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APRIL 2022 VOL. 19 • ISSUE 6
CONTENTS JUDI WHITSON LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY
40 Cover Photo by Karen Berry PAGE 10 Festival Exhibit Comp. PAGE 12 Enhance Soil Health
PAGE 32 Endangered
PAGE 52 State Officer
PAGE 35 Mint
PAGE 56 Scott Angle
PAGE 43
PAGE 14 Freeze Relief
Grazing Management
PAGE 15 Leadership Awards
PAGE 44
PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 46 Activity
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 47 Closer Look
PAGE 28 HCSO
PAGE 48 Grand Champion Plant
PAGE 30 News Briefs
John Dicks
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, Vincent Tort, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes
PAGE 64 Grand Champion Steer
PAGE 68 Wish Farms PAGE 69 Produce Safety
Hey Readers!
InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! PAGE
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
PAGE 62 Lazy Gardener
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
April 2022
Insurance Services: 813-685-5673 Member Services: 813-685-9121
DIRECTORS FOR 2018 - 2019
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Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PAGE 58 Joy Of Farming
Grand Champion Swine
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Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL.
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 We talk about what an impact agriculture has on our state with some frequency. And it’s absolutely true. But when you see the real numbers, it is still shocking to see just how large that impact is. Statistics from the Feeding the Economy study show that: In Florida, agriculture accounts for:
Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor Patsy Berry Sales Karen Berry Sarah Holt Melissa Nichols George Domedion Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry
Total Jobs: 2,689,121 Total Wages: $121.7 billion Total Taxes: $42.3 billion Exports: $4.7 billion Total Food and Industry Economic Impact: $360 billion If you want to take a look at the entire country, the Feeding the Economy study shows that the food and agriculture industry is responsible for 43,464,211 jobs, $2.3 trillion in wages, $718.2 billion in taxes, $182.9 billion in exports. According to their press release, “30 food and agriculture groups released the sixth annual Feeding the Economy report, a historic farmto-fork economic analysis revealing how these sectors influence the local and broader United States economies. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s study highlights how the industries remained resilient to provide Americans with jobs, economic opportunity and safe food.” As always, remember when shopping for yourself or your family, look for the Fresh From Florida logo. Support our farmers and ranchers who do so much for us. Their contributions to us are innumerable.
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Thank you to our farmers and ranchers! We appreciate you so much!
Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink
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. 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
Sarah Holt
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.
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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National Ag Day and a Fond Goodbye HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
-Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
Dear Readers – Last month we celebrated National Ag Day, not just here in Hillsborough County or Florida, but across the country. In conjunction with that day of recognition, Florida Farm Bureau shared an important message and that included some eye-opening statistics that I wish to repeat. We know that the phrase – “No Farmers, No Food” – is without question and impacts all of us several times each day. However, it is also vital to note the important economic impact our industry has on the economy. As the FFB message stated, “Agriculture’s national economic impact is 17% of the U.S. economy with 29% of jobs in America linked to the food and agriculture sectors.” Here in Florida, “agriculture accounts for: 2,689,121 jobs, with wages totaling $121.7 billion, total taxes of $42.3 billion and $4.7 billion in exports – all leading to total food and economic impact of $360 billion.” Need I say more? Agriculture is critical today and tomorrow. All Americans need to recognize that and never take the agriculture industry for granted. With Farm Bureau serving as the “Voice of Agri-
culture,” our members strive to help all Americans understand and appreciate the critical role agriculture plays in our lives and economy. If you are not a Farm Bureau member, I ask that you consider joining our organization. We would be honored to have you as a member and encourage your involvement as we strive to make the Voice of Agriculture heard by all. If you and your family would like to join Farm Bureau, please visit us at hcfarmbureau.org or reach out to our office. Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to having you join the Farm Bureau family! Lastly, I want to extend our thanks to our retiring Executive Director Judi Whitson. “Miss Judi” has been an important asset of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau for more than three decades. She will be missed. We wish her well as she begins her retirement.
Dennis Carlton Jr. Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
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, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes, Judi Whitson, Executive Director
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Mulrennen Middle School Wins Florida Strawberry Festival FFA Exhibit Contest Mulrennen Middle School won first place at the 2022 Florida Strawberry Festival annual FFA exhibit competition.
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Each year, seven FFA chapters from the local area design and construct a booth that is agriculturally educational and related to the festival’s current theme. The theme for the 2022 festival was #1 for FUN!
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Coming in at second was Turkey Creek Middle School, Tomlin Middle School placed third and Durant High School was fourth. Brandon High School, Plant City High School and Marshall Middle School all received honorable mention. “The amount of work and craftsmanship that is put into each exhibit is quite impressive,” said Florida Strawberry Festival President, Paul Davis. “What an honor it is to give the youth in our community an opportunity to share their talents.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
SINCE 1922
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MyLand – A New Grower Option for Enhancing Soil Health By Jim Frankowiak
Growers across the country, including those in the greater Plant City area, have a new way to increase their soil health that leads to greater productivity, increased economic security and heightened profitability. MyLand Company, LLC, a Phoenix-based company founded in 2014, is now working with a number of area growers to increase the soil health of their operations and returning it to its most fertile state. “Essentially, we are growing cover crop underground on the farm,” said Jonah Parker, Vice President – Grower Relations for MyLand. “By focusing on soil health, MyLand is helping to tackle two of the world’s biggest challenges: food security and climate disruption. Our innovative and patented technology allows farmers to easily and rapidly implement regenerative agriculture practices and improve their soil health by harnessing the land’s own natural ecosystem. “MyLand partners with farmers to infuse life into the soil, helping to return farms to their most fertile state, achieving greater productivity and enhanced profitability,” noted Parker. “It is a nature-based solution. Our technology-based service simply and rapidly accelerates that natural process to provide dramatic improvements in soil health for our growers.” “After spending over 35 years growing microalgae for various commercial applications, our co-founder Andy Ayers, developed the idea of replicating and applying live, native microalgae to the soil as a food source for the soil’s microbial community. Since developing this technology into a scalable solution for growers, we have built a strong science team, bringing on our Principal Scientist, Kristine Nichols, Ph.D., who has assisted in accelerating these findings to better understand and optimize the mode of action in the soil. Our novel approach uses native species already in the soil, but the process allows for rapid reproduction and distribution of mass quantities of microalgae resulting in significant increases in soil organic matter, water holding capacity, water savings, soil aggregation, soil porosity and carbon capture.
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“The improved soil structure reduces the need for tillage, soil amendments, fertility products and irrigation,” said Parker. “We have seen faster growing, healthier, more robust and more productive plants. The crops are generally of higher quality in appearance, nutrient content and taste. These combined factors lead to significant economic gains for our partner farmers.”
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Once a grower partners with MyLand, the initial step in the relationship is the taking of a soil sample on the farm to learn and understand the land’s unique chemistry, ecofootprint and soil dynamics. This allows MyLand to tailor its system to generate maximum benefits to farm soils. Through a detailed soil analysis, MyLand detects the exact identities of the farm’s specific microalgae strains and selects the most viable candidates to drive soil regeneration. The system is then installed on the farm. Once the native algae is cultured to sufficient density in the MyLand lab, the system is inoculated on the farm. By integrating with the farm’s existing irrigation system, the resulting MyLand system delivers live, native algae on a continuous basis using the existing irrigation schedule. In addition to providing maintenance and system support, the MyLand team of agronomists and soil scientists ensures the health of the farm’s soil is continuously being monitored and supported, through their unique Soil-as-a-Service experience. “Strong signals of improving soil health become obvious in the first year of service,” said Parker. “Crop improvements are often quite noticeable later in the first year. Even more significant improvements in both soil and crop performance are clearly evident in the second year and beyond. The effect is cumulative over time.” MyLand’s existing partner farmers in different states with varied crops have shown input reductions such as 20-to- 30 percent for fertilizer, up to 20 percent for water and tillage cuts from 30-to-50 percent. Output increases have ranged from 20-to-30 percent with hikes in profitability ranging from 25to-50 percent. “Plant City is the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World and has a long history in agriculture,” said Parker. “But, at the same time, and partly as a result of the decades of farming, there are a number of soil health challenges in this area, including lower soil organic matter and sandy soils, so we know we can make a dramatic impact in the soil and in terms of grower economics.” For more information on the MyLand regenerative agriculture system, visit: MyLand.ag. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Hillsborough and Polk Counties Among 17 in Florida USDA has Designated Natural Disaster Areas By Jim Frankowiak
Freeze images from Bob McDowell The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 17 Florida counties, including Hillsborough and Polk counties, as The application deadline is November 21, 2022. More resourcNatural Disaster Areas impacted by freeze, frost and ice that es are available online at farmers.gov, Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool (https://www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/ occurred from January 23 through January 31 of this year. disaster-tool), Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet This designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) (https://www.farmers.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/fsato extend emergency credit to producers recovering from disasterassistance-at-a-glance-sept.-2021.pdf) and Farm natural disasters, such as those that occurred in January, Loan Discovery Tool (https://www.farmers.gov/loans/farmthrough emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to loan-discovery-tool ) can help producers determine program meet various recovery needs including the replacement of or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or for more information essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganiza- about available options, contact the local USDA Service Cention of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. ter, 201 South Collins Street, Suite 201, Plant City, FL 33563. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, secu- Telephone: 813/752-1474, Extension 2. rity available and repayment ability.
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To learn more, visit: www.usda.gov
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FDACS SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR AG ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP AWARD By Jim Frankowiak
Lisa Meredith and Lynn Barber
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has opened the nomination period for the 2022 Agricultural Environmental Leadership Award. This award program seeks to recognize the Florida agriculturalists who are at the forefront of developing and adopting environmentally innovative farming practices. Since 1994, this program has helped highlight the efforts of the state’s growers and ranchers. Publicly acknowledging the efforts of these award winners showcases Florida agriculture’s dedication to preserving the environment and conserving natural resources while helping ensure a continuing supply of food and fiber. These are the environmental practices that will be considered in judging nominations: • Wildlife Protection and Habitat Conservation: Provide a safe, viable habitat for wildlife within an agricultural operation. • Pesticide/Nutrient Management: Use pesticides/nutrients responsibly, maximizing benefits and minimizing potential adverse environmental effects. • Water Quality: Preserve or improve water quality within or adjacent to an agricultural operation. • Soil and Water Conservation: Reduce soil erosion, nutrient depletion, and water consumption; and enhance water recharge. • Waste Management/Recycling: Reduce waste by recycling agricultural by-products and waste products on site.
The nomination for can be found at
http://forms.freshfromflorida.com/01795. pdf INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
April 2022
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Advancing Eco Agriculture
April 2022
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Growers are invited to our free event
Florida Citrus Grower
Field Day Thursday, May 5, 9-12pm ET
Join John Fazzini, Owner of Bountiful Lands, Inc and Joshua Young, Regenerative Ag Consultant at AEA, to see how they have worked together to improve crop performance, reduce nitrogen dependency, and decrease insect pressure.
Scan to RSVP or visit hubs.li/Q017LnC80
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(800) 495-6603 • www.advancingecoag.com 17
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Advertisement or Fishing Report? Capt. Woody Gore
Treat Everything You Read or Hear with a grain of salt. Because what happened in a particular area yesterday may not happen today, tomorrow, or maybe ever again. IS IT AN ADVERTISEMENT OR A FISHING REPORT? Creative fishing reports are found everywhere and unless you feel confident in the author, never trust its truthfulness. It’s essential to recognize that many reports are produced by fishing guides, while others might come from recreational anglers.
A Good Fishing Report: Only a handful of writers in fishing communities like Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater operate a fishing guide service. They spend 15 or more days each month on the water, allowing them to know what’s happening in the fishing community. Fishing multiple days each month, these professionals understand how to pattern fish and their behavior. They have gained the ability to consistently guide clients to fish, thereby duplicating previous fishing days. So, a report about the Where, What, When, and How might be worth reading. However, don’t be so naïve as to think a guide or anyone else will tell you where they fish. How to recognize an advertisement instead of a fishing report? Although
it might start like a report, many fishing reports are often produced solely as advertisements. Frequently, guides or other folks that fish one, two, three, or fewer days a month might be looking for free advertising exposure. These reports start with written commentary about the guide/writer’s ability to catch fish, their greatness, and their ability to guide you to fish. Then comes the extensive fish photographs (some might be older or non-current photos) taken to support their report, which may or may not be current. Suddenly, when reading the reports, you quickly discover that a high percentage of what you are or have read is designed as an advertisement.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Therefore, it’s important to remember that what’s written or said is only a guide of one person recalling a period of time when it comes to fishing reports. And you must understand that there are many variables, and what happened yesterday may not happen today, tomorrow, or ever again.
A Fishing Report Should Offer Guidance:
Fishing reports should guide the reader to a general location. A good fishing report guides the reader to what’s biting in the past, present, and future. It also helps them understand the Where, What, When, and How. These things will undoubtedly increase your success.
Might Include Weather Patterns: the writer should explain how the current weather conditions might affect fish and what to expect as weather scenarios change. Moon Phases: A good report should in-
dicate the best fishing days and where to find that information. It should offer guidelines on Solunar Theory predicting the best feeding times for fish and wildlife, based on the position of the moon. Usually, there are four (4) feeding periods during the day, two (2) primary and two (2) minors. You can purchase a copy of John Alden Knight’s Solunar Tables.
