Heartland Magazine November 2013 by Heartland Magazine

NOV 2013

HARVEST IN THE HEARTLAND

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

November 2013

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November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

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November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

NOV 2013

Departments 14

November Features 26 28

New Association Formed to Aid Florida Agritourism By Jim Frankowiak

The Heart of Iona: Ed Kelly By Brady Vogt

Flying Above the Farm: Pilot Jerry Wise By Levi Lambert

Florida Farming Kid’s Corner

Farm City Week in Manatee County

Florida Cattlemen’s Association 2013 Ranch Rodeo Finals & Cowboy Heritage Festival Article and Photos by Kathy Gregg

Three Suns Ranch…One Bright Idea By Cindy Cutright

Making Strides in Agriculture Education: Desoto Sr. FFA

Ag Classes Take Hands-On Approach to Farming

US Sugar Starts 83rd Annual Sugarcane Harvest

Heartland’s Fishing Report By Capt. Mark King SW Florida Gulf Coast Fishing Report By Capt. Chris O’Neill November Hunting Spotlight: Taylor Martin Citrus Update: One Crazy Summer By Justin Smith Florida Farming: Sonny Clavel By Ron Lambert Farmer & Rancher: Robbie Burnett By Levi Lambert Woman In Ag: Shelby King By Tina Yoder Health Corner: Life Stock By Dr. D. Keatley Waldron, D.C. Contributions by Beckie Halaska

Florida Cattlewomen’s Recipe: Provencal Beef Stew

Ag Calendar

Look out next month for

Christmas In the Heartland

Appreciating the Natural Cracker Style: George Ivey By Robbi Sumner Please Play Outside By Mike Ward, RV Life NU-HOPE Elder Care Services 2nd Annual Fun Shoot By Ron Lambert

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Family Traditions and the Season of Giving Back November 2013

Get Ready for the Holidays and Buy Local!

SHOPPING IN THE HEARTLAND

Heartland Growers Supply Shop Now and put on layaway for Christmas! $5 Rebate on Case Knives thru 12/31/13 Get your Cajun Fryers here!

541 S 6th Ave. • Wauchula

863.773.5888

Tobacco Place

Offering a variety of loose tobacco, cigars and unique smoking accessories. Located just off South Park Street.

101 SW 2nd Avenue • Okeechobee

Great gift giving idea for the holidays! Everglades Gift Shack includes one of each: Everglades, Heat, Fish and Chicken, Cactus Dust and Moppin’ Sauce. Get one for the cook in your life!

Big T Tire

Taking a vacation this holiday season? Come in today for all your tire and auto-repair needs! Where customers are treated like family.

1109 W Main St • Avon Park

863.357.6653

bigttire.net 863.452.2031

Chanea Turner

Hardee Ranch Supply

Specializing in Color, Highlights, Cuts, Brazilian Blowout, and Extensions. Mention this add for a free gift with your appointment!

Everything you need for your Christmas list! Maui Jim Sunglasses, Yeti Coolers and Columbia Apparel

863.381.1313

HardeeRanchSupply.com 863.773.4322

Call to Schedule:

EvergladesSeasoning.com

November 2013

1309 US 17 South • Wauchula

Harold P. Curtis Honey Co.

Looking for a unique gift? Check out our honey, beeswax candles, candies, jams, cookbooks and more!

355 N. Bridge Street • LaBelle

863.675.2187

Glissons Animal Supply Get everyone on your Christmas list something you know they won’t return! Buy your Costa del Mar sunglasses at

Glissons Animal Supply.

4525 US Hwy 27 S • Sebring

863.471.FEED

JAN’S

Tanning, Tanning Products, Body & Bath Products and Nail Services.Come in today!

215 W. Orange St. • Wauchula Monday-Friday 7am-6pm

863.773.3033 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

HEARTLAND A Way of Life.

Publisher Rhonda Glisson Rhonda@heartlanditf.com Karen Berry kdberry@inthefieldmagazine.com 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 Brian Norris Justin Smith Robbi Sumner Contributing Writers Capt. Mark King, Spc. Levi Lambert Rusty Hartline Brady Vogt Matt Warren Lindsey Wiggins Kathy Gregg Dr. D. Keatley Waldron, D.C. Casey Wohl Capt. Chris O’Neill Tina Yoder Tiffany Dale Social Media Director Brian Norris Photography Sharon Glisson Kathy Gregg Russell Hancock Nell McAuley Brian Norris Lauren Taylor Holly Taylor Regina Blackman Sydney Yoder

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Editor’s Note Every year as November rolls around, I have noticed that the words ‘thankful’ and ‘blessings’ become more abundant. We spend so much time on what we are thankful for through the holiday season, but what about the rest of the year?

Last year, I made a decision to be more aware of my blessings year round and practiced saying “I am thankful for…” and you can fill in the blank. Sometimes, it was something as simple as I am thankful for a good book or magazine, other times I was reminded how blessed I am for a roof over my head and protection from the crazy rain we had this summer. Throughout this year of thanksgiving, there was one blessing that was consistent: I was thankful for the fresh food on our table every night. A lot of nights, the protein at dinner was from a quick fishing trip that afternoon and the vegetables were most always Fresh from Florida.

Living in the Heartland and driving by local farms, orange groves or cow pastures every day, sometimes we can take for granted the men and women working tirelessly from sun up to sun down (and usually much longer) plowing the land to provide food on our tables daily. It is because of their labor, may we never know what it truly means to be hungry. This month, we feature some of those very men and women in our Farming in the Heartland issue. Our Woman in Ag Shelby King of Manatee County has developed a passion for sharing her love of agriculture and teaching others about local family farms. One teaching tool she uses is hosting “Table to Farm” dinners located out on the farm with a gourmet twist. Read more about these dinners and Shelby’s story on page 46. It is not just the farmers planting and harvesting crops that provide those green veggies on your dinner table; others have a hand in that process as well. We feature two men who take part in that task-agricultural aerial spray pilots. In Ron Lambert’s Florida Farming feature, he takes a step back in time with pilot Sonny Clavel. We then fast forward a few years to Highlands County pilot Jerry Wise of Ag Flying Service, Inc. and learn all about the process of crop dusting and some of the changes to the industry over the years. As we enter into these next couple months, may we be thankful for our many blessings. I am reminded daily that there is always someone less fortunate than myself and my complaints are insignificant. How awesome would it feel to be a blessing to others and become the reason they are thankful? That is going to be my purpose going into this holiday season, what about you?

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. Happy Thanksgiving and we’ll see y’all In the Field,

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 2013. 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.

November 2013

The “Fresh From Florida” brand is a symbol of quality and the logo is recognized around the globe. Behind the logo is our dedicated team of marketing professionals with a proven track record of increasing sales of Florida agricultural products. We achieve this by establishing strong retail and distribution partnerships and through consumer marketing on television, in print and online. We also provide export assistance, trade leads, signage, point-of-purchase materials and more. Join today for a $50 membership fee and put the “Fresh From Florida” logo behind your business. Visit FreshFromFlorida.com or call us at (850) 617-7399.

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

NOV 2013

HEARTL AAND Way of Life. Index of Advertisers 23 32 61 75 74 45 60 55 33 4 79 7 3 74 17 71 49 51 77 7 21 53 9 33

A&K Development Agro Culture Arcadia Stockyard Banker’s South Benchrest Shooter’s Supply Big T Tire Black and White Bull Sale Cattlemen’s Livestock Market Center State Bank Central States Enterprises CF Industries Chanea Turner Creel Tractor Cross Ties Desoto Ag Fest Desoto Machine Shop Duke Citrus Dunkin Donuts Eli’s Western Wear Everglades Seasoning Farm Credit Florida’s Cowboy Christmas & Festival Florida Dept. of Ag Florida Fence Post

49 71 78 7 65 19 7 25 7 26 76 13 39 23 7 11 74 15 38 38 74 71 27 27

Glade and Grove Supply Glarner Farms Seminole Tribe of Florida Glisson’s Animal Supply Griffin’s Carpet Mart Gunsmoke Harold P. Curtis Honey Helena Chemical Heartland Growers Hicks Oil Highlands County Citrus Growers Fun Shoot Highlands County Farm Bureau Fred Smith Rodeo Arena Howard Fertilizer Jan’s KeyPlex Labelle Feed Laye’s Tire Lee and Associates Marmer Construction Michael G. Kirsch Mike Knox, CPA Mosaic Newton Crouch

2 20 57 19 32 44 74 18 74 17 54 7 5 74 55 51 15 61 80 29 57 54 74 15

Pathway Peace River Citrus Quality Liquid Feed Quail Creek Plantation River Pasture Metal Art Seedway Spring Lake Hardware Spurlow’s Outdoor Superior Muffler Taylor Oil Company The Andersons Tobacco Place Tree T Pee Triangle Hardware Trinkle Redman Coton Tutto Fresco Italian Grill Wallenstein of Florida Walpole Feed Watering Hole Wauchula State Bank Wert’s Welding Wicks, Brown, Williams CPA Winfield Solutions Yetti Outfitters

Sales Team Highlands

Morgan Norris

Manatee

Tina Yoder

morgan@heartlanditf.com

tina@heartlanditf.com

Hardee & Desoto

Charlotte

Robbi Sumner

robbi@heartlanditf.com

Levi Lambert

levi@heartlanditf.com

10 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Morgan Norris

morgan@heartlanditf.com

Ron Brown

ron@inthefieldmagazine.com

Lee and Hendry

Cindy Cutright

cindy@heartlanditf.com

Okeechobee, Glades & St. Lucie

Robbi Sumner

robbi@heartlanditf.com

November 2013

Corporate, Polk & Hillsborough

Danny Crampton

danny@inthefieldmagazine.com

Morgan Norris

morgan@heartlanditf.com

Rhonda Glisson

rhonda@heartlanditf.com

November 2013

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

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

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

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

Agency Manager: Chad D. McWaters Agents: Joseph W. Bullington

12 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Agency Manager: Branden Bunch Agents: Doug Dierdorf, Mike Shannon

November 2013

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

Active members of Farm Bureau are invited to subscribe to the FloridAgriculture e-News. You may go to www.floridafarmbureau.org to subscribe. The target audience is the producer members of Farm Bureau. It is a monthly electronic newsletter reviewing issues, educational events and highlighting an individual or a county Farm Bureau each month.

The model flood ordinance issue handed down from FEMA and the Florida Dept. of Emergency Management is working its way through the various local governments in the state. Florida Farm Bureau and members in the counties have been working with local government officials to mitigate, as much as possible, damage to agricultural producers. The best solution thus far, is to have the county commissions pass a resolution which spells out normal agricultural practices as not being restrictive to water flows in the event of a flood. The Hardee County Commission has passed the ordinance with the resolution. With the resolution in place, flood managers will be obligated to take into account common agricultural practices. Farm City Week is November 22 – 28. Contact me at andy.neuhofer@ffbf.org to see how you can get involved in your local county Farm Bureau’s efforts.

There are eleven working groups dedicated to studying and recommending changes to various parts of the tax code. You may go to www.taxreform.gov for more information.

****The EPA and the Army Corp of Engineers are working to remove the word navigable from the Clean Water Act. Congress has been clear as has two U.S. Supreme Court rulings. The agencies do not have the authority to regulate water on private land. They are attempting to expand their authority via the rule making and political processes. Their claims are unfounded and Farm Bureau will continue working to stop this government expansion of power. It is important to know what is happening. Contact me at andy.neuhofer@ffbf.org **** The deadline for training employees about label requirements is drawing near. The deadline in December 1st. You may contact Steve Futch, IFAS citrus agent, at shf@ufl.edu. If you wish, contact Gene McAvoy, IFAS vegetable agent, at gmcavoy@ufl.edu.

The Florida Cattlemen’s Institute and Allied Trade Show will be held on January 16, 2014 at the Turner Center in Arcadia. Contact Anna Beswick at abeswick@ufl.edu

November 2013

Please support these businesses! Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 13

HEARTLAND’S

FISHING REPORT Captian Mark King

ovember is here on Lake Okeechobee and there is a coolness in the air as our season is just getting started. It has been a long, hot summer and a lot of rain that has kept the water level high. Now it is cooling off and the water level is starting to get down to a good level to enable us to catch lots of bass. The bass are starting to move in off the main lake toward the grass and traditional spawning areas and that is what gets us bass fishermen excited.

In October, the bass start to move in areas like the North Shore, Horse Island, J & S, and some of the northern hotspots in the lake, but as we get into November the bass will be moving into all the great areas in the southern part of the lake. This is when the bass really start to feed up and move in to spawn. Once the bass come off the main lake, their first stop is the outside grass line and that is where I will concentrate the most to catch them. For artificial lures, I like to pitch the isolated reed heads and where different kinds of grass mix. You will also see bass feeding just off the grass in open water and a lipless crankbait or spinnerbait will do the trick to catch these fish. I like to pitch a jig and Gambler Craw to the reeds and grass or you can also swim a Gambler Big EZ through the heavy grass and catch some really good bass. This outside grass line is also where I will do all my live bait fishing with wild shiners as long as the wind will allow me to fish it. With the water level up this year more then the past few, the wind will really be a deciding factor as to where we will fish. It is really going to let the water get dirty if it blows hard this year and this is when you will want to move back in the grass until you find clean water.

With the water being over fifteen feet above sea level, there is no problem running anywhere except for areas that have a lot of vegetation, you shouldn’t have any problems hitting anything on the bottom at this water level. I also want to warn everyone to please be careful running trails back in the grassy areas, some are really overgrown and hard to see boats coming the other way and boats don’t have brakes.

