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APRIL 2020 VOL. 15 • ISSUE 6
CONTENTS
COVID-19 44
Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL. Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Insurance Services: 813-685-5673 Member Services: 813-685-9121
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PAGE 12 Water Wise
PAGE 38 Kujo’s Cookies
PAGE 16 FRE
PAGE 41 HCSO
PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 46 John Dicks
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 48 Endangered Species
PAGE 26 Small Farms
PAGE 50 Recipes
PAGE 28 Rural Resilience Training PAGE 32 Water Saving Tips
PAGE 52 Literary Time Machine
PAGE 54 Activity
PAGE35 Pineberry
PAGE 55 A Closer look
PAGE 36 Jack Payne
PAGE 56
PAGE 38 Kujo’s Cookies
News Briefs
Hey Readers!
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner!
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Dennis Carlton, Jr.....................President Jake Raburn................Vice President Tony Lopez..............Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary DIRECTORS FOR 2018 - 2019 Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Sambahv, Vincent Tort, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes
Judi Whitson, Executive Director 813-685-9121 Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents
Valrico Office 813-685-5673
100 S. Mulrennan Rd., Valrico, FL. 33594 Tommy Hale, CLU, ChFC, CASL, CPCU Agency Mgr. Julie Carlson, Amy Engle
Plant City Office 813.752.5577
305 S. Wheeler St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer Artis Griffin
Tampa Office 813.933.5440
6535 Gunn Highway, Tampa, FL.33625 Greg Harrell, Jared Bean
AGENCY MANAGER Thomas O. Hale WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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STAFF
Letter from the Editor
Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Sales Karen Berry Sarah Holt Melissa Nichols
We are definitely facing challenging times. The impact of COVID-19 on this state, our country, and the world will be felt well into the future. Will we get back to normal? Or will we have a “new normal?” Trying times remind us of the importance of food security in our country. Our farmers and ranches work long hours all year to supply an abundant and safe source of food. You may think, as you look at empty shelves in your local grocery store, that this pandemic has helped those who feed our country. Guess again. There has been a dramatic drop in business. Think about food service, restaurants, schools and universities that have closed doors or have limited options available for carry out. How can you help? If you are shopping locally and see in season produce labeled from anther country, with little, or even nothing, labeled from Florida, let your grocer know. Why buy imported food when growers right here in Florida have the same product? You will help boost the local economy and be assured of safe, nutritious food. While we are dealing with this virus, and even once it is under control, please continue to take precautions. And rest assured, we at In The Field magazine, will continue to cover what is growing!
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Melissa Nichols Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams Anita Todd Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks Social Media Victoria Saunders
In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Hillsborough County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’s Association.
Until Next Month
Sarah Holt The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.
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Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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A TOUGH TIME FOR ALL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
-Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
Greetings, I can’t recall any other time in my life that has been as challenging as the current situation we all face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Couple that global impact and all the messaging we are receiving from various media outlets and the matter is overwhelming. Let’s have common sense prevail. Take the precautions authorities are suggesting, such as washing your hands with high frequency; avoid mingling with large groups of people and stay at home as much as you can. Hopefully, the incidence of this flu-like virus impacting people will diminish sooner than later and we can begin to work towards a brighter future for all. Information about this pandemic changes daily. Florida Farm Bureau’s website - floridafarmbureau.org – has a COVID-19 section that is regularly updated to provide you with the most current information on a very broad range of subject areas at the state and national levels related to agriculture, transportation, UF/IFAS and available resources for added information. While this pandemic has been most alarming for a number of reasons, it has also brought to the forefront some very important people, like healthcare workers and first responders, who are truly risking their well-being every day. Members of our industry – farmers and ranchers and allied industries – share in the recognition of their importance. We all work every day to make sure the shelves at supermarkets do not stay empty and those businesses serving carry-out meals have the products they need to continue operation. I’m thankful that those hard-working people are being recognized for their importance and the many ways countless industry members are supporting their communities.
able at no charge to Farm Bureau members. It is very alarming to note all impacts that this pandemic has on health and the economy in its entirety. I hope this article will prompt some of you to take the online course. It’s a small commitment that is available to Farm Bureau members at no charge. Participants will be taught how to identify issues among family members and friends, as well as the various options for addressing these challenges. This is another way for Farm Bureau families to support agriculture. If you and your family are not members, but have an interest in learning more about Farm Bureau and the opportunities and benefits membership offers, please contact us. Visit: www. hcfarmbureau.org or call our office in Plant City at 813/6859121. Finally, this is a time for all of us to come together as a community, and families. I’m a firm believer in prayer and know the importance it is to go to the Lord and ask for protection and that he would heal our land. ( II Chronicles 7:14) It’s so important to keep fighting the fight and following all the guidelines that are asked of us each and every day by our government officials. Hope and pray that everyone stays safe!!! Dennis Carlton, Jr.
Dennis Carlton Jr. Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
This edition of In the Field includes an important story about Rural Resilience, an online educational program that’s avail-
305 SOUTH WHEELER STREET • PLANT CITY, FL 33566 • 813-685-9121 Board of Directors
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Dennis Carlton, Jr. , President; Jake Raburn, Vice-President; Tony Lopez Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Sambahv,Jay Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes Judi Whitson, Executive Director
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2020 Community Water Wise Awards Program
LYNN BARBER, FLORIDA-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING™ AGENT
Does your landscape have what it takes to win? Enter today to find out!
The 2020 Community Water Wise Awards, sponsored by Tampa Bay Water, were created to recognize individuals and businesses committed to conserving our water resources and protecting the environment by using Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) principles. There are nine FFL principles which include: right plant right place, water efficiently, fertilize appropriately, mulch, attract wildlife, manage yard pests responsibly, recycle, reduce stormwater runoff and protect the waterfront. Many of these principles are used as part of the landscape evaluation process for this award program.
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The retention of existing trees and vegetation is evaluated, as are landscape design, utilization of mulch and plant selection. Stormwater runoff prevention and ef-
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ficient irrigation techniques are reviewed, including the use of rain gardens, rainwater harvesting and functioning rain sensor devices. Winning landscapes balance attractive designs with plants, landscape elements and water efficient irrigation techniques that have a positive impact on our environment. You can view photographs of past winners at http:// tampabaywaterwise.org and watch a short video which includes several of them. The deadline for entries is June 30, so you can complete an application now, submit it and get a head start on the 2020 contest! It takes approximately ten minutes to complete the application and submit on-line at the link mentioned above. Attaching a photo or two is helpful. On-site landscape evaluations will be scheduled and conducted in June,
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July and August with homeowners and business owners present. Winning entries will receive a handmade mosaic stepping stone for homeowners or a plaque option for businesses. If you have questions regarding the Community Water Wise Award program, please contact me at 744-5519 x 54105.
Garden Goodies area. For more information about the nine principles of the Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Program, for assistance with gardeningrelated questions, contact the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County at 813-744-5519 and visit our website at:
This is a great time to get outside, go for a walk, get the bicycle out of the garage and enjoy nature. If you need a garden stroll, we feature the Bette S. Walker Discovery Garden in our courtyard, a perennial garden, Girl Scout created native plant garden and a
http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/upcomingevents/ for upcoming workshops.
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FOOD AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS MAJOR GAINING POPULARITY AT UF IN PLANT CITY
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By Jim Frankowiak
The Food and Resource Economics (FRE) major is growing in popularity at the University of Florida’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at Plant City. The major, which came to fruition at Plant City thanks to financial support from the Florida Strawberry Growers Association and Florida Strawberry Festival, enables students to learn how to solve real-world business problems using economic reasoning through the FRE major. “Our first two graduates of the program were Marlena Moore and Amanda Bishop in the fall of 2019,” said UF/ IFAS CALS at Plant city Academic Adviser Jason Steward. “Brian Hale and Jeffrey Mitchell will be our 2nd graduating class. We are working hard to make people in the community aware that we have this degree here and the broad range of careers it prepares students for,” he said. Hale, a Lutz resident and alumnus of George M. Steinbrenner High School, played football and was active in FFA, serving as vice president his senior year. After high school, he began to pursue a business degree at Pasco-Hernando State College. “I then heard about the FRE program at Plant City and enrolled there once I received my AA degree,” he said. Hale is working his way through college as a heavy equipment operator, averaging between 30-40 hours a week, sometimes more. Majoring in FRE at the UF/IFAS CALS at Plant City has been beneficial for Hale, who is also a CALS Ambassador, a volunteer program for students that helps spread the word about the importance of agriculture and opportunities offered at UF/IFAS CALS. “It has broadened my knowledge of career opportunities and inspired me to maximize my studies,” he said. “I’m looking closely at post college opportunities in heavy equipment sales, commodity brokering and agri-business.” Hale’s classmate, Mitchell, grew up in Zephyrhills and served as FFA President of the Dade City Senior FFA
Hale and Mitchell, who is also a CALS Ambassador, met while taking a calculus class at Pasco Hernando State College. Mitchell holds associates degrees in both business and business administration. Mitchell’s family is involved in the beef industry and he continues that tradition. “My uncle, Chuck Combs, has been my beef industry mentor,” said Mitchell, who was drawn to the FRE major at Plant City and the diverse career options it fosters. “I’m considering opening and operating a small business like a feed store,” said Mitchell. Coursework includes: Agribusiness Management & Marketing; Data Analysis; International Agricultural Trade Policy; Natural Resource Economics; Price Analysis and Quantitative Methods. “FRE graduates are able to pursue careers in banking, economic development, insurance, management, marketing, sales and finance in agribusiness, natural resource industries and beyond,” said Steward. “Students develop the skills to analyze complex situations such as the allocation of natural resources to meet the needs of people in their local community, state, nation and world. Many FRE graduates pursue careers in public policy and law, as well as graduate degrees in economics, finance, business and law.” For more information about the FRE major at UF/IFAS CALS at Plant City, email Steward at jsteward@ufl.edu or call: 813/757-2280. Information about all course offerings at UF in Plant City is available at: https://gcrec. ifas.ufl.edu/uf-plant-city/. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Chapter. After graduating from Pasco High School, Mitchell served two terms as a Florida Beef Ambassador, a program that provides an opportunity for youth to become spokespersons and future leaders of the beef industry. The program goal is to provide consumers with information about beef nutrition, safety and convenience, as well as producers with timely industry information.