Tides & Currents: Reports should expose readers to tides and currents. Experienced saltwater anglers agree that tides and currents play a significant part in fish feeding behavior. Whether inshore or offshore, fish tend to feed on moving tides.
Temperature: Fish, amphibians, and reptiles are ectotherms, meaning their bodies do not produce ample internal heat, unlike endotherms (warm-blooded animals) that produce metabolic heat. A fish’s body temperature depends almost entirely on the water temperature. In warm water, its temperature is warm, and in cold water, it’s cold. Like other animals, fish need a specific body temperature to function correctly. For example, the Ideal Temperature Range of three popular species follows: Redfish - Ideal Temperature Range 70° – 90°, Snook - Ideal Temperature Range 70° – 82°, Spotted Sea Trout - Ideal Temperature Range 68° – 78° And Barometric Pressure: Most anglers fish when they can, but it could change their game plan if you understand pressure changes. You can count on good fishing during cloudy, stormy weather conditions and not-so-great during beautiful, sunny, bluebird sky weather. Dropping Pressure = Good Fishing Rising Pressure = Poor Fishing
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WHAT’S BITING IN TAMPA BAY
CAPT. GEORGE JONAH PUTS A NICE ONE BACK
Snook, Redfish & Spotted Sea Trout: Good
action this month as the water temperatures heat up. It’s not likely you’ll find Redfish, Trout, or Snook in skinny water, except perhaps early in the mornings. Instead, they are probably suspended at different levels depending on the Thermoclines. If you find them shallow, you’ll see them heading into the mangroves’ shade line. Check around passes separating the Mangrove Islands. Artificial lures and early mornings work well this time of year—MirrOLure’s - Top-Dog Series or the MirrOMullet Surface Walker. The color selection is white, silver with black, green with white, and redhead and white are good choices.
813-477-3814
Cobia is found around markers and deep water channel marker buoys, especially those holding bait. Occasionally, some are cruising, the grass flats following giant rays or manatees. When you fish markers, keep a chum bag over the side. If fish are in the area, this should attract them. Toss them a pinfish, greenback, or threadfin, and hold on.
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Mackerel fishing in Tampa Bay is “Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishsemi-strong (good days – bad days), ing” and there are some big drag screamers chasing schools of threadfins. Capt. Woody Gore operates Tampa Bay’s These are some exciting fish to catch #1 Outdoor Fishing Guide Services. Guidon light tackle, with the larger ones ing and fishing in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and averaging from 3 to 5 pounds. Try Clearwater areas for over sixty years. He offers to find the hard bottom, and you’ll first-class customer service, family-oriented charters, and a lifetime of memories. usually find vast schools of threadfins. Hang a couple of bags of chum over the side and use greenbacks Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all or threadfins with small wire lead- the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the area’s most experiers and long shank hooks. I use 50# enced captains, Capt. Woody can arrange and Seaguar Fluorocarbon leader using coordinate any outing or tournament. Website Daiichi long shank hooks. at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM, email wgore@ix.netcom.com, or call at 813-477-3814. Mangrove Snapper, You can find them on every rock pile, marker, Member: FOWA-Florida Outdoor Writers structure, and bridge pilings around Assoc., Member-SEOPA Southeastern Outdoor Press Assoc. CEO/Pres. Sport-Fishing Tampa Bay. A light line and smaller hooks should produce a nice meal. Unlimited & Outdoor Communications, Outdoor Writer & Speaker They’re partial to the new hatch of greenbacks or Threadfins but always take shrimp.
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.
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Blueberries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 20
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• One pound of wool can make 10 miles of yarn. There are 150 yards (450 feet) of wool yarn in a baseball. • There are 350 squirts in a gallon of milk. Elevators in the Statue of Liberty use a soybean-based hydraulic fluid. • The chicken is the closest living relative to the T-Rex. • Cows can sense a storm coming and will lie down. • George Washington liked ice cream so much he reportedly had a bill for $200 for ice cream one summer. • Onions contain a mild antibiotic that fights infections, soothes burns, tames bee stings and relieves the itch of athletes foot. • Americans eat about 125 pounds of potatoes a year, about half from fresh potatoes and half in processed foods.
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Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the April 2017 issue
This past winter during the holiday season we spent a few days at our cottage in the mountains near Blairsville, Georgia. One morning I got up early and went in to town to eat breakfast around the square in downtown Blairsville across from the old courthouse at The Hole In The Wall restaurant. All the “old timers” were already there around the table in the back of the restaurant. They invited me to sit with them. This turned out to be the best source for new Rock’n Chair Chatter material. Bruce came in, sat down, ordered his coffee, and said, “Where’s Charlie? I followed him into town but stopped by Ware Chevrolet to get an estimate on repairing a hole in the roof of my cab. I figured he would already have been here.” They all started laughing, and Fred said, “You just missed all the excitement, the Game Warden hauled him off to jail for killing a deer out of season.” “What happened? You know Charlie doesn’t have a gun,” Bruce said. “Well, the Game Warden pulled in next to Charlie’s pickup out front a few minutes ago and saw a dead deer in the bed of his truck.” “Oh my goodness, Charlie didn’t shoot that deer! When we were coming in town about five miles out on highway 129 a deer ran in front of my truck, hit the grill, came over my hood, broke my windshield and flew over the top of my truck. When I hit the brakes my 30-06 rifle went off, and blew a hole in the roof of the truck about the time the deer sailed over the cab. I’ll bet that deer landed in the bed of Charlie’s truck. He was following pretty close to me at the time.” Bruce took off to the police station. When he pulled in the Game Warden was just getting into his truck, and a tow truck had started to haul off Charlie’s pickup. I hollered, “Hold everything officer, there’s been a big mistake. Charlie didn’t shoot that deer, let me explain.” Bruce told the story how the deer his truck, and when it went over his truck his rifle went off and blew a hole in the roof of his cab hitting the deer.
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The officer laughingly said, well I have heard a lot of stories but this one tops it off. “Do you expect me to believe a cock and bull story like that”? After Bruce showed him the hole in the roof of his truck, and they looked over the dead deer, and saw where the deer had been shot in the top of his spine, the officer said,
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“Well, I guess you’re telling the truth, he would have had to be in an airplane to shoot the deer in the back! Come on lets go back to the jail and let old Charlie out.” Then there’s the story of two guys are out hunting deer. The first guy says, “Did you see that?” “No,” the second guy says. “Well, a bald eagle just flew overhead,” the first guy, says. “Oh,” says the second guy. A couple of minutes later, the first guy says, “Did you see that?” “See what?” the second guy asks. “Are you blind? There was a big, black bear walking on that hill, over there.” A few minutes later the first guy says: “Did you see that?” By now, the second guy is getting aggravated, so he says, “Yes, I did!” And the first guy says: “Then why did you step in it?” Two new deer hunters that decided to separate to increases their chances. “What if we get lost?” says one of them. “Fire three shots up in the air, every hour on the hour,” says the other. “I saw it on TV.” Sure enough, one of the hunters gets lost, so he fires three shots up into the air every hour on the hour. The next day the other hunter finds his friend with the help of the Forest Ranger. “Did you do what I said?” asked the hunter. “Yes, I fired three shots up into the air every hour on the hour, until I ran out of arrows.” Then there’s the story of two lawyers who were out hunting when they came upon a pair of tracks. They stopped and examined the tracks closely. The first lawyer said, “Those are deer tracks. It’s deer season, so we should follow the tracks and find our prey.” The second lawyer responded, “Those are clearly elk tracks, and elk are out of season. If we follow your advice, we’ll waste the day.” Each attorney believed himself to be the superior woodsman, and they both bitterly stuck to their guns. They were still arguing when the train hit them. One night during the local deer-hunting season a police officer was staking out a particularly rowdy country bar for possible DUI violations. At closing time, he saw a deer hunter tumble out of the bar, trip on the curb, then try his keys in five different cars before he found his. He sat in the front seat fumbling around with his keys for several minutes. All the other deer hunters left the bar and drove off. Finally he started his engine and began to pull away. The police officer was waiting for him. He stopped the driver, read him his rights and administered the Breathalyzer test. The results showed a reading of 0.00. The puzzle officer demanded to know how that could be. The deer hunter replied, “Tonight I’m the designated decoy.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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WE BUY FARMS Gladstone Land is actively acquiring farms in Florida. We offer owners and farmers three options: 1. We buy farms and provide long-term leases to the farmer.
2. We buy land that farmers would like to farm, but not own.
3. We buy farms with leases in place or can be leased.
Please contact Bill Frisbie at Gladstone Land: (703) 287-5839 bill.f@gladstoneland.com | www.GladstoneFarms.com
Sign up
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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This publication is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007446 totaling $1,179,719 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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Great health care is closer than you think. South Florida Baptist Hospital is more than just a small community hospital. We’ve got a wide array of specialty care and surgical services that you don’t have to travel far to get. Our surgeons are experts in minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures that provide lots of benefits, including shorter hospital stays, decreased blood loss and smaller incisions that reduce the risk of infection. Plus, faster recovery times that mean you can get back to your normal activities sooner. You’ll find comprehensive orthopedic care—whether you’re an athlete who needs sports medicine services or you’re someone who needs a total joint replacement. Our all-inclusive gynecology program offers high-quality care to the women and mothers in our community with a variety of women’s care services. We’ve even been designated as a Center of Excellence for our weight loss surgery program, meeting nationally recognized standards and providing outstanding care to our patients. And all of this extraordinary care exists right here in Plant City. Learn more: SouthFloridaBaptistSurgery.org
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NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!
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WISH FARMS 100 YEARS OF SWEETNESS SINCE 1922 WITH GARY WISHNATSKI
April 2022
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HCSO’S NEWLY RENOVATED IMPOUND LOT TO BENEFIT LIVESTOCK, COMMUNITY Sheriff Chad Chronister
To better protect and serve the community, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office recently updated its livestock impound lot. The impound lot, located in Lithia, houses any livestock recovered during loose animal calls or abuse cases within the county. In recent months, the team of Agricultural Crimes Unit deputies, led by Sergeant Steve Schneider, implemented plans to renovate the lot. They called on the Farmer's Friend, out of Plant City, to install new fencing to better protect the animals housed at the impound lot. The old four-foot-tall fencing was replaced with six-foot-tall pasture fencing. The new fencing includes no-climb fencing, which is four feet high, with two strands of barbed wire at the top, one in the middle, and one at the bottom to reinforce the strength of the fencing. The six-foot-tall fencing will deter animals from leaving the lot, and keep out any unwanted subjects, too. Fencing was also installed near the offloading driveway, which not only gives the animals staying at the impound lot more room to roam, but also provides a much easier way for deputies to get them in and out of there. There are two interior paddocks designated for horses, as well as two additional ones for other animals. A covering over these paddocks will assist in keeping the animals comfortable during the day.
any animals housed there are safe and have everything they need during their stay there," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Every year, dozens of animals are transported to our impound lot for a variety of reasons, including abuse or they simply get loose from their homes. Our goal with any of them is to provide them with a comfortable stay in a stress-free environment while they await their next destination." To better assist deputies with livestock that runs loose or gets lost, owners who have animals like horses, cows, goats, sheep, donkeys, emus, and pigs can register them with HCSO. In the event that an animal escapes the owner's property, a responding deputy will be able to immediately look up the registered owner's address and contact information. The registration process takes only a few minutes and requires a name, phone number, and e-mail address. Registrants are also required to provide the number and type of animals (and any other additional identifying information, such as tags and branding) located on their property and any photos they may have of them, amongst other details. Information entered into the livestock registration program is strictly voluntary. It is available in English and in Spanish. To register, visit www.teamhcso.com, and click the "Online Registration Services" tab under "Services" located on the main page. The program is called "Livestock Registration."
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"The safety of the public is our first priority here at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and the updated impound lot will provide just that, along with the peace of mind that
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NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
Florida Pesticide Applicators Now Able to Take Licensing Exams Online
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Pesticide Information Office has announced the state’s approximately 70,000 pesticide applicators now have the option of taking licensing exams online. Applicators can apply for an in-person or online test by following the steps listed on the UF/IFAS Pesticide Exam website, pesticideexam.ifas.ufl.edu. The online test fee is $26.
USDA Gathering Data on Certified Organic Production The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting an organic survey to gather new data on certified organic crops and livestock commodities in the U.S. USDA sys the effort is critical to help determine the economic impact of certified agriculture production on the nation. NASS is mailing the survey to all known certified organic farms and ranches in the U.S. and asks producers to provide information on acreage, production and sales, as well as production and marketing practices.
District Suggests Checking Irrigation Timers The Southwest Water Management District (District) is reminding residents to check the timers on their irrigation system controllers since we are now on daylight saving time. Additionally, residents should be familiar with local watering rules and don’t water simply because it’s their day to do so. Water when needed and that means recognizing water stressed grass blades folded in half over at least one-third of a lawn, grass blades appearing blue gray and grass blades that do not spring back but leave footprints for several minutes after being walked on. Farm Bureau Members Save 15% on Grasshopper Products Florida Farm Bureau members can save up to 15% off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price on Grasshopper mowers (all makes and models), accessories and implements. Proof of Farm Bureau membership is required and must be presented to the member’s local dealer.
