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Contents
VOL. 8 • ISSUE 9
Cover Story Plant City Photo Archives
Page 54 Hillsborough County Board - Michael Merrill
Page 10 Tampa Bay’s Fishing Report
Page 14 Grub Station
Page 18 Rocking Chair Chatter
Page 22 Land Developement Code Amendment
Page 24 Elizabeth Pierce
Page 28 Recipes
Page 50 Dale McClellan
Page 53 Patriotic Breeding
Page 56 Brandi Yancy
Page 58 Choosing a Landscape Maintenance or Tree Company
Page 65 Custom Creations
Page 72 Gardening That Makes A Difference
Page 79 4
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From the Editor
ITFM Staff PUBLISHER/PHOTOGRAPHY Karen Berry EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Al Berry SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR/ ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Sarah Holt EDITOR Patsy Berry
Let me start this by saying, I am not a nutritionist. Nor am I an exercise expert. I don’t pretend to be either. What I do know is, that when I started paying attention to my nutrition, notice I didn’t say diet because that is a four letter word to many, and started exercising, something amazing happened. Yes, I lost weight, but more importantly I feel better. I had more energy, my mind is more clear and I feel better about myself. I will be the first to say it’s not easy, far from it. You must have the right mind set and be ready to get serious about getting healthy before you start. Fad diets and “miracle pills” are not the answer. What is the answer? Good, nutritious, fresh from Florida food! That’s right! Eat nutritious fruits and vegetables, grown right here in your back yard, check the label to make sure your meats are not a product of another country, look for the Fresh From Florida label. That’s what you need to do. Of course portion control is important, but again, I am not a nutritionist. There is an abundance of information on web sites and you can work with a nutritionist to figure out what best suites you to become the healthiest happiest individual you can. As far as exercise goes, each individual is different. What works for one, may not work for another. Find something you enjoy so you will continue doing it. I have taken up running and enjoy it very much, but I know it is not for everyone. Walk your dog, ride a bike, whatever you are capable of doing, I promise you will feel better for it. Keeping active and eating right are keys to a healthy lifestyle. It’s always best to check with your physician before you start to exercise. While moderate physical activity is safe for most people, experts suggest you talk to your doctor first, especially if you have any health concerns. Until Next Month,
Sarah
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. –Numbers 6:25
OFFICE MANAGER Bob Hughens SALES MANAGER Danny Crampton SALES Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton José Mendoza 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
New Location!
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.
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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 .................................................................5 Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers.......................................29 American Cancer Society................................................70 Antioch Feed & Farm Supply........................................63 Aquarius Water Refining.................................................82 Astin Strawberry Exchange ............................................85 Berry Blue Farm & Nursery, LLC.................................19 Bill’s Transmissions.............................................................7 Bingham............................................................................78 Brandon Auto Services, Inc.............................................59 Brenda Simmons Horse Boarding..................................29 Broke & Poor...................................................................44 Byrd & Barnhill, P.L........................................................77 C&C Services of Tampa.................................................88 Cecil Breeding Farm ........................................................41 CF Industries, Inc.............................................................81 Chemical Containers..........................................................9 Choo Choo Lawn Equipment .......................................48 Chris Mink .......................................................................92 Chuck’s Tire & Automotive ............................................2 Circle “R”.........................................................................38 County Line Road Auction ............................................40 Cowboys Western World................................................13 Crescent Jewelers................................................................7 Dad’s Towing....................................................................93 Discount Metals...............................................................40 Dr. Barry Gaffney O.D. PA.............................................60 Driscoll’s............................................................................91 Earhart’s Runway Grill ...................................................95 Farm Bureau Insurance...................................................46 Farm Bureau Insurance/Jeff Sumner..............................66 Farm Credit ......................................................................15 Felton’s ..............................................................................51 Fischbach Land Company..............................................71 Florida Dept. of Agriculture............................................12 Florida Strawberry Growers Assoc................................37 Fluid Measurements ........................................................34 Forbes Road Produce......................................................11 Fred’s Market......................................................................9 Gator Ford........................................................................87 Gerald Keene Plumbing ..................................................16 Grove Equipment Service.....................................36 & 47 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply .............................................3 Harrell’s Nursery, Inc.......................................................85 Haught Funeral Home....................................................64 Helena Chemical-Tampa ................................................23 Hillsboro State Bank........................................................77 Hillsborough County Farm Bureau.................................4 Hinton Farms Produce, Inc.............................................36 Home Protection Pest Control .......................................66 I-4 Power Equipment ......................................................52 IHOP.................................................................................31 Jeff Sumner/Georgia Camp.............................................59 Johnson’s Barbeque..........................................................87 Jon & Rosie’s Tree Farm.................................................85 Key Plex ............................................................................26 Loetscher Auto Parts .......................................................77 Malissa Crawford............................................................47 Mark Smith Excavating..................................................19 Mosaic...............................................................................44 Myers Cleaners.................................................................84 Pathway BioLogic............................................................32 Plant City Tire & Auto Service, Inc...............................19 Pool Masters.....................................................................85 Product Consultants Unlimited (PCU) ..........................61 Purina................................................................................42 Rick’s Custom Meats ......................................................85 Ring Power Corporation ................................................59 Roadrunner Oil & Lube.................................................39 Roadrunner Veterinary Clinic ........................................96 Robert McElheny.............................................................69 Savannah Mitchell ...........................................................74 Savich & Lee Wholesale .................................................25 Southside Farm & Pet Supply........................................17 Southwestern Produce.....................................................27 Stephanine Humprey.......................................................40 Stingray Chevrolet............................................................21 Super Service Tire & Auto..............................................90 The Hay Depot................................................................87 Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort................................39 Trinkle, Redman, Swanson, Coton, Davis & Smith .................................................................75 Walden Lake Car Wash ..................................................23 Waller’s Power Equipment..............................................83 Wells Memorial................................................................75 Wett’s Welding & Tank Services, Inc.............................93 Willie’s ...............................................................................77 Woodside Dental..............................................................35 W W W. 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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速 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
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100 South Mulrennan Road • Valrico, FL 33594 • 813-685-9121
IT’S THAT TIME ONCE AGAIN Dear Reader: In case you haven’t noticed, it’s that time again. No, I’m not talking about getting ready for the new school semester or about starting your Christmas shopping. It’s that time again to focus on the right we have as citizens of this great country to participate in the democratic process by exercising our right to vote. Yes, I know the elections are several months away, but I would encourage you to become familiar with the candidates, where they stand on issues of importance to you and some of the other matters that will be present on the ballot in November. Some of you may wish to become actively involved in campaigns or take action in support of initiatives on the ballot and that’s great. Let me remind you that not all nations in our world are democracies and only a fraction of the world’s population enjoys the right to vote in free elections such as ours. That right is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. That may not seem significant, but it is if you exercise that right. Never forget that your vote is just as important as anyone else’s. If you don’t vote, you are not fully participating in the democratic process…you are unfortunately just an onlooker and that would be a true shame. Hundreds of thousands of men and women have died or become injured helping to protect our rights through their efforts in the wars and military engagements our country has been involved in since 1776. If for no other reason other than respect for their sacrifices, get involved and participate in the upcoming election. Hillsborough County Farm Bureau is a firm believer and participant in the electoral process. We are one of the few county Farm Bureaus here in Florida with its own Political Action Committee. That means we invite candidates in to learn of their position on the various issues of importance to our membership, and we often provide financial support for candidates whose success is important to our membership. With the emergence of the Internet and popularity of social media, it is now easier than ever to become fully informed about candidates and issues that will be voted on in November. There really is no excuse for not becoming an informed voter. Should you have any questions about your rights as a voter – from how to register to where you vote – visit the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections web site, http://votehillsborough.org. If you are not satisfied with our elected leaders at any level – local, county, state or national – the first step in making changes begins with your involvement in the democratic process of voting. That also holds true for the issues that will appear on the November ballot. This is a special right and opportunity that we have as Americans. Let’s not take it for granted. Thank you,
Danny Danny Aprile President
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, Stefan Katzaras, Greg Lehman, Carl Little, Lance Ham, Michelle Williamson and John Stickles, Executive Director: Judi Whitson 8
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• There are about 3800 lizard species found all over the world. • Lizards have the ability to shed their tail to run away from predators. • Some Horned lizards are able to squirt blood from their eyes as a defense mechanism. • Snakes have no eyelids. • Snakes, like all reptiles, are incapable of learning. • Snakes are completely deaf. They pick up vibrations in their jawbones and on their scent molecules located on their tongue. • Most snakes have over 200 teeth. • A female flea can lay up to 27 eggs a day, and produce up to 2,000 eggs in her lifetime. • The flea is a host for a certain tapeworm, so if your animal has fleas it will often have tapeworms. • The flea can jump to a height of roughly 6 feet. • For the purpose of mating, male mosquitoes are attracted to female mosquitoes by the whine of the femaleʼs wings. • A female mosquito only takes about 5 millionths of a gallon of blood per bite. At this rate it would take over 750,000 bites to make a gallon of blood. • In 1802, Napoleon lost 23,000 out of 29,000 men to mosquitoborne yellow fever in Haiti. • Under ideal conditions, mosquitoes can go from egg to adult in as little as 4 days.
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CARRYING OUT THE
DECISIONS,
POLICIES,
ORDINANCES
AND
MOTIONS OF THE COUNTY BOARD
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MICHAEL MERRILL – By Jim Frankowiak MICHAEL S. MERRILL is the chief executive officer of Hillsborough County with responsibility for carrying out all decisions, policies, ordinances and motions of the Board of County Commissioners. His duties include overseeing all County administrative departments and preparing an annual operating budget. Merrill’s responsibilities do indeed cover County services from A, Aging Services, to Z, Zoning, and an organizational structure of more than 4,000 employees. Appointed to his current post December 9, 2010, Merrill had served as interim County Administrator from June of that year. He had been director of the County’s Debt Management Department since 1988 and, in addition, was appointed in November 2008 as the Assistant County Administrator for Utilities and Commerce.
Prior to his initial post with the County, Merrill worked in Europe as a finance director, managing the subsidiaries of a publicly held U.S. capital goods manufacturer. In the eight years before he relocated to Europe, he was involved in commercial real estate finance, corporate finance and public finance as vice president of a large commercial bank and later with a regional investment bank. An alumnus of Marquette University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Merrill is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association and he has been an adjunct instructor at the University of Tampa. He also holds an advanced degree from the University of South Florida in Religious Studies and has completed the majority of the course work for a doctoral Communication degree.
Since the beginning of 2012 Merrill has undertaken a mission of personal outreach to all areas of the County. While not complete, he intends to make it part of his ongoing activities. “Our county is diverse with significant urban and rural communities, each with its own needs and challenges,” he said. “It is a continuing challenge to strike a balance and enhance community growth and well-being. My philosophy focuses on government helping communities to grow, not government as a regulatory body.” “Yes, there is a need for public safety as broadly defined, but we must work to help create jobs and grow businesses so that our county flourishes, even in these difficult economic times.” “I recognize the challenges of development, in particular development of the I-4 corridor and the implications that could have on both rural and agricultural interests, as well as plans for other areas of the county,” said Merrill. “Part of my outreach, is to better understand those situations and to help evaluate how the county can best proceed and achieve harmony among various interests. Each of us needs our own place and identity. I understand and respect that as essential to a desired quality of life.” Born and raised in Wisconsin, Merrill has interesting insights into agriculture.
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“In one of my prior posts I was involved in evaluating financing programs for a number of different agricultural businesses,” he said. “Some involved cattle and others the dairy industry. Those experiences gave me a first hand understanding of and appreciation for not only the challenges facing the agricultural industry but the impact that industry has on our overall economy. Although agriculture has its own identity in Hillsborough County, its impact on the economy and overall importance is substantial.” “Over the past several years, we have made a concerted effort to address and overcome that too often perceived regulatory focus associated with county government. We will continue in that regard and
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work to emphasize what we can do to achieve harmonious community growth.” When not dealing with the duties of County CEO, Merrill, a lifelong musician, enjoys playing the guitar and piano and spending time with his dog, a BasenjiChihuahua mix, which he acquired from Animal Rescue.
(Editor’s Note: This is the first in an occasional series of articles detailing the role and responsibilities of various appointed and elected officials in Hillsborough County. We welcome your suggestions for future articles. Email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call us at 813-579-6909. )
MICHAEL MERRILL
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by Captain Woody Gore
S
ummer is here and with it plenty of daylight hours to spend on the water fishing or boating. But while summer brings with it visions of sunshine and warm temperatures, it can also bring in the chaotic weather that often puts a swift end to our water time fun. Thunderstorms, especially those associated with lightning and wind, are all bad news if you’re caught unprepared on the water. The good news is that with a little basic knowledge you can learn to predict when these storms are coming, and get yourself out of the water before you’re in danger. Seasoned boaters and anglers have learned to watch to the skies for impending storms and if things don’t look promising they head for safety. Here are a few tips for keeping your eye on the sky: • Bad weather is often forecast before you ever leave shore, so make certain you check your local weather stations or local marine forecast, paying careful attention to all marine warnings that may be posted for your area or the area you may be heading. • Look for the telltale signs of a forming thunderstorm such as clumps of thick cumulous clouds (the puffy, cotton-ball type) darkening into a towering, cumulonimbus cloud (think cumulous growing vertically, with an anvil-like shape at the top). Begin heading for safety whenever you see clouds in this formation. Severe winds, lighting, rain or worse can occur in as little as 15 to 30 minutes. • The severity of a storm can often be predicted by the shape and color of a cloud’s front edge. The darker, sharper, and lower the edge, the more severe the storm. A storm cloud’s anvil-shaped top
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also will typically point in the direction the storm is traveling. • During the summer, thunderstorms will often build over the water when the humidity and temperature on land are high. As hot air radiates upward, it absorbs moisture from nearby water, ultimately rising to begin forming a thunderhead. The telltale sign of these storms are fast moving black clouds, often approaching from the southwest, south, or west. • How long do you have before a storm arrives? Try this trick. When you first see a lighting flash, count how many seconds pass before you hear the accompanying clap of thunder, then divide by five. The result is the number of miles you are away from the storm. • Even if a storm is still several miles away, the lightning it generates can easily reach you. Lighting often strikes well before a storm, as well as once the storm has seemingly passed. Watch for the “coppery” haze and building cumulonimbus clouds that indicate a thunderstorm, and seek shelter well in advance. • If you can’t outrun a storm or find some kind of shelter, point your craft into the wind, and try to take approaching waves at a 90-degree angle. This will keep your pump in the water, and lessen the chance of your craft getting rolled over. It’s also best to stay as low as possible, so that your body is not the tallest target on the water.
