October14 by Heartland Magazine

OCT 2014

FIRE AND BLOOD:

The Rise of American Sugarcane

K now s C it rus Beyond Microbes … Changing Outcomes in Citrus o

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813 . 719 . 7284 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

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OCT 2014

Departments 18

SW Florida Gulf Coast Fishing Report By Capt. Chris O’Neill

Heartland’s Fishing Report By Capt. Mark King

Citrus Update: Current Events in the Grove By Justin Smith

Syrup Time

October Features 34

Fire and Blood: The Rise of American Sugarcane

By Ron Lambert

By Taylor Dupree Brewington

The United States Sugar Corporation

Frierson Farms “Raisin’ Cane”

Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida

Raising Cane in Florida By Butch Wilson, Clewiston Museum

Recipe of the Month: Hawaiian Burgers By Hendry County Cattlemen’s Association

A Series on Florida Literature: The Desoto Chronicles By Brady Vogt

By Robbi Sumner

Florida Farming:

Travel Feature: Haunted Hotels By Getaway Girl Casey Wohl

Happenings in the Heartland

Kelly Tractor Prepares for Another Farming Season By Cindy Cutright

Okeechobee Hosts Fall PRCA Rodeo Article and Photos By Kathy Gregg

Glades County 4-H Archery Shoot

FFA Spotlight: Florida FFA State President Brandon McKee By Robbi Sumner

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Next Month: Florida Farm Bureau October 2014

Publisher Rhonda Glisson Rhonda@heartlanditf.com Karen Berry

Editor’s Note

Executive Editor

The sweet beginnings of sugarcane date back to almost 300 BC when the Greek King Alexander the Great saw the crop growing wildly in India. Over many centuries, several lands and plenty of hard work, the crop has now found its place as a stronghold of Florida agriculture and a part of our everyday diets.

Business Manager Nadine Glisson

This month, our cover story titled Fire and Blood: The Rise of American Sugarcane, shares a historical account of what has come to be one of the leading crops in our Heartland area. Read the story starting on page 34.

Art Directors Carrie Evans Olivia Fryer Staff Writers Ron Lambert Levi Lambert Brian Norris Kyndall Robertson

Throughout the magazine, we have included ‘Did you Know?’ sections featuring interesting facts and Q & A’s about Florida sugarcane. Take a look and you may learn something new; I know I did! Back in November 2012, Heartland readers were introduced to Ardis Hammock. While preparing this issue, someone told me Ardis has “sugar running through her blood”. Given her passionate dedication to the industry, we wanted to take this opportunity to catch up with Ardis and her family. Enjoy reading more about Raisin’ Cane with Frierson Farms on page 44. In putting together this issue, we were so thankful for the contributions of several people in the industry. To Judy Sanchez with US Sugar; Les Baucum, the UF/IFAS Regional Sugarcane Extension Agent; Butch Wilson with the Clewiston Museum and many others, we are so appreciative of your wealth of knowledge to make this issue one of our best yet! If after reading this issue you want to learn even more about Clewiston Chamber of Commerce! The chamber facilitates

Contributing Writers Audra Clemons Laurie Hurner

As always, we love to hear from our readers and if you have a story idea or an event you think we should be covering, please let us know! E-mail me at morgan@heartlanditf.com or give me a call 863-381-8014. Take a seat in your rocker, add a spoonful of sugar to your tea and we hope you enjoy the magazine!

Brenda Valentine Matt Warren Butch Wilson

We’ll see y’all In the Field,

Casey Wohl Social Media Director Brian Norris Photography

Russell Hancock Nell McAuley Brian Norris

Heartland in the Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local businesses, restaurants and other local venues within Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Okeechobee, Lee, Manatee and St. Lucie Counties. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to Heartland In the Field Magazine, P.O. Box 3183 Plant City, FL. 33563 or you are welcome to e-mail them to Rhonda@heartlanditf.com or call 813-708-3661. Advertisers warrant & represent the description of their products advertised are true in all respects. Heartland In the Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by their advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of G Five Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in Heartland In the Field Magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications and G Five. All contents Copyright 2014. No part of this work may be copied, transmitted, reproduced or reprinted without the express written consent of the publisher. Annual subscriptions to receive Heartland A Way of Life at your home or business is $25 annually. For advertising, subscriptions or editorial questions please call 813-708-3661 or email morgan@heartlanditf.com. Heartland® A Way Of Life In The Field publication has been in print since 2008.

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October 2014

Is Your Current Lender Nickel & Diming You to Death?

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Index of Advertisers 5

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October 2014

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CHARLOTTE/DESOTO COUNTY

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OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President…………....Jim Selph Vice President……….Jeffrey Adams Sec./Treasurer...... Matt Harrison

President……David B. Royal Vice President…Greg L. Shackelford Sec./Treasurer……..Bo Rich

DIRECTORS FOR 2013-2014 Jim Brewer John Burtscher Mike Carter Steve Fussell

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

Bryan K. Beswick Ken Harrison

DIRECTORS FOR 2013-2014 Joseph B. Cherry Corey Lambert Daniel H. Smith

Steve A. Johnson Bill Hodge David B. Royal

Greg L. Shackelford Bo Rich Scott Henderson

Mary Jo Spicer

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FARM BUREAU INSURANCE.SPECIAL AGENTS

Agency Manager: Cameron N. Jolly Agents: Dawn A. Hines, Clint Brown

Agency Manager: N. Jay Bryan Agents: George L. Wadsworth, Jr.

HIGHLANDS COUNTY

MANATEE COUNTY

FARM BUREAU 6419 US HIGHWAY 27 S. • SEBRING, FL 33876 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 863. 385. 5141 • Fax: 863. 385. 5356 www.highlandsfarmbureau.com OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President………Scott Kirouac Vice President…Doug Miller Secretary………..Carey Howerton Treasurer……..Frank Youngman

DIRECTORS FOR 2013-2014 Sam Bronson Steve Farr Charles Guerndt

Mike Milicevic Emma Reynolds

Trey Whitehurst Jeff Williams Marty Wohl

FARM BUREAU 5620 TARA BLVD, STE 101 • BRADENTON, FL 34203 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 941-746-6161 • 941-739-7846 : www.manateecountyfarmbureau.org OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President……Gary Reeder Vice President…Jim Parks Secretary……..Ben King Treasurer……..Robert Zeliff

DIRECTORS FOR 2013-2014 Carlos Blanco Gary Bradshaw Jerry Dakin Ralph Garrison

Ken Hawkins Alan Jones Vick Keen Bruce Shackelford

Jim Strickland Hugh Taylor Dan West

Janet Menges

Christie Hinson

FARM BUREAU INSURANCE.SPECIAL AGENTS

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

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 863. 773. 3117 Fax: 863. 773. 2369

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

October 2014

Fresh From Florida: Nurturing Success. Growing the Future.

B&W Quality Growers Richard and Steven Burgoon Fresh From Florida Members since 2001. “For five generations and over 140 years our family has specialized in growing premium quality fresh and flavorful watercress and baby leaf specialties.” “We are proud members of Fresh From Florida and salute their ongoing efforts to help Florida’s farmers bring fresh and healthy foods to the Americas and beyond.”

For more information on member benefits visit FreshFromFlorida.com or call (850) 617-7399.

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October 2014

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Presented by: The South Florida Beef Forage Program

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October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

State Land Purchase Amendment Merits Close Attention By G.B. Crawford

Florida Farm Bureau Reprinted from FloridAgriculture magazine, a Florida Farm Bureau publication Abraham Lincoln once described the process for resolving public issues: “every right thinking man shall go to the polls and, without fear or prejudice, vote as he thinks.” But Lincoln also recognized that at times, uncertainty can shadow citizens as they perform their civic duty. A proposed Land and Water Amendment listed on Florida’s general election ballot this fall might present one of those occasions. Known as Amendment 1, the proposal contains a bold new plan for state purchases of land. Voters must decide whether to place it within the state Constitution. If adopted, the amendment would redirect one-third of the state’s documentary stamp tax revenue toward land purchases for 20 years. Funding for this purpose would be earmarked without requiring annual review and budget appropriations by the Legislature. The documentary stamp tax is transferred into the state’s general fund, supporting a range of vital government services. Florida’s Constitution mandates a balanced budget each year. If the amendment is adopted, the Legislature would likely have to replace the lost revenue with additional tax income. According to a report issued by the Legislature’s Fiscal Impact Estimating Conference, the amendment would take

He noted that state purchase of land for conservation is not a novel idea. This strategy has been a state policy since the 1970s. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, government agencies currently own 30 percent of Florida’s total land area. Since 2009 legislative funding for land acquisition has declined substantially. Graham said citizens should consider the amendment’s purpose in evaluating its potential impact

water supply overwhelms whatever our loss in property taxes becomes by taking this property from private use into public ownership,” he asserted. Conservation experts agree that an outright purchase is measurable objective. The establishment of a public park or a recreational area, for example, requires government ownership. But government purchases do not always include clearly Kent Messer, director of the University of Delaware’s Laboratory for Experimental and Applied Economics, has evaluated numerous conservation programs across the nation. “There are ways of providing good metrics to say, this is what you are trying to achieve and knowing whether or not you have achieved it,” Messer said.

estimated to be $19 billion in state tax dollars. The report’s authors point out that although the amendment would not in itself raise taxes, its effects on the state budget as well as county tax revenues “cannot be determined.” Proponents argue that losses in tax revenue are outweighed by the need for conservation. Former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, a leading spokesman for the amendment, said, “the much bigger issue is: will we have a volume of fresh water to sustain our agricultural industry and our people as the state doubles in population over the next century?”

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

“Often the economics component is missed in my observation of programs in Florida and elsewhere,” he added. “Programs for conservation, but they fail to recognize the need to do so at a good cost.” Another effective conservation strategy involves the use of a legally binding easement. This method offers an alternative option for protecting land and water resources without saddling the government with the expense and responsibility of managing them. Under a conservation easement, a government agency pays the landowner a portion of a tract’s October 2014

market value in return for which the proprietor maintains the property as undeveloped acreage. Joe Collins, vice president of Lykes Bros. Inc., a diverse Florida agricultural enterprise, has found advantages and disadvantages with both approaches. Lykes Bros. owns several parcels of land under conservation easements. “A core piece of habitat, for example, may need to be in public ownership,” Collins explained. “The surrounding areas may lend themselves to conservation easement, so the burden of the long-term operating and maintenance cost will continue to be borne by the landowner,” not the taxpayers. By contrast, public agencies that buy land “do not always have a budgetary commitment for the long-term maintenance of the property,” Collins said. “And that property has sometimes become overgrown with exotic and invasive vegetation.”

Thank You... To Highlands County Farm Bureu’s Heritage Sponsors

of what conservation results Amendment 1 might achieve. As tools “is not one hundred percent, but most things are not one hundred percent.” The indeterminate aspects of the proposal have concerned many farm families. They worry about the distribution of water under the proposal. Farmers’ access to water is already restricted. If additional restrictions are applied in the future, collapse. Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick said, “The amendment offers no guarantee that water will be available for agricultural production in the years ahead.” He also warned that the amendment will inevitably cost Florida taxpayers – through the price of buying the land, the expense of managing it and the loss of property tax revenue. “Even though we cannot predict its complete effects on the state budget, we know the proposal will indeed have an impact,” Hoblick said. “Everyone should think about this danger.”