Tampa Bay Fishing Report May 2020 Capt. Woody Gore
Hopefully, the Coronavirus thing has settled down by now. But I’m hesitant in guessing we’ll be out of it by this time. However, if you’re lucky enough and still healthy enough, why not go fishing, that is if the government hasn’t closed all the boat ramps. May is a great month, get out, and go fishing. The Spanish mackerel bite should be in full swing by now. Mackerel seem to be on the tongue of every angler these days and rightly so; these huge bait assassins usually are all over dining on the many sardine and threadfin schools moving into the bay. So, if you’re looking for some exciting, rod bending and drag screaming action, take the family, and especially the kid’s, mackerel fishing. You’ll have them hooked on fishing forever. Don’t be surprised if you might run into a shark or two, like the one pictured that Capt. Kevin Overstreet’s clients caught on a recent mackerel trip. The teeth on these big mackerel are many and sharp, and that’s why I use 50 to 60 lb Seaguar fluorocarbon and shiny long-shank Daiichi hooks, and we’re still getting cut off, but it’s a fun way to lose tackle. This time of year, you should consistently catch the giants topping the scales between 3 to 7 lbs. These big fish can practically snatch a rod right out of your hand, especially if you take a little snooze with your bait in the water, however, once you recover from the initial shock and awe. You look down and see half your fishing line is off your fishing reel and realize the rest is on the way out. If you’re lucky enough to recover in time before the fish cuts your leader with their massively sharp teeth, the battle could take a few minutes, but you might get your line back and land one for supper. Mackerel are excellent table fare, especially when cooked on the Bar-B-Que grille. All I do is sprinkle each fillet with a small amount of garlic salt and place them skin side down on aluminum foil for 20 minutes on low heat or until they flake with a fork, and they are ready to eat. Just remember to pull the meat away from the center bloodline, or you can remove it when cleaning.
Redfish: Finally, we are seeing some nice catches of our favorite shallow water bruisers. We’ve had reports of some good action on high water around the mangroves on greenbacks, shrimp, and cut pinfish tossed up close. Reports indicate some big fish are showing up around the Fort Desoto area and they are anticipating the big schools to arrive almost any day. It’s a matter of looking in the right spot.
Spotted Sea Trout: Tampa Bay trout seem to be on the bite lately. Good reports of big fish reported in the Fort Desoto area and along the southwest shore. Smaller greenbacks are working well, but remember shrimp always catch trout. It’s like candy to youngsters. They can’t seem to resist a good piece of candy, especially when it’s dangling under a popping cork. The bigger fish around the south end are popping up on both deep and shallow water grass flats. Snook: (Season Closed Catch & Release Only) We’ve got news of good days with
plenty of fish and many ranging in the 28 to 35-inch slot. Both my sons, Capt. Mike Gore and Capt. Mark Gore, are experiencing good snook this year. Of course, the bait of choice is free-lined greenbacks. Greenbacks are on the grass flats around Tampa Bay.
Cobia, Mangrove Snapper, Flounder, and Sharks: Cobias should be showing on markers, flats, and buoy cans, especially those holding bait. Mangrove snapper should be on fire this year as the water warms early. I’m anticipating a good snapper bite all summer. We’re also catching some nice southern flounder on the same rocky bottoms as the trout. The sharks are showing up, and if you’re interested, it can be lots of fun, but be careful they are not to be taken lightly if you handle a smaller one.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Professional Fishing Guide Service, Sport-Fishing Unlimited & Outdoor Communications, Outdoor Writer, Member: FOWA-Florida Outdoor Writers, Member-SEOPA Southeastern Outdoor Press, WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Website www.captainwoodygore.com Email fishing@captainwoodygore.com
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Blueberries are among the highest anti-oxidant value fruits. The ORAC value of 100 g fresh blueberry is 5562 TE (Trolex equivalents). Their antioxidant value largely derived from poly-phenolic anthocyanidin compounds such as chlorogenic acid, tannins, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol. Antioxidants give blueberries their deep blue-purple color and help protect you from getting sick. Eating blueberries can improve your memory and your sense of balance! North American Indians traditionally used blueberries for food, medicine, and dye for baskets. Research studies suggest that chlorogenic acid in these berries help lower blood sugar levels and control blood-glucose levels in type-II diabetes mellitus condition. Blueberries grow in clusters on bushes but don’t ripen at the same time. Blueberries don’t ripen after they have been picked. Blueberries are one of the only natural foods that are truly blue in color. Blueberries rank as the second most important commercial berry crop in the U.S.
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Flying I still say the safest mode of travel is flying. Over the years my wife and I have made many trips, including one to Amsterdam, Holland. We went with Ron and Faye Wetherington of Dover. What a great time we all had. It started the moment we got on the plane when the stewardess got on the intercom and started her welcome announcement and instructions on how to fasten our seat belt. She hit the nail on the head when she said, “Welcome aboard American Airline to Amsterdam. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt, and, if you don’t know how to operate one, you probably shouldn’t be out in public unsupervised.” A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the Captain made an announcement over the intercom: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax. OH, MY GOD!” Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the Captain came back on the intercom and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the Flight Attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!” A passenger in Coach yelled: “That’s nothing. You should see the back of mine!” An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a “Thanks for flying our airline.” He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said: “Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?” “Why, no, Ma’am,” said the pilot. “What is it?” The little old lady said, “Did we land, or were we shot down?”
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After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with: “Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warn-
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ing bells are silenced, we’ll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal.” The next story happened at a New York Airport. This is hilarious and funny. I wish I had the guts of this girl. An award should go to the United Airlines gate agent in New York for being smart and funny, while making her point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo. For all of you out there who have had to deal with an irate customer, this one is for you. A crowded United Airlines flight was canceled. A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travelers. Suddenly, an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket on the counter and said, “I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS.” The agent replied, “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll be happy to try to help you, but I’ve got to help these folks first, and then I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out.” The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?” Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone. “May I have your attention, please?” she began, her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. “We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him with his identity, please come to Gate 14.” Now here is something I did not know, but it makes sense. The drinking water used for making coffee and tea on an airplane should NEVER be consumed. The holding tanks in these sometimes 60-year-old planes are never cleaned. They have accumulated so much greenish grime on the walls that in some places it can be inches thick. Ashtrays in the lavatories are mandatory equipment even though the FAA banned smoking on flights years ago. The reasoning is that if people do decide to smoke, they want them to have a place other than the trash can to throw the butt. And one final note, if a plane is being hijacked when the pilot lands they will leave the wing flaps up that slow the plane down, this is to signal the airport that there is something happening in the plane. Did you know the two pilots on a plane are served different meals and cannot share. This is done in case of food poisoning. Stealing food, even if they are going to throw it out can get you fired instantly. They don’t want people messing with it. Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the April 2015 issue WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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CROP INSURANCE: IT PAYS TO MANAGE YOUR RISK When you purchase risk management coverage with Farm Credit of Central Florida, we return a portion of our commission as patronage dividends to eligible stockholders. Patronage dividends could help lower the cost of insurance premiums, saving you money as you manage your risk. Farm Credit of Central Florida is glad to discuss how we can save you money on your crop insurance with patronage dividends. Feel free to contact our crop insurance specialist, Regina Thomas, at 407.721.4687 or rthomas@farmcreditcfl.com. Patronage dividend distribution is subject to eligibility. Certain limitations, conditions, and exclusions apply for crop insurance. Please refer to the policy for more details.
Important Sales Closing Dates Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) . . . . . . .Feb. 28 Citrus Fruit & Citrus Trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April 15 Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 1 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 15
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for a FREE On-Farm Readiness Review The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) inspections have begun. Sign up now to request a free On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR), offered in partnership by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and University of Florida IFAS. The OFRR is an educational opportunity to help individual farms align practices with the PSR regulatory requirements in preparation for inspections.
For more information on FSMA and to sign up for an OFRR, visit FDACS.gov/FSMA or call (863) 578-1900. To take full advantage of the OFRR and for PSR compliance, one farm representative should first attend a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training. Upcoming trainings can be found at: crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/events
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Funding for this statement was made possible, in part, by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services.
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SMALL FARM SUCCESS
LEADS TO EXTENSION WORKSHOP AND MORE
By Jim Frankowiak
When Dawn Altman purchased her 11-acre farm in Odessa north of Tampa in 2016 the sale included a house, barn and six pastures – home for her two horses, a mini horse, four mini donkeys, chickens, dogs and cats. ”The property had boarders for many years and then was a rental the year before I purchased it,” she said. “It was not properly cared for. The pastures had a lot of weeds, yellow and bare areas, and had been overgrazed. “I had no idea where to begin. I had someone helping me to fertilize, but it was more of a one-size-fits-all approach and was not working for my particular situation. I tried fertilizing and seeding on my own, and was spending a lot of money with no results,” she said. “The only things that seemed to grow were weeds. I tried reading books, online articles, calling landscape companies and nurseries, even agricultural equipment companies thinking they might know of someone.”