USDA Announces Multi-million Dollar Gift for Students from Diverse Backgrounds The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced a $15 million investment in agricultural education and workforce development for students from diverse backgrounds. This investment will ensure that all students, including underrepresented and underserved students, in community colleges and universities are prepared and have a fair opportunity to compete for professional jobs in science and agricultural fields.
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This investment is part of the Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates Program, which promotes learning experiences for undergraduate students so they are ready to enter the agricultural workforce.
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USDA Now Accepting Applications for Urban Agriculture Projects The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications from Florida producers for Urban Agricultural and Innovation Production (UAIP) projects. These projects are under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which offers producers technical and financial assistance to address resource concerns on their land. More information is available at the Plant City USDA office, 1001 East Baker Street, Suite 403. Telephone: 813/759-6450. Exclusive Offers for Farm Bureau Members from TicketsatWork Florida Farm Bureau is partnering with TicketsAtWork.com to provide members with exclusive discounts, special offers and access to preferred seating and tickets to top attractions, theme parks, shows, sporting events, movie, hotels and more. To order tickets, members should visit TicketAtWork.com and create a free account using the Florida Farm Bureau Company Code – FFBC – or by calling: 800-331-6483.
UF Animal Scientists Receive Grant for Increasing Beef Cattle Reproduction The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded a $650,000 grant to a team of University of Florida (UF) researchers to help ranchers produce beef more consistently by assisting them improve their herds’ reproductive performance.
UF Scientists Receive $850,000 Grant to Study Fumigation Impacts on Soil Health University of Florida (UF) soil microbiologist Sarah Strauss has received an $850,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study how fumigation impacts soil health. Strauss will be assisted on this project with help from researchers at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) where research will be conducted along with commercial tomato and strawberry farms. GCREC researchers include Nathan Boyd, a professor of horticultural sciences, Gary Vallad, a professor of plant pathology, and Mary Lusk, an assistant professor of soil and water sciences.
FDACS Offers Free Pesticide Pick-Up
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is offering free pick-up of pesticides up to l,000 pounds through “Operation Cleansweep.” This is a mobile pesticide collection program that provides a safe way to dispose of cancelled, suspended and unusable pesticides. This program is available to farms, groves, greenhouses, nurseries, golf courses and pest control services. It is supported by FDACS and a broad range of related organizations. For additional information and to sign up for “Operation Cleansweep.” Call 877/851-5285. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
Anastasia Island Beach Mouse By Libby Hopkins
The Anastasia Island beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus phasma) is a subspecies of the old-field mouse of the southeastern United States. It lives in the sand dunes of Florida and Alabama beaches. It has been classified by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as an endangered species due to the specificity of its habitat and the natural and humaninduced destruction thereof. “As you might imagine, mouse conservation is not high on everybody’s priority list,” said Stephen Humphrey, a researcher at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. But, if people do not concern themselves with the Anastasia beach mouse, this tiny, timid, and endangered critter of the beach dunes will be gone.” The Atlantic coast of Florida originally supported three subspecies of beach mouse - the pallid beach mouse of Flagler and Volusia Counties (already extinct by 1978), the southeastern beach mouse of the central Florida coast, and the Anastasia Island beach mouse of St. Johns County beaches.
the eating and burrowing habits of this special mouse, much of the vegetation on our beach’s dune can be credited to this animal. This includes the protected dune-stabilizing plant, sea oats. The Anastasia Island beach mouse promotes the park’s biodiversity and natural resources, as the park’s “engineer of the dunes.” There are a few ways to help keep beach mice from being extinct. You can keep your cats indoors. Not only does this protect beach mice, but it also protects your pets. Stay off the dunes and stick to established boardwalks and crossovers. Do not drive in the dunes or on the upper beach near dunes and dune vegetation. Keep outdoor lighting to a minimum. Don’t use rodenticides in or near dunes. Do not feed stray cats. Plant native plants around residences and businesses. Properly dispose of trash to keep predators away.
These are all related to the old-field mouse of the southeastern United States, but they, like similar beach mice along the Gulf coast, became trapped on barrier islands as the sea level rose at the end of the last ice age (10,000 - 12,000 years ago) and thus were genetically cut off from other old-field mice. Gradually, each of these isolated populations became its own subspecies with specific genetic makeup and characteristics. The beach mouse has also become the unofficial mascot of Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine. Looking like balls of cotton with big, dark eyes, with a light buff-colored back, pure white underside, and indistinct white markings on their face, make them absolutely adorable. The beach mice inhabit the edges of the dunes, spending their days in burrows and nights roaming the dune area looking for food. Increased development in recent years has fragmented their habitat. Intense use by vehicles and pedestrians as well as storms has damaged or destroyed many of the sand dunes where the grasses, whose seeds the mice depend upon for food, grow. Increased population has also brought with it free roaming house cats and house mice that invade the remaining habitat and prey on the beach mice. Although it is nearly impossible to view this animal in action, you can most certainly view their work along the dunes.
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The diet of the Anastasia Island beach mouse consists of insects and the seeds and fruits of dune vegetation. Thanks to
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FLORIDA MINT By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science Fresh Florida mint is a refreshing green herb that is used in beverages, desserts, salads, and jellies. Mint thrives in the heat and humidity of Florida. Mint, along with other herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, and sage belong to the Labiatae family. There are many types of mint including peppermint and spearmint, apple mint, chocolate mint, and English mint. Mint can be enjoyed in salads or with fruit or made into mint tea or mint water. It can also be added to fresh juice, iced tea, or cocktails. Mint grows easily and rapidly in Florida and prefers moist soil and partial shade. The United States produces 70% of the world’s peppermint. A hybrid of spearmint and watermint, peppermint was initially cultivated in England and used to treat nausea, vomiting, morning sickness and respiratory illnesses. Peppermint is well known for its use in treating digestive symptoms including bloating, indigestion, and flatulence. The menthol in mint can also soothe throat and nasal congestion and is a common ingredient in cough drops. Similarly, spearmint was initially grown in Europe and grows more aggressively than peppermints. Both types of mint are prized for their volatile oils which gives mints its distinctive aroma and taste.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Fresh Florida mint is high in nutrients including iron, manganese, folate, and vitamin A. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, a one-third cup serving of fresh mint (14 g) contains 6 calories, 1 g of dietary fiber. One serving also contains 12% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin A, 9% for iron, 8% for manganese, and 4% for folate.
Manganese Fresh Florida mint is considered a great source of manganese, an important mineral that plays a role in a variety of physiological functions throughout the body. Manganese is needed for glucose, protein, lipid, and cholesterol metabolism from the foods we consume, as well as for pancreatic function and development. The mineral is important in normal skeletal growth and development, prevention of sterility, and synthesis of thyroid hormone.
Mint is high in vitamin A, which plays a role in vision health and also acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are compounds with the ability to neutralize free radicals, which are harmful byproducts of metabolism that can lead to disease. Antioxidants may reduce the risk of some diseases, including several forms of cancer.
How to Select and Store Choose mint leaves that are crisp and perky with even coloring and a fragrant smell. Avoid any leaves with wilting or yellowing. The leaves and stems should look fresh and tender, and be dry to the touch. To store, pat leaves dry with a paper towel, place in a tightly wrapped plastic bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. Keep refrigerated for up to three weeks. Rinse well immediately before use. Alternatively, place mint stems in a glass of water and store on the countertop for up to a week or in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Mint can also be frozen. Chop into small pieces and fill ice cube trays with mint and water, then freeze. You can then use the mint ice cubes in any beverage such as iced tea or lemonade or water. Mint can also be dried for future use.
How to Enjoy Fresh mint has many delicious uses. It can be used as a garnish or a refreshing addition to cold or warm beverages or salads.
Other uses of mint include: • Mix into fresh vegetable or fruit salad or yogurt • Steep in hot water to make peppermint tea • Use fresh mint as a garnish to top any dish • Dip in chocolate and eat chocolate mint leaves as dessert • Mix into mojitos, lemonade, or fresh cocktails or juice • Add to hot chocolate or any chocolate dessert Enjoy fresh Florida mint today. Eat more of this refreshing green herb and enjoy the health benefits.
SELECTED REFERENCES http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://www.whfoods.com INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Vitamin A
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Judi Whitson LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY
By Tiffany Dale | Photos by Karen Berry
Imagine, it’s May of 1991 in Hillsborough County, one of the most agriculturally diverse counties in the state of Florida, and there is an opening for a leadership role in the agriculture industry, the Executive Director of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau (HCFB). Mr. Roy Davis was serving as the President of the HCFB Board of Directors, a volunteer organization that serves as the voice for agriculture. Judi Whitson, a Florida native, heard about the role, interviewed, and the rest is history. Now, as over 30 years have passed in what seems to be in the blink of an eye to Judi, she closes this chapter and leaves a legacy as she has built one of the most successful County Farm Bureau Federations in the state of Florida and will leave a lasting impact through the countless relationships and interactions she has had along the way.
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If you spend any time around members of Florida’s agriculture industry, a term you will hear is “everyone knows Judi,” a tagline that has followed Judi, and it isn’t by chance. Since Judi began in her role as the Executive Director of HCFB, she hit the ground running and began blazing trails. “When I started, I knew very little about Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF), and very little about agriculture,” said Whitson. That didn’t keep Judi from rising to the top as a leader in just a short time. Ag-Venture, what is now a nationally recognized program, was one of her first focuses and accomplishments. “It began in 1993 as a collaboration between Hillsborough
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County Farm Bureau, the Florida State Fair, and the University of Florida Extension Service,” said Whitson. A hands-on program designed to teach third graders in Hillsborough County the importance of agriculture began as ‘Ag in the Classroom Field Trips’ and has grown into a countywide program that has over four thousand third graders in attendance, annually. The Ag-Venture program was added to Florida State Fair programming in 2001, reaching hundreds of thousands of people throughout the years. Ag-Venture incorporates members of industries including but not limited to horticulture, aquaculture, beef production, fruits and vegetables, livestock, extension, and soil nutrients. Industry members, educators, students, and the public have a first-hand opportunity to communicate, collaborate, and learn from those who produce food, fiber, and fuel for the population. Students such as John Hall, who was one of the first to work alongside Judi at AgVenture, reflect on the impact it had on his life, “I was an FFA member at Gaither High School and I came to help with AgVenture. Judi’s passion to educate children about agriculture was contagious and inspired me to become an ag educator. She created fun and engaging activities for kids (and adults) to learn. Our industry needs more leaders like Judi to help people appreciate the significant role farmers and ranchers play in society. I am forever grateful for all Judi has done to help me and countless others as we share WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
our passion for agriculture education. Her leadership, dedication, and passion for our industry has created a legacy sure to motivate and challenge ag educators for generations.” Ag-Venture led to another program known as Ag-Abilities. “Ag-Abilities was a collaboration with Parks and Recreation, Extension, and several agricultural education teachers. It was at a request from a student that came to me with a concern, he had learning disabilities and was unable to compete in some FFA competitions and saw other students struggle as well. He received an OH Sergeant Award from National FFA for his work on the program,” said Whitson. While Judi takes great pride in Hillsborough County as she has dedicated her career to making an impact in the county, her impact has made waves across the state and country. The Ag-Venture and Ag-Abilities programs have been recognized by National Ag in the Classroom and American Farm Bureau Federation. These award-winning programs have served as a resource and example to countless programs and organizations. Furthermore, Judi has presented to groups across the country to share the impact and information for others to use. Because of Judi’s investment in agricultural education, program development and her community, she has received recognition including, the Plant City Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year, and Ag-Venture was also awarded the same award years later. One of her greatest accomplishments was when she was recognized as the 2016 Woman of the Year in Agriculture, presented by Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In 2016, Commissioner Adam Putnam was serving as Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture. “It was an honor to recognize Judi as Woman of the Year in Agriculture. Judi has brilliantly led Hillsborough farmers and ranchers through any number of issues in one of Florida’s most urban counties. Her passion for agriculture is boundless and the seeds she planted in the next generation of schoolchildren through Ag-Venture will bear fruit for decades to come,” said Commissioner Putnam.
and a blessing to so many, we love and appreciate all she has done throughout the years,” said Carlton. Judi has truly committed a life to moving the needle for the Hillsborough County agriculture community, and to planting a seed in youth and consumers to think about where their food comes from. Judi’s love and dedication to people, youth, and telling the great story of agriculture beams from her the moment you meet her. When asked what she hopes her legacy will be she stated, “Hopefully that someone has a better understanding of where their food comes from. That has been my platform for many years. It is my hope that someone can say, I learned that from Judi.” As Judi approaches retirement and begins to daydream of the life of travel ahead, she reflects on the lifelong friendships she has made, the importance of agriculture to everyone, and the investments she has made. Judi has plans to travel the country. “It has been a dream of mine to just go where the wind takes me, and now I will have an opportunity to do just that. The first trip is already booked and will last about seven months in a coach,” said Whitson. Kaylee Poppell will serve as the next HCFB Executive Director and will lead HCFB into this next chapter. President Carlton looks forward to Kaylee’s leadership and what is in the future for HCFB. “Judi’s dedication has been displayed during this transition period. It has been nothing short of grace, love, and compassion to all those who work by her side. I want to personally say thank you to Judi for always pushing me to get out of my comfort zone and allowing me to stand with her on behalf of HCFB and the agriculture community.” While Judi will never be replaced, her legacy of 30 years of dedication to Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and agriculture awareness will live on for years to come.