Atmospheric Association (NOAA) broadcast continual weather bulletins on designated “WX’ channels, which are updated every six hours. SNOOK (Snook Season Closed) Seems like snook is all people want to target and catch and while there are plenty around, perhaps when you catch one you will take a moment to look at its mouth and you’ll see why I’m suggesting targeting something different. Their mouths are in terrible shape from being hooked and released so many times. I imagine if my mouth had that many holes in it I’d be reluctant to eat anything. So, you might want to think about giving them a rest during the closed season and try one of the other 200 plus species throughout Tampa Bay. In saying this there are still good reports coming in from the north end down past the Skyway. Weedon Island is a favorite spot for many anglers and it gets plenty of pressure throughout the week and especially on the weekends. However, if you’re tired of the same old scenery and crowded fishing pressure, why not venture away from your favorite spots and find some new areas.
Chad Payne with Redfish
• Remember, whenever you’re venturing farther than just your local bay or shore, a handheld VHF radio can be a lifesaver. Many include a weather alert feature to warn of approaching storms. In addition, the National Oceanographic and W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
REDFISH We’re seeing plenty of singles and doubles around the usual haunts. If you’re lucky enough to come across a large school of mullet before the mullet skiffs bust them up, you’ll usually find a redfish noising around inside the school. Live or dead bait works, but I’m finding dead bait and a rod holder is working the best. For those that like pitching soft plastics and topwater’s around the mangroves you can expect some great action on incoming tides. SPOT T ED SEA T ROU T You might try suspending a shrimp under popping cork with a medium split-shot about 8” about a 1/0 circle hook and work the cork by popping it, letting it set a moment, then popping it again. If there are fish in the area it won’t take long before you are hooked up. If that’s not working, remove the cork and freeline a greenback or shrimp over some deep grass and its usually trout for dinner. Topwater popping plugs or soft plastic jerk baits over any broken bottom grass flat can offer artificial anglers some nice action. SILVER SEA T ROU T Tampa Bay has an unusually large population of silver trout scatters all over the 6 to 12 foot depth, usually on fairly hard lime rock bottom and spotty grass. We’ve been catching them up into the 2 to 2 ½ pound range and if you’ve never had a silver trout meal it’s delicious. MACKEREL & SHARKS I can’t say enough about the big Mackerel showing up. They’re all over the Bay feeding on Anchovies, and Threadfins. Hang a chum block over the side throw out some cut chunks of Threadfins or Greenbacks and get ready. I’m getting reports of big fish ranging in the four to seven pound range caught using a long shank 2/0 hooks and 60 pound Seaguar Fluorocarbon leader. COB IA I’ve seen a few Cobias around the Bay, most are cruising markers or following large rays or manatees around the flats. When Mackerel fishing with a chum block keep you eyes open, as Cobia like to hang around your boat. If you net your bait, keep a few smaller pinfish and use them for the Cobia. TARPON Plenty of Tarpon at the Skyway and on the beaches. Large Greenbacks, Threadfins, or a crab should do the trick. If you’re casting to them use a rod and reel combo that allow for a longer distance cast.
Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing 813-477-3817 Captain Woody Gore is the areas top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done. Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM, send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give him a call at 813-477-3814.
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Shuman To Provide Keynote Address at the 4th Annual Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference
K
eynote speaker Michael Shuman, author of “The Small Mart Revolution,” will be featured on Saturday, July 28th, sponsored by the Florida Food Policy Council. Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and Director of Research and Marketing for Cutting Edge Capital. He has authored, coauthored, or edited eight books. His most recent book, just published by Chelsea Green, is Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Move Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street and Achieve Real Prosperity. His previous book, The Small Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition (Berrett-Koehler, 2006), received a bronze prize from the Independent Publishers Association for best business book of 2006. He helped co-found BALLE, which represents 22,000 local businesses in North America in 80 communities, and is now a Fellow there. At Cutting Edge Capital, a consulting firm that helps communities and businesses solving finance challenges, he manages its economic development initiatives.
educational sessions, farm tours, a large trade show, Florida’s Finest Signature Luncheon, and more. Through concurrent educational sessions led by industry experts and noted researchers, the annual 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 costeffective methods to meet state regulations, and applying the latest research to real-world problems. Attendees also participate in workshops, hands-on demonstrations and organized networking activities, enabling them to share their knowledge while interacting with peers from all over the state. •
To register for the Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference visit the website http:/ / www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/ smallfarms
The Florida Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference is a three-day event, hosted by the University of Florida and Florida A & M University and features 30 16
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By Cheryl Kuck
Y
ou can’t miss it…it’s a really bright blue building with a huge shrimp on it. Outside are picnic tables and thatched roof umbrella topped tables adding to the Jimmy Buffet-ish look of the place. The sign above the door, Shrimp & Co. Express, along with a giant oyster shell at the entrance indicates this is a place where seafood is sold. Driving by on my way to Parkesdale Farms, just across the road on U.S. Highway 92 in Plant City, my curiosity peaks; is it a full-service restaurant or a take-out place? After about five months, my curiosity was so great that I had to stop in and see what’s happening inside all the eye-catching kitsch on the outside. Much to my delight I found the cheerful décor is carried throughout the so spotless you can eat-off-the-floor restaurant, but the action is all in the kitchen where Chef Wilma Cardona creates magic with her flair for exotic seasoning and taste-buds that can tell every ingredient in any dish served to her. She and co-owner husband Eric have a favorite pastime, they travel and spend off hours going to restaurants where Wilma decides what ingredients are in every dish ordered and how she would make it better. Originally from Puerto Rico, they had difficulty finding the flavors of
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their native country until they visited New Orleans. “The Cajuns and Creoles got it right. To make perfect flavors, I have fused them with the spices used in my homeland and in my mother’s kitchen where I learned how to cook,” says Wilma. Formerly partners in the original Ybor Shrimp & Co. restaurant, the partners sold the business going their separate ways, each forming new restaurants. “Just because the name ‘shrimp’ is on the restaurant doesn’t mean we have a connection. We moved to Plant City because we love it and want to spend our lives here. It is a warm and friendly place with a small town atmosphere, a perfect place for families. We started Shrimp & Co. Express and have no partners but each other and should not be confused with any other restaurant. The flavors and recipes we serve are entirely created by my wife Wilma,” stated Eric. The chef says, despite the urging of her family, she did not originally want to become a professional restaurateur and became an executive financial manager in Puerto Rico. After coming to the U.S., it was difficult to get a top level financial position because she did not speak English well. While working in a lower financial position at Aramark Corporation (a multinational corporation with many branches including food services), she would stop in their JULY 2012
extensive cafeteria and was soon able to spot inconsistencies in food and people started asking her advice. Before long, they asked her to become an advisor to the top chef and then went on to hire her as top chef. After five years at Aramark she and her husband decided her family was right, the kitchen was her milieu and they should be in the restaurant business. The Cardona’s don’t use the word ‘Express’ lightly. All food is fresh with nothing frozen and must be prepared to order. Within nine minutes your takeout will be ready…that is really, really fast! Your order-in meals are also served quickly with no loss to full-bodied flavor or tenderness. Since I am a lover of seafood, I am very particular and not a fan of sauces and lots of breading that can easily cover the delicate fish flavors. Most seafood is fresh off the Tampa docks or is flown in from the Louisiana Gulf waters with produce purchased daily in Plant City. I am always in high hopes a restaurant will exceed my expectations. It doesn’t happen often and you, dear readers, are the first to know. On that note, I can assure you this chef knows her business. One of her secrets is to keep things light but incredibly savory at the same time.
My husband, the foodographer, likes shellfish but not white fish and doesn’t care for spicy food. He was ‘blown-away’ by the blackened bass. When a chef asks you if you like spicy or not spicy, the urge is to go with the not spicy. Resisting that urge, I told Wilma just to prepare it as she wished. Wow! What a meltin-your-mouth treat with no chewing required. Not hot, not bland, just tender, flaky and flavorful. Frankly, I don’t think I’ll want to eat bass anywhere else ever again. When you think things can’t get any better, sample the Cole slaw. Only once before have I written a special comment about a slaw since I am not a fan of cabbage. This slaw is so exceptional, folks keep streaming into the Express just to get huge cartons of it, and no wonder. Crisp and fresh with their own light fusion sauce and tossed with tiny shrimp. In Europe these small crustaceans are called skreppa, skrempanan or schrempen; an old English or Germanic reference to things that are little or slight. We were also served one of their specialties, a shrimp basket. The shrimp were, thankfully, very lightly breaded and as firm as though slightly steamed. Each shrimp is butterflied, seasoned to perfection and accompanied with hush puppies that are so good, they really should be the size of meatballs, the divine shrimp slaw and fusion sauce.
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Licensed Propagators Serving Farmers & Retail Customers
Another of the house specialties is the Po’ Boy sandwich, a Louisiana staple the chef fuses what I call her Creocajican flavors into all nine varieties of the famous sandwich; chicken strips, fried oysters, crawfish, fried clams, fish, baby scallops, steak, sausage and, of course, shrimp.
a public relations executive, Eric, a biomedical biology intern and Jose, a Durant High School graduate who is attending the Art Institute in Tampa and helps out at the restaurant. They are also ecstatic about the successful birth of their new five and a half month-old baby, Shrimp & Co. Express.
I can only admire the “Crazy Papa” as too king-sized for me alone but something I could share or a Buc’s linebacker might tackle all by himself. The basket consisting of sausage, shrimp, cheese and special fused Maketnaisse sauce was Eric’s inspiration; a man who admits to having a healthy appetite.
You may enter a stranger but will immediately feel the warmth of a genuine welcome. You will leave full-to-the-brim with seriously delicious food; having received great value for you money, accompanied by sincere hugs, and knowing you have begun a friendship that will keep you coming back time and again.•
The Cardona’s are proud of their children; Katia, a lawyer, Frederica,
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An Important Option for Abandoned Groves CITRUS HEALTH RESPONSE PROGRAM By Jim Frankowiak
In 2007 The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) introduced the Citrus Health Response Program (CHRP) with the goal of sustaining the nation’s citrus industry, maintaining grower’s continued access to export parts while safeguarding the other citrus growing states against a variety of citrus diseases and pests. CHRP is a collaborative effort involving growers, federal and state regulatory personnel and researchers. Here in Florida the lead agency is the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and its Division of Plant Industry (DPI). One very important – and too often overlooked – aspect of CHRP is the Abandoned Grove Initiative. This is a comprehensive plan for the removal and destruction of abandoned groves designed to help mitigate the impact of exotic citrus pests and diseases by identifying abandoned groves and working cooperatively with county property appraisers and property owners regarding abatement options and tax incentives which will foster removal of these problematical trees. The components of the initiative involved cataloging of all abandoned groves in the state; mapping of all high-risk abandoned groves; contacting abandoned grove owners regarding their intentions for the properties; inform owners if their groves are not kept in production, they will not be considered part of CHRP; advise owners if they eliminate live citrus trees in abandoned groves, it is considered a bona fide agricultural practice and remains in compliance with CHRP guidelines, thus maintaining their agriculture exempt status. The initiative defines abandoned groves as follows: • No commercial fruit harvest during the last two seasons • No production care during the past two years, including weed control and mowing • Grove use transferred to other uses (pine or livestock) In Hillsborough County “the Property Appraiser’s Office recognizes, supports and promotes the CHRP initiative,” said Paul DeGuenther, Director of Tangible & Agriculture. “When a grove owner in Hillsborough County enrolls in the program, the 20
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policy of this office is to value the land at a de minimus value of $50/acre for up to two years after all of the trees are successfully destroyed. This is in accordance with a submitted compliance agreement (DACS-08316) from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and continued compliance with the CHRP guidelines. A new application for agricultural classification (greenbelt) is required after the trees have been destroyed on or before January 1 of that year if the agricultural classification of the property has been removed in prior years. Hillsborough County has had no participants in the CHRP initiative to date that we are aware of,” DeGuenther concluded. Marsh Faux, Polk County Property Appraiser, stated, “Polk’s policy is the same as Hillsborough. Currently, Polk has 38 parcels totaling 664.83 acres of citrus under the CHRP program.” Grover owners in Polk County are encouraged to visit the Polk County Property Appraiser’s website, www.polkpa.org, for additional information by scrolling to Announcements and clicking on CHRP. “That will give you all of the details of our policy and a link to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the CHRP application. The FDACS website is www.freshfromflorida.com/ pi/ chrp and the toll free number is 1-800-282-5153. Photos from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
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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have always been amused at the way people use words with different meanings. For instance, his insurance was invalid for the invalid. They were to close to the door to close it. I did not object to the object! Same words, different meanings. No wonder the world is having trouble understanding us Americans. Some time back a friend of mine was on a speaking trip in Japan. His first stop was Tokyo. As they left the restaurant he asked his interpreter how to pronounce the words on the distant signs for “Ladies” and “Gentlemen.” After practicing the next morning he began his speech with “Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen” in Japanese. The audience broke out in laughter. When he sat down he felt good about his speech but wondered about the opening laughter. During the reception that followed, one of the hosts who spoke fluent English inquired why he had started his talk with “Good Morning, toilets and urinals.” Ever confuse “Principal and Principle?” Both words sound the same. Principal could mean the head of the school, or the amount of money you invest in a bank to earn interest. As for principle it could be a moral standard or a basic rule or idea. What about the meaning of “Kit and Caboodle,” or, a “Lick and a Promise?” I can still hear my mother saying, “I’ll take the entire Kit and Caboodle,” meaning I’ll
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take it all. One time she spilled something on the floor and said, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll give it a lick and a promise.” Now just what was that supposed mean? I asked in my young mind. Somehow I thought at first she would lick the floor with her tongue. In her mind it meant I’m real busy canning okra, so I’ll give it a lick with the mop and promise to come back and do the job right later. I recall other memorable phrases such as, “A bee in your bonnet,” which is to have an idea you just can’t forget. Remember “Barking at a knot?” Old timers would use that phrase meaning your efforts were as useless as a dog barking at a knot. “Hold your horses,” meant just be patient. “Tuckered out” was frequently used after a hard day’s work. I still hear folks using the old phrase “Too many irons in the fire,” meaning you are involved in too many things. “Persnickety,” when you are overly particular or a little snobbish. A few years back me, my wife Patsy, and our close friends Ron and Faye Wetherington went to Holland and Belgium for a week. I still remember some of their converted signs into English. In the lobby of our hotel in Belgium a sign at the elevator read “Do not enter the lift backwards, and only when lit up.” Another sign inside the elevator read, “To move the cabin, push button for wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by
national order.” Duh? We took one of their horse-driven tours. A sign on the carriage written in big letters; “Enjoy your ride-we guarantee no miscarriages.” In a Japanese hotel, a sign read, “You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.” Bruce Rodwell of Plant City said he was in Hong Kong a few years back and noticed a sign in a tailor shop that read, “Ladies may have a fit upstairs.” For some reason I remember a few unusual signs written for American tourists. At a zoo in Ireland, “Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food, give it to the guard on duty.” Sign on a doctor’s office, “Specialist in women and other diseases.” In an Acapulco hotel, “the manager has personally passed all the water served here.” Our crazy language…why do we make it so confusing? Why does fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing? Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack? If a word is misspelled in a dictionary, how would we ever know? Why don’t we say “why” instead of “how come?” Why is “crazy man” an insult, while to insert a comma and say “crazy, man” is a compliment? Why is it that we recite at a play and play at a recital? Why do we say something’s out-of-order when its broken, but we never say in order when it works? Have you ever wondered why the alphabet is in the order it’s in? Could it be because of that song? 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 put it another way and maybe you’ll understand. If you’ll hold your horses I will get this whole kit and caboodle written. Just don’t be persnickety and get a bee in your bonnet, because I’ve been pretty tuckered out working late. You know I’m no spring chicken. After all, I am not the only duck in the pond, but I do have too many irons in the fire. I might be barking at a knot, but I have tried to give this article more than just a lick and promise. It would not be right to finish this article without calling attention to some headlines
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in the newspaper, so here we go:
HOSPITALS
IRAQI HEAD SEEKS ARMS ENRAGED COW INJURES FARMER
WITH
AX
TEACHER STRIKES IDLE KIDS RED TAPE HOLDS UP NEW BRIDGE NEW STUDY OF OBESITY LOOKS LARGER TEST GROUP
FOR
LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS CUT IN HALF WAR DIMS HOPE FOR PEACE IF STRIKE ISN’T SETTLED SOON, IT MAY LAST AWHILE
ARE
SUED
BY
7 FOOT DOCTORS
TYPHOON RIPS THROUGH CEMETERY HUNDREDS DEAD ASTRONAUT TAKES BLAME SPACECRAFT.