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“I tried calling people all over the state, until I realized that most of the articles I was reading were from UF (the University of Florida) and so I called them. They direct-
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ed me to the Extension office in my area (Hillsborough County) and that’s how I finally found Francisco Rivera.” Rivera, Small Farms/Alternative Enterprises Extension Agent, “came out and looked at my pastures. He recommended that we soil test and then told me, based on the results, how much fertilizer, urea, Epsom salt, starter fertilizer, etc., to use for each pasture and when and how to apply it and explained how it affects the pH,” she said. “He identified my many different weeds and told me the type of herbicide and rate of application to use to correct the problem. He then talked to me about seeds and seed blends that would grow best on my sandy soil. He taught me about watering, rotational grazing and made a grazing plan for me. He also, as part of a research project with UF, planted several different types of winter forages to see what would grow, how well they would grow, and what the horses and donkeys would eat of it so that people would have additional options in the winter of things to plant.” “My fields are in a much better condition,” said Altman. “I am saving on hay since I have good pasture for grazing and now that I have a manure spreader/shredder, that Francisco recommended, I am saving on fertilizer and the cost of dumping the manure at a nearby facilWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
ity (dumping twice a month at a cost of $40 bi-weekly ($1,040/year)). I have also saved a great deal of money on Bahia seed as it is now germinating well and I don’t need to spread as much.” “Our experiences with Ms. Altman provided us with an excellent opportunity to help the community learn how they can improve overall pasture management practices,” said Rivera. This “success story” led to the development and implementation of a pasture management school and field day earlier this year at the Keystone Civic Center in Odessa, north of Tampa. The event was a collaborative effort involving Rivera, UF/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Assistant Professor Marcelo Wallau and Hardee County Extension Director Jonael Bosques. The school/field day attracted participants from Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties. Presentations included Horse Behaviors and Eating Preferences, Pasture Establishment Practices, Understanding Forage Yield, Nutritional Value and Quality, Rotational vs. Continuous Grazing and Pasture Economics: Reevaluating My Options.
adapts, the practices we recommend will have a significant reduction in environmental impact and they will each save approximately $16,000 annually and have forage all year around.” Rivera also noted those annual savings could increase markedly if producers followed recommended practices for pasture management. For additional information, email Rivera at friveramelendez@ufl.edu or visit http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu/ snallfarms/index.shtml.
Field demonstrations provided attendees with Background Information; Winter Forage: What You Should Plant, Forage Yield, Nutritive Value of Winter Forage and Soil Testing and Fertilizer Application. “Based on participant comments after the day-long session we now know that they are aware of the importance of soil tests, pasture management and are following best agricultural practice by using the right amount of fertilizer based on the field need, reducing the environmental impact,” said Rivera. “In my opinion, all of this began with the call from Ms. Altman last September. “Next spring, in collaboration with UF/IFAS Extension, we are going to conduct a field day to develop a community initiative to increase forage productions,” said Rivera. “We hope to impact 30 farmers in the Odessa area where farms average 10-acres. These farmers are not using winter forage and follow similar practices in their operations. If this part of the Odessa community INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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RURAL RESILIENCE TRAINING AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR FARM BUREAU STAFF AND MEMBERS By Jim Frankowiak To help manage farm stress the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is offering a free Rural Resilience training program online. This program was created by Michigan State University-Extension (MSU-E) in partnership with AFBF, National Farmers Union and the Farm Credit Council. It is based on training MSU-E initially developed for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. It has since been customized for Farm Bureau and its partner organizations. The online training takes 4-5 hours to complete.
has reported taking an opioid without a prescription, abusing prescribed opioids or being addicted to opioids.
The need for this training is manifest in many ways, according to MSU-E. Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. Recent statistics demonstrate farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers had a fatal work injury rate of 24 out of 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, which compares to a rate of just 3.5 out of 100,000 for all workers in civilian occupations. Laborers and farm owners of all ages have the highest rates of deaths due to stress-related conditions such as heart and artery disease, hypertension, ulcers and nervous disorders.
Floods and fires that destroy farmland and farm animals often translate into far more than immediate, one-time economic losses. In 2017, an estimated total of more than $300 billion in economic losses were incurred from 16 different weatherrelated disasters that total a billion dollars in damage.
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Opioids are an issue in rural areas. With many farm-related injuries requiring prescription drugs, opioid misuse in rural communities can become problematic. One in four farmers
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Additionally, net farm income is decreasing due to price drops as a result of oversupply and lack of demand leading to financial distress, causing prolonged stress that results in mental and physical health issues. Net farm income and net cash farm income has declined by half since 2013 and is expected to plateau at or near this lower level.
The Rural Resilience online training course provides participants the skills to understand the sources of stress, learn the warning signs of stress and suicide, identify effective communication strategies, reduce the stigma related to mental health concerns and connect farmers and ranchers with appropriate mental health and other resources. MSU-E reports signs commonly observed in farmers and ranchers under stress include: WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
• Changes in emotions – show little enthusiasm or energy for the future, anxiety, loss of spirit, depression, loss of humor • Changes in attitudes and cognitive skills – become more frequently critical or agitated over small things, lack concentration, have decision-making trouble • Behavioral changes – become quieter than usual, have trouble sleeping, do not join friends for coffee, miss meetings with farm staff, suppliers or the banker • Changes on the farm or ranch – reduce care given to farm animals, machinery or fields or themselves, increase in accidents Other potential warning signs might include any change in routine behavior or appearance, injury or prolonged illness or increased drinking or drug use. Farmers may also express negative thoughts about themselves and even disclose they are considering suicide to end the problems they face. Florida Farm Bureau members may register for this no cost, online training at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/managing farm stress/rural-resiliency-online-course-afbf. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Celebrating a most fruitful relationship
between Florida Strawberry Growers and International Paper.
1979
Together we’re sure to enjoy many more years of sweet success.
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DISTRICT SUGGESTS WATER-SAVING TIPS FOR APRIL TYPICALLY ‘DRIEST’ MONTH OF THE YEAR By Jim Frankowiak
Water conservation is an ongoing goal of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) that is particularly emphasized each April, historically the driest month of the year that also marks the peak demand period for public water suppliers. With the current emphasis at sheltering at home to stay safe, this is a particularly important April to save water. Here are both indoor and outdoor tips from the District to help conserve water and save you money:
INDOOR:
OUTDOOR:
• Operate your washer and dryer only when they are full • Use the shortest washing cycle for lightly soiled loads as normal and permanent-press wash cycles use more water • Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator or microwave, not under running water • Scrape, don’t rinse, dishes before loading the dishwasher • Consider converting to high-efficiency showerheads, faucets and toilets
• Check your irrigation system for any leaks and fix them • Only use your irrigation system as needed, switch from automatic to manual watering selections • Use a kitchen timer to remind yourself when to turn sprinklers off • Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle when washing your vehicle (s) • Consider installing a rain barrel with a drip irrigation system for your landscaping watering needs. Leaks are the biggest water wasters inside and outside of your home.
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Visit: WaterMatters.org/Conservation for more information on how to save water.
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FLorida
Pineberries By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
There’s a new fruit at the local grocery store. They look like white strawberries with red seeds. What are these things? The word pineberry is derived from a cross-bred combination of pineapple and strawberry. Commercial pineberries are only available for a period of about five weeks.
plant’s stamen. These heart-shaped berries can grow wild or be cultivated. Both pineberry and strawberry plants have an average of 200 seeds on the exterior of the berry, unlike other fruit in which the seeds are contained inside the fruit.
Unlike strawberries, pineberries have a scent of pineapple, cloves, and caramel. Their texture is similar to that of strawberries, with a soft, juicy flesh. Pineberries are not yet widely grown commercially in the United States, but could potentially grow well anywhere strawberries are grown. These berries cannot be grown from seed, but plants are available for sale at various nurseries. Like strawberries, they grow better in the cooler spring months and prefer well-drained soil in full sun. Pineberry plants also require that there is a pollinator strawberry plant nearby.
The nutrition profile of pineberries is thought to be very similar to that of strawberries, which are low in calories and naturally free of sodium and fat. Per ounce, strawberries have more vitamin C than oranges. Among the important cancer-fighting compounds in strawberries are antioxidants and phytochemicals called phenols. Phenols protect cell structures in the body and prevent oxygen damage to the organs. They are heart-healthy and fight cancer and inflammation n the body. Phenols are found in fresh and frozen berries, but not in processed foods, such as strawberry cookies or pastries. In addition to its cancer-fighting properties, strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese They are also a very good source of dietary fiber and iodine, and a good source of potassium, folate, riboflavin, vitamin K and magnesium.
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Florida is the second largest producer of strawberries in the United States, behind California. Undoubtedly, the climate in this state would also support pineberry production if the demand is high enough. Pineberries are available from spring through early summer. Interestingly, strawberries are the world’s most popular berry, but technically they are not a berry or a fruit. Instead they are the enlarged ends of the
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NUTRITIONAL PROFILE
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
one cup of raw strawberries (152 g) contains 49 calories, 1.02 g protein, 0.46 g fat, 11.67 g carbohydrate, and 3.0 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 140% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin C, 21% for manganese, 13% for dietary fiber, and plentiful amounts of potassium, folate, riboflavin, and other nutrients.
