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Citrus Champs Congratulations to the Durant Citrus team that placed 1st out of 37 teams at the state competition on Thursday November 29 in Haines City. The J. F. St. Martin team (Durant’s 9th grade chapter) placed 12th.Team members were asked to identify various citrus trees, roostocks, insects, diseases and disorders as well as take a written exam.
Carter Howell was 3rd high individual. Chloe Murphy was 9th high individual.
Durant Team Members:
J. F. St. Martin Team Members:
Brynne Murphy David Ferrell was high individual in the contest! Chris Wink was 2nd high individual.
Aidan Routh Brenna Sturgis Sean Hufford
Alternate members were Will Haxton, Heather McIntryre, Rebecca McGuin, Jessica Wilson, Chloe Fehrenbacher, Alyssa Branch and Brynne Murhpy.
Celebrate with Fred’s Market & Johnson Barbeque! We have your holiday entertaining covered! We offer full holiday meal packages, large portion sides to share, and desserts for your sweet tooth. Call us today to discuss your holiday meal needs!
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DECEMBER 2018 VOL. 14 • ISSUE 2
CONTENTS Debbie Gill FCW President
64 PAGE 12 Global Youth Institute
PAGE35 Watercress
PAGE 16 Business Up Front PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter PAGE 28 HCFB Officers PAGE 32 AG Expo
PAGE 36 Jack Payne PAGE 38 FB Womens Leadership
PAGE 54 Literary Time Machine
PAGE 58 Activity
PAGE 59 Closer Look
PAGE 40 UV Light
PAGE 62
PAGE 46 John Dicks
PAGE 63
PAGE 50 The Field Foodies
PAGE 66 News Briefs
VASP
Preserving Food
PAGE 52 Recipes
Hey Readers!
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker and a FREE In The Field T-Shirt. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner!
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Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL. Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Insurance Services: 813-685-5673 Member Services: 813-685-9121
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Kenneth Parker....................President
Dennis Carlton Jr................Vice President
Michelle Williamson..............Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary DIRECTORS FOR 2017 - 2018
Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Tony Lopez, Rep. Jake Raburn, Emeritus, Sambahv, Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort, Carl Bauman, Will Womack , Melissa Grimes.
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. Juile Carlson, John McGuire
Plant City Office 813.752.5577
305 S. Wheeler St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer Bill Williams
Tampa Office 813.933.5440
6535 Gunn Highway, Tampa, FL.33625 Greg Harrell, Sonia Valladares
AGENCY MANAGER Tommy Hale WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Hometown Banking At Its Best.
Merry Christmas
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STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Patsy Berry Editor
Letter from the Editor
Every year at this time, when I’m thinking about what to write for this space, I go back to holiday’s at my grandparent’s home. I make no apologies for repeating myself. Our holiday’s were built on tradition. The family always gathered in the small farmhouse, sometimes many, sometimes fewer, but the core didn’t change. We would be spread throughout the house because there were too many people to fit in one room. There was nothing fancy about our gatherings. We didn’t need fancy. We had good food, good friends, and love of family, that’s all we needed to make the holiday, or any day, special. I miss those times. I miss my grandfather wanting to eat holiday meals at 10:30 or 11:00. I miss roaming the farm and playing in the tobacco barns with my cousins and anyone else that would tag along. I miss sitting on the front porch enjoying life. But most of all, I miss those who are no longer here. I think of them often, but especially during the holiday’s. I have moved on to new traditions and I enjoy them very much. But sometimes I can see my grandmother standing by the stove, always busy, my grandfather sitting at the head of the table waiting for the meal to be served, and my dad, always the jokster, reaching over my grandmother to snag a bite of turkey or cornbread, quickly pulling his hand back before he got smacked with a spoon.
Sales Melissa Nichols Karen Berry Sarah Holt Robert Verner Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks
Hold on to your traditions. They can quickly slip away before you realize it. Enjoy every minute you can. Time was with most of us, when Christmas Day, encircling all our limited world like a magic ring, left nothing out for us to miss or seek; bound together all our home enjoyments, affections, and hopes; grouped everything and everyone round the Christ. ~ Charles Dickens
Sarah Holt The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
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 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.
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Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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A SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
-Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
Dear Readers: This is my first letter as President of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau’s Board of Directors. I am honored to have been chosen for this important office and I look forward to helping the Voice of Agriculture be heard in our county. I would like to recognize those members of our board who have completed their terms of office – Kenneth Parker, Marty Tanner and Melissa Grimes – for their service and commitment of time and talent. Please join me in welcoming our new Board members Gayle Yanes with Farm Credit of Central Florida and Christina Andrlik, who is with Mosaic. I appreciate their willingness to serve our industry along with my fellow officers Jake Raburn, Buddy Coleman, Tony Lopez, Carl Bauman, Will Womack and Jake Cremer. Our board is certainly diverse, representing many facets of our industry. More information about our new officers and their work is in this edition. As we enjoy this special time of year for farming, family and friends, please keep in mind how much we are blessed as people and an agricultural community. I would like to especially shine light on the true meaning of Christmas and that
is, of course, the birth of Christ…Luke 2:11 – “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” There is also an article in this edition that offers a suggestion for a Christmas gift to readers who are not yet members of the Florida Farm Bureau family. Membership is important to our industry and it offers exceptional value to members. Please take time to explore this opportunity for your family. Membership in Farm Bureau is truly a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year in so many areas of importance to all families. Please remember you don’t have to be a farmer or rancher to join. For more information, visit: hcfarmbureau.org, call us at 813-685-9121. As 2018 comes to an end, I look forward to initiating new projects helping us to achieve new Farm Bureau goals. May God bless you and your families, and have a Happy New Year! Thank you,
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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Kenneth Parker, President; Dennis Carlton, Jr. , Vice-President; Michelle WIlliamson Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Will Womack Member-at-large, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Melissa Grimes, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Tony Lopez, Lawrence McClure, Jake Raburn, Member Emeritus, Sambahv, Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort Judi Whitson, Executive Director
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Always read and follow label directions.
NeXter® SC is a registered trademark of Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd.
to the
Featuring a ONE DAY PHI, Nexter® SC is now available for Strawberry. The same great protection growers have come to expect for citrus, hops and pecans can now be utilized on everyone’s favorite berries. Use Nexter® SC in a preventative manner before mite populations have reached an economic threshold. Use an appropriate sticker/spreader, consult your pesticide supplier for more details.
gowanco.com | 800.883.1844 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
December 2018
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PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR CHRISTIAN BENTROVATO PRESENTS AT 25 TH ANNUAL GLOBAL YOUTH INSTITUTE SYMPOSIUM By Jim Frankowiak
Coincidentally, Bentrovato became aware of the Florida program through his mother, Candy, who read about the competitive program in an early 2018 edition of IN THE FIELD Magazine. “The deadline was very close, but the subject matter was appealing to Christian and he decided to enter,” said his mother. Christian was among two, 25-member groups that were selected to participate in the Florida symposium. “Developing young leaders in the areas of agriculture and related sciences who will help solve our world’s critical challenges related to food scarcity, human well-being and sustainable communities is the mission of CALS,” said CALS Dean Elaine turner. “We are proud of these young scholars for their dedication to improving global food systems and quality of human life.” Bentrovato’s submission to the Florida program discussed renewable energy in Haiti, and that was also the focus of his presentation at the Global Youth Institute symposium. A lifelong Plant City resident, Bentrovato is the son of Candy and Joe. His mother is an elementary educator in Polk County, while his father is Dean of Student Services at the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough Community College (HCC). He has an older brother Jacob, who is a student at HCC and a younger brother, Ryan, who attends Tomlin Middle School.
Christian Bentrovato, a junior at Plant City High School, was one of five Florida paraticipants among 210 high school students from around the world selected to attend and present at the 25th Annual Global Youth Institute symposium hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation. The event took place in Des Moines, Iowa this past October where participants discussed critical food security and agricultural issues with a panel of international experts. The Global Youth Institute is held in conjunction with the World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium, which annually gathers the world’s foremost leaders in global food security. Students present and discuss their innovative ideas to combat hunger with World Food Prize Laureates, international experts and peers from over 60 countries. Created by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Norman Borlaug and Iowa businessman and philanthropist John Ruan in 1994, the Global Youth Institute was developed to challenge and inspire participating students and teachers to identify innovative strategies to alleviate hunger and to expose the students to opportunities and careers in food, agriculture and natural resource disciplines.
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Bentrovato was one of five Florida high school students who completed a University of Florida (UF) College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) weeklong Youth Institute Program which exposed participants to a broad range of agricultural studies and programs. That program, hosted in partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), was held at UF in Gainesville with sessions on campus and at various Ag-related facilities. Participants were selected on the basis of essays submitted regarding ways to assist global food security and renewable energy.
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Agriculture has been a long term interest area for Christian, who has been an active member of both FFA and 4-H. In addition to showing plants, chickens and cows at various competitive events, Bentrovato has also participated in various leadership areas. He is currently Vice President of Hillsborough County FFA Federation. His performance in school is also very important to him. “I currently have a 3.72 GPA and rank 18th in my class,” he said. “I am also dual enrolled at both Plant City High School and HCC.” Christian’s college plans are not yet finalized, “but I am leaning toward the University of Florida and a major in agribusiness,” said Bentrovato. “I also hope to run for a state FFA office.” His career plans are currently on some agribusiness. “Aquaponics and hydroponics are interesting areas to me.” Aquaponics refers to any system that combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. As existing hydroponic and aquaculture farming techniques form the basis for all aquaponic systems, the size, complexity and types of foods grown in an aquaponic system can vary as much as any system found in either distinct farming discipline. Christian and his family would like to thank Mr. Humphrey, STEM science teacher at Tomlin Middle School, for helping to inspire an interest in Environmental Resources and writing Christian’s recommendation letter for the Florida Youth Institute application. Regardless of the path he chooses, “Christian has shown that he can do whatever he puts his mind to,” said his mother.
Congratulations Christian and best of luck as you pursue your studies and career. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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PARTS & EQUIPMENT IN STOCK AT KENNCO YEAR ROUND!!!! You know what works... and we’ve listened to you.
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Plant City strawberries are the best in the world. 14
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Hear about specials and deliveries in your area. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
December 2018
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Business Up Front
by: Breanne Williams
Global Freezer may have only been in Plant City for eight months, but they are well on their way to revolutionizing the local freezer service industry.
