In The Field magazine Hillsborough edition by Berry Publications, Inc

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

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• Food Plot Mix • Attractants • Feeders • and much more!

Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply

Open: M-F: 8 to 6 pm Sat: 8-5 pm Closed Sunday

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Southern States

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While Supply Last!

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Honey 2lb Raw Dark Honey While Supply Last!

Meal Worms Dried Reg. $31.99

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Purina Fish Chum “Jump in the Boat”

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20# Refillable Pail $19.99

Contents

VOL. 8 • ISSUE 7

Cover Story 3 Boys Farm

Page 54 Business Up Front

Page 10 Dry Creek - My Rose

Page 12 Tampa Bay’s Fishing Report

Page 14 Grub Station

Page 18 Rocking Chair Chatter

Page 22 Healthy Bees

Page 34 Keeping Her Eye On The Prize

Page 37 Recipes

Page 50 Growing’s In The Blood - Hugh Gramling

Page 57 Ray Crawford

Page 60 Ag With Humor

Page 62 Responsibility

Page 67 4

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

From the Editor

ITFM Staff PUBLISHER/PHOTOGRAPHY Karen Berry EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Al Berry SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR/ ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Sarah Holt

No Farmers No Food! These words mean so much and many times it seems that the general public takes for granted that all we have to do is go to the grocery and buy food. It’s that simple to most. When they arrive at the grocery or produce stand, they expect the food they want to be available. Please realize, it takes work for this to happen. The farmers and ranchers put in hours that would amaze most 40 hour a week workers. To put food on the shelves for you to buy, the farmer and rancher puts in hours of blood sweat and tears. And please understand, no one takes care of the land like someone who depends on that land for their livelihood. When you are making your trek to buy food for your family, be sure to look for food that is Fresh From Florida! That way, you can rest assured that you are getting the freshest food grown right here in the Sunshine State. One thing in life is certain, change. It is an inevitable part of our existence. In most circumstances, this change is a great thing! Such as the change that just occurred at In The Field magazine. We have moved! While that was a bit painful in more ways then one, we are now doing business from a new, more visible location. We are excited about the move and look forward to doing business as usual. Come visit us at our new office located at 1501 Alexander Street, Suite 102, Plant City, FL Our phone number is still the same: 813.759.6909 Until Next Month,

Sarah

OFFICE MANAGER Bob Hughens SALES MANAGER Danny Crampton SALES Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Amie Facente CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mona Jackson PHOTOGRAPHY Karen Berry Al Berry Stephanie Humphrey STAFF WRITERS Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankwoiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Woody Gore Les McDowell

We’ve Moved! The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. –Numbers 6:25

In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Hillsborough County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’s Association. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In The Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc. Published by Berry Publications, Inc.

EDITOR Patsy Berry

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

We have moved our main office to better serve you. Our new address is: 1501 S. Alexander Street, Suite 102 • Plant City, Florida 33563 Our phone number is still the same - 813.759.6909

Index of Advertisers Ag Technologies ...............................................65 Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers ........................29 Alvin Futch ......................................................41 Antioch Feed ....................................................31 Aquarius Water Refining ..................................91 Astin Strawberry Exchange ..............................69 Berry Blue Farm & Nursery, LLC ....................87 Bill’s Transmissions ..........................................69 Bingham ...........................................................89 Brandon Auto Services, Inc. .............................63 Broke & Poor...................................................93 Byrd & Barnhill, P.L.........................................79 C&C Services of Tampa...................................27 Cecil Breeding Farm .........................................78 CF Industries, Inc .............................................80 Chemical Containers ........................................36 Chuck’s Tire & Automotive ..............................2 Circle “R” ........................................................47 Cowboys Steakhouse & Saloon .......................32 Cowboys Western World..................................13 Crescent Jewelers................................................7 Dad’s Towing ...................................................75 Discount Metals ...............................................40 Dr. Barry Gaffney O.D. PA ..............................37 Driscoll’s ............................................................7 Dukes Chiropractic Health Clinic, P.A. ............95 Evangelical Presbyterian Church ......................47 Farm Bureau Insurance ....................................83 Farm Bureau Insurance/Jeff Sumner .................66 Farm Credit......................................................41 Felton’s.............................................................51 Fischbach Land Company ................................71 Florida Strawberry Growers Assoc...................44 Forbes Road Produce .......................................13 Fred’s Market ...................................................41 Gator Ford .......................................................63 Gladstone Land ................................................32 Grove Equipment Service........................29 & 59 Guthrie’s...........................................................63 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply .....................3 & 25 Harrell’s Nursery, Inc. ......................................91 Haught Funeral Home .....................................48 Helena Chemical-Tampa ..................................40 Hillsboro State Bank ........................................69 Hillsborough County Farm Bureau ....................4 Hinton Farms Produce, Inc. .............................36 I-4 Power Equipment .......................................52 Johnson’s Barbeque ..........................................87 Jon & Rosie’s Tree Farm ..................................87 Keel & Curley Winery........................................5 Key Plex ...........................................................20 Land’s Feed & Farm Supply.............................87 Loetscher Auto Parts ........................................77 Malissa Crawford ............................................59 Mark Smith Excavating....................................19 Mosaic .............................................................26 Muck Truck .....................................................35 Myers Cleaners ................................................53 Pathway BioLogic ............................................42 Plant City Tire & Auto ....................................91 Plant Food Systems ............................................9 Rick’s Custom Meats .......................................69 Ring Power Corporation ..................................26 Roadrunner Veterinary Clinic ..........................96 Savich & Lee Wholesale...................................16 Southern Water & Soil .....................................93 Southside Farm & Pet Supply.................15 & 38 Southwestern Produce ......................................45 Stingray Chevrolet............................................21 Super Service Tire & Auto ...............................17 The Hay Depot ................................................91 Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort .....................9 Trinkle, Redman, Swanson, Coton, Davis & Smith .................................................75 Walden Lake Car Wash ....................................11 Wells Memorial ................................................79 Willie’s..............................................................79 Wishnatzki Farms.............................................23 Woodside Dental ..............................................77 W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

Driscoll’s Philanthropy & Sustainability working together to serve the community. Easter Baskets delivered to local students The Dover Green Team is always looking for ways to link sustainability to their community and this Easter season they found a wonderful way of doing just that. In partnership with the regional Philanthropy team, the teams purchased baskets that one of our employees, Teresa Zabaleta, makes out of unusable plastic ties in the crate shed, and filled them with Easter goodies (pictured). On Thursday April 5th, Dover employees personally delivered beautifully filled baskets to Bailey Elementary School, also a recipient of recent grant money from the Dover Philanthropy Team to increase the literacy and academic success of Migrant, English as a Second Oral Language, and English Language Learners. Together the Sustainability and Philanthropy teams delivered some smiles in the shape of chocolate bunnies to some deserving children. This project not only shows how invested the Dover teams are in the community, but also highlights the power of collaboration among Driscoll’s teams. Working together, this project was able to grow from a wonderful small idea to have a much larger impact, the results of which can be measured in smiles.

You Too, Can Be A Winner

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 InTheField® T-Shirt. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

number of the page which you found the logo and where on that page you located the logo to:

InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 Plant City, FL 33566-0042

Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! Search for the logo below and enter now!

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

100 South Mulrennan Road • Valrico, FL 33594 • 813-685-9121

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE DEVELOPS PROGRAMMING; SEEKING ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS Dear Reader: The Women’s Leadership Committee of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau recently met to develop and plan its programming for the coming year. I am pleased to once again report that we have a diverse scope of programs planned and although the names of our initiatives may be familiar to you, we continually strive to enhance our activities to achieve greater impact and maintain the highest levels of enthusiasm for our participants. Here are a number of activities and programs we have planned: • Youth Speech Contest – this is an annual statewide competition for youngsters 14 – 18 (high school seniors) that begins locally with winners moving on to district competition and the state finals. • Share our Strength Bake Sale – part of a national effort that encourages the hosting of bake sales to end childhood hunger by 2015. Currently, there are more than 17 million American children struggling with hunger. • Farm City Week – a nationwide educational effort to enhance the linkages between farm families and urban residents enabling them to learn about the people who grow their food. We are considering a tour of urban gardens this year. • Ag-Venture - is a “hands-on” learning experience designed to teach third grade students in the county about the importance of agriculture and to help them develop an understanding and appreciation of where their food comes from and the impact of agriculture on their lives every day. • Food Check Out Week – another nationwide initiative, this effort is similar to “Tax Freedom Day,” but provides an opportunity to honor farmers and agriculture and their importance to us all. Each year, programming supports a specific educational theme. • Political Activities – are critical to agriculture at all levels. We actively support elected officials at the local, county, state and federal levels through a broad base of initiatives. As with all Farm Bureau activities, you don’t have to be farmer or rancher to get involved. If you support and want to be an advocate for agriculture, our Constitution and laws, a just and fair system of taxation, an abundant and healthy domestic food supply, private property rights and programs that help develop our youth, join us. From the types of programs we are undertaking, we have roles for just about anybody. I would welcome your call or email to volunteer or to learn more about our Committee and what we have planned. Please call 813/685-9121 or email me at women@hcfarmbureau.org. Thank you and I look forward to having you become part of our Women’s Leadership Committee.

Michelle Michelle Williamson Chair Women’s Leadership Committee

Board of Directors

President: Danny Aprile, Vice-President: Jerry Hinton, Treasurer: George Coleman, Secretary: Glenn Harrell, Member-At-Large: Bill Burnette, Jake Raburn, Patrick Thomas, Amanda Collins, Roy Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, Alvin Futch, Stefan Katzaras, Greg Lehman, Carl Little, Lance Ham, Michelle Williamson and John Stickles, Executive Director: Judi Whitson 8

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• The heaviest turkey ever raised weighed 86 pounds, about the size of an average third-grader. • Eating about 20 tart cherries a day could reduce inflammatory pain and headache pain. • About 25% of all iceberg lettuce is made into fresh cut salads. • There are over 500 different types of bananas. That means if you ate a different kind of banana everyday, it would take almost a year and a half to eat every one! • Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites! • The peach is a member of the rose family and will have a sweet fragrance when ripe. • Dried chile pepper wreaths are called “Ristras” - a symbol of plenty and hope. • Some examples of items that come from animals are footballs, crayons, cosmetics, soap, perfume, paint and glue! • A rabbitʼs sensitive ears can be turned in any direction to alert them of danger. • The donkeyʼs characteristic “Eee awe” sound is made by an intake of breath followed instantly by exhalation. • Quinophobia is the fear of horses; alektorophobia is the fear of chickens; and taurophobia is the fear of bulls. There is no official term for the fear of cows or pigs. • Because of the way a cowʼs legs bend, they are incapable of walking downstairs. However, they can walk upstairs.

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MAY 2012

Business Up Front

Super Service for Hot-Rod Farmers: Allen Inlow

By Ginny Mink

griculture is a multi-faceted field. While there’s much to-do about cattle and horticulture, the fact of the matter is, somebody’s got to fix the equipment. Besides, farmers aren’t glued solely to their John Deere’s, a good number of them have other interests and each of those endeavors requires transportation. That’s where Super Service’s Allen Inlow comes into the picture. Allen was born and raised in Plant City. His dad had numerous businesses in town. According to Allen, “He had the Pure Station by Brewington’s (it’s a parking lot now), that was probably in the mid 60s. Then he started his own trucking company and basically hauled for Winn Dixie Food Stores.” However, that wasn’t the extent of his father’s career. Allen continues, “He had several farms he would do maintenance for, their trucks, their tractors, their pumps and I would help him on my days off.”

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Automotive service and repair is something Allen learned at a young age given his father’s involvement therein, but he did have some other agriculturally based interests. Allen recalls that his father was raised on a cotton farm in Mississippi. Then he adds, “I have a 100 acre tree farm out there now.” He says, “My Dad and I raised cows and hogs, always done a garden, didn’t really do what you’d call ‘farm,’ I raised ‘em to eat.” That perspective kept him out of showing animals, but it didn’t keep him out of FFA. He explains, “I started FFA when I was in ninth grade all the way through when I was a senior in high school. I did some horticulture judging. We were the first co-op class of Plant City High School. Mr. Ray Clark was our Ag teacher. That was when I worked for Super Service.” After high school, Allen got a new job at Super Brand Dairy where he was employed for thirteen years. He says, “I went out to

work for Super Brand Dairy out at the industrial park. I worked there for 13 plus years. I started out as a general laborer, I worked my way through. I worked as a supervisor for a short period of time and then I moved into maintenance. It was a processing plant, they bottled milk and did ice cream. I did refrigeration, electrical and general maintenance.” At some point in that period he decided to make a career move. He says, “After working there about 13 years I went back to school, went to college, got a degree in engineering. After that I ended up buying the machine shop side of this business and that’s how it became Plant City Machine. I only bought part of the business so I had to make a name. Approximately six months later is when I bought the rest of it, the Super Service part. Basically I’ve owned and operated it since ’94.” One might wonder why a man so dedicated to automotive repair and service chose to go to school and get a degree in engineering. This is what Allen had to say about it, “I used to build houses, too. My wife wanted me to go back to school so that’s what I done. That was about 20 years ago. I built probably four or five houses. When we met she owned multiple rental properties and I’d built the house we live in today. She played with real estate and when we got together I built her mom and dad a house and a couple spec houses. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

That’s what I wanted to do, build a couple houses a year and take care of her rental property.” While he admits it’s a sore subject, he seems enthusiastic about the example he’s been for his son. He adds, “My son’s actually going into engineering right now. I’d like to see him start his own engineering firm. He’s going to a real school, he’s going to Georgia Tech. Hopefully he’ll do more than I did.” Not that Allen’s accomplishments are anything to shake a stick at, after all, how many people can say they’ve built houses? Returning to his current and most long lasting endeavor, automotive repair and service, Allen explains, “We’ve always had many farm accounts in town and sur-

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rounding areas. We do work for them (the farmers). We work on their tractors, and farm equipment. We’re an auto machine shop and we’re also an auto repair shop. We’re very diversified here. We do some high performance stuff, too. I just tell people we work on planes, trains, boats, don’t matter. We’ve worked on just about everything over the years. You’ve got farmers that have got hot-rod cars or a boat as well as a John Deere tractor.”

So, what’s new at Super Service? Well, according to Allen, “In the last three months we’ve added doing tires, alignments, rotating and balances to what we already do in our repair work. We actually brought Richard Welch aboard with us when we did this. He’s been in the business in Plant City for 27 years. He worked at local businesses and he came here about three months ago. He has quite a few years experience in doing automotive and tire.”

Allen’s certainly no stranger to the concept of high performance or hot rods. He says he’s raced pretty much all of his life. His racing ventures include motorcycles, drag cars and mud bog racing. He says, “I’ve won multiple, multiple races, won a National race in Phoenix City, Alabama in ’95.”

Allen grew up in his dad’s trucking company and spent most of his high school years working at Super Service. When coupled with Richard Welch’s experience, one is almost certain to find that Allen’s company lives up to its namesake, and that’s Super Service! •

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MAY 2012

UPDATE

DRY CREEK

PRODUCTION

My Rose

By Les McDowell Photos courtesy of Linda Constant

his has been a busy month at Dry Creek. We are in production of our latest episode called, “My Rose.” It is different than any other Dry Creek episode. For one, it is the most dramatic episode. It deals with lost loves in your life. Everyone who has lived life just a little has dealt with losing someone dear to them. Here’s a few more reasons we are so excited about “My Rose.” Danny Shirley and Confederate Railroad wrote the theme song and perform it. Blue Miller, formerly with The Gibson Miller Band, co-wrote it and also penned a new theme for Dry Creek. Blue is an award winning producer and has many movie scores under his belt. We, at Dry Creek, are very honored to have him do this, It has really been a shot in the arm of Dry Creek.

Stan Hickcock, who started CMT after watching the day-lees of My Rose, is entering this episode in The Cable Awards in N.Y.C in September. We feel very blessed and thankful to be considered for this prestigious award in the industry. Dry Creek has come a long way but we still have a long way to go to bring back family programing with a heart. A program that the whole family can sit down together and watch. We are so thankful for everyone who has given their most valuable gift, their time to make it happen. Go to Facebook and Dry Creek TV to watch a trailer of My Rose or to Drycreektv.com. In today’s busy world, slow down for 30 minutes and hear that little voice inside you - everybody knows where Dry Creek is..... “cause its inside each and everyone of us.”