Vitamin C Most berries contain a high amount of vitamin C. This vitamin is important for a healthy immune system, cancer prevention, healthy blood circulation and wound healing. This vitamin acts as a potent antioxidant in the body, neutralizing harmful free radicals and preventing its damaging effects in cells. By fighting cell and tissue damage, vitamin C protects against cancer and other diseases, such as the common cold. This vitamin also helps the body absorb more iron, and aids in the development of strong bones and teeth. Additionally, recent research studies suggest that a diet high in vitamin C containing foods like strawberries may protect against rheumatoid arthritis. Current research findings support that vitamin C’s benefits come from consumption of whole fruits and vegetables. A high intake of produce, including pineberry, is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes, including heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Taking supplements does not seem to provide the same protective benefits as eating the fruit itself.
Manganese Manganese is necessary for the utilization and balanced metabolism of many other nutrients. This mineral is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol and is essential for the production of sex and thyroid hormones. Manganese is also important in skeletal and connective tissue development.
Fiber Strawberries and other berries contain a significant amount of dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, assist with digestion, and prevent constipation. All of those seeds you see on the outside of the pineberry help contribute to the high fiber levels. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, a diet high in fiber may decrease the risk of several types of cancer including colon, rectum, breast, and pancreas. A single cup of raw strawberries provides over 13% of the daily value for fiber, which has been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels, which in turn helps prevent atherosclerosis. Fiber can also help maintain steady blood sugar levels and aid in weight control.
How to Select and Store Choose pineberries that are white to pink in color. They should feel firm to the touch, but not hard or mushy. The leafy cap should be fresh and green. Avoid berries with bruises, mold, or large green spots. For the best taste, eat pineberries soon after buying them. Wash the berries right before you plan to eat them, but not in advance since the extra moisture can cause them to perish quicker. To store, separate the berries into layers and separate each layer with paper towels. Refrigerate the berries in their original carton. Pineberries can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three days. For longer storage, fresh pineberries can be frozen in a sealed plastic bag for months. The frozen berries can be tossed straight into a smoothie, or thawed before use.
How to Enjoy Pineberries can be used in exactly the same way as other strawberry varieties or can replace pineapples in sweet and savory recipes. Pineberries are delicious eaten out-of-hand. Other fun ways include: • Tossed in a vegetable or fruit salad • Dipped in chocolate • Sliced over cereal or oatmeal • Baked into a quick bread or cake or pie • Stirred into lemonade or iced tea • As a topper for ice cream or shortcake or yogurt • Blended into a smoothie or milkshake • As a jam or salsa Enjoy deliciously sweet pineberries today.
SELECTED REFERENCES http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://www.specialtyproduce.com http://www.wikipedia.org
Folate Berries are a good source of the B vitamin folate, a vitamin that can reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord (neural tube defects) in the fetus. Pregnant women should consume a diet high in folate, and eating strawberries and other fruits and vegetables every day can help. Folate is also essential for growth and development, and plays a key role in DNA formation. Its heart-healthy benefits come from its ability to lower homocysteine levels in the body. Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood that is correlated with heart disease. Additionally, low levels of folate have been linked with low energy levels, depression and even memory impairments. So it’s an essential vitamin for everyone, in addition to its significant importance for the developing fetus.
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CORONAVIRUS
By Jack Payne The coronavirus doesn’t stop the need to feed. In fact, the run on supermarkets as I wrote this in mid-March demonstrates how demand for food spikes during a crisis.
corrections in real time while the class is in session. He has also increased the online office hours.
Just as you continue to deliver food, so, too, does the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences continue to supply the science you rely upon to inform your decisions. One of the most extraordinary responses was the almost instant transformation of teaching. Our instructors, administration and instructional technology professionals took the classes attended by 6,000 students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and put them all completely online in days. This keeps students on track to graduate on time and prevents gaps in the education they’ll need to be productive 21st century citizens. These are 6,000 potential future employees. At the very least, they’re 6,000 present and future customers who will be ag ambassadors who can tell friends, family, co-workers, fellow worshippers, and strangers where their food comes from. UF/IFAS CALS at Plant City took part in this transformation. Some courses, such as those in geomatics, already had large online components. Agricultural education and communication followed suit. Food and resource economics students were already getting supplementary instruction online to reinforce class material as most students work while pursuing a degree. Luis Peña-Lévano has shifted in-person teaching to Zoom live lessons, which are recorded so students can play them back. PeñaLévano is also teaching students to use Excel and to solve problems related to exchange rates, derivatives, and more during the online live class, using technology that allows teacher and student to share student work providing
Lauren Diepenbrock feared that as the movement of people became more restricted that her research team would be locked out of an experimental grove by the emergency. So she summoned them to report to the Citrus Research and Education Center by 7 a.m. on a day in mid-March and got more than 500 Valencia trees planted by late afternoon. She said, “This is work we’ve promised the federal government we’d do to help our growers.” Citrus growers were in crisis long before the coronavirus, so her research on HLB is too important to face delays. Even a public health emergency didn’t shake her commitment to her pledge to the federal government – or to you. UF has shut down many operations at CREC and at Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and sent home all but essential workers. The good news is that there are exceptions to the shutdown for “essential” employees to stay on the job. I have some leeway to determine what essential means. To me and to my research dean, it means workers who preserve plant genetic material, insects, tissue cultures, and animals that would be lost without continuing care. It means continuing to help you comply with regulations to plant, grow and harvest crops. It means continuing to support food production and the supply chain. Like so many other things right now, the way we’re delivering agricultural science may look and feel different. Some things don’t change at all, like our commitment to you. We’re still working for you so you can work to feed an anxious world.
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Jack Payne is the University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
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Doggone Entrepreneur By Libby Hopkins
When Lindsey Delgado was a little girl, she did things differently. “When all the kids sold lemonade on the corner, I thought out of the box and sold candy,” Delgado said. “That spirit has only grown as I’ve gotten older. I’ve been both an animal lover and entrepreneur since I was a little girl. It was the perfect combination that set me on the path to where my business is today.” Delgado is the owner of Kujo’s Cookies and Luna B’s Boutique. Dogs also stole her heart when her family became puppy trainers for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. “I grew up with dogs being a huge part in my life,” Delgado said, “My dream began to form. I wanted my own business working with animals. I went on to become a professional dog groomer and attended GMU in their school of business.”
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During college, she married into the military, and it sent her in an unexpected direction. “I adapted and created a great pet business that I could take with me wherever I ended up going,” Delgado said. “Now that my husband is retired, so we decided to move to Florida and enjoy life in the Sunshine State.” Delgado started baking dog treats to fill a large need in her small military community while stationed at Camp Red Cloud, in South Korea. “Friends mentioned that they were having a hard time finding treats that could accommodate their dogs with allergies and special needs,” Delgado said. “Supplies of American made treats were scarce, and the language barrier made buying treats of unknown ingredients questionable. I took on the challenge of providing quality handmade treats
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that were safe and healthy. Aside from basic baking skills, I had no prior experience making dog treats. I did lots of research on ingredients and went through a lot of trials before coming up with the perfect recipes and methods.” Kujo’s Cookies and Luna B’s Boutique was born in 2010 while Delgado’s family was stationed in South Korea in the U.S. Army. “Many of the Americans had pets, but a hard time finding specific supplies for them,” Delgado said. “I love pets and attended school for business, so I knew I could create a perfect business for the situation.” Thanks to her mother, who taught Delgado how to sew as a little girl, she was able to bring her business to life. “I started sewing beds, bandanas and toys in my free time,” Delgado said. “They sold within minutes of sharing them on social media and the orders started pouring in. Quickly I got more inquiries about treats, coats and collars. Within no time, I was providing treats and accessories to our community. I decided to name my business after our two beloved dogs that we brought to Korea with us.” When Delgado and her family moved back to the states, she had to find a way to expose her business in a much larger community. So she joined the artisan and farmers’ market circuit in Tampa. “I had lots of fun visiting markets and events, establishing connections with other vendors and event planners,” Delgado said. “After meeting so many wonderful people, I knew that I had to be a part of these great local markets WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
and community events. I love being able to see my customers firsthand. It feels good to buy and sell locally, helping other peoples’ businesses thrive like mine.” Delgado also sources local products as the ingredients in her dog treats. “Being in a military family, every time we moved, I have had to find new sources for some of my ingredients,” Delgado said. “We recently moved to Florida, so I’m still establishing relationships with suppliers here. I currently source my honey from a beekeeper in Tampa with a private hive. In Washington State, I grew my own apples in my yard that I used in some of my treat recipes. We’re a fairly small business, but are always happy to make new connections with suppliers able to accommodate our smaller orders.” Since Delgado owns and runs a local small business, keeping things local is very important to her. “Keeping business local is a big deal for me,” Delgado said. “I know how much of a difference it makes for me when a customer chooses to come to me instead of a big box store or the Internet. If it weren’t for the overwhelming support I received from the community when I opened my business, I don’t think I would be here today. Lots of our neighbors, friends, and community members run their own businesses, and depend on support from all of us. Whenever possible, I try to keep money in our community but supporting other local businesses. In the past, my business has also given back to the community in times of need. We’re like one big family and need to be there for each other as often as we can.” If you would like to learn more about Kujo’s Cookies and Luna B’s Boutique, you can visit Delgado’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KujosCookiesandLunaBsBoutique.