As this water cools, the crappie fishing should also start to get good on the lake; minnows and jigs are the weapons of choice on Lake Okeechobee. Now is the time to start planning a fishing trip on Lake Okeechobee, the motels, campgrounds and guides book up pretty quick for the busy season November through May. Good luck, tight lines, and I hope to see everyone on the water soon.

Captain Mark King

is a full time guide and tournament angler guiding out of the world famous Roland Martin’s Marina and Resort in Clewiston Florida and also in the Florida Keys out of Marathon area. Mark is an IGFA Certified Captain, active member of the Florida Guide Association and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. Captain Mark is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, Evinrude Outboards, Roland Martin’s Marine Center, Power-Pole, Minn Kota Trolling Motors, Gambler Lures, 13Fishing Rods, Mojo Sportsfishing, Smartshield Sun Protection Products, Moon Shine Attitude Attire, TFO Fly Rods, and Yeti coolers. Mark can be contacted to book a guide trip, seminars, personal appearances, test rides in his Evinrude powered Ranger or to fish a tournament with him at 863-677-0983 or at www.markkingfishing.com and www. tarponinthekeys.com

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

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November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 15

SW Florida Gulf Coast

FISHING REPORT

By Captain Chris O’Neill

all fishing is in full swing and the fishing along the SW Florida beaches is beyond amazing. It’s not uncommon to throw topwater plugs at tailing redfish or cruising snook in the backcountry at first light, then motor out to the beautiful Gulf of Mexico for a fantastic early afternoon of reel screaming migratory opportunities with bonito, spanish mackerel, bull red drum, shark and others.

Inshore anglers are enjoying the culmination of an amazing fall fishing season as you read this article. November boasts exemplary ginclear water shots at shallow water swimmers like redfish and snook. Couple those two with larger than usual pre-spawn trout and you’ve got yourself a genuine Gulf Coast Slam that is easily obtainable using artificial or live bait. For me, fall fishing points toward artificials. My formula for success is simply “matching the hatch”. In other words, study what is swimming in the water and match its size, color and action as much as possible. Give them what they are feeding on and you will do well every time. A common mistake I see at the bait shop is the average angler is always on the hunt for hand-sized live shrimp. They do a great job of feeding the pinfish and other grunts, but smart fish like snook look at them and figure out it’s not natural to their environments and move on. Remember what I said, “match the hatch”. When in search of outstanding sightfishing to schooling fish, start your day out along the nearshore beaches from 1-3 miles out. I like to target areas just outside of any of our local passes, particularly during the outgoing tidal phase. The outgoing flow creates a non-stop line of easy to get food for most predator fish and they typically stack up along those tidal lines you will visibly encounter. Baits that work really well are lip style diving baits like any of the Bomber Saltwater Grade plugs. Bomber has built a special line of unstoppable lures that simply get the job done and stand up to the toughest offshore gamefish. When you witness a feeding frenzy along the surface, don’t hesitate to throw a topwater lure into the

16 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

fray. Bomber Saltwater Grades’ Badonkadonk and Heddon’s One Knocker Spook gets it done day in and day out on my charter boat.

Offshore fishing has been excellent this fall. Grouper are in full swing with gag, red and blacks being caught on our offshore boats. Mangrove and yellowtail snapper are also a great species to target, providing excellent table fare and bountiful harvest limits. Bring plenty of frozen chum when targeting reef fish like snapper. Anchor your vessel upcurrent/upwind of the reef and chum “lightly” to bring in the fish. Many anglers use way too much chum which feeds the fish and attracts larger fish like shark and barracuda, which will spook the desired species. Use smaller line and leader when soaking baits in your chum slick and don’t forget the use of non-offset circle hooks are required by law when fishing in the Gulf. When purchasing offshore gear that is durable and brings in the big fish, take a look at the new line of PENN rods and reels that have come out this year. My clients personally test new products in the pipeline for PENN, and it creates a unique opportunity to see and use the top gear in the business, well before it hits the shelves.

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 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.

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 17

November’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

Taylor Martin Taylor is the 10-year-old daughter of Dane and Linda Peeples Martin. She is in the 5th grade and attends West Glades Elementary school where she serves as a safety patrol and on the A honor roll list.

Taylor’s hobbies include hunting, air boating, archery, 4-H, playing softball, volleyball and going to Gainesville to watch the Florida Gators play football. She is currently the 2013 Chalo Nitka Princess.

Taylor killed her first buck on opening day of hunting season. He was a 8 pointer.

She also killed her first doe on October 13. Taylor said her future plans were to have a hunting show with her daddy.

Submit your children’s hunting pictures for the Monthly Hunting Spotlight to morgan@heartlanditf.com 18 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

November 2013

AN UPLAND BIRD HUNTER’S PARADISE in an Old Florida

setting at its finest!

Whether it’s just for fun or mixing a little business with pleasure, Quail Creek Plantation awards the prize when it comes to an outdoor paradise for hunting and fishing. Shoot some sporting clays to warm up before finding the covey on a guided hunt for upland birds. Finish the day with a pole and go angling for that big fish to talk about later. Kick back and enjoy the Quail Creek Lodge and dine on fried quail for lunch, or have our gourmet chefs help you plan a special dinner for a fundraiser or private event at Quail Creek Plantation. WEDDINGS || CONFERENCES || FUNDRAISERS/BANQUETS || SPORTING CLAYS 12399 Northeast 224th Street • Okeechobee, Florida 34972 • 863-763-2529 www.quailcreekplantation.com • reservations@quailcreekplantation.com

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 19

by Justin Smith CITRUS UPDATE BY JUSTIN SMITH

One Crazy Summer Crazy, crazy, crazy…That is the only possible way to explain the past few months in the life of a citrus grower. Where to even begin is as hard of a question as any in the long list of events. From weather patterns, to the Government shut down; it seems the cycle has not taken a break for quite some time. For starters, all growers in the state of Florida have been battling severe drought conditions for several years. That was until the late spring of 2013. Agriculture finally got a break from the lack of rain water this year. Unfortunately, it all came at one time, which just caused more headaches. The downpours quickly revealed areas where drainage was not at its best. Shortly, even the best drained areas were experiencing issues.

Drainage was not the only problem that came with the much needed moisture. The daily rain greatly hindered “normal” activities. Time became the most precious commodity this last summer. If it was not raining, work had to get done, at all costs. Many lunch hours were spent on a tractor, because no one was sure how long the reprieve would last. Unfortunately, the rain left about as fast as it came. The further into fall the calendar goes, the seemingly dryer the ground is getting. Dust is once again beginning to fly and citrus growers are already being forced to crank up the pumps. So goes the never ending struggle of having moisture when it’s needed. The last few months have also produced more activities on many fronts, such as regulatory proposals, political issues and special events. Of course each of these comes with their own very time consuming meetings and discussions. Normally, at least in the world of citrus, the summer brings a little more of a relaxed time. There is no time to waste as far as grove care, but everything else is a little less busy. That just was not the case for the summer of 2013.

More recently, the Government shutdown brought many things to a halt. Citrus gets very little direct Federal Government support. But there are a few things that were hindered by the employee furlough. For starters, the USDA monitors psyllid populations across the state. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services also has a monitoring program, but the two work together in order to publish a comprehensive data stream based on a three-week cycle. With the Federal employees out, that data has been lost and cannot be recovered, because it is time sensitive.

20 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Another byproduct of the shutdown was a major delay in the official citrus estimate for the coming year. Every October growers await the official forecast. There are events planned all around the state, growers, processors and packers simultaneously listen to the broadcast. It gives everyone the baseline of what to expect for the rest of the season. However, this year, only a few days before the big event, the news was dropped; the shutdown had stopped the final progression of November 2013

Loans to fit your lifestyle. the estimate. Not many citrus growers would have thought a seemingly unrelated decision on the floor of congress would have made such a quick impact on the citrus industry.

One of the final time-consuming processes over the last few months has been related to last fall’s unprecedented fruit drop. What could be done to stop it from happening again? What really caused it in the first place? How will all of the summer moisture affect it? These are just a few of the questions that have been being asked.

Last year no one would have dreamed thousands of boxes of seemingly perfect fruit would have hit the ground just prior to their maturity. Ever since then, there has been a scramble to answer the question as to why. This summer many new practices were implemented in an attempt to thwart the drop from being repeated. Quite possibly the best thing that has happened was not even under the control of the grower, it was the aforementioned rain. If the prevailing scientific explanation is correct, the drop was directly related to bicarbonate build up in the soil, caused by the high amounts of irrigation that had been used in the last few years. Only natural rain water could take out the concentrations of bicarbs and simultaneously provide the moisture needed to grow fruit, thereby alleviating the need for extra irrigation. Only time will tell if the rain and other various practices will keep a drop from occurring this year. So the craziness has kept everyone very busy this summer. But very possibly some of it has worked together for the best. Sounds like many prayers may have been answered in an unexpected way. All in all the summer may have been busy but everyone made it through. The government may have partially shutdown for a short time, but life continued on in spite of everything. Ultimately, the citrus industry along with the rest of agriculture has maintained in the face of opposition once again. November 2013

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 21

Okeechobee Farm Bureau Holds Annual Meeting Members and guests of the Okeechobee Farm Bureau enjoyed the Annual Membership Meeting and Dinner held Thursday, October 3rd at the First Baptist Church Recreation Outreach Center. President Jacob Larson presided over the business meeting which included updates from Secretary David Hazellief, Treasurer Davy Raulerson, Young Farmer & Rancher Committee Chair Will Butler, and Agency Manager Tim Craig. Bonnie Peleaz, Environmental Manager with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Water Policy and Luke Polk, Assistant Director of Government and Community Affairs with the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, presented this year’s CARES Awards to Stokes Cattle Ranch, Russakis Ranch, La Esperanza, Salt Lick Ranch and Williams Ranch. The CARES program (County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship) was implemented by the Florida Farm Bureau in 2001 to promote environmentally sound and economically viable farming. CARES is a county-based program open to all farmers, and recognizes those producers who have voluntarily implemented Best Management Practices in their operations.

Tom Hill, Farm Bureau District 7 Field Representative, spoke on the numerous benefits of Farm Bureau membership, including a GM manufacturer incentive and discounts on various items ranging from propane gas, equipment, financial services, health care, and travel. “It doesn’t cost, it pays to be a member,” Hill said. The following Board members were elected to serve for 2013-2014: Mickey Bandi, Ben Butler, Will Butler, Dan Byrd, Carey Daniel, Amy Daniel, Courtney Davis, Jared Figley, David Hazellief, Jacob Larson, Travis Larson, Davy Raulerson, Chase Rucks and Matt Stokes.

Tree T Pee Taking a Chance in the “Shark Tank” Tree T Pee was created by Johnny Georges, an Arcadia, Florida entrepreneur and inventor. Georges has spent his whole life around citrus growers and he knows the industry well. His passion is to help the industry and to provide a water conservation solution.

A Tree T Pee serves several objectives. The cone-shaped tree guard, made of recycled plastic is positioned at the base of young trees. The product, which has been on the market since 1986, has been getting considerable notice now that the need to conserve water is so critical. University of Florida research shows that it helps conserve water, reduce fuel and fertilizer costs and helps increase growth by promoting root growth.

22 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

“Instead of using 10,000 gallons of water per tree per year without the Tree T Pee, with it we are now using only 800 gallons per tree per year and watering more efficiently,” said Georges. “With this kind of power available to the grower, especially a grower/manager of large acreage, it can translate into dramatic direct and indirect savings as well as maximize production.” In addition to using Tree T Pees in the citrus industry, the peach, olive, pecan and jatropha growers are now using them as well. The Tree T Pee is now being introduced to many other grower applications. Be sure to watch Tree T Pee on “Shark Tank” on November 1st, 9:0010:00pm E.T. on the ABC Television Network. We will be sharing more of Johnny’s story and if he made it out of the “Shark Tank” in our December issue. For more information on Tree T Pee, visit the website, treetpee.com November 2013

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Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) Overview for Agriculture Under state and federal law, Florida must develop total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for all waters that are not meeting their designated uses, such as drinking water, fishing, swimming, or shellfisharvesting. A TMDL is the maximum amount of a given pollutant (nitrogen, phosphorus, mercury, etc.) that a water body can assimilate and still maintain its designated use. The Florida Depart-ment of Environmental Protection (FDEP) develops and adopts TMDLs.

