In The Field magazine Hillsborough edition

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813-752-2379

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Mon. - Sat.: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

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3012 S. Jim Redman Pkwy. (Hwy. 39 S) Plant City, FL • southsidestores.com

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February 2022 VOL. 19 • ISSUE 4

CONTENTS WISH FARMS CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF GROWTH AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

40 Cover Photo courtesy of Cliff Brown Via Captured By Crown

PAGE 10 Business Up Front PAGE 14 USDA PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter

PAGE 32 Endangered

PAGE 52 State Officer

PAGE 35 Sea Beans

PAGE 56 Scott Angle

PAGE 42

Strawberry Crest Sweetheart PAGE 44

John Dicks

PAGE 25 Strawberry Crest PAGE 26 HCFB Executive Director PAGE 28 HCSO

PAGE 46 Activity

PAGE 47 Closer Look

PAGE 58 Potatoes PAGE 62 Horticulture Education PAGE 64

Festival Livestock Schedule

PAGE 50 Strawberry Jam

Hey Readers!

Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below

InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! PAGE

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 Dennis Carlton, Jr.....................President Jake Raburn................Vice President Tony Lopez..............Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary DIRECTORS FOR 2018 - 2019 Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Sambahv, Vincent Tort, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes

Judi Whitson, Executive Director 813-685-9121 Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents

Valrico Office 813-685-5673

100 S. Mulrennan Rd., Valrico, FL. 33594 Tommy Hale, CLU, ChFC, CASL, CPCU Agency Mgr. Julie Carlson, Amy Engle

Plant City Office 813.752.5577

PAGE 30 News Briefs

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Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL.

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305 S. Wheeler St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer Artis Griffin

Tampa Office 813.933.5440

6535 Gunn Highway, Tampa, FL.33625 Greg Harrell, Jared Bean

AGENCY MANAGER Thomas O. Hale WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM


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STAFF

Letter from the Editor

The Florida State Fair kicked off in fine fashion with the Fresh From Florida Breakfast held in the Ag Hall of Fame Building. Local farmers and ranchers, representatives from Florida’s agriculture community and others, joined both local and state politicians for this annual breakfast featuring Fresh From Florida products. When you mention a fair to most people today, their first thoughts are of stomach-churning rides and equally stomach-churning food (or is that just me?). In actuality, fairs have deep ties to farming, ranching and our country’s agriculture background. Fairs began as an opportunity for families to share livestock, crops, agricultural technique, and equipment. While fairs have grown to include all kinds of entertainment, you will still find the youth of our great nation showing the hard work they have put in on numerous projects and they learn through 4-H and FFA about responsibility and leadership to prepare them for the future of our country. If you were in attendance at the Florida State Fair, good for you! I hope you had the opportunity to stop by the livestock area and watch our youth display the fruits of their endeavors. If not, mark it down for next year. It’s always a great time.

Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor Patsy Berry Sales Karen Berry Sarah Holt Melissa Nichols George Domedion Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink

Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks Social Media Victoria Saunders

Until Next Month

In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Hillsborough County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’s Association. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909

Sarah Holt

Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.

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The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25

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A Very Special Time of the Year HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

-Dennis Carlton Jr. - President

Dear Readers – This is a special time of year for our industry to be recognized. The Florida State Fair and Florida Strawberry Festival are two opportunities to both “show and tell” about Agriculture as an industry of vital importance to all of our daily lives and to the economy of Florida. It is my hope that all of you and your families will be involved either as spectators or participants in the activities of both the Fair and Festival. From an entertainment perspective, each of these events has a great deal to offer from first-rate performances to the various competitive events at each that showcase the commitment our youth – the farmers and ranchers of the future – have already made. Each of these annual events also offers members of our industry the opportunity to help tell the story of agriculture and its importance through the various exhibits at the Festival and Fair. I would encourage those of you who are members of the Agriculture Family to join us at these events and help us tell the story of Agriculture. This invitation is to all members of your family as our volunteer needs include both adults and children. Let me also say that your engagement as volunteers is not limited to the Fair and Festival. There are opportunities throughout the year at the local, state and national levels. Telling the story of Agriculture is an ongoing need and we would welcome your participation.

That brings to mind another important happening. That is the current session of the Florida Legislature. You don’t have to travel to Tallahassee to help our industry communicate with our lawmakers. Emails, letters and calls to their local offices all help our cause. That same kind of outreach is important with local lawmakers and those who represent us in Washington. I would add that the need for outreach is not limited to lawmakers. Our urban friends need to know about our industry and its importance to them. Here again is an opportunity for you and your family to help Florida farmers and ranchers. As I have said before, telling the story of Agriculture is an ongoing need. If you are not a participant, please give it your consideration. Thank you. Lastly, please read about Hillsborough County Farm Bureau’s new Executive Director, Kaylee Poppell. Kaylee is working closely with retiring Executive Director Judi Whitson to assure a smooth transition. We are pleased to have Kaylee on staff and express our gratitude once again to Judi for her years of service.

Dennis Carlton Jr. Dennis Carlton Jr. - President

305 SOUTH WHEELER STREET • PLANT CITY, FL 33566 • 813-685-9121 Board of Directors

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Dennis Carlton, Jr. , President; Jake Raburn, Vice-President; Tony Lopez Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes, Judi Whitson, Executive Director

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Business Up Front

Sweet Mango Market By Tiffany Dale The name says it all, “Sweet Mango Market” is a market that has the sweetest fruit, freshest vegetables, and other naturally beneficial products. Customers choose the fresh produce they want, to be made into a smoothie, smoothie bowl, water, or juice. Local, fresh, sweet, and full of nutritional benefits, you bet, the Sweet Mango Market in Plant City offers a wide variety of options. In July of 2021, Claudia Jimenez, owner of Sweet Mango Market, opened the doors. “One day I woke up and said I want to do this,” Jimenez stated with great confidence. Since the doors opened in 2021 with big plans of serving the local community as a Hispanic market, Jimenez was surprised that consumers have been overwhelmingly interested in the juices, detox waters, smoothie bowls and smoothies. Jimenez, a local Plant City resident, knows about quality fruits and vegetables and seasonal products as she and her husband conduct business at the Country Village Market in Plant City. Together, they have been active vendors at the market for some time, and in 2021, Jimenez decided that she had dreams of opening a Hispanic market in The Village Plaza on James Redman Parkway. As she filled the shelves with fresh produce from her and her husband’s business at the market north of town, she also stocked the shelves with a large assortment of pasta, canned goods, specialty items, and nonperishable products. She quickly realized the interest and value in offering a fresh, wholesome, nutritious product through the popularity of the smoothie and juice products she offered. A year later, Jimenez attributes the success of Mango Sweet Market to promotion through word-of-mouth and her social media efforts. As a result, the market is a go-to smoothie and cafe location. As you enter Sweet Mango Market, if Jimenez is working, there is no doubt that she has a passion for her work and the product she serves to customers. While her recipes and flavor-filled and nutritious options are truly one of a kind, she trains her employees to prepare items to her standards.

e w S et M ar ket

are countless berry, banana, and other fruit bowls options, offering an abundance of nutrition and health benefits. The natural element of health, and flavorful experience is something that makes Sweet Mango Market unique. Whether it is weight loss, detoxing, lowering cholesterol, energy, blood sugar conscious, or hormone imbalance, or just an interest in something delicious that catches the eye and taste buds of customers, there is something for you at Sweet Mango Market. Even customers who may need to make a quick stop in, “they can call at least 10 minutes ahead and we can make the smoothie and hold it in the freezer until they get here”, said Jimenez. The Sweet Mango Market continues to grow and meet the demands of consumers in their fresh, nutritious, and all natural items. Jimenez encourages customers to stop in to see the transformations as she plans to create more of a cafe setting and continue to serve the community fresh, nutritious, and all natural, no preservative products. Sweet Mango Market is located in the Village Plaza located at 2804 James L Redman Parkway, in Plant City and they are active on social media @sweet.mango.market. If you take a picture and tag the market on social media, you can receive a 15 percent discount. Whether you are craving boiled peanuts, lunch, a fresh smoothie or a snack just to name a few, Sweet Mango Market has something fresh, local, and nutritious for you!

She prepares fresh products for her smoothies, bowls, and juices. Whether it is bananas, berries, or vegetable ingredients, you will see Jimenez and her employees preparing the ingredients for the smoothies and other products. Each order is freshly made to order with attention to detail and perfection. Jimenez is truly a believer in sustainability as the waste at Sweet Mango Market is virtually zero. While customers have the option to purchase produce on the shelves to take home, they also have the option to pick out the produce from the shelf to be used in their smoothie. “When customers have the opportunity to pick out the products they want in their smoothies from the shelves, they know what standard of quality we have, and the freshness of the product,” said Jimenez. “We do not add sugar, everything is naturally sweet, and we pay close attention to the quality of fruits and vegetables we use so that we achieve this experience.” If produce from the shelf is not purchased by consumers to take home or to use in their smoothies, Jimenez will freeze the product, and often prefers the more ripened products for the fruit to ripen for use. This approach eliminates waste and enhances the final product.

