, youth will build an understanding of where their food comes from as they are immersed in DeSoto County Agriculture. This type of hands on education has the ability to impact youth for many years to come and bridge the gap youth are experiencing today. For more information on 4-H and the new teaching kitchen, contact the DeSoto County Extension Office at 9934846.
Submit your photos and events for Heartland Happenings to morgan@heartlanditf.com
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May 2014
THE HARVEY RANCH TEAM WON THE OKEECHOBEE
L
ivestock Market’s annual Ranch Rodeo held Saturday, April 12th at the Cattlemen’s Arena.
LOCAL LIVESTOCK MARKET ON NATIONAL NEWS
N
BC’s TODAY Show filmed at the Okeechobee Livestock Market on Thursday morning, April 17. OLM’s Todd Clemons was a heavy resource for reporter Kerry Sanders, and helped him conclude the research for his segment. Audra Clemons said, “It was really cool to be a part of this; and also to help relay accurate information to our nation!”
WM/OKEECHOBEE LANDFILL GIVES BACK TO COMMUNITY
W
aste Management Operations Manager Jason Johns and Sr. District Manager Tony Bishop donated the processed meat from the swine purchases at the Okeechobee 4-H Livestock Sale. Donations were made to Real Life Children’s Ranch Executive Director Mark Mayers and Faith Farm Ministries Assistant Pastor Allen Patterson.
Submit your photos and events for Heartland Happenings to morgan@heartlanditf.com
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 75
Find it at your favorite equine dealer
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May 2014
GLISSONS
May 2014
Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 77
JUST ANOTHER REASON TO BE A MEMBER OF
FARM CREDIT OF FLORIDA
THIS YEAR WE ARE GIVING BACK $5 MILLION TO OUR BORROWERS. IT’S OUR WAY OF REWARDING OUR LOYAL MEMBERS. THAT’S RIGHT. CASH BACK. JUST FOR BEING A MEMBER.
WE KNOW AG. WE LOVE AG. WWW.WEAREAG.COM
78 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine
May 2014
MORE BANG FOR THE
NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEERE!
BUCK
Serving our customers with 12 locations New Port Richey
Leesburg
727-842-8618
352-315-1016
6918 US Hwy. 19 New Port Richey, FL 34652
Plant City
2805 SR. 60 West Plant City, FL 33567
1800 US HWY. 441 Leesburg, FL 34748
813-737-1660
Package a fleet of tractors, gators and other equipment together with a 2 or 3 year lease and always have new, worry free equipment with service available from Everglades Farm Equipment fleet of road service technicians.
Okeechobee
820 US Hwy. 98, North Okeechobee, FL 34972
JDL - Largo
863-763-1921
6782 118th Ave. North Largo, Fl. 33773
727-259-7748
Fort Pierce
6150 Orange Ave. Ft. Pierce, FL 34947
Palmetto
772-461-5568
906 US HWY 301 North Palmetto, FL 34221
941-722-3281
Loxahatchee
13295 Southern Blvd. Loxahatchee, FL 33470
Fort Myers
561-784-4000
9501 State Road 82 Fort Myers, FL 33905
239-332-5045
Belle Glade
Corporate Headquarters
Immokalee
775 E. Main St. Immokalee , FL 34142
239-657-4413
2017 N. W. 16TH Belle Glade, FL 33430
Naples
561-996-6531
Comming soon 2014 Naples , FL
Since 1963
Some restrictions apply, see dealer for complete details . Some pictured items may have been used for display purposes only. Leases must go through John Deere Financial. With great deals on new tractors and gators all year long, check with your local dealer for additional savings.
www.EvergladesFarmEquipment.com