FOR
GAS
IN
You have now come to the end of this article. Please read the rest of the magazine. You may learn something worthwhile! •
d
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LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT OF SPECIAL IMPORTANCE TO LOCAL FARMERS By Jim Frankowiak
A
new amendment to the Hillsborough County Land Development Code (LDC) – allowing farmers to continue their agricultural operations in land rezoned to Planned Development (PD) – will be included in the second cycle of amendments the LDC. This action was taken by the Board of County Commissioners at its June 12 meeting. District 4 County Commissioner Al Higginbotham sponsored a motion in favor of the amendment, which was approved by the Board of County Commissioners in the May 14 Land Use meeting. That approved motion directed the County Attorney’s Office to research the amendment, in response to a rezoning application on the agenda at the Land Use meeting. A Planned Development is defined in the LDC as “land under unified control to be planned and developed as a whole in a single development operation…” Examples include subdivisions, town homes, apartments, mixed use developments, medical complexes and other projects that require greater flexibility than provided by the LDC. Officials estimate there are approximately 2,500 planned developments in the county. Often the PD applicant will include a condition to allow agricultural uses until the PD is developed, permitting farmers to continue their operations on the land until the developer begins construction. When this condition is not included, the land owner is not permitted to continue operations and must seek rezoning. Commissioner Higginbotham was drawn to this issue when a couple from the southern portion of the county was required to submit an application to be removed from the PD so their family could engage in farming operations that had been allowed on the property prior to the PD zoning.
forward with this amendment, we will increase utilization of these vacant parcels throughout the county,” he said. A community informational meeting with county staff is scheduled for July 24 at 6:00 p.m. on the 20th floor of the County Center, 601 East Kennedy B lvd. in down Tampa. For information about the amendments or meetings, residents can call Tom Hiznay at 813-307-4504. T he B oard of County Commissioners will continue to workshop the language and expect a final vote in the fall. The draft amendment reflects a collaborative effort among the Development Services Department, Agriculture Industry Development Program and the County Attorney’s Office. It addresses passive agricultural uses such as pasture lands, row crops and low intensity raising of animals such as fish farms. Since these uses could occur in areas where other non-agricultural uses have already been established, passive agricultural uses would not include agricultural activities with significant off-site impacts. Passive uses do not include animal production units, packing houses, agricultural stands, plant farms and greenhouses, poultry and egg farms, dairies, public and private stables, farm worker housing and labor camps, agricultural manufacturing and any agricultural activity with significant structural coverage. Hillsborough County’s Agriculture Industry Development Program estimated that in 2010, agriculture contributed $815 million to the Tampa Bay economy. • Higginbotham
“In the current economic times, many planned developments are not being realized and the farming community would like to continue to utilize the land,” said Commissioner Higginbotham. “However, they are dependent on the PD applicant to have included a condition giving them permission to do so. As we move 24
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*** All Items Are 8 lbs. Unless Otherwise Noted.*** Foodhooks.........................................$22 Baby Butter Beans ............................$14 Green Beans.......................................$14 Pole Beans .........................................$14 Speckled Butter Beans.....................$14 Blackeye Peas....................................$14 Butter Peas ........................................$14 Conk Peas .........................................$22 Crowder Peas ....................................$14 Pinkeye Peas......................................$14 White Acre Peas................................$14 Sugar Snap Peas ...............................$15 Zipper Peas........................................$14 Green Peas .........................................$14 GEORGIA PECANS HALVES 1 lb bag . . . . . . . . . . $10 2.5 lbs bag . . . . . . . $25 5 lbs bag . . . . . . . . . $49 10 lbs bag . . . . . . . . $97
White Corn .........................................$13 Yellow Corn ........................................$13 Cream White Corn 4#........................$6 Cream Yellow Corn 4#.......................$6 Collard Greens ...................................$13 Mustard Greens..................................$13
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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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While all those things are great, Elizabeth is particularly excited about some relatively recent additions. She explains, “Probably three years ago we started teaching a new course called agricultural communications. That has allowed us to get into the business and marketing side of agriculture. I’ve really enjoyed teaching that class. A lot of times people think of agriculture as getting out and working with cows and taking care of plants and that is very important. But, with the communications class it helps students understand the importance of sales and marketing Ag products along with improving Ag literacy among consumers.”
AMERICAN GROWN - PCHS AG TEACHER
Elizabeth Pierce By Ginny Mink
J
uly and part of August are a gift to just about every edu cator. There’s no greater blessing in the realm of education than the beauty of summer vacation. However, there are some teachers that do not get to fully enjoy this peace. One group in particular, Ag teachers, is still responsible for those things their programs sustain. So, while summer may be here, educators like Elizabeth Pierce, aren’t completely free. Elizabeth says, “I grew up around agriculture. We moved to Plant City when I was about five years old. We always had cows and a vegetable garden that we, as children, were responsible for taking care of. That really began my appreciation for agriculture and also for hard work.” Certainly having to give up portions of her summer to maintain her program, would fall into the hard work arena. Elizabeth pursued her agriculture appreciation in her school years. She says, “As I got into middle school and then high school, I joined the FFA and was in agriculture classes. I participated in CDEs and I also showed swine at the Strawberry Festival a few different times. When I went away to college I ended up studying in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at UF. I got my undergraduate and Master’s degree in Ag education and communication.” She got her first teaching job at Giunta Middle School. She explains, “It was the first year that school opened. I sort of opened the Ag department and that was a lot of work. I only was there for one year and a position opened up over here at Turkey Creek Middle School so I came back over here. I taught there for two years and an opening came up at Plant City High School. That’s when I moved over there. I just finished my fourth year over there.” No doubt she appreciated the opportunity to return to her alma mater. Plant City High School has a very large land lab which Elizabeth says, “is nice, but a lot of work.” She continues, “It gives the students lots of opportunities to get involved in different things. We have cattle on our property. The past few years we’ve also had some miniature horses that students have gotten to work with and rabbits and chickens. But we also have a horticulture side. We have a green house, hydroponics units, shade house areas that can all be used for learning purposes.”
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Of course, Elizabeth is also enthusiastic about the traditional side of the program and she reveals, “There are other things I’ve been involved in. I help out with coaching CDEs: prepared public speaking, extemporaneous public speaking, parliamentary procedure, forestry, nursery landscape, ornamental horticulture demonstration, job interview and that’s mostly what I’ve focused on.” Seems like a broad range of focus but FFA, and the agriculture industry, is broad anyway. That is perhaps something that makes Ag teachers unique, they don’t just have one area of concentration like “core” teachers do. As an educator, Elizabeth has designed her own personal viewpoint on her purpose. She says, “As a whole, I would say my philosophy as a teacher is to really help improve the life of young people. There are specific things in my classroom that I hope they learn. I want to teach them how to be successful people, give them skills and tools that they can use as they go on in life no matter what direction they study or work in. Also, just that they have an appreciation for the importance of agriculture.” It is apparent that Elizabeth is achieving some of those goals. In fact, she says, “Over the past few years we’ve had multiple students become involved in the Hillsborough County Federation as officers, which allows them to step out of our chapter and help countywide as leadership in the FFA. It’s a neat deal for them because they get to meet kids from other FFA chapters and learn to work together. It improves them on their leadership skills.” In addition, she’s had a lot of kids working hard on various CDEs and seems overly pleased with their dedication and determination. When it comes to her thoughts on agriculture as a whole, Elizabeth adds, “In general, it supports America, especially the Plant City area. It’s such a large part of our economy; it feeds the world. I also think that being a part of agriculture classes helps students understand the importance of diligence and hard work and working towards something. Agriculture teaches people hard work, dedication and diligence. Students learning these skills will take them further wherever they go in life.” There are benefits of course, to working in a small town and those include incredible community involvement. Elizabeth revealed that Lee Gillman, a local strawberry grower, donated his time and resources to help PCHS grow strawberries this year. Parent and administrator involvement has also been key to the program’s success and Elizabeth is quite thankful for a supportive principal and a devoted FFA Alumni. With regards to her current position Elizabeth says, “I’m proud to be able to be a part of a tradition like Plant City High’s Ag department. For me to get to be a part is really an honor and a blessing.” Then in parting she adds, “I’m very much a supporter of local products and I try to instill that in my students. If you have an option, buy American grown because it helps our farmers and it’s such an important part of our economy.” These are definitely some words to live by in the midst of our made in China surroundings. • 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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UF
RESEARCHERS
FIND NATURAL PRODUCT THAT BOOSTS PLANT DEFENSE AGAINST
Root Pests Beneficial nematodes emerging from insect. Photo credit: Antoinette Malan, Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
By Robert H. Wells
U
niversity of Florida researchers have discovered a natural compound to battle insect pests that plague gardeners and growers. The compound boosts crops’ resistance to pest attacks on their roots by recruiting microscopic worms that kill the insects by eating them from the inside out. Researchers, including members of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, made the discovery by studying chemicals released by citrus roots when they are attacked by citrus root weevil larvae. Their results are published in the June 27 edition of the online journal PLoS ONE. Citrus root weevils are a problem in Central and South Florida, and at one time were estimated to cause $70 million in damage annually. Florida’s citrus industry is valued at $9 billion and provides about 76,000 full- and part-time jobs. The researchers found that a chemical called pregeijerene, which is released by citrus roots when attacked by pests, is an attractant that signals worms, known as nematodes, to move in and attack pests. But not only does pregeijerene protect citrus roots, it also can protect the roots of blueberry plants and possibly other crops, said study author Lukasz Stelinski, an assistant professor of entomology and nematology at UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred.