New Kids
on the
Block Global Freezer Cold & Freezer Services
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Global Freezer is changing the game plantcity@globalfreezer.com and www.globalfreezer.com for Florida’s freezer service industry. Work ethic is something the entire staff cherishes. Montero 813-756-2063 or 786-468-0548 said you lead by example and there are many days you will For years Global Freezer has been making waves in Chile, see him power washing the side of the building or even where the company first began. Over the course of a little cleaning the bathroom. Under his leadership, the sentiment more than a decade it expanded to several other locations is echoed in each of his employees, who frequently go out of throughout the country, becoming a giant in the Chile industheir way to ensure the entire operation runs seamlessly. try. It was time to take that journey to the states and of all the potential locations the perfect spot revealed itself to be right “We are a team, we work together and I work by everybody here in Hillsborough County. else in here,” Montero said. “You lead by example… I want the employees to lead by example at this company. I’m not lookThe facility on Robert Ranch Road in Plant City is just phase ing for employees, I’m looking for leaders.” one of a three-phase project the international company hopes will secure its roots in the United States. Robert MonNelly Latimore, assistant facility manager, said everyone at tero, facility manager, said they hope their clients will walk the company has a service mindset. It’s something she feels away feeling as if they’ve just experienced a whole new world sets Global Freezer apart from many other companies. She of service. said regardless of what is going on they all come to work with a smile, which helps create a hospitable attitude at the ware“We’re in the middle of everything here, I-4, Tampa, Orlando, house. it’s the perfect spot,” Montero said. “We’re the new kid on the block, we know that. But here, I can honestly say that we value In Chile the owner has a cook that prepares meals for the our clients and they always come first.” staff. Latimore said they spend more time with their cowork ers than they do their families, so Montero makes it a goal Montero’s background is in hospitality management and he to bring everyone together. Every Friday he takes them all to was hand selected to help kickstart the new branch to bring a lunch and they make an effort to have each other’s backs. It heavy customer focused mindset to the business. feels like a family at Global Freezers and that atmosphere is extended to every person that walks through the door. “We wanted to bring to cold storage that guest interaction that they saw in me from my former line of work,” Montero “We hope people give us the opportunity to prove we are difsaid. “That one-on-one relationship, that’s so important to us. ferent,” Latimore said. “We may be the new company, but we We want our clients to know they can stop in whenever they have so much to offer. We’re really thankful to be given the want, we want them to feel they are in their own house or chance.” freezer. We value relationships and we work hard to ensure everyone is getting the best quality service.” The Chilean based company offers larger storage racks, which means a client won’t have to cut a pallet in half to fit the Global Freezer incorporates that mindset into every aspect of standard U.S. rack. Everything from the racks to the equipits company from the character of the employees it hires to ment comes from Europe. Global Freezer’s racks are eight the very software it utilizes. Any client that uses Global Freezfeet tall and placed in a unique storage facility. er has the capability of logging into the network via a computer, tablet or cellphone and checking on their products. They Because Florida’s weather is so temperamental Montero said can literally look right at the items to further grant a peace of the freezer temperatures are checked a minimum of twice a mind throughout the process. day. The facility is approximately 8 months old, but is already beginning to inch toward capacity. Luckily, the second wareFrom the initial call it only takes approximately three days to house will be built toward the beginning of 2019. The goal is get a new client up and running with Global Freezer. If there is to begin working on the third phase by the end of 2019 to ever an emergency and a client needs access to a freezer imbring the current 9,000 pallet capacity up to a 25,000 pallet mediately the company accommodates with a “quick service” capacity. style offer. They’ll happily store the items for two or three days for the client to handle the issue. Anyone interested in learning more about the company is welcome to pop in, 2400 Robert Branch Rd., to check out the The company also prides itself on its guaranteed fast loading website, globalfreezer.com, or to give them a call at 813-756time for its drivers. Montero said one of the most frequent 2063. complaints from customers about the industry is how long it takes the products to be loaded or unloaded. Global Freez“What I think is so cool about this job is every day there is er’s drivers never spend more than an hour and a half loading something new in this business,” Montero said. “Every client is the product. different so every job is different. It’s just an exciting business.”
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Fishing Tampa Bay Capt. Woody Gore
With all the residential canals and inshore reefs, bay anglers are truly blessed when it comes to fishing in the winter months and it seems you never have to run far to find what you are looking for. Fish seem to acclimate themselves to the lower tides and feed all day with little or no concern for weather. Fishing around the grass flats also begins heating up with plenty of respectable sight fishing. Live baits like sardines are always helpful if you can still find and net a few, and the old standby live shrimp and of course artificial lures available in today’s arsenal of fishing tackle.
Redfish: January is perfect for reds to start moving into Tampa Bay’s shallow grass flats. Shallow water flats warm up a lot quicker, so when the sun is shining on a cold Florida morning, you can gamble that a broken bottom grass flats is packed with redfish looking for food and warmth. Notorious for foraging in less than a couple of feet of water, redfish are on the flats in shallow water looking for sand worms, mud minnows, shrimp and crabs, as well as protection from the ever present packs of porpoise cruising Tampa Bay. During the winter redfish usually gather together in large groups. This gives us some benefits as they school together in the clear winter water. First, we can keep an eye out for moving and feeding redfish, especially as they move around in the shallow water. Next, we can continue to target areas we’ve been catching them or better yet, in the coming months we can move around to new locations searching out new schools because now we know how to find them. I’ve mentioned it many times before and will do so again. Find a big school of mullet and you’ll usually find redfish. We already know what they are eating, but what about something different? Live and dead baits are great, but you can catch plenty of fish on jigs and jerk baits, for the simple reason you can cover more water in a shorter time.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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I am a longtime proponent of scented lures going back to my bass angling Redfish tournament days. Over the years I’ve fished, caught and believe redfish actively respond more aggressively to scented lures, especially in the winter. My color preferences are new penny, camo, and white. I started out with the soft jerk style baits like Exude then Gulp and now Fishbites are doing a great job. There is a lot of debate about scented lures, but many anglers find them very effective and worth every penny. And for whatever reason, redfish seem to respond well to smelly baits. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”
813-477-3814
Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the west central Florida areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories.
Snook: If snook is your species of choice, the Bay and its tributaries offer plenty of excellent fishing. There are so many areas holding this prize species it’s hard to take the time to find new ones. As the water temperature drops snook begin to move to deeper water and areas holding structure. Canals with docks are always great places to find winter snook, redfish and trout. Remember, anything in the water that’s warmed by the sun up is a good place to fish in the winter. But it’s always nice to concentrate on learning new unlikely fishing areas instead of continually pounding the same old spots, so scout around and find some new fishing areas.
Multi-boat Group Charters With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give me a call at 813-477-3814
Trout: Sea Trout fishing has been good this year, especially around deeper rocky bottoms and lush grass flats with sandy potholes. Windy overcast days and incoming water are a favorite time for trout anglers. Freelined or under a popping cork live greenbacks, shrimp and artificial lures will do the trick. Live baits are great, but you can catch plenty of fish on jigs and jerk baits. My color preferences are Fishbites new penny, camo, and white. Early morning grass flats with a MirrOlure’s Top Dog Jr. using a steady walk-the-dog action will produce some awesome fishing including the occasional snook or redfish. Snapper, Sheepshead, Spanish Mackerel, Kingfish,Bluefish: Snapper fishing along with sheepshead fishing should also begin improving. Two of the best eating fish in the Bay, Snapper and Sheepshead, are often overlooked in leiu of the more popular snook and redfish. But now that snook and reds are catch and release only you might grab a few shrimp and try your hand at something just as much fun, so don’t overlook the snapper and sheeps. Hopefully, with the colder weather the RT will be gone from the beaches so the cold fronts can lower the near shore water temps and bring us a good Spanish Mackerel and Kingfish bite. Tons of bait should bring the Kings and Spanish mackerel within a mile or so of the beach and inside Tampa Bay.
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• An acre of land is about the same size as a football field. • One U.S. farm feeds 165 people annually in the U.S. and abroad. • The global population is expected to increase to 9.7 billion by 2050, which means the world’s farmers will have to grow about 70 percent more food than what is now produced. • Women make up 30 percent (969,672) of the total number of U.S. farm operators. • Beef fat, called tallow, is an ingredient in soaps, cosmetics, candles, shortenings, and chewing gum. • Florida is the No. 1 producer of at least eight major U.S. crops. • The earliest plow, called the “ard,” was invented in the Middle East and speculation is it was probably made from sharpened tree branches.
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Sponsored by:
HOPEWELL FUNERAL HOME • MEMORIAL GARDENS
www.HopewellFuneraI.com FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971
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Metal Detector I have to hand it to Karen Berry, my daughter, and her friend Sarah Holt. They are fully immersed in treasure hunting with a metal detector.
what she said was a fabulous find and without telling anyone packaged it up and sent it to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.
On their first day out with a new Garrett AT Gold metal detector at the Walden Lake Park they found two pennies. A curious woman walked over and wanted to know why they were running a vacuum cleaner in the park! She told her it was not a vacuum cleaner. “This is an electromagnetic machine that would stimulate earthworms,” Karen explained. They would come to the top and she would use them to fish in Walden Lake. A few minutes later a young lady hurriedly walked over to them from the sand box where her young child was playing. With tears in her eyes she said she had lost her diamond ring in the sand, and asked if she would help her find it. After about 30 minutes, and finding nothing, she asked the lady if she was sure she had lost her ring in the sand box. She said, “Well yes and no. I still have the ring, but the diamond fell out.”
A few weeks later she got this reply: Dear Miss Berry, Thank you for you submission to our Institute labeled “Unusual Find Next to The Back Yard Fence.” We have given your submissions a detailed and careful examination, and regret to inform you that we cannot agree with your summation that your find represents proof of the presence of early man in Hillsborough County over a million years ago. We have determined that what you have found is the head and leg of a Barbie doll attached to a Sears Roebuck and Company ten-inch open-end crescent wrench. We estimate the age of the rusty crescent wrench to be about 30 years old, with noticeable wear on the open-end part of the wrench.
From the park they moved over to the old polo field and down deep they recovered a dog tag. The name and email address were on back of the tag so they contacted the owners.
While we appreciate that you have given a great deal of study and thought to your findings we are sorry we have to contradict your finds. Had you given it further study you would have found that the plastic head had been chewed on by a dog.
A week or two later Karen took her metal detector out in her back yard. While her dogs were playing she proceeded to work every inch of the yard. Karen made,
It is with feelings we must tell you that we will not be able fulfill your request to carbon date your specimen. To the best of our knowledge, no Barbie dolls were
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produced prior to 1956 AD, and carbon dating is likely to produce inaccuracy results. Signed, Head Curator, Smithsonian Institute. The girls invited me to go out on a dig one day after work. Within 30 minutes they had found a silver bracelet, a dime, a couple of pennies and three quarters. That did it. I was hooked. The next week my new Garrett GTI 2500 detector arrived. It is a state-of-the-art unit. This metal detector will show you what’s in the ground, and how deep it is. I tried it out the first time in my front yard. Mark Poppell, my nextdoor neighbor hollered over the hedge, “Hey, neighbor Al, you better put some string in that weed eater if you expect to trim any grass.” The first time I really had a chance to try out my new metal detector was after a birthday lunch at our oldest daughter’s home in Seminole, Florida. When we finished eating my granddaughter, Kylie, went with me to the beach. Within ten minutes we found a 1945-penny. A few minutes later this guy walks by and says, “Say buddy, what kind of silly gadget is that you are using? I looked up and said, “It’s a high-frequency unit that attracts fiddler crabs. You can save a lot of bait money when you fish for sheepshead with this attractor.” Before we left the beach I found a 50-caliber machine gun shell about six inches deep. Further study revealed the shell was manufactured in 1942 at a plant in Pennsylvania. This has to be a very unusual find on a public beach. Guess they used to shoot German submarines off Clearwater beach during World War ll. A few days later I spent a few minutes near the swings at Mike Sansone Park in Plant City. Two little kids were going up and down the slide. I overhead one say to the other, “What’s he doing?” The other kid said, “He’s looking for money.” “Why,” he asked. “I guess because he’s poor,” he replied. In order to stay up with metal detecting I joined a “chatroom” on the Internet designed for those who enjoy this hobby. Big mistake! This led me to “Magnet Fishing.” I read a number of interesting stories of great finds by dragging a magnet in lakes and rivers. I ordered a magnet online that that had a 250-pound pull for just $17.00! A few days later it arrived. Quickly I tied a rope to it and headed down to the dock at Walden Lake to see if this “magnet fishing” was for real. After about five throws off the dock I found two pair of pliers, a cigarette lighter, a rusty knife, and more than 50 fishhooks. My goal is to find the “Mother-Lode” with my metal detector and magnet. I’ll let you know when that happens. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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COMING SOON TO BROOKSVILLE
NEW LOCATION 22255 CORTEZ BLVD, BROOKSVILLE, FL 34601
“
The best Christmas gift we could receive this year is the opportunity to provide quality John Deere equipment, parts, and service to the Brooksville community. This holiday season, we hope to be a part of your journey of success with your land or business. Please join us in the new year as we open
Mike Schlechter, President
BROOKSVILLE | BELLE GLADE | CLEARWATER | FORT MYERS | BOYNTON BEACH | FORT PIERCE | IMMOKALEE |
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LEESBURG | SARASOTA | LOXAHATCHEE | NAPLES | ODESSA | OKEECHOBEE | PALMETTO | PLANT CITY
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our new location in Brooksville and begin a new chapter in the Everglades Equipment Group story.