Government agencies, businesses, organizations, agricultural operations, and others share the responsibility for attaining TMDLs by reducing their discharges of the targeted pollutant(s). FDEP works with affected interests on a basin level to identify ways to reach pollutant reductions, and may adopt them as part of a basin management action plan (BMAP). A map of basins with adopt-ed or pending BMAPs is on the back of this document. The number of BMAPs continues to grow. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) consults with the agricul-ture industry and others to develop best management practices (BMPs) to address water quality and water conservation, including the reduction of nutrient loads to help meet BMAP goals. Agri-cultural BMPs are practical measures that producers can take to reduce the amount of fertilizers, pesticides, animal waste, and other pollutants entering our water resources. They are designed to improve water quality and conserve water while maintaining agricultural production. By law, agricultural operations included in an adopted BMAP have a couple of options. They may implement FDACS-adopted BMPs, or conduct water quality monitoring at their own expense under an FDEP-approved monitoring plan, to demonstrate

24 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

compliance with water quality standards. If a producer does neither, the DEP or the water management district may take enforcement action. Water quality monitoring is very costly, and could show that an operation is not in compliance with standards, possibly leading to fines or ther regulatory consequences. On the other hand, implementation of FDACS-adopted BMPs provides a presumption of compliance with state water quality standards for pollutants the BMPs address (such as nitrogen and phosphorus). There are other potential benefits fom implementing BMPs, including water savings and reduced fertilizer and energy costs. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty clear that participating in FDACS BMPs is the best option, even if you are not yet in a BMAP area. FDACS OAWP has adopted BMPs for citrus, vegetable-row crop, container nursery, sod, cow-calf, equine, and specialty fruit and nut operations. The manuals are located at: http:// www.floridaagaterpolicy.com . You can call (850) 617-1727 or e-mail AgBmpHelp@FreshFromFlorida.com for help with enrolling in BMPs. It is important to note that producers must comply with applicable regulatory programs, such as consumptive use, environmental resource permitting, pesticide regulation, etc., in addition to implementing BMPs. To learn more about the development of TMDLs and BMAPs, go to: www.DEP.state.fl.us/ater/tmdl.

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 25

U.S. SUGAR STARTS 83rd ANNUAL SUGARCANE HARVEST

SUGAR PRICES DOWN 50% OVER LAST TWO YEARS

U.S. Sugar began its 83rd annual sugarcane harvesting and processing season at 4 am October 1 with harvest operations in Palm Beach, Hendry and Glades counties. The Clewiston Sugar Factory began processing the first railcars of cane at noon. Both the harvesting and processing operations run 24/7 during the sugarcane harvest season that runs through early April.

“We’ve been flooded both with rainfall and subsidized Mexican sugar,” said Judy Sanchez, senior director of corporate communications and public affairs. “The results are both a smaller crop and sugar prices that have dropped 50% in the last two years.”

Sanchez said that U.S. Sugar expects to produce about seven million tons of sugarcane, harvesting approximately 6.54 million tons of sugarcane for processing at the Clewiston Sugar Factory. U.S. Sugar also delivers contracted cane to the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida and Florida Crystal’s mills. The Clewiston Refinery is projected to produce 14.4 million hundredweight of refined sugar (720,000 tons) of refined sugar. For the 2012-13 crop, U.S. Sugar produced 7.43 million tons of sugarcane, with 6.73 million tons of that processed in Clewiston, producing approximately 770,000 tons of raw sugar and 40 million gallons of molasses. “The United States has become the favorite dumping ground for unneeded, subsidized Mexican sugar—a significant portion

26 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

produced at government-owned factories,” Sanchez said. “Our farms and factory can produce sugar more cheaply and more efficiently than Mexico, but we cannot compete with Mexican government operations that set records for sugar exports this year.”

U.S. Sugar’s state-of-the-art sugar milling and refining operations make its Clewiston Sugar Factory the world’s largest fully integrated and automated cane sugar processing facility. All of the company’s refined sugar products are marketed by United Sugars, a marketing cooperative that includes U.S. Sugar and beet sugar farmers and processors American Crystal Sugar and Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative located in Minnesota and North Dakota.

November 2013

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 27

NEW ASSOCIATION FORMED TO AID FLORIDA AGRITOURISM Former Farm Bureau Legislative Official is Executive Director By Jim Frankowiak

Agritourism is a strategy for Florida’s two top industries – Agriculture and Tourism – to blend their respective strengths to attract even more visitors to the state for the purpose of education, enjoyment or active involvement in the activities of agriculture as a means for sustaining the rural culture. Agriculture is critical to Florida’s economy as was pointedly demonstrated during the recent economic downturn. The industry is also important to food security and our quality of life. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science in 2008 survey estimated Florida agriculture, natural resources and related industries provided more than 1.6 million jobs and $76.5 billion in value-added impacts every year. That same survey estimated that two-thirds of the state’s total land area – almost 24 million acres - is comprised of forests, croplands and ranches. In addition to our food, those lands provide conservation benefits including clean water and air and protection of our ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Florida’s farm and forest heritage and diverse terrain holds high potential for adventures and opportunity. “Agritourism, one of the state’s fast-growing new business ventures, allows small farms to survive and thrive,” said Ben Parks, formerly of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation where he served as Director, State Legislative Affairs and is now the executive director of the newly formed Florida Agritourism Association (FATA). “Florida Agritourism is the ultimate field trip where Floridians and visitors to our state want to return to their rural roots and experience the joys and benefits of farm life. Buying locally sourced produce, meats and dairy products is becoming increasingly important to many families. In addition, agritourism operators provide amazing recreational activities for families that are off the beaten path and affordable,” he said. These activities also offer landowners the opportunity to foster a deeper understanding of Florida agriculture through varied handson experiences that also enable them to earn supplemental income by offering visitors friendly fun.

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“FATA is the statewide organization formed to support the growing agritourism market in Florida,” said Parks. Agritourism includes working farms, U-pick fruit and vegetable operations, exotic and farm animal exhibitions, vineyards and wineries, specialty crops and products, and hunting outfitters. “Farms are really the ultimate playground, giving in and out of state visitors new places to play, provides a huge opportunity for additional adventure in the travel industry, creating a new source of appreciable income for land and water stewards all across Florida.” “A solution-oriented organization, FATA recognizes that agritourism is a business and can only survive as a business with markets and workable rules. We want to help farms realize value on every acre. We will help legislative leaders at the state and local levels better understand agritourism and the economic opportunities it provides to help sustain Florida’s rural communities,” said Parks. “The founders of our association were instrumental in passing the original ‘Agritourism Bill’ in 2007 and an updated version this year.” The new law stops a local government from prohibiting, restricting, regulating or otherwise limiting an agritourism activity on land that has been classified as agricultural by a property appraiser. The new law also establishes a limitation on legal liability from the inherent risks for the landowner, agritourism operator and employees if a notice of risk is posted on the land. “As more landowners embark on agritourism activities, there will be additional political, insurance, tax, zoning, planning and other issues that will arise,” noted Parks. “FATA is committed to acting as a clearinghouse for information and using our combined 75 years of legislative experience to advocate legal protection of Florida agritourism businesses. November 2013

In addition to advocacy, the new association will be engaged in the promotion and expansion of agritourism in Florida. Among member benefits are: • An opportunity to earn the Accredited Florida Agritourism Attraction designation

• Florida agritourism website and directory of destinations participation • Workshops and events for destination development and expansion • Insurance and signage

Parks said the association currently has three membership options: Founder - $1,000, Associate - $250 and General Member - $100. For additional information email the association at visitfloridafarms@gmail.com or call Ben Parks at (850) 559-1155.

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 29

FLORIDA FARMING

Sonny Clavel

By Ron Lambert

reetings from the beautiful Heartland of Florida. We are rapidly winding down the year 2013. This marks the third year that I have been contributing to the content of Heartland In the Field. Throughout this time, I have attempted to come up with varied topics to interest the readers of this magazine. I have been on board long enough to see a progressive improvement in the overall presentation of this magazine. It continues to be something that I enjoy and am glad to be a part of. I would like to take some time this month to reflect on some of Hardee Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s familiar landmarks that are no longer with us. There once was a sign on the outskirts of town that proclaimed Wauchula to be the Cucumber Capital of the World. There were several buildings that gave Hardee County its individual character. The old bank building on the corner of Main Street and 5th Ave. across from the railroad station comes to mind, gone now a victim of Hurricane Charley. Another is the clock hanging out from the Wauchula State Bank building. All of you from this area likely have your own fond recollections of our town.

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I want to move forward with my recollections of a man, who in addition to being a very close friend of my fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s was such a well-known and familiar figure in our agricultural community.

That mans name was Maurice Clavel, but he was known to all as Sonny. He was born in 1928 to Emerson and Gladys Clavel. He graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in agriculture. That, combined with his love of flying, provided a means of earning a living that he loved. November 2013

He married Dutchie Brantley in 1950. They were blessed with four beautiful daughters and had 60 years together. He wasn’t old enough to have been a pilot in WWII but he never wanted to do anything but fly an airplane. And that is exactly what he did for as long as his health allowed him to.

As far back as I can remember, the sight and sound of Sonny Clavel’s 1942 Stearman biplane in the sky was enough to stir the interest of most anyone who took time to marvel at the precision and skill of this crop duster. From the 1950’s till sometime in the 1980s, Sonny Clavel flew his plane, which had acquired the name of Rags somewhere along the line, from the old Wauchula airport out east of town. It wasn’t much as airports go, just a metal building, gas pump, windsock and a grass runway. For over twenty years, Sonny flew Rags out of that airport to spray orange groves, pastures and row crops in the surrounding area. Out of necessity, this was precision flying long before GPS and other modern navigational instruments. It required a special skill level to bring that plane back on course to make a pass in the correct path to evenly distribute the particular product that he was applying. When he was spraying a hayfield, he would be flying at a speed in excess of 100mph. You might say, that’s not so fast for an airplane. No, it’s not, but it’s more than fast enough to totally spoil your day at 3 feet above ground. Someone who knew him well once said that he was the only pilot they knew who routinely flew low enough to look up at palmettos and bushes 6-feet tall. Precision applications require that low-level flying. During his career, he had to make forced landings on several occasions. Somehow, they all turned out all right and he was right back up in the air in short order. On that subject, he said that dusting wasn’t as dangerous as people thought, but you had to keep your mind totally focused. In his own words he told of one very close call, “I had just dipped down over a field of melons and wasn’t paying attention to where I was and I didn’t even see that one oak tree in that field. I flew my plane right through the top of that tree. I was all right and was able to fly back to the airport. But, there was a lot of wing fabric flapping and that’s how Rags got her name.”

he was applying. He said, “I knew that I had to finish that field that day and that I couldn’t keep those clothes on so I stripped down to my flight helmet and goggles and went back to work. I flew all day without a stitch of clothes.” That’s the kind of man he was; totally committed to get the job done. He used his mechanical ability to build and modify equipment to allow him to improve performance of his and Rags’ flying ability.

He also felt that he was totally a part of this aircraft and that Rags and he were connected somehow when they were aloft. Sonny Clavel ran his company, Aerial Spreader Corporation with himself as pilot and chief mechanic. He had one man who provided ground support over the years but the airworthiness of his aircraft was not something that he trusted to anyone. He always had a keen interest in antique aircrafts and in 1970 he acquired a 1943 Beechcraft Staggerwing Model D17S. This was a beautiful aircraft that was comparable to a modern Learjet, which was used as a VIP aircraft in WWII. His family had kept that plane until very recently. Sonny Clavel passed away on October 16, 2010. I met with one of his four daughters, Suzanne Clavel, who provided photographs of her father and his planes.

Sonny Clavel was a very friendly man with a big heart who stepped forward on many occasions to fly a critically ill child to a hospital or a person to the bedside of a dying loved one. He didn’t do it for money, rather because he loved flying and he loved to help people. Sonny and his plane, Rags were a part of Hardee County history that lives on in the memories of many who saw and heard the pair in the sky over central Florida. Many people, young and old would hear Sonny and Rags approaching and run outdoors for the inevitable wing tip greeting.

On another occasion, he told this story of a time when a hose on the sprayer split and soaked him with the chemical

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 31

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FARMER & RANCHER Robbie Burnett By Levi Lambert

People would not have to venture far in the Heartland to find a wealth of history and knowledge about our regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich agricultural heritage. Our featured farmer for November is Robbie Burnett, owner of Burnett Farms. As a Hardee County native, Robbie was never very far from a citrus grove, farm or piece of agricultural equipment. Not too far into my first real talk with him, I realized that chipper and jolly would be two words that describe him well. Although he would never claim anything of the sort, he truly is an expert in his occupation, that of an all around farmer-businessman. Back many years ago, he sold farm equipment all over the Heartland. On the side, he grew little fields of squash and strawberries. As with most people, he had a dream to expand his operation. In the early 1990s, he was working with Willard Durrance at D3 farms. The draw of farming led him to partner with Gary Henderson to set out on their own. Over the course of 4 to 5 years, the partnership worked out well. By 2003, Robbie knew it was time for the duo to go their separate ways and Burnett Farms was born. It began as a 40-acre field with a 70x40 packinghouse Robbie had built. Today, Burnett Farms

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has over 150 acres and just as their fields have more than tripled in size, the packinghouse has grown proportionately. Originally, the main crop that he grew was a spring watermelon crop supplemented with small acreage of tomato, pepper, and eggplant. The main focus, however, was watermelons. Back November 2013

about 3 years ago, Robbie took a giant step and expanded the operation into growing fall watermelons. In the fall, the farmers face some issues with producing a successful crop that farmers don’t face in the spring. Watermelons are impacted by late cold snaps and violent March winds during the spring. In the fall, warm weather and humid conditions can cause a serious disease outbreak. In either season, hogs, deer, racoons and coyotes are always snooping around the fields just waiting for a little color and flavor to appear in the crop. These critters are often a grower’s nightmare. Robbie chuckles about the preventive measures he uses to protect his investments against these nuisances as he led into a humorous story. He spoke of his son Daniel from the day before when he entered a field to start the day’s work. One measure that farmers use to scare animals from their fields is a CO2 cannon. This device is operated by a timer and intermittently sets off a loud boom. At the base of one of these units was a doe sleeping very peacefully. Naturally, the doe did not ignore the new face in the area and the deer left to find another resting place. But to hear him tell how complacent an animal will become to these devices somewhat amazed me.