Dry Creek airs on national TV on Blue Highways TV Saturday nights at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Eastern. Blue Highways founder

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MAY 2012

Tampa Bay’s Fishing Report

No More Jaw Breakers by Captain Woody Gore

any fishing conversations end up with anglers discussing proper fish handling techniques. In addition, while everyone has their own opinion, the question still remains what is the best way to hold a fish while removing a hook or getting a photo. I hope that we will gain some new insight into fish handling and the results from the often-abusive treatment. With today’s amplified emphasis on our environment, many are practicing “catch and release.” While this is a good thing, we must remember that when mishandled from the beginning the good intentions may nevertheless result in a fatality. We have all witnessed television tournament bass anglers one handedly lip a large fish, snatch it from the water with the mouth gapped open wide, supporting its entire weight by the lower lip. Almost every angler has used this method at one time or another, especially when getting that memorable photograph. Even saltwater anglers use this method, especially with species like snook or small tarpon. However many briny deep species have unusually large sets of choppers which certainly tends to discourage such practices. Emulation is often the highest form of flattery and young and upcoming, anglers are looking to be like their fishing idols. Therefore, if for no other reason, we need

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to change our methods of handling fish we intend to release. We have lived in the past for too long and it is time we changed the way we handle fish, stop promoting the wrong methods, and start teaching our next generation of anglers the proper methods of catch and release. Some recent studies are finding that holding and supporting fish by the lower lip without other means of support causes serious injuries often resulting in death. When using the jaw as a handle to move or support the fish’s weight in anything other than a horizontal position, you certainly risk serious damage to tissue or can even break the jaw. We have all been here so let us imagine we are at the dentist with your mouth stretched abnormally wide while they take x-rays. Now imagine the dentist doing the same procedure but this time he is supporting your entire weight from your bottom jaw. Afterwards, and provided you had not killed the dentist, you will be eating soft foods or may be not eating at all. Well the same thing applies to fish. While they cannot kill us, they still end up with damaged tissue, broken bones and often starving to death. If you are one of the environmentally conscious anglers practicing catch and release, you have learned that it is vital to avoid

handling the fish whenever possible. A slimy film covers most fish which helps prevent disease and needless netting or handling removes this protective coating.

Holding a fish by the lower lip is in all probability the best way to remove a hook. However, let us remember we do not need to force the jaws open so wide we cause damage, only wide enough to remove the hook. Anglers around the world use various methods of landing fish. Many use their hands, some use nets, while others use gripping devices. Gripping devices are similar to the lower lip method using your thumb. However, it seems somewhat easier on the fish since it lifts them vertically without the urge to force the mouth open. Once lifted, quickly support the fish with your free hand making sure it is wet. Landing nets have been around for centuries but with more emphasis on catch and release, manufacturers are developing W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

fish friendly nets, if there is such a thing. They have begun using smaller mesh nylon nets coated with rubber that seems to work two fold. It is easier on the protective coating and retards hook fowling. All these are effective, but there is a true fish friendly device invented years ago called a de-hooker, that allows you to release fish without actually touching them.

De-hookers are simple to use. When the fish gets along side the boat, grab the leader placing it into the u-shaped portion of the de-hooker, sliding it down and into the throat of the hook, now keeping the leader taut by pulling on the hook and leader, lift the fish above your hand holding the leader and gently shake the de-hooker. The fish will fall off the hook. After long battles, fish sometimes require extra time to compose themselves and regain their breath. If they need resuscitating, do it gently. Dragging a fish through the water with its mouth open only compounds the process by forcing water into the stomach. However, gently allowing water to flow over the gills will quickly re-oxygenate most fish. Hold the fish upright in the water gently moving it in a forward only motion. Aggressive backwards pulling may cause the delicate gills to bend unnaturally becoming bruised or broken. The fish was an unwilling participant to begin with so remember for the best chance of survival make certain it is ready to go before releasing. All this takes time, a realignment of thinking, habits and a willingness to change our attitude on how we treat these creatures that bring us so much joy.

Give Me a Call & Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Go Fishing 813-477-3817 If you want to catch fish, have a memorable adventure or perhaps learning some new fishing tips give me a call. I also specialize in group or multi-boat charters. Tell me what you need and leave the rest to me. Fishing Florida for over 50 years I offer professionally guided fishing and teaching charters around Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Bradenton, Sarasota, and Tarpon Springs. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in booking a trip, please visit www.CaptainWoodyGore.com send me an email at wgore@ix.netcom.com or call me at: 813-477-3814.

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GALVANIZING

he American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) has established classes of zinc coating for steel wire. There are four types of galvanizing on most common field, horse, goat and chain link fence that we stock. Commerical or regular galvanizing is the least protected. It is not a good fit in the state of Florida (We do not stock this wire) Class I has a light zinc coating. It can be a good fit in some parts of the country or where long term use is not the purpose. Class 3 wire has two and a half times more zinc coating than Class I. It is the preferred coating in most installments because of the extended life. Class 4 is most common in chain link fence. Wire gauge is also a determining factor in wire corrosion. The chart below shows wire size, climate conditions, gauge size and the number of years of service for Class I and Class 3 wire.

CLIMATIC CONDITION Wire Size

9 11 12 1/2 14 1/2

Dry 1 15 11 11 7

3 30 30 30 23

Humid Class 1 3 8 13 6 13 6 13 5 10

Coastal and Industrial 1 3 3 6 2 6 2 6 11/2 41/2

The S Knot design uses a separate piece of wire to attach the line wire to solid stay wire. Our non-climb and sheep and goat wire use this knot. The Fixed knot (Staylock) adds a third knot wire that is twisted around the vertical and horizontal wires under pressure, locking them tight. This knot provides far greater vertical and horizontal holding strength. In the future we will stock fixed joint field fence. The advantage of this wire is that it keeps the same shape after intense hitting by animals. It also will have a class 3 coating for longer life. Fixed knot fencing is more expensive than standard field fence, but with post spacing 20 – 25 feet on center (instead of 8 – 10 feet) the installed price runs about 20 percent less versus a conventional field fence and you’ve got a superior fence that is easier to install and maintain for less money. We will have this wire in inventory after July 4. When buying farm fence always look at the tag to see if you are getting Class I or Class 3 wire, and what is the tensile strength of the wire. If the tag is missing, it might have been pulled. Sometimes wire is purchased because of the manufacture. Look at the tag-make sure it is Class 3 wire high tensile is even better. Painting the top of wire does not give the wire more galvanizing. You might be surprised at what you’ve been buying.

WIRE FENCE

TENSILE STRENGTH There are three tensile strengths in ranch wire stocked in most stores, low tensile (low carbon) with a 60,000 pound PSI, medium tensile has a 125,000 PSI. High ensile wire has a 175,000 PSI. When installed properly, high tensile wire will stay tight for years, using fewer posts and less labor. We stock all three tensile strengths.

KNOTS There are basically three types of knots in farm fence. Hinge joint is the most common in farm fencing. The knot is formed by wrapping the vertical stay wire around the line wire at each intersection. The hinge joint is the most economical knot. All of the field fence that we stock has a hinge joint.

1047-330’ Field Fence 14ga CL3.............$115.00 1047-330’ Field Fence 12½ga CL1............139.00 1047-330’ Field Fence 12½ga CL3 LOW CARBON ............$139.00 1047-330’ Field Fence 12½ga CL3 HIGH TENSILE ............$155.00 Barb Wire 15½ CL3 Gauge .......................$35.00 Barb Wire 12½ GA CL3 ............................$65.00 Barb Wire 15½ GA 3” spacing .................$49.00 100’x4’ CL3 no climb horse wire ............$125.00 100’x5’ CL3 no climb horse wire ............$149.00 200’x4’ CL1 no climb horse wire ............$199.00 200’x4’ CL3 no climb horse wire ............$229.00 100’x4’ CL1 4 X 4 goat wire ....................$75.00 330’x4’ CL1 4 X 4 goat wire ..................$239.00 5’x16’ Horse Panel 6GA 2x4....................$59.00 50”x16’ 10 Line Panel 4GA .....................$22.00 39” Field Fence 12½ga 330’...................$112.00 Barbless Wire 12½ga 1320’.....................$54.00 Barbless Wire 14ga 1320’ ........................$35.00 Smooth Wire 9ga 140’ .............................$11.95 Smooth Wire 12½ga 210’ ........................$12.50 Fence Stays 100 pair 42” ........................$46.00 Staples 1¼-1½-1¾ 50# ............................$49.00 In the future, please continue to follow us on the web and look for our specials on Facebook.

Ph: (813) 620-3006 • 6902 Causeway Blvd, Tampa • www.Fencing-Farm-Ranch.com 16

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by Cheryl Kuck

kyrocketing to success in just three short years, Chef Raphael Rosario is carving a unique place for himself as a visionary restaurant impresario.

Opening my grouper, the exotic fusion of aromas wafted up to tickle my nostrils enough to make my mouth begin to water.

Riding high on ‘Best of the Bay’ awards with accolades from Urban Spoon and Creative Loafing polls, Rosario brought his popular Ybor City Shrimp & Company (purchased in 2009) up to the number 27th spot (out of 6,000 Bay area restaurants) before selling it to fund the creation of two other locations, Shrimp & Co. Express of Plant City in 2011 and the 7-week-old Shrimp Warehouse in Brandon.

The smells did not fail my waiting taste buds. The delicate white fish had the full compilation of Rosario’s seasoning, only enhancing the exquisite fresh grouper but not over-powering it…one of the best white fish filets in memory, accompanied by a flavorful squash and vegetable medley. Seemingly simple, yet difficult to accomplish so perfectly…delish!

In an economy where businesses are failing, you may wonder how this feat was accomplished. The answer is in the originality of the food flavors created by a chef who has studied his craft at the highest culinary institutions in his native Puerto Rico, as well as, in New Orleans. There is a fusion of Creole/Cajun combined with a Caribbean and a southern style of cooking. Each has a distinctive taste and genre but, somehow, come together to form dishes that are flavorful, light, bright and complimentary. In other words, frying is lightly battered or breaded and fried. The sauces compliment but do not over-take and the spices add a different ‘zing’ without the burn. With a large kitchen staff, each dish is made-to-order with no ingredients prefrozen. “There is nothing cookie-cutter here, fish and meat are hand-cut with nothing coming from the freezer,” says Rosario. “Shrimp come directly from the Tampa docks and all vegetables come daily from Plant City farms.” While folks may expect a wait for madeto-order cuisine in triple dollar rated establishments, the chef knows it is going to take them a while to understand this concept in the laid-back warehouse atmosphere where top value doesn’t mean lesser quality. He does not expect rapid turn-over of tables. “A meal is to be savored and enjoyed, not something to race through. It is a time for conversation and laughter with family and friends. It is how I was raised, and how I would like others to feel about the meals we serve.” When tasting any whole fish or filet, the first thing I do is to open it up and see if it is tender, flaky and juicy. If it’s not, it‘s either over-cooked or not fresh. In that case, it’s not worth eating. 18

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The shrimp in the shrimp basket were fried and butterflied. They receive extra credit by going for looks, as well as, taste by taking time to make the shrimp not only deveined but divine. The Cajun-inspirationally seasoned Coleslaw was freshly crunchy without swimming in a mayonnaise-induced sea, while the hush puppies were in their seldom seen original southern essence; fully fried but with tiny bits of vegetables remaining al dente (to-the-tooth). Dessert specials change weekly and his special Puerto Rican cheesecake –style flan is a real treat. Chef Rosario believes no flan of any excellence should come to the table with any surface bubbles. If he finds any, he personally removes each one with a toothpick. Claiming to be “The home of the Mojito,” (admittedly, I only tasted the non-alcoholic version) they served a delightful drink with fresh mint and a real sugar cane swizzle stick. A great take on the ‘Shirley Temple’ for all ages. However, when served the chef’s own special; a smoothly deceptive and dangerous “Coquito,” a Christmas coconut liqueur-based drink he refers to as, “Puerto Rican egg nog,” don’t blame me if you start hoping for Christmas in July…or maybe sooner! •

The Shrimp Warehouse 779 W. Lumsden Rd, Brandon (813) 661-0001 Hours: Open 7 days-a-week; Mon – Thurs 11:30am - 10pm, Fri – Sat 11:30pm, Sun 11:30am - 8pm Other Locations: Shrimp & Co. Express at 3503 W. Baker St. in Plant City. Phone: (813) 752-9040. Website: www.theshrimpwarehouse.com W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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GM IS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH FARM BUREAU速 TO BRING YOU THIS VALUABLE OFFER1. Farm Bureau members can get a $5001 private offer toward the purchase or lease of most new GM vehicles, including the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD lineup. Visit fbverify.com for more details. They get tough jobs done with a maximum payload of up to 6,635 lbs.2 and a conventional towing capacity of up to 17,000 lbs.3 And through the GM Business Choice Program4, business owners receive even more when purchasing or leasing an eligible Chevrolet or GMC truck or van for business use. Visit gmbusinesschoice.com for details. 1Offer valid toward the purchase of new 2011 and 2012 Buick, Chevrolet and GMC models, excluding Chevrolet Volt. 2Requires Regular Cab model and gas engine. Maximum payload capacity includes weight of driver, passengers, optional equipment and cargo. 3Requires available 6.6L Duramax速 diesel engine. Maximum trailer ratings assume a properly-equipped base vehicle plus drive. See dealer for details. 4To qualify, vehicles must be used in the day-to-day operation of the business and not solely for transportation purposes. Must provide proof of business. This program may not be compatible with other offers or incentive programs. Consult your local Chevrolet or GMC dealer or visit gmbusinesschoice.com for program compatibility and other restrictions. Take delivery by 9/30/2012. Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau Federation速 are registered service marks owned by the American Farm Bureau Federation, and are used herein (or by GM) under license. 息2011 General Motors LLC

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few months back I was sit’n in a rocker on the back porch watch’n the sunset below the Blue Ridge Mountains at our place in Blairsville, Georgia when the phone rang. Patsy, my wife, answered it inside where she was watching Lizard Lick on TV. It was Linda Connell. Linda and Jim have a nice place just outside of Blairsville with a grand view of the mountains, too.

order me a good southern breakfast, but just what in the world is that white mush looking stuff?”

“Patsy,” Linda said, “Would you and Al like to meet us around 8:30 tomorrow morning for breakfast at the Hole-In-TheWall restaurant around the square in downtown Blairsville?” Patsy replied, “Sounds like fun, we’ll see you there!”

“Do you live up here?” she asked.

We pulled up about the same time and went inside. There was only one table left. This is a very popular restaurant for locals. I learned a long time ago if you want good food – eat where the locals eat. We placed our orders and sipped on good mountain made coffee served by a sweet little lady that had to be from Blairsville, as her accent was a dead give away. “Ya’ll enjoy your coffee while they cook up every thing good’n fresh, ya hear? I’ll be back in a jiffy to give you a refill.” Seated at the next table were two nicely dressed couples. I figured right away they were Yankees down here to check out the south. One lady had a fluffy hairdo that ended up with a bun on the top that was fit for a ten-day tent revival, and the other with enough makeup up on to put Tammy Faye Baker to shame. The waitress brought them their order and said, “Now if there’s anything else ya’ll need just give me a hollar, ya-hear?” The lady with the cup-cake makeup looked at her plate and then jumped her husband. “Now Robert, I told you to 22

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“Honey, that’s what the southerners call grits. Try it, you might like it,” he said. Being neighborly, I spoke up and introduced myself, Patsy, Jim and Linda. “Nice to meet you people.”

“Yes, we are southerners from Florida, but we have a home here in Blairsville, too. You know, I couldn’t help from over hearing your husband’s comment on the grits. (I figured this would be a good time to give them an education on grits) He’s right! Grits are the next best thing to gourmet dining in the south.” Jim picked on what I was doing and said, “Grits are known as manna from Heaven. Some Southern Baptist’s believes grits are what God fed the Israelites during their time in the Sinai desert.” Patsy and Linda encouraged her to give it a try with a little salt and butter. Being nice she said, “I think I could learn to cultivate a taste for it. Tell me, what are grits made of?” she said. Knowing I would most likely never see them again I poured it on. “The truth of the matter is, grits come from a plant similar to a tomato. You can buy some grit plants at the local Ace Hardware just a few miles down the road. They sell’m by the dozen – complete with grits fertilizer, stakes, string and plastic.” “Stakes, string and plastic. What’s that for?” She asked. “You take the stakes and put them next to the growing grit plant, then run the string from one end of plants to the other, loop-

ing it around each stake. Then when the grit is ready to harvest you put the plastic on the ground below the plant and jerk the string. The grits fall on the plastic and you scoop them up! Another way to pick grits is to buy a grits picker. Ace Hardware has them to, but they are expensive. You’ll find them in the fertilizer section of the store. Grits grow pretty fast, and you’ll have fun watch’n ‘em grow! Real simple. Anybody can do it,” I said. They seemed okay with my story and left the Hole In The Wall restaurant with a full stomach and a smile on their face. “You should be ashamed,” Patsy said. “Not really,” I replied. “There are too many northerners walking around in a daze not knowing anything about grits and how great it is to be a southerner. If they are moving south they need to get an education on southern living. You know, I could have told her about archeologists finding, in an ancient city in Greece, the diary of a woman named Madamusiculin Herousis (Paula Dean to her friends) who wrote about serving grits to King Tut.” I was brought up on grits, and still love’m today. Mama could work miracles with left over grits. She would take the leftover grits, spread them into the bottom of dish, cover them up, and place them in the refrigerator over night. The next morning she would cut the grits into small one inch squares. Dump them into cooking oil and let them cook until they were golden brown. Talk about something good. Man, McDonald’s McNuggets can’t hold a candle to them. Give me grits, some big homemade cat head biscuits, red eye gravy and sugar cured ham, and I’m as happy as a kid with an RC Cola and moon pie at the country store. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

Let me close with my continuing education for northerners with the TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GRITS: 1. THOU SHALT NOT EAT THY GRITS WITH A SPOON. 2. THOU SHALT NOT PUT SYRUP ON THY GRITS. 3. THOU SHALT NEVER PUT SUGAR ON THY GRITS. 4. THOU SHALT NEVER EAT CREAM OF WHEAT AND CALL IT GRITS. 5. THOU SHALT USE ONLY BUTTER AND CHEESE AS TOPPINGS FOR THY GRITS. 6. THOU SHALT NOT EAT INSTANT GRITS. 7. THOU SHALT NOT EAT INSTANT GRITS. 8. THOU SHALT NOT EAT INSTANT GRITS. 9. THOU SHALT NOT EAT INSTANT GRITS. 10. THOU SHALT NOT EAT INSTANT GRITS.