Judi recognizes the importance of taking advocacy and educational efforts beyond the county and has been actively involved with Florida Farm Bureau Field to the Hill trips to Washington D.C. to advocate for issues that affect all of agriculture. Additionally, Judi has maintained relationships with elected officials and decision makers on all levels, as she knows the importance of telling the story and impact agriculture has on the state’s economy. Judi listens closely and develops relationships with HCFB Board of Directors so that she truly understands their operations, knows their story, and can effectively serve as the voice of agriculture as she conducts business, no matter the audience. Judi’s efforts have served both the community as well as the Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF) well in her successful leadership. “I am proud that HCFB has received every recognition they were able to receive from Florida Farm Bureau in the County Recognition Awards during my time there. I am also proud that American Farm Bureau Federation has recognized five of our programs over the years with a County Activities of Excellence Award,” said Whitson. The current President of the Board of Directors of HCFB, Dennis Carlton Jr., recognizes Judi’s talents and skill as a secondgeneration president, “It has truly been an honor to work beside one of the greatest advocates for agriculture the last few years. She has been a friend, a mentor, and someone that has guided so many through the years and I’m truly blessed to call her friend. She has been a true giant of Farm Bureau INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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FLORIDA FARM BUREAU EXPANDS CARES PROGRAM
By Jim Frankowiak
Florida Farm Bureau has implemented a new nomination process for the County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) program. For more than two decades, Farm Bureau’s CARES program has recognized farmers and ranchers who demonstrate exemplary environmental stewardship to protect Florida’s natural resources. Thirty-five Hillsborough County producers have been so recognized by the CARES Program since its inception This new process will be more inclusive of agricultural producers, such as timber growers and aquaculture farmers, as well as producers who operate outside of Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs). The process is expanding to include additional conservation programs with guidelines under agencies, such as Natural Resource Conservation Services, Florida’s Water Management Districts, and others. County Farm Bureaus are encouraged to submit a nomination for an outstanding agricultural steward. A farmer or rancher may also self-nominate or complete a nomination for a fellow caretaker. Nominations will be accepted using the online submission form until May 15, 2022.
1. Water Quality and Water Conservation: Preserve or improve water quality, recharge and/or reduce overall use within or adjacent to an agricultural operation. 2. Land Conservation and Soil Health: Reduce and/or prevent soil erosion while protecting natural areas and local habitats. 3. Pesticide/Nutrient Management: Use pesticides/nutrients responsibly, maximizing benefits and minimizing potential adverse environmental effects. 4. Waste Management/Recycling: Reduce waste by recycling agricultural by-products and waste products on site. To complete the nomination process, provide the required contact information for nominator and nominee as well as the online submission and its required attachments. The deadline for nominations is May 15, 2022. Recipients will be notified no later than July 1, 2022. Send questions regarding the nomination process to ThisFarmCares@ffbf.org or via phone, (352) 374-1542.
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Recipients will be notified no later than July 1, 2022. Completed nominations are reviewed for effectiveness of natural resource protection as well as compliance with implemented environmental stewardship. Natural resource conservation practices to be considered include:
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Grazing Management for Optimal Forage Utilization By Allie Williams, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
Feed costs typically account for the greatest percentage of total enterprise costs in a cow-calf operation. Grazing, as the primary feed source, can help reduce costs for your operation. The first step is management. We often hear about pasture management, but let’s talk about grazing management and how to get the most out of your pastures. There are a few factors to consider if you are looking to achieve optimal forage utilization and animal performance: 1. How close to graze? This decision will have the greatest impact on pasture and animal productivity. Leaving adequate leaf mass after grazing is crucial for regrowth. The recommended stubble height depends on the forage variety. Not all forages are the same. For example, Bahiagrass can be grazed to 2 inches, while tall, bunch grasses should be grazed to a taller stubble height. (See Impact of Grazing Methods on Forage and Cattle Production, (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/AG/ AG26800.pdf) Table 2 for stubble height chart). 2. Stocking Rate Stocking rate is the most critical component in grazing management. Stocking rate is the number of animal units grazing a given area of land (e.g. - # of animals/acre). This rate is based off of grazable acres. Areas with excess brush or trees, surface water, and/or ranch roads should be excluded when calculating the amount of land suitable for grazing. Other factors to consider when determining stocking rate are forage production, nutritive value, species composition of pasture, and season. There’s a correlation between stocking rate and animal performance. Too low of a stocking rate would leave the forages underutilized which is not economical, while too high of a stocking rate would result in overgrazing and low animal gain. The goal is to determine the zone where the optimum output per individual animal gain and output per unit of land area intersect. The stocking rate must match the pasture’s carrying capacity, animal nutrient demand, forage availability, season, and grazing method. Overstocked pastures can lead to overgrazing, resulting in slow regrowth, decreased root systems, increased weeds, and poor stands, not to mention reduced animal performance.
Rotational grazing is when cattle are rotated between two or more sections of the pasture, called paddocks. The producer manages the time period of grazing and pasture recovery. When grazed at the proper stocking rate and rotating at ideal stubble height, rotational grazing helps with pasture persistence. Despite requiring more labor and management, as well as more initial investments, such as fencing and water sources, rotational grazing has many benefits. This grazing method can result in improved pasture longevity, increased stocking rate, increased grazing efficiency, and more uniform distribution of excreta by the cattle. It is important to note that grazing and pasture rest period will vary depending on the season. Grazing management can influence animal performance, pasture performance, and economic returns. This tool can lead to increased forage yield and quality, stand longevity, and grazing efficiency. Choice of grazing management also affects the animal’s milk and meat production, weight gain, and can reduce feed costs. There is not a one-size fits all management program. An effective grazing management plan will consider how close to graze (stubble height), stocking rate, and the grazing method (continuous or rotational). It’s important to understand the relationship between cattle and forage availability. These factors can lead to more efficient use of forages and ultimately impact economic returns. Tracking information throughout the grazing season can help you evaluate your grazing plan and fine tune your plan for optimal forage utilization and animal performance. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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3. Grazing Method: Continuous or rotational grazing? Continuous grazing is a method where the cattle have unrestricted and uninterrupted access to a specific piece of land throughout the grazing season. Cattle have free access to selectively graze, and choose how often and how close to graze a plant. It does not allow for the pasture to rest and may not allow adequate residual leaf and carbohydrate reserves for pasture regrowth. However, this method requires less input costs and management decisions compared to rotational grazing.
Run For The Roses! by John Dicks It’s iconic! American Classic they say. Or surely you’ve heard an announcer proclaim it’s “the most exciting two minutes in sports!” I’m referring, of course, to the Kentucky Derby. It’s the annual affair at Churchill Downs in Louisville, where the locals simply refer to it as the “run for the roses.” Always held on the first Saturday in May, it’s the “riders’ up” race, smartly said by some in reference to the starter’s command, just before he blares “and they’re off”. What an interesting, if not amazing, event it is. There’s so much silliness and phrases passed around the track, you can’t help but hear someone say, teasingly, “talk Derby to me,” right before expressing “May the Horse be with you!” Glib and giddy (up) I suppose, but likely it’s just the prelude to the silliness of such fancy hats seen nowhere else on earth, yet adorned by those who want to look nothing but their best … at a horse race! Full disclosure: I really like watching the Kentucky Derby! I’m not so serious, though, that I can’t chuckle at some of the shenanigans. NBC, for one, somehow turns that blazing 1 1/4 mile run around the track into a solid 5 hour marathon television blitz! We’re talking tv time that so saturates the airwaves that it’s equivalent to game day coverage of the Super Bowl. Except of course, the Super Bowl includes a game (and a very long half time show) that fills about three hours of the broadcast. The Derby race takes just slightly more than two minutes!
Everyone, it seems, gets into the action. The track stadium seats (or stands) about 150,000 and millions around the world are glued to their screens watching, betting, and hoping for personal successful results. Granted that while Kentucky is where everything about the race is live and in realtime, the state also takes pride in noting that it’s produced or bred more winners than any others. No real surprise there, but it’s worth noting, and satisfying to know that Florida has produced its share of Derby winners, too. Last year was one of them. The winner and star of the race was Medina Spirit, which became an instant fan favorite as the winning horse that next to no-one believed in. Odds makers made him a long shot, but he took the lead almost from the start and kept it, essentially, all the way home. This fine Florida thoroughbred was born and bred just up the road in Ocala. This year may well see similar results. Already the top four running horses from the recent Florida Derby have snagged enough qualifying points to be posted at the gate in Kentucky. The field in Florida was so strong, that even Classic Causeway, the horse finishing in last place, is also set to go. My personal favorite is White Abarrio. He won the Florida Derby, making his record a total of four victories in five career starts. He’s a good looking horse, too; a chalky gray, which will make him stand out from the rest. Maybe he’s no Secretariat, but he sure looks and runs like a contender for the Triple Crown!
The five hour stamina of the tv anchors is quite remarkable. They’ll focus not only on the horses, and their odds, but also the jockeys, the trainers, owners, veterinarians, nutritionists, groomers, and even the folks that shovel the stuff from the stalls! It’s a lot of tv time to fill, but my theory is that is structured around the precise time allotment for the perfect household or neighborhood party.
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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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A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green
Bamboo Trellis
Bamboo is not only beautifully exotic, but is one of the easiest woods to work with. This month we will use bamboo to make an attractive trellis for any vining plant. Arundinaria is the only bamboo (cane) native to the United States and North America. Prior to European colonization of the Americas, cane was a vital resource for indigenous Native Americans. River cane (Arundinaria) was used to make houses, weapons, jewelry, medicines, fuel, and food. Early explorers in the U.S. described vast stands of River cane called canebrakes in river lowlands that provided ideal land for crops, habitat for wild game, and year-round forage for livestock. After colonization, cane lost its importance due to the destruction and decline of canebrakes, forced relocation of indigenous people, and the availability of superior technology from abroad. Today, Asian species of bamboo have become a popular ornamental in the United States but can quickly become invasive, many scientific articles on bamboo claim it can grow up to two feet a day. I mention this because many unwary homeowners have a stand of invasive Asian bamboo that has grown out of control and would probably welcome an offer to harvest some of it. Out of control bamboo stands are a free source of bamboo if you are willing to cut the stalks yourself.
Materials: • Bamboo • Wood planks (2 x 4 for support) • Saw • Power Drill • Forstner Drill Bits
• Dremel Tool • Dremel Cutting Bit • Wood glue
Cut the support structure
• Determine the dimensions of your trellis • Cut two thick pieces of bamboo to the height of your trellis • Cut a wood plank (2x4) about 6 inches wider than your trellis (3 inch allowance on each side) • With a power drill and forstner bit, drill two opposing holes the approximate diameter of the outer bamboo support pieces. For a tight fit, drill smaller than needed and shave the diameter of the bamboo with dremel and cutting bit.