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NEW HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FARM BUREAU OFFICERS ELECTED By Jim Frankowiak
A FAMILY CHRISTMAS GIFT SUGGESTION WITH MULTIPLE BENEFITS By Jim Frankowiak While making up your Christmas gift list this year, you might want to consider a special “present” for your family and that would be a membership in the Florida Farm Bureau Federation. Here’s why – Membership in the Florida Farm Bureau means that your family will become part of a growing community of families who support agriculture in Florida and the U.S. There are more than 146,000 family members of Florida Farm Bureau at present and that number continues to grow.
Dennis Carlton Jr. President The November meeting of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Board of Directors included election of a new slate of officers for the coming program year. It also marked the first meeting for two newly elected directors. The new officer team includes: President Dennis Carlton, Jr. with Carlton Ranch; Vice President Jake Raburn, Director of Marketing for Hinton Farms Produce; Secretary Buddy Coleman, head of the Ag Program at Turkey Creek Middle School; Treasurer Tony Lopez, Senior Relationship Manager with Rabo AgriFinance, Member-At-Large Carl Bauman, Chief Financial Officer, Lykes Bros., Sergeant-at-Arms Will Womack, President and CEO of Southern Garden Solutions and Parliamentarian Jake Cremer, a shareholder attorney at Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A.. Recently elected board members attending their first meeting were Christina Andrlik, Distribution Services Transportation Compliance with the Mosaic Co. and Gayle Yanes, Regional Market Manager, Farm Credit of Central Florida, ACA.
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The newly-elected officers and board extended its appreciation to outgoing members Kenneth Parker, Marty Tanner and Melissa Grimes.
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Your $54 annual membership is one of the most economical investments you can make that provides you with valuable benefits and resources to help you save money and stay connected to pertinent issues affecting agriculture. Those annual dues include membership in Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, the Florida Farm Bureau Federation and the American Farm Bureau Federation, as well as a subscription to FloridaAgriculture, the monthly Florida Farm Bureau publication. You also have the option of contributing to FARMPAC, Farm Political Action Committee, to promote and work for good government for all of the people of Florida. FARMPAC membership enables you to support political candidates at the state level who have an interest in promoting the welfare of taxpayers, farmer, rural families and agricultural interests in Florida. In addition to staying connected to important issues affecting Florida agriculture, your Farm Bureau membership also provides your family with valuable benefits and resources to help you save money. Membership is truly the gift “that keeps on giving” to your family throughout the year. Just to give you an idea on some of the membership benefits, consider discounts at hotels/motels and car rental firms, savings on prescriptions, hearing aids and security devices; reduced prices at theme parks like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, sporting events, movies and more; members only pricing at AmeriGas, Ford, Lincoln and SeaTow. Work and job-related savings on items purchased from Case-IH, Caterpillar, John Deer, Grainger, GrassHopper and workboots.com. You can also enjoy a range of insurance benefits, help with estate planning and even notary service. For more information about how to join the Florida Farm Bureau Federation and the related benefits to your family, visit: ffbf.org. Remember, you don’t have to be a farmer or rancher to become a Farm Bureau member, Farm Bureau works for us all! WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Prepare Now. Sign up for an On-Farm Readiness Review.
Are you FSMA compliant? The ďŹ rst Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule (PSR) compliance dates have arrived. Very large farms with average annual sales exceeding $500,000 in the last three years were required to be compliant with the PSR as of Jan. 26, 2018, with the exception of the water requirements. Sign up now to request a Free On-Farm Readiness Review, offered in partnership by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and University of Florida IFAS. The OFRR is an opportunity to receive on-farm education and technical assistance to help farms align practices with the PSR regulatory requirements.
For more information on FSMA and to sign up for an OFRR, visit FreshFromFlorida.com/FSMA or call (863) 578-1900.
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AG EXPO 13 SHOWCASES
USE OF DATA FOR ALL ASPECTS OF FARM OPERATIONS By Jim Frankowiak
By Libby Hopkins Agricultural producers are using more data generated in a variety of ways from in ground sensors to drones and satellites to help them achieve greater success with all aspects of their operations. That was the consensus of a panel on Current and Future Precision Ag and Automation Applications that kicked off the 13th Annual Florida Ag Expo at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center at Balm. After a welcome and introduction from Center Director Dr. Jack Rechcigl, Florida Grower Magazine Editor Frank Giles convened the panel discussion, which included blueberry grower Brittany Lee of Florida Blue Farms; Alan Jones of Jones Potato Farm and Highland Precision Ag’s Wade Carter. Although Lee and Jones have different crops, each is using technology to make the decisions that are most helpful in assuring the success of their operations. “There is lots of data available for grower use,” said Carter. “It’s a matter of interpreting that data and applying the findings to individual operations.” The panelists agreed the use of data and precision ag is a holistic approach. “Data management enables correct decision-making,” said Lee. “That involves both historical and contemporary data that allows us to compare options for many aspects of operation like hand picking versus mechanical picking.”
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Jones’ primary focus is soil fertility. “I want to achieve maximum productivity on all acres in my fields,” he said. To meet
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the demand for data, Carter’s company uses a range of equipment to gather data such as sensors in various field locations, data gathering drone flights and data capture via satellite. “That data is gathered, interpreted for grower use, and it is stored for future reference,” Carter said. “Data is interpreted for growers in a manner that is easy for them to act and make appropriate decisions.” Data gathering and interpretation relates to all aspects of farm management. However, it was noted that the use of data and precision ag requires an investment. “It takes money to make money,” said Lee. In addition to soil fertility, this holistic approach also includes such areas as irrigation, freeze protection, farm apparatus maintenance, fertilizer applications, inventory control and much more -- all helping growers make the right decisions for the success of their respective operations. Giles noted that better decision-making is critical for growers since it allows them “to do more with less” as farm acreage globally decreases and the world’s population continues to increase. Carter also noted that “precision ag helps growers market. Farmers are able to show consumers they are doing things the right way. This enables them to educate consumers about how and where their food comes from,” he said. Following the grower panel discussion, Ag Expo attendees had the opportunity to attend either the Precision Ag & Data Management Track or Farm Automation. The Precision Ag WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Track moderated by UF/IFAS Extension Agent Alicia Whidden included presentations on the use of UAS Imagery and Spectroscopy for Crop Nutrient Assessment; Precision Farming Technologies for Specialty Crops; Practical Irrigation using Soil Moisture Sensors, Machine Vision and Learning. The Farm Automation Track moderated by Extension Agent Crystal Snodgrass covered Packinghouse Technology; Mechanical Harvest and Automation of the Future. Both tracks concluded with speaker panel discussions. Ag Expo afternoon activities included a Plant Health Tour featuring Vegetable Pathology, Weed Science and Nematology. A Plant Breeding and Alternative Crop Tour was also offered. Additionally, there were three hands-on workshops offered: Postharvest Forensics; Vegetable Entomology and Vegetable and Small Fruit Pathology. Ag Expo attendees were given the opportunity to visit several farms and locations to see how growers in central Florida are deploying new precision
Tour participants saw how intensive soil and tissue sampling, along with field mapping, can create more productive, uniform and higher quality crops. They were exposed to the way growers manage data more efficiently to run their farms, monitor food safety and sell product to customers, as well as see how new software tools allow growers to collect and use large amounts of data to more effectively manage their operations. The post Ag Expo tour also offered an update on the work at Harvest CROO Robotics where the development of an autonomous strawberry harvesting robot is reshaping how growers look at specialty crop harvesting in the near future. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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agriculture in their operations. This tour took place the day after Ag Expo and the stops included Jones Potato Farm, Harvest CROO Robotics, JayMar Produce, Astin Farms and a demonstration of how drones can be used on the farm to help make more informed production decisions.
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Florida
Watercress By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Fresh Florida watercress and other leafy greens are in their prime season now doing the cool weather months. Watercress, officially known as Nasturtium officinale, is an aquatic plant. Leaves and stems are partially submerged under water during growth. Much of the nation’s winter supply is grown in central Florida. Watercress is actually one of oldest leaf vegetables cultivated by man, and it can be a great alternative or addition to lettuce in salads and other dishes. Watercress has a unique peppery, spicy flavor, a bit like arugula. Younger leaves are more tender and milder in taste. Its zesty flavor complements other milder lettuces and is delicious in a spring mix or mesclun salad. The combination of different greens contributes to both flavor and nutritional value. In addition to its role in salads, watercress is often used as a garnish or as a sandwich topper. Watercress can be blanched and puréed and used to make soup, sauce or stir-fry.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, two cups of fresh watercress (68 grams) contains only 7 calories. It also provides 1.6 grams of protein, 0.1 grams of fat, 0.9 grams of carbohydrate and 0.4 grams of fiber. A single serving of watercress also provides 212% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin K, 44% for vitamin A, 48% for vitamin C 21% for vitamin E, 8% for calcium and manganese, and 6% for potassium. Watercress is one of the lowest calorie foods available and is packed with nutrients.
Vitamin K: For blood and bone health A two-cup serving of this zesty green meets more than twice your daily requirement for vitamin K, an essential vitamin for bone and blood health. Vitamin K plays a major role in proper blood clotting in the body. It also helps your body transport calcium and metabolizes the mineral into your skeleton. Several research studies have found that vitamin K boosts bone mineral density and reduces fracture rates in people with osteoporosis. As a result, the Institute of Medicine increased its daily recommendation of vitamin K. Mixing watercress with other lettuces and greens, most of which are also very high in vitamin K, can help meet your daily requirement. Vitamins A and C: Fight Free Radicals
Fresh Florida watercress is high in both vitamins A and C. These vitamins are also considered antioxidants that act to prevent cell damage from free radicals in the body. Free radicals cause damage to cells and are involved in cholesterol accumulation in the arteries, which leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease. These harmful compounds also play a role in nerve and blood vessel damage in those with diabetes. In ad-
Folate Florida watercress is a good source of folate, one of the B vitamins that can reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord (neural tube defects) in the fetus. Pregnant women should consume a diet high in folate, and eating greens, lettuces, and other vegetables and fruits every day can help. Folate is also essential for growth and development, and plays a key role in DNA formation. Its heart-healthy benefits come from its ability to lower homocysteine levels in the body. Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood that is correlated with heart disease. Additionally, low levels of folate have been linked with low energy levels, depression and even memory impairments. So it’s an essential vitamin for everyone, in addition to its significant importance for the developing fetus.