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PROTECTING AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY

Florida, the legislature has provided for two types of fences: general and legal.

Some Rights and Responsibilities

A general fence is a fence that must be “substantially constructed,” or made from rails, logs, post and railing, iron, steel or other such material and be no less than five feet high.

MUCH MORE THAN POSTING A “NO TRESPASSING” SIGN

To the extent of two feet from the ground, the material used to construct the fence should not have gaps greater than four inches. A legal fence is a fence that is at lest three feet high and made of barbed or other soft wire of no less than three strands stretched securely on supports that are up to 20 feet apart, or when using battens, up to 60 feet apart for non-electric and 150 feet for electric using high-tensile wire. Other materials may be used if the requirements are substantially met. A legal fence may include a gateway if it meets the standards required of a legal fence and is constructed with a livestock guard at least six feet wide extending to each end of the opening.

By Jim Frankowiak

rotecting your agricultural property in Florida from trespassers is more than a matter of simply posting a “No Trespassing” sign. A discussion of agricultural property protection, however, has to begin with a review of fencing since a “no trespassing” sign without a natural enclosure of fence may not protect your land from trespassers. The legal aspects of fences in Florida have grown in significance due to the added importance of the real property involved. To help provide a basic overview of the many rights and responsibilities that agricultural interests and farmland owners have under Florida’s fencing and property law, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the Agricultural Law Center have developed the HANDBOOK OF FLORIDA FENCE AND PROPERTY LAW. It is accessible online at: http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ T OPIC_B OOK_ Florida_Fence_and_Property_Law

However, the laws, administrative rulings and court decisions on which this booklet is based are subject to constant revisions and could become outdate at any time. This booklet is not a replacement for personal legal advice. A fence in Florida is generally defined as a visible, tangible obstruction that has been raised between two tracts of land so as to separate, protect and enclose the land. In 24

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Land in Florida is legally enclosed or posted when a legal fence encloses it, and its boundaries display posted notice to the public. The law views any part of the land bounded by ocean, gulf, bay, river, creek or lake as legally enclosed. Owners of legally enclosed land must maintain the condition of the fence and the posted notice. Posted notice on fences must prominently display, in letters of at least two inches in height, the word “posted” together with the name of the owner, lessee, or occupant of the land. The notices must be placed no less than 500 feet apart, at every corner and at any gate or pending of fence. Similar notice is required for land bounded by water. Farm Bureau members can order No Trespassing signs for $1.50 each through their local county office. These signs note a reward offer of up to $500 paid by the Florida Farm Bureau Federation for information leading to the arrest and felony conviction of persons responsible for theft from or vandalism to property of a Farm Bureau member. The legal duties a landowner has to a person or persons entering his property depend upon the classification of the person who enters the property. Florida law classifies such people into three types: invitees, licensees and trespassers. An invitee includes any individual who is invited onto the landowner’s property or is led to believe that an invitation was given. Invitation occurs when the property is open to members of the public or the individual enters the property for a business

dealing with the owner of the property. Firefighters or law enforcement officers who enter a property to discharge a duty are considered invitees. With this classification, the owner is responsible for any injuries to the invitee caused by the owner’s intentional actions, by a failure to warn the invitee of any dangers of which the owner is aware or by a failure to keep the property in a reasonably safe condition The licensee enters the owner’s property with the assent of the owner for the individual’s own convenience, pleasure or benefit. This category includes uninvited licensees whose presence is tolerated or permitted by the owner of the property. It also includes discovered trespassers and trespassers who have done so for a substantial period of time with the owner’s knowledge. For this classification, the landowner is responsible in cases where the owner willfully injures that person or that person is injured due to the owner’s wanton negligence. In addition, the property owner has a responsibility to warn the licensee of any known dangers that someone would not readily notice. A trespasser is a person who intrudes upon another person’s property for his own reasons without invitation or license and without any purpose other than self-interest. However, the owner of the land must provide proper notice to all parties that may enter the property. If no notice of trespassing is posted on a piece of property and the party cannot know who owns the land, the party may not be able to be assumed to be a trespasser. This is to be done by posted notice of proper size, composition and location as previously noted. For this classification, the owner has a duty to not intentionally injure the trespasser. Additionally, if the property owner knows or has reason to know of trespassers on the land, the property owner must warn the trespasser of dangerous conditions that are not open or obvious to the trespasser. Florida law does not require the owners of livestock and animals the duty to fence, but owners may be civilly or criminally liable for animals that stray onto public roads. State law does require waste disposal facilities, companies that dig open pits and the owners of junkyards to fence their property. Special fencing requirements also exist for private game preserves, swimming pools and amusement rides. (Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Michael T. Olexa, Professor, Food and Resource Economics Department, and Director, UF/IFAS Agricultural Law Center, University of Florida, for his assistance with the development of this article.) W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

• Food Plot Mix • Attractants • Feeders • and much more!

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Open: M-F: 8 to 6 pm Sat: 8-5 pm Closed Sunday

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Buford Harrell celebrated his 80th Birthday April 15th with friends and family.

Photo by Randall Casey.

Madi Brown Takes 1st Place “Well today I’d like to demonstrate how to make a particularly canine version of a garden container that might get a few howls of delight from your neighbor,” Madi Brown exclaimed, beginning what would turn out to be her district winning Ornamental Horticulture Demonstration. This event was held April 3 at the First Baptist Church of Dover. The OH Demo is a detailed contest available to FFA members across the state of Florida. It is broken down into five individual categories: Artistic Arrangement, Consumer Use, Landscaping, Marketing, and Production. Each contestant is required to demonstrate a unique ‘how to’ that falls into one of the available categories, accompanied by a speech and visual aid. The entire demonstration can be no longer than ten minutes, requiring the demonstrator to create a quick and fluent manner of presentation. Afterwards the contestant is scored on their ability to answer a variety of questions asked on the spot by three judges.

Buford officially became an Octogenarian! Thank you to all his friends and family who helped celebrate this special day.

Madi Brown, representing the Lennard FFA Chapter, competed in the Artistic Arrangement category with her interesting take on a container garden called ‘Peat the Pot Puppy’. Her efforts were not wasted, as she earned a first place for her chapter. She will have the opportunity to compete at the State level April 27 at the University of Florida campus in Gainesville. • 28

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In the seventeenth century, educated citrus growers would resort to superstitious methodologies when attempting to battle diseases in their groves. In fact, it’s reported that they’d bury a dead dog at the roots of the infected trees.2 Certainly much progress has been made since that time. However, not a lot of it has been any more effective than the dead dog trick. In fact, the most recommended remedy is tree removal because, as of yet, no cure has been found for the disease. Sadly, trees infected by greening usually die within 3-5 years after infection and while they are alive they produce fruit that is unsuitable for sale.5 Given the vast numbers of citrus growers getting out of the industry, it seems imperative that some light be shed on the issue. Surely there’s something that can be done to stall, if not wholly eliminate, the problem. Too much is riding on rectification for growers to give up. Florida farmers are not the “call-itquits” type. With that said, let us explore some potential hope. Workers in India, in the 70s, reported that some chemicals were effective. They injected trees with tetracycline antibiotics. In addition, citrus psyllids do have some natural enemies, syrphids, chrysopids, several types of parasitic wasps and at least 12 species of coccinellids. Florida has intentionally introduced one specific parasitic wasp as a means of challenging the infestation of citrus psyllids.6 No doubt the introduction of more non-native species can be slightly off-putting, if not hugely bothersome. What other options are there then?

By Ginny Mink

range groves in Florida are suffering greatly from a series of maladies that seem unconquerable. This is very heart wrenching to all those who have This is where Maury Boyd, a citrus grower, steps into the picture. He has come invested their lives in the citrus industry. In fact, Florida has a very rich and up with a “nutrient cocktail” that is showing some interesting results. According to The Grower, his cocktail appears to improve an infected tree’s vascular syslong history when it comes to those deeply loved and deliciously healthy fruits. tem as well as rejuvenate it. Bob Rouse, an associate horticulture professor at the Patrick Malcolm reports in his, History of Citrus, that there is recorded evidence Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, has been conthat citrus trees were well established in Saint Augustine, Florida around 1565. He ducting research on the topic for three years and has seen that Boyd’s blend helps informs readers that A.L. Duncan identified the first edible grapefruit variety counteract the effects of greening. Apparently, Boyd’s concoction enables the (Duncan grapefruit), planted a seedling in Florida in 1892, and the tree is suppos- trees to produce new nutrient-carrying vascular tissue, phloem. He’s using edly still alive today! Initially, Florida dominated the citrus industry, but freezes macronutrients on the ground and micronutrients via foliar applications, along occurring in 1894 and 1899 were hugely devastating.1 It took 14 years for Florida with a strong psyllid management program on his own grove. to regain its production success and by that time California had surpassed it. Thusly, the Florida citrus industry moved further south and was then able to gain Foliar nutrient application has been utilized for over 200 years. The concept is rapid momentum. According to Herbert John Webber, by 1924-25, Florida was that the non-root parts of a plant, a citrus tree in this case, can absorb nutrients from sprays and other applications. Interest in this methodology has increased producing 20 million boxes in comparison to California’s 24 million.2 significantly since the 1950s. The greatest advantage is that the nutrients are The industry has come a long way since then. However, in recent years citrus absorbed much more rapidly and effectively as compared to soil applications.7 growers have seen some serious catastrophes. Some of these are economically Rouse’s study showed that a balanced program of ground and foliar nutrient based, as reported by Greg Allen in his January 2011 article, Abandoned Citrus application was recommended. He suggests that at least one of the micronutriGroves Produce Problems in Fla. He states that Florida is a national leader in cit- ents should be in the phosphite form because that enhances fruit yield. Further rus production, yet in the past few years landowners have given up on 100,000+ research is being done on the subject and results should be out soon. 7 acres of citrus groves finding that they are costing them more money than they There are several companies that provide foliar nutrient products: are worth. This is a problem, he says, because the abandoned groves are, “breedwww.best-organic-fertilizer.com, www.gardenerstoolbox.com and ing grounds for pests and diseases.” He writes that these issues have been very http://plantfoodsystems.com, just to name a few. hard to control and have thereby helped push many growers out of business. He reiterates that the growing number of abandoned groves is only intensifying the We spoke with Larry Bridge of Plant Food Systems, who relayed a success story problem because insects from the infected trees are migrating to healthy groves about a Polk County citrus grower. Larry said, “He noticed greening three years nearby.3 ago but was in denial. His Hamlin’s shed leaves and had some moderate fruit

The USDA reports that Florida’s citrus industry accounts for two-thirds of the US citrus production but has been on the decline. It implies that the $9 billion industry’s problem is related to citrus greening, which first appeared in the state in 2005. In the 2009-10 season Florida produced 133.6 million boxes of fruit as compared to the previous year when production topped out at 162.5 million.4 Since citrus is not native to North America, neither are the diseases and pests that plague it. Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing or yellow dragon disease, is a disease at the top of the problem list. It is thought to have originated in China in the early 1900s. Bob Adair of the Florida Research Center for Agricultural Sustainability, when speaking about this issue says, “We took it away from its natural enemies and what we’re seeing right now is [that] all the natural enemies of citrus have found it here in Florida.”3 This hugely problematic, and oft times completely debilitating, citrus disease is spread by insects called psyllids.5 The first citrus psyllid in Florida was discovered on the east coast in 1998, but by September of 2000 those wretched creatures had spread to 31 Florida counties. The psyllids lay their eggs on growing shoots and unfurling leaves. They are often confused with aphids and should be identified by a taxonomist. They suck the sap out of the foliage and transmit the organisms that cause greening. Infected trees will show stunted growth, off-season bloom and their fruit and leaves will drop off. The fruit is usually small and often lop-sided, hard and not very juicy. This epidemic has instituted a quarantine of the entire state (there are several other states on this list too).6 30

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drop in September. His weakest grapefruit trees defoliated and produced golfball sized fruit and then a year ago his sunburst tangerines experienced a heavy drop. He realized, finally, that this was going to have some seriously detrimental effects on his family’s primary business. So, he increased the amount of calcium nitrate in his dry fertilizer mix, increased the amount of foliar nutrients and sprayed more often. The increased combined nutritional and psyllid sprays, added to a dry fertilizer, has created an amazing recovery in his grove.” This supports the findings of Maury Boyd and Bob Rouse. Perhaps other citrus growers will take this information and attempt their own trials. It seems that if the USDA’s only recommendation is to remove the trees, extra attempts at recovery can’t hurt anything. • 1

History of Citrus – By: Patrick Malcolm, 2006. http://Ezinearticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Malcolm

History and Development of the Citrus Industry – By: Herbert John Webber http://websites.lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter1.htm

Abandoned Citrus Groves Produce Problems in Fla. – By: Greg Allen, January 19, 2011. http://www.npr.org/2011/01/19/133048536/abandoned-orangegroves-produce-problems-in-florida

4 Florida orange groves still shrinking, USDA says – By: Jane Sutton, September 23, 2010. http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/09/23/us-usa-orangesflorida-idUSTRE68M5MV20100923 5 http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/citrus_greening/index.shtml 6 http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/citrus/acpsyllid.htm 7 Fertilization with Foliar Absorbed Nutrients. http://www.griggbros.com/index.php/suportdocumentation/gb-tech-bulletins/fertilization-with-foliarabsorbed-nutrients

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Hillsborough Soil & Water Conservation District LAND JUDGING CONTEST The Annual Land Judging contest was held on Thursday, December 1, at a site courtesy of Dennis Carlton, with students from Hillsborough County Public Schools – Randall Middle School, Newsome High School, Armwood High School, Spoto High School, and Strawberry Crest High School. The winners of the 2011 contest in high school competition were: 1st Place Strawberry Crest High School with a high score going to Kade Green; 2nd Place Newsome High School; and 3rd Place Armwood High School. In Middle School competition results were as follows: 1st Place Randall Middle School with the high score going to Nick Dosik. Pam Walden, Agri-Business & Natural Resources with Hillsborough County Schools, coordinated the contest. The food was prepared and provided by a dedicated and long time veteran of the Land Judging Contest, Douglas Holmberg. The lunch and awards ceremony was held at the Hinton’s Farm off of Sydney Dover Road. The Land Judging contest is a middle school and high school competition that challenges students to gain a better understanding of soil structure and land evaluation. Land Judging enables each participant to learn how to recognize the physical features of the soil, determine land capability for crop productions and evaluate management practices needed for proper stewardship, soil, land and home-site evaluation, provide a setting for students to investigate the soils in their region, the environment that surrounds them and their effect on their daily lives. The Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District (HSWCD) services all of Hillsborough County. Their office is located in downtown Plant City. The district includes five volunteer supervisors, three county employees, and two Federal Employees (USDANRCS). The district provides technical assistance and conservation planning to residents throughout Hillsborough County to conserve and protect water resources, keep agricultural land productive and improve wildlife habitat. The District has also developed and hosted the following annual educational programs and workshops to help residents of the county gain a better understanding of local environmental concerns and what can be done to protect and conserve the County’s limited natural resources.

1st Place – Strawberry Crest High School holistic approach to natural resource conservation and can easily be incorporated into a teaching curriculum for high school students in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. The regional envirothon was held on Friday, February 17, 2012 at the St. Petersburg College in Seminole FL. The high school is represented by a five member team or teams and an advisor. The regional winners are as follows: 1st Place Canterbury School of Florida (Pinellas County); 2nd Place East Bay High School (Hillsborough County); and 3rd Place T.R. Robinson High School (Hillsborough County). Teams were also recognized by scoring high in each category – Aquatics – Alternate Team 4 – Moss, Forestry – Brandon Senior High School, Soils – Newsome High School, Wildlife – Plant City High School, Current Environmental Issue – Alonso High School and Oral Question – Canterbury School of Florida.