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SW FLORIDA GULF COAST

FISHING REPORT

By Captain Chris O’Neill

full swing. I like to call this month “Fishtoberfest”, with inshore and

year. It’s not uncommon to encounter beaches, monster snook on the inshore as they prepare for the winter slowdown, jacks, spanish mackerel and a host of other species to target. By far, this is my favorite month to get a line wet.

begin with deploying my new favorite weapon for catching bait. Last year I began using M80 Supercharged Chum and it has made a world of difference. This game changing product has reduced my chumming/bait catching time down requires less storage space and gets the job done faster than any other bait catching product I’ve used. Now that the livewell is full of frisky pilchards, it’s time to hit With the cooling water temps, expect to are working sand holes and grassy areas close to mangrove shorelines, troughs, passes and creek mouths. This is the ideal situation to deploy “chum baits” to locate take a baitnet full of white bait, slightly crush them and toss out into the area around your vessel. It won’t take long to get a feeding frenzy going and casting out

lure anglers, this month is exceptional for like the 4” silver mullet colored Bomber Saltwater Grade Badonkadonk (low pitch version) and Heddon’s One Knocker Spook in bone color are my go-to plugs of choice

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

of fun right now. On slick calm days it pays to cover some water. Keeping your eyes open (aka birds) and they will lead you to the schooling mayhem. It’s like clockwork in October along the gulf coast. If you are it’s truly a magical sight because these schools look like an island of orange submarines milling will eagerly devour larger rugged topwater plugs (mentioned above), and upsizing your gear is a must. others I deploy PENN’s new 5500 30lb Invisi braid, mounted on a sturdy 7’6” PENN Battle rod. This deadly combo is versatile, waterproof and can deal with the Gulf’s toughest predators.

Captain Chris O’Neill

is a

Offshore anglers can expect a solid month grouper will be found 20+ miles from bottom and working knocker-style rigs armed with cut sardines on a circle hook will get you hooked up quickly. Keep your eyes out and have a rod rigged for patrolling cobia, permit and others above reefs. Booking a charter this time of year is a great opportunity to spend the day “catching”. My company offers inshore and nearshore charters with a team of world-class guides to satisfy your private

October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

HEARTLAND’S

FISHING REPORT Captian Mark King

ctober is here on Lake Okeechobee and it has been hot and rainy September. The bass are biting pretty good and as the air and water cools, it will only get better. With the water level still around fourteen and a half feet above everywhere from out in open water to everywhere, but they are scattered. The morning bite is still the deal if you want to catch them and as the day goes on, the bite slows down some but the cooler weather will help that last all day. I have been throwing Gambler EZ Swimmers across the top of the pepper grass patches and around reed heads on the shoal to start the day and then move out to some of the offshore grass patches and do the same till the sun gets up high in the sky. Then I move back in the grass and start pitching a Gambler Why Not to the reed heads and thicker cover. I have been pitching the Why Not with a ½ ounce weight and it seems to be just the right size for now to get through any grass and thicker vegetation. While crankbait, jerkbait and topwater lure rigged for when you see bass come up chasing bait. This can be some great action, but usually does not last too long.

found it yet. We haven’t had much wind

growing almost everywhere on the lake great starting point. You will be able to tell the better pepper grass patches by the bass chasing bait around in them. Our season will be here in about a month here on Lake Okeechobee for some of the need it to start cooling off a little bit. I look for this fall, winter and spring to be even

Captain Mark King is a full time

Okeechobee has been on your bucket list, then now is the time to make it happen. You will want to book a trip early as the always try and accommodate everyone if I can. I will also be booking hog hunting trips affordable price for the whole family. We can set you up to hunt in the morning and for you.

shoal, West Wall, Cross Island, around the lake end of Uncle Joe’s Cut, the Football Field and the rim canal with good success on any given day. The pepper grass patches are

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

I am looking forward to a great season and some new ones. Good luck, tight lines and I hope to see everyone on the water soon.

October 2014

SEEDWAY KNOWLEDGE you can trust

October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

The Ammo Boom By Brian Norris

he past few years have been record breaking for gun and ammo manufacturers. In the wake of school shootings, talks of gun control and doomsday prepping, Americans

country. According to Jonathan Remick, of Gunsmoke Guns and Ammo in Avon Park, 2013 was the local shop’s busiest year. He said, “Ammo manufacturers went from producing one million rounds of ammunition per week, to seven million rounds per week in order to keep up with the demand.” Even at that rate of production, there was an ammo shortage across the country, sending prices through the roof. Remick said, “It’s basic supply and demand. The price of ammo went up due to the high demand and the manufacturer’s inability to keep up, even with the factories working twenty-four-seven”. The most popular ammunition by far has been .22cal. The cost of a 50 round box is between $15 and $20 dollars compared to a 500 round box for about the same price in 2012. The second most popular caliber has been .380 according to Remick.

the weather starts to cool off and as the holidays approach, the sales are going to pick up again.” Remick recommends that anyone purchasing a gun take a gun safety class. These classes go over the basic gun functions and especially gun safety. They also offer concealed weapons classes that also spiked in 2013. He says that their classes at Gunsmoke went from six to eight people a class on average to twelve. Remick says the biggest increase in attendees was in women. “Prior to 2013, we may have had two or three women in a class. In 2013 the majority of our students were women.” Remick also suggests that a person interested in a certain gun should shoot it prior to purchasing. He says that a gun may feel good in the hand, but it may not be comfortable to shoot. Most ranges have a large selection of guns to rent, giving a going to react and feel when shot. Gunsmoke is a Sig Sauer dealer, which allows them to get any model directly from the factory. They sell practically every make and model and can order in just about anything if they do not have it in stock. If you are interested in taking a gun safety class or a concealed weapons class, contact Gunsmoke to get more information. They are located at 917 W. Main Street Avon Park, FL 33825. Call them at 863-784-0402 or you can visit the store online at www.gunsmokeonline.com

With all that being said, Remick says the demand is slowing down and the prices are following. He says some calibers such as .223 are close to the price they were before the boom. He also says that the summer is the perfect time to buy a gun or ammunition. “With the weather being so hot, most people aren’t really thinking about going outside and shooting. When

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

by Justin Smith By Justin Smith

Current Events in the Grove The Florida Citrus Industry has had quite a lot happening in the last month or two. From getting a new super hero to new Farm Bill sponsored programs, a lot of folks looking out for the wellbeing of the Industry.

How many other commodities grown throughout the by Marvel Comics? For several years Captain Citrus has made appearances in Central Florida schools promoting both reading and the healthy choice of drinking orange juice. Last month however, the Captain underwent a major transformation. His depiction had historically been that of a giant orange with a cape. Now, after being in the hands of Marvel, Captain Citrus is in the category of Iron Man, Captain America and the Hulk. Not only has he changed from a mild mannered piece of fruit to a human, he is also muscle bound with super powers. He has a towering height and a chiseled jaw, just to name a few of the remarkable features. All of which to show off what starting a day out with a glass of orange juice can do for a body. The new Captain Citrus will be promoted with his very own comic book, available in select boxes of the newly released Captain America, The Winter Soldier DVD. There are also possibilities Captain Citrus will be seen alongside other Marvel Super Heroes in upcoming months.

hero is enough to give anyone hope. After all, what do these heroes inspire as their very being? Although the Captainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary job will still be to promote and encourage orange juice consumption, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also very comforting to know he is out there looking out for the grower.

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Back in the real world, growers got some more good news in the form of Federal funding for tree replacement. As part of the 2014 Farm Bill, the USDA has been funded to help growers with the cost of tree removal, site preparation and replanting costs due to losses by greening. This program may be just what many need to help stay in business. October 2014

solution to the HLB dilemma. However, it is also recognized that in the meantime farmers need help just staying threshold in the ground, it will assure the industry’s survival through the storm. This has become an apparent need over the last couple of years as the total tree acreage dramatically declined. For more information on the Tree Assistance

Finally, growers also found out the National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS) will be developing another crop forecast in November, beginning this year. The NASS always releases a crop forecast in early to mid-October for all major U.S. commodities, including citrus. But, since Florida Citrus has begun experiencing major late season drops it was decided another estimate should be conducted slightly closer to harvesting time. This “second estimate” should allow for a more accurate percentage of dropped oranges and thereby a more precise total for harvesting. It is obvious there is a lot going on for Florida Citrus. The government, growers and even super humans are all doing their part in making sure the industry stays viable over the

October 2014

long haul. After so many problems and constant bad news, some of the more recent events have been very uplifting. With a little luck and even more hard work, hopefully the industry has come through most of the worst and the long climb back up has begun. Whatever the future holds, one thing is for sure; there are many working to make the best of it. Make sure to keep an eye out and just maybe you will get a glimpse of Captain Citrus as he is battling greening and keeping everyone’s glass full.

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USDA Announces Additional Support for Citrus Growers Impacted by HLB Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. assistance available to eligible Florida citrus growers for the known as citrus greening) and for replanting groves with new healthy stock. The support comes through USDA’s Tree Assistance Program. “USDA is investing in research and a variety of strategies to combat citrus greening over the long-term. In the meantime though, this support will help ensure growers are not wiped out in the short-term,” Vilsack said. “We must ensure that Florida’s citrus industry can weather this storm while a more permanent solution to this problem is developed. The key to the citrus industry’s survival is getting new trees in the ground, and we’re doing everything we can to help with that.” Through the Tree Assistance Program, USDA is providing Florida, the area of highest immediate need, with additional support to combat HLB. Other citrus-growing states could be eligible for similar support in the future. Florida’s citrus industry contributes $9 billion per year to the state’s economy and supports about 76,000 jobs. In the 2012-

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2013 growing season, the U.S. citrus crop was worth $3.15 billion, down 15 percent from the previous year. The value of the Florida citrus crop was $1.53 billion in the 2012-2013 growing season. Florida accounted for 63 percent of all U.S. citrus production. HLB is a bacterial disease that spreads internally throughout the plant. The disease, which is transmitted from infected plants to healthy ones by the Asian citrus psyllid, causes fruit to ripen unevenly and become lopsided, visibly smaller and bitter tasting. The bacteria do not pose a health threat to humans, livestock or pets, but the effect on the fruit crop is devastating. Because HLB damages and then kills citrus trees over time, USDA has expanded the Tree Assistance Program to allow Florida producers to remove and replace trees as they decline. Previously, to receive program assistance, all citrus tree deaths had to occur in one year. Now, farmers can receive support as trees decline/die over a period of up to six years. Florida citrus growers will be eligible for up to 50 percent of the cost of the removal of diseased trees and site preparation, 65 percent of the cost of replanting and labor, and 65 percent of the cost of seedlings. Losses must have occurred on or after Oct. 1, 2011, and individual stands must have sustained October 2014

a mortality loss of 15 percent after adjustment for normal mortality. Trees that are no longer commercially viable may be considered to have met mortality. Growers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center for information on the types of records needed before applying, and to schedule an appointment. Supporting documents may include purchase receipts for eligible trees, planting and production records and documentation of labor and equipment used to plant or remove eligible trees. No person or legal entity, except joint ventures or general partnerships, may receive more than $125,000 in assistance. Individuals or entities with average gross income exceeding $900,000 are ineligible for payment. Applications approved after Sept. 30, 2014, are subject to a payment reduction of 7.3 percent as required by the Budget Control Act passed by Congress in 2011. Other restrictions may apply. Earlier this year, USDA announced $25 million in funding for research and cooperative extension service projects to combat HLB. The funding comes from the 2014 Farm Bill. USDA allocated another $6.5 million, for a total of $31.5 million, to several other projects through the Huanglongbing MultiAgency Coordination Group (HLB MAC). Participating HLB MAC Group organizations include USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Agricultural Research Service, and National Institute of Food and Agriculture, as well as state departments of agriculture and industry groups. The HLB MAC Group helps to coordinate and prioritize federal research with unnecessary duplication, speed progress, and more quickly provide practical tools for citrus growers to use. The HLB MAC continues to coordinate federal research with the industry’s efforts. USDA signed cooperative agreements

reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for ruralmade products and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

groves, increased production of promising biological control agents and training dogs to detect HLB. Additionally, over 50 projects were submitted for up to $8 million through the HLB MAC stakeholder suggestion portal, and USDA will begin announcing recipients this fall. These HLB MAC-funded projects will provide practical tools and solutions to citrus growers, especially those planting new trees through USDA’s Tree Assistance Program. For more information, producers may review the Tree Assistance Program fact sheet at www.fsa.usda.gov/factsheets pYV3. The Tree Assistance Program, administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), was made possible through the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic economic gains in rural October 2014

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October 2014

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October 2014

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FLORIDA FARMING By Ron Lambert

Syrup Time

n light of this month’s feature of Florida’s sugar cane industry, I thought that I would like to share some memories I personally can recall about the process of making cane syrup, a tasty sweetener specially created to make a plate of biscuits disappear! I mean to tell you, store bought syrup is not even close to real homemade cane syrup. By the time I got old enough to pay attention, those men who had the skill to boil a kettle of cane juice down till it was just the right color and thickness to make a quality syrup were few in number. They were for the most part just carrying on a tradition that they were a part of from their youth. Not all families had a cane mill of

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their own; in fact, not even one farm in twenty may have owned a mill. However, most small farms grew a patch of cane that they would cut and haul to the nearest mill to have it ground and boiled down to syrup on some form of a share agreement. The importance of cane syrup as a cash product was substantial in our forefather’s time. People would gather at the neighbors who had a cane mill to help out with the harvest, grinding and tending the kettle till the job was done. My grandfather wrote in his dairy around the fall of 1934 that he had helped a Mr. Williams with his

October 2014

syrup making and that his pay was 30 gallons of syrup that month. So, it’s clear that syrup was a very valuable product in that day and age.

built an evaporator pan to run the juice through and when it reached the outlet, it was then a very nice grade of cane syrup. As I said, he built it himself and it worked like this.

juice quickly reached a boiling point and water was turned syrup was collected, cooled and bottled. He sold it direct to customers as well as through some small grocery stores and local fruit stands. Unfortunately, there are no known photos of Uncle Jack’s syrup making process. The historical heritage here is slowly fading away into faraway memory.