How to Select and Store Choose watercress leaves that are bright green and look fresh and deeply colored. Avoid any that are limp or have yellow or dark spots. The leaves and stems should look crisp and tender and feel dry to the touch. Watercress is delicate. To store, wrap the roots in a damp paper towel, cover with a plastic bag and refrigerate. Use within a day or two and wash immediately before use.
How to Enjoy Watercress is most commonly eaten raw in salads with other leafy greens, but is also delicious cooked and incorporated into pastas, casseroles, and sauces just like any other green. Other ways to enjoy watercress include: • Chop leaves and add to pasta sauce • Use as a sandwich or pizza topper • Blend with other vegetables and fruits into a juice or smoothie • Toss some watercress on scrambled eggs or an omelet • Mix into soup or pasta dishes • Sauté with olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese • Blend with garlic, oil, and pine nuts for a pesto sauce Fresh Florida watercress is at its peak today. The spicy leaves add zest and nutrition to any salad or dish. Its beautiful deep green color also makes it a naturally beautiful edible garnish.
SELECTED REFERENCES http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu http://www.whfoods.com INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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dition to their protective effects against free radical damage, vitamin A is also required for good eye function and vitamin C plays a role in strong immunity. Vitamin C is also important for healthy blood circulation and wound healing, and helps the body absorb more iron, which is also plentiful in watercress.
By Jack Payne
Food As National Security
Paul Allen speaks proudly of his grandfather’s service to the nation during World War II. E.J. Powell never had to fire a bullet. Never had to kill anyone. No, Powell’s job was to keep people alive. Because his job was so essential, he was exempted from the draft. He was already involved in a matter of national security -- feeding and clothing a nation to keep us self-reliant. We not only had hungry mouths at home, but we needed food and fiber for millions of men and women in uniform abroad. The U.S. government decided Powell could contribute more to the war effort by continuing to grow cotton in Georgia than to fallow his fields and trade tractor for tank. As E.J. Powell’s case shows, defending our nation depends in part on agriculture. There’s a snappy answer to the question of how long a nuclear submarine can stay submerged: Until it runs out of food. Allen didn’t inherit his grandfather’s land. What Allen did inherit from Powell was a sense of national purpose that informs his work for R.C. Hatton, Inc. and as president of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture when the focus is on the acres we’re directly responsible for. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences faculty are not immune from this. Indeed, it’s in our very mission to solve local problems. When we can step back from the urgency of the day’s decisions, Allen and I share a belief that what we do for a living protects our nation.
Agriculture protects the security of people across the globe. The preeminent agricultural scientist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug said, “You can’t build a peaceful world on empty stomachs and human misery.” The Arab Spring was popularly portrayed as a spontaneous people-powered uprising against authoritarian government. Less noticed was that so many of the protest movements coincided with spikes in the price and scarcity of food. IFAS and FFVA are committed to doing our part to feeding the world. Food production in Florida is in our self-interest, whether that food is consumed on the other side of town in a farm-to-table restaurant on the other side of the planet in Cairo or Khartoum. Allen works hard as FFVA chair so that Floridians can eat Florida-grown food. If we rely on others for our food supply, Allen says, we’re doomed. It’s like letting someone control our oxygen supply. That’s why victory gardens were regarded as acts of patriotism during World War II. It’s why riveters were drafted but farmers weren’t, so Paul’s grandmother Ruth Powell and his great aunts served the nation as welders in a Savannah shipyard instead of on farms. Paul sees himself and fellow growers as vital to the capacity of our nation to feed itself and therefore to determine our own destiny. For Powell, farming was an opportunity to serve. It’s been no less an opportunity for his grandson.
Outsourcing agriculture to nations where it can be done more cheaply would hand over to others the decision of what we eat and even whether we eat. A nation that imports all its food is a nation susceptible to having food used as a weapon against it.
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From 1940 to 1947, the Selective Service System placed Powell and other farmers in a special category, II-C, that was exempted from the draft. It was one of a very few exemptions based solely on a would-be draftee’s occupation.
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Jack Payne is the University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Celebrating a most fruitful relationship
between Florida Strawberry Growers and International Paper.
1979
Together we’re sure to enjoy many more years of sweet success.
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2402 Police Center Dr Plant City, FL 33566 (813) 717-9100 6706 N. 53rd St Tampa, FL 33610 (813) 744-2220 Sales: Dean Fultz (901) 355-5197 or Jim Johnson (813) 205-0355
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FARM BUREAU’S WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP GROUP TOURS AG-VENTURE By Jim Frankowiak
The fall 2018 Ag-Venture program had once again strong attendance, averaging some 450 Hillsborough County third grade students each of its eight days, plus a special group of eight members of the Florida Farm Bureau District V Women’s Leadership. In its current form and name since 1994, Ag-Venture is a “hands-on” learning experience designed to teach third grade students in Hillsborough County about the importance of agriculture and to help them develop an understanding and appreciation of where their food comes from and the impact of agriculture in their everyday lives,” said Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Executive Director Judi Whitson. As the students arrive at the Florida State Fairgrounds, they are divided into groups and given a bright colored “cowboy” hat. The hats not only keep track of the different groups since each group has a different color hat, but the youngsters love them and they set the state for an “Ag” day. Student Ag-Venture tours consist of visiting different stations, both indoors and outside, with each representing different aspects of agriculture. There are also opportunities at each station for students to participate in hands-on activities offering a balance of plant and animal science. Station stops during this tour included ornamental horticulture, soil and water, dairy, insects, beef and other ag-related areas.
our activities better,” she said. District V includes Hernando, Citrus, Pasco, Polk, Lake, Sumter, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. The tour included women’s chairs and guests from four of the eight counties. In addition to visiting Ag-Venture at the Florida State Fairgrounds, the District V group is collecting new and gently used books that will be donated to the Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA) in the coming spring. “Our Spring meeting will be held at one of the RCMA centers where we will present the books and tour the facility,” said Ansell. Founded in 1965, RCMA “opens doors to opportunities through quality child care and education from crib to high school and beyond” for the sons and daughters of migrant workers in Florida. Ag-Venture traces its beginnings to 1994 and a partnership among local agriculture commodity groups, Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, the Florida State Fair and Hillsborough County Extension Service. Those original partners formed a 501© 3 corporation operating under the name Ag-Venture, Inc. AG-Venture’s first tour in 1994 started with five stations and 600 students, growing to over 20 stations today and participation by over 6,000 students annually. For more information, visit: http://ag-venture.org/.
The beef stop included a “visit” with a penned cow that was arranged by Ag-Venture Agribusiness Manager Lynann Hudson, who also led the beef session for student attendees. While Fall Ag-Venture averages 450-stduents each of its eight days, average daily attendance for Spring Ag-Venture is 150 students for each of the 12-days it takes place. Student participants pay $4 each for the tour, which includes lunch at the fairgrounds. The Ag-Venture tour for the District V Women’s Leadership group “was the second that the committee has put together for 2018,” said Chair Valerie Ansell. “My goal for this district is to get our Farm Bureau women together twice a year to learn, have fun and fellowship.
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“This tour was also a way for us to see how Hillsborough County operates their Ag-Venture Program so we can take back to our respective counties ideas and resources to make
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GCREC PART OF INTERNATIONAL GROUP WORKING WITH
UV LIGHT TO SUPPRESS PLANT DISEASES By Jim Frankowiak
Some fungi and bacteria cause disease in plants. They are an ongoing challenge to growers, as well as the scientists and advisors who support those growers. These pathogens are smart, too, and are able to develop resistance to the plant medicines used to combat diseases. This has led to the exploration of a number of non-chemical ways to more effectively fight this continuing battle.
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Natalia Peres, Ph.D., Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida/ Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), is an active member of an international group studying use of UV to suppress plant pathogens. The “Light and Plant Health” group includes the GCREC, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lighting Research Center, Norway’s Institute of Bioeconomy Research, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Cornell University’s Geneva Experiment Station.
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The group’s work has been supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic Research and Extension Initiative (IREI), the USDA Specialty Crops Research Initiative (SCRI) and the Research Council of Norway, as well as by assistance from the lighting companies OSRAM, Ushio, Cree and the Asahi Glass Company. Dr. Peres and her GCREC colleagues have focused their work on the design, operation and efficacy of an apparatus that uses ultraviolet light to suppress powdery mildew of strawberry in open field production systems. “Powdery mildew is a serious pathogen that grows on strawberry plant surfaces resulting in flower abortion, misshapen fruit and reduction of the photosynthesis in the plant’s leaf areas,” said Peres. The research team developed a tractor-drawn apparatus with several inexpensive UV lamps. A breakthrough in the work was the discovery by WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
This growing season the research team will deploy a small but powerful robot that will carry the UV lamps, but run automatically during the night, reducing the need for nighttime labor. Future projects will seek to incorporate UV light technology into experimental mechanical harvesting equipment currently undergoing field trials. Additional information on the research work of the international “Light and Plant Health” group is available at: www.lightandplanthealth.org. members in Norway that the treatments are even more effective when applied after sunset. Night applications bypass the natural defenses of the pathogen by delivering a small but effective blast of UV light at a time that catches the pathogen napping. The tractor-drawn unit looks eerily like alien spacecraft floating above a violet glow at night, but it really keeps the plants free of mildew. “The results are equal to or better than other pathogen control techniques such as periodic spraying of plants with a fungicide,” said Peres. “Additionally, the UV light applications are less costly than other methods,” she added. This new technology was tested at GCREC strawberry fields and fields at Wish Farms.
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When you’re pregnant, there are so many questions. WHERE TO HAVE YOUR BABY shouldn’t be one of them. Which car seat? What stroller? And oh, the discussions about the name. With so many questions surrounding a new baby, we want to give you one definitive and easy answer. The hospital you choose. At BayCare’s South Florida Baptist Hospital, we have exceptional doctors and nurses to give you and your new baby an extraordinary level of care during labor and delivery, in a comfortable, spacious room. If you’re expecting, or thinking about having a baby, come in and see for yourself. Take a tour of South Florida Baptist Hospital and sign up for one of our free prenatal classes. Visit SouthFloridaBaptistMaternity.org to register.
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Reflections & Resolutions! by John Dicks
The Christmas season seems to bring out the best in most people. It’s a special time of year when I’ve even witnessed Republicans and Democrats exchanging pleasantries toward each other!
After all, if earning more and eating less were simple enough to accomplish, everyone would be doing it. Life, though, simply doesn’t come easy.
Maybe it’s religious reflections enabling some spiritual solace. Or it could be the weather, when the cold requires too much energy to grumble.
It seems like as soon as we write down those resolutions of losing weight and exercising more, somebody smilingly shoves over our way a plate of left over Christmas cookies.
Regardless, it’s a special time to savor and, as the saying says, I wish you glad tidings.
Mind you that the sweet offer is all in good taste, but what tempting torture it is!
Closing in on the beginning of a bright new year means that we humans are soon completing our most recent journey together on yet another loop around the sun.
Be strong. Enjoy only a nibble or two. Discard the rest as waste, which is where it’s headed anyway, one way or another.