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Just imagine, a Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl during the fall. Jimenez’s bowl includes organic pumpkin puree, butternut squash, banana, cauliflower, dates, pumpkin spice, and almond butter, and then topped with pumpkin granola, flaked coconut, chia seeds, and almond butter. Additionally, there

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Visit: Sweet Mango Market 2804 James L Redman Rd. Plant City | 813-704-5226 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM


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USDA to Invest up to $225 Million in Partner-Driven Conservation on Agricultural and Forest Land

By Jim Frankowiak

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced up to $225 million in available funding for conservation partners through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). RCPP is a partnerdriven program that leverages collective resources to find solutions to address natural resource challenges on agricultural land. This year’s funding announcements include opportunities for projects that address climate change, benefit historically underserved producers and support urban agriculture.

• Projects that seek large-scale infrastructure investment that generate conservation benefits for agricultural producers and nonindustrial private forest owners. USDA is accepting project proposals for both components of RCPP through April 13, 2022. View the funding opportunity on grants.gov for RCPP Classic and RCPP AFA.

Funding is open to agriculture and silviculture associations, non-government organizations, Indian tribes, There are two types of funding opportunities under state and local governments, conservation districts RCPP: RCPP Classic and RCPP Alternative Funding Ar- and universities, among others. rangements (AFA). RCPP Classic projects are implemented using NRCS contracts and easements with Partners are expected to offer value-added contriproducers, landowners and communities, in collabora- butions to amplify the impact of RCPP funding in an tion with project partners. Through RCPP AFA, partners amount equal to or greater than the NRCS investment. have more flexibility in working directly with agricultural producers to support the development of new conser- Private landowners can apply to participate in an RCPP vation structures and approaches that would not oth- project in their region through awarded partners or at erwise be available under RCPP Classic. Project types their local USDA service center. that may be suited to AFA, as highlighted by the 2018 Farm Bill include: • Projects that use innovative approaches to leverage the federal investment in conservation. • Projects that deploy a pay-for-performance conservation approach.

To learn more, visit:

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Tampa Bay Fishing Report

Snook: The last cold front coming through in January is dropping the water temperatures. If we continue getting these cold fronts we can expect the snook to push into their wintertime stomping grounds. So, if you’re looking for snook, remember when their metabolism slows and so does the bite. Redfish: Plenty of redfish are running

around seeking any canal or channel with warmer muddy bottoms. A tail hooked shrimp, 1/0 circle hooks, #5 split shot, and you’re set. You can catch slot fish on low tides, using a shallow water boat or wading and fishing the potholes. Grass flats with broken bottom, submerged oyster bars and mangrove shorelines hold hungry redfish. Artificial lures fished slowly still work during the cooler months. Greenbacks, shrimp, dollar-sized pins, cut bait, and patience usually catch some nice redfish.

Capt. Woody Gore

or practically any type of barnacle-encrusted structure. Shrimp and fiddler or rock crabs seem to be the bait of choice.

Cobia: As the water temperatures cool even more in February, you and others will have opportunities to fish the hot water discharges of power plants. Large shrimp on a ¼ oz Jighead usually does the trick. But small or chunk crab also works.

Spotted Sea Trout: Trout action in the

Gulf Coast north and south regions should increase with the cooler waters. However, they also begin heading for deeper, cleaner water when the mud stirs up on those windy days. So if you don’t find them shallow, look a little deeper with good moving water. Soft plastics on a jighead and bounced off the bottom can produce surprisingly large trout.

Sheepshead should be active through

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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)

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February and into March, and sometimes April. So try fishing markers, bridges, docks, seawalls, rock piles, oyster bars,

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“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”

813-477-3814

Capt. Woody Gore operates Tampa Bay’s #1 Outdoor Fishing Guide Services. Guiding and fishing Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater areas for over fifty years, he offers first-class customer service, family-oriented charters, and a lifetime of memories.

Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the area’s most experienced captains, Capt. Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM, email him wgore@ix.netcom.com, or call at 813-477-3814. Member: F ​ OWA-Florida Outdoor Writers Assoc., MemberSEOPA Southeastern Outdoor Press Assoc. CEO/Pres. Sport-Fishing Unlimited & Outdoor Communications, Outdoor Writer & Speaker

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• What we call “Cotton Candy” was originally called “Fairy Floss” and was invented in 1897 by candy makers William Morris and John C. Wharton of Nashville, Tennessee. It was introduced at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. It has also been called “Spun Sugar” and in the United Kingdom it is called “Candy Floss.” • The first state fair was held in Syracuse, NY in September of 1841. • The sequel to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Phantom of the Opera, is called Love Never Dies and is set in a carnival on Coney Island. • The games you play at a fair or carnival also go by the slang name joints • The High Roller in Las Vegas is the World’s Second tallest Ferris Wheels at 550 feet high

Sign up

for a FREE On-Farm Readiness Review The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) inspections have begun. Sign up now to request a free On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR), offered in partnership by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and University of Florida IFAS. The OFRR is an educational opportunity to help individual farms align practices with the PSR regulatory requirements in preparation for inspections.

For more information on FSMA and to sign up for an OFRR, visit FDACS.gov/FSMA or call (863) 578-1900. To take full advantage of the OFRR and for PSR compliance, one farm representative should first attend a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training. Upcoming trainings can be found at: crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/events

This publication is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007446 totaling $1,179,719 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the February 2018 issue

While having lunch at Fred’s Market Restaurant in Plant City, I over heard two ladies talking about men. One said, “Men are just happier people.” The other replied, “What do you expect from such simple creatures?” A few days later I started thing about their conversation, and you know they were right.

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Men are happier and seldom depressed. Our last name stays put. The garage is all ours. Wedding plans take care of themselves without us. Chocolate is just another snack. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because the one you are in is too dirty. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress is $5,000.00, Tux rental is $100.00. New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet. Men are normally in the same mood most of the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks and guns. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pair of shoes

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is more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. The same hairstyle lasts for years. Men only have to shave their neck and face. One wallet and one pair of shoes, and one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. A man can do his nails with a pocketknife. He can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes. Men can be very forgetful. As an example, there’s the story of Bill, Jim and Scott. They were sharing a large suite on the top of a 50-story skyscraper during a convention. After a long day of meetings they were shocked to hear that the elevators in their hotel were broken and they would have to climb stairs to get to their room. Bill said to Jim and Scott, “Let’s break the monotony of this unpleasant task by concentrating on something interesting. I’ll tell jokes for 25 flights, and Jim can sing songs for 25 flights, and Scott can tell sad stories the rest of the way. At the 26th floor Bill stopped telling jokes and Jim began to sing. At the 51st floor Jim stopped singing and Scott began WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM


to tell sad stories. “I will tell my saddest story first,” he said. “I left the room key in the car!” In my senior class there was one boy that got 0% on his exam, which actually showed he was light years ahead of the vast majority of humanity. Below shows how he answered the questions on the exam. I would have given him 100

Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die? -“His last battle!” Q2. Where was the declaration of Independence signed - “At the bottom of the page!” Q3. The Ohio River flows in which state? - “Liquid!” Q4. What is the main reason for divorce? - “Marriage!” Q5. What is the main reason for failure? - “Exams!” Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast? - “Lunch & Dinner!” Q7. What looks like half an apple? - “The other half!” Q8. If you throw a stone into the blue sea what will it become? “It will simply become wet!” Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping? - “No problem, he sleeps at night!” Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand? - “You will never find an elephant that has only one hand!” Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand, what would you have? - “Very large hands!” Q12. If it took eight men to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it? - “No time at all, the wall is already built!”

DEPRESSED

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Strawberry Crest FFA Wins State Environmental & Natural Resources CDE 4th high individual by two points. Blake Frier was the 7th place individual.

by Logan Ausburn The Strawberry Crest FFA Chapter was named the winner of the 2022 Environmental and Natural Resources Career Development Event which was held in Haines City, Fla on January 18, 2022.

The SCHS FFA team won by 177 points and had all members in top seven individual scores. Tregg Aguero was named the high individual in the state. Logan Ausburn was 2nd high individual while Ethan Jett was

The Environmental Science CDE challenges FFA members to explore the science behind the environment and natural resources through activities such as determining water quality, identifying organisms and species, defining proper waste management and completing a GPS course. The team must also submit a written report and team presentation on a selected topic which was invasive plants to Florida. To compete the team had to qualify for the state compe-

tition. There were originally 45 teams trying for only ten spots in November. Strawberry Crest worked hard studying and preparing for this contest. The boys and advisor Susan Mayo spent the MLK holiday working on final preparations. “This contest was a great experience and I spent many hours preparing, however, the friendship made with my teammates was the best aspect of the contest. I must say, being high individual for my first year competing was pretty shocking,” said Tregg Aguero.

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KAYLEE NORRIS POPPELL NAMED FARM BUREAU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR By Jim Frankowiak Photo By Kayla Longstreet

Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Board President Dennis Carlton, Jr. has named Kaylee Norris Poppell the organization’s new executive director, succeeding Judi Whitson who is retiring at the end of April. Poppell is working with Whitson to effectively transition into her new position. “I am pleased with Kaylee’s selection and the thorough steps our Board committee took throughout this process. In addition to Carlton, who served as chair, the Executive Committee included Carl Bauman, Tiffany Dale and Tony Lopez. Whitson was actively involved in an ex-officio capacity. Born and raised in Frostproof, Poppell is a third generation Floridian and the daughter of Ricky and Debbie Norris. Her father works for the Polk County Roadway Maintenance Division, while her mother is a nurse in the Polk County School Board system. Kaylee’s brother, Trey, is a Crop Management Specialist for Glades Crop Care. Kaylee’s initial exposure to Agriculture came via 4-H. “As a sixth grader I joined the Frostproof FFA Chapter and fell in love with all things agriculture,” she said. “I joined every CDE (Career Development Event) I could and then began raising beef heifers and steers in high school. Growing up, I had numerous friends whose families were involved in beef and citrus production and being from Frostproof, citrus production was a staple, so I was always very familiar with the importance of the agricultural industry. “While a student at Frostproof Middle Senior High School I attended numerous conferences, including the State and National FFA conventions as well as the Washington Leadership Conference. I also served as a Polk County Federation officer for three years while in high school. “While a student at Warner University, I served National FFA as a National Ag Ambassador. During that program, I had the opportunity to present leadership and agricultural-related presentations to numerous FFA chapters and elementary school classrooms across the State of Florida.”