In theory, rendering cane juice into syrup simply requires one to boil the juice till it thickens to the desired consistency. In fact, there is an art to observing and monitoring the granulate over time. The syrup maker would dip up a cup or so of the boiling liquid and pour it back into the pot while judging with the eyes of years of experience how it looked as it fell. This was no doubt a skill that one acquired from observing others as well as his own attempts over time to improve his technique.

I once knew a man whom I called Uncle Jack. He was a very capable sort, who fell into the class of a Jack-of-all-trades! In his younger years, he worked in and around the sugar mills at Clewiston, building smokestacks for the boilers. He lived out in Oak Grove in western Hardee County and began making syrup at his place in the 1970s. One dramatic

October 2014

One other Hardee County native who made a lot of cane syrup was a cousin to Uncle Jack named Joe Himrod. I spoke to Joe B, as his son is known, and he recalled that his father had made a sugar kettle by hand from copper sheet metal. Over the years, the Himrod family grew a patch of sugar cane and cut it down and brought it to the grinder bottled and sent on its way to meet up with that stack of pancakes or a pan of biscuits. Joe B Himrod furnished these old photographs that provide a pictorial view of his father’s cane grinding and syrup making operation. I remember it well and I think I will make a pan of biscuits tonight!

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FLORIDA SUGAR FARMERS CELEBRATE CONTINUED WATER QUALITY SUCCESS New report demonstrates farmers have surpassed phosphorusreduction goals for another consecutive year The South Florida Water Management District today reported a 63 percent reduction in phosphorus leaving the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) for the most recent water year. The result is more than double the 25 percent annual reduction required by the 1994 Everglades Forever Act, and is the result of on-farm Best Management Practices (BMPs) implemented by sugar farmers in the EAA.

farmlands in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) achieved phosphorus reductions that exceed those required by law,” said an announcement from the South Florida Water Management District. Since the passing of Everglades Forever Act, EAA farmers have averaged a 55 percent reduction in phosphorous as a result of their efforts to improve water quality.

and is the only area that requires each farm to measure and report rainfall, the volume of water leaving each farm and the phosphorus concentration of the water. This requires thousands of laboratory samples every year and the results are without question. The costs associated with on-farm BMPs are funded exclusively by EAA farmers, who have invested more than to BMPs, EAA farmers have contributed $240 million to Everglades restoration projects and are committed to continue their contributions. The 63 percent phosphorus reduction was measured for the 2014 Water Year (May 1, 2013 through April 30, 2014). farmers to make the agricultural BMP program as effective as possible. The chart below shows phosphorous reduction levels for the past 19 years.

“Florida’s sugar farmers are doing their share to protect our ecosystem, and for another consecutive year, the results prove it,” said Brian Hughes, spokesman for Florida Sugar Farmers. “We are proud, not just of this year’s 63 percent reduction, but also of our two-decade track record of being part of the Everglades restoration solution.” Florida sugar farmers use state-of-the-art farming methods, developed in conjunction with university scientists and unparalleled in the United States, to ensure the highest level of environmentally friendly farming.

the US with a mandatory program for phosphorus reduction,

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Where agriculture, technology and innovation meet

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October 2014

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Fire and Blood: The Rise of American Sugarcane By Taylor Dupree Brewington

The burning of sugarcane, a slate smoked Floridian ritual celebration of our ties to agriculture, has long been ingrained as a tradition of the Florida South. Like the process of sugar farming and processing, the history

1930s Sugarcane Harvester, State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

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economy. Though few Americans understand the rich history of sugarcane, a majority of our nation has come to appreciate the sweet crop produced by a dedicated army of agrarian farmers, laborers and sellers. Even fewer understand the ancient nature of the crop and the undeniable providence surrounding its spread from Asia to South Florida. October 2014

accounts of how sugar started as a mysterious grass in the Far East and became a staple of the modern human’s diet, I have attempted to assemble a concise account of what I believe to be the most trustworthy story available.

400-300 BC Though sugar was likely domesticated nearly 10,000 years ago, the history surrounding its cultivation and consumption sugarcane was over 2300 years ago, in the year 326 BC when scouts of famed Greek King Alexander the Great spotted the crop growing wildly in the western region of India. India’s neighbors halted the natural international spread of sugarcane; its borderlands were predominantly sandy, hot regions that were ultimately incapable of sustaining a natural sugarcane crop, so no European had yet tasted the crop. Though Alexander sought to reach the ends of the earth, his weary troops demanded they return home. Upon discovering sugarcane on their homeward retreat, the tired, bewildered scouts compared the crop to honey produced by vegetation; an innovation produced by nature that contested the production of honeybees across mainland Europe and Asia.

500-700 AD In the 6th century, sugarcane began its spread to the eastern reaches of the Neo-Persian Empire as Islamic expeditions spread the cultivation of traditionally Eastern crops into the Global West. This vital spread of agrarian culture outside of the traditionally inhospitable regions surrounding sugarcane’s Indian homeland would prove invaluable to the development of future agricultural endeavors in Europe, South America, the Caribbean and in the United States of America. Muslim armies cultivated the crop in Northern Africa after conquering Egypt, placing the crop near ideal real estate for trade and further foreign cultivation, the Mediterranean Sea. The Islamic expeditions ultimately reached the island of Crete, which would provide a direct route to a Spaniard empire in the early 700 AD era, an empire that would eventually become focused on international colonialism and expeditions across the vast Atlantic Ocean. As a boy, I played outdoors with my friends as Clewiston’s football and soccer underneath the raining ash. When the molasses was processed and separated, its distinct stench baked into our shirts and shin guards. Sugarcane was the foundation of my hometown; providing jobs, sustenance and recognition to a small town that to many was otherwise forgettable. But with an inquisitive mind, I forced myself to ask: where did this crop that punctuated so much of my early I know that the tale of sugar spanned thousands of years, was impacted by major wars and was once the most valuable October 2014

1300-1500 AD Sugarcane’s next major transition came about not through blood, as the Greek and Muslim armies moved it, but through colonial exploration. The sweet crop would go on to join Christopher Columbus and his three ships, the Santa Maria, La Nina and La Pinta, on an expeditionary journey across the rough waters of the Atlantic. This journey allowed sugarcane to become a cultivated crop in the late 1400’s on the island of Hispaniola. This island, which is now known as the Dominican humidity to provide a comparable climate to sugarcane’s homeland. Aided by the hard labor of African slaves, Columbus Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

Domingo became a crucial hub for sugar cane production, enhancing its colonial economy and helping establish its

1700-1800 AD The French eventually arrested colonial control of Hispaniola along with the sugar crop and market of Santo Domingo, but the trade would not operate smoothly. In 1791, increasingly inhumane labor requirements, poor living conditions, and general mistreatment of slaves in Santo Domingo led to a massive revolt that metaphorically (and in some ways literally) burned down Santo Domingo’s reputation as the West’s premier source of sugar. The destabilization of the central sugar market in the region stimulated cane production of Santo Domingo’s neighbors. Jamaica and Cuba in particular became central strongholds of the industry. Consumed predominantly as a luxury good, sugar use amongst the world’s wealthy was beginning to surge. In the late 1700’s, many historians document an increase of sugar consumption between 400 and 500%. The crop, still largely produced on islands like Cuba, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad, became Europe’s most lucrative trade good. Other tropical crops were phased out of cultivation on many of these islands as the colonial industry shifted toward a sugar-only development process.

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Clewiston, 1939, State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

Growers of cane faced an increasing demand as access to sugar opened to the poor and middle class citizens of Europe. Land with minimal geographic barriers and massive amounts of open real estate quickly gained a competitive edge over other islands such as the once-dominant Hispaniola, which was littered with mountains and mired by perpetual slave exhaustive effects of cane farming was essential. By the late 1700’s, cane farming had shifted largely to the island of Cuba. Florida Sugar Though sugar was accessible in Florida after its original introduction in St. Augustine during the 1500’s, a largescale commercial sugar plantation was not founded until the mid 1700’s. With the increasing demand for sugar by October 2014

brand new nation. Sugar slipped out of the collective American mind. The industry was left to thrive in Cuba and Jamaica, fueling an ever-increasing desire for sugar as a commodity as well as a savory treat. Failure struck Florida sugar in the early 1800’s as farmers searched for suitable soil in Northern and Central Florida. The climate was too volatile and the earth underneath the farmers’ feet was far too unsuitable to grow the illustrious crop. Near the end of the century, farmers pioneered even further south give way for a new and expansive cane operation in the territory. As water management technology advanced and agrarians grew increasingly fond of altering terrain to accommodate was actualized. The Everglades, the heart of the state we all love, was dredged by the US government. Excess water was controlled by a complex system of canals. The swamp was southern side of Lake Okeechobee in the 1920’s. While production of the crop was successful, it was hardly the industry that we see today. Cuba remained the predominant producer of sugar. Florida contained three raw sugar mills in the early 1900’s and produced as much sugar in a year as we are now able to process in two weeks. 50,000 acres of land dedicated to sugarcane was enough to build an identity of sugar farming in the state, but hardly enough to become the world’s leading provider and trader of the crop. Don Marks, Clewiston, 1960. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, Photo by Gladys Marks

all economic classes and the lack of formidable farming space on many of the mountainous islands of the Caribbean, Scottish physician Dr. Andrew Turnbull and his accompanying colonists founded the New Smyrna Colony with the intent to grow, manufacture and trade sugar. The dangers of uncivilized Florida proved to be greater than the fortitude and gall of Turnbull and his associates; many were lost to mosquito-borne plagues, others to the land’s hostile Native American population. Ultimately, Turnbull’s attempt at sugar cultivation failed. Attending to the needs of the armies involved in the American War of Independence superseded farmers’ desire to cultivate sugarcane. The war raged from 1775 to 1783. The next several decades were a period of rebuilding, recovering, and fostering a October 2014

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El Bloqueo Meanwhile, Florida’s largest sugarcane competitor was having a revolutionary war of their own. In 1959, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara successfully revolted against the government of Cuba, led by Fulgencio Batista. Castro and Guevara’s deeply socialist ideals and vision for a state governed by the principles of Communism. The United States expressed their discontent with Cuba’s new government by sanctioning a trade embargo, or El Bloqueo, on the world’s leading provider of sugarcane. In one fell swoop, Cuba’s rich history of success at producing sugar was ended and Florida began its ascent towards agricultural dominance.

technology, Florida became the modern sugar powerhouse.