POSTER CONTEST The Poster Contest gives the elementary students in Hillsborough County the opportunity to express their knowledge and understanding of conserving water and other natural resources through their talent and creativity in art. The 2012 Theme is “Soil to Spoon.” It is important to understand where the food comes from that you eat each day. You see a wide variety of products in your local grocery store. But where does it all come from? What is the connection to the soil you walk on each day? This poster contest helps them gain a better understanding of the process the food takes. The winners are as follows: 1st Place Maria Pardo, Gibsonton Elementary School, 2nd Place Hunter Orchard, Gibsonton Elementary School, 3rd Place Madison Campbell, Gibsonton Elementary School. The winner’s posters were displayed in the 2012 State Fair Ag Hall of Fame. The winner’s posters will compete at the Annual AFCD Area Meeting. The winners will then go on to compete with other posters at the Annual AFCD State Meeting.• 1st Place – Randall Middle School

TAMPA BAY REGIONAL ENVIROTHON The Tampa Bay Regional Envirothon is a problem-solving, natural resource education program for high school students. It is a fieldoriented program in which students, working in teams of five, learn to use critical thinking skills, work as a team, and develop problem-solving and communications skills to answer written questions or conduct hands-on investigations about environmental issues. The program focuses on the following five areas of study: Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils/Land Use, Wildlife, and Environmental Issue. The current environmental issue is different each year. These interrelated and broad study areas teach a W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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By Libby Hopkins

Joyce Lang of ‘My Sweet Bees Apiaries’ in Seffner, FL

here are over 20,000 species of bees worldwide, 4,000 in the United States. There are six different families of bees living in Florida and while they are among the stinging members of Hymenoptera that can be dangerous to allergic individuals, we cannot live without them. The honeybee is the most import of member of this clan. According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension website, www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu, “The honey bee is credited with approximately 85 percent of the pollinating activity necessary to supply about one-third of the nation’s food supply. Well over 50 crops are either dependant on these insects for pollination or produce more abundantly when honey bees are plentiful.” It is estimated that there are close to 12,0000 beekeepers in the state of Florida and they manage over 350,000 colonies that produce 20-30 million pounds of honey each year. Honey holds numerous health benefits in its sticky, sweet syrup. Researchers have found that honey can increase calcium absorption, increase hemoglobin counts and treat or prevent anemia caused by nutritional factors. It can help with arthritic joints, when combined with apple cider vinegar. It fights colds and respiratory infections. Honey also helps with allergies. There are over 4,100

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species of native or naturalized plants in Florida, making it the third most floristically diverse state in the United States. Out of the all these plants, 167 of them produce pollen and at least 60 of them are known to produce allergic reactions in many people. Never fear, honey is here to help with your allergies! Researchers have found that if honey is taken daily, either with food or under the tongue, it can reduce the symptoms of allergies. For the honey to work on your allergies, the honey must come from within a 55-mile radius of where you live. Joyce Lang, of My Sweet Bees Apiaries in Seffner, is a beekeeper, or as she says, “An attendant to her majesty, the queen.” Lang has seen first hand the healing effects of honey. She has used honey to heal cuts and bruises. “If you put it on like an ointment, honey sucks out the water in a wound and it stops bacteria from growing,” Lang said. She mixes two teaspoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon to use as pain reliever. She mixes honey and lemon juice together to use as a facial mask for her face. She said it helps get rid of wrinkles. She’ll also tell you that if she doesn’t eat honey everyday, she feels run down and tired. Honey gives you energy without the insulin surge caused by white sugar. Honey helps promote longevity. According

to the website, www.naturalnews.com, “The most long-lived people in the world are all regular users of honey. An interesting fact, yet to be explained, is that beekeepers suffer less from cancer and arthritis than any other occupational group in the world.” Lang maintains 50-70 hives, but only extracts honey 2-3 times a year.

“Basically, the honey is for the bees, not us,” Lang said. “Honey is the bee’s food and without it, they can’t survive.” Lang mostly carries wildflower honey, but she sometimes has orange blossom honey as well. She feels wildflower honey has more health benefits. “Orange blossom isn’t that good as far as benefits because it’s a single source,” Lang said. “ It’s better to have a blend like wildflower.” Lang does not consider her beekeeping a business. She does it because she enjoys people and she loves honey. “I’ve had people ask me to put my honey in their fruit stands, but I won’t because I do this for the relationships with the bees and with my customers,” Lang said. She loves when her customers tell her their stories of how honey has healed an W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

aliment for them. One woman told her that she used the honey to make soap that helped clear up her daughter’s acne. Another customer told her it cleared up her grandson’s eczema. Lang uses bee’s wax and other natural ingredients to make lotions and moisturizing balms. Customers who have bought Lang’s lotion told her that it helped get rid of their skin rashes. After doing all my research for this article and listening to Lang’s testimonies on the health benefits of honey, I decided to give Lang’s lotion and honey a shot. I have sinus problems and when the pollen count is high, I’m congested. I also have a mild case of eczema on my elbows. I’m happy to report that after giving the honey and lotion a try for two weeks, my allergies have improved and my eczema is slowly going away. Honey truly has healing benefits. •

Honey from Lang’s bees and lotion – Joyce made from bee’s wax and other natural ingredients.

If you would like to purchase some of Lang’s lotion or honey, you can contact her at 813-503-9656.

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Khorsandian is an international competitor and trainer. She is working on being selected for the United States Equestrian Team.

By Libby Hopkins

t has been said that a stubborn horse walks behind you, an impatient horse walks in front of you, but a noble companion walks beside you. Leah Khorsandian, of Khorsandian Eventing, has had her share of all kinds of horses. She is an international competitor and trainer. She is working on being selected for the United States Equestrian Team. If she becomes a member of the team, she would represent the U. S. in the Olympics as well as other competitions. Khorsandian started riding when she was 4-years-old. “The criterion for me to be able to ride was that I had to flex my arms big enough to stop the horse,” Khorsandian said. She met the criterion and her mom, Jan, started taking her and her brother, Kori, for riding lessons once a week. She grew up in the U.S. Pony Club and was part of the North American Young Riders Championship. When Khorsandian was about to turn 16, her parents gave her the option of buying a 10acre farm and her first horse, or she could have any car she wanted. She picked the farm, but the other part of the agreement was that she would have to stay at home and attend the University of South Florida at the Tampa campus. She competed and trained horse all while she was working on her degree in Psychology. She started studying for her MCAT to get into medical school, but changed her mind. Her love for Eventing won over medical school. She asked her parents to give her the money they would have spent on sending her to medical school so she could develop the farm for Eventing. Khorsandian Eventing was born. “It went from an orange W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

grove to building a barn and a dressage arena with mirrors,” Khorsandian said. So what is Eventing? It is considered the Triathlon of horse sports. It’s a comprehensive sport that comes from military practices when horses were trained for war. Eventing is the ultimate thrill that tests the connection and bond between the horse and its rider throughout three phases of competition. The first phase is dressage. In this phase, the horse and rider perform a memorized test similar to ballroom dancing. They are judged on accuracy, fluidity, and ease of movements. The second phase is cross country. This phase is the heart of eventing. The horse and rider negotiate a timed course made up of solid jumps, ditches, banks and water, all over varied terrain. This phase is about testing horsemanship, fitness and bravery. The final phase is stadium. In the stadium phase, the horse and rider navigate a timed set course. The precision and endurance of both the horse and rider are tested during this phase of competition. Another interesting side note about Eventing, it is one of the two Olympic sports in which men and women compete as equals. All of Khorsandian’s hard work has paid off. Her business has out grown its current facility. She has her 10 acre farm in Thonotosassa up for sale while she relocates to an 80 acre farm in Dade City. “The five year plan is to run recognized United States Equestrian and Eventing Association events at the new facility,” Khorandian said. Another part of her five year plan is to go to the Olympics. She was next in line for a chance at the Olympic team ... continued on next page INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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continued from page 37... and her horse, Pamiro W. or “Will” as she calls him, became ill and had to have surgery. Her horse recovered but not in enough time to make the team. She’s also looking for more sponsors. The cost of campaigning a horse and rider to be a contender for the U.S Equestrian Team is a daunting $155,000 annually. Khorsandian is a member of the American Horse Trials Foundation. It is a non-profit organization committed to helping riders and even organizers pay for their competition expenses. You can sponsor a rider directly and advertise you business at the same time. Khorsandian has learned a lot over her years of riding and training. “I’ve learned to be humble. The second you think you are good, you’re going to fall off your horse.” She also said nothing beats time in the saddle. She has a whole team working in the background that she is thankful for because they help her excel in Eventing. Her parents, Sheriaz and Jan, have made sure she’s gotten everything she needs to be a great competitor. Her brother, Kori, is a general contractor and he helped build the new farm in Dade City. Her boyfriend, Cliff Ellis, builds all of her jumps and helps her maintain the barn and horses. Without her background team, Khorsandian Eventing would not be possible. For more information about Khorsandian Eventing or if you would like to sponsor Khorsandian, you can visit her website at www.khorsandianeventing.com. •

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A Closer Look

Brown Marmorated

Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys)

By Sean Green

nvasive species have become the subject of growing concern as environmental awareness is awakened through the media. While some invasive species, such as the Mediterranean Fruit fly, have become eradicated throughout Florida, a great deal of effort is necessary to keep the threat at bay. Most will agree that the best measure of protection is to understand the threat before it becomes a crisis, only then can we respond with a spirit of reason and a tactile solution. Fortunately our own University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Science (IFAS) is participating in the observation and trials of a species that has already made its way into the top ten threats to the United States Agriculture Industry. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) is a native of China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan and has already established itself as a yearlong pest in United States orchards. This insect was first confirmed in Allentown, PA in 1998 and as of November of 2011 has spread to 34 states. Though not yet established in Florida, this invasive insect has already cost the US Agriculture Industry billions. As with any invasive species, the problem is that this stink bug has no natural enemies in the United States. The obvious solution at first glance would be to attract natural enemies, however, a natural enemy is no more indigenous than the invasive species we are trying to suppress in the first place and it too could have a negative impact on Florida’s beneficial insects. Although pesticides are a popular quick fix for the control of native species, the option is problematic when it comes to invasive species. In Florida, registered pesticides are W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

regulated by both Federal and State laws. It is not likely that a new invasive species would be specified on a pesticide label without prior field testing from a qualified source. Furthermore, stink bugs in general have a high resistance to most pesticides and alternative management practices are necessary to protect Florida crops. Fortunately, with this species, Florida is taking the initiative to understand the threat before danger is at hand. A new field guide entitled “Identifying Stink Bugs and Other True Bugs of Florida” is in the works, headed up by University of Florida’s Dr. Amanda Hodges and graduate student Ashley Poplin. The guide will include information on emerging invasive species such as the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) as well as beneficial species that are indigenous to Florida. The guide is expected to be available online at no charge this Fall. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) belongs to the insect family Pentatomidae, meaning five sections. This family of insects is commonly referenced as a shield bug because its shape and wing structure resembles that of a medieval shield. Several native stink bugs and shield bugs are sometimes misidentified as the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, our native brown stink bug (Euschistus servus) looks nearly identical. Some of the distinctions to look for in an adult Brown Marmorated Stink bug are white stripes on the antenna, our native brown stink bug has solid brown antenna. The abdomen of BMSB extends beyond the wings and has a distinctive black and white triangular pattern of bands. Look for smooth shoulders

on their thorax and a series of dots right behind the head of this species and you’re really close to a positive identification. In its native range, adults emerge in late April and May, mate, and deposit yellowish spined eggs on the underside of leaves in clusters of 20 to 30 through August. Its long list of host plants seems to grow with more research but common host plants include apples, peaches, figs, and citrus as well as seeds. In its native environment, farmers manage the pest by planting sunflowers and carrots as a trap crop bordering the crop they want to protect. In addition, pheromones of a closely related species, the brown-winged green bug (Plautia stali) are the foundation of Japanese commercial traps. Entomologists at the USDA Agriculture Research Services (ARS) are developing a similar pheromone based trap. USDA- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on the other hand is evaluating primary predators of the Marmorated Stink Bug. The four parasitic species are harmless to humans but devastate the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. Currently, these predators are being evaluated in quarantined labs to determine if they would present a danger to beneficial insects. Some experts claim that these species are too specialized to be a threat, however, field studies will be needed to provide a more accurate model of their effectiveness in the field. So far, lab results indicate more than 80% parasitism of Brown Marmolated Stink Bug eggs. Wasps can be released as early as 2013 if scientists demonstrate that it can be done without harm to beneficial insects. •

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Hillsborough County 4-H Announces SUMMER YOUTH

CAMPS

In and Out of County Locations; Diverse Subject Matter and Lots of Fun By Jim Frankowiak

Hillsborough County Extension Service’s 4-H Department, in cooperation with the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, has announced its summer 2012 selection of youth camps. Five of the camps are being offered at the Hillsborough County Extension office located at 5339 County Road 579 in Seffner. The camps are weeklong and include: Cooking Up Science Camp – This camp involve exploring basic biology, chemistry and physics using common items from the kitchen. Campers will make rock candy, mix up cornstarch goo and extract iron from their morning cereal. This camp is suggested for grades 4-8. An Unfortunate Camp – a week of fun, hands-on activities that teach basic science principles. Campers will explore the science behind inventions, study reptiles and create interesting projects, learning through exploration and experimentation. This camp is based on the first three books from the “A Series of Unfortunate Events” and it is targeted at grades 3-5. Magician’s Laboratory is a camp where participants will write with invisible ink, learn the secrets of the table cloth trick and discover many other fantastic magic tricks. Campers will explore gravity, reactions, optical illusions and learn about the cool science behind magic. Friends and family will be invited to the camp’s last day to be amazed by a magic show featuring the campers. This camp is suggested for grades 4-8. Space Explorers Camp goes out of this world as campers explore the Solar System. They will learn about planets, comets, stars, rockets and the night sky in the star lab mini-planetarium. Campers are urged to prepare for encounters with extra-terrestrial life. Grades 3-6 are suggested for this camp. 4-H Robotics: Deep Space Terraformers will teach math, science and technology using Lego’s Mindstorms kits. Campers will design, build and program a rover to complete many missions on different planets. This camp is suggested for grades 6-10. These camps will take place the weeks of June 25, July 7, July 23 and July 30. The cost for each of the camps is $50 and campers must bring their lunch. Local camps are limited to 20 campers with the exception of the robotics camp which has a 10-camper maximum. Reservations for each of the camps is on a first come, first served basis. Specific times for classes will be available at a later date. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

Three additional camps are being offered at Ocala National Forest, the University of Florida at Gainesville and Tallahassee. 4-H Camp Ocala, July 16-20, takes place at the Ocala National Forest and offers a variety of classes: archery, team challenge, canoeing, sport fishing/angler education, GPS/GIS, recreation/swimming, camp craft/table top games, kayaking, Florida: All Fired Up, PPH Press Corps, beginning and advanced shooting sports, adventures of science and life, beginning and advanced rocketry, overnight camping, basic ballroom dancing, recreational dancing, exploring treasures of 4-H and you and Money Matters. There is a $200 fee for this camp and participants should note that there is a No-Tech, Unplugged policy for this camp, which means no computers, electronic games or Ipods are permitted. This camp is suggested for grades 4-12. 4-H Congress, July 30 – August 3, takes place at the University of Florida and permits campers to experience life as a college student, living in a dorm and taking workshops keyed to specific areas of study. Educational seminars and workshops include Animal Sciences, Communication Arts, Environmental Education, Family Consumer Sciences and Science & Technology. This camp is open to Senior 4-H’ers as of September 1 of the current 4-H year. The fee is $225. 4-H Legislature is scheduled at Tallahassee June 25 – 29. This camp is designed for senior 4-H’ers and targets development of their debating skills, legislative analyses and public speaking while making new friends and having at fun time. This civic education event permits participants to sponsor a bill, amend or lobby it, then debate the issues on the Capitol house and senate floors with their camping partners. Prospective campers must apply for a position as State Representative, Lobbyist or Reporter with the 4-H Extension office. This camp is open to Senior 4-H’ers ages 14 – 18 as of September 1 of the current 4-H year. Non 4-H members may also apply. The fee for this camp is $225.

For additional information on any of the camps or various camp activities, visit: http://hillsborough4-h.ifas.ufl.edu. You may also email 4-H Youth Development Agent Brent Broaddus at broaddusb@hillsboroughcounty.org or call him at 813-744-5519, Extension 54132.

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WALK-INS WELCOME Call – or go on-line to place your order today and we’ll have it ready for you to pick up! www.SouthwesternProduce.com W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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BY SUSAN HADDOCK UF/IFAS Hillsborugh County Extension Commercial Horticulture/Integrated Pest Management/Small Farms Agent

he season for an abundance of fallen live oak leaves is here. Some consider oak leaves as yard waste, bag them and throw them away, or burn them. Others consider them a valuable asset. Oak leaves make an excellent mulch for use around trees, shrubs, or in flower and vegetable gardens. As with any mulch, oak leaves will help with the following: • Retarding the growth of weeds by blocking sunlight to germinating seeds • Maintaining soil moisture, reducing the need to water as frequently • Maintaining lower soil temperature in the summer • Protecting against temperature fluctuations in the winter • Protecting against some types of low temperature injury during the winter Oak leaves have a relatively slow rate of decomposition making them well suited for mulch. As oak leaves decompose they add a small amount of nutrients to the soil attracting earthworms and micro-organism that enrich and aerate the soil. This is necessary for maintaining and promoting soil granulation. Soil granualation occurs when micro-organisms secrete a sticky substance that causes soil granules to cling together. This alters the structure of the soil which promotes root growth. Aeration is improved in clay soils, and the waterholding capacity is increased in sandy soils. As with the decomposition process of any mulch, nitrogen is taken from the soil by the micro-organisms that are decomposing the material. This process reduces nitrogen reserves in the root zones of plants, so sup-

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plemental nitrogen fertilizer applications may be necessary to maintain healthy plants.

that the use of oak leaves could save homeowners the added expense of purchasing mulch. Consider the following:

Some worry that oak leaves will cause the soil to become acidic over time. Research has shown that no mulch on the surface of the soil changes the pH below ground. While oak leaves may be acidic when fresh, the net result of the decomposition process is an alkaline reaction. That being said, checking the soil pH annually is a good practice as other factors such as the alkalinity or acidity of the irrigation water, or fertilizer applications may alter the soil pH over time.

• Oak leaves are not readily available in a commercial form. • A supply of oak leaves may not be available year round. • Oak leaves acquired on or off site cannot be guaranteed to the landscaper to be disease or pest free as are other commercially available mulches. • The cost for commercial landscapers to rake and/or transport leaves to beds where they are needed (labor cost to the home owner) may out weigh the cost of using commercially available mulches. • Using a ‘free’ mulch source may reduce the overall value of the contract to a commercial landscaper, as there can be minimal profit from labor. • Commercial landscapers will blow existing leaves into beds for use as mulch, rather than removing excess leaves, if your contract specifies. • A homeowners’ association may want to solicit volunteers to mulch beds with oak leaves as a cost savings. • A homeowners’ association needs to have a consensus on the ‘look’ you want to achieve, however, any mulch over no mulch will improve the health and appearance of the landscape.