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Prior to joining Farm Bureau, Poppell was the Compliance Specialist with Coastal Ag Supply, Inc. in Immokalee, assisting

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produce growers with their food safety programs across the country. She also served in a variety of management positions in business systems analysis and food safety with Mulberrybased Highland Ag Solutions. Kaylee currently serves as an adjunct professor at her alma mater, Warner University in their Agricultural Studies Program. She holds an undergraduate degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Warner. The move to Farm Bureau “is a switch from for-profit to nonprofit,” said Poppell. “Farm Bureau has always been an organization that I have admired. Their work for the industry is inspiring. When I heard the job was opening, I felt a strong calling to return to the agricultural education side of our industry and once again serve as an advocate for the agricultural industry. Working in produce the last six years, I have seen firsthand how important it is to educate consumers and the next generations not only on the importance of the agricultural industry, but also the opportunities available and the role agriculture plays in our economy.” With regard to aspirations Poppell has for her new position, “I hope to continue to build upon the incredible foundation that Judi has laid,” said Poppell. “I hope to raise awareness of Farm Bureau and increase membership. I also hope to continue to grow the Ag Venture Program and reach more students across Hillsborough County and increase agricultural education opportunities across the State of Florida. I hope to build strong relationships with the appointed and elected officials in the county and serve as the source of information for issues facing Hillsborough County farmers and ranchers. “Overall, I am thoroughly excited to join Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and I look forward to meeting all of the members!” “We welcome Kaylee and wish her the very best,” said Carlton. “Judi, we again thank you for your three decades of wonderful service and achievement. Our best to you and your husband Reed Lienhart as you begin your cross-country travels with your ‘home on wheels.’”

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SHERIFF CHRONISTER HONORS DEPUTY ABIGAIL BIEBER

Sheriff Chad Chronister

Deputy Abigail Bieber, who patrolled the northwest portion of Hillsborough County, was fatally shot on January 29, 2022 in St. Augustine, Florida. Deputy Bieber, who was 30 years old, had worked with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office since February of 2018.

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As a passionate advocate for child victims, Deputy Bieber frequently and diligently responded to calls for service related to sexual battery and child abuse. She aspired to one day become a detective within the Criminal Investigations Division Special Victims Section. During her nearly four years at HCSO, Deputy Bieber had a number of remarkable encounters, including everything from taking drugs off of our streets to serving as a role model to children she met during her shifts. Known for her contagious smile, Deputy Bieber was a friend to fellow deputies and a bright spot in a dark world, as described by a squadmate. Co-workers also described Deputy Bieber as a young woman with a positive attitude who never shied away from tough investigations. She was known for being kind, genuine, caring, and empathetic with the demeanor of a veteran law enforcement officer.

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Don’t let fear stop you from getting the care you need. Don’t delay getting essential medical care. We’ve put enhanced safety measures in place to help keep you safe. COVID-19 has stopped people from doing many things. But we can’t let it stop us from getting what we need most: medical care. BayCare is helping to keep our patients safe by following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for safety processes and cleaning procedures. This makes sure that everyone can feel secure getting the care they need. Don’t let fear of this pandemic make other health conditions worse. Learn more about how we’re keeping you safe: BayCare.org/Safety

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NEWS BRIEFS

Compiled by Jim Frankowiak

FFBF Offers Members to Comment on Satisfaction for County and State Staff

conducts the third and final phase of the 2021 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS).

Florida Farm Bureau members have the opportunity to complete a Member Satisfaction Survey about their interaction with county and state offices/staff. Members have been emailed surveys and may also access an online survey at surveymonkey.com/r/ffbfmember.

NASS is reaching out to more than 30,000 producers nationwide through April, including nearly 4,100 producers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The survey asks producers to provide in-depth information about their operating revenues, production costs, and household characteristics. The survey also includes questions to help measure any impacts of COVID-19 on farms, farm and household finances and off-farm employment. To protect the health of producers, partners, and employees, NASS will provide support to producers over the phone to complete this survey. The expense data gathered in ARMS will be published in the annual Farm Production Expenditures report on Friday, July 29, 2022.

Farm Bureau Mortgage is Open Farm Bureau Mortgage is the newest Farm Bureau member benefit. Committed to becoming the mortgage provider of choice for Farm Bureau members, the new lender’s dedicated team has as its goal to provide best-in-class service. Farm Bureau Mortgage’s current special offer includes no processing or underwriting fees and up to a $500 credit towards closing.

District Schedules Prescribed Fires for Hillsborough County The Southwest Florida Water Management District will be conducting prescribed burns through March on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve in Hillsborough County. The Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Morris Bridge Road near Thonotosassa. Approximately 200 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. The District conducts prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres each year.

Farm Bureau Members Save on Propane Florida Farm Bureau members can save on propane with Ferrell Gas. Members with residential accounts can receive 10 percent off the market rate. All members save 50 percent on annual tank rental fees. To receive these savings, members must present their member number.

USDA Measuring Well-being of Farmers and Ranchers

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The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has started gathering information about farm economics and production practices from farmers and ranchers as the agency

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Pesticide Licensing Exam May Now be Taken Online Florida pesticide applicators now have the option of taking their licensing exam online at any time from about any location with internet access. The UF/IFAS Pesticide Office, which partners with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to offer the exam and new online option. Interested parties may contact Samantha Murray via email: grenrosa@ufl.edu.

USDA Conducting First-ever National Agroforestry Survey The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting the first-ever National Agroforestry Survey. Data collection is underway and will conclude April 5, 2022. The survey is being sent to 11,100 farmers and ranchers nationwide to gather information on the five agroforestry practices used for climate, conservation and production benefits, including windbreaks, silvopasture, riparian forest buffers, alley cropping, as well as forest farming and multi-story cropping.

New State FSA Executive Director Announced Deborah Tannenbaum has been named the USDA’s Florida Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA). She was most recently Deputy Commissioner of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). In her new post Tannenbaum will oversee operations and agricultural policy implementation in Florida.

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Belle Glade | Boynton Beach | Brooksville | Fort Myers | Fort Pierce Homestead | Immokalee | Largo | Leesburg | Loxahatchee | Naples North | Odessa | Okeechobee | Orlando |Palmetto | Plant City | St. 31 Cloud I T F Port M I T F M February 2022


E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es

Enduring Florida: Apalachicola Rosemary

Conradina glabra is a rare species of shrub known by the common name Apalachicola rosemary. It is endemic to Liberty County, Fl, where it is known from about ten populations. It is found only in a small area and it is threatened by habitat destruction. It is a federally listed endangered species. This plant is limited to the sand hills and forest habitat of northern Liberty County in the Florida Panhandle, where it grows among oaks and longleaf pines (Pinus palustris). It had previously been reported from Santa Rosa County, as well, but these specimens proved to be Conradina canescens. Several of the remaining populations are within the bounds of Torreya State Park. This is an aromatic shrub growing to a maximum height of 80 centimeters to one meter. The branches are lined with linear, needlelike, mint-scented leaves up to one and a half centimeters long. The inflorescence is two or three flowers borne in the leaf axils, each flower between one and two centimeters in length. The double-lipped flower is pale lavender in color with darker purple spotting on the lower lip. The plant reproduces sexually by seed and vegetative by sprouting from its base. This species is mainly threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. The land on which it grows has been drastically altered by the conversion of land to agriculture, particularly silviculture. Starting in the 1950s large strips of the native pine forests in the area were removed and replaced with plantations of slash pine (Pinus elliottii). The rare plant can sometimes be found on the margins of these plantations. It is not certain how abundant the shrub was before the habitat was altered because it was not even discovered until the silviculture operations had begun.

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As part of an agency-wide effort to advance the recovery of our nation’s most imperiled species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made publicly available draft revisions for 21 recovery plans that provide a recovery roadmap for 43 federally protected species, including the Apalachicola Rosemay. This

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By Libby Hopkins

batch of recovery plan revisions is part of the Department of the Interior’s Agency Priority Performance Goals. The Service’s success in preventing extinctions and recovering species is due to ESA-inspired partnerships with diverse stakeholders, such as state, federal, and tribal wildlife agencies, industry, conservation groups and citizens. Each species for which recovery criteria are being revised in this effort has undergone or is currently undergoing a status review that considers the best scientific and commercial data that have become available since the species’ listing or most recent status review. The estimated number of stems in 2009 and 2017 was greater than 50,000 at present, about 15-20 percent of the core known habitat within the park remains to be surveyed. Data is collected on an ongoing basis, allowing for trend analysis as well as assessing the effects of restoration, particularly the effects of aggressive fire on survival, growth and reproduction of several locations occur on private silvicultural land and rights-of way with unknown numbers of plants. In addition, Apalachicola rosemary was reintroduced within its original range onto xeric sand hill sites at The Nature Conservancy’s Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve in 1991. Three reintroduced populations were projected to grow or remain stable. The species status over the short-term appears stable, but uncertain over the long-term. Being a narrow endemic species, Apalachicola rosemary is likely to be susceptible to the stresses of changing climate such as heat wave intensities and drought events. Genetically, this species seems to have high levels of genetic diversity providing some adaptive capabilities to withstand incremental changes to their environment. Greater genetic diversity means a population is more likely to include individuals that can tolerate a new stress or that are well-suited to a changed environment specifically, will further address the extent of genetic variation and whether clonality is the main reproductive strategy. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM


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Member FDIC

Happy New Year from The Bank of Tampa.