Fit the vertical support structure
Fit the thicker outer bamboo poles into the holes in the wooden support plank. * bamboo may need to be shaved for a tight fit. Glue optional
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Fit the horizontal lattice Bamboo does not grow in a perfectly straight line, though the
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outer pieces may appear parallel, there will be variation in the width of the trellis; for this reason, it is suggested that each horizontal lattice is cut to fit while assembling rather than to a consistent size before assembling. • With a power drill and forstner bit, drill holes in the outer support pieces at a slightly smaller diameter than that of the bamboo that will be inserted to create the horizontal lattice. Shave the bamboo end at a slight bevel to create a fit that tightens as it is forced into the hole in the outer support pieces . • Insert the horizontal lattice piece into one side of the outer support pieces. • Measure the length of the lattice piece to reach about half way into the outer support pieces. • Cut to length, and then insert both ends of the horizontal lattice piece to span the outer support pieces. Glue optional WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
A Closer Look A Closer Look
by Sean Green
Wolf Spiders (Lycosidae) Lycosidae by April Green
wolf spider babies by Noppadol Paothong The wolf spider (Lycosidae) is a family of large ground spiders that hunt their prey by stalking or ambush. The scientific name Lycosidae stems from lúkos the Ancient Greek word for wolf. In Greek Mythology it was Lycaon, king of Arcadia, whom Zeus turned into a wolf. Some sources claim these spiders are so named because they were once thought to hunt in packs. We know now that these spiders do not hunt in groups but they are known to live in dense populations. The Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) is one of the most abundant spiders in the world, it is estimated that there are over 2000 described species worldwide ranging from the Arctic to the subtropics and 250 species in the continental United States. The wolf spider (Lycosidae) is regarded as a beneficial insect both in the field and in the home. With a closer look at this remarkable spider you can decide for yourself the extent of which you will welcome this species into your home or garden. Wolf spiders are opportunistic hunters that feed on anything they can capture or subdue. They are nocturnal hunters and typically prey on other spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, roaches, and many insects that are considered agricultural pests; for this reason, wolf spiders are considered beneficial. One of the most fascinating characteristics of the Wolf spider is that they will prey on animals much larger than it, such as frogs, lizards, mice and even small birds. They are able to do so because the wolf spider has a flexible abdomen that can expand to accommodate a large meal when the opportunity presents itself. When feeding opportunities are scarce, the wolf spider can slow its metabolism to conserve energy until the food supply provides more opportunity to feed. The wolf spider has a bit of an advantage over other spiders in finding food. Web building spiders, such as the Orb Weavers, are nearly blind and at best can detect simple changes in light and dark. For the most part, they rely on a sense of touch, vibration or chemical cues to find their prey. Hunting spiders, like the wolf spider, on the other hand, build traps in the ground, construct nets, or actively stalk to capture their prey, pouncing on them when they get close enough. Hunting spiders have amazing visual characteristics such as detecting polarized and ultraviolet light, and most have binocular vision. Most wolf spiders (Lycosidae) hunt at night and their eyes are specialized to enable them to do so very well. Like other nocturnal
animals, especially carnivores, the wolf spider has a well developed tapeta; a reflective layer of tissue behind the retina that amplifies the light reaching the photoreceptors. The wolf spiders eyes are among the best in the animal kingdom, second only to the jumping spiders (Salticidae). The sensitivity to light in the eyes of these spiders can be compared to that of a camera lens with an aperture of about (f/0.58). The light sensitivity of this spider is more efficient than a cat (f/0.90), an owl (f/1.10) and the human eye (f/2.10). Animals that have this tapeta layer have eyes that seem to glow when a light is shined into their eyes at night. A simple flashlight is all that’s needed for spotlighting; a technique used by hunters and naturalists to search for animals at night. The wolf spiders eyes reflect a silvery eyeshine that can be seen with a standard flashlight. When shined into a field of grass, what looks like tiny droplets of dew is actually the glistening eyes of the hundreds of spiders dispersed in the grass looking back at you. I love demonstrating this characteristic on night hikes and camping trips. If you get close enough, Lycosidae can be recognized by their unique eye arrangement. There is a row of four small anterior (front) eyes, two large forward facing posterior median eyes (PME) set further back on the head, and two large posterior lateral(side) eyes (PLE) facing sideways or backwards. The eye arrangement of Lycosidae enable these spiders to see in a 360° view. You may also notice that they have fangs that appose each other and cross in a pinching action; this is characteristic of what scientists call araneomorph spiders. If you are lucky enough to find a female with young, you will notice one of the characteristics of this spider that sets it apart from most other spiders. Wolf spiders are actually very nurturing toward their young. The female spider will carry her egg sack with her, securing it in her fangs, she protects her clutch of eggs until they hatch. Once her eggs hatch, the spiderlings crawl on to the top of her abdomen and are protected through their first instars. Until 1990, wolf spiders were thought to be dangerous and bites from this spider were treated with an antivenin. The practice of using antivenin for Lycosidae was stopped when a study showed these spiders were not venomous enough to inflict serious damage to human beings. These spiders are abundant, beneficial, and safe, and are fascinating creatures if you take a closer look. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Wolf Spider Eyeshine by Jim Frazer
Grand Champion: A Plant Champion
By Libby Hopkins Marshall Lemus is a 14-year-old freshman at Durant High School. He enjoys playing baseball and is on the Crucibles Baseball Team. “I also like to run and I am currently on Durant’s Track and Field Team,” Lemus said. He recently became the Grand Champion for Plants at the Strawberry Festival this past February. The purpose of the Youth Plant Show and Sale is to encourage the production of high quality plant material among students of Agriculture and 4-H Club members and to reward junior growers for their efforts. The general public is invited to support this event as well. The Youth Plant Show and Sale is an activity which enables students to showcase their production project. The activity limits the student to exhibiting a small number of plants. These plants should not be the extent of the production project. In most instances, students should have their own small nursery and select representative plants for entering in the Youth Plant Show and Sale. The project is intended to simulate growing plants at a production nursery and plants should be stepped to a larger size from purchase and not merely maintained in the same condition as they were purchased. “The Youth Plant show and Sale allows students to learn and grow good quality plants and then be able to show them off and sell them to the community,” Lemus said. “There are different categories of plants you can choose from. There are Woody Ornamental Plants, like my Powder Puff Trees, Foliage Plants, Hanging Planters and other entries like planters, terrariums and some participants even had small plants in liners they started growing as seeds,” Lemus said. “Each plant entered is then judged and awards are given out.”
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There is a silent auction and then a live auction. Farmers, nursery owners, landscaping companies and other companies from in and around the community come and place bids on the plants. “I am not actually sure how I became Grand
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Champion,” Lemus said. “There were a lot of plants there and some were really nice. You could tell that hard work and care was put into each of them.” “My mom and sister found out the results first from my teacher Ms. Coleman,” Lemus said. “They surprised me the day of the auction. At first I couldn’t process it, I had not won Grand Champion before so I wasn’t sure exactly what it meant. My teacher explained it to me and I started to realize throughout the day that winning the Grand Champion was a huge deal. It made me feel really good that my hard work had paid off and I was being recognized for it. I can’t wait till next year!” Lemus became interested in agriculture when he was younger growing up in Dover. “I grew up around strawberry fields and my neighbors had steers they were showing when they were in high school,” Lemus said. “My mom says I used to watch them outside all the time. I asked my grandpa if he was ever in the FFA and he said he was and told me about it and I wanted to learn more.” Lemus’ first opportunity to participate in Ag and join the FFA was when he was in eighth grade at Mulrennan. “This is when I showed plants for the first time and it was fun,” Lemus said. “What I like most about agriculture is the different things you can learn and participate in. It is not just about plants, but the animals, too. I am still learning all the areas to be involved in. The best thing though is the friends I have made and the people I have met. Everyone is so nice and helpful like a family.” Winning Grand Champion has also taught Lemus the importance of keeping things local. “I think it is really important to support locally or family-owned businesses, like one of my favorite places to go, Parksdale Farms,” Lemus said. “People work hard to provide for their families and buying from them will help them. My mom says that sometimes local familyowned businesses have better quality of products that last longer because they take pride in the things they sell. I also think it is important to support local farmers. They work hard every day to grow different fruits and vegetables and they in return support local kids like me in our Ag projects.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Join Hillsborough County Ag PAC and M&B Products for an evening of Bluegrass and Barbecue honoring
Senate President
Wilton Simpson Candidate for
Commissioner of Agriculture
Hosts Danny and Angela Aprile, Mike and Rebecca Bays, Senator Danny Burgess and Courtney Burgess, Dennis and SaraBeth Carlton, Hilda Castillo, Reed Fischbach, Hollinswood Ranch- Dixie and Robyn Hollins, Lykes Bros. Inc,Daniel and Andrea McClellan, Leon and Jessica McClellan, Mary and Dale McClellan, Representative Lawrence McClure, M&B of Tampa, Inc., Michael Owen, Representative Jake Raburn, Stepp's Towing, Michelle Williamson, Art and Mary Wood Co-Hosts The Ciaccio Family, Alan Geer, Dennis Langston, Tina and Gary Pike, Gary and Rhonda Tuttle
Thursday, April 28, 2022 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Florida Strawberry Growers Association 13138 Lewis Gallagher Rd Dover, FL 33527 $50 per individual Please make contributions payable to: Wilton Simpson Campaign Limit $3,000 Per Person/Entity
Friends of Wilton Simpson Unlimited Contributions
If unable to attend, you may send checks to: Wilton Simpson Campaign or Friends of Wilton Simpson 1103 Hays Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301 or you may contribute at: www.WiltonSimpson.com
For more information or to RSVP, please contact Isabelle Garbarino at Isabelle@WiltonSimpson.com or 407.412.4405. Paid by Wilton Simpson, Republican, for Commissioner of Agriculture. Contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. The maximum contribution is $3,000 per individual or business, per election. Paid political advertisement paid for by Friends of Wilton Simpson. 1103 Hays Street Tallahassee, FL 32301 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Girl Power for Grand Champion Swine at the Florida Strawberry Festival
By Libby Hopkins Thirteen-year-old Jaylynn Wood is from Lithia Florida. She love her family, puts God first in everything she does and her passion is showing her hogs. This passion is what made her the Grand Champion for Swine at the Florida Strawberry Festival this year. “My true passion and hobby is showing swine,” Wood said. “I am a member of the Florida Junior Swine Circuit and show pigs all over the state of Florida. I have also attended a few shows in the southeastern states as well. I always put God first, stay humble and strive to do my best.” The Florida Junior Swine Circuit was established in 2017 and gives youth the opportunity to exhibit hogs state wide at an organized set of shows all while developing leaders both in and out of the show ring. Being a part of this organization has definitely paid off for Wood and contributed to her Grand Champion win. Wood attends Barrington Middle School where she is a member of FFA. “When I was nine-years-old I was picked for my first swine project at the Hillsborough County Fair,” Wood said. “I like that it builds character, good work ethic and responsibilities. Showing pigs is a partnership, I depend on them and they depend on me.”
When Wood found out she won Grand Champion, she was overwhelmed by how her hard work and determination paid off for her. “I was overwhelmed with emotions,” Wood said. “I had tears of joy because I achieved one of my biggest goals in life to become grand champion at the Florida Strawberry Festival.” Even though Wood is still in middle school, she wants her future career path be in agriculture education. “I still have a few years ahead of me because I’m only in the seventh grade but as of right now I am looking forward to further my education in agriculture,” Wood said. Being a member of FFA has also taught Wood the importance of keeping things local. “I think keeping things local is very important to our community because I believe home is where the heart is and I hope to leave a positive impact in my small town,” Wood said. “I want to thank the local community and my friends and family for supporting me along the way to winning Grand Champion.”
Wood has come a long way from her first swine project. She has gained the knowledge and confidence it takes to show swine at the Florida Strawberry Festival. The Florida Strawberry Festival Mosaic Swine Show and Sale has become a vital phase of the FFA and 4-H program, providing the opportunity to showcase the endeavors of local youth. This program was instituted to encourage interest in agriculture, to provide exposure to leadership, to develop character and to award youth for their contribution.
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“It’s an everyday job from waking up early before school and coming home after school working late in the pig barn,” Wood said. “By walking your pig daily, taking care of their skin and hair and planning feed programs all the way to the final show. I feel I became Grand Champion because I took care of my pig to the best of my knowledge.”
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With every generation,
we get better at protecting our environment. Reclamation ecologists like Ashlee work to return mined lands to productive use as wildlife habitats, public parks and more—so future generations can enjoy these lands for years to come.
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®
Florida FFA State Secretary Carter P. Howell
We have turned the page yet again on another month. March was a fantastic time to be a Florida FFA member, with many competitive and leadership events taking place across the state. At the beginning of March, the State Officer Team and Florida FFA members from across the State gathered in Tallahassee for the annual Ag on the Hill event hosted by the Florida Association of Agriculture Educators. The event was a substantial success, with presentations from members of the House of Representatives, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and other select interest groups. Additionally, many members had the opportunity for face-toface meetings with their elected officials while at the Capitol. Ranking Member of the House Chuck Clemons and Member Chuck Brannan formally recognized the blue jackets that filled the gallery of the House while the body was in session. Putting FFA members in front of elected officials presents the unique opportunity for students to tell their true agriculture success stories personally, which can be very impressionable. Once again, a big thank you to the FAAE for sponsoring and organizing the event! Moving into the second week of March, Jillian Johnston, the Area VI State Vice President, and I had the opportunity to travel to Miami for a week of chapter programs in Dade County. While there, we were able to visit three schools located in highly urbanized areas that offered unique agricultural programs with some of the most enthusiastic members in Florida. We gathered for fellowship, fun, leadership, and agriculture in a portion of the State that now has seldom ties to production agriculture. The relationships and connections we were able to foster that week will long be important to Jillian and me as we feel we had the opportunity to interact with some of the best and brightest young people from the entire state of Florida.
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As we venture further through the Florida FFA calendar, competitive events, or Career Development Events (CDEs) become more and more frequent. The month of March was no exception, playing host to three CDEs. The Floriculture and Nursery & Landscape CDEs were hosted by the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association. Students were tested on industry-specific curriculum areas for both their general knowledge and ability to complete practicums in areas such as flower arrangement and storefront displays. FNGLA has been a longstanding partner in these two specific events and many others. We appreciate the hard work they do to put on such high-quality events for members of our State Association. Furthermore, the State Veterinary Science CDE also took place in March, where students could showcase their talents and skills in this specific agricultural field.