Advances in technology have changed many aspects of how a farmer gets to the end result. One fact that has not changed is the difficulty of their job. Farmers and ranchers have my upmost respect for that reason alone. During the fall season, problems tend to be compounded with natural events. The rainy season is an issue each year for fall growers. White flies are also an issue that is not seen as a problem in the spring. A farmer’s job is 24/7 since nothing can be determined when or where a problem might occur.

Burnett Farms’ fall watermelons account for less than half the yield of what can be produced in the spring months. This hardly seems worth it until you consider that the demand for watermelons is down during the fall months. However, there has been a steady increase in consumer demand for

November 2013

melons of all types year round. The smaller yields usually lead to a higher market price for the grower, so a crop of fall melons can be profitable. As long as the growing season was a smooth one, a farmer will get their well-deserved return. Fall watermelons are planted in a small window from August 1st to the 15th. For those seedless watermelon lovers out there, you will be pleased to know that Burnett Farms has adapted to what the industry demands. Therefore his crops are planted at a ratio of 4-1, seedless plants to seeded melon plants. That ratio converted into numbers comes out to 1,452 seedless watermelons per acre and 363 seeded watermelons per acre. A good fall yield of watermelons of 30-40 thousand pounds per acre is expected. During the spring season the yield is upwards of 50-80 thousand pounds. Each year brings a bit of something different to the table for America’s Farmer. The ability to adapt and change accordingly is necessary to succeed in this highly competitive market. Next time you get ready to sprinkle a pinch of salt onto a juicy piece of melon or for some folks who like sweet things sweeter and desire a coat of sugar, just think of all the hard work and dedication it took to get that thumb thumping ripe watermelon to your table top. Folks, as always, it was a pleasure to have this opportunity to share my experiences with you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go get a nice cold slice of sweet Florida grown watermelon.

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 35

WOMAN IN AGRICULTURE

Shelby King By Tina Yoder

Shelby King, co-owner of Kings Family Farms is finding new ways to educate people about the good, the bad and the lovely of the local family farm.

Shelby remembers growing up in Palmetto, where her parents managed a lawn and garden business, and she and her two sisters helped her father nurture his garden of sweet onions. She was only three when the love for farming took root. Ben King, Shelby’s husband of 16 years, has the same passion for agriculture. In 2004, Shelby and Ben enjoyed the lifestyle that farming brought not only to raising a family, but also to cultivating a business, so they established King Family

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Farm. Ben’s parents, Susan and Robert King, owned 104 acres that backed up to the Braden River and was prime land for building their new family and venture. Shelby and her husband sectioned part of the land for cultivating ten acres of blueberries, two acres of citrus and set aside enough land to grow vegetables for other business enterprises.

Shelby uses her expertise in marketing and event planning, while Ben manages the planting and upkeep. Shelby’s three children and their nine cousins share not only in harvesting the crops and the caring of the livestock, but also front yards. Shelby and Ben, his parents, brother, sister and their families all live on the farm on the River. They ran a thriving market place that offered over 50 different varieties of vegetables and fruits from their fields. They were open to the public 5 days a week, 9 hours a day, 8 months out of the year. After several years they decided to scale back and grow the fruits they were passionate about, blueberries and peaches, open on Saturdays during the spring season and offer u-pick to the public, which Shelby managed. This allowed her time to focus on joining her passion with her true gifts. November 2013

“God has given me the passion to farm and even though it’s a tough road to follow, you don’t get up and walk away, you just walk through it,” she said. Shelby has the beautiful grounds to take that journey on. Shelby thrives on spending time designing new learning tools to help the upcoming generation of farmers understand the complexity and diversification involved in producing sustainably grown crops. “There are so many hurdles in small farming and I want to help with finding the solutions,” Shelby said, expressing her concerns.

Shelby serves on the Manatee Food Policy Council (FPC). The FPC assembles stakeholders from related food sectors to address the health of the food-system through networking together partnerships to educate the public and advocate policy change (healthcouncils.org). Her husband, Ben shares her interest by serving on the Soil and Water Conservation Council and the Manatee County Farm Bureau. Last month, King was invited to share her ideas, thoughts and passions about the politics of farming at a TED Talk event in Sarasota. She was chosen along with other world leading thinkers and doers who have broken from the chaos to find solutions. Shelby is known for her unique way of expressing the impact of local family farms and how they play a part in the global effects on our culture.

Out of 21,942 harvested acres of vegetables in Manatee County, a family or individual operates 76% of the farms.

nutritional value. It’s been frustrating to experience the red tape and expense one has to go through to provide clean local grown produce. The regulations need to be to scale, not one size fits all.” She feels that this limits what is actually good for you.

Based on the USDA’s definition of a small farm, small farms represent over 90% of all farms in Florida. Since the downsizing of the farm, Shelby has been able to pursue another teaching tool with “Table to Farm” dinners on Wednesday nights from October through May. In many ways, it resembles a throwback to the earlier days when dinner on the grounds was something you went to on a Sunday afternoon. Shelby along with Antonia (A.J) Latteri-Caster, owner of The Loft 5, has taken this concept to the next level. The tables are set with china and fresh flowers under the oak tree glistening with white lights. The gourmet menu is made with fresh ingredients just picked from the farm, and help from some of the local sources, such as Dakin Dairy. The mood is set with the acoustic sound of local talent. Shelby hosts a tour of the farm where she shares her knowledge and gives you a chance to pick and taste some of the harvest. One of the best advantages of the dinner is socializing with new friends and experiencing a true family style dinner. You can make reservations for dinner at www.theloft5.com Giving back to the community has always been a part of King Family Farms. Shelby enjoys hosting benefit dinners, such as the Memorial Fundraiser for Pat Mullin (the former Palmetto High School librarian), World Food Day, events for the Boys and Girls Clubs and weddings.

Shelby’s plans for the future include continuing to be an advocate for the local farmers through new programs for the community and schools and developing new concepts to keep fresh, locally grown food on your tables.

In the 1950’s, Shelby and Ben’s grandfathers grew tomatoes together. The family farming heritage was passed down from generation to generation and now the families are together again continuing the tradition.

When asked what she finds the most challenging, Shelby says, “Competing with a price that can be competitive with the grocery stores and still provide a food with the most

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 37

AG LAND FOR SALE

ORANGE GROVE 128± Acres COLLIER COUNTY Immokalee

ORANGE GROVE 143± Acres HENDRY COUNTY Felda

114 Acres HENDRY COUNTY 465 Country Road 830A, Felda

Zoned AG, 113+ Acres Hamlin Orange grove, 19,699 trees, 2 submersible pumps & other pumps included. Call For Pricing

Zoned AG, 100+ acres of Valencia Orange grove, 12,384 trees, 3 submersible pumpsother pumps included. Call For Pricing

ORANGE GROVE 168± Acres HENDRY COUNTY Immokalee

31.78 Acres HENDRY COUNTY 388 County Road 830A, Felda

117 Acres COLLIER COUNTY 5980 SR 29, Immokalee

377 Acres COLLIER COUNTY 6130 Pringle Lane, Immokalee

781 Acres LEE COUNTY 12500 Green Meadow Road, Fort Myers

Zoning General AG, located 1 mile north of the Collier/Hendry Co. line, in the northeast quandrant of SR 29 & CR 830A. ASKING: $9,000/Acre

The information contained herein was obtained from sources believed reliable, however, Lee & Associates makes no guarantees, warranties or representations as to the completeness or accuracy thereof. The presentation of this property is submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price or conditions prior to sale or lease or withdrawal without notice.

Previous crops included:Cantelope, watermellons, peppers, 6” well - electric motor, throw out pump - diesel motor. ASKING: $877,500

For More Information Please Contact:

Zoned A-2, 118+ acres Valencia Orange trees, 14,722 trees, well, pole barn, trailers & 1 electric throw pump. Call For Pricing

4 Individual parcels, buy all or individual parcels. All lots are sloped laser leveled and are currently farmed. ASKING: $3,398,940

Located 8.4 miles east of I-75, large farm operation. CALL FOR PRICING

Chuck Smith, CCIM

Carlos Acosta

Senior Vice President

T: 239.826.3337 csmith@ccim.net

38 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

SOLD!

Located just south of LaBelle. Property includes 2 bed/1 bath home plus mobile home. Currently farmed.

Se Habla Español

T: 239.823.0115

cacosta@lee-associates.com

November 2013

1 st Annual Holiday Youth Archery Shoot Fred Smith Rodeo Arena, Brighton, FL December 14, 2013  Targets will be 3-D, Field & FITA Targets.  Open to ages 8 – 18.  Pre-register by Monday, December 9, 2013 @ (863)467-6039.

 Registration and safety check at 8 a.m. day of shoot.  Registration fee $10 (can be paid the day of shoot). Top 5 shooters in each division will come back for final shoot off for Grand Prize in their division. Each entry will be qualified for a chance to win a Hoyt Bow. RV Hook Ups available on premises, $25/weekend Concession Stand will be open on site Co-Sponsored by Spurlow’s Outdoor Outfitters. For more information call, (863) 467 – 6039 or Rezrodeo.com

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 39

The Heart of Iona:

Ed Kelly By Brady Vogt

According to Karl Grismer’s book, The Story of Fort

Myers, the section known in Lee County as Iona covers an area of about 21,000 acres. It begins at Deep Lagoon Marina and runs west to Bain Road, beyond which is Shell Point Village, mangrove forest, and the toll bridge to Sanibel. The width of the area is bordered by the mouth of the Caloosahatchee, the open water of the bay, and San Carlos Boulevard, on the way to Fort Myers Beach. The first settler in Iona, Donald Bain, was a Scots emigrant who named the place for the Ionian Islands. Donald Bain came to the woods in 1882, three years before Fort Myers was incorporated into a real town. He was a pineapple farmer as was Doctor J. V. Harris, who planted 22,000 slips in 1885. Indeed, the pineapple growers were so successful and their crops so succulent that a pineapple in bloom was adopted by the new city as its insignia and was used as a seal on official documents.

In 1904, Doctor Franklin Miles, a scientist and the owner of Elkhart Laboratories bought several thousand acres of land in the section. He had determined based on weather reports that Iona, on particularly cold nights, was the most likely area of the continental mainland of the United States to be “frost free”. Doctor Miles was as curious and as well-funded a scientist as was Thomas Edison. Because of the benign temperatures in the winter, he was able to conduct many experiments on food crops, including soil amendments and pesticides. He instituted a school of sorts for the local men who were beginning to clear the land and farm. Located in Elkhart Indiana, his Miles Laboratories was eventually purchased by BAYER, and was responsible for the development of Alka-Seltzer and One A Day Vitamins.

40 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

The growth and success of the farmers in Iona was delayed by lack of transportation to get vegetables and fruit to market. Farmers on Sanibel Island, who in addition to the more common food crops, grew avocado and key limes and yellow guava, were able to ship produce by boat to Punta Gorda and the railroad terminus. When the Atlantic Coast Line finally arrived in Fort Myers, the Iona farmers began a run that would last nearly fifty years.

Ed and Tom Kelly came to Iona in 1925. They were three years old. Now at age 91, they and a sister are the last surviving members of a family of twelve children. The Kelly’s came from Key West to a stucco house plopped down in the middle of one of Uncle Emmett Kelly’s farm fields. “Good-Looking” Emmett November 2013

Kelly was a high roller, and was one of the first farmers to play golf at The Country Club. He formed consortiums with other men to buy land on the cheap and sell it down the road at immense profit. Although Ed has many wonderful memories of his childhood days, the blue crabs and the freedom of movement that came with living in a pioneer setting surrounded by water are some of his fondest.

The Iona Elementary School where Ed Kelly and his eleven brothers and sisters attended in the 1920’s.

After World War II and four years in the Navy, Ed began a farming operation with Tom. They cleared the first twenty acres of land they leased by hand. It took four months through the summer of 1948 to get rid of the saw palmetto and cut down the yellow pine. Ed said they had three other men that helped. Most people, when they think of farming, see only the cleared fields in their minds, whether planted or fallow. Imagine the backbreaking work it entailed to ready the land for its first crop. The five men worked through the summer to be ready for a fall planting. They chopped at long palmetto limbs and dug out the extended roots. What few pines were on the land they cut into logs and drove them to town to be sold for lumber and to pay the laborers. The men pulled and pushed the palmetto into piles and after it had dried a little, between the steady summer rains, they burned it. Ed said that for some reason Tom wanted to burn the piles at night, each pile on fire for ten hours, the flames and the crackling eerie against the dark and silent night-time sky. At the peak of those farming years, the Kelly brothers owned or leased 350 acres of land. They grew red or Irish potatoes. A few land deals enabled them to pay Bob Dean to build a packing house beside the railroad track. High school boys, boys of the families and friends, graded and filled fifty pound bags with potatoes after school in the season, and after a meal of meatloaf and gravy, green beans and sweet tea at The Farmers’ Market Restaurant, walked across the parking lot to the packing house and loaded boxcars into the night with sacks of Iona potatoes bound for northern supper tables.