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Chad Chronister
MAN ARRESTED FOR CUTTING FENCE CLAIMS CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
On March 15, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Crimes Unit was contacted by a rancher in the southeastern part of Hillsborough County who reported that someone was repeatedly and intentionally cutting the fence and damaging the fence posts and gate to his ranch. The rancher’s fencing contains cattle raised as a source of income for the rancher’s family. The damage resulted in more than $1,000 in unnecessary repairs to the fencing.
“In the eastern part of Hillsborough County, cattle are essential to a rancher’s livelihood. Intentionally damaging a fence containing cattle poses a danger to both the public and the livestock, and it is unacceptable” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “I am thankful that through diligent investigative work our deputies were able to catch this culprit and stop him from causing any more financial harm to this innocent rancher or any other property owners in our county.”
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Crimes Unit responded to the location and conducted a thorough investigation leading to the arrest of Brady Matthew Bettis, 33, on March 23.
ARRESTED NAME: Brady Matthew Bettis
Bettis admitted to deputies that he had secretly been cutting the fence repeatedly because he thought the property belonged to someone he did not like. He later realized he had confused the ranch with another location. Bettis was charged with four counts of Breaking/ Injuring Fences Containing Animals.
CHARGES: Breaking/Injuring Fences Containing Animals (x4)
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AGE: 33
Food Safety just got easier. Watch here. Subscribe now.
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24/7 Food Monitoring Solutions Learn more about Highland Ag Solutions 863-844-4263 highlandhasit.com
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As our Favorite season ends, we would like to thank those who have supported our industry.
Our stand is now closed,
but will reopen this summer when our vegetable crops are ready for harvest. Check back between late May and early June and order your black eyes, conks, zippers and okra. Thank you! The Grooms Family Produce Stand: 5204 Drane Field Rd. | 813.478.3486 or 813.754.4852 | FancyFarms.com INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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COVID-19 HOVERS AS OMINOUS CLOUD OVER FLORIDA AGRICULTURE IN A LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH COVID-19 HAS LANDED BLOWS TO LOCAL AGRICULTURE THAT MANY MAY NOT RECOVER FROM. AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES TO KEEP THE NATION LOCKED DOWN THE HURDLES APPEAR TO BE JUST BEGINNING. By Breanne Williams When the world came to a shuttering halt following the alarming wide spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, farms across the United States were one of the first industries in the nation to feel its impact.
to those facilities has nowhere to turn. Restaurants are closed or are operating off of heavily limited menus and farms that relied on a consistent supply chain with them are now faced with crates of produce and nowhere to send them.
For years ag experts have pleaded with the government to recognize the growing holes in the industry, but for the most part their pleas went ignored. A focus on imports tipped the scales and many farmers in the country were struggling to keep up.
Consumers have switched their buying habits. Where they used to eat out, now they’re having to cook from home. When they go to the supermarket to stock their pantries they’re leaning toward long-lasting products first and then when they go for fresh produce they realize the majority of their options are all imports. Even if they wanted to shop locally sourced fruits and vegetables, the stores don’t have very many options.
Then COVID-19 struck. Restaurants were shuttered. Schools closed and the students were sent home. Consumers were forced to rely solely on materials they could pick up at their local grocery store. Simply put, the food supply chain was upended. Some farms, those producing shelf staples like potatoes or beans for grocery stores, were finding their products had an easier route to retailers. Those who grew other more perishable crops, or who had relied on restaurants, were facing a bleaker reality. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition reported the impact could be up to $1.32 billion from March to May in just farm losses. There isn’t one simple problem, Steve Maxwell, founder and CEO of Highland Agriculture Solutions, said. It's a combination of issues that have led to the volatile environment. If you have one falling domino, you can quickly put a plan in place to catch one of the other dominoes in its path before it falls and thus can prevent the entire line from crumbling. However, if you have multiple domino paths all interwoven and something tips several pieces over at the same time, stopping them all becomes a much more complicated task.
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Maxwell said this global shutdown is something that has never happened to anyone currently alive. Growers are struggling to be able to hire workers. Schools aren’t in session so all of the milk that normally goes straight
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“What’s happened in the last seven to 10 days is an implosion of markets,” Maxwell said. “Your green bean farmers, your blueberry farmers, they’re having half of their markets shut off because the restaurants are shut down and they're competing against large quantities of imports to get onto the shelves of the retailers… you add shifting buying patterns and excess fruit from other countries and you have crated a perfect storm.” Dennis Carlton Jr., president of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, has felt the impact of COVID-19 both while working with Farm Bureau and as a cattle rancher. The impact locally echoes the impact seen at the state and national level. Several meat processing plants are shutting down. JBS USA, a major meat packaging plant, stopped operations at its Souderton, Pennsylvania plant earlier this month after some of its management team stopped coming to work due to having flu-like symptoms. Tyson (TSN), which is one of the world’s largest meat processing companies, shut down its Columbus Junction, Iowa pork plant this week after more than two dozen workers tested positive with COVID-19. Cargill shuttered the doors at its protein plant in Hazleton, Pennsylvania to “minimize the impact of COVID-19,” according to CNN Business.
The closure of these major plants has led to a “steep decline in our cattle future and our pricing today,” Carlton said. “The bottom is falling out on the current pricing,” Carlton said. “We don’t have shortages of meat for the retailers. The producers are the one that will get in trouble here. Locally, from just a broad ag view, I know the dairy guys have been dumping a lot of milk. The school programs are shut down and it’s having a massive impact. They don’t have a choice and they’re facing all sorts of problems.” In Florida, cattle ranchers are eyeing the clock with trepidation. Cary Lightsey, co-owner of Lightsey Cattle Company, said they try to have their cattle come off the finish market from the middle of March to the middle of May. COVID-19, has just “come at the wrong time.” Lightsey said the packaging plants that are still open are having to abide by the six-foot distancing guidelines, which has caused a loss of two-thirds of their production. They’re still up and running, but they’re much slower, which means they can’t buy even a fraction of the finished product they had been able to a month ago. “Sixty percent of our income for our ranch comes in, in that two month period,” Lightsey said. “That’s normally when the prices are the highest so you try to plan your cattle to be finished in that period of time. It’s just going to get back to where we fill our bank account back to where it needs to be to pay your feed bills, your property taxes and your employees and all of the expenses. The cattle — if we was to send these to the market, its dropped about 20 cents per pound. The cull cattle, your hamburger cattle, they’ve lost 15 to 20 cents per pound. On the finish end of it you only have a two-week window and you have to let them go or they get too heavy. It’s going to really hurt us in the next few weeks. Some of the packers have had corona problems so they went ahead and shut them down. Say the cattle being held over two or three weeks, the WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
cattle that will be ready and finished at that time and ready to be processed, it’ll clog that market up.” Restaurants and cruise lines closing have made a definite impact on the industry, however, consumers have stepped up and increased their demand. They’re stockpiling meat, beef in particular, but retailers are having difficulty keeping it on the shelves because the supply from the packers has slowed down despite the ample availability from the ranchers. Uncertainty is the biggest hurdle everyone seems to be currently facing. If there was a direct answer on how long this would go on farmers and ranchers would know how best to prepare to either weather out the storm or close their doors. The unknown has caused panic in the stock market as well, which has trickled down to plummeting prices across a variety of industries, including cattle and produce. While some local markets are still taking the cattle in they can only process a fraction of what a packaging plant can. Overall production is stuttering. Time is ticking and Lightsey said in a month we will really be able to see the full story of its impact. The local produce industry is facing blow after blow as issues with H-2A labor, closure of schools and restaurants and a processing shortage continue to arise. While much of Hillsborough County’s strawberry farms were able to slip through their season in the nick-oftime, the subsequent crops are facing a completely different market. Florida is the first state in the nation to produce blueberries each year. Brittney Lee, executive director of the Florida Blueberry Growers Association, said the season generally lasts from March to early May depending on the location of the farm in the state. When a farm’s crop does come into season it typically will only have berries for six to eight weeks. When COVID-19 entered the scene it spelled disaster for the majority of Florida’s industry. “We work 365 days a year, but we are only able to generate an income during harvest season,” Lee said. “We had only picked about 30 percent of our crops when this really came to a head. There are lots of blueberries left to pick and there’s nowhere to send them. Because of the virus retailers are not supporting Florida agriculture. In many cases, when they do purchase fresh produce
Farms that usually rely on a portion of its income coming from u-pick operations have had to completely shut down the activity. Some are able to offer drive-up services, but the majority of the blueberry farms are not set up for direct to consumer sales. Lee said last week sales in the state were down 70 percent compared to the same week in 2019. It’s a concerning figure, especially when you realize the state should be coming to its peak and a further decline is anticipated. So what is the answer? There isn’t a simple response to that question either. But one thing is abundantly clear. Consumers hold more power than they realize. There is a limited window between when produce is picked, packaged and processed and when it can get to a shelf at a retailer. If consumers begin demanding from retailers that they purchase American fruits and vegetables when available they can start balancing the scales back in domestic farm’s favor. Maxwell shared stories of farms that have literally had to plow under their crops. There’s a demand from consumers and the farmers have what the consumer wants. But until retailers begin opening the doors to their products there is simply no way to get them in the hands of local customers. He said if consumers began calling the produce managers at their local supermarkets, if they email the company they’re buying from, if they get on social media and say, ‘Hey we don’t want to mess up our food supply, we’re walking in dangerous territory, supply local produce,’ they can force the retailers to acquiesce the request. Lee echoed his belief that retailers need to shift to a focus on domestic products. While she said as an industry the blueberry farms were working on alternative outlets the retailers needed to start taking in its product or they would be faced with a grim future. She said they hear from consumers every day who are saying they want Florida blueberries and look for them at their local stores, but are frustrated to find only, or at the very least a majority of, imported berries on the shelf. “I would say by next week the pricing will be so bad we won’t be able to afford to handpick and pack our product
and possible that more than 50 percent of yearly state production will be left in the field, rotting because there’s no retail support,” Lee said. “This is a time when the only places we can go are the grocery stores and it's baffling that we aren’t able to move our product to the consumers who want them.” Florida Farm Bureau is working on a number of fronts to assist its growers. They are in contact with our federal and state agencies and are working closely with them to provide assistance to local producers. G.B. Crawford, spokesman for Florida Farm Bureau, said a congressional package was approved for assistance to businesses including farms and ranches and they expect approximately $9.5 billion in aid that will be available for farmers and ranchers. However, he said they don’t know how that will be appropriated and they don’t have operational details about it’s distribution at this point. “This is an evolving situation that changes almost daily for farm families,” Crawford said. “The speed of the events is difficult to adjust to for everyone. One thing I can be certain about is farmers are busy producing food. They will continue producing it through all kinds of challenging conditions and I hope personally that one result of this crisis is that most everyone will remember how important our farmers and our ranchers are for our quality of life and our society. Despite the bleak cloud lingering over Florida agriculture, most are choosing to remain optimistic that the tides will turn and farmers will be able to start to recover from these damaging blows. Maxwell said there is a silver lining, this pandemic has started to heavily educate consumers on the flawed food supply chain in the U.S. He said regardless of what comes he has to remain eternally optimistic that farmers will survive and live to fight another day. “We have over 5,000 customers, growers, nationwide,” Maxwell said. “Take a moment and thank God for your blessings. This is a wonderful time to recalculate, if you will, our priorities as a nation, from a government standpoint and from an individual standpoint. But take the time to thank God for these growers that lay it all on the line everyday and they have no guarantees. They’re doing it because they love to farm and they’re called to farm and they love the idea that they can feed a nation, a hungry nation. They’re hard working, the salt of the earth and the backbone of our country.” INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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they are choosing much cheaper berries out of Mexico. A focus on imports mixed with the impact of COVID-19 has been a devastating blow to the industry.”