Wishing you a prosperous 2022! At The Bank of Tampa, the relationships we have with our clients and communities go far beyond transactional banking—we stand by them every step of the way, during the good times and the uncertain ones. Each person, business, and situation is unique. You deserve personalized service. You deserve a relationship. And we are in the relationship business.

813.707.6506 thebankoftampa.com

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509 W ALEXANDER ST. | PLANT CITY, FL | 33563

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FLORIDA SEA BEANS By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science Florida is home to ocean, beaches, and saltwater. Along the coasts of salt water, you may be lucky enough to find an edible green vegetable called sea beans. Other names for this vegetable are sea asparagus, pickleweed, marsh samphire, saltwort, or salicornia. Sea beans are actually succulents, not seaweed or a true bean. It grows as tall, green stems with multiple segments, up to three feet tall, into branches. The newer, more tender parts of the plant are the green tops and branches. They have a crisp texture and a salty, briny flavor and can be eaten either raw or cooked. They are sometimes used as a substitute for green beans. They can be found at some farmer’s markets and high-end restaurants.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Sea beans are nutritious and very high in protein and amino acids, as well as beta-carotene, the B vitamins, and vitamins A and C. This vegetable is also a great source of minerals including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, and phosphorus. Its high dietary fiber content helps to reduce glucose and cholesterol levels, and aids in promoting satiety with very few calories. The darker colored leaves contain more nutrients than the lighter colored ones. A single cup serving of sea beans contain 20 grams of protein.

Antioxidants Fresh Florida sea beans are full of antioxidants in the forms of vitamins A and C and beta-carotene. These compounds help provide anti-inflammatory effects, which is beneficial in warding off many major diseases. These antioxidants are particularly beneficial in protecting blood vessels from oxidative stress, which results in atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Several of the carotenoids are especially important for good eye health, offering protection to the retina and macula.

Vitamin C Fresh sea beans are high in vitamin C. This vitamin is needed for growth and repair of all tissues in your body, including skin, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. It helps your body

How to Select and Store Select sea beans that have a crisp texture and are bright green in color. Avoid any that are reddish in color or tough, as these are older and not as tasty. The stems should look fresh and tender and be dry to the touch. To store, pat dry with a paper towel, place in a tightly wrapped plastic bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks. Rinse well under running water immediately before use.

How to Enjoy Sea beans are easy to prepare and delicious eaten raw or lightly cooked. Wash well to get the surface salt off. If still too salty, you can soak them in water for an hour. Raw vegetables can be added to any vegetable or pasta salad. They can be lightly sautéed in a stir fry or simply with garlic and olive oil. They can be substituted for green beans or asparagus in any dish. They can also be pickled or blanched. Other ways to enjoy this nutritious vegetable includes: • Sauteed lightly with olive oil and herbs • Grill and top with salad dressing • Tossed into a stew or soup • Pair with meat or seafood • Use to garnish any dish or cocktail Enjoy fresh Florida sea beans today. Eat more of these unique vegetables and the protein and flavor they provide to any dish.

SELECTED REFERENCES https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/samphire-glossary https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-to-know-about-samphire-435434

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maintain healthy cartilage, bones, and teeth, as well as promotes wound healing. Vitamin C also helps you absorb iron better. There is some research to support that vitamin C may also reduce the duration and severity of the common cold.


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WISH FARMS

Celebrating 100 Years of Growth and Looking to the Future

SINCE 1922

By Jim Frankowiak Photos courtesy of Cliff Brown Via Captured By Crown Wish Farms is celebrating “100 years of sweetness” this year with a legacy that is hard to believe, but based on a simple belief that if you do things the right way and follow the golden rule, you will be a success. That was the belief of Harris Wishnatzki who came to this country in 1904 when he was 19 and worked as a pushcart peddler of fruits and vegetables in the streets of the lower Manhattan area of New York City. Harris followed his belief and worked hard to provide for his family, achieving the American dream and laying the foundation for what is now a multi-generational year-round berry company which has Harris’ values at the heart of what Wish Farms family lives by daily. In honor of the company’s 100 year history, Wish Farms’ owner Gary Wishnatzki published a book, “Generations of Sweetness,” which can also be read as an E-Book online at WishFarms.com. It is a compilation of all of the stories collected from his family and over his nearly 50 years in the berry business.

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By the early 1920’s Harris’ single pushcart had grown into a fleet and he teamed up with another pushcart peddler, Daniel Nathel, to form Wishnatzki & Nathel, a wholesale business selling fruits and vegetables from the Washington Market in Manhattan, which at the time was the largest produce market

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in the country and an international supply chain from small farmers globally to consumers in the northeast. Though a young company, Wishnatzki & Nathel was recognized by FORTUNE Magazine in May of 1933 as “one of the smartest strawberry guessers in the market.” Harris began winter travels to Florida in 1929 to be closer to production and the auction market. He then was able to establish a buying and shipping operation in Plant City. Harris fell in love with the area and in 1937 made Lakeland his permanent home. Within a few years his sons, Joe and Lester join the company. Joe and his brother Ernest serve in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II. Ernest was killed just days before the war’s end at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium in May of 1945. A decade later, Harris passed away and his sons Joe and Lester assume company leadership. Joe is Gary’s father. Gary joined the company in 1974. He established G&D Farms in 1987 to help supplement produce supply the wholesale business. The farm is named after company founders Gershon Harris Wishnatzki and Daniel Nathel. Since then G&D Farms has expanded and is considered to be the largest contiguous strawberry farm in the U.S. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM


Gary became president of Wishnatzki & Nathel, Inc. in 1990 and the company added blueberries to its portfolio and begins marketing blueberries domestically. Eleven years later the Wishnatzki and Nathel families came to a mutual agreement whereby the Nathel’s retained the New York wholesale business and the Wishnatzki family kept the Florida growing and shipping operation under the name, Wishnatzki Farms. A year later, Gary developed a secondary market for strawberries, producing and selling processed strawberries helping growers sell berries when the fresh market is not an option. In 2003, Wish Farms became the first Florida grower to offer organic strawberries on a commercial scale. Five years later, the company officially rebranded itself as Wish Farms, unveiling its new consumer brand and, Misty the Garden Pixie. A year later in 2011, Wish Farms became the official soundstage sponsor of the Florida Strawberry Festival. Gary noted “the core values of the Pixie Ways are quality. Integrity and responsiveness plus 33 fundamentals” Sensitive to industry challenges, Gary began to address the global farm labor shortage through automation with the establishment of Harvest CROO Robotics in 2013. “The government’s H2-A program, which enabled growers to hire foreign workers on a short term basis proved to be only a temporary solution since birth rates have and continue to decline resulting in a shortage of potential workers,” said Gary. Harvest CROO has made significant advances and will offer commercial services in the coming season and those services include not only berry picking but packaging on the machine in the field, as well. It is important to note that many strawberry growers sensing the long term benefit of Harvest CROO have invested in the company. Harvest CROO was recently awarded a $1 million grant by the National Science Foundation to incorporate berry grading by artificial intelligence (AI) to the capabilities of its robotic machine. In 2014, Wish Farms decided to solely focus on berries and becomes a year-round supplier of strawberries and blueberries. Blackberries were added two years later with growing regions including California, Georgia, North Carolina and Mexico. 2017 marked the addition of raspberries. The company celebrated the grand opening of its new headquarters facility, located along Interstate 4 in Plant City, in March of 2021 as it has become an international grower, shipper and marketer of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. The fourth generation of the Wishnatzki family is fully involved in Wish Farms operations. In December of 2021, Wish Farms announced the addition of its fifth berry, Pink-A-Boo Pineberries®. The trademarked name recognizes the berry’s ripe pink hue. Pineberries are white in color and turn a pink blush when ripe. It has a strawberry flavor, but with the essences of pineapple, pear and apricot. Since their sugar content is slightly higher and they have lower relative acidity than traditional red strawberries, pineberries have a delicate flavor finish that leaves the palate pleasantly refreshed. Attesting to the attractiveness of Pink-A-Boo Pineberries® is their broad acceptance by consumers and culinary chefs who are attracted to the pineberries’ ‘Wow Factor’. “We initially grew six acres of pineberries in the season before last, but increased that to nearly 250 acres this season,” said Gary.