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In the study, the researchers found that when pregeijerene was applied to soil in citrus groves, larvae control by nematodes was three times greater than when pregeijerene was not used. And when the researchers applied pregeijerene to a blueberry field in New Jersey, larval control by nematodes was two times greater than when pregeijerene was not used. “The results are important because they occurred in vastly different agricultural habitats,” Stelinski said. “Therefore, they may have broad application in biological control of root pests in agriculture.” This is the first time pregeijerene has been shown to have an important role in protecting plants, Stelinski said, and he believes the compound could be useful in other production settings where root pests are a problem. The citrus root weevil, in particular, is a pest of many plants including sugarcane, sweet potatoes and ornamentals. It was accidently introduced to Florida in 1964, possibly from a shipment of ornamental plants from Puerto Rico.
that spreads greening, are also helping control the weevils. “However the intensive citrus greening spraying regimen won’t be sustainable over the really long term,” Duncan said. “And eventually we’ll have to address managing citrus root weevils again when we’re not spraying so heavily for psyllids.” The study was funded by UF and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Study authors also include Hans Alborn, a research chemist, and Fatma Kaplan, a research molecular biologist, both with the USDAAgricultural Research Service’s Center for Medical and Veterinary Entomology; Jared Ali, a postdoctoral fellow with the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University; Raquel Campos-Herrera, a postdoctoral researcher at the CREC; Cesar Rodriguez-Saona, an assistant extension specialist in entomology, and Albrecht M. Koppenhöfer, an extension specialist in entomology, both with Rutgers University. •
Larry Duncan, also a study author and a nematology professor based at the CREC, said before citrus greening, citrus root weevils were one of the biggest problems in citrus production. But now, he said, pesticide programs used to control the Asian citrus psyllid, the insect W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
Now Open 24 Hours ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY Every Weekend is Hospitality Appreciation Weekend (11 p.m. to 5 p.m.) Receive 10% OFF Your Purchase 15% OFF Appetizers from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Weekends ONLY. Military Discount 10% OFF your purchase anytime FREE COFFEE (11 p.m. to 5 p.m.) with the purchase of Any Menu Entree when you tell your server you saw this ad in “InTheField Magazine” This Location Only 805 Collins St., Plant City 33563
813.754.7400 Ed Mahoney, General Manager 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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L
ast year was a dream come true for the Florida Strawberry Festival with the construction of the Evelyn and Batista Madonia, Sr. Agricultural Show Center. This multi-purpose agricultural complex is approximately 30,000 square feet of enclosed air-conditioned space. The building is used for agricultural events during the Festival while also providing available space for off season events. The Florida Strawberry Festival is primarily an agricultural fair, formed to celebrate the bountiful harvest of the strawberry. The founding principles continue to be the guiding purpose of our Festival while we strive to enrich the lives of thousands of our areas youth. We find our youth
to be our most precious resource and support higher education by providing agricultural organizational programs that benefit students financially. Students learn the value of hard work and dedication all while investing in their futures. To better serve our agricultural programs and the communities’ needs, our board approved the construction of two open air pavilions that will adorn the East and West sides of the Madonia Center. The East Pavilion will be named after the Astin family while the West Pavilion will be named after the Swindle family, both of whom are lifelong supporters of the agriculture industry and the Plant City Community. These generous donations will not only benefit
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the Florida Strawberry Festival and the Plant City community, but will have a life altering impact on the thousands of individuals who attend and participate in agricultural events in this facility. The two pavilions will provide the complex with an additional 37,000 square feet of open air space. During the Festival the pavilions will be used to house livestock and plants and will also be available for rent to the community during the off-season. The construction is on schedule and is expected to be completed in early October and the Festival is planning to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of this much anticipated project.
You still have time to be a part of history and support our community with the Agricultural Show Center brick campaign and seating section naming rights fundraiser. For more information regarding the fundraising campaign, please contact Committee Chairman, Rick Lott or KeeLee Tomlinson at the Festival Office. Make plans now and mark your calendars for the 78th annual Florida Strawberry Festival, February 28 – March 10, 2013 where you can be the first to see the new agricultural complex. Please follow the Florida Strawberry Festival at www.flstrawberryfestival.com, Facebook and Twitter, or call 813-752-9194 for further details.
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If Your Dog Loves You, They Will Alert You By Libby Hopkins
D
ogs can be trained to do many things from speaking to dancing, but can a dog be trained to save you from dying? Paula Nunnery, President and CEO of Sugar Dogs International, will tell you “yes.” Her dogs Peaches and Cream or “Peachie” for short and Sugar Boy save her life every day. Nunnery is one of the 25.8 million Americans with diabetes. She has been a Type 1 diabetic since she was 9-years-old and she has been training dogs to alert for low blood sugar since then as well, but she will tell you she’s not a dog trainer. She’s a diabetic trainer, meaning she teaches the diabetic to learn when their dog is alerting them to check their blood sugar. She will also tell you Poodles make the best alert dogs because they are intelligent and hypoallergenic. She has trained German Shepherds, Labradors, Golden Retrievers and other mixed breeds, but Poodles have shown the most success rate in alerting out of all of them. “I’ve had six Poodles in my life that I’ve trained to be my personal sugar dogs,” Nunnery said. “I’ve never looked at them as a service dog, just my dogs, but they are because they are saving my life.” Her dogs alert her for blood sugar levels under 80 or over 180. Her dogs alert better for low blood sugar than high blood sugar. “There is something with the low blood sugar and the way it smells to the dogs,” Nunnery said. “They realize death is eminent unless we do something quickly and they tend to become more assertive with their diabetic.” While I was interviewing Nunnery for this article, Peachie alerted Nunnery by pawing at her leg continually. Nunnery checked her blood sugar is it was low, so she took her insulin and she was fine. So, how do the dogs know when to alert? Nunnery believes it’s molecular when it comes to alerting someone to check their blood sugar, but how or why they do it, she’s not sure. “We really just let the dogs do their thing,” Nunnery said. She and her dogs are a part of a case study at the University of South Florida with Dr. Robert Deschene, to find out why certain breeds of dogs alert to blood sugar levels. The training process takes about four to eight weeks, depending on how quick the dog and diabetic connect with each other. The first two weeks are used for basic obedience training. A Sugar Dog needs to be able to be well behaved in public since it is a service dog. The next few weeks, the diabetic learns the alerting
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Paula Nunnery signals from their dog all while testing their blood sugar on a regular basis. Alerting can include, pawing, barking, licking, or staring. Nunnery said her dogs have done all four forms of alerting to let her know she needed to check her blood sugar. The key to the training is rewarding your dog when they alert because if you don’t, they will stop.
“When a dog has alerted, it needs to be rewarded, if not, the alerting behavior will go away,” Nunnery said. Peachie and Sugar Boy have alerted other people while Nunnery has been out in public. Her organizations works with the Tampa General Hospital diabetic support group, “Sweet Ones,” and at a recent event, Nunnery’s dog, Sugar Boy, alerted a child with diabetes. The dog kept bowing in front of the child and Nunnery asked the boy’s mother to test his sugar. The mother was reluctant at first, but agreed to test the child’s sugar, only to find out her son’s blood sugar was high. Nunnery said that her dogs sometimes get worn out at the support group meetings because there are so many diabetics in the room, the dogs are constantly alerting. She has been able to keep control of her diabetes through regular testing, eating right, meditation and the help of Peachie and Sugar Boy. She hopes that someday, there will be a cure for diabetes and Sugar Dogs will be out of business. “I hope to see Dr. Diane Faustman of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School find a cure for diabetes and put me out of business,” Nunnery said. She and her dogs are also involved with Faustman’s case studies on a cure for diabetes. If you would like to learn more about Nunnery and her Sugar Dogs, you can visit her website at www.sugardogs.org. Nunnery said the first person to contact her and say they read this article will get a free training session from Sugar Dogs. •
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MOSAIC MINE FACILITIES RECEIVE NATIONAL MINE SAFETY AWARDS Four Corners, Wingate and South Fort Meade Mines Celebrate Safety Records
The Mosaic Company
announced that three of the company’s Florida mining facilities were recognized with national mine safety awards from the International Society of Mine Safety Professionals (ISMSP). Mosaic’s Four Corners, Wingate and South Fort Meade mines received the awards for each achieving more than a million safe work hours without a lost time injury. The three mines were among only 29 mine facilities nationwide that received the award that recognizes excellence and leadership in mine safety. “If not conducted with care and diligence, mining can be a dangerous activity. Our facilities work hard to instill a culture of safety and embrace Mosaic’s commitment to the relentless pursuit of an injury-free workplace,” said Gary N. “Bo” Davis, Senior Vice President, Mosaic Phosphate Operations. “This recognition honors the success of the employees at these facilities as they continue to operate with the diligence that led to these impressive safety records. Our company deeply appreciates their efforts to remain safe while responsibly extracting a resource that is vital to feeding the world.” The ISMSP was founded to promote the development of health and safety professionals throughout the international mining community. Saving lives and reducing injuries through better leadership, planning, and practice are primary goals of the Society. The awards were presented at the 2012 ISMSP Critical Issues Conference held May 21-24, 2012 in Reno, NV. The conference provides a valuable opportunity to educate and inform attendees on critical safety issues facing mining companies today. The gathering is an annual venue for mine safety professionals to network with other companies and share best practices with the goal of improving mine safety across all mining industries.
the borders of Polk, Hillsborough, Manatee and Hardee counties. Using seven operating draglines, the mine produces more than 6 million tons of phosphate rock annually, representing 21% of annual U.S. phosphate rock production. The facility was recognized for achieving 1,894,564 Safe Work Hours since their last lost time injury. “The size of the Four Corners mine operation creates unique challenges in building a culture that embraces safety, but our employees time and again have risen to the challenge and continually reinforce the awareness that is necessary for Mosaic to maintain Four Corners’ status as a world class facility,” said Bruce Bodine, Four Corners Mine Manager. “We’re proud to receive this recognition, which reaffirms the value we place in our relentless pursuit for an injury-free workplace.” SOU T H FORT MEADE MINE Mosaic’s South Fort Meade mine is one of the most efficient phosphate mining operations in the world. The mining operations overlap the Polk and Hardee County line near Bowling Green. The mine recently returned to full production after 18 months of
Mosaic facilities receiving recognition at the conference were: FOU R CORNERS MINE Mosaic’s Four Corners mine is the largest phosphate mine in North America, employing more than 400 Central Floridians. Named for its geographic location, the mine property straddles
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litigation that limited access to reserves and greatly reduced the facility’s operating capacity. Utilizing four draglines at full production, the facility is capable of producing up to 6 million tons of phosphate rock annually and directly employs more than
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220 Central Floridians. The facility was recognized for achieving 1,550,440 safe work hours without a lost time injury. With all contractor hours included, the facility has amassed 2,302,840 hours without a lost time injury. “Despite the challenges our operation faced in recent years as our permits were litigated, the employees never lost sight of the importance of ensuring the constant safety of every person at our facility. Through thick and thin the South Fort Meade team demonstrated their resilience and dedication to our relentless pursuit of an injury free workplace,” said Alan Lulf, South Fort Meade Mine Manager. “Being recognized for this safety accomplishment is particularly meaningful to us as we now look forward to the next 10 years of mining at South Fort Meade. I’m confident the South Fort Meade team will continue to grow their commitment to safety.”
WINGAT E MINE Mosaic’s Wingate mine is the only phosphate operation in Florida utilizing floating dredges to mine. Located in Manatee County between Duette and Myakka City, the facility employs more than 150 Central Floridians from Manatee, Hillsborough, Polk and Hardee counties. Mosaic recently committed significant investments in the facility, upgrading the washer and beneficiation plant and purchasing two new dredges to replace the existing 30-yearold equipment. The facility produces approximately 1.2 million tons of phosphate rock per year. Wingate was recognized for achieving a full year without a lost time injury. “The Wingate mine serves as a great example as to why safety awareness must be a cultural value to be effective. Our unique mining methods mean our employees must be aware of different hazards than might exist within our other operations,” said Karen Swager, Wingate Mine Manager. “Because Mosaic has developed a safety culture, our employees adapt their safety practices to any environment, always remaining conscious of and avoiding hazards by doing the job right. We’re proud of this achievement, but fully intend to keep building on our safety record.” •
About The Mosaic Company The Mosaic Company is one of the world’s leading producers and marketers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. Mosaic is a single-source provider of phosphate and potash fertilizers and feed ingredients for the global agriculture industry. More information on the company is available at: www.mosai cco.com
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FLORIDA
By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicine, B.S. Nutrition Science
F
resh, ripe Florida passionfruit is in its peak season today. Florida is one of few states in the country that cultivates this subtropical fruit, as well as California and Hawaii. Worldwide, this fruit is also grown in the Caribbean, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, India, and New Zealand. There are two main types of passionfruit, the smaller purple type and the larger yellow kind. The purple passion fruit bears round or egg-shaped fruit that is about the size of a lemon or smaller and is less acidic than the yellow type. The flavor has been described as a combination of lemon and pineapple. The yellow passionfruit is larger and can grow up to the size of a grapefruit with a milder aroma and flavor than the purple type. Passionfruits contain numerous small, black seeds surrounded by orange-colored sacs that contain the juice. They can be enjoyed eaten out-ofhand or juiced.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, a 100 gram portion of fresh passionfruit contains 97 calories, 2.2 g of protein, 0.7 g of fat, 23.4 g of carbohydrate, and 10.4 g of fiber. It provides 50% of the Daily Reference Intake for vitamin C, 42% for dietary fiber, 25% for Vitamin A, and 9% for iron. Passionfruit also contains high concentrations of other important nutrients including potassium, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus.
DIETARY FIBER A 100g serving (about 3 oz or several whole fruits) of passionfruit is a delicious way to get almost half of your daily fiber
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needs. Research has shown that dietary fiber has a protective effect against heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels and slowing the progression of heart disease in high-risk individuals. Fiber binds to the cholesterol-containing bile salts, excreting them out of the body. It also promotes bowel regularity and increases satiety levels, which can aid in weight control.
ANTIOXIDANTS Florida passionfruit are bursting with disease-fighting antioxidants, which neutralize destructive free radicals in the body. Passionfruit is very high in vitamins A and C as well as other compounds with antioxidant properties. Diets that contain fruits high in antioxidants, including passionfruit and other fruits and vegetables, are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and multiple types of cancer.
VITAMIN C Florida passionfruit is bursting with vitamin C, which has many important functions in the body in addition to being an antioxidant. Eating foods high in vitamin C significantly raises the amount of iron your body absorbs, which is a good way to prevent anemia. For example, if you toss chopped passionfruit on top of a leafy green salad, the vitamin C in the fruit would help you absorb more of the iron from the salad.
HOW
TO SELECT AND STORE Choose passionfruits that are heavy for their size with a more wrinkled surface. Look for fruits that are deep in color without bruises or discolored areas. They can be stored at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. The flesh can be scooped out and frozen for months.
HOW
TO ENJOY Immediately before eating, rinse off the fruit in water and cut lengthwise in half. Scoop out the juicy, sweet pulp and discard the outer shell. Other ways to enjoy Florida passionfruit include: • Squeeze the sacs to release the juice for a refreshing summer drink. • Add passionfruit seeds to fruit or veggie salads or to top a cake. • Use to make sauces, jellies, or syrups. • Use in desserts such as mousse, ice cream, pudding, or cake. • Chop and add to yogurt or cereal. • Mash pulp with water and sugar and freeze for a fruit popsicle. With so many ways to enjoy this sweet, delicious fruit, try fresh Florida passionfruit today! Selected References http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/ passionfruit.html
Vitamin C also supports the body’s immune system in its ability to fight infections and viruses, and may possibly shorten the duration and intensity of a cold. Additionally, this vitamin is involved in keeping capillaries, gums, and skin healthy and supple.