CALL SOMEBODY. TODAY! by John Dicks It’s funny how something sudden, and unexpected, can twist, turn, and flip upside down even your best laid plans. Of course I don’t mean funny in the laughable way. Instead, I’m referring to the “funny” as in peculiar, strange or odd. It’s the “funny” that’s difficult to explain or understand. Earlier this year, I was really looking forward to the months of April and May. They may well be the two very best months in Florida. Don’t you agree? It seems like during the months of April and May we Floridians pretty much have the state all to ourselves. Snowbirds have returned home to their northern abodes and the summer tourists have yet to arrive. The weather is great, too, with that perfect blend of “not too cold and not to hot” kind of balance that seems to keep everything in equilibrium. The days are long, the beaches are relaxed, and the thought of much of anything bad, like maybe hurricanes, really has not even entered our consciousness. This year, though, has been very, very different; and mightily so. It’s been so different that words alone seem to serve only as an understatement to the reality of it all. All of a sudden, seemingly right out of the blue and smacking us right up side the head came this sinister Coronavirus. It attacked as an invisible scourge that still seeks to disrupt, and sometimes destroy, everything in its path of jumping from one human host to thousands. We, all of us, have hunkered down, kept our distance from others, learned to nod instead of hug or shake hands, and generally have changed much of our lives and routines. Frankly, just the speed of it all has been breathtaking. It’s been a tough, tough, tough time! We all have our stories to tell. The social and financial sufferings have hit hard. Generations from now, people will still reflect back on 2020 and the very difficult time that a contagion caused for our country and the world.
Certainly, there will be heroes to honor. History will judge, too, our leaders at every level and deem some to revere, whereas others have seemed simply unable to rise to the occasion as needed. Out of all of the statistics that I read and briefings that I have been watching and listening to, one particular thing has struck me as most interesting. Relatively early into the pandemic, there were reports that Americans were suddenly talking more and emailing less. Voice calls were making a comeback as a way to connect! In this age of texting, chat and social media, real phone calls had been steadily declining. Suddenly, though, the trend reversed course. Verizon, for example, noted towards the end of March that its network had seen a 25 percent spike or increase in voice calls from one week to the next. Further, the call durations were some 15 percent longer! AT&T reported similar results, with an even higher 44 percent jump over normal volume on a given Sunday. It was all rather reminiscent of those tv commercials that the communications giant aired 30 or so years ago encouraging us to “reach out and touch” someone. The good news is that in today’s world, even with everything as crazy as it seems right now, it’s nice to know that we no longer have to pay by the minute to call friends and family and maybe, too, even those who we may have nearly forgotten. Often in life it’s the little things that can brighten a face with a smile. We need plenty of those right now; and a phone call is one of the things that can make them happen. Call somebody. Today! Stay in touch. Stay healthy. Stay safe.
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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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With every generation, we get better at protecting our environment. Ashlee, seen here with her father, Bud, is a secondgeneration employee. As a reclamation ecologist, she works to return mined lands to productive use as wildlife habitats, agriculture, restored streams, and more—so future generations can enjoy these lands for years to come.
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
They’re Not All Bad: Indiana Bats
By Ginny Mink
Bats are getting a really bad rap these days. In fact, given the onset of the coronavirus, people have determined that eating bats is what started this wretched situation in the first place. But, is it really the bat’s fault? Do we need to group all of the species in with the offending one? So, in an effort to paint bats in a brighter light, we are going to look at the Indiana Bat. Yes, we live in Florida and so it would seem that we wouldn’t need to concern ourselves with a bat from Indiana, but this is not the case. It might seem slightly strange, but the Indiana Bat was actually one of the first animals placed on the endangered species list in the U.S. It has been legally protected since March 11, 1967! And, wherever it is found, it is considered endangered.¹ So essentially, there are no safe spaces for these bats. The scientific name for the bat, Myotis sodalis, is actually quite descriptive. The word Myotis means “mouse ear,” which accurately paints a picture of the tiny mouse shaped ears these bats have. The other word, sodalis, means “companion” in Latin. The Indiana Bat is a very social one and will hibernate together in large clusters. And, in case you are wondering, it’s called an Indiana Bat because the first ones were discovered in 1904 in the Wyandotte Cave located in southern Indiana.² Though you probably won’t be interested in touching them, the Indiana Bat has really soft fur. They are brown or dark gray in color and are quite small! In fact, they are only about 3.5 inches with a wingspan no greater that 10.5 inches. They are so small that when full grown they don’t weigh more than two nickels.³ That’s a tiny bat! So, while the Indiana Bat was first discovered in the state of its namesake, that is not the only place these bats can be found. If it were, we wouldn’t be writing about it here. That said, these bats are found in the eastern half of our country. You can find them as far north as southern Michigan and Vermont, south into Alabama and Arkansas, west to Oklahoma and eastern Kansas, and east of the Appalachian Mountains. Why then are we talking about it? Because these bats are known to hibernate in northwest Florida.¹ Due to the fact these bats don’t do well in freezing weather, hibernation locations need to be below 50˚ Fahrenheit while staying above freezing. This limits their locale options. They choose to hibernate in caves or abandoned mines with stable temperatures. Unfortunately, as we stated, it is hard for them to find spaces that fit those requirements. Yet, they must hibernate since the winter time limits their food sources.²
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Indiana Bats are sustained by a diet of insects. Animals like this are called insectivores. Indiana Bats prefer moths, flies, and beetles though they will occasionally eat flying invertebrates as well. Like other bats, they use echolocation to determine where their prey is located before swooping in to devour them.³ In Florida, we really should appreciate the presence of bats because they love mosquitoes. We don’t!
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When the bats are not hibernating (which actually occurs for nearly six months out of every year), they can be found in trees. They are particularly fond of oaks, hickories, ashes, elms, cottonwoods, and maples. Studies have shown that there are actually 29 species of trees that these bats will utilize to roost during the day.¹ During the fall, the Indiana Bat will mate prior to going into hibernation. The females retain the sperm throughout the winter and will become pregnant the following spring once they leave their caves. The peeling bark of dying and decaying trees become the pregnant females’ roost location. They will roost in groups of 100 or more and these groups are known as maternity colonies. Only one baby will be born to each mother and the little ones will remain with the maternity colony through their first summer.² Though the Indiana Bat has a very large range, it is the lack of hibernation spaces that has caused them to become endangered. And, when they do find suitable locations, they are threatened by the presence of spelunkers who awaken them and cause them to utilize too much of their stored energy to survive the rest of the hibernation time. White-nose syndrome is another problem. It is a fungal disease that kills hibernating bats.³ If we are going to attempt to protect these bats, it is important that we add bat-friendly gates to areas they are known to hibernate or roost. These gates will keep people from disturbing them. Unfortunately, no one has determined how to ward off the white-nose syndrome. Further research is required. So, while we are busy berating bats due to the coronavirus, let’s also remember that God put them here for a reason, and in Florida, we really can appreciate the fact they help rid us of those nasty nighttime blood suckers, mosquitoes! Resources: ¹Luensmann, Peggy S. 2005. Myotis sodalis. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ animals/mammal/myso/all.html [2020, March 30]. ²U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Indiana Bat (Myotis Sodalis). https://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/mammals/ inba/inbafctsht.html ³National Wildlife Federation. Indiana Bat. Myotis sodalist. https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/WildlifeGuide/Mammals/Bats/Indiana-Bat Photo Credits: USFWS Midwest Region. (2012). Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis). Photo by K. Lott/USFWS. (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/ea9BRo U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2010). Indiana bats. Photo by Ann Froschauer/USFWS. (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/btyVZV
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NEED BERRY OR VEG GROUND ???