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The last significant event of the month was the 2022 Florida FFA Association State Leadership Summit. This event was open to Sub-District, District, and Federation Officers and prospective State Officer Candidates. At this conference, students from across the State could accomplish numerous things: 1. They were able to build connections with other leaders from across the State. 2. They could finetune their current leadership skills while developing new skills. 3. These students were able to begin the 2022 Florida FFA Association delegate process, where committees were formed in preparation for the 94th Annual Florida FFA State Convention & Expo. Leadership Delegates from the conference will correspond with all delegates from across the state in their respective committee. They will be tasked with guiding the essential conversations that need to be had to make meaningful change and progress in the organization that we all love. Moving forward from March, the main focus is on hosting the year’s biggest event. This year the State Officer Team and the Florida FFA Association will host the 94th Annual Florida FFA State Convention & Expo, where students from across the state will gather in Orlando to celebrate their tremendous successes throughout the year and hope to be inspired to reach even higher for new accomplishments the following year. Although it is hard to believe that my time in the blue jacket is winding down, I could not be happier with all that I have been able to experience in my membership. I am looking forward to interacting with as many FFA members as possible as I round out my year of service! Best, Carter
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Member FDIC
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509 W ALEXANDER ST. | PLANT CITY, FL | 33563
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FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD
By J. Scott Angle
was looking for an agriculture economic development director. McQuillen quickly responded that she knew just the guy for the job, her then-boyfriend Stephen Gran. Gran got the job and served in it for 14 years. He became the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County director in 2012. Incidentally, he got the girl, too: Stephen and Belinda married in 1998. When you are connected to Whitson, you are connected to a vast community of Florida agriculturalists. She served all needs for the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau board, but she clearly had a passion for one area in particular. “I educate third-graders and legislators,” she says. I’ll let you fill in the punchline there. Third-graders she reached through Ag-Venture, a three-hourlong battery of educational stations set up at the Florida State Fairgrounds. The Florida Farm Bureau, UF/IFAS Extension, and the Florida State Fair set up a total of 15 stations where students learned about soil, insects, plants and cows. More importantly, they learned about where their food comes from. Whitson tells a story about a moment when a tantrum taught her what happens when a child’s understanding of the food supply fails to go beyond the fridge or the school cafeteria. Whitson was in a grocery store, and an extended power outage had left the produce section depleted. When a boy realized that he would not be going home with his favorite fruit, he threw himself on the floor in a fit of frustration. That’s the hard way to learn about your food supply, Whitson thought, and it reminded her of how important her work in classrooms and the state fairgrounds was. As for legislators, she educated them through farm tours, visits When Judi Whitson became the Hillsborough County Farm to the Capitol and frequent phone calls. Hinton recalls looking Bureau executive director in 1991, she was told, she remem- over at Whitson during meetings and seeing her texting county bers, “to get in touch with Jemy Hinton and make something commissioners and state legislators. happen.” Whitson says the job she bequeaths to Kaylee Poppell is even Whitson and Hinton, the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough more challenging now. Each succeeding generation—and County 4-H agent at the time, and others made Ag-Venture Whitson’s been through a couple—is further removed from a happen. Whitson lost count at about 200,000 on how many direct connection to a farm. Ag-Venture is more needed than children have learned about Florida agriculture through the ever, she said, but it’s not enough. program. That’s why for the past two years she’s tried to introduce agriJudi worked with public school educators to write the curricu- culture into the classroom curriculum. Whitson at first pushed lum for the Ag-Abilities program, designed to teach students for legislation that would put a nine-week agriculture curricuwith disabilities about agriculture and prepare them for ca- lum into all of the state’s fourth-grade classrooms that would explore the world of agriculture through math, art, English and reers in the industry. even physical education. Whitson retires on April 29, leaving a legacy as one of the state’s premier agriculture educators over the past three de- But even Whitson can’t make things happen in Tallahassee cades. I feel fortunate to have met Whitson on a couple of my overnight. The legislators want to see it in action before they many visits to Hillsborough County and gained an apprecia- introduce a new curriculum statewide, so Whitson says a pilot tion for what a giant in the industry she has been: Florida Ag project will soon start in select public schools. Woman of the Year in 2016, the ag educator of the year award from the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce in 2021, a It’s the logical culmination of her profession and passion. It will, public service award from Florida Strawberry Growers Asso- at least in a few schools, educate fourth-graders ciation, an honorary degree from the Hillsborough County FFA and legislators. Federation. She has also supported agriculture by supporting UF/IFAS as a collaborator on education programs and a member of the advisory board for UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County. In a way, she helped launch the career of the county Extension director.
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It was on a road trip to a conference in the 1990s with her friend Belinda McQuillen, that Whitson mentioned that the county
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Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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THE JOY OF FARMING By Libby Hopkins
Melanie Penman and Suzie Dorner both came to Florida for nursing school and eventually met at Tampa General Hospital, where they both currently work. “I am an ICU nurse working in the Main PACU and Suzie is a nurse manager of the Medical ICU,” Penman said. “When the pandemic began in early 2020, Suzie and I both experienced a new level of extreme stress and we desperately needed a place to decompress and relax. Suzie and I began gardening in containers on our back deck, but somehow I couldn’t stop purchasing more plants and that’s when my passion for farming took off.” Since the pandemic, the couple moved to a property in Seminole Heights. “It’s about 1/3 of an acre and this is where we established Juniper Joy Farm,” said Penman. I am a first generation urban farmer starting from scratch, learning from my mistakes and absorbing as much knowledge as possible from other urban farmers in our beautiful state. I’m currently in the process of becoming certified in Environmental Horticulture Management through the University of Florida.”
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Penman is striving to learn new techniques and methods of building Juniper Joy Farm to be as sustainable as possible. “As an ICU nurse by trade, I understand the importance of caring for our bodies through healthy food and growing organic produce is my favorite way to support this,” Penman said. “We utilize organic practices such as no-till plots, cover cropping, integrated pest management, and composting. We plant pollinator-friendly flowers to ensure a healthy farm ecosystem. We conserve our water usage through automated drip irriga-
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tion and soil moisture monitoring. We avoid chemical application unless absolutely necessary. All field work is completed by hand to keep us connected to the soil and reduce our carbon emissions.” At Juniper Joy Farm, their main goals are to supply fresh, organic food for their family, their communities in Tampa Bay. “We also want to encourage others to practice sustainable methods of growing that will protect soil health and combat global warming for future generations,” Penman said. “We believe that the process of growing plants has helped ease our stress over the last few years and this is a value we would love to share with others.” In addition to developing their own farm, they have also installed gardens for members in their community. “This allows our friends, families and neighbors to learn the process of where their food comes from and reiterate how even small gardens can make a big difference for our climate,” Penman said. If you ask Penman what makes Juniper Joy Farm unique, she will say it’s the owners. “I think what makes Juniper Joy Farm different is that we are first generation farmers, cultivating land that is owned and operated by women who are passionate about taking care of our health and our crops,” Penman said. “We still practice nursing at TGH, a Level 1 Trauma Center, and remain dedicated to caring for others in a holistic, fully encompassing way. At the farm, we are quickly learnWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
ing ways to improve our yields, care for our soils, and how to adapt to Florida’s unique seasons. We enjoy connecting with other farmers and horticulturalists through social media and learning ways we can work together to keep our food sources local. We are constantly growing as humans and farmers, and appreciate all the support our community has provided so far.” The couple also likes sharing with their community. “The thing I like most about what we do is harvesting our produce and sharing with our community,” Penman said. “As we cultivate our soil, monitor growth, fertilize and observe for pests, we appreciate the nutrient-rich food that our land provides. It is hard work, but it is always worth it. There is nothing like a freshly-picked juicy Roma tomato, or a crisp, green cucumber plucked from the vine. Similarly, we love seeing our garden installation clients send us photos of their successful homegrown flowers and vegetables. This is what our mission is all about.” Keeping things local is one of Juniper Joy Farm’s core values. “We do everything we can to support our fellow farmers and the greater Tampa Bay community is exactly who we hope to serve,” Penman said. “By supporting local farmers, we feed back in to our local economy and everyone benefits. Collectively, our food is fresher, yummier, and higher in nutrients. We reduce our carbon emissions from transportation of goods, and most importantly, we connect with the people and the soil that feeds us.” If you would like to learn more about Juniper Joy Farm, you can visit their Instagram page at www.instagram.com/juniperjoyfarm/.
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2022 Florida Strawberry Festival Ag Show Results 2022 YOUTH BEEF BREED SHOW Sponsored by Bad Boy Mowers Patterson Co. Livestock Arena Grimes Family Agricultural Center Herdsman Juniors 1st Colton Taylor 1st Morgan McCullough 1st Kaylee Mixon
Bred and Owned Bull Grand Champion Kyliegh Criswell Reserve Grand Champion Caden Wingfield Angus Heifer Grand Champion Jayce Ware Reserve Grand Champion Case Watson
Intermediates 1st Kyleigh Criswell 1st Kyndall Akins 2nd Madison Brown 3rd Julia Jones
Brahman Heifer Grand Champion Emilee Taylor Reserve Grand Champion Zibe Stein
Seniors 1st Reanna Brown 1st Alexia Trujillo
Brahman Bull Grand Champion Hattie Lightsey
Greenhand Award Alexia Trujillo Jim Thompson Senior Award Reanna Brown Showmanship Juniors 1st Madilyn Nichols 2nd Bella Ballard 3rd Adalyn Compton
Brangus Heifer Grand Champion Payge Dupre Reserve Grand Champion Kyndall Akins Brangus Bull Grand Champion Paige Blankenship Reserve Grand Champion Kyleigh Criswell
Intermediates 1st Carlie Shenefield 2nd Raelan Sherouse 3rd Emilee Taylor
Simmental Heifer Grand Champion Bella Ballard Reserve Grand Champion Gabrielle Howell
Seniors 1st Jayce Ware 2nd Shalee Conrad 3rd Case Watson Bill McClelland Scholarship Sponsored by McClelland Family Reanna Brown
Simmental Bull Grand Champion Zachary Gibbons Reserve Grand Champion Alli Taylor
Gill Family Scholarship In Memory of Justin Gill Sponsored by The Gill Family Jayce Ware
Ultrablack Heifer Grand Champion Madilyn Nichols Reserve Grand Champion Carlee Taylor
Hicks Family Scholarship Sponsored by Florida Strawberry Festival Callie Smith
All Other Breeds Heifer Grand Champion Maddox Sweell Reserve Grand Champion Adalyn Compton
Bred and Owned Heifer Grand Champion Madilyn Nichols PAGE
Reserve Grand Champion Carlee Taylor
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Commercial Heifer (Brahman) Grand Champion April 2022
Alexia Trujillo Reserve Grand Champion Dustina Garcia Commercial Heifer (English) Grand Champion Carlie Shenefield Reserve Grand Champion Dakota LaPointe Commercial Bull (English) Grand Champion Macey Council Reserve Grand Champion Kailey Monahan All Breeds Grand Champion Heifer Carlie Shenefield All Breeds Grand Champion Bull Paige Blankenship 2022 DAIRY SHOW Sponsored by Grove Equipment Service Patterson Co. Livestock Arena Grimes Family Agricultural Center Showmanship - Novice 1st Kylee Rhodes 2nd Dylan Whilhite 3rd Julia Jones 4th Madelynn Council 5th Amelia Sault Junior Showmanship 1st Kenslee Heinke 2nd Austin Boyd 3rd Morgan Cook 4th Selah Allen 5th Briley Watson Intermediate Showman-
ship 1st Colby Holcomb 2nd Kaylee Cloete 3rd Alex Griffin 4th Johann Cloete 5th Charis Allen Senior Showmanship 1st Kyleigh Glenn 2nd Austin Holcomb 3rd Rebecca Holcomb 4th Aubrey Cook 5th Nathan Wilhite Premier Showmanship Award Kyleigh Glenn CLASS WINNERS Ayrshire 1 Brianna Shepard Guernsey 1 Austin Holcomb Holstein 1 Maya Ajodha Jersey 1 Morgan Cook Ayrshire 2 Austin Boyd Brown Swiss 2 Angela Palacios Holstein 2 Dakarai Everett Jersey 2 Selah Allen Brown Swiss 3 Madison Goodman Guernsey 3 Adeline Allen Jersey 3 Ashley Lehnert Brown Swiss 4 Anna Koch Guernsey 4 Angela Suarez Holstein 4 Colby Holcomb Jersey 4 Austin Holcomb Ayrshire 5 Nathan Wilhite Brown Swiss 5 Sarah Rogers Guernsey 5 Kenslee Heinle Holstein 5 Austin Boyd Jersey 5 Kyleigh Glenn Brown Swiss 6 Robert Campoamor Jersey 6 Kyleigh Glenn WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Guernsey 7 Brianna Shepard Holstein 7 Steven Ragan Jersey 7 Colby Holcomb Ayrshire 10 Kelsi Gray Brown Swiss 10 Sarah Rogers Guernsey 10 Kenslee Heinke Holstein 10 Austin Boyd Jersey 10 Aubrey Cook Ayrshire 11 Kelsi Gray Brown Swiss 11 Austin Boyd Guernsey 11 Kenslee Heinke Holstein 11 James Bayer Jersey 11 Josiah Garcia Brown Swiss 12 Kyle Wadsworth Guernsey 12 Kenslee Heinke Holstein 12 Austin Holcomb Jersey 12 Kyleigh Glenn Junior Champions Ayrshire 5 Nathan Wilhite Brown Swiss 5 Sarah Rogers Guernsey 1 Austin Holcomb Holstein 5 Austin Boyd Jersey 6 Kyleigh Glenn Reserve Junior Champions Ayrshire 2 Austin Boyd Brown Swiss 4 Anna Koch Guernsey 3 Adeline Allen Holstein 4 Colby Holcomb Jersey 7 Colby Holcomb Senior Champion Ayrshire 11 Kelsi Gray Brown Swiss 11 Austin Boyd Guernsey 12 Kenslee Heinke Holstein 12 Austin Holcomb Jersey 12 Kyleigh Glenn Reserve Senior Champion Ayrshire 10 Kelsi Gray Brown Swiss 12 Kyle Wadsworth Guernsey 10 Kenslee Heinke Holstein 10 Austin Boyd Jersey 12 Aubrey Cook Grand Champion Ayrshire 11 Kelsi Gray Brown Swiss 11 Austin Boyd
Ayrshire 10 Kelsi Gray Brown Swiss 12 Kyle Wadsworth Guernsey 10 Kenslee Heinke Holstein 10 Austin Boyd Jersey 12 Aubrey Cook The Richard Kahelin AllBreeds Champion Award Austin Holcomb Premier Exhibitor Austin Boyd Junior All Breeds Bred-by Exhibitor Award Nathan Wilhite Senior All Breeds Bred-by Exhibitor Award Austin Boyd Junior Herdsman 1st Adeline Allen 2nd Kenslee Heinke 3rd Johann Cloete Honorable Mention Austin Boyd and Kaylee Cloete Senior Herdsman 1st Nathan Wilhite 2nd Jaylene Carey 3rd Abby Michnowicz Honorable Mention Sarah Rogers Charlie Hunter Memorial Sportsmanship Award Kelsi Gray Strawberry Festival 2022 Dairy Scholarship Kyleigh Glenn PeeWee Showmanship 1st Finn Thomas 2nd Reese Patino 3rd Georgia Patton 4th Avery Dunn
5th Kason Heinke 6th Jayce Elliott Adult Showmanship 1st Taylor Boyd 2nd Carissa Retter 3rd Joe Bouchard Costume Ball Prettiest Category 1st Jacob Hill Sugar Plum Fairy & The Nutcracker 2nd Klytie Turner and Mason Wilhite Bob Ross and his happy accident with the paintbrush 3rd Dakarai Everett Mardi Gras King & Queen Most Colorful Category 1st Kyleigh Glenn It’s been Moo-varlous PEACE OUT! 2nd Angela Palacios A Moojestic Fairyland 3rd Thomas Campoamor Mind your Bee’s Wax Funniest Category 1st Ashley Lehnert Tiger King/Joe Exotic 2nd Robert Campoamor Colonel Sanders and a bucket of KFC 3rd Nevaeh Trujillo Two old heifers in their moo moo’s Most Original Category 1st Angela Suarez, Kelsi Gray, Kyle Wadsworth Mario Brothers 2nd Brooke Hiers Cowgirl and horse & (cow) 3rd Austin Holcomb This is pig showmanship. Right? **Overall Winner** Austin Boyd and Kenslee & Kason Heinke Scooby Doo & gang and the Moo-stery Machine
2022 PLANT SHOW Sponsored by Choo Choo Lawn Equipment Swindle Family Pavilion Grand Champion Marshall Lemus J.F. St. Martin FFA Ten #7 Powder Puff Trees Reserve Champion Kaden Palmer Plant City FFA Five #10 Creeping Fig Champion Woody Ornamentals Elizabeth Ford Strawberry Crest FFA Nine #7 Cape Honey Suckle Champion Foliage Plants Abigail McCranie Strawberry Crest FFA Six #5 Peace Lily Champion Hanging Baskets Grace Merrell J.F. St. Martin FFA Five Hanging Baskets Geranium Planters Champion Miscellaneous Mackenzie Puerto J.F. St. Martin FFA One Mixed Herb Planter Champion Liners Alex Griffin Tomlin FFA Two Trays Sedum Liners Champion Size #1 Zachary Cobb Randall FFA Fifteen #1 Society Garlic Champion Size #3 Abby Steward Tomlin FFA Ten #3 Cerise Charm Loropetalum continues on pg. 66
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Guernsey 12 Kenslee Heinke Holstein 12 Austin Holcomb Jersey 12 Kyleigh Glenn Reserve Grand Champion
THE LAZY GARDENER
By Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ agent, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
LIMITATIONS TO LAZY GARDENING A recent article covered how you can have a beautiful landscape while maintaining a lazy gardener lifestyle. This one explains the limitations to lazy gardening.