But there is more – much more – to the centennial story of Wish Farms and beyond. Wish Farms 100 year history also includes a century of giving. “Supporting our community and those in need have been engrained in our company culture since our founding,” said Gary. “Wish Farms and our family of growers are dedicated to making a difference. With a mission to help children and families in need, we envision an America with no hunger, education for all and strong community ties. To honor Harris and his legacy of kindness and giving, the Wishnatzki family formed the Wish Farms Family Foundation. It is up to all of us to make the world a better place,” said Gary. The foundation has awarded more than $320,000 since its founding in 2019. Current recipients include Feeding Tampa Bay, Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMS) and Shriners. With regard to food insecurity, Wish Farms has donated 629,287 pounds of berries, impacted 28,392 youth through its educational initiatives along with 3,000 volunteer hours. Through its Berry Lover program. Wish Farms donates one meal to Feeding America for every new member that joins the company’s program that keeps its members up-to-date on all things berry at the company. The foundation’s funding comes from the sale of berries and a variety of other fund-raising initiatives. One of those is Pixie Rock, an entertainment event at Wish Farms Plant City headquarters that offers attendees entertainment from wellrecognized groups offering various genres. The next Pixie Rock will take place November 12 with entertainment to be announced in the not too distant future. As to the future, Wish Farms will continue to build on its legacy, “taking advantage of opportunities for growth as they occur,” said Gary, “while considering and implementing initiatives that will enable us to grow.” An example of that strategy is the recent addition of Carlos Fear as Director of Berry Genetics “Adding Carlos to our team is a major milestone for our company,” said Gary. “This move fits perfectly into our long-term strategic vision to develop and brand proprietary berry varieties that taste great.” Fear is a renowned plant breeder and horticulturist with over thirty years of experience in the industry, the majority of that time at Driscoll’s where he helped develop many berry varieties. He is an inventor or co-inventor on 40 patents of raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. It has been 100 years since Harris Wishnatzki began what has become Wish Farms. Through adherence to his beliefs and hard work the company has grown dramatically to the benefit of the family, its employees, growers, the industry and communities where it has a presence. The prospects for the next 100 years of Wish Farms are just as sweet as its legacy.

More information about Wish Farms is available by visiting: WishFarms.com. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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Overall Wish Farms most recently produced 12-million flats of strawberries and 30-million pounds of blueberries and six million pounds each of blackberries and raspberries. Add to that one-million flats of the new pineberries that are grown both in Florida and Plant City to provide the attractive berry to consumers for nine-plus months out of the year.


STRAWBERRY CREST FFA HOSTS INAUGURAL SWEETHEART PAGEANT

By Hannah Simmons and Milee Hastings

November 10, 2021, the spotlights were bright and the nerves were kicking in full swing for the 14 girls backstage. Even though nervous, these girls were in for an experience of a lifetime. Getting all dolled up, hanging out with friends, and advocating for the industry that needs it the most. For Strawberry Crest FFA, this is the start of a new chapter in their history. The idea of a sweetheart pageant had always weighed on the minds of the Chapter for years, never coming to fruition. With various competitions, numerous fundraisers and more, another event being added to the plate just was not possible. But when the pandemic hit, and priorities and possibilities changed, the pageant that was seemingly impossible for the chapter was now a firm reality.

Next to follow are the senior division contestants, consisting of Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. First to be called was first runner up and fan favorite Carson Buttram. Then it was finally time to for 17-year-old senior Hannah Simmons to be crowned as the first Strawberry Crest FFA Senior Sweetheart. The room was filled with excitement. Even an escort Tregg Aguero was awarded as fan favorite which made it a fun time for everyone.

During the pageant contestants were asked to do a pageant walk in a beautiful gown as if it were any other pageant. Then it was time to incorporate the organization this whole idea was for. The 14 contestants then were asked to go on stage in FFA official dress and answer a prepared question about the future of Agriculture. It was a fun way to get contestants brains pumping and really see the ideas of Americas future farmers.

After the pageant we were able to hear a few words from the newly crowned sweethearts. “Since my freshman year, I had almost begged our advisors to let us have an FFA Sweetheart Pageant.” Simmons said. “I had always found the idea so cool, and I loved seeing the Sweetheart pageants of other FFA Chapters in our area, and now to have the blessing of being the first ever Strawberry Crest FFA Sweetheart, it’s a dream come true.”

Then came the finale everyone was waiting on, the crowing of the inaugural Strawberry Crest FFA Junior and Senior FFA

“I kind of grew up around FFA sweetheart pageants,

With all the struggles faced, Strawberry Crest FFA knew this idea wasn’t possible without the help of some amazing sponsors. Susan Mayo, advisor of the FFA program, mentions how sponsors from around the community came together to make this idea a reality. “All of the help was overwhelming, and we are very thankful for the contributions making everything possible” says Mayo. Two contestants were even rewarded for accumulating the top ad sales which was 17-year-old Jenna Mayo followed by Dakota Grigson.

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Sweethearts. Starting off with the Junior Sweetheart division which was graced by members of the Elton Hinton FFA chapter. First, Hope Storter was announced as first runner up and the crowd cheered. Then it was time to crown the first ever Jr Sweetheart 15-year-old Milee Hasting. The crowd rumbled with cheer.

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Photos courtesy of Berry Sweet Memories by DeeDee considering my mom helped run them at different schools over the years. I always dreamed about the day that I would get to compete in one myself. So, to finally get the chance and to win was such a surreal moment. It was like it had all come full circle,” added Hasting. Berry Sweet Memories honored the two new sweethearts with a courtesy photoshoot by Dee Dee Wheeler. The sweethearts spent the day posing at various locations to honor local Plant City and Dover agriculture, including a Strawberry Field, Blueberry Field, Tree Farm, and more. Throughout the school year and into the next the girls will represent Strawberry Crest High School FFA and advocate for the organization and the agriculture industry. The sweethearts will one day pass down the crown, but the memories and honor that comes with the title of being the first is something that will last a lifetime. Though the pageant may be long over, the memories made by the contestants along the way are anything but. This pageant was lots of fun for the girls but also gained their knowledge of the agriculture industry.

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Spring Brings Fairs & Festivals!

by John Dicks Springtime brings, amongst other things, fairs and festivals. At least that’s so in central Florida. Granted that spring doesn’t technically begin until March 20 this year, which is generally the date always marked on the calendar. Occasionally that will change as the Earth wobbles a bit in its orbit around the sun. Watch out, for example, for 2024. That date, two years from now, when spring will have sprung will be on March 19. It’s an interesting factoid to know if you’re entering a trivia contest, or maybe, even, auditioning as a contestant on Jeopardy. Fear not, though, the very next year has been predicted by scientists who know such things to see that spring will return to its traditional March 20 kickoff date. Nonetheless, following a strict regimen of calendar dates is nothing held sacred by the weather in central Florida. After all, we all know that budding blooms, and subsequent flowers of azaleas, all get going around here in coordination with the dates of the Strawberry Festival. This year, the family traditions of shortcake, concerts, and livestock (not to mention the Queen and her court) run March 3-13. The Grand Parade day is set in stone such that the floats all roll down the route on the Monday of the 11 days of festivities. That means, of course, for Festival lovers, the springtime start date this year will be pseudo-officially set for Monday, March 7! To help jumpstart the occasion will be the signs from Mother Nature, fixed on renewal and the creation of new life. For example, most people who have lived here for any length of time seem to have fixed in their mind a particular tree positioned along the parade route that they can always rely upon to be filled with flexible, rubbery new sprouts of light green leaves just in time to throw some shade on the streets where the local bands will be marching.

I’ve got such a tree, and it’s the same one that I’ve been watching ever since I was a kid. “My” tree is near the house where I grew up in Plant City. Still to this day, I drive out of my way just to check on it this time of year. It has never failed me with its timely bloom, and thus is my real mark of spring. Of course “my” tree and its brethren local live oaks also scream for attention with the plethora of pollen they pump out before showing off their new leaves. It alerts the allergies and induces sneeze inducing fits, but for the rest of the delights it produces, I suppose it’s a pittance of a price we pay for the privilege. All in all, and with the weather cooperating, things should be set up rather nicely this year for both the Florida State Fair and the Strawberry Festival. The Fair is the first to fill the air with fun and excitement starting February 10 and running through the 21. Just 10 days later the rides will start spinning at the Festival on March 3. As always, both family focused events have great lineups of entertainment set to take stage, and midways filled with all manner of sights, sounds, foods, and rides sure to please the proverbial young and young at heart. There is, of course, the constant concern over the coronavirus still lingering around. Yet this year, it seems a bit more settled down than last, and people appear more confident in how best to protect themselves and others from the still dangerous virus. There’s certainly excitement in the air, and pent-up demand to just get outside and do something! I suspect there will be record crowds, crowding the gates and rides and food stands. The Festival announced last year that attendance for the 11 day run topped 400,000. Would anyone be surprised to see that number far surpassed?!

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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.

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A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally

by Sean Green

Berlese Funnel

Insects are hiding in soil this time of year to stay warm. There is less rainfall so many species such as the Springtail will be attracted to damp areas of the soil. In this project, I used damp mulch that was sitting around the drainpipe for the heat pump. Just disturbing the mulch, I could see several kinds of critters. The Berlese funnel is a fun way to see what kind of critters are in the soil.

Materials: 2 Liter bottle (empty and dry) Cutting tool Paper Towel (optional) Isopropyl Alcohol (optional) Small drain screen Craft paper (or construction paper) DIRECTIONS: • Cut the top of a 2-liter bottle about 4” down from the top. Small enough to fit inside the bottom of the bottle but large enough to fill with a good amount of substrate.