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MEN
AND
WESTERNS
Dry Creek By Les McDowell Photos courtesy of Linda Constant
I
watched the Hayfields and McCoy’s and wasn’t surprised when it earned a 13 year record ratings on Cable. Or was I surprised when TNT would run a Tom Selleck or Sam Elliot western and the ratings would go through the roof. Selleck, in an interview, said he doesn’t know why Hollywood won’t embrace the western. As an independent film producer of Dry Creek, I find myself asking the same question. For one, reality shows are really cheap to produce compared to paying a cast, locations, and all the costs that come with a production. Just look at the credits as they roll by. There are so many people needed in a production. Downside is, Hollywood’s reality isn’t my reality. That said, if the ratings dictate money then it seems we will be seeing more westerns in the future. Here’s a little poem I wrote about my love affair with the western. I bet you’ll see yourself or someone you know in it. There’s something about watching a western that hits a man’s soul to the core. It’s the need for us to protect that knocks at our hearts door. When we see Selleck standing up for what’s right. Or Wayne riding through the night. We put ourselves right there in the saddle. For family and loved ones, a true man will battle. Just look at Sam Elliot’s grin. Or Gus with a tear thinking of a love that had been. Cooper nervously watching that clock for High Noon. Butch and Sundance sleeping under the stars and moon. A man watching from his chair puts himself right there, with that Clint Eastwood stare. So ladies you can watch your movies on Life Time full of romance and love. But tonight you’ll find me saddled up in my mind watching Lonesome Dove. If you miss the western and are looking for good family programing I hope you will watch Dry Creek, America’s First Frontier. You can tune into Dry Creek on Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. ET on BlueHighwaysTV. If you have Verizon you can get BHTV. If you have Bright House email them and request Dry Creek on BHTV. We will be on Dish Network before the end of the year. Check us out at drycreektv.com Everybody knows where Dry Creek is.....cause it’s inside each and everyone of us. •
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RECIPES Recipes Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agricluture
PREPARATION SautĂŠ plantain, peppers and onion in one tablespoon of butter for five to six minutes; add brown sugar and curry powder, stirring constantly. Add cornstarch to chicken broth and stir until smooth. Add this cornstarch mixture to pan and simmer for five minutes. While sauce is simmering add lime juice, salt, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and two tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet. When ingredients in skillet are hot, add pork chops. Cook chops about four minutes on each side or until chops are done; add sauce. Simmer all ingredients until heated thoroughly and serve over plantain mash, potatoes or rice.
Plantain Mash INGREDIENTS
Sunshine Pork Chops with Plantain Mash
1 pound plantains, green 1 garlic clove 2 tablespoons lime juice 1/2 to 1 cup chicken stock 1 teaspoon salt pepper to taste
INGREDIENTS 1/3 cup plantain, ripe, diced 1/3 cup peppers, diced
PREPARATION
1 tablespoon lime juice
Peel plantains by running a knife down vertically. Cut into two-inch pieces; place in large pot. Cover completely with water. Bring to a boil and cook approximately 30 minutes until very soft. Drain and place cooked plantains in food processor with garlic, lime juice and 1/2 cup of chicken stock (add more stock for desired consistency), salt and pepper. Puree' quickly as not to overwork the plantains (they will become starchy).
1/2 teaspoon salt
Yield – 4 servings
1/4 cup onion, diced 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork chops
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The processing facility has opened other markets for the business. McClellan’s enterprise also produces more than 150 different sizes, packages and flavors of fruit juice for 19 Florida school districts, fortified with vitamins. Innovative packaging and product development have allowed the firm to serve hospitals and prisons.
PAST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT EARNS AWARD AS
2012 FLORIDA FARMER
DALE
OF THE
YEAR
MCCLELLAN
A
Florida man who has built his family farm into a key supplier of dairy products and beverages for schools and other institutions has been named the 2012 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Ag Expo Florida Farmer of the Year. Dale McClellan, the recipient of this year’s award, maintains farm businesses in Citrus and Hillsborough counties.
A past president of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, McClellan has been a tireless advocate representing agricultural producers on the Hillsborough County Agricultural Economic Development Council, the Citrus County Economic Development Council and the Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce. He has also been a volunteer leader in various civic and charitable organizations. His statewide service includes duties as a member of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Animal Industry Technical Council and as a director of the Premier Milk Dairy Co-op. McClellan said he was born to be a farmer. “I hit the ground running and I never wanted to stop,” he admitted. “It is one of the passions I have for life. I am so thankful to have work I love to do.” His sons, Leon, Bryan and Daniel all work in the family business. McClellan’s wife was previously a member of the processing team at the plant. Daniel’s wife, Andrea, manages the front office of the facility. “I tried to instill a good work ethic and values in our children,” McClellan said. “I never asked them to work in our family business, but like me, they were drawn into it and decided to work at M & B on their own. I am so thankful that my family has work they love to do.” This year the Farmer of the Year program will celebrate its 23rd anniversary. The regional award winner will be introduced at the Willie B. Withers Luncheon on Oct. 16 at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Ga. •
He will now compete against nine other state winners for the prestigious Southeastern Farmer of the Year award to be announced in the fall. McClellan and his family own a dairy and produce hay, corn and oats. They also operate a state-of-the-art dairy processing and packaging facility that serves institutional customers. The plant employs 140 team players. McClellan also relies upon several staff leaders who are instrumental in managing day-to-day operations. The enterprises function as mutually supportive production systems. Feedstocks, cultivated with attention to cost and responsible environmental management, provide the dairy cattle with a nourishing diet. The animals yield, in turn, a food that is processed into seven different types of milk products and distributed under the family’s own label. All three components are identified collectively as M & B Products, Inc., McClellan said. “We efficiently maximize land usage at our dairy farm and leased lands to cultivate crops that are the most cost effective to harvest,” he explained. “These crops feed our dairy cattle to ensure that we produce the most healthy, nutritious milk possible. We work diligently to make sure our cows are comfortable.” The family’s raw milk is sold to Premier Milk, a co-operative McClellan helped to establish, then purchased by the packaging business for processing. By this approach he can control costs while maintaining continuous production. 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 Gil Gott
A
fter six busy weeks on display for the greater Plant City community, the Smithsonian exhibition Journey Stories has shipped out and is on its way to its next host community. Many of the 2000 visitors who filed through the gallery at the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center said that having the Smithsonian exhibition come to Plant City was one of the best things that has happened in years. One wrote, “Not only did the exhibition demonstrate the breadth and depth of American history, but having it here also raised the profile and importance of the Plant City community.” Plant City, long known as a major agricultural community in the State of Florida, has a history rich in the development of agricultural methods and scientific successes, and has a talented and educated labor force. In addition to the rich fertile land, the farmers in the HillsboroughPolk agricultural area have been leaders in both agricultural production but also distribution methods. And there is a lot more to what makes up the greater Plant City community. So it was fitting that the Florida Humanities Council selected Plant City as the first site for the 2012-2013 Florida tour of the Smithsonian exhibition Journey Stories. And it was an honor that the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center was selected as the host organization. In the final report of an assessment of the Photo Archives & History Center, performed in 2010 under the auspices of Heritage Preservation, the consultant stated, “The Plant City Photo Archives is a rather unique enterprise… because it was established and operates as an independent institution by the people of
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the community it intends to serve. The Plant City community continues to support the Archives to an admirable degree, one that can be measured in terms of financial support, volunteer work, and other community interest and participation. The Archives benefits the community by providing easy access to Plant City’s pictorial history.” He further states that, with the change in many communities due to urban and suburban development, archival photographs uniquely document these changes, and that the high quality of the photographs in the Photo Archives can only enhance historical value. And that is the case with the Photo Archives and the Plant City community. The history of a community is easily lost when photographs are not preserved and stories are not told and saved. That is the mission of the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center. Stories such as that of D. Herman Kennedy and Southland Frozen Foods. Many people today see the buildings where Southland operated and was one of the ten largest producers of frozen vegetables in the nation, but not many know much about the buildings, the man, and the business he built. You can find that story in the Photo Archives library. That is why the organization added the words “History Center.” This community, in fact the entire West Central region of Florida, deserves to be chronicled and have its photographs and stories collected and preserved for posterity. And that is what the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center is all about – preserving your history and heritage. The Photo Archives was started in the year 2000. When local photogra-
pher Bill Friend passed away, Ed Verner was determined that the thousands of photographs in Friend’s collection over the years would not end up on the dust heap of history. He purchased the photographs and established the Plant City Photo Archives. It is to be noted that, although the organization is in Plant City and its corporate name is “Plant City Photo Archives, Inc.,” the organization collects and preserves photographs from a very wide area – west central Florida and the areas the people travel to. Hence, the photographic collections include Plant City, Tampa, Bartow, Lakeland, cities across America, London, Tokyo, Germany, etc.
In addition to the photos from Bill Friend’s collection, the Photo Archives has acquired thousands of photographs from Gladys Jeffcoat’s many years of practice in Plant City, and thousands of photographs from people off the street who donate them or lend them for scanning. The Photo Archives also collects and preserves documents and has several hundred of them in its collection. These include maps of Plant City, maps of Europe during WWII, certificates with Presidents’ signatures, newspaper articles, Panky Snow’s writings, 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 archives of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, source material from the Hopewell Pioneers book, personal memoirs, and more.
James L. Redman, Robert S. Trinkle, Hal Brewer, B.M. Mac Smith, Betty Barker Watkins, James “Sonny” Jones, Gladys Jeffcoat, Bob Edwards, and Maribeth Mobley.
To date the Photo Archives has collected well over 100,000 photographs and documents and has been able to scan and preserve about 70,000. These are preserved in a database that is searchable by key words or categories. In addition to working with the Florida Humanities Council, the Photo Archives is active nationally with the American Association for State and Local History and the National Council for Public History, and is an active member of the Florida Association of Museums. Locally, the Photo Archives partners with several organizations including the Bruton Memorial Library, the Improvement League, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, the Arts Council, and Hillsborough Community College – Plant City Campus.
In 2003 the Photo Archives began emphasizing not just the photographs but also the stories that “wrap around the photos.” Since that time, the Photo Archives has had over 100 articles published in local magazines or newspapers and has published one book, Remembering Plant City; Tales from the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World, The History Press, Charleston, South Carolina.
The Photo Archives has also been the site of many reunions – people have met friends they haven’t seen in years in the exhibit gallery, all looking at the photos of the way it used to be. There was even one marriage that has taken place through old friends meeting here and, being octogenarians and single again, they married and are living a happy life. And just several months ago a woman found a photograph album in an abandoned home and took it to The Courier, after which it was brought to the Photo Archives. It received a great amount of publicity and a TV Fox News reporter came to the Photo Archives to cover the story. Not long after, a number of calls came in from people wondering if the album was theirs. And finally, a woman contacted the Photo Archives and told her story. The TV Fox News reporter came back to the Photo Archives and interviewed the woman. It was hers and had been lost for years. She reclaimed it in tears of joy. The Photo Archives is now in its 12th year and is adding more and different events and programs annually. The Photojournalism Contest draws many high school students every year who compete for the cash prizes. Enlargements have been on display at the library, in banks, in
churches, schools, in businesses, at family and school reunions, and many other events and celebrations. The latest program is the Plant City Sculptures Exhibit which is presented by the Photo Archives & History Center and sponsored by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners through the County’s Historic Preservation Challenge Grant Program, by the City of Plant City through its Community Redevelopment Agency, by the Arts Council of Plant City, and the City Properties Company. This program has brought eight life-size bronze sculptures from the “Man on the Street” series by artist J. Seward Johnson through The Sculpture Foundation of Santa Monica, California. These eight sculptures weigh up to 750 pounds and are placed at the historic Union Station and in McCall Park. One is also in front of the Photo Archives building and one is in front of the Plant City Entertainment building at the corner of Thomas and Drane Streets. These sculptures are public art that people can understand because it is of icons or people such as those you see every day. The sculptures, also called statues, are outdoors and will be on public display through August and will be shipped back to the studio on September 1st. Since 2000, the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center has been busy in its effort to collect and preserve our community’s history and heritage. There have been many events, exhibits, stories, concerts, awards, and many other activities in that period, and the Photo Archives looks forward to working with the community to help preserve the past for the future and to make it available to you. • For further information visit the web site www.plantcityphotoarchives.org or call the office at 813.754.1578 or email info@plantcityphotoarchives.org
The Photo Archives began featuring themed exhibits in 2005, with its first “Salute to Veterans” in honor of the 60 years since WWII, and has rotated its exhibits periodically since then. Among the themes are “Couples, the Way They Were”, “When We Were Kids”, “Our Town”, “School Days”, “Festival Queens”, “In Honor of Agriculture”, “Sports and Leisure”, “Salute to Veterans”, and several others. These are displayed for a certain period then placed in binders available to the public. In addition to the continuing exhibits, the History Center Library is open to the public, and staff will assist in researching photographs of interest. Reprints are available in sizes from 5x7 to poster size. The Photo Archives has also held annual award banquets and in the past ten years has honored these individuals with the Heritage Award: David E. Bailey, 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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Patriotic Breeding Cloverdale 4H
By Ginny Mink here’s an old adage that tells us not to despise small beginnings. If we were to look back at some of the greatest inventors, philosophers and artists we’d surely discover that their beginnings were meager at best. For instance, Thomas Edison designed a concrete piano and Alexander Graham Bell created an aircraft that looked like a beehive, but it only flew like a kite. When Cloverdale 4H came to fruition, the truth is it began in the form of three chickens, but don’t despise small beginnings.