Modernity

Land Grab The last major hiccup in Florida’s path toward sugarcane domination occurred in 1965 when a US law prohibited the sugar industry from exceeding a certain acreage of farmland. To produce and process 500,000+ tons of cane, farmers required hundreds of thousands of acres and eleven sugar mills. The Sugar Act closed three of these mills, eliminating the production value and jobs associated with each mill. Fortunately for sugar farmers, the Sugar Act expired in the mid 1970’s, allowing farmers to have greater control of the production process and crop expansion.

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Now we arrive to the industry we know, debate, love and hate today. In 1980, it was estimated that over 40% of the United States’ sugarcane came from Florida. The strange grass Alexander the Great once treasured is now a source of employment, a way of life and a fundamental staple of the American diet. Instead of growth being prohibited by raging wars, arid temperatures, and malaria, it is now prohibited by ideals and ethics. We regularly debate the need for sugar in our diets. Some replace it with corn syrup, aspartame or other additives. Others argue the politics behind the business of raising sugar. No matter our view on it, the history behind sugar—the tall green stalks of grass growing in many of our hometowns—is crucial to the way our home was developed. And so, the boy who played soccer underneath raining ash with a backdrop of burning sugarcane, and the new generation of young boys and girls doing it as I write, are part of a long, storied history that is and will always be growing. Taylor Dupree Brewington is a nationally published professional writer that focuses on agriculture, architecture and healthcare. poetry focusing on the culture of the American South. Taylor’s early research on sugarcane is largely indebted to George M. Rolph’s Something About Sugar. October 2014

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Did you know? Where is sugarcane grown in Florida? Sugarcane can be grown anywhere in Florida. The commercial sugarcane industry is located in South Florida around the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee. The sugarcane area is so compact that most Florida visitors

Why is sugarcane grown here? The fertile organic soil and the warming

How much sugarcane is grown in Florida?

primary reasons the sugar industry is located here. Temperatures cold enough to kill sugarcane occur very infrequently near the lake. Adequate water and abundant sunshine are also important factors.

In recent years there has been a slight decline in commercial sugarcane production in Florida. Sugarcane acreage has decreased from a high of 454,400 acres in the 2000-2001crop year to approximately 400,000 acres for the 2012-2013-crop year.

County accounts for approximately 70% of the commercial sugarcane acreage and 75% of the total harvested tonnage. The remainder is grown in the adjacent counties of Hendry, Glades, Martin and Highlands.

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October 2014

available in the world. Vertical integration of our farming, processing and packaging operations makes U.S. Sugar competitive while meeting the highest standards for worker safety, food quality and environmental protection. With its headquarters in Clewiston, Florida, the Company farms over 205,000 acres in Hendry, Glades, and Palm Beach counties and operates a state-of-the-art citrus nursery on 80 acres in Gilchrist County. U.S. Sugar has approximately 1700 employees. U.S. Sugar is the country’s largest vertically integrated

The United States Sugar Corporation The United States Sugar Corporation is one of America’s premier privately held agribusiness companies. With state-of-the-art technology for both sugar manufacturing and citrus processing, U.S. Sugar practices October 2014

Florida’s major growers of oranges and processors of orange juice products. In addition to the Company’s principal businesses of sugar and citrus, U.S. Sugar also owns an independent short line railroad, the South Central Florida Express that connects the agricultural communities around Lake Okeechobee with main line railroads. Dependent upon weather, growing conditions and federal market allocations, U.S. Sugar produces 750,000 tons of produced in America. The annual sugarcane harvest season begins in October and runs through mid-April. Since October 2007, the Company’s entire sugarcane crop is ground at U.S. Sugar’s newly consolidated and automated Clewiston Heartland InTheFieldMagazine 41

Sugar Factory. The newly enlarged mill, with a capacity of 38,000-42,000 tons per day, is now the world’s largest fully

With an onslaught of foreign trade agreements in the pipeline, U.S. Sugar made the decision to modernize and streamline its sugar operations to increase its ability to compete globally. In November 2004, the Company announced plans for a single, modern and highly automated sugar processing operation to be constructed in a three-year, three-phase project that was completed in October 2007. The project was termed Breakthrough for its radical approach to modernizing our sugar manufacturing operations.

and North Dakota beet sugar cooperatives, markets our

Our citrus company, Southern Gardens Citrus, processes oranges from its own groves as well as from contracted, independent groves. The company owns and/or manages 15,500 net acres of groves containing 1.8 million trees, which provide high quality fruit to the Southern Gardens Citrus Processing Plant. The juice plant, which opened in 1994, has already been expanded several times and can process up to 20 million boxes of oranges a season, producing over 100 million gallons of orange juice. The plant has set many world records in extractor productivity since its opening in 1994. Southern Gardens is one of the largest bulk suppliers of premium, not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juice to branded companies as well as the private label grocery trade in the United States. Long considered an industry leader in environmental issues, U.S. Sugar has established many on-farm soil and water management techniques that have become models for the industry. Such practices have led to an average 55% reduction in phosphorous, easily surpassing the Everglades Forever Act’s 25% requirements. In addition, U.S. Sugar runs

renewable energy source. Investing in new technology was critical to bringing our costs into line with foreign sugar producers who do not with a host of environmental and safety regulations like the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, OSHA and others that add to the cost of doing business. While the modernization and streamlining efforts means fewer jobs for the community, our goal is to provide the maximum number of secure jobs for our employees and community into the future. As we move to higher skilled jobs in more automated environments, the jobs should provide higher wages than many of those they are replacing.

As farmers and stewards of the land, U.S. Sugar is committed to Everglades restoration and to continuing efforts to improve the environmental sensitivity of its farming operations. imported raw sugar the past several years to support its

products from small retail bags to railcars of bulk sugar. A liquid sugar production line began full operations in 2003; needs. United Sugars, owned in partnership with Minnesota

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Sugarcane is considered one of nature’s most environmentally friendly crops because it requires little fertilizer or pesticides, particularly as compared to other land uses. Basically a giant grass, sugarcane thrives in South Florida’s sunshine and abundant rainfall. The rich muck soils surrounding Lake Okeechobee provide most of the nutrients needed to October 2014

farms and citrus groves provide a nurturing and protected habitat for hundreds of species of wading birds, from roseate spoonbills, wood storks and great blue herons to giant egrets and white pelicans. Since its founding more than 83 years ago, U.S. Sugar has been actively involved in the well-being and development of community. Education and health care are among its top priorities for both corporate and employee contributions. U.S. Sugar makes a variety of contributions to area schools and health care institutions, with an eye to improving education and providing a better quality of life for all the citizens of this farming region. In addition to monetary contributions, U.S. Sugar encourages active participation in community, civic, charitable and religious activities on the part of its employees. enhancing its community for the betterment of all residents, S. Mott stated in 1931, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are a part of the community, and what is good for the community is good for us.â&#x20AC;? At United States Sugar Corporation, traditional farming values are successfully combined with modern technology. The result is farming that is compatible with the environment and with the economic realities of the new millennium.

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Did you know? What is Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution to the U.S. production of sugar? Florida contributes an estimated 51% of the cane sugar and 21% of the total sugar (from sugarcane and beets combined) produced in the United States.

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Florida is the largest producer of sugarcane in the United States followed by Louisiana, Hawaii, and Texas in order of production. Sugar beets are grown in Minnesota, Idaho, North Dakota, Michigan, California, and 6 other states, and these provide approximately the same amount of sugar as the domestic sugarcane industry. All domestic sugar production combined still falls short of consumption. Almost

October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

FRIERSON FARMS “RAISIN’ CANE” By Robbi Sumner

our November 2012 issue. Given her passionate involvement in

Frierson Farms in Moore Haven is a family owned and operated, 650-acre sugarcane farm. Ardis and Alan, her husband of 38 years, run the farm with help from their children Robert and Sarah. The farm was originally owned by Alan’s uncle and aunt Ed Frierson and Louve “Vee” Frierson Platt, who passed it down to Alan.

The daily operations of Frierson Farms are handled by Alan, Robert, and one other full-time employee, with periodic help from contract workers for planting, spraying, and harvesting. Until recently, they employed a fourth man but due to low

On the day of my recent visit, Alan was headed out to meet with a crop duster that was scheduled to spray one of their

“We all just work harder to pick up the extra responsibilities,”

1st through the end of March, the entire surrounding area was a-buzz with activity. 44 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

with help from Sarah, who works full-time at 1st Bank in Clewiston. October 2014

According to Ardis and Robert, the current suppressed prices are largely due to subsidized sugar that is being brought in from Mexico. “Not only do they (Mexican growers) send in their leftovers, they also buy cheap sugar from the world market, and that’s what is being brought in to the U.S.,” Ardis shares. As consumers, it is important to remember that the reason some other countries can produce a less expensive product is most often because they do not have the same types of farming and food safety regulations to abide by. In our sugarcane industry, new technology and advances in fertilizer products and seed varieties are common, and Robert attends meetings at the IFAS Everglades Research & Education Center in Belle Glade and with U.S. Sugar, who they sell their cane to for processing, as often as possible. “I prefer to stay on the farm, but keeping up with the new studies is also important,” he shares. “The Experiment Station in Canal Point recently released two new varieties of sugarcane seed, and scientists are always working to develop seeds with better production depending on soil types, weather conditions, and that are more pest and disease tolerant.” One piece of the Hammocks’ management practices involves planting iron clay peas and long grain rice as rotational crops. The peas are not harvested, but simply act as a cover crop to replenish nutrients to the soil. Because growing rice involves

an increase in the price of rice, and some area sugarcane farmers have chosen to plant rice as an additional crop as a way to counter the current low sugarcane prices. Ardis also believes in generating “off-farm” income as a way of sustaining the family’s farm operations during these lean times. Her political activation and involvement in various a local attorney in researching ag issues for cases that involve topics like crop insurance and Farm Service Agency appeals. She works those jobs around her farm responsibilities that include accounting, maintaining crop records, and handling worker’s compensation and insurance issues. In addition, Ardis gladly helps Robert and his wife Ashley with the care of their 18-month old son, Case. Ashley is due with baby girl Avery the end of October, so those family responsibilities will soon be increasing! Of course, family is at the very roots of this sugarcane farm, as Ardis and Alan hope that Robert and Sarah will one day take over. According to Robert, “In this business, you have to be side, and be able to communicate with people to share your story. It’s said that the third generation is what usually sells or breaks a family farm. We hope to break that mold.”

and weeds, allowing for the use of less insecticide. Several factors, including the droughts in California, have caused

October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

Did you know? How is sugarcane planted? Sugarcane planting takes place from late August through January. Because sugarcane is a multi-species hybrid, sugarcane seeds will usually produce parents. For this reason, commercial planting of sugarcane using seeds is completely impractical. Instead, a favorable sugarcane variety is planted by using parts of the mother plant, which then produces daughter plants (clones) that are essentially identical to the mother plant variety this is called vegetative propagation. Concerns surrounding high labor costs have supported a growing interest in developing machinery and agronomic practices for the mechanical planting of sugarcane. However, as of today, hand planting is still a common practice for planting sugarcane. In this scenario,

replanted? been harvested, it is maintained free of weeds and a second crop of stalks, called a ratoon, grows from the old plant stubble. The second crop is harvest. On average, 3 annual crops are is replanted. When production declines to an unacceptable level due to insect, disease, or mechanical damage, the old cane plant is plowed under after harvest and the land is prepared for replanting. If this event occurs early enough during the harvest season (say, before January), sugarcane (termed successive planting). If later, a decision may be made to delay replanting until the following season,

are reserved for “seed cane” (the cane used to vegetatively propagate the next planted crop). Instead of being mechanically harvested for the sugar mill, whole stalks of seed cane are harvested by specialized whole-stalk mechanical harvesters, loaded onto

another crop such as rice or sweet corn (termed fallow planting).

and dropped horizontally into shallow furrows roughly 3 to 8 inches deep. Typically, these sugarcane stalks are dropped as pairs for a double line of sugarcane stalks throughout the furrow. To increase sprouting potential, stalks are then cut into shorter segments and then covered with soil. Conventional row spacing for commercial sugarcane production in Florida is 5 feet. Cane stalks have buds (“eyes”) every 2 to 6 inches and each of these buds have the capability to sprout rapidly when buried in moist soil. Within 2 to 3 weeks shoots emerge and, under favorable conditions, produce secondary shoots to give a dense stand of cane.

seed heads of the cane plant. Each plume

October 2014

What are the white or reddish plumes seen in some cane spring?

seed. The cool winter weather in Florida ordinarily prevents development of the seeds. During breeding for variety development, special precautions are taken in order to produce viable seed.