Gladstone Land owns a dozen farms with close to 2,000 acres in Hillsborough and Manatee counties that we lease to growers.
THE TIME IS NOW TO PLAN YOUR ACREAGE NEEDS 1. We provide flexible lease terms based on market rents.
2. We provide ongoing capital to improve the wells, irrigation and drainage.
Please contact Bill Frisbie at Gladstone Land: (703) 287-5839 bill.f@gladstoneland.com | www.GladstoneFarms.com INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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s e p i c e R
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Chef Justin Timineri
Florida Blueberry Cobbler
q Ingredients q Filling 4 cups fresh Florida blueberries, rinsed and drained 1 cup Florida sugar 1 stick butter 1 teaspoon lemon juice Topping 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup Florida sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup milk
DIRECTIONS Filling
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter in microwave or stove top and pour into an 8×8-inch square glass baking dish. In a mixing bowl combine lemon juice and blueberries, add the sugar and mix well. Add the blueberry mixture to the baking dish with the melted butter. Do not stir.
Topping
Combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the blueberries and bake 45 minutes, or until brown.
Florida Blueberry Oatmeal Bars q Ingredients q 1 ¼ cups Florida blueberries ¼ cup Florida orange juice ¼ cup Florida sugar 1 ½ cups rolled oats
¾ cup whole-wheat flour ½ cup brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 stick butter, softened
DIRECTIONS
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Combine the blueberries, sugar, orange juice, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring until sauce thickens, then remove from heat and cool. In a mixing bowl combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and butter to make the crumble. Coat a baking pan with nonstick spray and divide the crumble in half. Press half the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Pour the cooled blueberry filling over the oat mixture. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over top and press lightly to hold in place. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes or until browned. Allow to cool prior to slicing the squares.
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By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida Part 67 Since we are all stuck at home these days, this is probably the perfect opportunity to take Mr. Simpson’s advice on ornamental gardening. No doubt you can place your orders for any number of plants online. And, since we are taking this journey into the world of Exotic Bulbous and Tuberous Plants this month, maybe you can focus those social-distancing practices via the world of yard work and making your landscape decorative. Regardless, here we go on this month’s voyage. Mr. Simpson introduces this chapter by writing, “Quite recently a beginning has been made in Florida at growing paper white narcissus for the trade. A considerable amount of planting has been done in Volusia County, also in the vicinity of Sanford and other places. The requirements seem to be fairly fertile, moist soil but well drained, and a climate like that of northern central Florida. Apparently land that is good for raising Irish potatoes will answer for the narcissus…and it may be that in time and with farther experimentation we can raise other Dutch bulbs in our state. In this section I have listed a number of tuberous plants such as are often offered in bulb catalogs.”¹
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Even Mr. Simpson was prepared to tell you to order some of your plants this month. Of course, we don’t go by bulb catalogs anymore, but we can find just about anything we could ever want, plant or otherwise, online. So, if you are interested in the Paperwhite Narcissus he began the chapter with, the University of Florida’s Gardening Solutions page suggests, “When purchasing bulbs, look for ones that are blemish free and firm… when planting…look for a pot that is 3 to 5 inches deep… Bulbs should be planted with the pointed ends up… without the bulbs touching each other. Make sure the tips…are exposed.”² Apparently, Basal rot can be a problem for bulbs, that is why it is important to inspect them. And, narcissus plants should flower within 4 to 8 weeks after you plant them!²
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He later discusses the Canna varieties. He states, “Too well known to comment. Grown nearly all over Florida and if not attacked by a leaf roller do splendidly, in fact they have become naturalized with us in places. They do best in rich, moist soil and are admirable for clumps or borders.”¹ We saw the word “Canna” and assumed he meant lilies. But what really grabbed our interest was this “leaf roller.” What in the world is that? Well, it would appear that they are little caterpillars that feed inside the nests they have created by rolling the leaves of the plants they are on. They chew holes through the leaves and though the damage is usually minor, it can get pretty bad. And, it is suggested that you cut the leaves that are infested off your plants and stick them in soapy water to kill the caterpillars.³ To continue, we shall move on to Dahlias. Mr. Simpson pens, “Everybody knows and likes Dahlias and we are beginning to find that they like Florida. The botany of the different species is not well understood and the names are tentative. Lately a vast number of varieties of Dahlias have been developed and it has become a full-fledged florist’s flower. They need a good, deep soil and if it is somewhat moist all the better. Reasoner says they should only be planted from December to March.”¹ According to Reasoner, then, we have missed our opportunity for now. But perhaps you will consider adding Dahlias to your garden experience this winter. And here’s one that we should probably avoid all together based on Mr. Simpson’s experience. He says, “It is stated in the book ‘In Florida Gardens’ that Freesias are grown in this state but I do not believe they will succeed in the warmer part of it. Several years ago a practical bulb grower from California came to my place and wanted to plant Freesias. He selected and prepared his ground, then planted half a peck of bulbs. They duly came up and grew to a height of more than a foot, a fine green color. But not one of them blossomed and afWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
ground from December to spring.”¹ So, you still have some time to grab some Gladiolus online and get them in the ground! We know things are hard right now, and maybe there isn’t money to focus on your landscaping, but at least taking a ride on the Literary Time Machine is still free every month. And, when things get back to some semblance of normal, maybe you will have the fresh ideas you need to revive your gardens. As we say every month, until next time, happy gardening!
ter awhile the leaves gradually turned yellow and died down. A careful search showed that there were only a few shriveled bulbs left.”¹
Resources: ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardening in Florida. Published by the Author; Little River, FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New York. (p. 201-204). ²UF|IFAS Gardening Solutions. Paperwhite Narcissus. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/paperwhite-narcissus.html ³Waterworth, Kristi. (2018). What are Leafrollers: Leafroller Damage and Control. Gardening Know How. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/leafroller-damage-control.htm
Not that we want to leave you discouraged, so we shall include his commentary on Gladiolus, “We have learned that we can grow Gladiolus in Florida as fine as they have anywhere. The garden plants we cultivate do not represent any one species but are a blend, perhaps of several. They do best in good soil…They may be planted throughout the year but do better put in the
Photo Credits: Ceasol. (2008). Narcissus Paperwhite. (Flickr). https:// flic.kr/p/4sifap Sullivan, Jon. (2014). Leaf roller caterpillar feeding on sunflower leaves. (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/kKEvwx Horwedel, Chad. (2006). Gladioluses. (Flickr). https:// flic.kr/p/66NonR
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Naturally Amazing Activities
By Sean Green
Washer Necklace This month we are featuring a simple activity that can be fun for all ages and safe enough for limited adult supervision. We wanted an activity that could be done with stuff that can probably already be found in the home without the need to go out and purchase any supplies. Washers are among the extra parts that end up in the “junk drawer” in my home. I keep them for a while, then end up tossing them when I get tired of collecting them. This month we are repurposing some of the washers I found skating on the bottom of my junk drawer. I love making plastic models, so I have plenty of epoxy paint that I use for painting models. Nail polish is an epoxy lacquer very similar to model paint, both will readily stick to metal. I also have acrylic paint because it’s easy to use, safer than epoxy and water soluble. Acrylics dry to be waterproof but will not likely stick to metal very well. But is still great for this project, just not as durable as the epoxy paints.
Supplies: Paint (Acrylic, Epoxy Model paint, Nail Polish) Paint Brush Disposable plate Toothpicks Twine or leather strips
Directions: HUNT FOR WASHERS These can be found in Dads toolbox, the junk drawer, the garage floor, maybe even outside.
CREATE YOUR PALETTE Use a disposable plate (paper or plastic) Place dabs of paint around the outside of the plate
COMPLETE THE NECKLACE
PAINT THE WASHER
Tie the washer with twine or thin strips of leather to create the necklace Twine can be braided for a patterned necklace Old lanyards can be used as the necklace Bead necklaces from festivals make a great base If you have craft beads, consider weaving them into braided twine.
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Using a brush or toothpick, spear paint onto the washer If you just put dots of paint on the washer, you can swirl the colors together with a toothpick Allow the paint to dry completely before repeating the process on the other side of the washer.