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Alicia Newcomb is the leader of the Cloverdale 4H club. When discussing her agricultural background she says, “My grandfather owned a small ranch and farm in Bartow, Florida and I was raised there until I was eight years old. They had traditional crops. We always had corn. My grandmother loved to grow peanuts and she always had tomatoes. It was a lot of crops. When you’re a kid running through the field you don’t really know what’s growing in ‘em.” Thusly, it wasn’t the vegetation that Alicia recalls. Instead, she says, “My grandfather also had a horse ranch and that’s what I remember most. My aunt was only ten years older than I was and she did barrel racing and raised quarter horses.” 56
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At eight years old her family moved to Tampa and Alicia wasn’t able to get involved in agriculture again until high school. She explains, “I ended up going to Plant City High School and I did the animal sciences program with Mr. Clark and Mr. Cribbs. While I was in high school I was on the parliamentary procedure team, I did berry judging and I was just very involved with the group. It actually feels like I grew up at the Strawberry Festival. When I graduated high school I went to St. Pete College and became a certified veterinary technician.” However, as is the case with each one of us, life has a way of changing things. Alicia says, “Due to my son’s special needs, I left the animal field and went back to school to become a teacher. I have a Bachelor’s in history with a minor in political science. I went into teaching to learn the ins and outs of ESE to help my son. I ended up working at a juvenile residential commitment society. I still work with maximum risk females. I went back and got my Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. I’ve been working with ESE kids for 13 years. I specialize in teaching math, science and social studies.” From the small world of veterinary technician Alicia bounded into the ever increasing field of education.
Of course, this still doesn’t tell us how she ended up as a 4H leader. She explains, “When my kids got into middle school I became involved with the Mann FFA and my son begged me to start my own 4H group because he wanted to be more involved. When my daughter was a freshman at Strawberry Crest she talked me into getting three chickens. That has turned into Cloverdale Farms and Rabbitry. We do poultry, water fowl and rabbits. The kids do everything, they run it; they maintain the records. My job is to do all the adult stuff, like sign the papers.” This is basically the set up of their farm and their club, which is brilliant because kids should take responsibility for the things they are truly interested in. Her children act as mentors to the members of the club. Alicia says, “We have the APA (American Poultry Association) program that we’re working with the youth. My daughter is one level before she can start doing her apprenticeship and my son is about half-way through. We have received recognition from the APA; my daughter won the Herdsman Award. We’re very active in ARBA (American Rabbit Breeders Association). We do one show a month, minimum. My son is working on becoming a judge. He’ll be applying to be a registrar, hopefully within the next six W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
months.” The Cloverdale 4H club is an extension of the farm and the 12 members therein get the benefits of learning from kids who are actually running their own breeding programs. Alicia’s kids did an embryology project and were able to share that experience with the other members. This project allowed all the members to see the heartbeat of a five day old embryo and watch its development until the day it hatched. The kids in the club vary in their fields of interest though. Alicia says, “Their projects range from the giant breed rabbits all the way to the teeny tiny ducklings and bantam chickens. Our focus is that if they’re going to be showing animals, that they’re showing quality animals that meet with the standards of perfection.” Perfection isn’t the only thing on Cloverdale 4H’s mind however. In fact, Alicia explains, “A lot of our chicken breeds are considered endangered by the Florida Livestock Conservatory. They maintain a list of farm animals and are specifically concerned with maintaining the breeds that originated in the US. It’s our form of patriotism. We teach the importance of maintaining breed standards rather than just having a bunch of chickens running around. Because of market, we’ve crossbred for maximum production and in the process we’ve threatened a lot of our heritage breeds. Our goal is to preserve the heritage breeds and teach the kids the importance of bloodlines.” Though their club just started last September, they seem to be making an impact. She says, “There’s a little boy in the club that shows and breeds Havanas and he has taken best of variety and best of breed at several shows. We’ve also won best of breed with Lionheads and best of breed with our Cochins and Americaunas. Our kids have gone to Lake City, Ocala, Deland and Georgia to show their rabbits or chickens.” Alicia understands the importance of agriculture and the preservation of the made in the USA motto. She says, “We would like to go and visit the Veterans’ home and let them spend some time with the rabbits and have the kids read to them. That’s my goal for this year.” In closing she adds, “The backbone of this country has always been farmers. So it’s important that we educate our Anyone interested in finding out more about Cloverdale 4H club children about agriculture so that we can return this country to its can contact Alicia through the Cloverdale Farms website: original greatness and surpass it. I think I’m seeing a movement www.cloverdalefarmsandrabbitry.com towards that with the economy being so bad. A lot of people just click on the 4H tab and follow the instructions. are returning to self-sufficiency, raising their own food and animals instead of depending on McDonalds or the grocery store to give it to you.” •
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NEW 4-H AGENT JOINS EXTENSION TEAM
BRANDI Y
ANCY
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randi Yancy has joined the Hillsborough County Extension faculty as its newest 4-H Agent. A native of Ft. Pierce, Yancy comes to Extension after serving as the volunteer coordinator at the Manatee Center in Ft. Pierce where she coordinated and managed the services of more than 100 volunteers, ranging in age from 14 to the early 90s. The Manatee Center is a waterfront wildlife and nature education center with the endangered Florida manatee its main attraction. The center’s primary purpose is to promote understanding and responsible actions for the fragile ecosystems of the Treasure Coast and its inhabitants. In addition to manatees, educational curricula includes butterflies, insects, sea turtles and other endangered species. Yancy served as volunteer coordinator for the last five years. Prior to joining the Manatee Center, Yancy was a student at the University of Florida where she majored in agricultural education and communications. “I have always wanted to be a 4-H agent and that desire guided my course of study in college,” she said. Active in the 4-H horse program throughout high school, Yancy competed in equestrian events throughout Florida. “My grandfather got me involved in horses and took me to shows around the state,” Yancy said. “But the whole 4-H experience has meant so much to me, from building my up my self confidence, to meeting new friends, I have enjoyed it all.” The oldest of three children, Yancy is married to Jordan, an Eastern Region Forecasting Specialist. Yancy’s initial Extension 4-H responsibilities will focus on the summer camp youth programs. “I understand there are over 1,800 4-H volunteers in the county and I’m anxious to meet them and keeping them as part of the 4-H family along with recruiting new volunteers for the new year.”
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BY J I M F R A N KOW I A K 4-H is an informal, practical educational program for youth. It is the youth development program of Florida Cooperative Extension, part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The program uses a learn-by-doing approach to enable youth, ages 5-18, to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to become competent, caring and contributing citizens of the world. This mission is accomplished by using the knowledge and resources of the land grant university system, along with the involved of caring adults. 4-H serves all youth from all backgrounds and interests wherever they live – on farms, in suburbs and in cities. “4-H offers an array opportunities for kids to learn about the many different project areas available from rabbits, dogs and horses to shooting sports, photography and robotics,” said Yancy. “There are projects available in over 45 different areas. Volunteers are needed to ensure the continued success of the 4-H programs. “Volunteers with specific related experience motivate our 4-Hers to learn more about their project. Both 4-Hers and volunteers benefit from the positive relationships formed,” she said. “Through the hands on learning, 4-Hers develop self-confidence, communication competence, leadership and other life skills. Volunteers benefit by seeing first-hand the difference they are making in kids’ lives as the 4-Hers grow and develop in the program. “Volunteers are also able to learn new skills through the program and experience personal growth. Volunteering is also a wonderful way for parents and their children to spend quality family time together through 4-H.” • For more information about 4-H and volunteering, visit: http:/ / hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu
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Florida Agriculture in the Classroom Awards 18 Volunteer Grants for 2012
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tudents from select schools in Florida will learn about tropical fish farming, the life cycle of chickens and vertical gardening when they participate in some of the 2012 Volunteer Grant projects funded by Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. The Gainesville based non-profit organization provided $20,000 in funding to 18 grant projects that will reach students in kindergarten through 12th grade from around the state. Organizations that will receive funding for these projects include county extension offices, 4-H offices, Master Gardeners, and other nonprofit associations. “Providing students with hands-on agriculture related activities and lessons not only teaches them valuable life-skills, it also helps them gain an appreciation for all that agriculture does for us,” Florida Agriculture in the Classroom Chairwoman Jennifer W. Sills said. Florida Agriculture in the Classroom uses proceeds from the sale of the agriculture specialty license plate, or the Ag Tag, to fund its teacher and volunteer grants programs, among other Florida Agriculture in the Classroom programs. The projects funded this year are:
1. “AGRICU LT URE: FU N AND LEARNING GO T OGETHER II” – Bradford County Extension and other volunteer groups in the county will expand school gardens from one elementary school to all four elementary schools in their counties. 2. “VERTICAL GARDENING” – The Old Davie School Foundation will educate students on how to grow vegetables and the importance of eating them to good health by using a vertical growing system. 3. “U NIQU E AGRICU LT U RE OF FLORIDA: T ROPICAL FISH FARMING” – Columbia County Extension will provide each middle school in the county with tropical fish tanks to help them learn about that industry in Florida. 4. “DESOT O COUNTY AGVENTU RE PROGRAM” – DeSoto County 4-H will organize an AgVenture program to educate fourth graders about the commodities grown in their area, and it will provide teachers with related classroom materials beforehand. 5. “GROWING B RU NCH” – Escambia County 4-H will educate local students about commodity production in their area by growing produce in a garden that will be used to prepare brunch. 6. “SOLOMON B OOK AND T EACHER GU IDE” – Brevard County Farm Bureau will provide teachers with 25 “Solomon” student novels and teacher guides to go with them to educate students about turn-of-the century agriculture in Florida. 60
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7. “JACKSON COU NTY 4-H AG ADVENT U RES” – Jackson County 4-H will organize and execute its annual AgVenture program for the county’s first graders and will use the grant money to expand its existing commodity stations. 8. “4-H EMB RYOLOGY: LEARNING B Y DOING ONE DAY AT A T IME” – Nassau County Extension will expand its embryology project to include a calendar to educate 1,000 local students on the life cycle of the chicken. 9. “CHAMB ERS PARK COMMU NIT Y U NITY GARDEN” – Osceola County Extension will develop a community to educate students on how to grow their own food. 10. “OKALOOSA PEEPS” – Okaloosa County Extension will assemble an incubator system to educate local students in pre-kindergarten through third grade about how to rear chickens. 11. “SOU T H FLORIDA FAIR’S EMB RYOLOGY PROGRAM” – The South Florida Fair will set up incubators in local classrooms and invite local poultry breeders to visit classrooms and educate students about raising chickens. 12. “T HE B EEF COW IS A WINNER” – Polk County Cattlewomen will develop a plywood game board to educate local students about beef and its byproducts. 13. “PU T NAM-ST. JOHNS AG-VENTU RES” – Putnam-St. Johns County Farm Bureau will develop an Ag-Ventures program in which local fourth graders will visit an agriculture center and visit stations to learn about local commodity production. 14. “HIGHLAND CIT Y GARDENS” – Highland City Garden Club in Polk County will put in a garden at a local elementary school to educate students about how to grow plants. 15. “4-H AGRICU LTU RE DAY” – Taylor County 4-H will host its annual AgVenure program to educate local fifth graders about commodity production in their area. 16. “FLORIDA AGRICU LTU RE DU RING ANNUAL 4-H YOU T H FAIR” – Washington County 4-H will create educational displays to educate students about Florida agriculture during its annual 4-H Youth Fair. 17. “WHAT ’S COOKING IN FLORIDA’S KIT CHENS” – Wakulla County Extension will learn about Florida commodities and their nutritional value during a food preparation and preservation activities. 18. “CAT CH T HE B U ZZ ON B EES IN WAKU LLA COU NT Y” – Wakulla County 4-H will educate students about the importance of bees to Florida agriculture in Wakulla, Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, Gulf, Calhoun, Liberty and Taylor counties by developing educational units beekeepers will use in local classroom presentations. •
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A Closer Look
By Sean Green
The Qualm after the Storm
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ast month tropical storm Debbie gave us all a reminder of the toll we pay to live in a tropical environment. For some, the storms are exciting and exhilarating, I say this with conviction because I am one of them. There is something about a good storm that just makes me feel good inside. Any of our readers that may have suffered the aftermath of flooding, may conclude that my fascination with storms may have something to do with the abundance of insects they tend to bring. I can honestly say, it’s not the insects that inspire my affinity for storms, however, it’s the insects that storms bring that will be the topic of this month’s closer look. I considered a gentle reminder of mosquitoes, but suspected there would be enough coverage on mosquitoes following the media attention the flooding produced to warrant giving the other insects that follow a flood a fair shake at being the villain. Understanding the Florida environment sheds some light on the behavior of the insects that share it with us. On the most elementary level, we live on sand, and it’s a good thing, because we get a lot of rain. In central Florida, rainfall averages range from 46 inches per year in Tampa to 55 inches per year in Lakeland. When we get enough rain to saturate the upper layers of our soil, it forces all the insects that live in the top layers of soil to rise to the surface. You have probably noticed hordes of White Ibis probing the soil and pulling up grubs that are as big as your thumb, these are most likely the larvae of African Black Beetles that not only establish themselves in our lawns, but also feed on strawberries, pineapples, potatoes and grape vines. The good news is the flooding will draw the grubs closer to the surface for the White Ibis to feed on. White Ibis, also known as the garden friend, are not as abundant in other places as they are in the Tampa Bay. In fact, Tampa Bay is part of a critical breeding stronghold for this species and can boast one of the largest populations in Florida. There are four large breeding colonies in the bay itself including Clearwater Harbor. Ibis will travel up to 20 miles inland to find crayfish, frogs, grubs, mole crickets, and an array of other garden pests to feed their young. Storms like Debby W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
fill retention ponds providing freshwater food sources for young ibis chicks that have not yet matured to tolerate high saltwater diet typical of adults. In addition to the grubs that seek refuge from saturated soil, you may see fire ants attempting to move their eggs to a higher, dryer location and in doing so, create the tall mounds characteristic of the fire ant. It’s important to be wary of this behavior especially when clearing fallen trees or debris caused by a storm. Beetles will be more abundant after flooding as well. Fallen trees will soak up water making the wood much easier for them to bore into as the additional moisture promotes decay. Live trees that have split are no longer protected by their bark and are vulnerable to phloem feeding insects such as a variety of bark beetles, weevils, and earwigs. A newly split tree is known to attract some wasps, especially yellow jackets. Not only is the sugar rich phloem a opportunistic treat, but caterpillars, spiders, and other soft bodied insects make it ideal hunting grounds for wasps. Flooding contributes to a chain reaction of events ranging from the growth of fungus and mold to attracting a variety of insects that assist in the decay process. Where there is decay, there will be a variety of flies, most notably the blow fly. Easily recognized by their shiny metallic coloration, blow flies feed on high carbohydrate foods such as nectar and seek high protein food sources such as carrion or dung in which to lay their eggs. Layers of loose, moist soil and litter are an ideal environment for the larva to pupate and develop into their adult stage. Fortunately, nature has a keen way of balancing things so they never really get out of hand for long. During floods, ground dwelling spiders such as the wolf spider or grass spider must seek higher ground to survive. This unfortunate turn of events leads hundreds of spiders directly into the path of less received insects, on which of course they will eagerly feed. In March, this type of spider behavior became international news after flooding in Australia caused portions of Wagga Wagga in New South Wales Australia to become literally blanketed in spider silk. Knowing what to expect is the best pest control. • INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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BY JIM FRANKOWIAK
Dr. John Hayes has been named dean for research of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. He had been serving as interim UF/IFAS dean for research since July of 2011. “John is ideally suited for this position,” said UF Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources Jack Payne who announced the appointment. “He has performed exceptionally well in the year he has served as the interim dean, has a solid background in natural resources, and a firm understanding of the research needs for agricultural sciences.” “I look forward to working with the faculty to create new opportunities to build on the tremendous foundation IFAS has built in research,” Hayes said, “to advance new initiatives and approaches to strengthen research linkages across the university and to enhance interdisciplinary research programs.” Hayes noted the “mission of the UF/IFAS research enterprise remains unchanged, but how we accomplish that mission has and will continue to change.” That mission “is to invent, discover and develop knowledge to enhance the agriculture and natural resources of Florida.” In his capacity as director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Hayes oversees nearly 1,000 faculty members at UF’s main campus in Gainesville and 13 research and educations centers located throughout Florida. Included among Hayes’ priorities for UF/IFAS research are citrus greening, water conservation, development of new crop cultivars, improved cattle management, climate issues, bioenergy production, invasive species control and conservation of natural resources. Added to that, said Hayes “are the challenges of feeding a growing global 62
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population coupled with the demands on water quality and quantity not just from agricultural but our increasing world population.” “We must continue to provide information that supports the agricultural industry as it feeds the people of Florida and more increasingly the world,” said Hayes. “Our breeding program is one of the most successful and diverse of any in this country.” “The challenges we face today arise rapidly and require innovative approaches such as interdisciplinary research teams and the application of new technologies,” said Hayes, who also noted that funding for research has been impacted by the state of the global economy. “Our interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving has enabled our teams to win grants that have diminished in availability, but are larger in size.” “Government research dollars have decreased, but we have seen a growth in public/private partnerships with the agricultural industry and for this we are most appreciative,” said Hayes. “Agriculture has also been supportive in helping to plead our case at the state and federal levels to assure that our lawmakers appreciate and understand the importance of agriculture to our people and to the economy. This has been particularly helpful in protecting our share of available government research funding.” Hayes joined the UF faculty in July of 2006 as professor and chairman of the wildlife ecology and conservation department. He was previously a professor and associate dean for international programs at the Oregon State University College of Forestry. He earned a doctoral degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Cornell University, a master’s degree in biology from Southern Oregon State College and a bachelor’s degree in wildlife science from Oregon State University. •
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MYRON “BUDDY” SIMMONS, 88 of Plant City died July 5, 2012. He was born November 8, 1923 in Plant City.