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Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida

ugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida is made up of 45 small to medium size sugarcane farms located in Palm Beach County. These grower-owners are the backbone of the Cooperative providing the cane supply that is the lifeblood of the organization. Primary functions performed by the Cooperative are the harvesting, processing of sugarcane into raw sugar and the marketing of sugar and molasses. The Cooperative was formed in the early 1960s by a group of Glades area vegetable farmers. The Cooperative ground its its original 54 members. Since the Cooperative’s inception, each member, no matter how large or small, is treated equally with each member having one vote. Payments to members are based on patronage with the Cooperative.

ASR Group’s world-renowned brands include Domino®, C&H®, Tate & Lyle®, redpath, Sidul, Lyle’s Golden Syrup and Sores.

Production During the 2013-2014 harvest season, the Cooperative ground 2,843,329 tons of sugarcane grown on 69,536 acres of member’s land. This yielded 325,055 tons of raw sugar and 16 million gallons of molasses.

Economic Impact As the largest single employer in Belle Glade, the Cooperative has an economic impact exceeding $285 million on the state according to the University of Florida’s economic impact study.

Employment In 1998, the Cooperative with the Florida Crystal’s Cooperation began its efforts to become vertically integrated

company, with an annual production capacity of 6 million tons of sugar. The company produces a full line of consumer, industrial, food service and specialty sweetener products. in Yonkers, NY; Crockett, CA; Baltimore, MD; Chalmette, LA; Toronto, Canada; and Veracruz, Mexico, London, United Kingdom and Lisbon, Portugal as well as a raw sugar mill and cogeneration plant in Orange Walk, Belize. The company also owns multiple specialty sweetener production facilities and a strategic warehousing and distribution system that combine to provide seamless production and delivery of its products to customers across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the European Union.

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During the 2013-2014 harvest season, the Cooperative directly employed 565 people, of whom 375 were full-time and 190 seasonal employees. The annual payroll is in excess of $30 million.

Community Service The Cooperative and its members care about the community in which it conducts business. Active in an assortment of community-based activities, the Cooperative particularly prides itself in its efforts to improve education and other services for the youth in our community. Other areas of emphasis include environmental research and education, the arts and health related charities. Agriculture jobs are vital to Florida’s economy, Florida sugar farmers are part of the solution! October 2014

Florida Agriculture: • • • • • • • •

Supports 1.4 million jobs Generates $100 billion annual economic impact in Florida Responsible for $3 billion in tax revenue for local, county and state governments #1 in nation in production of sugar cane #1 in citrus #1 in sweet corn #1 in winter leaf crops #2 in vegetables

• • • •

Produce 50 percent of America’s raw cane sugar Generate $3.3 billion impact Contributed more than $200 million for Everglades restoration projects EAA farmers have achieved an average 55% long-term reduction in phosphorous during 16 straight years of meeting water quality standards

Florida Sugar Farmers: •

12,300 Sugar jobs in Florida are part of the 142,500 jobs nationwide that rely on a strong US Sugar industry America’s largest renewable power plant

October 2014

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2014 Sugarcane Harvest U.S. Sugar is scheduled to begin its 84th annual sugarcane harvest during the early morning hours on October 1, 2014 with harvest operations in Hendry, Glades and Palm Beach counties. The Clewiston Sugar Factory is expected sugarcane at noon. Both harvesting and processing operations run 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the 201415 harvest season that is expected to run until early April, 2015. “We’ve had good weather thus far this growing season and are expecting a good crop,” said Judy Sanchez, senior director, corporate communications and public affairs. “Unfortunately, sugar prices have been severely depressed for the last few years due to an overwhelming glut of unneeded subsidized Mexican sugar

U.S. Sugar and its independent growers are projected to produce approximately 7.6 million tons of sugarcane (approximately 6.43 million tons produced by U.S. Sugar on its owned and leased property) with approximately 6.5 million tons of sugarcane processed at the Clewiston Sugar Factory that should produce approximately 743,403 tons of raw sugar. U.S. Sugar will also be sending sugarcane to all three other sugar factories in the Glades this year. Sanchez noted that the 2013-2014 crop produced 759,378 tons of sugar, nearly 40 million gallons of molasses and 192,563 MW-hrs of electricity.

of it produced at Mexican-government owned facilities.”

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October 2014

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US Sugar in Clewiston, February 1939. Photo by Marion Post Wolcott

1919 Sugarcane Mill, State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

Raising Cane in Florida Clewiston Museum By Butch Wilson

The sweet taste of sugar envelops people of all ages and cultures in its menagerie of culinary pleasures that come in an assortment of delectable shapes and colors. A box of chocolates soothes a lover’s quarrel, while a creamy, vanilla milkshake produces a child’s toothy grin. These exotic tastes that delight our palates would come to naught, if left unaided wonderful treats that we indulge in.

About 70% of the world’s sugar production is processed from sugarcane, a tropical grass that is thought to have originated in New Guinea. Through trade, sugarcane spread to Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean, before making its way to the New World on Christopher Columbus’s second voyage in 1493. Sugarcane would eventually become a major industry in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

called La Florida. Sugarcane thrived in the warm, tropical climate and a small sugarcane mill was established in St. Augustine in 1566. The sugarcane industry in Spanish Florida was never large and would remain on a small scale until the 1821 annexation of Florida by the United States. Americans from all walks of life poured into the new territory called Florida and soon plantation owners from Georgia began to build prosperous sugar plantations along the St. Johns River. By 1835, there were twenty two thriving sugar mills operating in Florida. This prosperity came to an abrupt end when the mills and plantations were destroyed by Seminoles during the course of the Second Seminole Indian War that raged from 1835 to 1842. The sugar industry in northeast Florida never recovered from this devastation. A new sugar industry was forged in South Florida during the early 1900’s as the result of land reclamation. In 1881, Industrialist Hamilton Disston purchased 4 million acres of Florida swampland from the State of Florida. His goal was

Workers Harvesting Sugarcane, Clewiston, 1939, State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

US Sugar in Clewiston, February 1939. Photo by Marion Post Wolcott

successfully drained over 50,000 acres in the St. Cloud area and later constructed the Disston Sugar Mill, which failed after the death of Mr. Disston in 1896. Mr. Disston’s colossal drainage project was unsuccessful, but it did succeed in bringing other businesses to Florida, primarily the railroads, and also opening a new frontier along Lake Okeechobee’s southern shores, where large deposits of rich, black muck soil awaited the farmers plow. The successful farming ventures that followed would eventually make this area known as the “Glades”, the winter vegetable capital of the United States. The birthing of the sugar industry in South Florida can be attributed to the advent of World War 1. Sugar prices prior to the war were 3.5 cents a pound. The war created a sugar shortage in the United States, so rationing was implemented. Sugar shortages continued after the war driving sugar prices ever higher. During the 1920s, sugar prices rose from 10 cents per pound to 35 cents. These astronomical prices didn’t go unnoticed by astute business investors, who saw opportunities knocking at their doors.

Corporation in 1920 at Benbow Farms, an area adjacent to the budding town of Moore Haven. The Bryant Sugar Company was the second sugarcane farm/mill in the Glades. West Palm Beach businessmen, Edward Bryant and G.T. Anderson, started it in 1922. The mill was built at Canal Point in close proximity to the newly constructed Palm Beach Canal, a

Palm Beach. The Pennsylvania Sugar Company, located in Pennsylvania, built a third sugarcane farm/mill in 1923, called Pennsuco. It was located in Hialeah by the Miami River.

A hurricane struck south Florida on September 18, 1926, destroying the rural town of Moore Haven and the Moore Haven Sugar Corporation. The end of the infant sugar industry in South Florida appeared to be in sight, but this would change when a businessman from Louisiana purchased the defunct Pennsuco Mill. Mr. Dahlberg was growing sugarcane in Louisiana and a particleboard used in housing construction. A cane disease had reduced his cane production, so he was looking for a new location in South Florida to grow sugarcane. In 1925, Mr. Dahlberg purchased farmland in the Clewiston area and in 1926 purchased the Pennsuco sugar mill, which was shipped to Clewiston by barge. The grand opening of Mr. Dahlberg’s new “Southern Sugar Company” was celebrated with the completion of the mill in 1929. Delegates from abroad attended the festive ceremony, including Florida Governor, Doyle Carlton. The Southern Sugar Company’s celebration was short lived, due to the Great Depression of 1929. The Great Depression the country.

The Southern Sugar Company was forced

into receivership by 1931, in part, because sugar prices had plummeted to 1.5 cents a pound. Mr. Charles Mott of Flint, Michigan purchased the bankrupt company in 1931 and renamed it United States Sugar Corporation. The early

The 1960’s were the golden years for sugarcane growers in South Florida. By 1969, acreage had jumped from 50,000 constructed during this period to meet the processing demands created by the expanding industry. Acreage

suggest that Mr. Mott, who owned about 52% of the General over 450,000 acres was in sugarcane production. aid from General Motors. The outbreak of World War 11 brought stability back to the sugar industry by raising sugar demands and prices; it also created a labor problem. Sugarcane harvesting was labor who had been recruited from southern states. Many of the white males working in the northern factories were drafted during the war years; this created job opportunities with higher wages for blacks working in agriculture. A Black exodus to the northern cities occurred during the war years. This in turn generated a labor shortage in the South Florida Sugar Industry. Train Loaded with Sugarcane from the BenBow Farm, Moore Haven, 1930, State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

were left un-harvested during the six-month harvest season. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so the enemy was recruited as sugarcane laborers. A German POW camp was established adjacent to Uncle Joes Fish Camp in Glades County. The camp prisoners were former soldiers of the Afrika Corps that was under the command of General Rommel, the famous Desert Fox. A sister camp was also established at the Belle Glade Research Center. Despite these actions, there was still an acute shortage of sugarcane laborers. Resolution

It is wishful thinking to assume that today’s golden age of sugar lives on. The South Florida Sugar Industry, like many other businesses across America, has been challenged by offshore competition, as well as homeland issues. In order to remain competitive, the industry was forced to consolidate numerous mills and change many of its farming practices. Innovating change has met many of the challenges, but there still remain ongoing issues that the industry must address. Today the South Florida Sugar Industry is a vibrant multi

work programs with Caribbean countries. Soon thousands of young recruits from the Bahamas, Jamaica and Barbados were making an annual pilgrimage to South Florida to cut sugarcane. Florida sugar growers lobbied during the early years to expand sugar acreage and production, but were consistently denied by the Federal Government. In 1960, the total sugarcane acreage in South Florida was approximately 50,000 acres. This would change in 1961, after Cuba’s revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro, declared Cuba a socialist country. Castro’s communist ideologies were quickly blackballed by the United States. The results ended with a trade embargo imposed on Cuba that is still in effect today. The trade embargo created a domino effect that impacted the sugar industry in the United States. Cuba was importing 50% of the total foreign sugar coming into the United States, so the trade embargo created a sudden void in the U.S. sugar market. The Cuban sugar shortage was addressed when Florida with the encouraging words, “Raise Cane”.