In 1949, there were about 1100 acres of red potatoes planted in Iona and about 3000 acres of other vegetable crops. Fred

November 2013

Wesemeyer, who owned a cold storage building for his gladiolus bulbs and florist ready bunches, was able to grow, harvest, and ship sweet corn. Other men grew tomatoes, green peppers, watermelon, squash, cucumbers, eggplant and string beans. Some planted greens and okra in the summer to eat themselves and to sell at the vegetable stands along McGregor and San Carlos. Elmo Ballard was called “The Potato King”. Other notable farmers include Donald Bass (married to Doctor Miles’s daughter Louise), Bryan, Walter and Henry Pearce, Lyman Frank, the Schultz brothers and Billy Naylor, of whom Ed Kelley said “he was the hardest working man I’d ever seen”. Ed and Tom farmed together for thirty years. Ed recalled that while most of the bigger farmers used drain-tile, others did not, and he wasn’t sure it made a difference. The round, sleeved shaped tiles were made of Georgia clay. The men picked them up by the hundreds at the train station and carried them stacked high on a trailer to Iona. The sand had once been river bottom. Water was abundant in the summer, but undependable, scarce in the winter when it was needed most. The tile was laid every fifty feet across a field at about two feet down. The Kelley brothers went to the lumber yards for sawdust. They spread it and packed it across the joining of the rough clay tiles to keep the sand from entering and clogging. A perimeter ditch bordered the land. Shallow wells were drilled to sulfur laden aquifers that flowed from the land to the river and Gulf. The smelly water was used to fill the ditch, and flood the fields. In the event of heavy rain, the tile absorbed the water through its sawdust and clay surfaces, and carried its excess away. The Kelly’s planted a single crop each year, early in to beat the Homestead farmers to market. They used “seed” potatoes from the North, cut into several pieces and tilled into the sand. Potato blight was always a threat, and the leaves were sprayed regularly to prevent the blight, but as he said, in the event of cold and wet, even foggy and damp winters, the going was tough; a crop could be wiped out in a matter of days. After the crop was matured, “laying them by” as he called it, the vegetation was sprayed with an herbicide, to wither the leaves, and cause the delicate red skins to toughen up.

Ed Kelly was recently featured in Tropicalia, the historical section of Sunday morning’s News Press. It was of course a complimentary article by Amy Bennett Williams. He currently lives off Winkler Road, only a few miles from Iona. In his day, he was quite an adventurer, diving for lobster and knocking off barracuda with impunity, down in the Florida Keys, and wresting giant grouper from beneath the Cape Coral Bridge by a hook as big as a man’s hand attached to a length of chain, attached to boat. Ed Kelly’s most admired person is Jacques Cousteau. Throughout his life he has lived with integrity and compassion for his fellow man, and by virtue of his contributions to agriculture, his solid citizenship, and for the number of his years, may be considered to be “The Heart of Iona”.

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 41

Flying Above the Farm:

Pilot Jerry Wise

By Levi Lambert

istant memories from a childhood tend to be triggered by sights and smells; for my new acquaintance, Jerry Wise, who grew up on his parent’s farm in Sampson, Alabama, certain smells most certainly take him back. Some might think ‘Who would want to smell fresh baked apple pie and muddy ole pigs at the same time?’ But, it is combinations like that which bring those cherished years back around. Jerry Wise learned early the ins and outs of working around a farmhouse. As with many young boys, the sky calls to them. Wishing to fly away into the blue is very common amongst a crowd of young boys. In 1978 at the young age of 22 years, Jerry started to work to get his pilots license. Taken under the wing of an older, very experienced agriculture pilot, he started his apprenticeship. Ag pilots lead an extremely dangerous career. Flying a mere 3-5 feet above a crop at speeds greater than 130 miles per hour, the pilot has to be a master of his craft in order to navigate successfully. Tight turns with rapid descents and ascents wear on a plane much more than most realize. Plus, with the thousands of gallons of chemical that is dispensed each day, without proper care and maintenance, the amount of hours a pilot might hope to get out of the plane will drop considerably. Ag airplane inspections are very thorough in

42 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

order to insure the plane can handle the strenuous workload and extreme conditions during each application flight.

A day in the life of Ag pilot Jerry Wise starts early as with most agriculture workers. At seven in the morning the airfield activity is limited. But, next to the chemical mixing station sits a yellow turbo prop ag plane. Jerry’s man on the ground scurries about to get the day started. Foggy mornings effect scheduled applications. Jerry quotes an old saying regarding pilots who fly on foggy days. “Any pilot who flies on a dark day will be buried on a sunny day.” Pre run inspections are completed as the plane’s 515-gallon tank is filled with the November 2013

Chemical mixed water can weigh in closer to 12 pounds per gallon. Just the water weight alone makes the operation of an ag plane a challenge. Flying with over 5,000 pounds of added weight changes the responsiveness of the aircraft. The 65-foot swath that he his capable of covering in one pass dispenses the mixture evenly and quickly. Back on the ground his helper stands by with the next load ready to be pressure fed in the large reservoir on the airplane. Jerry runs through a set of systems checks while he waits. Each refill allows him the opportunity to insure his plane is ready for the next flight.

mixture. Pilot Wise performed more system checks to make sure all is still well before take off. Efficient as he and his single man crew are, the first plane can be in the air within 15 minutes.

Pilot Jerry Wise recalls some of the changes that have helped benefit the aerial spray industry as well as the negative effects over the past 34 years of his career. Technology has been a tremendous positive for his line of work. As residential areas grow to the edge of possible aerial spray sites, it is extremely important to have records of application methods as well as weather information. By being able to account for wind speed and direction, a good aerial spray pilot can calculate which application method would provide proper coverage while limiting possible harmful spray drift from contaminating homes. Three decades ago in Alabama, residential homes were not an issue. Farmland was wide open and easier to manage for a crop duster. Before GPS, a pilot used ground guides called flagged who would stand in the field to mark the progress of the plane. Federal laws changed the option to use ground flagged since they were not able to properly protect themselves against chemicals.

Help from an onboard Global Positioning System guides him to the first spray site. Once over the field, he is able to insure adequate coverage by using the advanced technology that is available nowadays. The GPS records where he made a pass and helps line him up for the next pass. When the spray switch is activated, the computer leaves a track line that can later be overlaid on a Google Earth map with the use of a desktop computer. By being able to accurately document this important information, many old issues that arose are now easily resolved. Also, the grower is able to receive this information via email after a job is complete. The printed product lists in detail a map of the spray site with track lines of the flight pattern. In the text the grower is able to view the date/ time of application, who piloted the plane and the chemical applied. Just in front of the pilot cabin lies a 515-gallon fiberglass spray tank. A gallon of water weighs in 7.5 pounds per gallon.

November 2013

Over the years, planes have become much more expensive. Nowadays, the average age of an ag pilot is between 40 and 50 years old. A young pilot with hundreds or thousands of flight time hours cannot get into the business due to insurance requirements. A pilot wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be insured to fly an $850,00 plane without at least 500 hours experience in that class. By being unable to log flight time in an ag plane, a pilot naturally cannot build his or her experience. Over the years, Jerry has attempted to help new young pilots by providing them with a smaller inexpensive plane. Although, at his expense, the young pilot went off into the blue sky to chase their own dreams of success in the business. Over the years, Pilot Jerry Wise has been through his fair share of close encounters with mechanical malfunctions, weather hazards and obstacles. The job description does not come with a low hazard disclaimer because there is no such thing in his field. Out of all of his experiences, one from his early years stays fresh in his mind. He described himself as young and knew everything. No one could teach him anything. He was in his early 20â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with a pilotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license in hand. A lot of money was spent to get his education and after the passing

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 43

of his mentor, he was without a job and a plane. Jerry was able to find an old cub cat plane that belonged to a local pilot. He was able to broker a deal with the owner to buy the plane with the help of his father. Jerry’s father loaned him a herd of cattle with which he traded for his first plane. After putting his first business deal behind him, Jerry was ready to start spraying property around his family farm. I can imagine the excitement found in flying low and quick would be similar to the thrill found in old war fighter pilots. As a young man, Jerry stated that he didn’t have the level of respect for the plane as he now holds. He was running over a field and due to his young mentality, he hooked a set of power lines with his right wing. Nearly ripping 3 foot of the wing off, he was not able to make many evasive actions to correct his mistake. Nosing the plane into the ground, he ended the last flight of his first plane. Even with a strengthened cab that most ag planes are equipped with, Jerry did not walk away from the crash. The scars will forever remind him of how vigilant he must remain at all times. Continuing his career, he now resides in Highlands County.

records to meet both state and federal laws on every ounce of the material that he applies. Where, when, and what was used is required to be available for inspection at any time. Jerry’s office is filled with several filing cabinets packed full of records.

Considering all of the headaches that come with the dangers of low-level flying a powerful aircraft you might well ask, why would anyone choose to follow this as their chosen occupation? The most likely answer is, for men like Jerry Wise who love the thrill of handling a powerful and responsive aircraft, could be: I even get paid to fly this plane!

Reliable Squash Production for Florida!

After being able to watch Pilot Jerry Wise maneuver his plane over a grove, my first thought was ‘look at this hot dogging pilot.’ He flew in such a manner that gave the appearance of a stunt pilot or a limited experience show-off. Each turn was quick and tight. Power lines near the groves edge were not a problem with his rapid climbs and sudden descents. He was able to apply his material efficiently with little wasted flight time of not being over the grove. In no time at all, I realized that his experience was backed by many years well before Jerry was able to confirm my assumption by telling me he has flown ag planes for over 30 years. Each turn is a necessity, but time spent on a wide turn wastes fuel. A turbo prop plane can consume a gallon of fuel a minute. With that in mind, and factoring in the initial cost of the aircraft and required maintenance on the airframe and engine, this occupation is very expensive both to start up and stay in. On top of these facts, the applicator must keep meticulous

44 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

LAZOR straightneck Smooth, ﬁrm fruit and sturdy neck promotes easy handling. Attractive, glossy appearance. 42 days. IR: ZYMV.

SPINELESS KING green zucchini Cylindrical, glossy fruit is a standout for color & an attractive fresh look. Plant is open & spineless. 45 days. IR: Sf, WMV, ZYMV. Seedway Vegetable Seeds ~ 3810 Drane Field Road, Unit 30 Lakeland, FL 33811 ~ www.seedway.com ~ 863-648-4242

November 2013

Ag Classes Take Hands-On Approach to Farming Reese Helvey repairing poly in the garden.

Sebring High School Agriculture department is excited about their Fall and Spring garden. With the assistance of Ben Mayworth, they just finished pulling beds and laying plastic. They have fixed all of the irrigation issues and are ready to plant! The garden this year will consist of strawberries, okra, yellow squash, green beans, black eyed peas, tomatoes and cucumbers. They started all plants in their greenhouses and had them all in the ground by the end of October. The goal is to sell the crop so that students can understand the concept of farming from beginning to end.

Michael Stone and Jesus Mejia repair drip tape that they found holes in.

Reese Helvey, Lyndon Delsol and Odeva Muse repair the timer that controls irrigation in the garden.

Jarvis Bridges and Jasmine Johnson are repairing the poly where a hole was found.

Students at Sebring Middle School have been hard at work planting vegetables in their outdoor planting boxes. Â The students have planted different varieties of carrots, lettuce, peas and squash and hope to harvest them before Christmas.Â Each class has been responsible for preparing the soil for planting, removing any pests and planting and caring for their plants.

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 45

FLORIDA FARMING KIDS CORNER

46 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

November 2013

FLORIDA FARMING KIDS CORNER

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 47

Farm City Week

in Manatee County

“Viva Florida – 500 Years of Agriculture” is the theme for Manatee County Farm City Week this year. Farm City Week is the time of year the agriculture community tries to share the importance of agriculture on the economy in the area. In Manatee County, agriculture contributed over $646 MILLION to the economy in 2012.

There are several activities scheduled for the week which will include: proclamations in all of the city and county government meetings plus the school board which will proclaim November 14 through 22 as Farm City Week in Manatee County. The Outstanding Agriculturist and Agriculture Hall of Fame Inductee will be honored.

The Farm City Week tour will conclude the week with visits to many agricultural sites. The tour is open to the public and reservations are a must. If you are interested in the tour call 941-722-4524 for reservations.

Agriculture is important not only in Manatee County but to the entire world. Without farmers, whether they produce vegetables, dairy, meats or plants, our world would starve and disappear. As has been stated so often “Don’t talk bad about the farmer with your mouth full.” If you are interested in any of the activities call 941-722-4524.

Ag Venture will host 1100 third grade students with a handson program. They will learn where milk and orange juice come from, seeing a real cow up close and personal, the importance of water and soil and many other things. Each student will plant a tomato plant to take home and grow their own tomatoes. A beef prospect show will present educational classes to those 4-H and FFA members showing beef animals in the upcoming county fair. The youth attend classes in the morning and then show their animals in the afternoon for experience and listen as the judge places each animal in the class.

Leadership Manatee, a group of business personnel, will be conducting a county wide tour visiting many farms during the day.

48 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 49

Life Stock

By Dr. D. Keatley Waldron, D. C. Contribution by Beckie Halaska Dr. D, Keatley Waldron, D.C. of Waldron Chiropractic Health Center-Sebring is board certified and committed to providing his patients with only the highest quality care. He has a heart and passion for this community that has been his home for most of his life. Dr. Waldron has been in practice for over 22 years and applies an educational approach to his natural healing techniques. His philosophy is, an ounce of prevention is worth...everything!