Mulch: It takes a little work to put it down, but it saves a lot
of time and effort in the long run. Mulch regulates soil temperature, adds organic value, inhibits weeds and retains soil moisture. Pine bark, pine straw/needles, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca and leaves are good options. Cypress is not because when cypress stands are cut down for mulching, the habitat of native birds and animals is destroyed.
increases flowering, allowing for bigger fruit on some types and more abundant foliage. It can restrict growth and keep the plant in the boundary of available space. And, you can remove dead flower heads from a plant to encourage further blooming.
War on Weeds: A weed is the wrong plant in the right place, right plant/wrong place, or a plant with nine lives. Using mulch (depth 2-3 inches after it settles) helps. If you chose to fight the weed war, you can cover weeds with newspapers to smother them and/or point, aim, and squeeze with an environmentally-friendly weed killer spray.
Fertilizing: First and foremost, read the fertilizer ordinance
for your county so you know when you can fertilize. Use slowrelease fertilizer. To be really lazy, don’t fertilize until you are sure of light rain for activation. Water-based fertilizers leach through the soil after rain or irrigation.
Why Prune? Reasons to prune include training the plant to PAGE
grow in a certain direction and improving health by removing diseased stems, creating better air circulation. Pruning
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Pests: Biting, Sucking and Chewing! We have aphids,
caterpillars, slugs, snails, scale and spider mites. Less than one per cent of all bugs are bad bugs. “When we kill off the natural enemies of a pest, we inherit their work,” said entomologist Carl Huffaker. The first step, however, is to properly identify the insect to be sure it is a pest versus a beneficial insect. If you must, use a non-chemical and least toxic product. Spot treat plants as needed, not the entire landscape. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Lazy Pest Management (LPM) Alternatives: Use two pinching fingers to squish pests; hard-spray with water; and/or prune off infested sections and place those sections in your household trash, not your yard waste which could be recycled elsewhere. For more info on non-chemical solutions, go to: ‘Ask IFAS’ Managing yard pests. Inefficient Irrigation: If you have an in-ground irrigation system, do you have broken heads, plant or other materials blocking the spray pattern, and/or a rain shut-off device that does not work? Do you have program A, B and C set to run subsequently? Are the times set for each irrigation zone appropriate? Is your water bill for more than 20,000 gallons of water per month? If yes and you are a Hillsborough County water customer, call Paula Staples, 813-744-5519, ext.54142, to see how she may be able to help you decrease your water usage. Right Plant, Wrong Place: Site conditions are very important when making plant selections. Consideration should be given to light (sun/shade), soil pH and texture, water, wind and other conditions. An invasive plant is never the right plant in any place. Not sure if it’s invasive, go to ‘Ask IFAS’ Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas. You have the ‘opportunity’ to move the right plant to the right place in your landscape or you can take the time and expense of replacing it after it dies. Rewards of laziness: Reading, golfing, sleeping, cooking, crafting, outings with family and friends, more gardening, attending an Extension workshop…your choice!
Lynn Barber is the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ agent for UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County. Contact her at labarber@ufl.edu.
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FESTIVAL STEER GRAND CHAMPION By Jim Frankowiak
The path for the 2022 Florida Strawberry Festival Mosaic Steer Show and Sale Grand Champion began more than a decade ago for Spencer Baylor and it was a journey that included his 19-year-old brother Owen. “We both became attracted to agriculture when I was just seven and Owen was nine,” said Spencer. “Showing provided many opportunities for us. That included meeting new people, leadership and showing off in a good way, as well as discovering career options.” Baylor initially showed poultry as an eight-year-old, then pigs at age nine and cattle as a seventh grader when he was 12. The son of Pam and Bryan Baylor, a fertilizer company chemical engineer, it was a friend of his mother who was most instrumental in igniting and nurturing Spencer’s interest in agriculture. “Chris Andrlik was a co-worker of my mother at the time and she introduced us to agriculture and showing. I have had and continue to have mentors that help me, but I would say Chris was the most significant one.” Many of those mentors were Baylor’s Ag teachers at Bevis Elementary and Randall Middle School, as well as at Strawberry Crest High School. Andrlik is a member of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Board of Directors His interest in agriculture led him to join the Chautauqua 4-H Club for eight years where he continued to show and expand his interest in and high regard for agriculture. Spencer then joined the Strawberry Crest High School FFA once he became a student there. He is currently a junior. His brother Owen is a student at the University of Central Florida, majoring in aerospace engineering. Puff, Baylor’s Grand Champion Steer, was purchased from the Sewell-Watson Cattle Company. It was the second steer Baylor purchased from the company. At the Mosaic auction held in conjunction with the Strawberry Festival, Puff brought Spencer $21/pound and those proceeds have been placed in his college fund. “I hope to attend the College of Agriculture at the University of Florida,” he said. Over the last decade Baylor has discovered many areas of agriculture that interest him. “I have not yet determined a specific career path, but I know it will be in agriculture.”
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Showing has and continues to be a multi-faceted endeavor for Baylor. “My brother and I love the show atmosphere, we enjoy the fun we have and the great people we have met that
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have become our friends,” he said. “It’s the pay-off for months of hard work, and I think it serves as an example to others as to what hard work can lead to both at the time of the show and over the long term. That’s an added bonus since it not only benefits us, but also others and that’s the future of agriculture.” “Puff” was Baylor’s fifth steer. The first Charolais, while the others were Maine Angus Crosses. All were purchased at the age of six to eight months, but Puff was just five months when acquired. Once the steers are owned by Spencer he is responsible for daily care and training. That means feeding and haying, as well as being certain the steer has sufficient water throughout the day and night. “I’ll feed in the morning and evening, but devote more time in the afternoon,” he said. “I tie them up for about an hour each day, so they learn to keep their heads up and stand still. I’ll walk them for about 30-minutes and then wash them. The actual washing takes about 20-minutes, but they must be blown dry so they don’t develop a fungus and that takes about 40-minutes. I also clean their stalls once a day.” For Spencer that works out to about 20 hours a week. Added to that is the time it takes to purchase and pick up feed and hay, and then unload it back at his barn. While showing does require a significant daily time and effort commitment, the results can be significant. “I’ve had the good fortune to win before with my other steers and pigs, but the win with Puff was special. It was a hometown win,” said Baylor. Congratulations Spencer! Best of luck as you continue showing and pursue the next steps in your education.