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

to the communities and counties around Lake Okeechobee. The industry’s economic impact is not limited to the lake region, but extends to businesses across the nation. So how Approximately 52% of the domestic sugar produced in the United States comes from sugar beets and 42% comes from sugarcane. The South Florida Industry produces close to 25 % of the total domestic sugar produced in the United States, including Hawaii! If you are interested in learning more about this great American industry and would enjoy a tour, then call the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber facilitates a wonderful trip called the Sugarland Tour. It is a half-day factory and a tour around the world’s largest sugar mill and and will provide you with information, entertainment and great memories. You may contact the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce by calling 863-983-7979 for tour reservations or questions. October 2014

Did you know? When and how is the cane harvested? Sugarcane is harvested from late-October through mid-April. If there are no damaging effects of freezes, sugar yields are typically highest after December. In order to complete the entire south Florida sugarcane harvest within the

in early-, mid-, and late-season. Years ago, sugarcane was hand-harvested using cane knives. Improvements in mechanical harvesters have resulted in a total movement away from hand harvesting. Acreage that was machineharvested increased from 30% in 1987 to 100% in 1993.

be harvested before sugarcane plants have reached maximum yield potential. For this reason, agronomic research that

burned before harvest?

over time is a useful tool for identifying, which varieties should be harvested

biomass “trash” that would otherwise impede the harvest operation, increase

transportation costs to the mill, interfere with milling machinery, and absorb sugar during the extraction process. Absorbed sugar cannot be recovered. Fields are burned immediately before harvest. The

minutes). Burning is done only in the daytime (through a permitting process with the Department of Forestry) when dispersal of the smoke by air currents causes minimum nuisance.

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Kelly Tractor Prepares For Another Farming Season By Cindy Cutright

It takes a whole lot of horse power to plant and harvest thousands of acres of sugarcane. Just ask Garry Anderson who serves as the Agricultural Division Manager for Kelly every year said of the harvesting of the cane, “If you’ve haven’t been part of the process, I can tell you it is pretty cool.”

and Southwest Florida. Kelly Tractor now has several branches including Clewiston, Davie, Palm Beach, located. A massive 240,000 square foot facility in Miami serves as the company’s headquarters. Kelly Tractor’s list of suppliers reads like a Who’s Who in the farming industry. Challenger, Massey Ferguson,

the premier AGCO banner. “We are pretty diverse,” Garry stated. Farm equipment required for all types of farming and citrus grove production can be found at any of the company’s well-stocked facilities. In addition to supplying equipment for farmers, Kelly Tractor serves the construction industry by providing machinery used for highway and bridge building, water and sewer projects as well as for use in quarries, warehouses, seaports and marinas. You’d be hard pressed

The company’s involvement in the area’s agricultural industry began in 1933 when the Clewiston Motor Company was purchased by “Pop” Kelly. The family-

1963 and continued expanding through Central, South Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

as Caterpillar, another manufacturer synonymous with Kelly Tractor in this region having been the Caterpillar dealer for South Florida since 1933. Garry explained that the company’s trade area for Caterpillar is an extensive one. “We service all of Charlotte County and we go over and up and around the lake which is all of Okeechobee County.” The service area also includes Hendry, Lee, Collier and Glades, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties and points south. October 2014

year diesel emission-reduction project initiated by the United States government. It affects non-road diesel engines used in a wide variety of machines including farm tractors and construction equipment. To meet the Tier 4 emission standards, engine manufacturers must produce new engines with advanced emission control technologies.

Kelly Tractor also maintains an excellent selection of used equipment as well as new. “Whether it be tractors, excavators or loaders - across the board we have a pretty good inventory. A lot of that (equipment) comes out of

“Where that will become restrictive is when we re-market used equipment all over the world and the Tier 4 is going to limit where the tractors are going,” he remarked. “And the Tier 4 Final means the engine exhaust has to be as clean coming out as it was going in. It is hindering our re-marketing efforts somewhat because there are certain countries that cannot run that Tier 4 engine. They don’t have the right fuel for it. It is a challenge. But most of Europe, Australia and the developed countries have embraced it.” Garry said it is the underdeveloped countries that will be most affected. He also stated that Kelly Tractor has actively participated in educating those locally who need to be made aware of the new regulations. “We have presented to several organizations Tier 4 requirements and what is coming,” Garry explained. “It is staged and we are coming into Tier 4 Final now.”

‘glades with tractors and so forth.” Garry said the company’s busiest months for the October through March will see sugarcane harvested as well as a wide variety of citrus and vegetable crops. It is an especially satisfying time for Garry who stated, “What drives any manager is selling and helping your customers, - that is the driver for anybody in this business. You know, sometimes I feel I have an advantage over other such, I am a customer to our service department the same as any other customer. I think this has helped us improve our customer service because we are dealing with them the same as a customer down the street, it has helped us with product support.” He admits challenges abound in agriculture and can differ from one grower or producer to another. “I know greening is a big concern for citrus and water is going to be a big concern for sugar and many other growers, but from the equipment side of the business it is the Tier 4 demands on engines.” October 2014

Kelly Tractor serves more than just the farming and construction industries in our state. It has remained a steadfast part of southern Florida through good times and bad for over 80 years. That it has grown to more than “Pop” Kelly could ever have imagined back in 1933 is a there is no doubt each one understands how important the customer is to the operation. “The whole thing is customer service,” Garry concluded. “It is important to sell a machine, but it is important to keep it running and keep their [the customer’s] ‘up time’. Equipment is not cheap and it is important to keep it running.” I am sure “Pop” Kelly would agree. For more information visit www.kellytractor.com Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Hendry County Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association

Hawaiian Burgers Ingredients: Burgers: 2 lb. Ground Beef 2/3 C Cracker Crumbs 2/3 C Evaporated Milk 1 Tbsp Minced Onion 1 Tsp Seasoned Salt Sauce: 1 (8 oz.) Can Crushed Pineapple 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar 1 Tbsp Cornstarch 1 Tbsp Vinegar 1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

Instructions: Mix ground beef, crumbs, milk, onion and salt. Shape into oval patties. Grill to desired doneness. Sauce: Combine ingredients in microwave-safe dish. Microwave on High, stirring frequently with whisk, until thick and bubbly. Serve burgers topped with sauce and Enjoy!

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October 2014

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; -

October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

OKEECHOBEE HOSTS FALL PRCA RODEO Photos and Article by Kathy Gregg

he Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Association has once again hosted a Fall PRCA Rodeo over the Labor Day weekend (with ranch rodeos being held on this weekend for the past two years). And everywhere I heard the comment about how glad the spectators were that they were back at the historic old Cattlemen’s Arena for the rodeos! This was a 2-day event, on Sunday and Labor Day Monday, with many competitors coming from various parts of Florida, together with the cowboys from around the nation – many gathering much-needed points for the upcoming Wrangler National Finals Rodeo standings. The days began with Cattlemen’s Association President Todd Clemons giving a special tribute to recently-deceased Mr. Ray Domer, long-time Okeechobee resident, County Commissioner, and head of Domer’s, Inc., local business and one of the main sponsors of the Fall Rodeo. Miss Teen Rodeo Okeechobee Katie Brummett carried the Domer’s sponsor silence for him The rodeo announcer was Jerry Todd, who spared no one in his jokes – the contestants, the clown, the crowd, and especially Fritz Brewer, head of the Rodeo Committee. Rockin’ Robbie Hodges entertained the crowd, and his “barrel” race

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

The steer wrestling event included locals Josh Moore of Parrish, and John Manson of North Fort Myers. Unfortunately, both ended with a no-time for this weekend. The winner was Juan Alcazar of Kissimmee, in an astounding time of 3.4 seconds. Juan also competes in ranch rodeos, having been on a team in the State Finals for the past few years. Tie-down roping saw many locals – brothers Ben and Josh Mayworth, and Brad Hartt of Sebring, Chase Cobb of Avon Park, Trae Adams of Ona, Jason Hanchey of Okeechobee, and Corey Fussell. And the winners came from this group – Fussell taking the win in 9.4 seconds (and $808), Ben Mayworth in second place in 9.6 seconds, and Hartt tying for fourth place in 11.6 seconds. (The Ocala Shrine Rodeo had taken place on Friday and Saturday nights, and Ben Mayworth won there in 9.1 seconds (and $954), Chase Cobb took second place in 9.8 seconds, and Jason Hanchey took 6th place in 11.9 seconds.) was absolutely hysterical (four local lads covered with barrels, blinding trying to run around three barrels)! First up was bareback riding – no locals, but former Florida High School Rodeo Association competitor Chris Smith, now residing in Alabama. Later, and after the roping events came the saddlebronc riding – Arcadian Corey Fussell (also a former would have been “A Devil of a Ride”!). And that day, we were treated to the foal joining her mom for a victory lap around the arena after her ride was over – the foals travel with the mares to competitions until they are old enough to be weened. The Okeechobee rodeos are famous for their royalty, and this one was no exception. Taking a run around the arena were Miss Rodeo Florida, Teen, Princess and Sweetheart – Devon Firestone, McKenna Andris, Sierra Rush and Hailey Wall; then Miss Silver Spurs, Jr. Miss and Little Miss – Whitney Hopkins, Kassidy Cabot and Brighton Mick; then Miss Teen Rodeo Okeechobee, Princess and Sweetheart – Katie Brummett, Nicole Boulton, and Lexi Todd. And even the Florida Cattlemen’s Sweetheart, Katey McClenny of Washington County, traveled all the way from her home to be involved. And that does not include the many young ladies who carried

October 2014

Local team ropers were Mike Sanders of Avon Park (who with heeling partner Jay Holmes are frequent winners of this event), Ben Moore of Labelle, and Freddie Gomez and partners Justin John Gopher and Naha Jumper of Okeechobee. We also saw father and son Jimmy and Corey Fussell compete in this event. The whole Fussell family was there, with Tamme being in the barrel-racing, who came in with a time of 16.88. Jamie Rewis of Wauchula was there, but knocking down the second barrel left her out of the running. Tracy Bishop of Okeechobee came in at 16.20 seconds (tying for fourth place), and Lorie Manning of Myakka ran the pattern in 16.33 seconds. And Lorie’s son Lucas Manning competed in the bullriding, along with Lane Brennan of Naples. I have photographed both of these cowboys for many years in the roughstock events, and Lucas recently competed at the National High School Rodeo Finals in Rock Springs, Wyoming. When it was all done, Corey Fussell had tied with Juan Alcazar for the title of All-Around Cowboy, and each taking home another $808 for doing so. Thanks, Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Association, for so much fun on Labor Day Weekend!

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October 2014

Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Rainfall Index Contact your local Rain and Hail agent to learn about the new risk management tool that provides protection for a lack of precipitation on your pasture, rangeland, and forage acres. For details contact:

George Wadsworth Insurance, LLC. George Wadsworth 1017 US Highway 17 N Wauchula, FL 33873 863.773.3117 george.wadsworth@ffbic.com Megan Murphy Bronson 863.368.0477 Caitlin Mchargue 863.443.4007 The only risk management program available for Florida Cattlemen to manage against decline in precipitation on their forage acres. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the deadline to sign up on this valuable program for the 2015 policy year! Call us today for a free historical analysis of your ranch. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

MORENO RANCHES ‘SHARE THE HERD’ CATALYST 2 SALE

oreno Ranches has announced that their ‘Share the Herd’ Catalyst 2 Sale was a resounding success. The event was held September 6, 2014, at the Moreno Ranches headquarters in Venus, Florida. Fellow Brahman breeders from Florida and around the country all gathered to take part in the weekend event featuring superior Brahman cattle and genetics, many of which are unavailable elsewhere in the market.