Ideal mulch should be between the size of a dime and a silver dollar to allow water and air to move freely to the soil surface. Oak leaves may need to be chopped prior to application to avoid sealing the soil surface (cypress mulches also tend to seal the soil impeding free water and air movement). Alternately, the mulch may be fluffed periodically. Chopping oak leaves will speed up the decomposition process. Mulches should be applied to a settled depth of 2-4” and be placed so that the mulch is several inches away from the base or trunks of shrubs and trees. Oak leaves do not promote pest forms of fungi or other pests. The white substance frequently seen under and in decomposing leaves is beneficial mycorrhizal fungus. Also, there is no research supporting oak leaves having adverse effects on plant establishment or growth. All the above facts being given, why don’t commercial landscape companies use oak leaves for mulch? Given the facts, it seems

For more information on mulch, see “The Nine Florida Friendly Principles” on the UF/IFAS Florida Friendly Landscaping™ website, http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/

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TIME... SURE DOES FLY

convention. We have some neat activities and a few tricks up our sleeves for what is going to happen. Our convention theme is “For The Future.” We hope to inspire all of you in some way, shape, or form, as the 2011-2012 team leaves our final words on the organization with our retiring addresses. As you think about your future, don't ever forget the little things in life. A wise person once told me that “you only live once” and ever since I heard that many years ago, I have been doing just that. FFA has been a passion of mine and will continue to be after my year. I have built relationships that will last a lifetime and I have been able to see different parts of the world. I have memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.

I can’t believe how fast the year is flying by! It seems like just yesterday they were announcing the 2011-2012 Florida FFA state officers and now we already have our candidates for our new team. It's a bittersweet feeling as we are getting closer and closer to the 84th Florida FFA Convention. I wish all of the candidates the best of luck as they are super busy in the next months preparing for the convention. It never fails to put a smile on my face when I see an FFA member proud of the work that they have done over the year. The FFA convention gives our organization the opportunity for us to all come together as one and celebrate everything that has happened from all over the state. The team is busy in planning everything that is going to happen during the

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As we are rounding off our year, I am most excited about all of the banquets that I am going to be able to attend as an officer. There are so many great members that are going to be recognized at their local chapters, as well as, at the state and even the national level. I can’t wait to hear all about it as I travel across my area. I want to say “Good luck on everything that you achieved,” hopefully, I’ll be able to say that in person. I leave you with this quote. “When it comes to the future, there are three types of people: those who watch it happen, those who make it happen and those who wondered what happened.” Which will you be? Many thanks!

John

John Modrow Jr. – Area 5 State Vice President

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In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14th as Flag Day. This day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States. In 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. The United States Army also celebrates its birthday on this day in June. According to the U.S. Code, Title 4, Chapter 1 Section 8(j) says â&#x20AC;&#x153;The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.â&#x20AC;?

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When the honor guard correctly folds the American Flag (as seen at military funerals) 13 times, there is a reason for each fold. 1st fold 2nd fold 3rd fold 4th fold 5th fold 6th fold 7th fold 8th fold 9th fold 10th fold 11th fold

12th fold

13th fold

Represents a symbol of life. Our belief in eternal life. Honor and remembrance of vet Our weaker nature and trust in God Tribute to our country Where our hearts lie Tribute to our Armed Forces One who enters into the valley of shadow of death Tribute to womanhood and Mothers Tribute to father Represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob Represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In God We Trust.â&#x20AC;?

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today. The colors of the American Flag also have meaning... RED - is for Valor and Hardiness WHITE - Innocence and Purity BLUE - Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice The FLAG CODE allows any deceased to be allowed to have the flag adorning a coffin. Veterans are the most common to flag theirs, but anyone is allowed to use the flag in this manner.

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RECIPES

PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Cut cream cheese into small cubes. Lightly spray a 9x9x2-inch baking dish. Place half of the bread cubes in the dish. Evenly place the cream cheese cubes and 1 cup of the blueberries over the bread. Add the remaining bread cubes and blueberries to the top of the casserole. In a medium-sized bowl, combine eggs, milk, maple syrup and butter. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread. Cover casserole with foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes. Insert a tooth pick in the center of the casserole. When the toothpick comes out clean, remove the foil so the casserole can brown on top. Let cool slightly and serve warm with extra maple syrup on the side.

Blueberry Breakfast Casserole

Recipes Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agricluture

INGREDIENTS 2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried 8 largeeggs, beaten 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 loaf bread (any kind) 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese (cold so it can be cubed) 1/4 cup butter, melted cooking pan spray

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Florida Fruit Parfait INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup vanilla nonfat yogurt 1/2 mango 1/4 cup blueberries 1 teaspoon roasted pecans

PREPARATION Put yogurt into a shallow glass or tumbler. Add fruit and pecans on top. Freeze for 5-10 minutes and serve very cold. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

$1,000 Built Ford Tough FFA Scholarship Awarded to Local Youth

HALEY OURS, a 2012 graduate of Plant City HS FFA, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship by Jarrett Scott Ford and Ford Motor Company. Ours’ parents are Greg Ours and Sharon Ours of Plant City. Ours plans to study Agriculture Education at Hillsborough Community College. The Built Ford Tough – FFA Scholarship Program is designed to recognize FFA members’ talents and accomplishments while encouraging their future academic achievements. The scholarship is one of 529 scholarships awarded by Ford Division, Ford Motor Company Fund and Ford Dealers to FFA members who are high school seniors planning to attend college in the fall of 2012 or current collegiate students. This program is a part of Ford’s overall commitment to the National FFA Foundation. Ford has supported the National FFA Foundation since the first F-Series truck was introduced in 1948, and has sponsored the Built Ford Tough collegiate scholarship program since 1997. To date, the program has awarded $7,115,000 in scholarships to 7,115 FFA members throughout the country. Ford knows the value of hard work and believes that hard work should be rewarded. Educating aspiring young people to become the leaders of tomorrow is just another way of ensuring a successful future. The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 540,379 student members as part of 7,489 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charger granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at www.FFA.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nationalFFA, on Twitter at twitter.com/nationalFFA and FFA National at FFAnation.FFA.org. Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, MI, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

THE 4th ANNUAL

Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference – JULY 27-29, 2012 The University of Florida’s (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Focus Team are pleased to announce that the fourth annual Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference will be held in Kissimmee, Florida July 27-29. The goal of the annual Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference is to provide farmers with up-to-date, research-based, in-depth educational information. As well, the conference aims to facilitate solutions-based collaboration by encouraging networking and an open dialog among members of Florida’s small farms community. Additionally, the conference is an excellent vehicle for increasing awareness of Florida’s small farms industry, which organizers accomplish by actively marketing to decision makers, supporting institutions and agencies, and other agricultural professionals. The annual Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference has been successful from its inaugural year, and the majority of attendees and exhibitors return to subsequent conferences. The conference is an outstanding opportunity for Florida’s small farmers to hear noted experts speak about the latest science and research relevant to their industry while networking with other small farmers in a relaxed atmosphere and sampling locally grown foods prepared by Chef Tony Donnelly and his excellent staff. Florida’s small farmers find that, in this forum, their diverse experiences, coupled with their universal challenges (economics, regulatory pressures, marketing, and so forth), create a unique opportunity for collaborative problem solving and resource sharing. It is also an excellent chance for exhibitors to demonstrate their products and services to some of the most forward-thinking small farmers, educators, and researchers in Florida. Through six concurrent educational sessions led by farmers, industry experts and noted researchers, the annual Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference provides opportunities for attendees to learn about groundbreaking research and access educational support about topics such as operating sustainable and profitable enterprises, integrating cost-effective methods to meet state regulations, and the latest in specialty crop and livestock production methods, as well as natural resource conservation, farm biodiversity, and alternative energy. Support in the form of sponsorship, competitive grants, and inkind gifts are critical to the success of the Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference and ensure affordable registration costs to Florida’s family farmers year after year. The University of Florida-IFAS, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services have generously provided support since 2009. More information on these and other organizations that support this event are found on the event website, at http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/smallfarms/ For more information on this year’s Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference, please contact Mandy Stage, Conference Coordinator, or contact Danielle Treadwell, Educational Program CoChair, at 352-273-4775 or ddtreadw@ufl.edu. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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Boys Farm in Ruskin is a sustainable, organic hydroponics farm that grows lettuce and vegetable crops throughout the year. That is an accurate statement with some interesting twists, but one that hardly captures the essence of this remarkable farm or its innovative creator, Robert Tornello. Just as intriguing is the way 3 Boys Farm came to be, and that is probably a very good starting point for this interesting story. “As a boy in the 1960s, I helped elderly Italian neighbors in New York tend their organic gardens,” said Tornello. “In the years that followed, I designed rooftop gardens and indoor atria around the U.S. and Canada and established nurseries that supplied live plants for zoos and theme parks worldwide, with plants for landscape and forage for some of their animals.” The lessons learned and challenges overcome at each of those steps in the career of Tornello are manifest at 3 Boys Farm, named in honor of his sons: Giancarlo, 20, Dante, 16 and 13-year-old Angelo. Giancarlo oversees seed and new plant production at 3 Boys Farm. For Tornello, his horticultural core principles came from his garden-growing elders who held, “If we are to eat responsibly, healthily, and locally, we must also grow our food that way.” He has done so with his children, always growing their vegetables and herbs organically. And it was that commitment to core principles, his career experiences and commitment to his nursery employees that all came together in 2008 as he planned the best way to meet the challenges of a troubling worldwide economy. His flair for horticultural design led Tornello to Cornell University and pursuit of a degree in Botany and landscape architecture, a plan that was cut short by a very significant opportunity. “While a student I formed a company that designed and built entire landscapes. I was presented with that opportunity to do this type of work for the Sheraton Corporation, a very significant contract was presented that I determined I just could not pass up,” he said. Tornello moved to Florida in the late 1970’s to build his first nursery, as the demand for specimen trees grew he had to compete for rare plants for his designs. This led to the construction of his own nursery in 1978. It became a place to grow and house all of the massive exotic plants such as bamboo and palms that he used in his design-build company.

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In the next decade, Tornello moved north to Montreal, Canada, where he designed and built many award-winning landscapes. His customer base expanded to other northern cities, like Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, where his indoor landscapes were featured in luxury hotels and corporate buildings. His business grew and as it did so did his expertise to a point where his firm’s services expanded to include consulting on lighting, structural planter design, customized fertilization systems, and most importantly species selection. Tornello has specialized expertise with bamboo and exotic palms. That specialization has led to engagements with theme parks, wildlife habitats and zoos worldwide through which his bamboo would be used not only for landscapes, but to meet the nutritional needs of captive animals. “It was very noteworthy to me how much care curators exercised when it came to the nutritional needs of the animals under their care. That reinforced my attention to the food my family was eating and how and where it was grown.” Another major lesson that would help shape the plans for 3 Boys Farm. “Our business continued to thrive with interior and exterior landscapes and consulting specialized projects throughout the world,” said Tornello, while working directly with such noteworthy architectural firms like Pei Partners in Hong Kong and Jakarta. “We had a backlog of work through 2007 and into 2008, but in the middle of 2008 everything seemed to fall apart. After careful thought, I felt there were three growing economic options: fuel, alcohol and food. I decided naturally to focus upon food and began to build the greenhouses that now comprise 3 Boys Farm, with plans to achieve a 12 month growing cycle which would enable me to continue to provide work for my long terms employees, many of them had been with me for more than a decade.” The experts told Tornello he could not achieve year round greenhouse crop production because of the humidity and high heat. “I think some of that was based upon the use of typical green house kits and the tendency to look for short term solutions,” said Tornello, who took the reverse approach creating greenhouses able to last 50 years with selected low maintenance materials that would help control those types of continuing costs. “Sealing our greenhouses was critical and we found an insect screen in Israel of 50 mesh that was ideal for our application,” he said. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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But there were more challenges and they included controlled lighting, food safety systems, sustainability, plus approval by QCS and Primus Food Safety Labs. “Thanks to the many lessons we learned from past projects and to continually look at our challenges from different perspectives, we were able to achieve our ultimate goal,” said Tornello. This even included the expertise he developed while racing gran touring prototype cars in IMSA for a number of years. “We were successful competing on the GTP international circuit because we constantly tuned and tested our cars so the aerodynamic issues we faced could be overcome by good (tuned) design,” he said. That was especially evident when it came to air movement within the greenhouses. “We adjusted the fan blades to provide the pitch that gave us the type of performance we need to move massive amounts of air within our greenhouses through columns of water. That design work was based on our racing expertise,” said Tornello. One of Tornello’s toughest challenges was to find the right plant nutrients. “Through trial and error and the assistance of Dr. Craig Jones we came up with a system that provides us with root growth, bio-mass weight, superior taste and sun grown plant structure, while meeting all the criteria of various industry agencies overseeing food safety and quality.” The organic liquid feed starts with sugar cane molasses, and a patented process similar to a microbrewery that meets Tornello’s needs is called Terra Genesis. “Water is our liquid soil and our feed becomes the nutrients found in a complex soil, allowing the plants to adsorb only what they need during the photo-cycle and releasing back into the stream what they don’t use during their rest cycle.” 3 Boys Farm also utilizes rainwater recycling, solar panels and turbines to a point where, if necessary, operations could continue off the utility grid. Ultraviolet light purifies the water so there’s no need for chemical additives. Attesting to Tornello’s efforts and the results at 3 Boys Farm, he was named a 2010 winner of a Florida Commissioner of Agriculture’s Environmental Achievement Award. As a result of strict attention to detail, much trial and error and continually thinking outside of the box, 3 Boys Farm produces 12 crops a year “averaging 30 days from seed to harvest, enabling me to achieve one of my prime objectives, to keep my long term employees at work annually not just seasonally,” said Tornello. There are other benefits, too. “We are able to grow our greens and vegetables to end user exact specifications, there is next to no waste, and produce that is visually appealing, good leaf volume and excellent flavor.”

The future looks bright for 3 Boys Farm and Tornello. “Given rising fuel costs and the need to be close to end users, I think our next step will be the development of regional facilities, functioning as satellite branches of our Ruskin farm,” he said.

“Our customers reported nearly 90 percent of our leafy greens per plate are consumed, while 75 percent of that commercially and chemically grown by others is thrown out,” he said. That is beneficial since it means less greens are required per plate of higher taste and quality, requiring less or lighter calorie dressings, as the flavor is in the food. Taste and visual appeal is key to consumers, who choose our product over pre-chopped and bag mixed goods that are typically browning and breaking down before they are served. Less is more, like a good piece of chocolate that satisfies, that’s how our greens are produced.

3 Boys Farm is a working wholesale farm that is visited by group appointment only. Educational and Chef tours are scheduled 30-90 days in advance.

“Our customers have found an added benefit from our produce. Typical leafy greens shelf life is three to seven days, but ours is 21- 30 days, nearly eliminating waste,” said Tornello.

For more information about 3 Boys Farm visit http://3boysfarm.com where “food is grown responsibly, healthily and locally.”

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“When you add our growing list of end users who appreciate the ability for us to grow our produce to their specifications, we feel very good about our prospects for the years ahead.”

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HUGH GRAMLING By Ginny Mink

n a world of competition and a dog eat dog attitude, it seems highly irrational to assume that a group of people in the same industry could possibly work together for their common good. In fact, it would seem more logical that they would strive to undermine one another as a method of gaining more business for themselves. Yet, what we find in the Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers Association is exactly that seemingly inconceivable concept of camaraderie that allows each individual grower to excel while supported by what others would label “competitors.” Hugh Gramling spent 15 years as the Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers Association. He just retired this past March 31. As he tells it, “Seven nurserymen started it. My father was one of them. He was a founding member. They started it for two purposes. That’s the time Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) started issuing well permits. They (SWFWMD) said, ‘you’re going to have to be permitted, you don’t just have a right to it (the water), it’s property of the state.’ They (the founding members) wanted growers to be represented fairly in the permitting process. They also wanted to form an alliance for marketing purposes. They were good friends and they cooperated unbelievably with each other and that camaraderie they had was the foundation of the wholesale growers. They’d send each other customers when they were out of something.” Hugh’s explanation of the Wholesale Growers’ beginnings and purpose aligns well with what their website (www.tbwg.org) has to say. “The purpose of this sixty member nursery grower association is to promote harmony and good will among its members, to promote greater interest in the use of plants, to achieve common goals, to solve common problems and to set a high standard of business ethics for the nursery industry in Hillsborough County.” Hugh explains the focus on remaining solely in Hillsborough, “They limited the organization to the county because if we got any bigger it wasn’t the marketing push they were looking to get.” Mr. Gramling knows a little about the wholesale growers’ industry, and that’s certainly an understatement. He says, “I’ve been actively involved in the nursery business for 39 years as a grower, from ’73-92 with Gramling Nursery. We had a wholesale nursery on 39. I’ve been involved with different kinds of advocacy for agriculture most of that time since ’93. I took a little time off and then partnered with some friends. We started a nursery in Ruskin called Horticultural Products, did that ‘til ’96.” INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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nursery, talked him into starting a nursery. As sales increased we expanded and eventually had a 17-acre nursery. By that time he was already retired and I was running the business.”