RICHARD McDOUGALL, 55 of Plant City died July 4, 2012 at South Florida Baptist Hospital from complications of surgery. He was born October 13, 1956 in Bethpage, New York. JOHN HAZELETT, age 57 of Plant City died July 3, 2012. Born July 19, 1954 in Holden, West Virginia. He was the son of the lat Cecil Hazelett and Juanita Grimmett Hazelett.
NINA STULL, 77 of Plant City died June 30,2012 at her home. Nina was born May 14, 1935 in Dahlonega, Georgia. She was the daughter of the late Andrew Waters and Annie Head. 64
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MARGARET GODWIN, 90, died peacefully at home on Friday, June 29, 2012 in Plant City. Margaret “Marge” Godwin was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. FLORIDA TODD, “Florrie” Todd, 95, of Plant Cilty died June 5, 2012. She was a lifelong residence of Plant City, and began her career as a telephone operator with the Peninsula Telephone Company.
WILLIAM SANDS, 73, of Dover died on June 23, 2012 at this home. William G. Sands was pastor of the Evangelists for Jesus Tabernacle for over 30 years.
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By Susan Haddock UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Commercial Horticulture/ Integrated Pest Management/Small Farms Agent
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t’s hot, it’s raining, you are very busy with life and taking care of your landscape can be quite a chore. When you decide to look for someone to take care of your landscape do you know what to consider? Choosing a landscape maintenance and/or tree care company can be daunting, but armed with a little knowledge you can make the right choice for your landscape. The most important consideration is to know what you want to have done and your expectations. Having a list of your needs is important because companies can provide a wide range of services including: • • • •
Mowing, edging and trimming Fertilization Pest control Turfgrass aeration, verti-cutting and top dressing • Ornamental shrub and small tree care • Large tree care • Design and installation • Corrective actions such as drainage improvement or correcting nutrient deficiencies When beginning a search for the right company, the Yellow Pages, roadside signs and mailbox flyers should not be the only reference source. Ask neighbors you trust for a referral or recommendation. Check trade
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CHOOSING A LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE OR TREE CARE COMPANY
associations, such as the Florida Nursery Grower Landscape Association (FNGLA), the Landscape Maintenance Association (LMA), the Florida Irrigation Society (FIS) or the International Society for Arboriculture (ISA) for members who have professional landscape certifications. Companies with professional certifications typically have a higher technical skill level and remain current on laws, regulations, environmental concerns and technical advances. Other trade associations, such as the Florida Turfgrass Association (FTGA), the Florida Pest Management Association (FPMA) or the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), are good resources for leads on qualified companies.
Management Practices (GI-BMP) and are the employees certified? If the employees apply pesticides, including herbicides, do they have a pesticide license? Find out the size of the company, number of employees, how many contracts they currently have and the ratio of supervisors to crew members. Be knowledgeable about crew member stability and turnover as they will have access to your property and know your routines and security precautions. Ask if they have the right equipment, enough equipment, if it is properly maintained and your right to equipment inspection. Finally, do they have a relationship with the County Extension office and can they provide references from long standing customers?
Always interview the company prior to hiring. After all, they are working for you. Ask about business licenses, required permits, liability insurance, professional certifications and trade association memberships. How long have they been in business? What services do they provide? Let them tell you the range of services they provide, as many companies will answer an enthusiastic “yes” to any service you ask about, whether or not they are properly trained to perform the service. Ask about their training, specialized or in-house, that make them qualified to perform the services you need. Has the company adopted the Green Industry Best
When having tree work performed, it is best to hire a certified arborist. Trees that are maintained are attractive and add value to property, while poorly maintained trees can be a liability. Beware of tree companies that recommend removing a living tree without a very good justification, or companies that recommend topping. A certified arborist can determine the type of pruning necessary to maintain or improve the health, appearance and safety of trees. Once you have narrowed down the companies, avoid misunderstandings about what services will be provided, how often the INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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services will be provided, what services will cost, what are basic services and which services require an extra fee. The companies should provide a free inspection and estimate. Any company that quotes a price without seeing your property is guessing at what you may need. Ask about the pricing system and what services are included. If quoted a monthly or annual fee, does that fee include services 52 weeks per year or are the services reduced to every other week or as needed in the cooler months? Are there charges for service calls to address problems between regular services? If treatments are included, ask about the purpose of the treatments, what kind of treatments, number of treatments, when the treatments will be provided and what results can be expected. Do they scout for insects, disease or other pests, making sure a problem exists, or do they only provide treatments on a regular schedule whether or not a problem exists? A contract should lay out exactly what services will be performed and how often, and include provisions for a guarantee of performance and what happens if your expectations are not met. Always consider whether or not you are being reasonable as many desire the perfection of Disney, but very few can afford a Disney budget. The contract should also address cancellation, renewal, billing and payment policies. The landscape maintenance company you select will become your partner in maintaining an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally safe landscape. Your decision to hire a company should be based on business ethics, technical skill, proper and maintained equipment and business know how. For more information on landscape maintenance practices contact the UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension Service at (813)744-5519, your local County Extension Service or on the internet go to http:/ / hillsborough.ifas.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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Adding Color to the Florida Landscape
Adapted from Gardening with Annuals by Sydney Park Brown, UF/IFAS Extension, Publication CIR 1134)
By Maria Carver
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edding plants or annuals are shortlived plants that can provide significant amounts of color in the landscape. Annuals live for one growing season, not one year as the name implies. Typically there are two types of bedding plants: cool season and warm season. Warm-season annuals can be planted February (central Florida) or March (north Florida), depending on the type of plant, and they may last until the first frost or freeze. The cool-season annuals are planted in the fall and will live until May or June. South Florida typically doesn’t have hard freezes and many of the annuals may last year-round, except for the cool-season plants that fizzle out in the summer heat. Bedding plants can be germinated by seed, but most homeowners purchase them in flats, four-inch or six-inch pots, or even one-gallon containers from the local garden center or nursery. Before purchasing, make sure the bedding plant is in season. Some stores may inadvertently sell plants out of season, which will result in a shortlived plant or complete failure. Make sure you determine the sunlight conditions in the planting area. Most bedding plants prefer several hours of sun, but begonias, impatiens, and crossandras perform very well in the shade.
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In order to have success with annuals, the first step is to properly prepare the soil. Start by adding two to three inches of organic material (compost, peat, etc.) and mix it into the top six inches of soil. A controlled-release fertilizer can also be mixed in during this time or sprinkled around the plant at the time of planting. If planting in a container, use a good quality potting soil and mix in a controlled-release fertilizer, if needed. Some potting mixes already contain fertilizer so be careful to read the package before applying additional fertilizer. Annuals should be planted at the same soil level as they were planted in the pot (except marigolds, which can be planted deeper). Plants should be spaced according to their mature size, usually found on the label. Water the annuals thoroughly before and after planting. Installing a microirrigation system will allow you to efficiently water the plants’ roots without damaging the petals or foliage with overhead irrigation. Another method of planting annuals is called pot-in-pot method. This method is described in the EDIS publication Gardening with Annuals http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ mg319) and can (h make quick work of changing out plants, but they will need frequent watering. Suppress weeds in annual beds by applying a two- to three-inch layer of mulch, being careful not to allow the mulch to contact the stems of the plants. Preemergent herbicide can be used to control weeds. It prevents weed seeds from developing, but only use it on plants that are listed on the herbicide label. Plants can be damaged if the preemergent herbicide directions are not followed. Some annuals perform better when they are pruned or deadheaded (old flowers are removed). The coleus performs better when flowers are removed and only foliage is allowed to grow. It can also be
Coreopsis lanceolata L., Photo by Jeffrey G. Norcini, UF
pruned to manage size if necessary. Remove spent flowers from geraniums to promote reblooming and to tidy up their appearance. Bedding plants can have pest problems and should be monitored on a regular basis. Identify the pest before applying any pesticides and contact your local Extension office for more information on proper control or for insect identification. Less than one percent of all bugs are bad. When using pesticides, the good bugs are eliminated with the bad. Fungal diseases can be lessened when overhead irrigation is retrofitted to microirrigation. Consider removing plants if pests or diseases cannot be controlled quickly or inexpensively. It may cost more to control the problem versus replacing the plants. For a more comprehensive guide for regional plant selections, refer to the University of Florida publication The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design, which can be found at http:/ / fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/ pdf/ FYN_Plant_Selection_ Guide_v090110.pdf For a table of planting dates for annuals in north, central, and south Florida, refer to the publication Gardening with Annuals in Florida, which can be found at http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ mg319 Contact your local county Extension office for more information on environmental horticulture topics and for suggestions of suitable bedding plants in your region. Additional information on Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ can be accessed at http:/ / floridayards.org, http:/ / fyn.ifas.ufl.edu and WaterMatters.org The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Community Association Outreach Program is sponsored by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the Hillsborough and Polk Boards of County Commissioners, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Maria Carver was the former Hillsborough County Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Community Association Outreach Program Coordinator.
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Susan Ferrell took this great photo of the American Gothic statue in Plant City, complete with her No Farmers No Food sign! Very apropos we think! 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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National Award Winner
The Hay Depot
He explains, “My dad was selling my brother’s hay from home and it was gettin’ more than he could do. The furniture business kinda went south when the housing did so I had this building and decided to give the hay business a shot. Between what he (Phil’s brother) owns and leases he has about 500 acres.” Thusly, part of the hay sold at the Hay Depot comes from Phil’s brother. The rest he says, “Comes from all over, Canada, New Mexico, Idaho, all over.” Once Phil got the hay business going, he decided to branch out into other areas of agricultural feed and that’s when he says he began selling Manna Pro. His business has been open just a little over four years as of this past January. Phil elaborates, “We started with just hay and went a year. Then we added the feed, Manna Pro. So basically, in three years, we’ve been able to grow from zero to their Dealer of the Year and we’re quite proud of that.”
By Ginny Mink
SHANNON
AND PHIL HICKS WITH A R E P R E S E N TAT I V E O F M A N N A P R O
When asked what qualifies someone for this accolade Phil says, “I know it’s volume, acceptability to new product and putting it in. Manna Pro has never spelled out, ‘this is the requirements to be Dealer of the Year.’ Basically it’s about performance.” Perhaps it may not seem so impressive to win an award simply because you sell a lot of product, but there are definitely other aspects to be considered.
lant City may be a small town, but it boasts some pretty impressive notoriety. It switched from a cotton growing town to become the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. Then there are always the famous people who got their starts here, like triple Olympic Gold Medalist, Brooke Bennett, football player, Derrick Gainer, and musician, Pam Tillis. Recently, Plant City added another winner to its list of accomplishments. Phil Hicks, of the Hay Depot, was named the Manna Pro Dealer of the Year.
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Phil adds, “This is throughout the United States! Personally, I take it as quite an honor because it’s only one. I don’t know the number, but there are a lot of Manna Pro dealers scattered throughout the United States. Last year the Hay Exchange won it. I think it’s quite an accomplishment that two Plant City dealers have won it back to back.” When he puts it like that, it does seem quite remarkable. After all, Plant City is a small town compared to the whole of the United States and yet it can boast two national award winners!