During 2018, our orbit onboard our space ship dubbed the planet Earth has sped us in a mildly elliptical path of some 584 million miles! Further astounding is to note that mathematicians have calculated that to make our sprint around the sun in essentially 365 days, we are hurtling through space at some 67,000 miles per hour! Imagine that. First is to consider that we are traveling so fast, even while resting, idly sitting in a chair. Also is to ponder that technically we are all astronauts, zipping through space without wearing a protective flight suit or helmet, protected only by our fragile atmosphere above and anchored to Earth with only the magnetic notion of gravity. Just the thought of it all should give us pause to kneel with prayer and give special thanks during the Holiday season. Amazement with such science regarding celestial revolutions gives rise to resolutions for the new year. Determined we are to do better, get healthy, enjoy our existence while we hurtle through space.
Remember that with resolutions you are most proud of success when the challenge is tough. An easy running race with a two year old doesn’t earn you nearly the same personal reward of satisfaction, as does the fight with “somebody your own size.” That’s not to suggest that we should be overly ambitious nor set our resolutions and goals too high. It’s important to make them attainable, some even more so than others. Gratification is a great and powerful motivator. Certainly be realistic with your resolutions, but envision what and where you want to be, along with how you wish you to feel, this time next year. With that picture in mind, draw it or describe it on paper. Simply daydreaming about something will never make it happen. Action is the key, and the first step is to convert it from a thought in the brain to a tangible reminder that you can hold in your hand. Personal success will make for a great 2019. In the interim, cheers to a very Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy and Happy New Year!
It’s human nature to want to improve our lot in life. The difficult part of it all is making a success out of our whims and desires.
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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. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Plant City, where he served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
Deadly Semantics: Plight of the Sei Whale
By Ginny Mink
Whales are such enormous animals that you would think you had heard all about them. However, when we endeavored to make a decision about what endangered animal we wanted to write about this month we were surprised to see a whale we knew absolutely nothing about. The Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis) is on the Federally Endangered list and has been since the early 70s. The sei whale can grow up to 66 feet long and weigh up to 20 tons. Given the enormity of this animal you would expect it to be quite slow as it lumbered along in the water, but it can swim nearly 35 miles per hour.¹ This makes for a pretty fast whale! If you happen upon one of these majestic creatures you will know it. They are generally gray but often have oval shaped white scars because lampreys and cigar sharks like to take bites out of them. Their snouts are pointed, pectoral fins short, and their dorsal fins are located at the very end of their backs standing straight up. Plus, they can blow water from their blow holes up to 13 feet high in the air!² You can find these whales in just about all oceans and the seas that adjoin them. The only places they avoid are those that are tropical and those that are polar. Apparently they don’t like the extremes of the water temperatures found there. In the summer, they migrate to cooler water and then return to warm water in the winters to breed and give birth.³ Sei whales are baleen whales, this means that they use their baleen plates to filter water. They focus their appetites, for the most part, on things like krill and copepods. However, they have been known to eat squid and fish as well.² Because whales are at the top of the food chain, they play a huge role in the overall health of marine environments. And, sadly, they are particularly vulnerable to the things mankind does to their oceans.³ When they are able to breed successfully, they stay pregnant for an entire year. It takes them ten years to reach sexual maturity and because of the long gestation period they only give birth to one calf every other year. But even at ten years old they are not at the full extent of their size. In fact, they don’t get as big as they are going to get until they are about 25 years old.²
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In relation to the whole of the whale population, sei whale numbers are suffering due to whaling and commercial hunting. They are also threatened by the potential to be hit by
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ships or get tangled in fishing gear.¹ Traditionally though, it is harvesting of these whales that has caused the greatest decline in their existence. More than 300,000 sei whales were killed between the 19th and 20th centuries. And, if more females than males were killed at that time, there’s a chance that problem is still affecting today’s numbers.² Although the 1980s saw whaling made illegal, the truth is, people are still poaching them illegally. And, even when they are not specifically targeted for harvesting purposes they are victims of incidental captures via fishing nets that cause them to drown.² And, apparently, Japan practices what they call “scientific whaling” which enables them to kill these whales for research purposes. This practice kills 50 sei whales a year.³ With regards to conservation and protection attempts, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) is in charge of dealing with that issue. They are supposed to address the threats, not only to whales but to dolphins and porpoises as well. And, since they are also the body designated to regulate whaling, we have to hope that they will come up with a way to stop Japan’s deadly semantics about the subject.³ But, what can we do? How can we make a difference in the world of the sei whales? It’s a hard question to answer since most of us, if not all, are completely disconnected from major fishing entities. But, because a lot of us do like to be out on our boats and fish, we should ensure that we are extra careful with our nets and other fishing gear. And, if you are particularly interested in helping the plight of the sei whale you can Adopt a Whale via the conservation efforts of the World Wildlife Federation. Of course, this is only a symbolic gesture, but funding entities like that enables them to continue the work they do. Recall, of course, that we are here to steward this great planet and all that reside on it. That means we have to do what we can to protect the animals that God created. The sei whale needs our help. Let’s do what we can! References: ¹Animal Planet. (2015). Sei Whale. http://www.animalplanet. com/wild-animals/endangered-species/sei-whale/ ²Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (2018). Sei Whale: Balaenoptera borealis. http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/imperiled/profiles/mammals/sei-whale/ ³World Wildlife Federation. (2018). Sei Whale. https://www. worldwildlife.org/species/sei-whale# Photo Credits: Scott Heron (2015). Sei Whale (in water). (Flickr). https://flic. kr/p/tzWHuH WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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‘Brought to you by the letter C’
Photos by Jackie Benitez
The C House in Seminole Heights features a menu full of hand-crafted items that all begin with the letter ‘c.’ Nestled in the historic Seminole Heights district of Tampa is a restaurant featuring a menu unlike any other in all of Hillsborough County. The C House prides itself on only servicing food and beverages that start with the letter C. Legendary cheesecakes, savory charcuterie, hearty cheeseburgers and succulent crab cakes all make up the one-of-a-kind menu. The visionary restaurant is the dream-child of Danna Haydar, who is a former Bolts attorney. Haydar and her husband Rhett were driving back to Tampa from visiting family in Georgia one day and began thinking about how they could share Rhett’s mother’s cheesecake with the world. Haydar had already wanted to open a dessert and champagne lounge and on the long drive back they began crafting a menu that was full of their favorite things. Suddenly, Haydar realized it all began with one single letter: c. On that long drive home, The C House was born. It may seem like a niche menu, but the options are far from limited. On top of a diverse cheese and charcuterie list (three selections $16, five selections $6, chef’s board $33) there are unique salads including a caprese ($13) and California cobb ($14) as well as sandwiches like a chipotle-BBQ chicken biscuit sliders ($14) a chickpea veggie burger ($14). Some of the customer-favorite entrees include a Cioppino ($23), which features calms, mussels, shrimp, a savory tomato and white wine broth and freshly-baked crostini, and a corn penne and winter squash vegan pasta ($17), which includes a vegan corn penne pasta, winter squash puree and seasonal vegetables. To get the most out of a visit, however, consider ordering a charcuterie plate as the appetizer and then grabbing a few “community shareables” for the table. The cauliflower buffalo bites ($10) are served with a house-made ranch or a blue cheese dressing and come piled high on a wooden serving board. For a shareable, the serving size was quite impressive and there’s more than enough to go around for a group.
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The crab cakes ($13) were filled with giant lumps of crab meat
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and topped with a tropical slaw and chipotle aioli. It’s a delicious combo and well worth the price for any crab cake fanatics. The cheesy mac ($9) and the Cadillac mac ($14) seem to be crowd favorites as well. Both feature a creamy and decadent mix of sharp cheddar, fontina, parmesan, butter-herb crumble and cavatappi pasta.The $5 upcharge is due to a the addition of chunks of lobster meat to the dish. Save room for a dessert. Homemade cheesecakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes and more are up for grabs ($2 to $7.) Though guests have written home about the cinnamon rolls and cupcakes, the cheesecakes are undoubtedly the highlight of the menu. Each cheesecake towers high above the plate. Bring an appetite or, better yet, take the leftovers home to enjoy when the midnight cravings hit. The Oreo cheesecake is a soft tower full of layers of crushed Oreos and that traditional sweet, yet slightly tart cheesecake goodness. The Carmel apple crumble cheesecake is the perfect mix of sweet caramel and savory apple flavored cheesecake. On top is a crisp layer of crumble that is covered with the thick caramel sauce. The crafted cocktails also all start with a ‘c’ and feature fun concoctions like a Cheeky Cuban($11), Cruzan white rum, housemade lavender-blueberry syrup, dry curaçao, freshly squeezed lime juice, fresh mint leaves and soda water, a Calm Before the Storm ($11), City of London gin, house-made cucumber syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice and elderflower liquer, and a variety of chardonnay, cabernet and Canadian craft and canned beer, ciders and wines. The C House is one of the hottest destinations in Seminole Heights so plan to make a reservation if you’re coming at a busy meal hour. If you’re willing to wait a little later or come during an off-hour you should be able to walk right in without having to wait. Inside can become quite noisy, but it’s a perfect festive atmosphere. If it’s one of the few frigid nights in Florida, large heaters are brought outside to keep the outdoor seating enjoyable. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Tickets On Sale Now! • FLstrawberryfestival.com
It’s A Hit! Artists Appearing on the
Feb. 28 - Mar. 10, 2019 Plant City, FL
Soundstage:
#berryfest19
Thu. Feb. 28, 7:30 $45
Thu. Feb. 28, 3:30 $20
Brothers Osborne Fri. Mar. 1, 7:30 $40
An Evening With Steven Tyler and The Loving Mary Band Sun. Mar. 3, 7:30 $55
Home Free Sat. Mar. 2, 3:30 $20
Pat Boone Mon. Mar. 4, 3:30 $20
STYX Wed. Mar. 6, 7:30 $35
Gene Watson Wed. Mar. 6, 3:30 $20
Willie Nelson & Family
Alabama
The Oak Ridge Boys
Fri. Mar. 1, 3:30 $45
Kool & the Gang Sat. Mar. 2, 7:30 $30
Martina McBride Mon. Mar. 4, 7:30 $35
Chicks with Hits featuring Terri Clark, Pam Tillis and Suzy Bogguss Sun. Mar. 3, 3:30 $25
NEEDTOBREATHE Tue. Mar. 5, 7:30 $35
Drifters, Platters & Cornell Gunter’s Coasters Tue. Mar. 5, 3:30 $20
The Lettermen Thu. Mar. 7, 3:30 $20
for King & Country Thu. Mar. 7, 7:30 $30
Tanya Tucker Chris Janson Fri. Mar. 8, 3:30 Fri. Mar. 8, 7:30 $30 $30 Visit www.FLstrawberryfestival.com or call 813-754-1996 and get your tickets for the best seats available! Home of OUR
Keith Sweat Sat. Mar. 9, 7:30 $30
Bill Anderson & Bobby Bare Sun. Mar. 10, 3:30 $20
Old Dominion Make It Sweet Tour Sun. Mar. 10, 7:30 $45
Concert dates and times are subject to change
• Images Everywhere! • Local Ford Dealers • Verizon Wireless • Alessi Bakery • DIRECTV • AMSCOT • Stingray Chevrolet • Astin Farms • Dakin Dairy Farms • Uncommon USA • Circle K • Grove Equipment Service • Candyland Warehouse • Netterfield’s • Smithfield • Global Frequency Technologies • Master Spas • Good Health Saunas • MetroPCS • Choo Choo Lawn Equipment • Vision Auto Glass • Wyndham Vacation Resorts • Florida Dairy Farmers • General RV Center • O’Reilly Auto Parts • Kellogg’s • Florida Blue INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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s e p i c e R
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Chef Justin Timineri
Florida Strawberry or Blueberry Pop Pastry
DIRECTIONS In a small sauce pot over medium-low heat, combine 2 cups diced strawberries, corn starch, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla extract. Cook, while stirring, until a sauce has formed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Reserve ¼ cup of the strawberry mixture to make the glaze.
q Ingredients q 2 ½ cups fresh Florida strawberries (or blueberries), diced 2 tablespoon Florida sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg 1 teaspoon water 1 cup confectioners sugar 1 box pie dough, store bought
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Unroll the pie dough and cut out 4 matching rectangles. In a small bowl mix the egg and water to create an egg-wash. Place an even amount of the strawberry mixture to the center of half of the rectangles, and do not overfill. Leave a clean edge around the dough to seal properly. Place another piece of the
cut pie dough on top of the mixture and use the tines of a fork to seal. Transfer the pastries to a parchment lined cookie sheet. Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of the egg-wash. Sprinkle each pastry with the remaining sugar. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. In a small bowl mash the reserved berry mixture with a fork. In another bowl, add in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and a small amount of the strawberry mixture, stir until completely combined. Adjust consistency with more confectioners’ sugar or strawberry sauce. Drizzle each tart with the glaze.