• OPTION - Drop paper towels into the bottom part of the bottle (if you don’t want to kill the critters you catch) • OPTION – Fill the bottom part of the bottle with Isopropyl Alcohol (If you want to kill the critters for examination under a microscope) • Insert the top part of the cut bottle into the bottom part upside down Do not tape, you will need to remove this part to collect the critters.

• Wrap the bottle in black construction paper or craft paper to create a dark environment in the bottle. I secured this one with rubber bands because it is easier to remove than tape.

• Drop the drain screen into the upside-down top part of the bottle. No need for glue or tape

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To use the Berlese funnel, fill the opening of the bottle with damp substrate such as mulch, leaf litter, or loose soil. Let the bottle sit in direct sunlight or under a bright and warm work light. The heat and light will force the critters to crawl down into the funnel to escape the light and heat and will end up in the bottom half of your funnel. To inspect the critters, remove the top half and gather the critters than migrated to the bottom part of the bottle. Have Fun !

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A Closer Look A Closer Look

by Sean Green Photo Courtesy Sminthuroidea by Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

Springtail (Collembola)

Cool weather in Florida often results in a noticeable reduction in the variety and activity of insects. While this may be a blessing to most of our readers, it can be a little disappointing for those of us looking for new critters to photograph and write about. Fortunately, the tropical climate Florida has to offer guarantees that critters can be found all year long if you look in the right places. Some of the coolest critters are the smallest and require a willingness to get a little dirty to take a closer look. This month we are featuring the Springtail. Long considered insects, the common name “Springtail” is a generic term that describes a class of primitive wingless hexapods. If you are herping, and you keep your reptiles or amphibians in a bioactive enclosure, you already know the Springtail for its function as the cleaning crew and possibly as food source for small reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Springtails can be found in every eco-system in the world. There are an estimated 6000 described species worldwide and 700 in North America. This month we are looking to the soil and surface layers of litter where most of our readers will hopefully find at least one variety of Springtail. Springtails (Collembola) are an amazing little critter. The common name comes from a springlike appendage on the underside called a furcula that is held under tension against a ridge on the abdomen called a tenaculum. When the springtail needs to escape danger, it releases the spring loaded furcula to slap down against the ground causing the springtail to spring away, up to 20cm in the air to safety doing backwards aerial somersaults the whole time. If you would like to see this in action, you can watch a video that Dr Adrian Smith of the North Carolina Museum of Natural History has recorded at over 73,000 frames per second to capture the mechanics of the springtail in action below: https://youtu.be/MXeSnWY6DNc Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil dwelling animals known, with the potential of more than 100,000 individuals per square meter of soil in tropical environments such as Florida. They are easily found in leaf litter and decaying plant matter where they primarily feed on the fungi, spores, bacteria and animal remains found within decaying vegetation. Although springtails are not responsible for decomposition, their participation as a primary detrivore helps propagate soil microorganisms and nutrients. Some springtails are well known pests of certain agricultural crops. The lucern flea (Sminthurus viridis), for example, is a member of the Collembola sub class. It feeds on the surface cells of alfalfa leaves and high populations can cause enough damage for the springtail to be regarded as an pest. Onychiuri-

Springtails are sensitive to environmental factors that affect soil health such as toxins and consequently, often used for early detection of soil pollution or the overuse of toxins. Avoidance tests augment toxicity tests in the lab and can provide a quicker and more reliable indication of soil health. In the wild, Springtails (Collembola) actively avoid polluted or toxic soil such as no tillage fields that rely on herbicides more heavily than conventional agriculture. Other organisms such as earth worms, beetles and ants do not avoid such toxins as early and are therefore not as effective as an indicator species. In addition to being sensitive to toxins, Springtails (Collembola) are more sensitive to drought conditions than most other soil dwelling organisms. An interesting behavior of this species is that adults release hormones to attract other springtails to an ideal area enabling both adult and juvenile to find and congregate in a safe environment in which drought conditions are avoided. Even in our Florida dry season, leaf litter has enough moisture to maintain an ideal environment for the Springtails (Collembola). Some species are less tolerant of dry weather than others and may only be found near or in a body of water and have evolved with adaptations such as living and laying eggs on the surface of the water rather than just at its perimeter. Ironically, these cool, dry months are the ideal time to look for springtails. Springtails may have evolved in cool climates and tend to increase soil populations when temperature decreases. You will not have to go far to find springtails, but you will have to take a close look, every species is measured in millimeters and will be easier to see with a microscope or at least a magnifying glass. Rearing springtails is easy. For those interested there are many resources on the internet that describe how to raise springtails for gardening or herping. Do you want to take a closer look? You can sample springtails in your soil by making your own Berlese funnel out of a 2-liter bottle. Look for the Naturally Amazing activity page in this issue to learn how. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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dae, another member of the Collembola sub class feed on tubers and cause light damage, however, their benefits may outweigh the damage. Their ability to carry spores of mycorrhizal fungi and mycorrhiza helper bacteria is beneficial in the establishment of plant-fungal symbioses and thus, an agriculture asset. They also help control plant fungal diseases by eating the mycelia and spores of damping-off and pathogenic fungi. It has been suggested that they could be reared and used for the control of pathogenic fungi in greenhouses and other indoor cultures. Captive springtails are well-known in the herping community as an effective and reliable clean-up crew for bio active enclosures and vivarium.


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The 38th Annual Florida Strawberry Grower’s “Strawberry Jam The 38th Annual Florida Strawberry Grower’s “Strawberry Jam” was held December 11, 2021 with a Great Gatsby Soiree. Guests were encouraged to dress in 1920’s attire.

Hardemans Secret Gardens

Toys For Tots

Dr jack Rechcigl and his wife

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Dinner and Awards

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Opening Reception February 2022

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Buddy Chase / The Classic Award Lifetime Achievement Award Alicia Whidden

Past president award

Candace Harrell/ Sweet Life Farms First Flat Award

Dr Vance Whitaker Public Service Award Tommy and Carol Brock, Carl and Dee Dee Grooms had fun dressing up #162 The Astin girls had fun Dustin Grooms / Workhorse Award

Voted Best dressed , Woman, Couple, and man

Hall of Fame Award / Charles St. Martin, Mike St. Martin, John St. Martin

The Astin girls had fun INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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Florida FFA State Secretary Carter P. Howell

After a relatively uneventful and relaxing month of December in terms of sanctioned Florida FFA Association activities, January was quite the opposite. There seemed to be a different event each day. Much of that was to the credit of the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers taking place. Additionally, several other notable events made this month one to remember.

just how difficult it is to provide grass-fed and finished beef products. Indeed, this operation services a niche market, but they do it incredibly. Since making the switch, profits have skyrocketed, and their brand recognition has been boosted significantly. As Stemple Creek has illustrated, understanding your consumer base in agriculture can open many doors for increased success and profitability.

International Leadership Seminar for State Officers (ILSSO) is often said to be one of the highlights of your year of service to the Florida FFA Association. After experiencing this trip firsthand, my teammates and I could not agree more with that statement. The purpose of ILSSO is to provide State Officers with the opportunity to experience agriculture in a foreign environment and immerse them in an unknown cultural landscape leading to personal development and understanding of others. Although this experience was a modified one this year while traveling inside the borders of the United States, it still was an enriching experience, nonetheless.

After returning home from the west coast, we hit the ground running again. We continued to facilitate in-person chapter programs to students enrolled in agricultural education courses across the state. To date, the State Officer Team has facilitated over 130 of these enriching experiences.

ILSSO took place in the Golden State of California with an array of agricultural, legislative, and cultural visits. After arrival at Sacramento International airport on January 4th, there was little time for rest, with orientation commencing that evening. Orientation equipped us with the necessary skills to understand unique perspectives, have an open mind, and ask powerful questions. This knowledge was immediately tested as the following morning we were able to meet with the ViceChair of the California Water Board, California Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross, and Vice President of Governmental Affairs for Western Growers, an agricultural cooperative. Although these three individuals we had the honor of speaking to come from different perspectives and roles in the landscape of agriculture, they were all able to articulate just how important agriculture is to the world. While their viewpoints may have varied some, they were unified and committed to the mission of feeding the world and the necessity of what we do. While the opportunity to speak with those that influence the policy that shapes our industry was exciting and humbling, some of the most memorable experiences we had on this trip were on technical visits to agricultural operations throughout the state. California has a plethora of diversified agricultural operations and, in that regard, is like Florida. Yet, the climatic differences we experience are enough to juxtapose the critical variances between our states.