The Heartland is agriculture. Life here revolves around citrus, cattle, dairy and farming of all sorts! I love this rich country life that so many of us enjoy. Life “on the farm” or “ranch” is great and it teaches us to appreciate the good in life. One element we all want to cherish is our health. Health is much like farming. You have to pay attention to what the crops need and make sure you tend to them and give them good fertilizer, just as your body needs certain vitamins and minerals on a daily basis. Health is an everyday thing not just a “feeling under the weather” thing. It takes a conscious choice, every single day, to pay attention to your body. How you feel and what kind of “fertilizer” you need. Be it wholesome Florida grown fruits and vegetables or a good lean steak grilled to perfection! On any given day, you should have a list of the good things you are doing for yourself. We nurture our crops on a grand basis or we make sure those mama cows are getting all the best green grass. Yet, often times we are feeding our children and ourselves an inferior diet. If mama cows fed their calves the way we feed our own kids, you would never be able to enjoy a great steak.

50 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Take the time to pick the best beef, citrus, veggies and fruits for your family. Keep the Heartland striving for better health, one day at a time. Life is good when you feel good; more chores get done and everyone has more fun! Agriculture is often very physical and a person feels the affects of hard work. Make sure you get up and stretch your body every morning and start each day with a great breakfast. Don’t skip meals; your body needs the nutrients to perform at its best. Do not rely on pills and medications when you have aches and pains. See a Chiropractor. Get scheduled for an alignment and have your spine checked. It is vital; your ability to perform well depends on good mechanics. There is nothing like poor health to ruin the day. Cancer, diabetes and heart disease are the leading causes of death and are increasing in numbers at an alarming pace. Yet, we aren’t making decisions to change, no one wants to face these illnesses. You would if it was your livestock! Make time for you and your family to exercise, eat better and drink plenty of fresh clean water. Your greatest investment isn’t your stock, or your livestock. It is your health. The Heartland and Agriculture, your home, your family, your life.... Make it worth living! November 2013

BUY 6, GET 6 Buy any 6 regular donuts and get 6 for

FREE Good through December 31, 2013.

3504 US Hwy 27 S Sebring, FL 33870

November 2013

Open 24/7 â&#x20AC;˘ Gasoline and Diesel Trucks Welcome Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 51

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Total Recipe Time: 2 to 2-1/4 hours Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

Provençal Beef Stew

2 pounds beef Chuck Shoulder Roast boneless, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/3 cup all-purpose flour Salt & Pepper 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided 1 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 cup dry red wine 3 cups ready-to-serve beef broth 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence 1 pound new potatoes, cut into quarters 2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices 2 small yellow squash, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices 1/2 cup niçoise olives, pitted and cut in half 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Recipe and photo as seen in The Healthy Beef Cookbook, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions: Combine flour, salt and pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon flour mixture. Lightly coat beef with remaining flour mixture.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in stockpot over medium heat until hot. Brown half of beef; remove from stockpot. Repeat with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef. Remove beef from stockpot.

Upcoming Dates:

Add onion and garlic to stockpot; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Add wine; increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until browned bits attached to stockpot are dissolved.

December 5-6

December Quarterly, Indian River State College Williamson Conference Center Lodging is at the Hampton Inn in Okeechobee. For more information, visit www.floridacattlemen.org

52 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Stir in broth, tomatoes, herbes de Provence and reserved flour mixture. Return beef to stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 1-1/2 hours or until beef is fork-tender.

Add potatoes, zucchini and yellow squash to stockpot; continue simmering, covered, 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add olives and basil; cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes or until olives are heated through. Serve with cheese, if desired.

January 11

Can You Out Shoot a CattleWoman Fun Shoot, Quail Creek Plantation, Okeechobee For more information, contact Wendy Petteway 863-781-398

November 2013

P.O. BOX 3183 PLANT CITY, FL 33563

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 53

In Photo, left and center: Christine Smith & Heather Nedley, The Mosaic Company. Right: Rebecca Brislain, Florida Association of Food Banks

The Mosaic Company Foundation Is Honored for Commitment to Hunger-Relief in Florida The annual Feeding Hope Award, presented by the Florida Association of Food Banks, honored The Mosaic Company Foundation on Thursday, October 3 at the annual Polk County Farm Bureau meeting in Bartow. Mosaic has shown unwavering support for the Florida Association of Food Banks’ (FAFB) Farmers Feeding Florida program.

The Mosaic Company has operations in Central Florida and supports FAFB member food banks in its footprint through the company’s charitable foundation. For the past two years, The Mosaic Company Foundation has granted more than $100,000 annually to expand the amount of fresh produce delivered to the communities where their employees live and work. In past years, the foundation has also provided grants to food banks for new trucks, expansion of refrigeration and freezers as well as community programs operated by food banks to help deliver more fresh and nutritious food to people facing hunger.

54 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

“This is a natural partnership,” said Brislain. “Mosaic’s mission to help the world grow the food it needs fits well with our goal to provide more nutritious produce to families in need. We are grateful for their generous funding of our Farmers Feeding Florida program.”

This year’s additional recipients include: Long & Scott Farms, Society of St. Andrew, Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto, Representative Ben Albritton as well as Keith and Linda Monda. Recipients were selected based on their significant commitments to supporting FAFB’s statewide efforts to create a Hunger Free Florida

November 2013

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

November 2013

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Adams Ranch Braford cattle our foundation for over sixty years.

ABEEF & Adams Ranch Composites

ABEEF - The new American breed that combines heat tolerance with grass efficiency and heterosis. Why do we use heterosis?

Heterosis gives you whatE PDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cannot give you, longevity and fertility. This program was started twenty-three years ago when Adams Ranch crossed Red Angus and Gelbvieh bullion Braford cows. The breeding plan was the same as used at Clay Center USDA Research Center. The Adams Ranch Braford cow herd has been a a closed herd for sixty plus years. There are no lethal genes in these cattle, and they are free of cancer eye, bad udders and every animal has be calved unassisted. The usual problems of a cowman are eyes, udders, and dystocia and these have been eliminated.

Brafords are used because they are acclimated to heat, humidity, and coarse grasses. Red Angus is used ot get carcass value. The Gelbvieh are a source of red meat plus good motherly traits. This type of program was approved by cattlemen in universities from Florida to Nebraska. This is the way all commercial chickened and hogs are produced by hybridization. The goal is to combine favorabel genes and utilize heterosis. This is the new American breed, ABEEF, that combines the heat tolerant Braford cow with the best marbling Red Angus and the muscular Gelbvieh.

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The result is uniformity of color, polled, carcass quality, plus the 23% added production over a cowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifetime as a result of heterosis. It is the only American breed to give you all of these qualities.

The cattle of produced in St. Lucia and Osceola Counties in Southern part of Florida on large grass ranges. They are handled by men on horseback and treated as commercial beef cattle. The breeding program is open-ended so new Red Angus and Gelbevieh blood can be introduced and thus preserve heterosis. Cattlemen using an ABEEF bull can use the next generation bull without inbreeding.

All Bulls are DNA tested for marbling, tenderness, and feed efficiency. Their DNA tests are validated by steers fed in Kansas. ABEEF to ABEEF mating are highly productive and maintain uniformity.

A registered Braford herd is maintained to be mated to new Red Angus and Gelbvieh bulls. Ranch management is 3rd and 4th generation Adams, and the 5th generation is on the ground. November 2013

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 57

FLORIDA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION

2013 RANCH RODEO FINALS & COWBOY HERITAGE FESTIVAL Photos and Article By Kathy Gregg

All’s quiet on the ranch rodeo scene, but not so on Friday and Saturday, September 27-28, as sixteen winning teams from around the state converged on the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee for the Sixth Annual Florida Cattlemen’s Association Ranch Rodeo Finals & Cowboy Heritage Festival.

Presidents of Florida Cattlemen’s Association and Florida CattleWomen, Inc., respectively. Next in the procession were the Junior Florida Cattlemen’s Association President Samantha Dailey carrying the State of Florida flag, and the 2013-2014 Sweetheart, Harley Zoeckler, who had the privilege of carrying the American flag. The tradition continued of naming Honorary Team Captains, which is given to long-standing (as well as outstanding) members of the Florida cattle industry. This year they were John Newsome on Friday, whose grandsons were on the Newsome Cattle team, and Gary Jones of Hardee County and Mack Padgett of Polk County as Co-Captains on Saturday.

Each night started with the introduction of several junior ranch rodeo teams, followed by the Grand Entry. Then riding in were Wes Williamson and Sarabeth Barthle-Simmons,

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The action started at the bucking chutes with the heartpounding bronc riding. Friday saw only one rider bucked off, and Cole Fulford of the Coffee Cattle Company team had a great ride on a buckskin bronc that took him around the arena with bucks and kicks that wowed the crowd, and landed him the winner’s buckle with a score of 73. Thanks to Arcadia Stockyard for sponsoring this event. November 2013

Next up was the team branding. Once the calf has been roped and flanked, the female team member has to run and “brand” it (with a baby-powder-covered branding iron), then return to the branding bucket, when their time stops. Last year saw many teams lead the calf close to the bucket, but this year it was only Switch Ranches, and that strategy paid off handsomely for them, as they won the event in 37.24 seconds! Alton Langford was not only a stockman in the arena, but his A-Bar-L Ranch also sponsored this event. This was a team effort by Peck Harris, Chance Wright, Brandon Dieter, Donny Boyd, and Dallas Roberts, and was bittersweet in that they were called in at the last minute to replace the Audubon Ranch team, who had to withdraw. Our sympathies go out to the Dennis Carlton family for their loss.

Each of the 16 teams at these Finals consisted of four cowboys and a cowgirl, and had already won, or placed second or third, in one of the 12 qualifying ranch rodeos that had taken place between February and July. Each team was sponsored by a Florida ranch or business, and competed in four of the eight events on Friday, finishing up with the remaining four events on Saturday.

The third event was the stampede race. And it was that tiny, but tough, Christi Pryor of the Stevens Land & Cattle team that outran and outrode the other 15 cowgirls to take home that buckle, along with team partner Billy Adams. The team doctoring event displays the heading and heeling talents of the teams’ ropers, with the female team member then marking the head of the steer with chalk. Dallas Roberts’ chalk went flying through the air when she got head-butted and knocked to the ground. The Rafter G Bar team (the 2010 November 2013

winners) took this event with a time of 21.50 seconds. The cattle used in this event were authentic Florida Cracker heifers and steers of the Barnes bloodline, raised by Allan Roberts.

The halfway point was marked each night by a boot scramble for the youngsters. Those white socks gave way to that red clay dirt, but all tots went home happy, and none were left unclaimed! The Saturday performance also saw the WhipPopping Contest winners show off their talents – from 4-yearold Isaac Waldman to 91-year-old Gordie Peer of Okeechobee. It was then back to the ranch rodeo action with the double muggin’, where shirts get ripped and cowgirls get dragged while holding the tails of these 600-pound-plus steers. Friday night saw only three times, all exceeding one minute, so when the Harvey Ranch team of Okeechobee completed the task in 55.53 seconds, the buckles went to them. I have to mention petite blonde Jessie Arnow of the Newsome Cattle team, surrounded by those big burly cowboys, she grabbed that steer by the horns and mugged it to the ground, and the crowd went wild! The colt riding was up next. The rope broke for the Prairie Creek Cattle team, but everyone else got the job done. The J3 Ranch team of Buck Lee, rider Shane Perkins, Allen Lanier and Preston Stokes took home those shiny new buckles.

This annual event is a fundraiser for the Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation, which provides educational, research and leadership programs for the youth, and supports environmental stewardship, land management, historic artifact preservation, and other charitable activities.

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Saturday hosts the Cowboy Heritage Festival during the day, with steak and brisket cook-offs starting on Friday. All awards were shared by the teams of Buckaroo BBQ, Barthle Brothers, Pasco County Junior Cattlemen, Hawk Ranch and Manatee County Cattlemen. Congrats to y’all!

Some new events were added this year. The Cowdog Competition was won by Kyle Patterson, followed by Wesley Markham and Alton Langford. Any good cattleman will tell you how invaluable their cowdogs are for working cattle in Florida. The Ranch Horse Competition was brought back, with Wesley Markham on Tabasco taking first place in the Colt Division, and (Miss) Frankie Chesler of Trinity Ranch and Sugar Badger Two winning the Open Division. A steak dinner was offered for $20, and was totally sold out, with the fixings made by Fresh From Florida chefs. The team sorting event had a new twist this year, being the Women’s team sorting. The female team member did the sorting, while her teammates held the line. And it was a privilege to see these talented women, and their equally talented horses, complete this event, which was sponsored by Roman III Ranch, the Doyle Carlton III Family. Two of the final three teams received the lowest times, but it was the very last team of Brandi Gilbert and Prairie Creek Cattle that won with a great time of 38.88 seconds.

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Years of experience have led them to hold the wild cow milking event last (due to the rather uncooperative nature of these wild cows not wanting to leave the arena!). This is the third of the events where four teams compete side-by-side. This is a 3-man event, and requires that the cow be standing when she is milked. Several refused to stand at all, but Newsome Cattle got the job done in the shortest time. With a different team winning each event, it was important to receive a time in every event. And that is precisely what Stevens Land & Cattle did, taking home those engraved trophy saddles and winner’s buckles. Congratulations to Charles Robert Stevens III, Billy Adams, bronc rider Marshall Godsey, Cody Storey and Christi Pryor.

But let’s not forget the fledgling team of Harvey Ranch taking second place, and winning leather breastcollars, consisting of Jim Harvey, bronc rider Marshall Davis, Cab Butts, Leaton “Muscle” Coker and Shelby Carden. Third place was won by Rafter G Bar Livestock, and those saddle pads went to Cliff Lightsey, Juan Alcazar, Dad Paul Grimaldi, son Michael (their bronc rider) and daughter Kaitlyn. Congrats to y’all, and see you in 2014 at the Silver Spurs Arena!