Florida Orange and Olive Salad q Ingredients q 2 Florida oranges, peeled and chopped 2 heads Florida romaine lettuce 1 bunch Florida water-
cress or arugula 1/2 cup black oil-cured olives, pitted, sliced in half 1/2 red onion, diced small
Dressing: 1/4 cup Florida orange juice 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
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Wash and dry the romaine and the watercress or arugula. Toss in a large bowl with the other ingredients. Add fresh ground pepper, to taste (the olives may be salty so don’t add any salt at this point). Whisk the dressing ingredi-
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ents and add seasoning, to taste. Slowly pour the dressing over the salad while tossing well to coat all. Garnish with orange zest and very thin slices of orange. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Part 51 By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida Welcome back to the Literary Time Machine. We so enjoy taking these voyages into ornamental gardening’s history in Florida. Each trip imbues us with additional knowledge that we never realized could be valuable. We hope that this excursion will be equally educational and enlightening as we end our year on the pages of a book nearly one hundred years old. Mr. Torrey Simpson would undoubtedly grin with deep joy knowing that a book he penned so long ago is still useful to people today. So, we join him as he talks about Murraya exotica, a plant that is seemingly unfamiliar to us. He writes, “A beautiful shrub from India with delicate but firm, compound foliage, small fragrant white flowers with reddish berries. It is used largely in Cuba and other West Indian islands for hedges and has been planted for that purpose in Key West. It succeeds well in Dade County but I consider it somewhat tender. Reasoner says it does splendidly on the sand hills of Polk County. In his 1900 catalogue, however, he says it is rather tender. It is probably like a good many other tropical plants which are hardy in Florida if there isn’t any frost.” We love flowers, especially those with intense aromas. So, we were forced to wonder what this unknown shrub looked like and what name we might be most familiar with. We discovered, on The Gardening Blog, that Murraya exotica is best known as orange jasmine or Chinese box. The blogger there writes, “The scent from these plants is fantastic and the foliage is a rich, deep green which is lovely to look at even if the plants are not flowering.”² Pictures of this particular shrub reveal flowers that most definitely remind us of orange blossoms. And further reading revealed that mulch and compost are significant helps when it comes to tending to these attractive and aromatic plants. From there we move on to oleander. Mr. Simpson informs readers, “There are very few plants that are successfully cultivated throughout the entire state of Florida but the oleander is pretty well at home from Jacksonville to Chipley, where Pleas reports it as ‘a little tender, but doing well,’ and from the Palm Beaches where it glorifies the two cities down to Key West. Everywhere throughout our mainland, the peninsula and the Florida Keys, it flaunts its wonderful clusters of fragrant pink blossoms to the joy of every passerby. It might well be adopted as the emblematic flower of the state.”
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We don’t know much about oleander, but having read the book, White Oleander (by Janet Fitch), we learned that it was poisonous. But, just to check that knowledge, we did some research and found that, “Oleander is one of the most toxic, commonly grown garden plants in the world — and oddly enough, it’s often found in schoolyards. Ingesting any part of this plant can be deadly, especially for children. Even smoke from burning oleander can be fatal.”³ Seems like a risky thing to plant around kids, but we know they are beautiful and smell great, so, proceed at your own risk!
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Let’s finish off this trip with the rhododendron, as Mr. Simpson has some interesting and informative remarks regarding the plant. He writes, “As I stated under Azalea that genus has been united with Rhododendron but it is very probable that before five years some genus maker will found a half dozen genera out of the two on trifling and inconspicuous characters. R. sinusi, a true Rhododendron as we formerly understood the genus, is considered a parent stock from which most of the forms grown in northern Florida were hybridized. There are number of such varieties with white, pink, reddish and lavender colors.” Upon visiting The Spruce’s website, we discovered that Mr. Simpson’s prediction did not come to pass. Indeed, azaleas are still considered rhododendrons. However, the website was implicit about the subtle but definitive differences between the two. It explains that the rhododendron genus was created by a man named Linnaeus in 1753. At the same time, he designated Azaleas in their own genus. But some people took issue with this. So, in 1834, George Don broke the rhododendrons down into eight sub-categories and azaleas were part of two of these categories. The difference was noted between those that are evergreen and those that are deciduous. Since then, the classification has remained, though, like Mr. Simpson, there have been some that expected a change.⁴ Well, that concludes this jaunt. No doubt you will walk away from this experience knowing a good deal more about azaleas and hopefully you will consider reading White Oleander, it was a great book. Of course, you might also consider further investigation into the orange jasmine. If you do, let us know how it smells! Until next time, happy gardening and don’t forget to protect those plants! It’s getting cold out there. Resources: ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardening in Florida. Published by the Author; Little River, FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New York. (p. 174-176). ²The Gardening Blog. (2018). Murraya Exotica. http://www.thegardeningblog.co.za/plants/directory/perennials-2/murrayaexotica/ ³Nelson, Brian. (2017). 17 Plants that Could Kill You. Mother Nature Network. https://www.mnn.com/your-home/organicfarming-gardening/photos/13-plants-that-could-kill-you/ oleander ⁴Beaulieu, David. (2018). Varieties of Azaleas and Rhododendrons. The Spruce. https://www.thespruce.com/varieties-ofazaleas-and-rhododendrons-2131197 Photo Credits: Kate’s Photo Diary (2008). Murraya Orange Jessamin. (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/5J4JrW Christina B. Castro (2008). Pink Oleander. (Flickr). https://flic. kr/p/5322Za Houroumono (2013). Rhododendron. (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/ eGGWhr WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Y U THE DIFFERENCE IS...
What are BMPs? BMPs are practical, cost-effective actions designed by UF/ IFAS to benefit water quality and water conservation while maintaining or even enhancing agricultural production throughout different types of operations.
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Reclaimed pasture at Mosaic’s Fort Meade mine
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A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green
Epoxy Casting
I found a new hobby and absolutely love the possibilities. This month we will cast trinkets with epoxy. There are different types of epoxy and the stuff you get from an art store that they call “casting resin” is about three times more expensive than it should be. For this project I got some two-part epoxy from the hardware store that is marketed as a floor and table coating. It’s basically the same stuff casting resin is made of (polyurethane). For the mold, I tried different things, such as clay, cookie cutters, and shallow dishes, and discovered quickly that some materials need a good coat of release before pouring the epoxy or you will lose your mold to the epoxy sticking to it.
Materials:
Two-Part polyurethane epoxy resin Petroleum Jelly Modeling Clay (option) Cookie Cutter (option) Shallow plastic container (option)
Model Objects (to squish into the clay) Objects to embed into the epoxy (sea shells, foliage, coins, etc.)
DESIGN: For Clay molds:
Roll the clay out onto a slab twice as thick as you want your finished cast piece to be Press a model object (sea shells, Fancy Key, Bark, Rock, Pendent, etc..) into the clay to make a deep recess.
For Cookie Cutter molds:
Spread wax paper on a flat surface Coat the cookie cutter with petroleum jelly (to prevent the epoxy from sticking)
For Shallow Container molds:
Coat the container with petroleum jelly (to prevent the epoxy from sticking)
Production:
Once your set up, it’s time to mix the epoxy resin. Follow the directions from the manufacturer as a starting point. For soft flexible finished pieces, reduce the amount of hardener / for stiff (but brittle) pieces, add hardener. Pour the mixed epoxy into the mold
Add the second layer of epoxy and let it dry overnight. After the casting is dry, it can be sanded, painted, and polished or even drilled to make Christmas ornaments or pendants.
** Note ** if you are embedding objects into the epoxy, pour only half thick and let it dry enough to support a toothpick without sinking. (about 30 minutes) Carefully lay object on top of the tacky epoxy, gently poke at the objects with a toothpick to get them to stick evenly to the base layer of epoxy.
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While drying, food coloring or paint can be added and swilled into the thick epoxy for fun designs.