In this production sale, Moreno Ranches wanted to “Share The Herd,” and that is exactly what they did. “Breeding and selling Brahman cattle is our passion,” said ranch owner, Melvin Moreno. In a rare opportunity, top proven donors from the royal HK bloodlines were made available for purchase. Other sale features included a cow/calf pair that sold to Chance you also goes to the ABBA President, Dr. Ricky Hughes, for investing in half interest of Mr Slugger 12/7 at $7500.

Thirty-one buyers representing 6 different states displayed The overwhelming success of the ‘Share The Herd’ Catalyst extreme interest in Moreno Ranches show heifers, as twentyfour head of show prospects averaged $5,534. Highlighting the sale was Lot 1 at $34,000, Moreno Ms. Lady Ritz On 544 purchased Doucet Brahmans of Beaumont, Texas. Other sale highlights include their loyal customer and good friends, the Cooper family of Zolfo Springs, Florida, who invested $21,000 in Lot 2, Moreno Ms. Lady Roberta 468.

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conscious cattlemen have in the M check brand. As always, the Moreno family sincerely appreciates the continued support of their long-standing Brahman program at Moreno Ranches.

October 2014

Back by popular demand. . .

October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

Beef Feeds

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800-343-8474 Jay Walpole, Owner

October 2014

Danny Walpole, Manager

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GLADES COUNTY 4-H ARCHERY SHOOT On Saturday, September 6th, Glades County 4-H held its 3rd annual archery shoot at the Fisheating Creek Outpost in Palmdale. 4-H members from across the state had the opportunity to take aim at a variety of 3D targets, competing in one of 12 divisions. An Open division contest and BBQ dinner were also held later that day. It was a fun event for the entire family! Results from the shoot are as follows: Junior (ages 8-10) Instinctive Compound • 1st - Matthew Cooper, Polk County • 2nd – Carlie Stockenberg, Highlands County

Intermediate Instinctive Compound

Sharp, Polk County • 2nd – Dolton James, Martin County • 3rd – (tie) Cassidy Sharp and Hunter Roberts, Polk County Intermediate Sighted Compound • 1st – Haley Boorman, Martin County • 2nd – Steven Sample, Levy County • 3rd – John Pearce, Okeechobee County • 4th – Evan Polk, Martin County • 5th – (tie) Kerri Hines, Glades County and Jaren Roberts

Junior Sighted Compound • 1st – Ashlie Parham, Orange County • 2nd – Jordan Haddad, Martin County • 3rd – Katie Turner, Seminole County • 4th – Kevin Trejo, Martin County • 5th – Marina Embrey, Martin County • 6th – Devan Lundy, Highlands County • 7th - Wyatt Lundy, Highlands County Intermediate (ages 11-13) Instinctive Long or Recurve Bow • 1st – Joey Gwynn – Martin County

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

Highlands County • 6th – Lyndsey Perdian, Highlands County • 7th – Rieonna Eley, Glades County • 8th – Bradley Dray, Martin County • 9th – Clay Turner, Seminole County • 10th – Garett Prevatt – Seminole County Senior (ages 14-18) Instinctive Long or Recurve • 1st – Nathanial Bean, Okeechobee County Senior Sighted Long or Recurve • 1st – Rebekah Lopez, Glades County Senior Instinctive Compound • 1st – Abby Saunder, Levy County Senior Sighted Compound • 1st – Tanner Boyett, Martin County • 2nd – Raif Prevatt, Glades County • 3rd – Shelby Dray, Martin County • 4th - Caleb Leal, Highlands County • 5th – Niccole Smith, Martin County • 6th – Dustin McClelland, Collier County • 7th - Makayla Sample, Levy County • 8th – Glen Seeman, Jr., Highlands County • 9th – Mikayla Taylor, Martin County • 10th – Hannah Boorman, Martin County Open Division • 1st - Abe Allen, Highlands County • 2nd - Kevin Parham, Orange County • 3rd – Donald Perdian, Highlands County • 4th – Randal Turner, Seminole County • 5th – Dustin McClelland, Collier County • 6th – Joe Stockenberg, Highlands County • 7th – Jeff Prevatt, Seminole County • 8th – Emma Calhoon, Glades County

October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

FFA SPOTLIGHT

FFA Spotlight:

Brandon McKee Meet Florida FFA President Brandon McKee By Robbi Sumner

For Brandon McKee, being elected President of the Florida FFA Association was the culmination of many years of participation older sister Valerie, who served as the State Secretary in 201011, excel though FFA. “It wasn’t that I wanted to follow in her footsteps, but I recognized what incredible opportunities the organization offers and wanted to experience them for myself.” recent Okeechobee High School Valedictorian shares. That year Brandon raised a hog and joined the YMS Meat Judging team. In seventh grade, he added public speaking and Parliamentary Procedure contests to his list of activities, as well as serving as his Chapter Sentinel. As an eighth grader, Brandon decided not to show a hog, focusing instead on his chosen SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) of Agricultural Education. That year he put together a slide slow for the Meat Judging team to use as a learning tool and began coaching his fellow team mates, who at the Middle School level they do not advance to Nationals.) In high school, Brandon participated in the OHS hosted Ag Field Days for elementary students, and even organized a

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special event for approximately 300 kindergarten through third graders at North Elementary. “We had various activities from a petting zoo to reading that year’s Ag In the Classroom sponsored book to the younger students,” he explains. While in tenth grade, Brandon was a member of the OHS Meat Judging

can no longer compete, so his remaining years he focused on additional leadership and educational opportunities. Brandon served as both the Okeechobee Brahman Chapter and District II FFA President his senior year.

two-day screening process at the Leadership Training Center in Haines City, where they demonstrate their public speaking skills, complete personal interviews, and share information regarding their SAE. The two members with the highest scores become candidates for President, with elections held at the State convention in Orlando, and the runner-up becomes Secretary. Those with the next highest scores from each of the six FFA geographic areas are selected as Vice Presidents. In

October 2014

Feaster, and Angie Patino. “I’ve been living out of a suitcase since July 4th,” Brandon laughs, having attended events that include the Chapter Presidents’ Conference in Orlando, the State Presidents’ Conference in Washington, DC, and others. Additional trips to the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky; Iowa to learn about the pork industry; and even an agricultural tour to South Africa are just some of the upcoming trips he has planned, adding that it

The son of Cary and Fran McKee, Brandon plans to complete his AA degree at Indian River State College after his term as President ends next summer. “I hope to attend the University of Florida beginning in January 2016 and study Ag Engineering and Food Resource Economics,” says the focused and determined 18-year old. As for what advice he would share with younger people just starting out in FFA, Brandon says “Take advantage of all opportunities, and learn all you can from your projects and your FFA advisors. Take in everything.”

With FFA membership in our state currently at a high of 17,000, Brandon says there is still room for growth, with over 64,000 Chapter visits around Florida, the President and Secretary focus more on political involvement, promoting agricultural education initiatives at the legislative level. “During the next 50 years the need for food production worldwide will be higher than ever before,” Brandon says, adding that this year’s theme for the Florida FFA is Be the Revolution. “We believe that a revolution of sorts will be required, not just in agricultural production, but all aspects of communication and education as well.”

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Past FL FFA State President Megan Stein and Charlie Brown

National Teach Ag Day The National Teach Ag Campaign is an initiative to bring attention to the career of agricultural education, get students thinking about a possible career in agricultural education and support current agriculture teachers in their careers. Agricultural education teaches students about agriculture, food and natural resources. Through these subjects, agricultural educators teach students a wide variety of skills, including science, math, communications, leadership, management and technology. AG TEACHERS Teach by doing, not just telling Share their passion for agriculture Create lessons that are hands-on Reach students, including those who might not be successful in a traditional classroom Teach about cutting edge topics, like cloning, satellite mapping, biofuels, alternative energy and more Travel in state, nationally, and even internationally Work with new and emerging technology from agribusiness companies TEACHER SHORTAGE Currently, there is a national shortage of agricultural educators at the secondary level. It is estimated that there this year, simply because not enough students are choosing to be agricultural educators. The current list of Highlands County Agriculture Teachers consists of the following: Avon Park Middle Avon Park High Hill-Gustat Middle Lake Placid Middle Lake Placid High Sebring High

Tim Price Gary Dressel Gordon Cox Luci Johnston Sharalyn Vester Rebekah Wills Sarah Cleveland Sebring Middle Callie Maddox 72 Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

Jerry Lee Wright, Kellie Duke, Gary Lee

According to Gary Lee, Resource Teacher, Brittany Ware a 2010 graduate of Sebring High School and 2009-10 Chapter President, has spent more than a year as a National Teach Ag Ambassador. In her role as ambassador, Ware has presented workshops at both state and national FFA Conventions, made presentations in secondary classrooms, presented at the Florida FFA Alumni Annual Retreat and much more. Lee stated that Ware has a passion for agricultural education and the FFA and is one of only about a half dozen college students chosen nationwide as an ambassador. Lee went on to add that Highlands County Ag Teachers do an amazing job as attested by having recent State FFA Presidents hailing from Highlands County: Charlie Brown (APHS) in 2011-12 and Megan Stein (SHS) in 2013-14. Additionally, Angie Patino (SHS) is currently serving as are from Highlands County (Emily Little-District President, SHS, and Jessica Belcher-District Secretary, SHS). Shelby Hill Farmer for her outstanding record of accomplishments with her livestock program and is currently a freshman at ABAC in Tifton, Georgia. Highlands County has had numerous recipients of the prestigious American FFA degree; the two most recent that will be recognized in Louisville, KY at the 2014 National FFA Convention will be: Kyle Jahna (APHS) and Megan Stein (SHS), Rebekah Wills was selected as one of 20 educators across Florida to participate in the 2013-14 Florida Agriscience Leadership Program. In 2012 Lee was inducted into the FFA Hall of Fame and in 2014 another former Highlands County Teacher, Tom Stoutamire is being inducted. October 2014

As the Holiday Season rapidly approaches, the time is right to buy the Florida Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s handsome publication that presents its acclaimed large multimedia museum exhibit, Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition. The 128-page book includes all the graphics and text in the exhibit as well as striking photos of all the artifacts on display. An enclosed DVD includes a video about Cracker Cows, a Cracker Horse video, and 12 audio segments. It is literally like holding the entire exhibit in your handsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and a real bargain at $25, plus shipping and handling.

Florida Cattle Ranching Book is the Perfect Christmas Gift

October 2014

Take this opportunity to get some Christmas shopping done early. There are several ways to purchase: from your local Florida 4-H chapters (as a fundraiser), order online at www.amazon.com or from the Florida while the limited supply lasts.