November 2013

Beef Feeds Bulk & Bagged Medicated Weaning Rations Bull Feed Heifer Developer Custom Blends

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(Next to the Livestock Market)

800-343-8474 (863) 763-6903 • Fax (863) 763-6264 Jay Walpole, Owner Danny Walpole, Manager

November 2013

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 61

Three Suns Ranch ... One Bright Idea By Cindy Cutright

During the late 1800’s, a concerted effort by the United States government was well underway to starve the Plains Indians into submission and ultimately on to a reservation. The core element of the plan entailed annihilating the large herds of buffalo upon which the tribes were dependent as a food source. It was hailed a success when the populations of both Native Americans and the buffalo were decimated. When an alarmingly few hundred buffalo remained, the specie, which once numbered in the millions, was spared outright extinction thanks to a few far-sighted ranchers who stepped in to save them. Today’s American Bison herd of 350,000 is thriving and another 200,000 head can be found in Canada.

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While most of the buffalo are out west, the Three Suns Ranch, located on Route 31 in Punta Gorda, has 2,000 head that graze on 5,700 acres. Keith Mann, the ranch’s president, admits that though it is unusual to find a buffalo operation in a state long known for cattle ranching, he is aware of three other small herds located in Florida. They are in Arcadia, Bradenton and Gainesville.

Keith said he and his wife starting eating bison before the decision was made to raise them. He explained that bison meat differs from beef in a number of ways. “Bison is a bit sweeter and denser and it is very, very lean. It is a healthier meat.” He added that only about 50,000 head are processed annually and compared to beef, “this is just a blip on the radar.” In addition to raising buffalo, he has begun processing the meat as well. “I have a mobile processing unit so I can harvest the animals here on the ranch.” Far from the typical cow-calf operation the concept is one of “total traceability,” Keith explained. “The calf will be born here and raised here November 2013

so I’ll know everything that has happened to it. I’ll know what it has eaten, what it hasn’t eaten. The animal won’t leave until it’s wrapped in plastic and ready to go out to consumers. I’m selling to end users here and there will be no secrets or surprises, no gaps in the production.”

Keith admits there is a lot involved in both raising and processing the bison. “I’m wearing a lot of hats right now,” he said. “It is a tremendous undertaking and we are learning very quickly.” The processing of meat has its own special challenges. “We interface daily with the USDA.” Keith believes it is all worth it. “I really enjoy the processing and it is coming along pretty well. There is a lot of specialized skill that is disappearing from this area, as this is not really a processing state. It is fun to try and bring it back.”

Future plans include the processing of animals for neighboring beef ranchers and hog producers. “We are trending in that direction right now,” he commented. “I can pull 1,000 animals off this ranch in a year for processing and that’s probably on the low side, but that’s not going to keep us as busy as we would like to be.” The buffalo Keith now harvests weigh between 600 and 650 lbs. and are around two years old. He anticipates future animals selected for harvesting to weigh around 800 lbs. “We’re just not there yet.” He explained that bison have “a longer cycle than a beef cow and all this is reflected in the price of the animal itself. They are more difficult to raise and the infrastructure is more costly.” He used the extensive fencing found on the ranch as a prime example. “We probably overbuilt the fence, but it was for safety and it (the bison) was such a novelty around here we didn’t want them getting out. The animals are very athletic and they will hop a cattle fence.” Keith said they can even outrun horses.

Athleticism aside, he said, “I know bison pretty well and I have found them to be calm animals and they are relatively easy to work.” Keith explained that “with minor adjustments” the bison are worked in ways similar to cattle. Depending on

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the weather, everything from horses and ATV’s to dogs are used. “The cowboys prefer horseback so we do that as often as we can and I think it is just less stressful (for the bison).” Of the animals themselves Keith stated, “They are very herd driven and do not like to be alone at all. That is how they protect themselves in the wild. We are trying to recreate, as best we can within the confines of the business, a natural setting for them. We have done everything we can to make their lives stress free.” The fencing was even built in such a way as to replicate large grazing areas found in their natural habitat. The bison for the most part are grass fed but hay and citrus pulp have been used to supplement their diet in the past.

In addition to all of his other duties, Keith is involved in the marketing of the product as well. Along those lines, he said the area’s demographics played a big part in selecting Southwest Florida as the best location for the ranch. “This is a great area for potential bison customers,” he explained. “There are two million people between Tampa and Fort Myers that have never seen a bison in their life and have the disposable income to enjoy the benefits of the product. And there are a lot of retired folks who have been told not to eat beef anymore so bison is a great alternative.” Keith pointed out that because bison is more healthful than chicken, “it is a great option for folks who think red meat is no longer on the horizon for them. We’re working hard to get out the message that bison is not weird food. This is the original red meat.” Keith, who hails from Rhode Island, said he wasn’t a country boy growing up. “I went to college in Pennsylvania and got a couple of useless liberal arts degrees.” Following college he joined the army and served as a Green Beret medic. He has been married for seven years and has three sons.

Three Suns Ranch is clearly unique and destined to flourish under the watchful eye of Keith who was “looking for a sustainable business with assets and good potential for growth” when he decided to raise bison. Apparently he chose well. “Nobody can keep up with the demand in the bison industry,” he stated. “As a result, you have a pretty good incentive as a producer.” For more information visit www. threesunsranch.com

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maintain and manage everyday agribusiness operations and affairs.

Photo-biomodulation is an adjunctive therapeutic use of a low-level infrared laser that amplifies light energy (photons) emitted as radiant energy for absorption into tissues used to enhance wound healing and pain management after musculoskeletal injury. This class IV therapeutic laser is allowing our agriculture students to follow in line with the FFA motto “Learning to Do and Doing to Learn” and maintain agribusiness goals by utilizing it as an entrepreneurship SAE, better known as a Supervised Agriculture Experience. Courses will eventually be available to students that will allow them to be certified to administer the equipment used in this unique type of therapy.

Making Strides in Agriculture Education: Desoto Sr. FFA Submitted By: Sullivan Crawford – FFA Reporter Bailey Lyons – FFA President Ms. Christi Pryor – FFA Advisor, DHS Agriculture Educator

Thus far, our agriculture education program and our FFA chapter have given students the skills to successfully conduct Animal Husbandry operations and Agribusiness protocols. Projects have also been provided to students to allow them to obtain these procedures. These projects range from a chapter steer, show swine and project horses. Furthermore, as this chapter strives to build positive community relationships, we also hope to obtain the knowledge of career success within every student who completes our program. For further information on the new Therapeutic Laser, please contact Christi Pryor @ 941-809-5596.

The DeSoto Sr. FFA is kicking off a very eventful year. From our successful agriculture education program to our highly awarded FFA Chapter, we are opening doors to opportunities that before may have seemed unimaginable. Some of our latest endeavors have consisted of providing tractor safety skills, show stock knowledge, cow-calf operations, general equipment safety procedure courses and a new therapeutic laser. Our program prides itself on premier leadership, personal growth and career success.

Last month, our program received a new piece of equipment, approved by Superintendent Dr. Gary; this device will not only allow us to improve our own program, but also stemout into the community and provide assistance to those who are seeking therapy for their injured animals. This FDA endorsed, state-of-the-art device is the Pegasus Companion Therapy Laser, manufactured by Litecure. This laser produces both pain-free healing and assistance with site damage, for it simply cannot regress healing in any way. As Bio-Tech, Ag Tech, and Animal Science students, we are learning about photo-biomodulation, as well as, the necessary skills to

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November 2013

FFA JOURNAL

Hello Heartland!

It seems like so little time has past since I last wrote to you, but never the less, Florida FFA is moving forward at a fantastic pace.

My state officer team and I have just wrapped up the second conference in our leadership continuum (the first of which was Chapter President’s Conference in Daytona Beach), Chapter Officer Leadership Training (COLT). COLT was presented to over 2,300 FFA members across the great state of Florida. The theme of the conference was “United” and students had the opportunity to learn how we are United by Opportunity, United by Teamwork, United by Perception and United by Service. One new and hugely successful part of the 2013 COLT Conference was the implementation of a service project. FFA members who attended COLT Conferences were successful in packing over 3,000 toiletry kits for homeless and less fortunate people around the state. Thanks to many generous donations from FFA chapters, those toiletry kits were delivered to the LibertyCalhoun Ministry in Marianna, the Manna House in Mayo, Caring Hands at First Baptist Church in Wildwood, the Lake Wales Care Center in Lake Wales, Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa and the New Testament Mission in Sebring. The 2013-2014 Florida FFA Association theme is “Living to Serve.” At COLT, FFA members proved

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that through small random acts of kindness, just like packing a single toiletry kit, unimaginable impacts can be made.

My state officer team and I have also had the opportunity to attend the 86th National FFA Convention and Expo in Louisville, Kentucky. Along with over 50,000 thousand fellow FFA members from all across the nation, we spent a week representing the state of Florida and serving as delegates to the convention. For me, the highlight was listening to the inspiring retiring address of former Florida FFA State President and 2012-2013 National FFA President, Clay Sapp. Finally, the partnership between the Florida Farm Bureau Federation and the Florida FFA Association is moving forward. Thanks to the many generous donations of local Farm Bureau chapters and local supporters, the ‘Building Our Legacy” project, moving Florida FFA to a permanent home on the Florida Farm Bureau Campus, has exceeded our goal of raising $150,000! For information on how to get involved in the project, visit www.flaffa. org/building-our-legacy. Respectfully,

Wally Martin

2013-2014 Florida FFA State Secretary

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 65

Appreciating the Natural Cracker Style:

George Ivey By Robbi Sumner

t’s not every day that I get to conduct an interview in a tree house, but that’s exactly where I had the opportunity to sit and visit with George Ivey of Big Cypress Tableworks, Inc.

Ivey’s path to becoming a world-renowned furniture craftsman was an interesting one that developed with several curves along the way. “I started doing some construction work with my dad when I was about 13 or 14 and started carpentry work in 1973,” he said. George’s dad served in the Navy so his family moved a lot during his childhood, beginning in Jacksonville and including time in California and Alaska before

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returning to Florida. The family moved from White Springs (in north Florida) to Fort Pierce in 1975. George worked as a commercial fisherman on a 46-foot hook and line boat, bottom fishing for grouper and snapper for several years prior to entering the construction industry full-time. With hard work and dedication, he met his goal of becoming a Construction Superintendent, supervising over 125 employees and subcontractors who specialized in building condominium units up and down the East coast. By the mid 1980s, that fast-paced, stressful lifestyle had lost its appeal to George. Fortunately, he had met up with Bud Adams of Adams Ranch and began handling several construction projects like a cowboy hunting camp, stables, and a lodge, as well as various repairs and renovations on existing ranch properties. “I love the woods and feel at home there, but was November 2013

used to conventional architecture, the not the Cracker way of building and mending,” he laughs. “But Bud is really in to the Florida Cracker style and over the years, by doing their work, I’ve learned that style. Now it’s in my blood.”

George says that in 1993 he felt a strong desire to build furniture. “I love to hunt and fish but would catch myself in the woods looking at tree stumps and tops instead of deer and turkey!” He started bringing home various pieces of wood to use in building what he describes as “very primitive” furniture for friends and family members. “Then the Lord put it in my heart to buy a sunken cypress log. They’re pretty costly and I didn’t have a lot of money, just a burning desire to buy a log!” So he finished another big job he was working on and put together all he had - $7,000 – to buy his first log. “It was about 18 feet long and 40 inches across. After it was delivered I would look out the window and think about what to do with it. All ways to cut it were also costly.” He started with a 090AV (anti-vibration) chainsaw. “It was the biggest one sold by Stihl at the time. It had no safety brake and it was nicknamed the ‘widow maker’ or ‘man-killer’ for obvious reasons. I had to buy it in Canada because it wasn’t even sold in the U.S. We also had no way to move the log – no forklift – we had to use a wheelbarrow to move pieces as they were cut.” Through the years, George says he benefitted from the help of many family members and friends to help his dream come true. Fast forward to today and he has much more advanced equipment to help cut the logs, not to mention his full-time assistant Jimmy Tomblin.

Along this journey, George also befriended John Claytor of Dead Head Logging, who specializes in the recovery of sinker heart pine and cypress from Florida rivers. Claytor has accumulated the largest inventory of sunken cypress logs in the southeastern United States, and recently agreed to turn the cypress over to George so Claytor can continue to focus on diving.

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George describes the unique attributes that being underwater gives to wood, including the water-washed edge, color enhancement, and fiber bonding that cannot be replicated by humans. Specializing in large sunken cypress tables, he also works with species like juniper, pecan, and monkey puzzle – a member of the Norfolk pine family. His furniture is admired and enjoyed in hundred of private residences as well as places like the Florida Cattlemen’s Association office in Kissimmee, Williamson Cattle Company, Pine Creek, and Quail Creek Plantation. He’s also had buyers from Japan, London, Canada, and the Bahamas. George has completed special projects at the McKee Jungle Gardens, Heathcote Botanical Gardens, and even Winnie the Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood at Disney World. And back to the tree-house – he has built several of those in various shapes and sizes – some with thatched roofs, some with tin roofs, even some with chandeliers! “I build them to the individual tree to allow it to continue to grow, as well as to meet the needs and wishes of the client,” George says. Friendly and unassuming, George welcomes visitors to the workshop located outside his home, “If the gate is open, come on in.” But be forewarned: I fell in love with and purchased a coffee table that wasn’t even yet finished, and have my eyes on a matching sofa table! While he does complete a number of special orders, most pieces are built on speculation and no pieces are replicated. Every top and every base is individual and unique, built with a focus on quality craftsmanship rather than quantity.