Interestingly enough, the world of plants was not Hugh’s first focus. He got his degree in journalism, with a concentration on public relations, from the University of Florida. However, that initial plan didn’t last long. He says, “I worked at the university in public relations. I’d gotten tired of the bureaucracy, which is ironic because most of my later years I spent dealing with the bureaucracy,” he chuckles and then continues, “The family nursery had expanded and dad needed additional help and he was looking for mid-level management help so I decided to come back and take over the family business.” His father wasn’t a nurseryman initially either. Hugh says, “My dad had originally owned the ice plant in Plant City. He went bankrupt in ’66 and was 55 years old and looking for something to do. Ellis Wilson, who owned Wilson’s

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Growing plants is apparently a lot like any other agricultural endeavor. According to Hugh, “You really have to like it. You can’t just do it idly. It’s not something people just do because it’s a job. You have to really love it. You have to brave the elements and to do that you have to have a positive attitude and be doing what you really love.” It’s safe to infer that spending 39 years in the nursery business is representative of a personal affection for that industry. Certainly the 15 years Hugh invested in the Wholesale Growers Association would also insinuate an affinity for growing and those equally aligned therein. In fact, he says, “I really liked helping the growers out. They want to grow, they want the government to leave them alone, they just want to deal with their plants. As the Director, I tried to provide as favorable an environment as I could so they can do what they love. We had to make sure there was science to support water restrictions, that they weren’t just arbitrary.” When questioned about his family’s thoughts on his involvement in the nursery industry, Hugh explains, “Being the Executive Director is very time consuming with off hours. Their patience and support has allowed me to do those things. My wife has embraced the nursery idea, just one look at the yard will show we’re some of the best nursery customers. My son is a manager for Riverview Flower Farm.” He concludes with quite an interesting concept, “It kind of gets in your blood and your psyche.” If anyone would know the truth of that, it’s Hugh Gramling. •

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Ray was initially an Ag teacher his first seven years out of college. “I taught at DeLand Senior High School and was chairman of the five-teacher Ag Department,” he said. Though he enjoyed his work at the high school, he recalls meeting Farm Bureau Field Staffer Dennis Emerson and “was really impressed with his enthusiasm for Agriculture and doing positive things to help the industry. I think if given the opportunity, I’d like to do that,” he recalls. Ray’s good friend Joe Kight, who headed up the Young Farmer and Rancher program for Farm Bureau, called Ray some time later and suggested that Ray apply for a field director position opening. He did and was hired by then Field Services Director Whit Goolsby and he moved to south Florida. Ray and Lynn missed north central Florida and Ray told the Field Services Director Al French, if there was a chance to move back north, he would like to be considered and he was, two years after joining Farm Bureau. The Crawford’s moved to a 20-acre home near Bushnell and he began his initial run with District 5 until 2002 when he became Field Services Director. The Crawford’s have two grown children, Jennifer Lynn and Chad.

“Time is Right for Another to Have This Wonderful Opportunity” By Jim Frankowiak

lorida Farm Bureau Senior Assistant Director of Field Services Ray Crawford is retiring after almost 34 years of dedicated service to the federation and its members. “Ray’s retirement is a tremendous loss for our organization,” said Farm Bureau President John Hoblick who has known and worked with Ray since 1986. “We have eight districts in Florida and each has a field man serving as an important link between Gainesville and county Farm Bureaus,” said Hoblick. “Each field man has his own unique strengths. Ray has always been a valued Farm Bureau employee. I will miss his service. He has given many good years to the organization and the people it represents.” “Ray has continually exhibited the ability to effectively communicate our state programs to the county level, securing their enthusiastic involvement and support,” said Hoblick. “He has also been an excellent link between the counties in his district and Gainesville, helping us to understand the local Farm Bureau issues, concerns and what we must do to help.” “I know that I speak on behalf of all of us at the Federation who wish Ray and Lynn a great retirement that will allow them to do the things they weren’t able to do because of Ray’s dedication to his work.” For the last five years, Ray has served District 5, which comprises Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties. For the five years prior to that he was statewide Director of Field Services, overseeing the field men across Florida. Before the statewide position he was assigned to District 5. His initial assignment with Farm Bureau was District 8 along the southeastern coast of the state often referred to as the Gold Coast.

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“I have loved my job and honestly feel I could work forever, but it’s time for someone younger to have the opportunity to do this,” he said. “I do plan to stay involved with the Sumter County Farm Bureau and would like to serve on the board if given the opportunity,” said Crawford. “I also will continue to work with the Sumter County Ag Alliance. That’s a group formed by Dale McClellan and Larry Rooks several years ago. It presents the different aspects of agriculture in the area and presents a unified voice,” he said. “I also intend to continue serving the Extension Advisory Council.” Ray’s departure is not without some regrets. “I heard somewhere that an estimated 80 percent of the people don’t have fun with their jobs. That’s really too bad. I have thoroughly enjoyed my work and have been blessed to have fun all of these years,” he said. “I am going to truly miss the interaction I have had with people working on projects that impact Agriculture in a positive way,” he said. “I have enjoyed working with our elected officials and helping them understand the importance of agriculture so they can make truly informed decisions. And I am going to miss those special people in each of the counties I served who gladly and continually stepped up to do the important things that had to get done to help Agriculture. There are a ton of them.” Ray’s fans are legion. One of them is Ron O’Connor, Director of Marketing and Governmental Affairs for Farm Credit of Central Florida. “Ray and I have been friends and colleagues for about 20 years. He is a tireless promoter of Farm Bureau and Florida agriculture. In fact, he attends so many meetings I am certain he has been cloned! But truthfully, if you need something done, Ray Crawford will not only accomplish the task, he will do it with a smile and you can rest assured it will be done right.” “It has been said, everyone makes a positive impression; some when they enter a room, others when they leave. Ray Crawford is one of those people who illuminates a room with his positive attitude, warm, friendly demeanor, and the ability to make strangers friends in the blink of an eye. He will be sorely missed, but deserves to have a long and happy retirement.” State Farm Bureau Director Ron Wetherington, who represents Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties, echoed those comments. “I admire Ray’s skills as a field man and the mentoring has W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

provided for his younger colleagues,” said Wetherington. “I will miss him, but he truly deserves his retirement. I have known Ray for more than 25 years and count him as a great friend. He has always gone beyond the call of duty and he has done that with a smile and excellent rapport with everyone he comes in contact with.” “Many people don’t know that Ray has nominated at least five, if not more, winners of the Outstanding Agriculturist of the Year honors at the Southeast Ag Expo. He knows his business and he knows it very well,” said Wetherington. ROY DAVIS

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RAY

“Ray has been a great inspiration to me and many others,” said Hillsborough County Farm Bureau President Danny Aprile. “He is the person that influenced me the most to take the president’s position here in Hillsborough County. He has been a great friend and the best field man ever, always doing his job to the fullest.” “To put it simply, it doesn’t get any better than Ray. His shoes are going to be hard to fill. I wish Ray and Lynn the best years of their lives in retirement,” said Aprile. Judi Whitson, Executive Director of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, readily attests to Ray’s mentoring skills. “When I started with Farm Bureau many years ago, I don’t know what I would have done without Ray,” she said. “He basically took me under his wing and taught me what I needed to know about the organization and the industry. Ray gave me the tools to succeed. He has always been an inspiration for me and a shingling light for agriculture.” “Ray has been a tremendous supporter of our Youth Programs here at the Florida State Fair,” noted Vina Jean Banks, Director of Agribusiness for the Florida State Fair Authority. “He has served on our Youth Steer Committee for many, many years and he is a true asset to the committee. From helping to work the steers at our steer work day in the heat of August to assisting at the Fair during the show, Ray is always willing to help in any W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

Looking for us?

DR. MARSHALL

AND

RAY

capacity we may ask. Even though he is retiring from Florida Farm Bureau we sincerely hope he is not retiring from the Florida State Fair! We wish him a wonderful retirement,” said Banks. In addition to continued involvement with agriculture, there are a number of other plans Ray has for his retirement. “There’s quite a bit of farm equipment at my place that needs some TLC. I have a 1988 Mustang that I am restoring and if I do a good enough job on it, I will get to work on totally rebuilding my 1950 Chevrolet pickup,” said Crawford. Ray also organizes monthly horseback rides and will continue to do so. “We get anywhere from 15 to 27 riders and have a good time. I also plan to work my horses, raise calves and spend time with my 10-year-old grandson, Evan Bass, plus some hunting and other outdoor activities.” Ray has been known to have some secrets over the years and one of them involves a motorcycle which we believe will become part of his increased outdoor activities. One other consideration that has been of the utmost importance over the years has been the support of Ray’s wife. “Lynn has supported me throughout my entire career. None of what I have been able to do would have happened without her backing,” said Crawford. “When I decided to return to the field after working in Gainesville for five years, that was a big decision with some serious financial considerations. Lynn told me the move would make her one happy person. She has always understood my passion and fully supported me and for that I am most grateful.” Thanks Ray for a great run and the very best to you and Lynn in the future. •

MAGAZINE

Find us in your neighborhood... Crescent Jewelers 1514 S. Alexander St. Plant City, FL Phone: 813.752.2413

Cowboys Western World 120 S.R. 60 E. Plant City, FL Phone: 813.650.3888

Johnson’s BBQ 1407 MLK Blvd. Plant City, FL Phone: 813.759.0009

Sisters & Company 104 E. Reynolds St. Plant City, FL Phone: 813.754.0990

The Hay Depot 1001 S. Alexander St. Plant City, FL Phone: 813.478.1654

The Catering Company 115. E. Reynolds St. Plant City, FL Phone: 813.707.1447

Rick’s Meats 10252 S.R. 39 South Lithia, FL Phone: 813.737.6776

Southside Farm & Pet Supply 3014 Jim Redman Pkwy. Plant City, FL Phone: 813.752.2379

RAY

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FRIENDS

Note: This is just a sample of our distribution points. We’ll list different locations each month. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

By Ginny Mink

o doubt you have heard the old adage, “To some, God gave brains, to the others He gave looks.” Well, perhaps we should add something to that concept, He also gave out humor as He deemed appropriate. If that’s an acceptable thought, then Belinda Gran got an extra dose. They say laughter is the best medicine and though not every ounce of her humor can be recorded here, rest assured, Belinda Gran is F-U-N-N-Y. However, she’s not a stand-up comedian, instead, she’s an Ag teacher at East Bay High School. An hour on the phone with her and one might wonder if she missed her calling. Belinda initially revealed that her agricultural background was tied to the fact that her mother was her 4H leader and her father was her FFA advisor. However, later in the conversation, she admitted there was more to the story. “I only lived on a farm until I was in fourth grade so I don’t remember much about it. My Dad raised

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purebred Spots, swine, so I grew up on a pig farm and we raised sweet corn that we sold to the local grocery store. We also had wheat and soy beans, it was up North in Ohio.”

started teaching Ag. Now I’ve been there for 14 years and I can’t even believe it! It’s fun working at East Bay because I get to work with my friend Kim. We’ve been friends for forever now.”

Once she started in 4H and FFA, Belinda says, “I showed animals, livestock, steer, swine, at the county fair, the Florida State Fair, the South Florida Fair (in West Palm Beach), I went to high school in Lake Placid,” she explains and then adds, “The biggest show I showed at was the American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri.” Then she gets modest, “I did all the normal stuff, graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in agriculture education.”

Belinda teaches veterinary assisting. She says, “I have animal experience and I’ve learned about the plants, horticulture, since I’ve been here. I like the plants better because they don’t bite me and kick me,” she laughs and then gets more serious, for a moment. “Through the veterinary assisting program we have a pet parlor where students in the program and people who work there can bring in their dogs. Now I know how to shave dogs and groom dogs. My livestock experience helped with that because I moved from sheering sheep to shaving dogs.”

Belinda didn’t immediately go into teaching though. Instead, she says, “I was the Hillsborough County 4H Agent for two years. Then my friend, Kim Willis, I knew her from showing sheep in high school and from college, she told me to come to East Bay because it would be fun, so I said ‘sure.’ So, I left the extension office and

While it’s unfortunate, East Bay doesn’t have as robust an FFA program as perhaps they’d like to have. Belinda explains, “A lot of our students in the program won’t join FFA because they don’t want to do the work for their competitions, but they’ll W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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volunteer for our work days and community service projects.” That’s a big deal because East Bay has a massively cool community service project to boast about.

Perhaps the greatest thing about the program there is the simple fact that there are three people working in it and they all seem to get along beautifully. Belinda explains, “We divide and conquer, share all responsibilities between the three of us. We plan who’s going to what at the beginning of the year, it’s a co-operative.” She’s thankful for both Kim Willis and Mike Yates.

According to Belinda, “One of our biggest accomplishments as a chapter is, we’re partnered with Tampa Bay Watch, which is out of Fort Desoto, and they make oyster domes and they have partnerships with schools, but we’re the only Ag department. We raise saltwater cord grass, about 10,000 plugs, and we plant them along the shoreline and it helps with soil and water erosion. It’s a habitat for marine life. The National FFA came down and interviewed us. We got awarded a Learning to Serve Grant through National FFA and were featured at the National FFA Convention and on RFD TV, which is a show on cable that has the agricultural reports. That was neat because they came down and interviewed us and did a little news clip and the kids liked that.”

Belinda’s been married for 13 years and has two children, a daughter, Paige, who just turned eleven and is now active in 4H and will soon be joining FFA, and a son, Tate, who will be eight in a couple of weeks. However, before kids, Belinda says, “I served on the Florida Agriculture Association of Educators at least two to three times. I helped rewrite/edit the Florida Ag Teacher’s certification exam. I completed the Florida Ag teacher leadership program, I was in class three. I helped write the veterinary assisting I curriculum for the county and helped with developing county exams.” Now, with kids, she says,

East Bay has some additional features that other schools would desire greatly. Belinda says, “We run the largest onsite land lab in the county. We have three greenhouses, an aquaculture lab, an Ag mechanics shop, chickens, guinea pigs and a rabbit, a one acre orange grove, and 15-20 head of commercial beef cattle (the cows get bred and calve, and the heifers are what the kids show. This year we had four heifers born in August, so four members got to show them at the Florida State Fair and the Strawberry Festival).” Even with their small FFA numbers, East Bay has had some great achievements, “We’ve had National Proficiency winners and finalists in specialty animal and nursery and landscape. We’ve had state finalists in specialty animal, nursery and landscape and aquaculture.”

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“I’ve come full circle in my life. I was a 4H member, then I was a 4H volunteer and then an agent and now my child’s in 4H and pretty much the same thing for FFA.” When questioned about what she thinks is great about agriculture, she says, “I like it because you can see your work, you can see your accomplishments, it’s a small group of individuals that have the same connection, that feel like a family. I like seeing what I grow in the greenhouse. I like it in the fall when the cows are being born at school.” Then she pauses and says, “I think the best thing is when you go to the fairs and the pigs run out into the ring and start barking and the look on the kids’ faces is priceless. You don’t have control over a pig and if you haven’t worked with it, it shows. Pigs are funny!” Perhaps, but certainly not comparable to East Bay’s comedic Ag teacher, Belinda Gran. •

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ANTIOCH FEED & FARM SUPPLY Appreciates Customers and Community

ntioch Feed & Farm Supply held a Customer Appreciation Day on April 14. Attendees were treated to free give-aways throughout the day, a truck load sale, and a great meal! Representatives were on hand to answer questions and the first 100 children were given a free chick! There were also animal health give-a-ways of equine, bovine, canine and feline products.

In addition, a 4-Wheeler was given away to a lucky family. To enter for a chance to win this prize, customers received a free raffle ticket with each $25 purchase leading up to the event or tickets could be purchased for $5 each. The proceeds from this were given to Everyday Blessings, Inc, a not-for-profit organization, who according to their web site, serves foster care children who have been removed from their homes due to physical, sexual and /or emotional abuse, abandonment or neglect. Everyday Blessings, Inc. cares for up to 36 children while they await permanent placement. The children in the program range in age from newborn through 17 years old and they come from all economic backgrounds and ethnic groups. For more information about Everyday Blessings visit their web site at http://www.everydayblessingsinc.org 66

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By Ginny Mink

esponsibility appears to be Greek to many of today’s youth, and sadly, a good number of adults as well. Less time is being invested in instilling values and ethics than in the growth of greed. Hand a kid a go-cart and all he wants to do is drive it, not check the oil or learn how to pull the cord to start it. Certainly all the kids that want ponies don’t want to feed, water, or groom them, let alone muck out their stalls. Thankfully, there is an organization designed (in part) to assist in the instillation of responsibility: 4H. Debbie Goodman is the leader of the Hooves, Paws, Claws & Saws 4H group. She says, “I grew up on a farm with horses, cows and chickens. I had many chores. I had parents that taught us we had responsibilities with our animals, it wasn’t just fun, the horses weren’t just for riding. We got up before school and fed the baby cows their bottles and collected the eggs. We took care of our responsibilities with all the animals before school.” Those values have followed her throughout her life. According to her, “The love of animals has been with me all my life. I went to college and still had horses. Then I got married and had children (I have two girls). We gave them their first pony when my

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oldest was five. I was blessed to be able to live on the property I grew up on. We started a small farm with goats and chickens. Then our girls got to start learning responsibility with collecting eggs in the morning. That was how we got our eggs. My family did slaughter cows, so that’s how we got our meat. We had a garden, a very beautiful garden, and that’s how we got our produce. We went back to the land.” Lifestyles like that are few and far between, but they’re hugely beneficial in the raising of responsible children. Debbie home schools her girls and since they had horses they got involved in junior rodeo and did that for several years. They moved from rodeos into horseshows and then, Debbie says, “About five years ago, I was approached for becoming a 4H leader for Hillsborough County.” Obviously she agreed and thusly, Hooves, Paws, Claws & Saws began. The saws part of the name came from some boys in her club that were interested in doing woodworking. Over the past five years she’s had kids interested in a vast array of subjects. She says, “A lot of kids wanted to show chickens and rabbits, some kids do scrap-booking, some do photography. So, we started asking parents to become volunteers because it’s hard to run such a large club with so many units. That seemed to help.