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A Closer Look
by Sean Green
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
THE BUTTERFLY OF DOOM
When I write about insects, I try to make it timely. I try to select an insect that everyone will be able to find and enjoy during the month we publish. This month is always special because I can choose to focus on the end of the past year, or the beginning of a new year. I hope it’s ok with our readers that this year the choice is both. We will introduce you to an insect that represents the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, the yin and the yang. The butterfly we have in mind is quite common but its history, not so much. This butterfly is associated with a sinister past and has been pegged the butterfly of doom just for showing up. Granted, it’s a fascinating coincidence but speculation is the glasses through which you consider such coincidence. Rest assured if you take a closer look you will always not only recognize the species but will be reminded of the significant historical event that made this butterfly’s debut a legend. Our butterfly is the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), first described by Swedish naturalist, Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. At the time, Vanessa atalanta was widely distributed across temperate regions of North Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. In colder climates, it is one of the last butterflies to be seen before the onset of winter. For most of North America, this species produces only two broods per year, March through October, then migrates to Florida and south Texas for overwintering where a third brood is common. The butterflies you will see in the wild this month are most likely migrants from the north that have come here to overwinter and produce a brood that will later recolonize North America in the springtime with a northern migration. Many resources acknowledge that the original common name for Vanessa atalanta was the Red Admirable due to its beautiful coloration. Her wings are bright in the summertime, subtle in the winter and always sport a fiery red blazed stripe set below a cluster of with white spots on the upper side tips of her forewings. Her bold red blaze fills the tailpiece of her hindwings and all four wings are trimmed in white dashes. The underside of the wings has a marbled texture that is not as colorful but helps the butterfly camouflage against tree bark and leaf litter. It is the underside of this butterfly that has coincidentally become responsible for its sinister common name, the Butterfly of Doom, which was coined during the Russian Revolution in the late 19th century. Alexander II was the Emperor of Russia from 2 March 1855 until his assassination on 13 March 1881. The Tsar was famous for his 1861 Emancipation Manifesto which freed 23 million people from serfdom. The term serfdom describes a relationship between peasants and nobility of the 17th century. While similar to slavery, there are some key differences that distinguish serfdom from other forms of bondage. As with slaves,
The lifestyle of the peasant and landowner alike went from bad to worse and resulted in several assassination attempts of Alexander II, Emperor of Russia. The first attempt was in April of 1866, only five years after establishing his Emancipation Manifesto (1861). Four subsequent assassination attempts failed between 1866 and 1880 before the successful assassination of Alexander II in March of 1881. According to Vladimir Nabokov, a Russian born novelist, poet, and entomologist, one the Red Admiral’s common names are a direct result of the history surrounding the assassination of Alexander II. During an interview with Alfred Appel, Jr, Nabokov discussed the Red Admirable and revealed how this jovial insect ended up with such an ominous common name Nabokov stated: “Great numbers of them migrated from Africa to Northern Russia, where it was called ‘The Butterfly of Doom’ because it first appeared in 1881, the year Tsar Alexander II was assassinated, and the markings on the underside of its two hind wings seem to read ‘1881’.” Some believe these coincidental numbers on the underside of the butterfly signaled the end of Imperial Russian and the beginning of the Russian Revolution. The Red Admirable butterfly begins its Northern migration towards Canada in March and has been found in great numbers throughout its range without misfortune and I can guarantee you will not find one with the numbers 2019 on the underside of the wings. These are one of the friendliest butterflies you will meet and are known for their curiosity and habit of perching on human beings. This month you may find adults feeding off sap, fermenting fruit, or bird droppings. The caterpillars will be found feeding on various nettles such as stinging nettle, wood nettle, and false nettle. The caterpillars make leaf nests by tying smaller leaves together with their silk to form a sleeping bag as a safe place to molt. We can still celebrate our transition from the past to the future by considering this friendly butterfly as the trooper that sticks it out through the coldest months of the winter. But to see it these in their full glory, you will have to take a closer look. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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serfs could be bought, sold, or traded, however, serfdom was a form of debt bondage and generally meant servants could only be sold together with the land they are bound to. Serfs bound to such land were required to work for the lord of the manor who owned that land. In return they were entitled to protection, justice, and the right to cultivate certain fields within the manor to maintain their own subsistence. The Emancipation Manifesto liberated the peasant serfs, but also kept them bound to the land on which they worked and liberated them of any opportunity to own land for themselves. Land that was previously provided to the serfs for personal sustenance now had to be rented from the landowners, often at the cost of the entire crops harvest leaving little to sustain the peasants and their family.
NEED BERRY OR VEG GROUND ???
Gladstone Land owns a dozen farms with close to 2,000 acres in Hillsborough and Manatee counties that we lease to growers.
THE TIME IS NOW TO PLAN YOUR ACREAGE NEEDS 1. We provide flexible lease terms based on market rents.
2. We provide ongoing capital to improve the wells, irrigation and drainage.
Please contact Bill Frisbie at Gladstone Land: (703) 287-5839 PAGE
bill.f@gladstoneland.com | www.GladstoneFarms.com
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CROP INSURANCE: IT PAYS TO MANAGE YOUR RISK When you purchase risk management coverage with Farm Credit of Central Florida, we return a portion of our commission as patronage dividends to eligible stockholders. Patronage dividends could help lower the cost of insurance premiums, saving you money as you manage your risk. Farm Credit of Central Florida is glad to discuss how we can save you money on your crop insurance with patronage dividends. Feel free to contact our crop insurance specialist, Regina Thomas, at 407.721.4687 or rthomas@farmcreditcfl.com. Patronage dividend distribution is subject to eligibility. Certain limitations, conditions, and exclusions apply for crop insurance. Please refer to the policy for more details.
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New VASP Program Participant Plans to Blend Ag and IT For The Balance of His Career
By Jim Frankowiak
Ryan McGrath, a U.S. Army veteran Army veteran Ryan McGrath did not grow up in a family tied to agriculture, but he always had an interest in farming. “I remember whenever our family traveled by car and we passed farmlands I always had questions about farming, why we weren’t farmers and more,” said McGrath who just began a Veterans Agriculture Selection Program (VASP) internship at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) at Balm. Born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland, McGrath has an older sister and younger brother. His grandfather was an alumnus of the U.S. Naval Academy. At the age of 10 McGrath moved with his family to Orlando, Florida. He is a graduate of Winter Springs High School. Interested in cybersecurity and information technology, McGrath enlisted in the Army after high school and joined the Signal Corps where he was involved in network switching systems operation and maintenance, all the while assuring protected communications. Attaining the rank of sergeant, McGrath spent his last year in the Army stationed in Iraq. While in Iraq, McGrath began his college education taking distance learning classes. After leaving the Army he continued to attend college part time and work part time, as well. In 2013, he was prompted to move from the Orlando area to a major U.S. market. “I felt a major change was in order,” he said. A fan of the Washington Redskins, he decided to move to Washington, working initially on the concierge staff of a condominium building where he advanced to head concierge in 17 months. The property management firm, which oversaw the building where McGrath was a staff member was impressed with his skills and demeanor and with the approval of the condo board hired him. He quickly advanced within the organization becoming an assistant property manager responsible for tenant and vendor relations at 13 different locations managed by the firm.
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“I was fortunate and grew rapidly with that firm, expanding my responsibilities and compensation, but I wanted to complete my college education and take advantage of the opportunity I had as a veteran,” he said. Once separated from the armed forces, veterans have 10 years to take advantage of what is commonly called the “G.I. Bill” and its assistance with a college education costs.
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McGrath left the real estate management firm and enrolled fulltime at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., earning his Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Politics in December of 2017. “At that point, I had been away from my family for five years and missed them,” he said. “So I decided to move back to Orlando.” His father, who is an executive with Massey Services, assisted with the return move and while driving from Virginia to Florida, “he encouraged me to pursue a career option in the private sector,” said McGrath. Taking his father’s advice, McGrath was selected for a management training program with Enterprise, the car rental firm. “I was in that program for three months doing well with a good future, but I knew it was not what I wanted to do long term.” He left Enterprise and began to prepare for the Graduate Record Examination and pursuing an advanced degree in cybersecurity. But that all changed when he discovered VASP, a nine-month internship to help veterans transition into sustainable careers in Florida’s agriculture industry, a discovery he made while on the web. McGrath applied for the program and was selected to participate. His initial six months take place at the GCREC, working in the field and laboratories. The last three months of his internship will have him matched with a local agribusiness. The internship includes a monthly $500 stipend for the first six months in addition to an hourly wage throughout the program. Though new to the program, McGrath is excited about the long-term prospects he sees in agriculture. “My long interest in agriculture coupled with the IT skills I learned in the Army strongly suggests this is the path I want to follow for the balance of my career. The Army instilled me with values that make me a determined leader who places an emphasis on results and teamwork. I look forward to applying my military and leadership skills to a career in agriculture management.” “I sincerely appreciate the opportunity this program has given me,” said McGrath. “Though I am new to the GCREC, I recognize the genuine interest and commitment my colleagues here have for me and this program.”
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Preserving Food and Preserving Memories for the Holidays
By Alison Grooms, MPH, CPH, CHES® Nutrition & Health Agent with UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
This holiday season, are you thinking of giving gifts that truly come from the heart? Why not give the gift of preserved food made with love? Several food items can be stored for long term use if prepared correctly. Canned goods are an example of these. They can even be packaged and shipped to those loved ones who live far away. However, when canning foods to be shelf stable it is highly important to follow the appropriate steps throughout the process to ensure food stays safe and free from botulism. Botulism is a known toxin caused from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Botulism can be lethal and has been reported in several home canning items that were not canned properly. The environment inside of the canned goods creates a perfect condition for this bacteria to grow if steps are not taken to kill it. The best source of instructions to follow when canning items is the USDA’S Complete Guide to Home Canning. This manual is based on proven scientific trials to explain what food items can be canned using a boiling water bath canner and which ones need to be canned in a pressure canner. The difference depends on the type of food. Foods that are known to have a naturally low acidity need to be canned using a pressure canner. This is because the temperature in a pressure canner can reach higher temperatures than a boiling water bath canner. This temperature, (about 240°F at 10 to 11 pounds of pressure), is that which is needed to kill off the Clostridium botulinum bacteria in these low-acid foods. The low acidity, along with the environment in the sealed cans, make a perfect condition for this bacteria to grow. This is why it is
Another method to learn the proper steps for canning is to attend a canning class. The UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension office offers a variety of canning classes – from pickling, jam making, tomato canning, and canning fruits and vegetables. All of these items can make a special treat to give to a loved one for the holidays. When thinking of items to can, start with what is in season. Check out the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ website to determine what items are in season. It’s always best to can produce at its peak of freshness, and the closer to home its grown, the fresher it’ll be. This is because there are fewer steps to get it from the field to you. In Hillsborough County during the month of December, our strawberry season is in full swing, so pick up a flat from your local farm and give the strawberry jam recipe below a try! It’s a gift your loved ones are
sure to cherish and a memory they will want to preserve. STRAWBERRY JAM RECIPE: You will need: • 8, half-pint canning jars (only use jars made for canning) • 2 quarts of crushed strawberries • 6 cups of sugar • A boiling water bath canner Directions: 1.) Check jars and lids; discard any that are cracked. 2.) Wash jars and lids. 3.) Wash strawberries. 4.) Pre-sterilize jars by boiling them in water for 10 minutes and continue to keep hot. 5.) Prepare the boiling water bath canner by adding enough water that will cover the jars (once they are inserted) and still have 1 to 2 inches of water above them 6.) Bring the water in the canner to a boil. 7.) Combine crushed strawberries with 6 cups of sugar in a separate saucepan and slowly bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. 8.) Cook until thick, then stir frequently. 9.) Skim off any foam. 10.) Pour mixture into hot canning jars and leave ¼ inch headspace (the space between the top of the jar and the mixture). 11.) Wipe jar rims and place lids on top. 12.) Add ring bands and turn to tighten (but don’t over-tighten). 13.) Place jars in the boiling water bath canner and process for 5 minutes. 14.) Once complete, remove jars from canner and allow them to cool untouched for 24 hours. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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important to use the appropriate method to rid the food of this danger. Lowacid foods include meats, seafood, poultry, and vegetables. Fruits have a higher acidity and can be canned in a boiling water bath canner. Tomatoes have an acidity that falls in between traditional fruits and vegetables so they need an acid added to them, like lemon juice or citric acid. Again, it’s always best to follow the steps in the USDA’s Complete Guide to Home Canning. It also gives instructions on processing times and pressure needed- (which changes with increasing elevations). This book can be purchased at the UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension office or ordered online at https://www.extension. purdue.edu/usdacanning/.