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

LITERATURE FEATURE

A SERIES ON FLORIDA LITERATURE:

The DeSoto Chronicles By Brady Vogt

here is an interesting parallel between The New Testament and the accounts of the travails of Hernando De Soto. Just as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell essentially the same story of Jesus of Nazareth, differing only in details while delivering the same message, so too are there four narratives of the De Soto expedition that relate the same basic facts but vary as note is the dissembling of the accounts of the narrators by translators and historians, who have chosen for a variety of reasons, to accept one man’s truth over another’s. Luys Hernandez De Biedma was the King of Spain’s agent or “factor” with De Soto. His responsibility, in addition to surviving, was to render a report to the King upon his return. Biedma’s account consists of about 10,000 words. It is the briefest of the recollections and is considered to be the most reliable. It is the only narrative that remains or exists in its original form, and additionally it is signed. Biedma’s report was delivered to the Spanish court in 1544. Rodrigo Rangel, a Dominican friar who was along in theory to offer Mass for the Spanish and Portuguese Christians and to convert the heathens (although no mention is made in any of the accounts whereupon any preaching was done) was de Soto’s private secretary, and also survived the four year long trek through the North American wilderness. Rangel’s diary did not appear in print until 1851, when it was included in a general history of the New Spain. Friar Rangel’s diary was

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composed of about 20,000 words and is thought to be the next least embellished. Publishers and printers have paid the most attention to the other two accounts rather than those of Biedma and Rangel, perhaps because of the amount of detail included, perhaps because of the mystery and notoriety of the authors. In 1557 there appeared in Portuguese the TRUE RELATION OF THE HARDSHIPS SUFFERED BY GOVERNOR FERNANDO DE SOTO & CERTAIN PORTUGUESE GENTLEMEN DURING THE DISCOVERY OF THE PROVINCE OF FLORIDA. NOW NEWLY SET FORTH BY A GENTLEMAN OF ELVAS. The author is not named, anonymous, although certainly a man of Portugal rather than Spain, a “cavalier” not a foot-soldier, who passed along what he recalled of the expedition, some say slanted, to lessen the glory of the Spanish. The “True Relation…” is of about 50,000 words, and may be the most popular of the accounts, certainly it is the one which has paid the most attention by INCA, a massive tome of some 230,000 words, driven by detail and repetition of the events that happened between the landing of the army in Charlotte Harbor, through the internment of De Soto into the Mississippi River, and the rescue of the survivors along the coast of Mexico. “The discoverer of the Mississippi slept beneath its waters. He had crossed a large part of the continent in search of gold, and found nothing so remarkable as his burial place.” October 2014

The author of this last account was Garcilaso de La Vega, who himself was called “The Inca” as he was the son of a Spanish conquistador and a Peruvian princess. He was noted to be a memoir, gathering his facts and interpretations from three or four old soldiers who had returned with the other remnants of De Soto’s great army. The Inca’s account is largely dismissed as fanciful and romantic, imparting suppositions and embellishments into what should be a factual travel and exploration report. THE FLORIDA OF THE INCA was published in 1605 and quickly became popular for students of a special history, a prized rendition. The most readable of the interpretations of the original transcripts is that of Theodore Irving, nephew of Washington Irving, who was a skilled translator of Spanish and Portuguese. Theodore Irving is adamant that “The Inca” is the most authoritative account for several reasons, and defers to him liberally in his footnotes to THE CONQUEST OF FLORIDA recollections were done by Richard Hakluyt, an Englishman who correctly inferred that stories about the great unexplored wilderness would stimulate his countrymen to not give up on colonizing North America. Hakluyt, who lived from 1596 to 1676, was thought to have read, and owned in his library, a copy of every item that had been printed up to that time about the explorations of the land to the west of the Atlantic Ocean. Also during his time and what is often called “The Golden Age” of Spanish exploration, the whole of the North America was referred to as “Florida”. In his honor and continuing into the present, the Hakluyt Society publishes for scholars and collectors, rare, and obscure accounts of voyages and travels around the earth.

Upon the notice of the interpreters that he is invited to De Soto’s camp, Vitachuco, of the land between Ocalii and Apalachee, addresses the guides and translators and his people. “Were they virtuous, as you represent, they would never have left their own country, since there they might have practiced virtues, planting and cultivating the earth, maintaining themselves without prejudice to others or injury to themselves, instead of roving around the world committing robberies and murders, having neither the shame of men nor the fear of God before them.” As this is but a portion of Vitachuco’s condemnation of the Spanish, and as the entire theme of the address shames the enterprise and the hypocrisy and the fecklessness of the Spanish, it is curious that it is included. It may be an admission of the tellers of the stories that they were the lesser civilization, or it may be an invention to give dignity and sophistication to the noble savage. The eventual connecting of the Spanish explorers with the Indian women who survived smallpox and enslavement and starvation caused the creation of a new race of people, who Ernesto Guevara called “The Mestizo People of Latin America” of which many more have returned to Florida than were born here.

Other notable translators of the chronicles, mostly of “The Gentleman of Elvas” and Garcilaso De La Vega, are Buckingham Smith and James Allen Robertson. Buckingham Smith was a notable public servant for the state, and a thorough researcher and scholar of the Spanish experience. As the De Soto expedition was a part of the conquest of the West Indies and Mexico and South America, and not the whole of it, it is interesting that several of the adventurers were on their second and third trips to The New World. The concentration of the Spanish impact joins Florida more naturally to Cuba than Chicago, geographically and historically speaking. There was not much time for the friars or the Indians to join in conversion on a heroic scale. The Indians were given a few days perhaps, to grasp the enormity of Christianity and submit, or be chained, enslaved, or thrown to the monstrous dogs of De Soto’s army. In Theodore Irving’s “ The Conquest…” he quotes Vega who quotes one of the old soldiers who quotes one of the aboriginal caciques, or the tribal leader who is a combination of emperor and chief and deity. October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

TRAVEL FEATURE

HAUNTED HOTELS By The Getaway Girl® Casey Wohl

If you like things that go bump in the night, famous haunted hotels dot the landscape across the United States and the world with ghostly stories to share. The halls of many historic hotels are rumored to host more than just paying customers. Whether you believe or not, one thing is certain - these friendly hauntings are sure to make for an unforgettable visit you’ll remember for years. The Getaway Girl, Casey Wohl, shares some of the spookiest haunted hotels for your next ‘ghostly’ visit. Estes Park, CO The Stanley Hotel (http://www.stanleyhotel.com/) is one of the most haunted hotels in the nation. The property is a ghostly “hot spot.” In addition to serving as the inspiration for Stephen King’s “The Shining” during his stay in room 217 (one of the most spiritually active rooms), the property was also featured in several “Ghost Hunters” episodes. The Stanley even has its own on-staff paranormal investigator to monitor residual energy and serve as a concierge for the property’s permanent guests. To celebrate the Halloween season and The Stanley’s Stephen King roots, guests can indulge in a murder mystery dinner, the Shining Ball and the Halloween Masquerade Ball along with your accommodations

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in the haunted hotel. Additionally, property’s on-staff sessions where guests can learn how to use authentic ghost hunting tools and test their new skills in some of the property’s most haunted locations inaccessible to the general public. Galveston, TX Galveston is known as a top destination for haunted travel, being the place of the deadliest natural disaster in United States history: The Great Storm of 1900. The island has many sites that are considered haunted, and offers ghost tours at a variety of cemeteries, historic mansions, downtown and on Galveston’s harbor. Galveston is also home to Texas’ only yearOctober 2014

which is housed in a historic building that served as a morgue after the Great Storm. The beautiful 101-year-old Hotel Galvez in Galveston, TX on the Gulf of Mexico is said to be haunted by a ghost bride. The legend is that in the mid-1950s a woman, Audra, hung herself in the hotel after hearing

Many guests see spectres at Littlecote House and the hotel also offers a ghost tour for you to get up close and personal with them - if you dare. This hotel is ideally located for visiting some of Britain’s most popular tourist destinations, such as Stonehenge, Newbury races, Ascot races, the city of Bath and Windsor castle. http://www.warnerleisurehotels. co.uk/hotels/littlecote-house-hotel/overview/

storm at sea. However, that was only half the tragedy. A few days after her death, Audra’s mariner appeared at the hotel looking forward to a marriage that would never be. Following Hurricane Ike, which struck Galveston in September 2008, several members of the hotel staff who stayed at the hotel as their homes were being repaired reported seeing a woman dressed in an oldfashioned maid’s uniform and a man walk through a guest room and disappear. In September 2009, Discovery Channel’s Ghost Lab featured Hotel Galvez while investigating a correlation between weather and the paranormal. The hotel was also included in an episode on the Travel Channel’s Ghost Stories called the “Ghost of Sister Katherine.” The hotel offers ghost tours during the month of October. Other places for public Ghost Tours in Galveston include Bishop’s Place at Night (historic mansion) and Old City Cemetery.

England Littlecote House Hotel is located in the Royal county of Berkshire and is set on 113 acres of grounds and gardens with lots of luxurious features. It also boasts the title of England’s third most haunted building, making it one of the spookiest hotels in the country. The hotel dates back to Tudor times and was also once a Roman settlement, so it’s no surprise that there are numerous ghost residents at the hotel. One common sighting is of a black dog on the Jerusalem staircase. When guests or members of staff reach down to pet the dog, their hand goes straight through. October 2014

Wohl is the Travel Correspondent for the nationally syndicated TV show, Daytime. She also owns and manages Gray Dog Communications, a strategic marketing, public relations and branding company with clients in industries For more information, visit www.GirlsGetawayGuide.net.

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Happenings IN THE HEARTLAND

WARNER UNIVERSITY’S WATER CONSERVATION SYMPOSIUM

“SMILES FOR MILES”

B.R.A.T. Club 49th Annual Labor Day Parade a success!

hank you to the Presenting sponsors Walpole Inc., and Waste Management, Co-sponsors Beef ‘O’ Brady’s and Okeechobee Title Company.

ohnny Georges, creator of the tree T-PEE, was the guest speaker at Warner University’s Water Conservation Symposium on Tuesday, September 23. The event was hosted by the university’s Ag Studies program. Georges spoke to a room full about his invention and then they opened it up in a town hall informal meeting of question, answer and discussion regarding water conservation in agriculture. For more information about the tree T-PEE, visit www.treetpee. com

Also, a big thank you to all the media outlets that helped with awareness, Okeechobee News, WOKC Radio, Okeechobee Chamber of Commerce, Okeechobee The Magazine and Okeechobee Main Street.

The parade had over 75 entries and the residents were displaying smiles for miles. I’m thankful to all the volunteers, Gilbert Golf Cars who supplies wheels, and everyone who contributes to help this tradition continue in Okeechobee.

Submit your photos and events for Heartland Happenings to morgan@heartlanditf.com

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

CONGRESSMAN MURPHY

ongressman Patrick Murphy visits with the Waste Management team at the 8th Annual Indiantown Chamber of Commerce golf tournament. Pictured: Congressman Patrick Murphy, Cory Story, Sr. District Manager Tony Bishop, Carson Story and John Michael Blake.

Submit your photos and events for Heartland Happenings to morgan@heartlanditf.com

Highlands County Ag Venture October 28, 29, & 30 Highlands County Fair Grounds www.hughlandscountyag-venture.com

8th Annual Craft Fair in the Woods Saturday, November 8, 2014 9:00 am- 4:00 pm Freedom Ranch 11655 Hwy 441 SE, Okeechobee, FL

863-763-9800

Spirit Voices from Old Manatee - Season IV (outdoor drama and cemetery tour)

Three Weekends!

October 2-5, 9-12, and 16-19 Manatee Village Historical Park and the 1850 Manatee Burying Grounds Bradenton, FL

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Call (941) 741-4076

for ticket availability and more information October 2014

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

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October 2014

Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

Adams Ranch invites you to the 36th Annual Sale

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ABEEF®, ARBRA®, ARRAB®, & ARGEL® are registered trademarks that identify Adams Ranch Braford, Red Angus, and Gelbvieh cross cattle that meet criteria for a sound production animal that is free from genetic flaws. Adams Ranch is the Certifier.

AUCTION DAY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014 11:OO A.M.

BBQ LUNCH

12:00 NOON CATTLE AUCTION FEATURING: BRAFORD, ABEEF®, ARRAB®, ARGEL® and COMPOSITES

Cake Auction

Catalog will be available online at adamsranch.com P.O. Box 12909, Fort Pierce, Fla. 34979-2909 (772-461-6321) 26003 Orange Avenue (County Road 68), Fort Pierce, Fla. 34945 Adams Ranch Office (772) 461-6321 Office Fax (772) 461-6874 Mike Adams (772) 201-5198 Buddy Adams (772) 201-4966

UNITED BRAFORD BREEDERS HERD NO. 1

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October 2014

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October 2014

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4th Annual Black & White Bull Sale

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Friday, November 14th at 1:00 pm Arcadia Stockyard (Hwy. 17 — 7 Miles N. of Arcadia) For more information Contact: Carl McKettrick 863-990-7740 Meadows Creek Farm Valley ‘B’ Enterprises Charolais & Angus Brahman Bulls Richard Meadows Joe Butt THE FLORIDA CATTLEMAN / OCTOBER 2014 / 57

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Heartland InTheFieldMagazine

October 2014

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