I had parents in charge of the chicken kids, photography; it helped our club go so much smoother. I’m getting the parents to understand that 4H isn’t just a drop and go or babysitting club, it builds a good relationship with the parents and kids. 4H allows the parents to watch their kids grow and mature.” At its inception, Debbie’s club only had 10 to15 kids. Now, they are above 20. Debbie explains, “Our 4H group is 90 percent home-schoolers which allows the kids to come out in the day time to work with the animals as part of their school.” This is obviously working for her group because, she says, “We had several kids participate at the Florida State Fair, two girls showing rabbits, and three girls, dogs. They did very well this year. We had a lot of kids put in crafts, photography and woodworking and they did well, too. We’ve done the Strawberry Festival; we also have some kids participate in the Pasco County Fair with their crafts.” Perhaps the region in which Debbie appears the proudest though is the club’s involvement in Area E. She explains, “We just finished taking the kids to Area E, it’s a 4H qualifying horseshow. This year there were 140 riders and our club took eight riders and they all did very well in each of their classes and four of them qualified for State. It will be held in July at the Florida State Fairgrounds. The top 50 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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kids will represent the State of Florida for 4H in Georgia for Regionals.” Of the four girls, two of them are Debbie’s daughters, Breanne and Morgan. The other two are Claire and Savannah. When it comes to community service Debbie lists her club’s involvement, “This year is our second year involved with strawberry u-pick. We had approximately 20 members come out for strawberry u-pick. We pick strawberries and donate them to the food banks to replenish their produce. Several of our club families helped fill backpacks for the children of our troops. We allowed the boy scouts to come out on the property. My 4Hers taught them about equestrian stuff, the care, safety and grooming of horses and enabled them to earn their merit badges. Our club has done clean-up in Pasco County. They’ve walked Twenty Mile Level Rd and picked up trash to keep our highways and roads cleaner. We’ve done car washes, we collected stuff for the shoe box ministry, it’s in December, all the club families participated in it and then took them to a local church which provided personal hygiene and non-perishable food items for individuals in need.” Finally, in closing, and still very enthusiastic about the Area E results, Debbie adds, “Tractor Supply in New Port Richey sponsored the girls who participated in the Area E competition. They provided 32 bags of horse shavings for their stalls. That was a huge help and offset the cost for participation.” No doubt she understands the import of thanking the people who make her work easier. •

Anyone interested in finding out more information about Hooves, Paws, Claws & Saws can contact Debbie at: rhgoody@hotmail.com

Gabby and Lera 68

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By Jim Frankowiak

ast Thonotosassa Baptist Church, also known as the Church at Antioch, has unveiled a multi-faceted community garden project that is driven by a number of needs the church has identified within the community. The official name for the endeavor is the Antioch Community Garden Project.

lenges that some thought would not permit me to survive. But I did and I truly believe the Lord saved me so I could share my knowledge and help build this program,” she said. Given her tenuous health situation, Welch structured the overall program “so there is a backup person able to take up my responsibility and continue in my absence.”

“We see a need in our community for healthy vegetables and fruits and for those going through economic hard times,” said Pastor Jim Brady. “This new ministry also responds to a necessity to grow food for those who simply have no place to grow their own food or do not know how. We want to provide information and education on how to grow and collect seeds, harvest, cook and to preserve or can vegetables, fruits and meats,” said Cheryl Welch, who is leading the project on behalf of the church.

Educational activities are diverse and include presentations from Welch and a host of area experts, including Hillsborough County Extension and a number of retailers and service providers. Monday evening classes cover such topics as Pioneer Gardening Formulas, Container Gardening, Cooking, Composting, Winter Gardening and Seeds.

The church has designated a portion of its land for garden parcels to those in need and free classes to anyone in the community. “Educational classes are available every second Monday of the month and are free to anyone in the community,” said Welch. The classes take place from 9 -11 a.m. and 7 – 9 p.m. at the pavilion area behind the church, which is located at the intersection of Knights Griffin and McIntosh roads in Antioch. The garden area consists of teaching plots and plots available for those who wish to participate in the program but do not have land available at their homes for planting. “The ministry garden will also have raised beds at table height for senior citizens and the disabled,” said Welch. The garden will produce food for local families who participate in maintaining the community garden or who are in need. “The training garden plots are available for season use for a small contribution to offset costs of supplies,” said Welch. There is also a Children’s Garden for use only by youngsters and a sand box play area for children and preschoolers, accompanying their guardians. “The sand box is a place for the children to play while their parents or guardians are tending to garden plots,” said Welch. Welch, who brings a wealth of gardening experience and expertise to the project, was a licensed nurseryman in her home state of Michigan where she operated Heaven’s Herbal Creations. She was often a guest lecturer at area colleges and universities discussing various aspects of her herbal gardening expertise. Growing up in the Kalamazoo area, Welch was very active in 4-H and FFA. Serious health setbacks prompted the move to this area. “My husband and I had to leave Michigan and even though this climate was helpful, I experienced life-threatening health chal70

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“Our classes will also guide participants in selecting what and when to plant, how to make rain barrels for collecting water, as well as how to make jams, jellies, salsa, juice grilling rubs, teas and other items,” said Welch. “Community response and support has been most gratifying,” said Pastor Brady. The project has received cash donations from individuals and Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, while major contributors of products and services include: • • • • • • • • • • •

Mother’s Organics Humus Farm Health Solutions Wellness Center Lowe’s, Plant City Store Harris Seeds Pinch-A-Penny Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply Abundant Life Seeds Nursery Supply, Inc. Yankee Publications Antioch Feeds Park Seeds

“We have additional needs for volunteer support for everything from Prayer Partners to those with expertise in various gardening areas,” said Pastor Brady. “We are also in need of plant plugs for our fall gardens, such as cool crop varieties, broccoli, kales, cabbage, cauliflower and spinach.” Those interested in donating needed goods or services or serving as volunteers should call the church office at 813-986-4346. Community members interested in learning more about the project are encouraged to visit the church’s website: www.ETBChurch.org or by calling the church office. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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County Seeks Citizen Input for Lower

Green Swamp Preserve Management Plan

fficials of the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department are seeking community comment and input on the Lower Green Swamp Preserve Land Management and Land Use Plan before it is submitted to the Board of County Commissions for final approval. The 12,809-acre preserve, formerly known as the Cone Ranch in the far northeast portion of the county, is strategically located to be a critical part of a major wildlife corridor running from the Green Swamp north of the preserve, southwest to the Lower Hillsborough River watershed. The majority of the land was originally purchased by The West Coast Regional Water Supply Authority, now Tampa Bay Water, through bankruptcy proceedings in January 1988. The authority developed a water resource management plan for the preserve and transferred ownership of the preserve lands to the county’s Public Utilities Department 13 months later. The agreement between the authority and county stipulated that any potable water developed on the preserve in the future would be developed by the authority. In 1995, the county negotiated a land exchange with CF Industries in which the county obtained 1,938 acres in exchange for 1,558 acres, resulting in 380-acre net

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gain for the preserve. That acquired acreage provides a buffer between the preserve and CF Industries’ operations. In 1998, the property was nominated and approved to be included in the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP). The Board of County Commissioners in May of 2009 created the Cone Ranch Environmental Advisory Panel to work with county staff, the Florida Conservation and Environmental Group and the Nature Conservancy to develop recommendation for future ownership options for Cone Ranch. It recommended ELAPP be authorized to pursue a wetlands mitigation bank, conservation band and carbon credits, allow public access to a portion of the land for passive recreation consistent with protection of the land and vigorously pursue vacation of the Tampa Bay Water claim to water development rights. In 2010, the county board directed the county administrator to transfer the property from the Utility Enterprise fund to the ELAP Program for the original purchase price of $12.2 million. The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Alston Preserve borders the northern boundary of the preserve and the Blackwater Creek Preserve is adjacent to the preserve’s western boundary and across

BY JIM FRANKOWIAK

County Road 39. The mosaic of wetlands, steams and upland systems on the preserve provides a substantial opportunity to restore and manage those ecosystems to benefit many species of wildlife and plants in Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties and for the additional benefit of improved water quality conditions. The primary purpose of acquiring the Lower Green Swamp Preserve was to ensure that the wildlife corridor stays intact providing protection for natural plant communities, the floodplains of Blackwater Creek and Itchepackesassa Creek, as well as wildlife populations in the county. A secondary purpose was to provide passive recreational opportunities based on the natural resources of the preserve.

The county recently held a public meeting at the preserve to present the draft plan and receive community comments and suggestions. The plan was presented by its author Scott Emery, Ph.D., who developed the plan while heading his own consultancy, Environment & Health Integrated, Inc. He has since joined the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. Approximately 25 community members were in attendance and joined in a question-answer session following Emery’s presentation of key plan elements: W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

• Promotion of optimal conditions for the onsite expansion and enhancement of some listed species, including the snowy egret, little blue heron, tricol ored heron, white ibis, southeastern American Kestrel, Florida sandhill crane, bald eagle, wood stork, crested caracara, Sherman’s fox squirrel, American alligator, gopher tortoise, eastern indigo snake, giant wild-pine and yellow butterwort. • Continued revenue-producing activities and development of additional revenue sources • Continued coordination with agencies to restore and enhance some of the preserve’s wetland areas • Begin to enhance and restore the upland communities • Conduct research projects relevant to the ecology and organisms of the preserve Current revenue producing activities at the preserve include cattle ranching within selected portions of the preserve and timber harvesting from a pine plantation. Although the preliminary plan proposes recreational uses such as hiking and nature study, Ross Dickerson, manager of the Conservation Services Section of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department said, “There will be no public access to the preserve until the economy is such that we will be able to add the staff needed to oversee and maintain the preserve for this type of activity.” Attendees asked about hunting, feral hog control, equestrian activities and other possibilities. With regard to hunting, Dickerson noted, “county ordinances to do not permit hunting,” but he noted the need for herd thinning may be required in the future. He also said the county is actively engaged in managing feral hog control and is currently seeking response to a request for proposals from the community for up to five contractors to be engaged in feral hog control and/or elimination on its owned lands. “Equestrian uses, though not part of the current plan, could be added,” said Emery. “It may also be possible to accelerate public access through the organization and support of volunteers,” said Dickerson. Access to the draft plan is available by contacting Environmental Scientist Sheryl Bowman (bowmans@hillsboroughcounty.org). She may also be reached by phone at 813/264-8513. Interested parties are encouraged to submit their comments and suggestions before May 1 to Bowman. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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WE’RE #2 IN HOGS AND WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HARLEY’S

Facts About Feral Hogs and Control Options By Jim Frankowiak

nless they are on your property or occasional visitors, chances are you are not aware that Florida has the second largest population of feral hogs in the country. Texas is tops, but we have an estimated 500,000. Yes, that’s right, nearly half a million, and they aren’t choosey. Feral hogs don’t differentiate between private or public lands, they like them both. Known by different names such as wild hogs and pigs, feral swine are of the species Sus scrofa. They are native to Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia. It is thought that feral hogs were first brought to Florida in 1539 when Hernando de Soto brought swine to provision a settlement he established at Charlotte Harbor. However, it is possible that the hogs had been brought to the same site in 1521 by Ponce de Leon during a brief visit. In any case, they are here to stay and are present in every county in Florida. It is estimated that there are 1 to 2 million wild hogs in the southeast of the approximately 5 million in this country. Some of the highest hog population densities in the state are found north and west of Lake Okeechobee in areas with large forested tracts, dense understory

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vegetation and limited public access. Hog numbers tend to be lower in areas with intensive agriculture and urbanization and little water. Feral hogs resemble domestic hogs, but are usually leaner and have developed different behaviors that promote their survival in the wild. Wild hogs are often solid black but can have white and/or reddish-brown hair either in solid or mottled patterns across their bodies. The average adult weight varies from 75 – 250-pounds and some can weigh over 400-pounds. Their home ranges vary from 200-acres to over 1,000-acres. Highly adaptable, feral hogs have the highest reproductive potential of any large mammal in North America. They reach sexual maturity at six months, produce multiple litters per year that range in size from six to 13 and have high rates of survival. Hogs have four continually growing, self-sharpening tusks. Tusks in females are relatively small, while male’s tusks become quite pronounced and have trophy value.

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The problems with these pioneer pigs are their negative ecological, economic impact, and human safety. Here in Florida, feral hogs have contributed to the decline of 22 listed plant species and four listed amphibian species. They are significant predators of ground-nesting birds. Since they favor longleaf pine seedlings, wild hogs are a contributor to the decline of longleaf pine in the Southeast. Wild hogs also disrupt the fuels needed for prescribed burns, impede habitat restoration, facilitate the spread of exotic plans and foster the decrease of water quality. From an economic standpoint, feral hogs damage pasture land, increase the cost of land management through access road damage, negative impact of habitat restoration areas and the increased need for exotic plant control. They are also responsible for significant property damage in suburban areas, particularly those bordering forested public lands or lands offering favorable habitats for the hogs. Hogs have been known to become aggressive and dangerous and carry diseases that affect humans, livestock and wildlife. On private land in Florida, wild hogs are considered domestic livestock and the property of the landowner where they are found. The federal government recognizes feral swine as problematic and the options for dealing with them are five-fold: trapping, shooting, catching with dogs, hunting or the installation of fencing. To reduce the negative impacts of feral hogs, the experts recommend use of a combination of options since feral swine have proven to be highly adaptive and able to avoid single methods of control, but have difficulty avoiding use of multiple control tactics. Fencing is a costly approach that is not practical for vast expanses of land. It is important for neighbors to work together since a cooperative effort is most effective. For landowners interested in seeking control assistance, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission offers information regarding licensed trappers. That information is available at 863/648-3200.

(Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: Special thanks to UF/IFAS, Hillsborough County Extension, Hillsborough County Conservation Services and Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission for their assistance with the preparation of this article.) Photos courtesy of HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CONSERVATION SERVICES.

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Beautiful and Nutritious By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicine, B.S. Nutrition Science

lorida dragonfruit is stunningly beautiful and deliciously sweet and creamy. This fruit has either pink or yellow skin and either a pink or white flesh. Both are similar in taste, although the white variety can be sweeter. Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, pitahya, or strawberry pear, is actually the fruit of a fragrant night-blooming cactus. Pitaya are produced in tropical and subtropical climates around the world, including Florida, Hawaii, Caribbean, Asia, Vietnam and Australia. According to the University of Florida Extension Office, pitaya plants live for an average of 20 years and established plants may produce over 200 pounds of fruit in a year.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Dragon fruit is an excellent nutritional source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, and is naturally free of fat, sodium, and cholesterol. One average 3.5” dragon fruit (100 g) contains 52 calories, 0.5 g of protein, 0.1 g of fat, 13g of carbohydrate, and 0.3 g of fiber. It also provides 19 mg of phosphorus, 6 mg of calcium, 25 mg of vitamin C, as well as many other nutrients. Pitaya is high in riboflavin, vitamin A, calcium, iron, and niacin, as well as powerful health-boosting antioxidants. The seeds are high in polyunsaturated fats, the beneficial type of fat for a healthy heart. VITAMIN C Dragon fruit are high in several antioxidants, including vitamins A and C. Vitamin C supports the body’s immune system in fighting infections and viruses. Additionally, this vitamin helps keep capillaries, gums, and skin healthy and supple. The vitamin C in pitaya also enhances iron

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absorption from other foods, which reduces the risk of anemia. It even plays a role in preventing cardiovascular disease and eye disease.

VITAMIN A Vitamin A is essential for optimal eye health and can help prevent night-blindness. It also plays a role in immunity by supporting the white blood cells in fighting infections. Vitamin A is also involved in hearing, taste, and normal fetal development.

FIBER Research has shown that dietary fiber has a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases, by lowering blood cholesterol levels and slowing the progression of heart disease in high-risk individuals. Fiber also promotes bowel regularity and increases satiety levels, which can aid in weight control.

PHOSPHORUS Florida dragon fruit is notably high in phosphorus, which plays a crucial role in the formation of bones and teeth. Phosphorus is also involved in the protein synthesis of repair of tissues, as well as growth and maintenance. It is also important in the way the body uses the nutrients we consume from food. Additionally, it plays an important role in maintaining a regular heartbeat and assisting in muscle contraction and nerve conduction.

weeks in the refrigerator. Dragon fruit can also be frozen, but since the texture will be altered, reserve it for sorbet or sauce.