A highlight this month was the opportunity for the State Officers to enroll in two courses at the University of Florida that will further develop our understanding of the organization that we serve and the history behind it. Additionally, we will be equipped with tools to communicate the science of agriculture to those with preconceived notions, biases, or no knowledge of agriculture. The last event of the month was a personal favorite as I had the opportunity to speak at The Fertilizer Institute annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. The Fertilizer industry is an equal player in the food production process, providing farmers with the necessary inputs to produce the vital products for life. With the opportunity to address this meeting, I highlighted the FFA’s value to students in preparing them for career success beyond high school. However, I was able to distinguish that this program not only directly benefits students, but the residual benefit can be felt by employers such as those in the fertilizer industry by hiring students that experienced premier leadership and personal growth through FFA. As January has ended, we are now looking ahead to February, home to many exciting events, including the Florida State Fair. Best, Carter Howell

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One technical visit that stood out as a highlight to me was Stemple Creek Ranch, located in Marin County. Stemple Creek Ranch was quite the unique diversified livestock operation. Raising cattle and sheep this operation seemed ordinary on the outside, but the owners quickly revealed that the operation was strictly grass-fed and grass-finished and completely organic. Being from central Florida, where there is a high concentration of cow-calf producers, I understand

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Save $2.00 on Adult & $1.00 on Youth General Admission Tickets at Publix

Artists Appearing on the

Soundstage:

Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra

The Oak Ridge Boys Thu. Mar. 3, 3:30 $25

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Chicks With Hits

Featuring Terri Clark, Pam Tillis and Suzy Bogguss Sun. Mar. 6, 3:30 $25

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Starring Matthew & Gunnar Nelson Tue. Mar. 8, 3:30 $20

The Drifters, Cornell Gunter’s Coasters & The Platters

Thu. Mar. 10, 10:30 FREE

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Boyz II Men

The Beach Boys

Thu. Mar. 3, 7:30 $50

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Wed. Mar. 9, 3:30 $25

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#berryfest22 Home of OUR

Gene Watson

Fri. Mar. 11, 3:30 $20

Cole Swindell

Fri. Mar. 11, 7:30 $45

Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots

Sat. Mar. 12, 3:30

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Nelly

Sat. Mar. 12, 7:30 $30

The Bellamy Brothers Sun. Mar. 13, 3:30 $20

Sam Hunt

Sun. Mar. 13, 7:30 $55

Concert dates and times are subject to change

Visit FLstrawberryfestival.com or call 813-754-1996 and get your tickets for the best seats available! While online, check out the Free Entertainment, Special Days & Discounts and full Schedule of Festival Events.

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• T-Mobile • ZYN • Alessi Bakeries • AMSCOT • Astin Farms • Candyland Warehouse • Global Frequency Technology • Circle K • Local Ford Dealers • O’Reilly Auto Parts • Grove Equipment Service • Stingray Chevrolet • Uncommon USA • Netterfield’s Concessions • Badcock Home Furniture &More • Good Health Saunas • Samsung • Dakin Dairy Farms • Krazy Kup • Verizon Wireless • Russell’s Western Wear • DIRECTV • Images Everywhere! • Master Spas • Florida Blue • Wyndham Destinations • TRUFFOIRE • DR BROWN’S CBD • Entenmann’s • Portillo’s Hot Dogs • The Bank of Tampa

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SINCE 1922

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FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD

By J. Scott Angle

Kevin Wang and Dana Choi will work two paths to keeping cused on Florida citrus, and until we had the money and job farmers in business in Hillsborough, Polk and surrounding opening to bring her back last month was working on mushcounties. rooms at Penn State. They’ll now focus their skills and tools on Central Florida crops. Wang joined a team of local scientists working to create better plant varieties than you grow now. Choi began work last month Wang specializes in sorting through the mountains of data that creating laborers that work without breaks, without illness or UF plant breeders generate to identify the most promising injury, and without pay. candidates for varieties that will work in your fields. AI gives our breeding team the ability to select for multiple, even a dozen, Let me answer your first question before you even ask it: Yes, traits at the same time—the super berry that bugs hate and you will be able to afford the new agriculture of drones, sen- people love, that require less water, and that use fertilizer so sors and robots. More on that later. efficiently that nutrients don’t leach into an aquifer. Choi and Wang both see their work as a race against time, that Florida farming’s future is uncertain unless they can get you the world’s best seeds and labor that doesn’t cost you 10 times what your international competitors pay. “It’s not just, ‘I hope this works.’ It has to work. There is no alternative solution,” Choi says.

The future Wang, Choi and Rechcigl envision may not come as fast as you’d like, but it will come. The price of technology will come down. The scientists will have it ready for your farm when it does. I doubt you can say the same thing about the price of human labor.

J. Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Sciences has long been in the business of bringing you the future faster. Your new scientists at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center come from a new generation MEET THE SCIENTISTS with an accelerator their predecessors didn’t have—expertise in artificial intelligence for agriculture. Kevin Wang I’m encouraged that they’ll be building artificial intelligence on a foundation of old-fashioned human intelligence, the knowledge they can only get from you. That is, what traits do you need in a new strawberry? What tasks would you have a robot do?

Job title: Assistant Professor of Plant Phenomics What he’ll do: Use artificial intelligence to go through immense amounts of phenomic data to help plant breeders find new varieties. Education: Ph.D. in biological and agricultural engineering, Kansas State University Start a conversation with Kevin: xuwang1@ufl.edu In Kevin’s words: “We need an artificial intelligence center here (in Hillsborough County) to try to help save an industry. It’s really urgent.”

Wang and Choi have already visited with a leading tomato grower who talked to them about how mechanizing harvesting and figuring out how a machine that ties plants to stakes (and creating tomato cultivars that can be machine picked) could help Florida growers stay competitive against international producers who pay just a fraction of our labor costs. Wang attended the recent Florida Strawberry Growers Association field day in Dover and came away with an idea to reduce labor costs through breeding—a plant that sends off fewer runners that require pruning currently done by hand. Help them help you. You can start a conversation with them at Dana Choi xuwang1@ufl.edu and danachoi@ufl.edu. Choi is no economist, and she wasn’t yet born when Apple introduced the Macintosh, but she says history tells us technology that starts out as prohibitively expensive eventually comes down in price. Personal computers and cell phones started as luxury items but are now affordable enough that most people have them. Choi and Wang can’t control how fast market forces bring technology’s price down, but they can develop the tools that work on your farms. They join an all-star team to implement the vision GCREC Director Jack Rechcigl and Professor Nathan Boyd have to transform the center in Balm into an artificial intelligence hub. With AI, they plan to make mechanization easy enough to use and to afford that everyone can use a drone to scout their fields, put robots to work harvesting, pruning, weeding and staking, and monitoring their plants’ thirst, hunger and stress through sensors. When UF announced its $80 million AI initiative last year, Rechcigl, Boyd and UF/IFAS strawberry breeder Vance Whitaker pounced, submitting proposals for funding to Gainesville that got them the money to bring on the technical expertise they sought and have found in Wang and Choi.

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We found Wang working on wheat in Kansas. We never lost track of Choi. She’s a double Gator whose doctoral studies fo-

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Job title: Assistant Professor, Precision Agriculture What she’ll do: Use artificial intelligence to tailor machines to work on your farm. Education: Master’s degree and Ph.D. in agricultural and biological engineering, UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Start a conversation with Dana: dana.choi@ufl.edu In Dana’s words: “It’s not just, ‘I hope this works.’ It has to work. There is no alternative solution.”

Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM


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POTATOES

Kimberly Bragg-Armatrout, NDTR Hillsborough County Extension, Health and Nutrition Agent There are many kinds of potatoes and they all seem to get a bad rap because they are high in carbohydrates. But potatoes are actually healthy for you! Potatoes are high in fiber, which can help you lose weight by keeping you feeling full longer. Fiber can help prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol and blood sugar levels down. Potatoes are also full of antioxidants that help prevent diseases and vitamins that help your body function properly. So, can you incorporate potatoes into your daily diet? Yes, but like everything else, too much of a good thing can still be too much.

So, when is the best time to plant potatoes in Florida, and what grows best? The best time to plant potatoes in Florida is in spring after the last frost. The most common potatoes that grow well in Florida are sweet potatoes like; Beauregard, Boniato, Centennial, Hernandez, and Vardman. Regular potatoes like Gold Rush, Red Ponitac, and Yukon Gold also do well here. So, next time you want to eat a high-fiber healthy option, think about the potato and all the nutritional value it has to offer.

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Is one potato healthier than the others? Many people think that sweet potatoes are healthier than white potatoes. But the research suggests that this is not true. Both sweet potatoes and white potatoes offer many of the same nutrients. They are comparable in calories, protein, and carb content, but white potatoes provide more potassium, whereas sweet potatoes are very high in vitamin A. However, there is one potato that stands out among the rest. The red potato is considered the healthiest potato. Why? When comparing the overall nutrients of the red potato to other potatoes, they found that the mineral and vitamin density, the sugar-to-fiber ratio, to sodium-to potassium ratio, and the phytochemicals profile, were higher than in all the other potatoes. This is in the USDA database.

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Information provided on properties is as accurate as possible. Fischbach Land Company does not guarantee the accuracy thereof. All parties shall conduct their own due diligence, research, inspection, and records to come to their own conclusions.

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Bad Breath

isn’t just unpleasant it can be unhealthy. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

February is Pet Dental Month

Dr. Christy Layton (813) 754-PETS (7387) 1704 Walden Village Court, Plant City, FL 33566 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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HORTICULTURE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND By Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM agent, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County

Are you interested in gardening? What about recycling and composting? Want to save water or know more about drought tolerant plants? Do you have an hour to learn something new that is beneficial to the environment? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, we have a great suggestion for you. Check out your county’s calendar of events. Each of the 67 counties in Florida has one. In your web browser, look up “UF find your local office.” Upcoming programs are listed on the calendar with a link for registration. Many are free. Some have a small fee. Examples of upcoming events in Hillsborough County follow: Triple Workshops: Composting, microirrigation and rainwater harvesting workshops are offered monthly from February through October. Learn how to create your own soil amendments and save water by using a microirrigation kit and rain barrel. Attend one, two or all three. Compost attendees receive a compost bin, kitchen bucket and compost thermometer. Microirrigation attendees will take home the traditional micro kit, a rain gauge and hose timer. Rainwater harvesting attendees will receive a food grade barrel that has been drilled and spigoted, while learning how to use the water and on which plant materials. Reference materials are provided to attendees for each of the presentations, and there is a drawing for giveaway items at the end of each class. Recycle Your Yard and Recycled Yard Art: See how much fun you can have creating and using items you are recycling in your landscape. Repurposing items does add humor to your life. This presentation will definitely give you ideas and make you laugh.