NEW FCW PRESIDENT DEBBIE GILL COMMITTED TO AND SUSTAINING THE CATTLE RANCHING WAY OF LIFE
By Jim Frankowiak The Florida CattleWomen’s Association (FCW) has a new president…Debbie Gill. She is married to Anthony, a lifelong rancher, and they have four children and just welcomed their sixth grandchild. The Gills have been married for 35 years, living all of that time on the Gill homestead lands at Fort Lonesome in southern Hillsborough County. “Anthony and I and our family have a passion for ranching,” said Debbie. “It’s not just our livelihood; it is a way of life that we all cherish despite its ups and downs. All families face challenges, and ours is no different.” Among those was the death of their son Justin as the result of an automobile accident when he was just 17. Daughter Brittany left this earth at the tender age of four months due to health complications. Their son Ryan and his wife, Kaylie, and their children Eli, Ella, Cuttler, and Emma Jane, along with daughter Kaitlyn, her husband Jake and their children Doc McCoy and Hattie Blu all live on the 250-acre “home place” as Debbie calls it and nearly all members of the three families are involved in the family’s businesses. The exceptions are the very youngest of the Gill grandchildren. The ‘home place” has been part of the Gill family for more than a century. It is officially Lonesome g Ranch.
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The Gill family businesses include a cow-calf operation with a strong Brahman influence that encompasses some acreage at the “home place” and additional multi county acreage of owned and leased land. Additionally, the family is engaged in environmental work for private companies and the design and implementation of wildlife studies at ranches throughout Florida. In addition to family members, the cow–calf operation staff includes Ranch Manager Leroy with assistance from day hands.
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The Gill’s work their ranch on horseback with the help of cur dogs. “No use of four-wheelers” she said. “That’s the way it’s always been done for us and I hope my children and grandchildren will keep it that way.” The family operates a gathering place, also on the “home place,” for special events and weddings that reflects the heritage of the family ranch. It is an agritourism venue called Southern Grace with its primary management shared by the Gill’s daughter Kaitlyn and daughter-in-law Kaylie. “We take deep pride in the history of our family and ranch and cherish the opportunity to share it with those about to begin married life and celebrations that blend well with the style of our venue,” said Debbie. Originally from rural Polk County, Debbie spent time as she grew up with her Aunt Sharon and Uncle Ray, who owned the Picnic store while she was in her teens. She worked at the store and that’s where she and Anthony met, and the rest, as they say, is history. The store, which is literally around the corner from the Gill “home place,” is still in operation. Her love for cattle ranching, not surprisingly, led to her membership in the association. Initially, she was an active member of the Hillsborough County Association and five years ago was invited to become part of the Executive Board of the statewide FCW, serving in a number of roles leading up to her current post. Founded in 1961 as the Florida CowBelles, Inc., the FCW conduct and participate in a variety of activities that can best be summed up in the organization’s purpose: To foster the wellbeing of the beef industry through education and promotion, WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
in cooperation with the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, and Florida Beef Council. The FCW is also an affiliate of the American National CattleWomen. The FCW organize and implement activities and events that help in accomplishing its priorities, namely: • Promote beef consumption • Education the public about the beef industry’s environmental and animal welfare practices • Promote legislative awareness • Educate the FCW membership Current FCW major Beef promotion activities include the Florida State Fair Booth, Beef Ambassador Representative Contest, Ag In the Classroom, Beef Short course, legislative visits, providing promotional and educational materials to county groups and recognizing outstanding members. FCW also supports the Agricultural Youth of Florida through UF scholarships and 4-H, FFA and Junior Florida Cattlemen’s Association sponsorships. At present, the FCW has 746 members from across the Sunshine State. “I sincerely feel so blessed that Anthony and I have been able to raise our family in this way of life,” she said. “This lifestyle instills and fosters values, integrity and genuine care for other families involved in ranching. We all share the same interests and the love of land and our cattle.” “During my year as FCW President, I want to use my voice to help tell our story of what goes into our daily lives on the ranch. That includes battling the misinformation that misrepresents different facets of our industry,” she said. “It’s also important for us to continue to raise funds that support our endeavors, and that means changes or new touches that continue to generate interest and participation in these activities that enable us to provide necessary funding.” The FCW has been innovative in staging events and developing partnerships to help support its purposes. One such partnership is with the Glazer Children’s Museum in Tampa where children learn where their food comes from with particular emphasis on Florida commodities and beef. Gill takes particular delight in detailing the FCW sponsorship of Beef for the Holidays at Hope Children’s Home in Tampa. “This is an initiative that focuses on the wants and needs of children ranging in age from three months to 18,” she noted. “This program benefits 65 children and the items they need not just toys.” Gifts are purchased by county FCW groups and delivered to Hope Children’s Home by cattle trailer that
The FCW primary fundraiser each year is the Skeet Shoot held at Quail Creek Plantation in Okeechobee in January 2019. Funds from that event support FCW scholarship awards. One of the activities Gill plans to undertake during her term as FCW President is the creation of a video presentation that accurately depicts FCW from across Florida working on their ranches. “Many people don’t realize the role that so many Florida women play in the family dynamics of raising cattle,” she said. “While that does include working the cattle on horseback and with dogs, it also means taking care of the ranch and doing those things that assure sustainability and protection of the environment.” Once that production is complete, Gill also plans to utilize both traditional and news media outreach to share that important story with Florida residents. “That is in keeping with our FCW purposes and will also help correct some of the misinformation that unfairly characterizes cattle ranchers and the work they do every day throughout the year,” she said. Given her love for cattle ranching, it’s no surprise that Gill finds joy in “being out working on the ranch on my horse, riding through the woods on the buggy, and just being in the cattle,” she said. “So often those rides allow us to see new life as calves are born. Life is really precious.” So too are her grandchildren. “My grandkids are my world and the absolute joy of my life. I take delight in watching them ride horses and work on the ranch, play baseball and soccer. One of my grandkids is also on the rodeo circuit and we enjoy watching him compete. “This way of life instills respect and manners. Anthony and I are blessed to see our children share these important attributes with their children. We truly believe that we have something we can leave behind with our children and grandchildren. This is our legacy to them,” said Gill. Undoubtedly it carries over into her efforts with the FCW to the benefit of its membership and the industry. Congratulations Debbie and best wishes for a productive year as FCW president! INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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is driven by Santa, who is also known as Anthony. That FCW sponsorship includes providing Hope with beef certificates that are used throughout the year to purchase beef to help feed the children at Hope. “Many of our county affiliate organizations have similar programs supporting local children’s homes in their respective counties,” said Gill.
NEWS BRIEFS Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
CONSERVATION MEDIA LIBRARY NOW AVAILABLE The Conservation Media Library of the Soil and Water Conservation Society is a multi-media storing house for conservation photos, graphics, informational videos, fact sheets, PowerPoints and other resources. The library is focused on Cover Crops, Drainage Water Management, Saturated Buggers and Prairie Strips. It is open to all and all materials can be downloaded and circulated free of charge. Access via: www.swcs/resorucess/conservationmedia-library/.
FLORIDA AG LEADERSHIP SIGNS NEW MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR ‘THIS FARM CARES’ Leaders of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to reinforce the core supporting the County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship program, also known as CARES. The new MOU will continue to strengthen and grow the CARES Program, a Florida Farm Bureau Federation environmental recognition program that honors progressive farmers and ranchers who implement Best Management Practices to protect Florida’s natural resources.
FARM BUREAU SURVEY SHOWS THANKSGIVING DINNER COST DOWN AGAIN For the third consecutive year, Thanksgiving Day dinner cost has decreased. This is based on the 33rd American Farm Bureau Federations annual survey of the cost of serving 10 and a menu including turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and coffee and milk. That menu included “plenty of leftovers,” the survey reported.
FARM BUREAU SETS 2019 LEGISLATIVE DAYS Florida Farm Bureau’s Annual Legislative Days event is slated for March 5 and 6, closing on the evening of the 6th with the “Taste of Florida Agriculture” reception. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend to have our new Governor, Commissioner of Agriculture, House Speaker and Senate President so they can all hear the Voice of Agriculture in Florida.
FOOD SAFETY PLAN BUILDER The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Plan Builder (FSPB) is a tool designed to assist owners/operators of food facilities with the development of food safety plans that are specific to their facilities and meet the requirements of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation. Use of this tool is strictly optional. The FSPB can be accessed at: https://www.accessdata.fda. gov/scripts/foodsafetyplantbuilder/.
IRS OFFERS INSIGHTS ON CHANGES TO DEPRECIATION DEDUCTION AND HOW TAX REFORM AFFECTS FARMERS Last year’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made changes to how farmers and ranchers depreciate their farming business property. Information and details are available at: https://www.irs.gov/ newsroom/tax-reform-changes-to-depreciation-affectfarmers-bottom-line. Many farmers and ranchers will also benefit from tax law changes made last year. Information related to the IRS Tax Reform is available at: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/heres-how-tax-reform-affects-farmers.
FDACS SETS JANUARY DEADLINE FOR SPECILATY CROP GRANT APPLICATIONS FDACS is accepting applications for $4 million in federal funding for the Florida Specialty Crop Block Grant Program until January 11, 2019. Grants will be awarded to fund projects that will enhance the competitiveness of Florida’s specialty crops, including fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture and nursery crops.
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More information is available at: FreshFromFlorida.com/ Business-Services/Grant-Opportunities/Florida-SpecialtyCrop-Block-Grant-Program.
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Stop by and pick up some delicious strawberries.We’re sure they’ll make any occasion Berry Special!
Produce Stand: 5215 Drane Field Rd. | 813.478.3486 or 813.754.4852 | FancyFarms.com
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In The Field Classifieds ANIMALS & NEEDS ANIMAL & BIRDCAGES
Equipment serving the fur bearing animal & exotic bird industry! Cages built to order. Wire by roll or foot. (813)752-2230. Call Don Ammerman. www.ammermans.com July 15, 2018, Nov. 25, 2018
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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
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Tel: 813.759.6909
INTL. MCCORMICK FARMALL 560 Very good condition! $3,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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Looking for your new tractor? Come see us at Everglades Farm Equipment. evergladesfarmequipment.com 2805 SR 60 West, Plant City 813-737-1660
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Air Blast Sprayer. Good condition. We make window screens of all sizes available $3,500.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 in different frame colors. Call Ted(813) 752-3378 2005 MAHINDRA 6500 4X4, 65 hp with loader. CABINETS 1,000 hours. $15,900 All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. Granite counter tops. Custom made to your size. Call Alvie 813-759-8722 Call Blake 813-752-3378 MAHINDRA 4530 Tractor with loader. 4X4, VINYL SIDDING 44hp. $13,500 Call Alvie Many colors and styles to 813-759-8722 choose from. Ask for Ted. FOR RENT 813-752-3378 Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher. MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES For blueberry farms, six yard, Everything you need under ONE roof! PTO drive need at least a 30hp Call Blake 813-752-3378 tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details.
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DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. Many standard sizes in stock. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378
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JOBS MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits based on experience. Call David 863-537-1345
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LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR Zero Turn Mower 52” cut, 23hp. Kohler engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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PRODUCE FRESH PRODUCE
Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us!
FARM EQUIPMENT
U-PICK CITRUS
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2015 MAHINDRA 2565
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3 POINT BACK HOE ATTACHEMENT VTEKSHDVTZS - Self contained. Asking $3,650 Call today and ask for Alvie 813-759-8722
2004 MASSEY FERGUSON 471
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2003 TAFE TRACTOR 4010 2wd in excellent condition! $4,950. Call today and ask for Alvie. 813-759-8722
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!
Tangos and Sugar Belles Open Friday - Saturday from 9am until 5pm. Call 813-967-3170
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Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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24 HOUR SERVICE
From:
Coggins Plumbing licensed • bonded • Insured. www.cogginsplumbing.com 813-643-7173
In the Field
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