In closing George shared, “I enjoy what I do and look forward to waking up each morning. I can’t live a life any better than this.”

Stop by to meet George and see his beautiful, handmade furniture at the Adams Ranch Annual Bull and Heifer Sale, Thursday, November 7th beginning at 11:00am.

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Please Play Outside By Mike Ward, RV Life

he problem parents had when I was a kid was not in persuading us to go outdoors, but trying to get us to come back inside.

“It’s time for dinner,” a mother would scream from a porch for the third or fourth time, and reluctant children would trudge back home.

where she acquired her love of hunting, nature and antiques. Her interest in hunting came from her father, who used his skill as a hunter to feed his family. Her interest in the pioneer way of life came from a neighboring couple that dressed in old-fashioned clothes and lacked running water in their house.

Today, many children are so fixated on playing indoors with electronic gadgets that it takes a national effort to lure them out of the house. First Lady Michelle Obama has an initiative called “Let’s Move Outside!” to encourage children to become active outdoors, and in June we have both a Great Outdoors Month and a National Get Outdoors Day to draw children outside and to persuade families to go camping.

These national efforts are worthy, but engaging children with the outdoors requires a personal approach, and that’s why I admire the efforts of Gina Sauber, who lives near West Palm Beach, Florida, and has created a project called “A Time Remembered.”

Dressed as a pioneer woman, she takes an old restored Shasta travel trailer to schools and outdoor events to show children her collection of old cookware, animal hides, and children’s toys from previous generations. Her goal is to acquaint children with nature and show them how life used to be lived. Gina is a 49-year-old mother of two sons, William, 25, and David, 17. She grew up on a 250-acre farm in Wisconsin,

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Gina moved to Florida with her family in the late 1970s. She didn’t do much camping as a child, but the year she turned 20 she traveled across the country with her husband-to-be in a 27-foot Winnebago motorhome. “I saw every landmark you could imagine,” she said. “It was the trip of a lifetime.” November 2013

She didn’t have the opportunity to continue RVing after that, and the marriage didn’t last either, but her fascination with history and the outdoors remained. In 2002 she became a volunteer at Yesteryear Village, a 10-acre history park at the

Repairing the 14-foot Shasta was difficult and timeconsuming. Gina hired a carpenter briefly but wound up doing most of the work herself, with support from family and friends. She credits her success to “the power of the Home Depot.” She became a regular there, seeking materials and advice, and learned to do everything from wiring and insulation to paneling and flooring. She received donations and sponsorships to support the effort. That included a complete paint job from Murphy’s Paint and Body, and two awnings from Sunshine Aluminum, both in West Palm Beach, and antique heart pine flooring from Goodwin Heart Pine of Micanopy, Florida. Work on the trailer was completed in May of last year and since then Gina has taken it to schools and events. She has filled it with such things as a washboard and homemade soap, rag doll, wooden rocking horse, lantern, lots of animal hides, and just enough creepy stuff, like the head of an alligator, to fascinate youngsters.

South Florida fairgrounds. The village depicts life before 1945. It includes a shack that was used by cowboys and hunters, and part of that exhibit is a campfire. Gina said she constantly heard children look at the exhibit and ask, “Is that a real campfire?”

That demonstrated to Gina how disconnected some children have become from what is real, and so she saw a need to educate them. In 2010, she found a dilapidated Shasta travel trailer that she obtained for free and set out to restore it for her educational project. “I had no idea the amount of work that would be involved because I had no clue,” she said.

“Everywhere I go it is really well received,” Gina said. “The children walk inside and usually say, “wow” and ask if everything is real. I am excited to have created such a unique experience.”

I don’t know Gina well, but from our phone conversations and e-mail correspondence I would say she is unconventional, if not eccentric. Or maybe it’s just that it’s foreign to my experience when Gina tells me how she started hunting again in 2003 “and got two wild boar hogs with one shot, then a bobcat. We ate the bobcat and a coyote I got the next year after cooking it in a Dutch oven…” Gina explained that she follows the pioneer tradition of making use of every part of an animal that is hunted and killed.

I think I’ll pass on coyote meat, but Gina’s passion for the outdoors is admirable and her desire to acquaint children with their heritage deserves to be encouraged. You can learn more about her project by going to her page at facebook.com/AtimeRemembered.

Gina is sponsored by Murphy’s Paint and Body, DuPont Paint, Sunshine Aluminum, Goodwin Heart Pine, Everglades Farm Equipment, Sebring Custom Tanning, The Sportsman’s Guide, ThermaCELL, CoMan Caulking and Waterproofing Inc., Syfrett Feed Company, To The Woods Guide Service, Gator Gun and Archery and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Coker. November 2013

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NU-HOPE Elder Care Services

2nd Annual Fun Shoot By Ron Lambert

We here at Heartland Magazine would like to take an opportunity to raise community awareness about a local nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing assistance to the elderly folks in our area. I am referring to NU-HOPE Elder Care Services, Inc., the number one advocate for the aging in Highlands and Hardee counties. Currently, NU-HOPE assists over 800 of our communitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; elderly. That being said, I would remind each of you that these people are not a list of names on a computer file somewhere but are living, breathing human beings who are in need of assistance to maintain a quality of life that they deserve. Providing this service requires additional funds to match grant funds and maintain the current level of service. On Saturday, October 12, NU-HOPE hosted their 2nd Annual Fun Shoot: Shooting for Seniors at Square One Sporting Clays on State Road 70. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this year and I can see from the reports that I missed out on an enjoyable day and a great meal. Altogether, 83 shooters came out to test their skill on those pesky little targets and when the dust cleared, the 3-man team of Dirk Kruzan, Tommy

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Greenwood and Rod Dilling were high scoring with an average score of 86.66. They came in with the team name the Jokers. I guess they weren’t kidding! The high scoring woman was Cathy Oxer with 40 broken. The high scoring man was John Lee with 84 in the bag and the high scoring youth was Talon Youngman with an impressive 74. Good work, all of you who took part in this very worthwhile event. Boom Booms Guns and Ammo from Sebring sponsored the gun raffle. This company provided a beautiful Mossberg Silver Reserve Over/Under 12 gauge that was won by Robbie Causey and a Springfield Armory XDS-9 with some auxiliary gear that was claimed by Buck Christian. There were also some nice miscellaneous items provided by various Heartland businesses that made a number of people glad that they came out.

K. Michael Knox Accounting, Taxes, Consulting

863-465-1124

mknox@caladiums.com 45 years professional experience Comprehensive and expert Tax Services Serving All of Highlands County • Okeechobee • Wauchula • Clewiston •

Former Tax Supervisor of Large International Certified Public Accounting Firm

This year’s Title Sponsor was Mosiac once again and the Diamond Sponsor was CF Industries. Lykes Brothers sponsored a terrific lunch that included NY Strip Steak, shrimp, swamp cabbage, green beans, white potatoes and rolls. The Green Bird sponsor was MIDFLORIDA. I would like to thank each and every one who had a part in making this year’s event a success. I also want to thank all the folks at NU-HOPE who not only worked to put Saturday’s shoot on, but also throughout the year to help our elderly maintain a higher quality of life. Please plan to attend and support next year’s fundraiser.

Plan also to take part in a Turkey Shoot to be held on November16 at BOOM BOOMS GUNS and AMMO, 330 US Hwy 27 N, Sebring.

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“12 Days ‘til Christmas”

Getaway Giveaway Provides Chance to Win $12,000 in Vacation Prizes With the holiday season approaching, stress levels start to rise. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the holiday craze, but the Girls Getaway Guide has a way to give back (especially to women) and help remind them how important it is to spend quality time with friends and family.

The Getaway Girl® Casey Wohl has launched her Seventh Annual “12 Days ‘til Christmas” holiday promotion. In an effort to help beat the holiday madness, The Getaway Girl® will host a countdown to the big day. Women (and men) everywhere can visit the Girls Getaway Guide online at www.GirlsGetawayGuide.net to sign up for nearly $12,000 in fabulous travel vacations, which are sure to provide welcome holiday cheer during this stressful time of year. The promotion officially started on Oct. 1 with an open online entry form, and prizes will be given away Dec. 2-20. On each of the days leading up to Christmas, a terrific Girls Getaway Guide vacation prize will be awarded to a lucky winner. Prizes include trips to Cancun, Portugal, the Bahamas, Aruba, Puerto Vallarta, Niagara Falls, Mall of America, Orlando, Florida Keys, Eleuthera, and Florida’s Emerald Coast.

Casey Wohl, also known as The Getaway Girl®, is passionate about two things: her girlfriends and traveling the world. By combining these two loves, Wohl created and launched a unique and helpful city-specific blog and travel guide book series for women worldwide called the Girls Getaway Guide. After a devastating divorce and getting fired from her job, Wohl found solace in traveling with her girlfriends and realized an unfilled niche in the travel industry as no one was writing city-specific travel information for women. Many travel experts talk about how, when and where to travel. Because travel changed her life, Wohl has the unique

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capability of also talking about the “why” of travel, which makes her travel correspondence so relevant.

This year, prizes have been donated by: Palace Resorts; Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa; Hawks Cay Resort; Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel; Eleuthera Vacation Rentals; CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa; Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa; Gaylord Palms Resort; Bimini Sands Resort & Marina; Orlando Premium Outlets; Rosen Shingle Creek; Country Inn & Suites and Rosen Centre Hotel.

Wohl is the Travel Correspondent for the nationallysyndicated TV show, Daytime. She has also been featured on radio and television programs CBS Radio, Better TV, The Daily Buzz, NPR, and numerous blogs. Her topics cover everything travel, from holiday travel to pet travel to girlfriend getaways. Wohl has received print and online media coverage on nearly 80 national news sites and publications, such as Woman’s Day, Parenting, FOXNews.com, Huffington Post, Time.com, Hotelier Magazine and Frommers.com. For more information and to enter to win, visit www. GirlsGetawayGuide.net.

November 2013

AG CALENDAR November 1st 14th Annual American Indian Arts Celebration, Clewiston Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum Big Cypress Reservation 877-902-1113

November 9th “A Taste of Mixon’s” 11am-3pm, Mixon Fruit Farms www.mixon.com November 9th Craft Fair in the Woods Freedom Ranch, Okeechobee County For more info, Contact Pam halesjp@ yahoo.com

November 2nd Salute to Veteran’s Cracker Trail Museum 10a-2p Pioneer Park Zolfo Springs 863-735-0330

November 17th National Farm Joke Day November 20th Concert In The Grove 6pm-9pm Featuring Yesterdaze 70’s Music Mixon’s Farm www.mixon.com November 23rd Desoto County Ag Fest 2013 Turner Agri-Civic Center, Arcadia 863-993-4807

November 2nd 47th Annual Highlands Fine Arts & Crafts Festival, Sebring 863-385-5312 November 2nd-3RD Buckler’s Art & Craft Fair 10am-5pm, Lee Civic Center Fort Myers 386-860-0092 November 2nd-3RD Downtown Venice Art Festival 10am-5pm, Venice 561-746-6615

November 11th Veteran’s Day

November 6th Florida Ag Expo 7:30am – 4pm, Wimauma UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research & Education Center 813-643-0000 November 7th Adams Ranch 35th Annual Bull & Heifer Sale, Fort Pierce 772-461-6321

November 13th World Kindness Day November 15th FSA Deadline for Acreage Reporting Okeechobee County Cattlemen’s Assoc. acolgan24@gmail.com November 15th Ag Fest Banquet Honoring legends of our past 6pm Turner Agri-Civic Center Arcadia 863-993-4807

November 7th Hardee County Farm Ag Fest Cattlemen’s Arena November 8th 3rd Annual Black & White Bull Sale 1pm, Arcadia Stockyard 863-990-7740 November 8th-9th 2013 Taste of Manatee Starts 11am, Bradenton Riverwalk www.tasteofmanatee.com

November 23rd Florida FFA Run-A-Muck, 5K & Mud 9am- Run, Florida FFA Leadership Training Center, Haines City www.floridacattlemen.org November 23rd Fall Garden Festival Heathcote Botanical Gardens 9am – 4pm, Fort Pierce www.heathcotebotanicalgardens.org November 23rd-24th Harvest Festival 9am-5pm, Mixon Farms Bradenton

Happy Thanksgiving

November 16th Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce Parkside Festival 10am-7pm, Port Charlotte 941-627-2222

November 28th Thanksgiving Day

November 16th NU-HOPE Elder Care Services Turkey Shoot 10am, Boom Boom Guns and Ammo, Sebring. For more info, 863-381-2134, MurphyL@nuhope.org

December 7th Wauchula Garden Club Arts and Crafts Show 9am – 3pm, Wauchula Lynn Hebert 863-735-0208

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

November 2013

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Heartland’s Growing Businesses

ENCHREST SHOOTERS SUPPLY 863-735-0979

ALLEN WIDENER 5276 JOHNSTON RD. ZOLFO SPRINGS, FL 33890 Benchrest Shooters Supply BC.indd 1

12/16/11 9:55 AM

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100 Target Fun Shoot - Dec 14, 2013 • 8:30am

Held at Quail Creek Plantation PLANTATION

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