Tips to Help Your Yard Weather Dry Conditions: Gain useful ideas to help your landscape survive central Florida’s dry spring season and conserve water in your landscape. This class will provide information to help you determine when, how and why you should take specific actions during our dry months. Vermicomposting (composting with worms): Find out how to create the bin, what these specialty worms eat and how to harvest the castings. The nutrient-rich worm byproduct works very well in any garden, and you can make your own worm tea for watering plants…not drinking! While not necessarily an upcoming event, we also offer inground irrigation evaluations (telephonic or in person) for high water users. Contact Paula Staples: staplesp@hcflgov.net. For more information on environmental horticulture, contact the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Hillsborough County, 813-7445519, visit our office at 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584 or website, calendar of events and Facebook pages. Lynn Barber is the FloridaFriendly Landscaping TM agent for UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County. Contact her at labarber@ufl.edu.

Vegetable Microirrigation: This kit is a great addition to your vegetable garden. You will learn how to connect the kit to a hose bib and appropriately water vegetables.

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Patio/Container Microirrigation: It works well for patio, container and hanging plant containers. This kit can connect several pots/containers on your patio, lanai or front porch.

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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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2022 Florida Strawberry Festival® Livestock Schedule

Date

Time

Location

Mosaic Poultry & Rabbit Shows March 3 – March 13

10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Swindle Family Pavilion

Youth Plant Show

March 3 – March 6

10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Swindle Family Pavilion

Mosaic Youth Swine Show

March 3

7:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Dairy Contestant Judging

March 4

1:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Mosaic Youth Swine Sale

March 4

7:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Dairy Show Showmanship

March 5

10:30 a.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Dairy Show

March 5

1:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Adult Dairy Showmanship

March 6

11:00 a.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Pee Wee Dairy Showmanship

March 6

11:30 a.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Dairy Costume Ball

March 6

12:30 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Youth Plant Sale

March 6

2:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Lamb Jumping Contest

March 7

3:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Lamb Costume Contest

March 7

7:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Lamb Showmanship

March 8

3:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Lamb Show

March 8

5:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Mosaic Youth Steer Show

March 9

6:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Mosaic Youth Steer Showmanship

March 10

7:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Beef Breed Showmanship

March 11

6:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Mosaic Youth Livestock Judging

March 12

10:00 a.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Mosaic Youth Steer Sale

March 12

7:00 p.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

Beef Breed Show

March 13

11:00 a.m.

Patterson Co. Livestock Arena

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RESEARCHERS AND INDUSTRY TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE FUTURE OF FOOD By Samantha Murray This century, food producers will face a complex challenge: grow enough food to help billions more people get the nutrition they need, all while mitigating carbon emissions, which contribute to climate change.

The Forum is hosted by the UF/IFAS Food Systems Institute, an interdisciplinary team of researchers whose work addresses the intersection of food systems, food security, nutrition, economics and environmental conservation.

Solutions to these issues will be top of mind at the 2022 Future of Food Forum to be held on March 3 at the University of Florida. Hundreds of scientists, industry leaders and policymakers are expected to participate. This the second Future of Food Forum, with the first event held in January 2020.

“The goal of the forum is to bring together thought leaders from academia, the business world, the farming community and policymakers to discuss innovative ways to produce food that benefit consumers, farmers and the environment.” said Gbola Adesogan, director of the Food Systems Institute.

Online registration is open until Feb. 28. Cost is $10 for students and $50 for all other attendees.

UF Senior Vice President Scott Angle, one of the Forum’s moderators and the leader of UF/IFAS, said food system solutions developed at land grant universities like UF can help people at home and around the world.

The forum will feature a keynote address from Erik Fyrwald, CEO of Syngenta Group and chairman of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. Sessions will cover topics such as carbon neutrality in food production and packaging; ongoing research and international efforts to reduce food systems’ carbon footprints; local and statewide policymaking; and how students can participate in food systems science.

Visit the UF/IFAS Food Systems Institute website at https://foodsystems.ifas.ufl. edu/ to learn about ongoing projects and impacts.

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“This event advances a crucial international conversation on food production and climate change,” Angle said. “The answers to Florida’s problems are not found just in Florida.”


9 out of 10 consumers are more likely to purchase products labeled “Fresh From Florida”

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FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

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Classifieds BUILDING SUPPLIES

Tel: 813.759.6909

METAL ROOFING Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris.

CITRUS PACKING HOUSE Citrus packing house equipment for sale. Mikey Fertilizer Spreader, two wind machines. Call 863-324-2833

ALUMINUM We have all your aluminum needs! Screen Room, carports & awnings. Call Blake (813) 752-3378

2017 MASSEY FURGASON GC1705L 90 hours 4x4 22.5 hp with loader. $9,450 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

WINDOW SCREENS We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted(813) 752-3378 CABINETS All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. Custom made to your size. Call Chris 813-752-3378 VINYL SIDING Many colors and styles to choose from. Ask for Ted. 813-752-3378 MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES Everything you need under ONE roof! Call Blake 813-752-3378 NEW, USED & ABUSED. CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE. We are a MI Windows dealer. Our windows are energy star, lifetime warranty. Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378

FARM EQUIPMENT I4 POWER EQUIPMENT Trade-Ins Welcomed, Service Department Available. Exit 22 • S. Frontage Rd. Plant City 813-752-4459 TAYLOR WAY TILLER DISC Plow - good condition. $1750.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 JOHN DEERE Looking for your new tractor? Come see us at Everglades Farm Equipment. evergladesfarmequipment.com 2805 SR 60 West, Plant City 813-737-1660 OVERSTOCK SPECIAL Barn doors starting at $80.00 Call Ted 813-752-3378 FARM EQUIPMENT Massey Ferguson 261 60hp 2wd tractor, $6500.00. IH Farmall 140 tractor complete with cultivating and fertilize equipment, $5500.00. 2006 Bush Hog TH440C UTV, 4x4, Honda engine, $6000.00. All are in very good condition. Call JR at 813-997-6769 LUCAS METAL WORKS DRAG Ground hog arena drag. $1,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 Liquid fertilizer injection tank with single axle heavy duty trailer. 500-gallon tank with new tires. Very good condition. $3,500. Call 863-557-1712

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FORD 4610 TRACTOR 2wd, 60hp. Very good condition $6,500. Call Alvie 813-759-8722

FOR SALE MARDEN CHOPPERS Tapered grove chopper $1250.00. Call Alvie 813-759-8722 OLD ANTIQUE BLUE STOVE Bread warmer, chrome trim. You have got to see it to believe it! Call Ted for more details. 813-752-3378

PRODUCE FRESH PRODUCE Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us!

MISC. FREE Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722 24 HOUR SERVICE Coggins Plumbing licensed • bonded • Insured. www.cogginsplumbing.com 813-643-7173 FARM BUREAU INSURANCE We have you covered! Call us today. 813-752-5577 LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL? Call Rhonda Wetherington, P.A. Realtor, GRI. 813-933-1761

ALAN’S AIR CONDITIONING Residential, Commercial Sales SVS & ReDOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER pair. Legendary service for over 20 years! No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. 813-752-0821 Many standard sizes in stock. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 SHOWER STALLS - FIBERGLASS Scratch and dent shower stalls - fiberglass KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES perfect for hunting camps. $150 you pick! Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the Call us! 813-752-3378 BIG Box STORES! Call Today! Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 FOR RENT Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher. JOBS For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details. based on experience. Call David 863-537-1345 or Alvie 813-759-8722 PARTS COUNTER HELP Wanted for parts look up and sales. Experience in the agriculture equipment service. Speak with Alvie. 813-759-8722 SALES REPRESENTATIVE In The Field Magazine is looking for a team player who enjoys building relationships. Commission based position part-time or full-time! Email us info@inthefieldmagazine.com

LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES END OF SEASON SPECIAL $500 cash discount on all BOBCAT (in stock) Zero Turn Mowers. Call Grove Equipment Plant City 813-759-8722 Bartow 863-537-1345

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!

USED SCAG ZTR 52” Liberty zero turn with Kaw engine. $3,500. Call Jeff 813-752-1066

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The USDA Risk Management Agency helps protect your Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) from the elements. Let CKP Help You Protect Your PRF Our trusted risk advisors are trained to help you analyze complicated insurance data so you: • Protect your land and livelihood against potential losses during times of drought. • Make the most informed decision for your business. • Never purchase unnecessary coverage and pay more than you need.

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February 2022

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©2022 AGCO Corporation. Massey Ferguson is a worldwide brand of AGCO Corporation. AGCO and Massey Ferguson are trademarks of AGCO. All rights reserved. *Offer expires April 15, 2022 and may be subject to change without notice. Coupon has no cash value and is not transferable.

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