HOW

TO ENJOY Dragon fruit is delicious eaten out-of –hand. Peel the outer skin and slice the fruit, or cut the fruit in half and scoop out the creamy flesh with a spoon. The seeds are edible. Other ways to enjoy dragon fruit include: • Freeze the pulp to make sorbet or ice cream • Mash the pulp to make jelly, yogurt, juice, or sauce • Slice and toss into a fruit or vegetable salad • Use the pulp in baked cakes or pastries • Blend with other fruits for a refreshing smoothie Enjoy this beautiful, fragrant fruit during Florida’s peak pitaya season. Eat it out of hand and enjoy the creamy sweetness of one of the world’s most beautiful fruits. Selected References http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs303 http://www.tropcialfruitgrowers.com

HOW

TO SELECT AND STORE Look for pitaya that is deeply colored, free of bruises and discoloration. Choose one that feels heavy for its weight, without soft spots. The fruit can be stored for up to five days at room temperature or for several

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The 2012 Florida Strawberry Festival速 Youth Livestock Awards Banquet SWINE FIRST PLACE CLASS WINNERS Front row: Courtney Bendorf, Jennifer Ramey, Madilyn Conrad, Hannah Futch Back row: Daniel Paul, Whatley Tate , Judy Barta, Clayton Brock, Jacob Gainer

The event was held Thursday, April 12 in the new Evelyn and Batista Madonia, Sr. Agriculture Show Center. This year was record year for the Steer, Swine and Plant winners. The average sale price per pound was $4.21, with a grand total of $515,973.94 with add-ons. The Swine average sale price was $9.26 per pound. Total sales in the swine division was $193,000.45 In the Plant Division the actual sale total was just about $20,000.00 with ad-ons. The grand total exceeded $755,707.00.

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PREMIER EXHIBITOR AWARD Based on scores in Record Book, Showmanship, Herdsman (L- R) David Walden, Durant FFA, Senior Division Darby Hasting, Durant FFA, Junior Division Alexander Fernandez, Durant FFA, Intermediate Division STANDING: Jon Poppell, Festival Director

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RAY CLARK – AG AWARDS BANQUET MC When you think of the annual New Year’s Eve Celebration, you think of Dick Clark. It’s the same with the annual Strawberry Festival Ag Banquet, you think of Ray Clark, who has been the MC for more than 20 years. He started MCing the event sometime in the mid 80’s when the event was began as the “Steer Awards” banquet. A few years later the “Swine Awards” was added to the program. Ray began teaching in 1972, and retired in 2009 as head of the Plant City High School Agribusiness Education Department.

GRAND CHAMPION STEER (L- R) Cameron Salter, Durant FFA, Ron Gainey Pres. FSF Steer weighed 1,270 bid was $12.00 a pound Buyer Dennis Der, Southside Farm Supply and 59 add-ons

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION (L- R) Ron Gainey, pres. FSF Jarrett Gilman, JG Smith FFA Kenneth Parker Steer weight 1258 pounds, bid was $10.00 a pound Buyer Chemical Dynamics, Astin Farms, Central Maintenance

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MAY 2012

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2012 STEER HERDSMAN AWARDS TOP ROW STANDING (L-R): David Walden, Senior Division, First Place Durant FFA • Dusty Cook, Senior Division, Second Place, Young Sprouts 4H SEATED (L- R) Jake Maxwell, Senior Division, Third Place, Strawberry Crest FFA • Nicholas Andrlik, Junior Division, First Place, Newsome FFA • Clint Walden, Junior Division, Second Place, JF St. Martin FFA • Alyssa Sheppard, Intermediate Division, Third Place, Durant FFA • Jacob Belisle, Intermediate Division, First Place, Durant FFA • Kade Green, Intermediate Division, Second Place, Strawberry Crest FFA

STEER SHOWMANSHIP AWARDS TOP: Pam Warnock, Kaleb Tew JF St. Martin FFA, Justin Stallard-Durant FFA, Cameron Salter - Durant FFA, Alexander Fernandz –Durant FFA SEATED: Jessica Andrlik - Newsome FFA, Allison Thomas – Strawberry Crest FFA, Mirando Mayo – Durant FFA, Darby Hasting – Durant FFA, Jerri Rowell – Durant FFA

SWINE GRAND & RESERVE Division reserve and champions: (L-R) Riley Brown-Plant City FFA Div. 2 Champion • Jarrett Gillman-JG Smith FFA, Div. 3 Reserve Champion Dalton Dry-Durant FFA Div. 1 Reserve Champion • Kyle Lee-Strawberry Crest FFA Div. 2, Reserve Champion Marcy Gay-Strawberry Crest FFA, Div. 1 Champion • Cameron Salter-Durant FFA Div. 3 Champion

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

GRAND CHAMPION CARCASS Darby Hasting with Judy Barta, Sunshine State Federal Savings

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION CARCASS Lee Gillman, with Judy Barta and Dixie Gillman

STEER CARCASS AWARD (L-R) TOP ROW: Zack Vaughn-Strawberry Crest FFA, Judy Barta, Justin Gajenski-Plant City FFA, Cole Ebdrup-Durant FFA SEATED: Celeste Lewis-Durant FFA, Haley Burleson-J.F. St. Martin, Clayton Todd-Durant FFA, Darby Hasting -Durant FFA, Jarrett Gillman-J.G.Smith FFA, Jacob Thornton-Durant FFA

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

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Licensed Propagators Serving Farmers & Retail Customers

Starting a Farm or Need Resets?

Love Fresh Berries?

We have several thousand 1 to 15 gallon blueberry plants available! Call for Quote.

1 gal. Blueberry Plant

$6.95

for your backyard or patio

813-323-7987 â&#x20AC;˘ www.berrybluefarms.com

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

SWINE BUYERS AWARD Bill McClelland familyJohanna Wetherington/Lane Wetherington representing Buyer, Antioch Feeds. Exhibitor: Daniel Paul Price: $12.00 per pound

SWINE PREMIER EXHIBITOR AWARDS (L-R) Senior Division - Jennifer Ramey, Alonso FFA Intermediate Division - Cassidy Hastings,Turkey Creek FFA Junior Division-Tyler Tylisz, Barrington FFA Sponsor: South Side Farm Supply-Dennis Der

STEER HERDSMAN AWARD Front row: Left to Right: Jake Maxwell, Jacob Belilse, Nicholas Andrlik, Clint Walden, Linda Sanchez, Alyssa Shepherd, Jacob Belisle, Mckenzie Green Back row: David Walden, Dusty Cook

SWINE SHOWMANSHIP

Bottom Row L-R: Ashley Sanchez-Chautauqua 4H, Jr. Div. 2nd. Place • Tyler Tylisz, Barrington FFA, Jr. Div. 1st. Place • Jake Helmer, Beth Shields FFA Intermediate Div. 3r. Place Cassidy Hasting, Turkey Creek FFA Intermediate Div. 1st. Place • Kasey Lewis, Barrington FFA, Intermediate Div. 2nd. Place. Top Row: Whitney Alvarado, Durant FFA, Senior Div. 2nd. Place Jenna Keely, Patchwork 4H, Jr. Division, 3rd. Place •Jennifer Ramey, Alonso FFA, Sr. Div. 1st Place Jonathan Rowell, Turkey Creek FFA, Sr. Div. 3rd. Place 88

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

SWINE BUYERS AWARD Bill McClelland familyJohanna Wetherington/Dennis Der Grand Champion Exhibited by Clayton Brock Bought by Southside Farm Supply Price $15 per pound W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

PAM WALDEN & PAUL DAVIS Present checks totaling in the amount of $6,266.00. That was for ushering in the grandstands and selling water in the grandstands at the concerts and outside the gates.

J. V. “JIM” WALDEN AWARD (L-R) Linda Walden, Caleb Smith, Suzanne Walden, Lauren Walden

HEATHER LAYTON SCHOLARSHIP (L-R) Mike Dry, Celeste Lewis, Debbie Layton

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS Total of Scholaships given out to all - $18,000.00

Kelly Bozeman

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

Kellee Cook

MAY 2012

Andrea Butts

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In Business Since 1962 • Specializing in Azaleas and a wide selection of Woody Ornaments • Delivery available in Florida & sales throughout the Southeastern United States. • WHOLESALE ONLY

813-752-0931 Fax: 813-754-7427

3315 ENGLISH RD., PLANT CITY, FL 33567 • WINFRED M. HARRELL - OWNER

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

MORE FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS Montana Gay

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS: Here are the names of the students: front row facing camera left to right: Kelsey Bozeman, Celeste Lewis, Allison Thomas, Morgan Gmytruk, Haley Ours, Kallee Cook, Andrea Butts, Montana Gay Standing left to right: Blake Harrell, Cameron Salter, David Walden, Stanley Witchoskey, Caleb Smith

WILLIAM R. MCCLELLAND MEMORIAL AWARD (L-R) Johanna Wetherington, Louise Wetherington, Jonathan Swindle, Blake Harrell, Stephanie, Stephanie Swindle

JAMES L. REDMAN MEMORIAL AWARD (L-R) Pam Bowden, Susan Sullivan, Kallee Cook, Ruby Jean Redman

ROY PARKE MEMORIAL AWARD (L-R) Sandie Sytsma, Allison Thomas, Helen Parke

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

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IN BUSINESS NOW FOR OVER 15 YEARS

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

NEW, USED and ABUSED!

HOME & MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES • Code Approved Windows • Window Rooms • Screen Rooms • Carports • Awnings • Wood Paneling • Steps • Alcoa® Vinyl Siding • Skirting • Doors (Interior & Exterior) ake We M w Windo s n Scree

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813

752-3378

• Roof Overs • Metal Roofing • Shower Stalls • Complete Line of Plumbing • Trim Moulding • Vanities • Kitchen Cabinets • Antiques • Stepping Stones/Pavers

2670 Hwy. 92 E Plant City, FL (Between Lakeland and Plant City)

OPEN SATURDAYS: 8:30-5:00 www.brokeandpoorpc@aol.com

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

Classifieds

Tel: 813.759.6909

BUILDING SUPPLIES DECKING BRDS. & TILL SIDING Call Ted 813-752-3378 DOUBLE INSULATED THERMO PANE Starting at $55. Call Ted 813-752-3378

MASSEY FERGUSON 255 Grove Tractor with 6’ mower $7,500. Call Alvie 813-759-8722. KUBOTA L275 With shuttle shift. Ready to work! $3,500. Call 813-759-8722

SURPLUS WINDOWS DOUBLE INSULATED Starting at $55. Call Ted 813-752-3378

NEW HOLLAND TC29 TRACTOR/LOADER 29 pto hp, 268 hrs, $13,000 (UT6406). Ask for David 813-623-3673

MOBILE HOME-SIZED WINDOW SCREENS We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted 813-752-3378

2005 MASSEY FERGUSON 5465 Farm Tractor. 100 hp, 3 mec hyd remotes. Ecab with air. 1583 hours. Call Mike 813-478-0723

TILL 4 X 8 SHEET B-grade $17.95. Call Ted 813-752-3378

2006 MASSEY FERGUSON 5460 Farm Tractor. 95 hp, 18.4-30 rear tires. 13.6-24 front tires, ecab w/air, 1050 hrs. Call Mike 813-478-0723

NEW DOORS CLOSEOUT SPECIAL!!! $75 to $295. Call Ted today 813-752-3378 MOBILE HOME TUBS Metal brand new in box 54” Mobile Home Tubs. Call Ted 813-752-3378

COUPONS SAVICH & LEE/STALNAKER Horse Fence 200’x4’, Sheep & Goat Fence 330’x4’ 1 to 3 rolls - $2.50 off, 4 or more $5 off, 10 piece limit. Field fence 47” 1-8 $2.50 off, 9 or more - $5 off, 10 piece limit. Barbed Wire - 5 or more - $1 off 10 piece limit. Pick up ONLY while supplies last. See our ad on page 81 for pricing.

EQUINE SERVICES HORSE BOARDING Stalls and individual turnout, lighted arena and round pen. Owners on property. $300 full care. Call 813-610-4416

FARM EQUIPMENT 2008 MASSEY FERGUSON 1533LC, 33hp with loader, cab, ac, 1367hrs. $16,950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

MASSEY FERGUSON GC2300 4 X 4 hydro stat transmission, 2702 hrs. $4,750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 1984 MASSEY FERGUSON 240 tractor, 42 pto hp, 2wd, works great! $5,950. Call Alvie 813-759-8722 GRAVELY 1740 Zero turn mower 40” cut. $1,650 Call Alvie (813)759-8722 BUSH HOG HS 1736 Zero turn mower. Approx. 2 years old. 36" cut $1,950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MAHINDRA 4530 W/ loader, 4x4, skid steer bucket. Shuttle shift, 44hp. $14,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

FOR SALE WESTERN SADDLE FOR SALE Barely used. Saddle, bridle and blanket. $600 or b/o. Call 813-363-5967 CHICKEN MANURE FOR SALE Dry and available immediately! Call Tim Ford or Danny Thibodeau 863-439-3232 TRAILER FOR SALE 44x12 single wide trailer in Winters Mobile Home Park. Zephyrhills 5k or best offer. Call (813)967-4515

MASSEY FERGUSON 245 Diesel tractor. Good condition. $5,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 KUBOTA L345 TRACTOR 34hp, 2wd. $4,250 Call Alvie (813)759-8722

LAWN EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES

MASSEY FERGUSON TRACTOR 1980 Massey Ferguson 230. 34pto hp, power steering. $4,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

RUBBER MULCH All colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE! $8.99 a bag. Call Ted 813-752-3378

HEAVY DUTY TRAILER 14’ Shop built, heavy duty trailer, 2 axel with ramps. $750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

NEW HUSTLER SPORT ZERO TURN 48" cut, 16hp. Honda engine. Special Price! $3,500 with 3yr. warranty. Call Alvie 813-759-8722

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012

info@inthefieldmagazine.com TSG50 WOODS 3pt. stump grinder. Clearance Sale! $3,381. Call Alvie 813-759-8722

REAL ESTATE BEAUTIFUL PLANT CITY 1 ACRE LOT With well. Private one street subdivision frontage 290 x 145 depth. 4521 Highland Creek Drive. $45,900. Call Today! 813-655-6769 FOR SALE – 45 ACRES VACANT LAND (Pasco County) 45 acres are comprised of gently rolling hills with big trees & solid ground. A great setting for residential development. To the east of the property is a 60 acre parcel (Lake Gilbert) that adds significant aesthetic value to the 45 acres. Zoning: AR (Agricultural-Rural) Please call Heidi Cecil for more information 863-899-9620 2.66 ACRE NURSERY FOR SALE OR LEASE N. Lakeland with 1,000 sq ft frame house, 2 sheds, irrigation throughout. Call Bruce 863-698-0019 BLAIRSVILLE, GEORGIA MLS#212769 Private home with 3BR, 2.5 baths, unfinished basement, nice kitchen, Sunroom, back deck for cooking out, nestled in the trees, cool enough that there is no AC. Lots of outbuildings. A must see! 2.47 acres wooded, low maintenance. $180,000. Call Jane Baer w/ Jane Baer Realty 1-800-820-7829 BLAIRSVILLE, GEORGIA MLS#190298 Beautiful RV lot with cement pad, decking includes the 5th wheel. Less than 2 years old! River’s Edge RV Park offers a large clubhouse, stocked lake for fishing, heated and cooled laundry and shower facilities. $69,000 Call Jane Baer w/ Jane Baer Realty 1-800-820-7829 A SLICE OF HEAVEN 2.03 acres lot on Hare Mtn. Estates in Franklin NC. Breath-taking views. Purchased 10/08 for $73,400. Yours today for $32,900 GREAT INVESTMENT! Call 813-655-6769

WANTED SNAKEBITE?? Your Help needed for a medical project. I need Coral Snakes for a venom project supplying a major Pharmaceutical Company producing antivenom for North American Coral Snake bite victims. There is currently no antivenom being produced. This is not a request for you to capture or handle a coral snake. This is a request for you to call me if you encounter one in a spot that will allow me to come and collect it. They are showing up in pool skimmers, in garages, in barns, under wood debris, on patios and porches. They are active early morning and late evening throughout the summer. If you encounter one keep all Children and pets away from the snake. Thank you for your consideration. Jack Facente/ AGRITOXINS Labs. 407-922-1160 email: jfacente@embarqmail.com

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Dukes Chiropractic Health Clinic, P. A. Supports FFA & 4-H Congratulations to all the FFA & 4-H students that participated in this year’s 2012 Florida Strawberry Festival

Dr. Dukes has been in private practice since 1984 and is currently the director of a wellness clinic located in Plant City at 2401 Walden Woods Drive. After graduation from Plant City High School in 1976, Dr. Dukes attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor Degree in – Biology and Chemistry. Continuing her education she attended Life University in Marietta, GA, where she received her Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1984. In November 1992, Dr. Dukes earned a Diplomate in Neurology to expand her knowledge of the treatment of nervous system dysfunctions. She is also Board qualified in Orthopedics.

• The benefits of chiropractic care include pain relief, tissue healing and good function for all ages. • Chiropractic uses natural & conservative methods to promote the body’s own healing capacity. • Available care for : Joint Pain, Neck & Back Pain, Pregnancy Care, Nutritional Screening, Headaches, Spinal Pelvic Stabilizers (orthotics), Auto Injuries, Rehabilitation, and Massage Therapy. • FDA approved DPA screens the arteries to find those hidden cardio-vascular problems.

27 Years in Practice

Dukes Chiropractic Health Clinic, P. A. Tel: 813.752.2524 Fax: 813.754.4967 Se habla Espanol 2401 Walden Woods Drive • Plant City, FL 33566 E-mail: dchc4bkd@gte.net dukeschiropractic.com

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

MAY 2012