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A Closer Look
Story and photos by Sean Green
Florida Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia floridana)
Owls are a favorite bird of many people. What’s not to like about them? They are associated with mystery and wisdom. Owls are formidable hunters and, consequently, an ideal resident on farmland and in gardens. Owls have the best night vision of any animal and ninja skills that allow them to fly in perfect silence. It’s no wonder these majestic birds are so sought after as a wizard’s companion. Though we muggles (non-wizards) may yearn for a pet owl, in the United States, owls and other native birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; possession of these animals is illegal without a permit for research, education or rehabilitation. That is not necessarily a bad thing, I for one support the notion that some animals are best appreciated in their natural glory. This month we will take a closer look at a protected owl species that can be legally attracted to your property as a wild resident and is in fact encouraged. The Florida Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) is one of the smallest owls in Florida, reaching a length of about 9 inches with a wingspan of 21 inches. Our subspecies is largely restricted to Florida but occasionally will stray into southern Georgia. In the wild, they nest in open areas that have sparse ground cover and little to no tree canopy, such as tilled agriculture lands, prairies, and plains. Interestingly, deforestation and the drainage of wetlands characteristically devastate the habitat of other wildlife. For the burrowing owls however, such activity increases potential habitat by providing areas of loose permeable soil that is easy to dig in to. It is common to find these owls making their homes in urban lots, airport fields, golf courses, and fairgrounds. Unlike other owls, these owls rely on ground burrows for nesting and shelter. Though they often dig the burrow themselves, they also willingly repurpose those that have been abandoned by other burrowing animals such as ground squirrels, gopher tortoise, skunks, armadillo, coyotes, and foxes. This small owl is known by many common names including ground owls, rattlesnake owls, gopher owls, long legged owls, and most notably, howdy birds because they seem to give a friendly nod to passersby’s as if saying “howdy.” The cordial burrowing owl has become the official city bird of Cape Coral, home of the largest population of burrowing owls in the state of Florida. Natural burrows can be as deep as 10 feet in length, angling downward to avoid direct sunlight. Breeding season is roughly February through July, so now is a great time to get out and see the owlets. Females lay up to eight eggs in a single week, then remain inside the burrow to incubate the eggs for the next 30 days. The owlets hatch with white feathers and remain deep in the burrow for a couple of weeks to gain the strength to emerge from their nest chamber for their first view of daylight. They learn to fly, albeit clumsily, within
Burrowing owls are beautiful creatures that don’t mind observers or photographers. If you are an educator or homeschooler, I encourage you to take a closer look at some cool behavioral characteristics that illustrate effective natural selection. The repurposed burrows that these owls use are frequently used by dangerous predators such as the eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus). When threatened, the burrowing owl produces sounds that mimic those of a rattle snake; formal studies have documented that predators responded with greater caution to the owl’s vocalization than to control sounds that were used in the research experiments. These owls are great hunters and will prey on small snakes, frogs, small lizards, birds, and rodents, but they are also trappers. Their main diet consists of insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars’ centipedes, etc. and though they will hunt insects, they also lure dung beetles by collecting dung and spreading it right outside the burrow opening. This strategy attracts the beetles to their burrow supplying them with an easy source of food just outside the safety of their burrow. Burrowing owls are active during the day but hunt at dusk and night. An owl’s eye color is a general indicator of its hunting characteristics. Dark brown and black eyes are typical of strictly nocturnal hunters; yellow eyes tend to be daytime hunters; the burrowing owls orange eyes are typical of owls that hunt in both daytime and nighttime. Because burrowing owls are known to hunt in both the daytime and nighttime, they can be valuable residence around the home and surprisingly seem to prefer an urban environment over a rural one. The soil quality for the burrow must be just right to attract the owls. Ideally the soil will be sandy and well drained with vegetation that is no taller than about five inches to provide good visibility around the burrow. Attracting owls to your yard requires commitment. Using toxins to kill insects or rodents around the yard will certainly result in poisoning the owl. Although there are no legal requirements for attracting owls to your yard, once established, they are protected, and permits would be required to remove them from your yard. For those of you that are committed to attracting these owls to your yard, we have listed two fantastic resources below and encourage you to take a closer look: Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife: http://ccfriendsofwildlife.org/starter-burrow/ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: https://myfwc. com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/owls/burrowing-owl/ INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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four weeks of hatching and remain with the parents for up to 12 weeks before becoming self-sufficient.
NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
State Department Revises Mexican Ag Workforce Processing The U.S. Department of State has revised its restrictions on the processing of visa applications from farm workers in Mexico after becoming aware of the impact of its actions on U.S agriculture. In 2018, 93 percent of the H-2A laborers came from Mexico. U.S. Consular officers can now waive the visa interview requirement for eligible first-time and returning H2-A and H-2B applications, making more workers in the H-2 program available while prioritizing public health. Questions regarding the H-2A program may be directed to farmers.gov/manage/h2a or via email: aglabor@usda.gov. USDA Accepting Applications for CRP Grasslands The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications from farmers and ranchers for enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands through May 15. Through enrollment in this program, participants retain the right to conduct common grazing practices, such as haying, mowing or harvesting from the enrolled land. They receive an annual rental payment and may receive up to 50 percent cost-share for establishing approved conservation practices. More information is available by contacting the local USDA/ Farm Service Agency Office, 201 South Collins Street, Suite 201, Plant City, Telephone: 813-752-1474) or by visiting: fsa. usda.gov/crp. USDA Accepting On-Farm Conservation Proposals
is designed to offer, through partners, technical and financial assistance to producers to help compensate for any risks associated with implementation of new conservation on practices, systems and approaches. For more information, visit: nrcs.usda.gov. USDA Forms New Team to Serve Beginning Farmers and Ranchers The USDA is standing up a new team of staff members that will lead a department wide effort focused on serving beginning farmers and ranchers. Sarah Campbell will serve as national coordinator, leaving this new initiative along with state-level coordinators from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA) and Rural Development (RD). More information is available at newfarmers.usda.gov and farmers.gov. Important USDA E-Mail Contacts The U.S. Department of Agriculture has established e-mail contacts for agricultural producers to use when encountering challenges arising from the national emergency declared in response to COVID-19. They are: • For solutions to feeding children impacted by COVID-19: FeedingKids@USDA.gov • For solutions impacting America’s food supply chain and other logistical complications, FoodSupplyChain@usda.gov • For solutions impacting agriculture labor visas, AgLabor@ usda.gov. USPS Details Continuity of Operations The U.S. Postal Service has localized continuity of operations plans that are employed in the case of emergencies to help ensure the postal system continues to function. Up-to-date information is available by visiting: https://about.usps.com/ newsroom/service-alerts/. This site, which is updated on an as needed basis, provides information for residential customers, business mailers and international mailers. USPS customers can also sign up for Industry Alerts at industryalert@usps.gov. Agricultural Land Easement Signup Extended by NRCS
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The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRC) is accepting proposals through May 11 for On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials (On-Farm Trials). The trials are part of the Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program that helps support the adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches on agricultural land. On-Farm Trials funding
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has extended the deadline for applications to fund Agricultural Land Easements in Florida until May 6. This program provides financial assistance to conservation partners to purchase an “Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) that protects the agricultural use of cropland, rangeland, grassland, pastureland and nonindustrial private forestland. Additional information is available by contacting Crenel Francis at 352-338-9508.
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Classifieds BUILDING SUPPLIES METAL ROOFING Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris. ALUMINUM We have all your aluminum needs! Screen Room, carports & awnings. Call Blake (813) 752-3378 WINDOW SCREENS We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted(813) 752-3378 CABINETS All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. Granite counter tops. Custom made to your size. Call Blake 813-752-3378
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2017 MASSEY FERGUSON 1526 With loader, 4x4, 841 hours. Warranty. $11,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MAHINDRA 4025 4x4, 41hp, low hours. $10,000 Call Alvie at 813-759-8722
FOR SALE BETOMIX 320 3 pointy lift, pto driven cement mixer. Very good condition. $850 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 OLD ANTIQUE BLUE STOVE Bread warmer, chrome trim. You have got to see it to believe it! Call Ted for more details. 813-752-3378
HESSTON 4550 Inline square baler. $7,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES
BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR Zero Turn Mower 52” cut, 23hp. Kohler engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
PRODUCE
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2002 MASSEY FERGUSON 1260 Tractor with loader. 40hp, power shuttle, 1040 hours. $10,000 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 JOHN DEERE Looking for your new tractor? Come see us at Everglades Farm Equipment. evergladesfarmequipment.com 2805 SR 60 West, Plant City 813-737-1660
FREE Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722 24 HOUR SERVICE Coggins Plumbing licensed • bonded • Insured. www.cogginsplumbing.com 813-643-7173 FARM BUREAU INSURANCE We have you covered! Call us today. 813-752-5577 LOOKING TO BUY OR SALE? Call Rhonda Wetherington, P.A. Realtor, GRI. 813-933-1761
ALAN’S AIR CONDITIONING Residential, Commercial Sales SVS & Repair. Legendary service for over 20 years! DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER 813-752-0821 No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. FOR RENT Many standard sizes in stock. Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details. BIG Box STORES! Call Today! Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378
VINYL SIDING Many colors and styles to choose from. Ask for Ted. 813-752-3378 MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES Everything you need under ONE roof! Call Blake 813-752-3378 CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE. We are a MI Windows dealer. Our windows are energy star, lifetime warranty. CROSSBOW Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378 Barnett Squad 300 w/Rhino 4x32mm Crossbow Scope, Case And Arrows. FARM EQUIPMENT Great Condition! Call 813-376-9320 2015 MAHINDRA 100S JOBS 100hp, 4x4, Cab tractor for $23,000.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits I4 POWER EQUIPMENT based on experience. Trade-Ins Welcomed, Service Department Available. Exit 22 • S. Frontage Rd. Call David 863-537-1345 Plant City 813-752-4459 TAYLOR WAY TILLER DISC Plow - good condition. $1750.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
MISC.
FRESH PRODUCE Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us!
TRADE • BUY • SELL? Since 2004 In The Field has been Hillsborough and Polk Countys #1 Agriculture Magazine. Call Us at 813-759-6909 to place your Ad Today!
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2011 MASSEY FERFUSON 1529 With loader, 29hp, shuttle, 4x4. 171 hours. $11,000 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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2003 MASSEY FERGUSON 231S Tractor with loader. 45hp, 2wd with 430 actual hours. $11,000 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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