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Champion Size #7 Jordan Farnsworth Barrington FFA Seven #7 Gardenia Awards of Distinction Casey Lane Durant FFA Eight #7 Schefflera Avery Palmer Turkey Creek 4-H Five #10 Joseph’s Coat Nevaeh Dixon J.F. St. Martin FFA Ten #5 Sky Pencil Holly MOSAIC YOUTH POULTRY AND RABBIT SHOW Swindle Family Pavilion POULTRY Grand Champion purebred hen Rebecca Bush Champion Producation Jayden O’Brien Champion Exhibition Payton Peery Champion purebred Opposite Sex Jovee Tkach RABBIT Grand Champion Kayla Peacock Resesrve Champion Paitlyn Daivs Best Fancy Exhibition Jason Peoski MOSAIC YOUTH SWINE SHOW Patterson Companies Livestock Arena Grimes Family Agricultural Center Grand Champion Jaylynn Wood Reserve Champion Georgia Kimbrell Class 1 1st Caris Schneider 2nd Matthew Rodriquez 3rd Isaac McCay 4th Karoline Kmetz 5th Hallie Peacock 6th Parker Scott 7th Sara Monzon 8th Noah McNabb
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Class 2
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1st Ryan Lanier 2nd Chase Durrance 3rd Bryce Runkles 4th Brody Cook 5th Hayden Van Eepoel 6th Emily Franson 7th Jaden Rogers 8th Elissa Deblasio 9th Alainah Macki Class 3 1st Ella Strickland 2nd Chesnee Wink 3rd Blake Chancey 4th Madison Brewer 5th Brandon Karnnowski 6th Skyler Hancock 7th Kyndell Drawdy 8th Lacey Merrell 9th Kourtney Boyette Class 4 1st Jaylynn Wood 2nd Kaygenn Wood 3rd Jacob Purcell 4th Chloe Dudzinski 5th Alexys Mcarther 6th Bella Pippin 7th Reece Hinson 8th Nicholas Claussen 9th Hannah Smith Class 5 1st Ava Swindle 2nd Jackson Sturgis 3rd Annslea Woody 4th Carly Steward 5th Brayden Keys 6th Ava Futch 7th Zoe Martineau 8th Declan Layton Class 6 1st Georgia Kimbrell 2nd Kash Swilley 3rd Avery Ashley 4th Gabrielle Sabik 5th Kyslynn Mohn 6th Aleese Knight 7th Alyssa Chancey 8th Braxton Willis 9th Carter Durrance Class 7 1st Summer Hall 2nd Sara Parke 3rd Cooper Davis 4th Hannah Simmons 5th Reid Connell 6th Colby Holcomb 7th Kayla Hanson 8th Parker Smith Class 8 1st Makayla Mahoney 2nd Caroline Haxton 3rd Jaxson Lane 4th Cooper Newman 5th Mason Grant 6th Lena Bent April 2022
7th Ethan Carlin 8th Isabella Comas 9th Tyler Peak Class 9 1st Lila Potter 2nd Emma Spangler 3rd Paige Sanchez 4th Raegan Hyder 5th Knox McDonald 6th Perry Bailey 7th Josiah Comas 8th Jacob Ogden 9th Brooke Wright Showmanship Junior 1st Kaygenn Wood 2nd Jackson Sturgis 3rd Georgia Kimbrell Intermediate 1st Jaylynn Wood 2nd Ava Swindle 3rd Alyssa Chancey Senior 1st Avery Ashley 2nd Lila Potter 3rd Blake Chancey MOSAIC YOUTH STEER SHOW Patterson Co. Livestock Arena Grimes Family Agricultural Center Grand Champion Spencer Baylor Reserve Champion Jayden Mathena Lightweight Division Grand Champion Morgan Walls Reserve Champion Adrienne Campbell Middleweight Division Grand Champion Jace Stines Reserve Champion Gabrielle Howell Heavyweight Division Grand Champion Spencer Baylor Reserve Champion Jayden Mathena Class 1 1st Kaylee Hudson 2nd Jayce Ware
3rd William Jones 4th Lillian Devane 5th Aaden Griffin 6th Tyson Griffin 7th Madison Hurley 8th Kaysie Kropik Class 2 1st Jaylie Wyatt 2nd Jonathan Vaughan 3rd Cameryn Smith 4th Morgan Chancey 5th Raeleigh Morris 6th Shelby Lawrence 7th Kyleigh Glenn Class 3 1st Morgan Walls 2nd Kendall Donaldson 3rd Jenna Mayo 4th Julia Jones 5th Charles Watson 6th Brooklyn Zajac 7th Dakota Grigson 8th Baylie Thomas Class 4 1st Adrienne Campbell 2nd Tytan Gill 3rd Halie Guthrie 4th Carly Varnum 5th Ella Connell 6th Amy Eichler 7th John Paris 8th Beckham Hasty Class 5 1st Kendall Hall 2nd Kiah Swilley 3rd Savannah Rice 4th Austin Holcomb 5th Mackenzie Puerto 6th Bethany Cray 7th Kendal Triner Class 6 1st Gabrielle Howell 2nd Kayla Peacock 3rd Levi Sampson 4th Wyatt Drawdy 5th Marlene Lott Deboben 6th Hannah Rice 7th Nathan Sewell 8th Brandy Manis Class 7 1st Jace Stines 2nd Olivia Ennis 3rd Emma Leiss 4th Samuel Shiver 5th Logan Scott 6th Annistyn Griffin 7th Morgan Simmons Class 8 1st Kaylee Marsh 2nd Tucker Thomas 3rd Marissa Pelham 4th Autumn Rutherford 5th Emilee Taylor WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
6th Makayla Register 7th Michael Jones 8th Cooper McDonald Class 9 1st Brody Bryant 2nd Ava Hasting 3rd Evan Scott 4th Ryan Brooks 5th Elise Griffin 6th Addison Griffin 7th Gabija Davila 8th Lexi Naeher Class 10 1st Spencer Baylor 2nd Jaycee Flowers 3rd Brenna Sturgis 4th Kenley Connell 5th Carter Herndon-Stalvey 6th Kierlyn Parham 7th Elizabeth Ford 8th Aiden Vaughan Class 11 1st Jayden Mathena 2nd Case Watson 3rd Alli Jo Taylor 4th Shelby Allen 5th Milee Hasting 6th Camryn Brown 7th Gerald Williams Class 12 1st Gillian Matheson 2nd Drew Blanton 3rd Connor Scott 4th Landon Harper 5th Justin Boyette 6th Nancy Yang 7th Emma Futch
LAMB SHOW Patterson Companies Livestock Arena Grimes Family Agricultural Center Showmanship Beginner 1st Reid Patino 2nd Josie Clark Junior 1st Shelby Southerland 2nd Adelyn Jensen 3rd Gracie Lopez Intermediate 1st Makinley Jensen 2nd Marissa Pelham 3rd Brighton Willis Senior 1st Emma Leiss 2nd Ruca Rhoten 3rd Nadia Rhoten Jumping Short-Legged Division 1st Nathaniel Akri 2nd (tie)Julia Jones 2nd (tie)Chloe Howard Long-Legged Division 1st (tie) Makinley Jensen 1st (tie) Brendan Flores 1st (tie) Carly Ritchey Show Black Face Ewe Grand Champion Jessica Ferreria Reserve Champion Riley Silkworth Black Face Ram Grand Champion Ruca Rhonton Reserve Champion
White Face Ewe Grand Champion Emma Leiss Reserve Champion White Face Ram Grand Champion Emma Leiss Reserve Champino Ruca Rhoton Crossbred Ewe Grand Champion Riley Silkworth Reserve Champion Brooklin Ball Crossbred Ram Grand Champion Lila Potter Reserve Champion Samuel Potter
Most Original Makinley Jensen Strawberry Queen and Court Most Elegant Kaylee Snyder Miss Scarlet and Miss White Most Creative Brenna Sturgis Heard It Through the Grape Vine Most Colorful Braxton Willis Fiesta Best Overall Chloe Howard Sheep that Flew Over the Moon
Rare Breed Ewe Grand Champion Makinley Jensen Reserve Champion Christopher Dudzinski Rare Breed Ram Grand Champion Keely Wells Reserve Champion Connor Kennedy Supreme Grand Champion Emma Leiss/White Face Ram Costume Contest Funniest Taylor Stewart Chic-Fil-A Employee and Cow
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Benjamin Kanoza
Wish Farms Donates to World Central Kitchen Plant City based, international grower and year-round marketer of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and pineberries, Wish Farms, is donating $5,000 to Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen. The funds will be used to support the dire humanitarian crisis in Eastern Europe. “My grandfather came to America because he was escaping Russian aggression and oppression in Kyiv in 1904,” said Wish Farms owner, Gary Wishnatzki. “Unfortunately, some things never change. Our roots run deep in that region, and our family feels a strong connection with the Ukrainian people’s fight for freedom and the devastation they’re experiencing.” “I was looking for the most impactful way we could help, then I saw an article with Walt Dasher of G&R Farms calling on the produce industry to step up and donate to WCK,” said PR Manager, Nick WIshnatzki. “I watched the videos of Andres’ and his team working around the clock to feed so many fleeing refugees and was heartened by the humanity of their mission. There is no more basic need than having food to eat.” The funds will be sent via The Wish Farms Family Foundation. Established to support food insecurity, youth education and community, it has made over $325,000 in grants since 2019. “This horrific manmade crisis continues to deepen, so Wish Farms would like to echo Walt’s call to the rest of our generous produce industry colleagues and companies to step up and help,” said Nick Wishnatzki.
About Wish Farms: Feel Good. Eat Berries. Make A Difference. It isn’t just a catchy phrase, giving back is engrained in the company culture. Through the Wish Farms Family Foundation, a portion of profits are dedicated to their three pillars of giving: Food Insecurity, Youth Education and Community. With a defined mission, they hope to make the world a better place. Founded in 1922, Wish Farms is a fourth-generation, family operated company. As a year-round supplier of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and now Pink-A-Boo Pineberries®, it grows both conventional and organic varieties. Nationally recognized for innovation, Wish Farms utilizes patented traceability technology to ensure quality and safety by tying consumer feedback to specific information from each day’s harvest. For more information, please visit www.wishfarms.com.
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Donations can be made through the WCK website at: https:// wck.org/
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Who is Covered by the Produce Safety Rule?
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was initially signed into law in 2011, and the final Produce Safety Rule (PSR) was published in 2015. Now several years after its passing, the question still persists, who is covered by the PSR? The FSMA PSR established, for the first time, minimum standards for growing, harvesting, packing and holding fresh fruit and vegetables. Not all fruit and vegetables, however, are covered under the rule. The PSR was created as a measure of prevention for public health risks, and there are certain foods and processes that pose a relatively low risk of causing foodborne illnesses. There are three such conditions under which produce may not be covered by the PSR. The first condition under which produce is not covered by the rule is in the case of fruit and vegetables that are rarely consumed raw. FDA has compiled an exhaustive list of commodities that fall into this category. The list is based on survey data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, “What We Eat in America.” Any produce that is not on this list is covered by the PSR. Produce on the exhaustive rarely consumed raw list includes: asparagus; black beans; great northern beans; kidney beans; lima beans; navy beans; pinto beans; garden beets (roots and tops); sugar beets; cashews; sour cherries; chickpeas; cocoa beans; coffee beans; collards; sweet corn; cranberries; dates; dill (seeds and weed); eggplants; figs; ginger; hazelnuts; horseradish; lentils; okra; peanuts; pecans; peppermint; potatoes; pumpkins; winter squash; sweet potatoes; and water chestnuts. The second condition under which fruit and vegetables are not covered by the rule is if the produce undergoes a processing step that adequately reduces the number of potential pathogens. These processes include refining, distilling, pasteurizing, fermenting and other commercial processing steps. Some examples of these would be tomatoes that are processed into tomato paste or shelf-stable tomatoes as well as oranges that are used to make juice. If this condition applies, farms are required to keep written assurance records from their buyers that state what processes are being used.
In fact, even farms with up to $500,000 in annual food sales** may still be eligible for a qualified exemption to the PSR depending on who and where their buyers are. For this type of exemption farms must sell produce directly to the consumer of the food, a restaurant, or a retail food store. For Florida farms, these “qualified end-users” must be located in Florida or within 275 miles of the farm. In these cases, however, farms will need to keep records to demonstrate their eligibility and discuss their exemption status with a PSR inspector. Clear as mud? If a farm is not sure whether they are covered by the Produce Safety Rule or not, they are encouraged to contact the FDACS PSR team by calling (863) 578-1900. Farms are also encouraged to take advantage of the educational opportunities FDACS offers in partnership with University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/ IFAS). Together, FDACS and UF/IFAS provide produce safety training for growers and industry professionals as well as onsite farm reviews to help farms align their practices with the regulatory requirements. Farms covered by the rule are required to send at least one representative from the farm to attend the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training. This training helps growers to understand each part of the regulation and how to comply. Additionally, the On-Farm Readiness Review program allows growers the opportunity to walk through their operation with produce safety experts and discuss how the FSMA requirements may apply to their farm. To sign-up for these offerings or to find additional resources, including all required records for Florida farms and growers, visit www.FDACS.gov/FSMA.
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Finally, the third condition that would exempt produce from the PSR is any fruit or vegetables that are grown for personal consumption or consumption on the farm. To be covered by the rule, a farm’s annual produce sales must be greater than $25,000*.
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. Custom made to your size. Call Chris 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 NEW, USED & ABUSED. CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE. We are a MI Windows dealer. Our windows are energy star, lifetime warranty. Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378
FARM EQUIPMENT
Info@inthefieldmagazine.com
CITRUS PACKING HOUSE Citrus packing house equipment for sale. Mikey Fertilizer Spreader, two wind machines. Call 863-324-2833 FORD 4610 TRACTOR 2wd, 60hp. Very good condition $6,500. Call Alvie 813-759-8722
FOR SALE
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 OVERSTOCK SPECIAL Barn doors starting at $80.00 Call Ted 813-752-3378
SALES REPRESENTATIVE In The Field Magazine is looking for a team player who enjoys building relationships. Commission based position part-time or full-time! Email us info@inthefieldmagazine.com
FARM EQUIPMENT Massey Ferguson 261 60hp 2wd tractor, $6500.00. 2006 Bush Hog TH440C UTV, 4x4, Honda engine, $6000.00. All are in very good condition. Call JR at 813-997-6769
END OF SEASON SPECIAL $500 cash discount on all BOBCAT (in stock) Zero Turn Mowers. Call Grove Equipment Plant City 813-759-8722 Bartow 863-537-1345
April 2022
MISC.
FREE Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722 24 HOUR SERVICE Coggins Plumbing licensed • bonded OLD ANTIQUE BLUE STOVE • Insured. www.cogginsplumbing.com Bread warmer, chrome trim. 813-643-7173 You have got to see it to believe it! FARM BUREAU INSURANCE Call Ted for more details. 813-752-3378 We have you covered! Call us today. DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER 813-752-5577 No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. ALAN’S AIR CONDITIONING Many standard sizes in stock. Residential, Commercial Sales SVS & ReAsk for Blake. (813) 752-3378 pair. Legendary service for over 20 years! 813-752-0821 KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the SHOWER STALLS - FIBERGLASS BIG Box STORES! Call Today! Scratch and dent shower stalls - fiberglass Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 perfect for hunting camps. $150 you pick! Call us! 813-752-3378 JOBS MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits based on experience. Call David 863-537-1345 or Alvie 813-759-8722
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
PRODUCE
MARDEN CHOPPERS Tapered grove chopper $1250.00. Call Alvie 813-759-8722
I4 POWER EQUIPMENT Trade-Ins Welcomed, Service Department Available. Exit 22 • S. Frontage Rd. Plant City 813-752-4459 2019 MAHINDRA 5555 55hp, 4x4 tractor with loader, 550 hours, Warranty. $26,500. Call today! Ask for Alvie 813-759-8722
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GRIBALDI-SALVIA SB3947 Sickle bar mower. Good condition and ready to work. $1,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
FRESH PRODUCE Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from USED BALDOR-RELIANCE 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Used 7.5 HP pump motor and 119 gal. hold- Come out and see us! ing-tank. Call LLCA 813-382-8382
PARTS COUNTER HELP Wanted for parts look up and sales. Experience in the agriculture equipment service. Speak with Alvie. 813-759-8722
LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES
USED SCAG ZTR 2016 MASSEY FERGUSON 2606H 65hp, 2wd grading tractor with Bush Hog 52” Liberty zero turn with Kaw engine. RBX780 box blade. 178 hours. $29,500 Call $3,500. Call Jeff 813-752-1066 Avie 813-759-8722 USED ZERO TURN MOWERS Prices begin at $1,750 FARM EQUIPMENT Massey Ferguson 362 tractor $6,000; 42 ft Call Alive 813-759-8722 gooseneck trailer $6,000; regular pull-behind trailer 20 ft $1,500, all as is. Call Maryann 813-297-4130
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Tel: 813.759.6909
FOR RENT Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher. For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details.
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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April 2022
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April 2022
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