Phil is no stranger to Plant City’s agricultural background. He says, “I always took FFA in high school and my dad has always had cows and horses. My dad had livestock all my life. My dad had quarter horses that he raced. He kind of mixed his agriculture; he had the race horses and a citrus grove. From the time I can remember we had some form or fashion of animal.”
Phil obviously stands behind the product he sells which undoubtedly aids in his productivity. He says, “They offer to any species of animal, they’ve got the product. They offer an economical to a top quality brand. Whatever your budget is they fit the need, especially the price for the quality. They’re great people to work with; they put right on their back 100% satisfaction guaranteed and they back it totally.”
Phil’s first job was on a chicken farm. Eventually, however, he decided to get into the furniture business. He says, “My brother was in the furniture business with me and I bought him out in ’97 so he ended up going to North Florida to grow hay.” This is where Phil experienced a change in his career.
When it comes to his feelings about agriculture as a whole, Phil says, “Being a meat and potato guy, I kind of go along with the farmers. No farmers, no food you know? For our youth it makes for responsibility. I don’t know about you, but I definitely enjoy a good steak. I think it’s very important to carry on.” He proves these beliefs by participating in various community supports. He explains, “We support a lot of the youth programs, local events, barrel racing, sponsorships and have even done some participation with rodeos. We try to support our youth to encourage them to continue in the livestock and animal health and nutrition.” So, once again, Plant City has come out on top and given greater validity to the concept that great things can come from small packages: worldwide strawberry appreciation, famous athletes and musicians as well as significant national recognition. Small towns rock! •
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AVAILABLE
10 ACRES THOMPSON ROAD LITHIA
12 ACRES TRAPNELL ROAD PLANT CITY
Ideal 10 acre parcel with 330 feet of road frontage. $200,000
Great vacant parcel for home site or farm. Already platted into four parcels. $190,000!
19 ACRES BONITA ROAD WIMAUMA
37 ACRES LANIER ROAD PLANT CITY
Open pasture land with approximately 650 feet of road frontage. $179,900
Gorgeous Oak Hammocks and pasture land for grazing. Bank Owned $399,900
FARM LEASES AVAILABLE
Lithia 50 acres with two 10" wells, drip only
49 ACRES THOMPSON ROAD LITHIA Gorgeous property with scattered oak hammocks. Over 2,300 feet of road frontage. $795,000
Wimauma 78 acres with 10" and 8" wells, drip only Will consider sale-leaseback
Reed Fischbach, Broker Fischbach Land Company
813.546.1000 P.O. Box 2677 • Brandon, FL 33509 Note: While every attempt is made to provide as accurate information on the property offering as possible, FISCHBACH LAND COMPANY, LLC does not guarantee the accuracy thereof. Buyer shall rely entirely on their own information and inspection of property and records.
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Custom Creations with Retro Flare Almost Almost Famous Famous Leather Leather Works Works by Ginny Mink his economy is really a drag. The small guy is finding it increasingly difficult to maintain even a semblance of success. It’s at times like these that people have to pull themselves up by their boot straps and perhaps tighten up their belts. At least that’s what Susan Harrell, of Almost Famous Leather Works, has to hope for. Not that people are struggling of course, but that they might be in need of new belts.
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High School FFA Alumni. She says, “My kids have shown cattle and pigs for 17 years. I’m on the Florida State Fair Swine Committee and I am the co-chair for the Hillsborough County Fair Swine Committee. I’m a member of the Hillsborough County Cattlewomen and I’m active in my church, I’m the Sunday School Director.” Given all that activity, one would find it hard to believe that Susan has also started up her own business!
Susan is no stranger to agricultural involvement. In fact, she started out in Hillsborough County as a 4H leader. She says, “My son was involved in showing pigs in Manatee County and then we moved to Hillsborough and all my friends wanted to know what I knew about raising pigs so we started the Hillsborough Swine Club.” It was her involvement in that 4H club that gave her the opportunity to meet a lot of people in agriculture within the county. She says, “I became involved with the Florida State Fair Livestock office and the Farm Bureau AgVentures. I work with Judi Whitson to put it on at the Fair and I also am a presenter throughout the year.”
Susan explains how she maintains some semblance of sanity, “I did hair for many years to maintain flexibility so that I could spend time with my children. I have three sons (Jimmy, Blake and Lane). It was very important to me to have time so I always did something that I could either work out of the house or have flexible hours.” This led her to consider other profitable avenues. She says, “I was talking with a friend in Manatee County, who I used to work with, her name is Penny Cooper Rodriguez, and we decided to undertake a new adventure.”
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stayed up late many nights for her to show me how to do this. Leather working requires a lot of tools. She had learned from her mom and had all the tools. I spent many hours into the night after we both got done being moms and working, to have her show me how to do this. She had learned, as a teenager, to build the old school belts with the names on the back and we decided to bring them back in style. We each built belts for our kids and the rest is history,” she chuckles. Susan continues, “That’s where it all started. As their friends saw the belts, our business grew and we branched out from there. I modified it, I guess, with doing
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more freehand work. I designed strawberry belts, then leather jewelry and have designed wall art, gun slings, guitar straps, spur straps,” (now perhaps you get the boot straps and belt connections), “and leather lanyards. All are custom creations with retro flare. Some of my favorite pieces are wedding gifts that are specifically designed and crafted to help the couple remember their special day. I really enjoy custom work because I get to know the person I’m creating for, most of the time.” So how does an ex-hairstylist get into leather working? What in the world was she thinking? She says, “I was inspired to do leather work when we went on a trip to Sheridan, Wyoming, which is basically the mecca for western style tooling and my youngest son, Lane, was interested in leather work. So, we were inspired to pursue it when we got home and that’s when I stumbled into Penny and started talking about the belt business.” Everyone dreams of working from home, but it’s not always the easy path people envision. In fact, according to Susan, one belt can take about ten hours to build. She says, “People think they’re expensive but first of all, leather’s expensive and then the time it takes, too.” Susan is enthusiastic though and is looking for her business to grow exponentially. She has added some work with brands, initials and business logos as well and sometimes you can find her work at Southside Feed in Plant City. Finally, Susan adds, “I recently did the cattlemen’s convention. I was in the silent auction room as a demonstrator to entertain the guests as they shopped. I enjoyed visiting with the children and showing them how to do leather tooling. I brought out my latest project, which is a leather lanyard, very cool cowboy style.” One visit to her website, www.almostfamousleatherworks.com will attest to the unique style she has embraced. She’s particularly interested in letting people know that her work makes for great gift ideas. If you’re interested in finding out more about Almost Famous Leather Works, you can visit her website or email Susan at: susan@almostfamousleatherworks.com If you’re still old school, you can always give her a call: (813) 918-8882
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Savannah Mitchell And A Scenic Sensation 足 Andy
Reserve World Champion, Western Pleasure At The 2012 AJPHA Youth World Championship Show in Fort Worth, Texas
It takes extreme effort to accomplish extreme results and your hard work has made you a champion once again. Another great year and a proud moment for Daddy, Mommy and Dylan. We love you bunches!
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Naturally Amazing Activities
Berlese Funnel By Sean Green Soil health is dependent on the organisms that live in the soil. The number of insects that can be found in a handful of soil is surprising. Antonio Berlese, an Italian entomologist invented the Berlese funnel in the early 1900s as a means to extract insects from soil. The Berlese funnel is still widely used by professional entomologists today. This month we will modify another soda bottle to make a homemade Berlese funnel with which you can see how many insects there really are in just a handful of soil. Soil organisms prefer a moist environment. As soil dries, these organisms crawl deeper into the soil to seek moisture. The Berlese funnel works by funneling the insects into the base as they seek refuge from the drying soil under the lamp.
Step 3 Invert the top half of the bottle snugly into the bottom half.
Step 4 Fit the hardware cloth to nest in the bottom of the funnel.
Materials Needed: A A A A
liter pop bottle bit of hardware cloth (3� square) light source (20-40W) small dish with alcohol (optional)
Step 1
Step 5
Cut the bottle in two.
Step 2 Place the small dish of alcohol at the bottom of the bottle.
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Remove the funnel top from the base and fill it with litter or soil, letting loose litter fall through before placing the funnel back over the base..
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Gardening That Makes a Difference By Libby Hopkins
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he motto of The Eden Project of Tampa is “Food is power, produce it.” It’s a very powerful statement because without food, we cannot survive. Sustainability has become a very important issue in our lives today. Resources are becoming more and more limited due to the actions of the generations that came before us and the downward spiral of the economy. People need to make sure that the future generations will not experience worse. The Eden Project saw this need and decided to do something about it. They decided to teach inner city neighborhoods how to install and maintain gardens as a way of sustainability. Natalia Dengler is the Director of the Tampa Eden Project. She and husband, Jon, along with the help of their friends and family, have been making a huge impact in the Ybor City, Tampa Heights and Sulphur Springs neighborhoods in Tampa by installing community gardens. They modeled the gardens after the one they have at their home in Ybor City. “One of the things that started becoming more important to us was to garden as much as possible,” Dengler said. They started looking at their property to see how they could make it produce more and do more for them. Installation of solar panels was done on the house to cut down the electric bill. They planted fruits and vegetables in every available space on the property. They put a rainwater system to help water the plants and vegetables they planted. The couple also raised chickens and tilapia as another source of food. The Denglers wanted share what they learned from the garden at their house with the community. “The project grew into modeling our garden in other people’s homes, so we started doing garden installations for free,” Dengler said. Yes, you read that correctly, they install the gardens for free. They want to raise awareness of the importance of W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
local agriculture and urban gardening. The Eden Project has installed gardens in boarding houses, drug rehabilitation centers, safe houses for women coming out of the sex industry and they also manage plots in other local community gardens throughout Tampa. “We do these installations as a gift in places where people are in need,” Dengler said. They also provide consulting and installation services for a fee to individuals who are able to afford it, this way they are able to serve a broader range of people in the city and raise support for their efforts among the poor. The Eden Project has also caught the attention of other community programs that are involved with sustainability. Inspire Your Environment recently partnered with Eden Project for an educational event. IYE is a group that is an environmentally conscious community engagement project based in Tampa. The purpose of IYE is to serve as a quick reference of green tips, natural-based information and artfully sustainable ideas concerning the social, communal and cultural environments where people live, work and play. IYE is for the Tampa youth and beyond, their family members, their teachers and their mentors, who want environmental social change to begin with them, to ultimately spread to others in their environments. Adjoa AkofioSowah is the Director of Inspire Your Environment and she held a community walk this past May, where the Eden Project was one of the stops along the walk. “This concept and intended practice of community, of sustainability and the sense of place it created for its visitors and inhabitants has symbolize so much good,” said Akofio-Sowah. The project has also been a part of the USF Farmer’s Market on the Tampa Campus, where they sold produce and held talks about gardening and sustainability.
The project was also recently approached by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa to install a garden at one of their Boys and Girls Clubs. “We are always planting seeds and always looking for opportunities to serve our community,” Dengler said. The goal of the project is to continue planting as many gardens in the community as possible. “I would like for the project to be involved in more community events where we can educate more people on gardening and sustainability,” Dengler said.
For more information on The Eden Project or if you would like to make a donation, you can visit them on the web at www.eden.lakehousetampa.com or you can call 813-340-6942. For more information on Inspire Your Environment, you can visit them on the web at www.i nspi reyourenvironment.com
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Ag Literacy Day On May 2, students from Dowdell Middle Magnet School, read the book “Florida Healthy Farms, to students in the first and second grades at Palm River Elementary School. Susan Ferrell organized the event for the students. •
Tiffany Dale Joins Southwest Georgia Farm Credit as a Summer Intern
Southwest Georgia Farm Credit welcomed Tiffany Dale as one of three interns as part of its Summer Internship Program this week. Ms. Dale, who is working towards a Master’s degree in Agribusiness in Food and Resource Economics at the University of Florida, Gainesville, was selected from more than 50 candidates. The summer internship program is designed to offer a high level overview of agricultural finance. It provides learning opportunities and work experience in four modules: executive leadership, sales, credit underwriting, and accounting/human resources/marketing. “Our goal is to offer these students work experiences that are unique to agriculture and to rural America,” said Allison Godwin, Assistant Controller at Southwest Georgia Farm Credit and Internship Coordinator. “We are confident they will gain a good understanding of what agriculture means to our local economies, and how Farm Credit plays a key role in providing safe, sound, and dependable credit to farmers, farm businesses, and those who live and work in our smaller communities. “More importantly, Godwin continued, “We are excited to gain their perspectives and ideas and look forward to a great exchange of information.” Applications for the 2013 Summer Internship Program will be accepted after September 1. Contact Allison Godwin at 229.493.0142 or agodwin@SWGAFarmCredit.com for more information.
Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, headquartered in Bainbridge, is an agricultural lending cooperative owned by its memberborrowers. It provides farm loans for land, equipment, livestock and production, as well as rural home mortgages. It is part of the national Farm Credit System, a network of financial cooperatives established in 1916 to provide a dependable source of credit to farmers and rural America. For more information, visit SWGAFarmCredit.com 82
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Ask-A-Vet
Q:
Is heartworm prevention really necessary and what is the best one?
A:
Yes, and it depends on the answers... Heartworm disease occurs when a dog or cat is bitten by an infected mosquito. As you know, mosquitoes exist in Florida 12 months of the year. Virtually 100% of dogs and approximately 80% of cats that are bitten by an infected mosquito will become infected with heartworms. Thus, a dog or cat living in Florida needs to be on prevention all year round. In my hospital alone, we diagnosed over 25 cases last year, all of which could have been prevented. Most of those dogs were living inside and some were on sporadic heartworm dosing schedules (ie. 3-6 months out of the year). Heartworm disease may not show any clinical signs early on, but as the number of worms inside the dog increase and the heart and lungs become more damaged, you will begin to see signs. These signs can be as mild as an intermittent cough, fatigue, reduced appetite and weight loss. They will progress to constant moist cough, difficulty breathing and then death from congestive heart failure. The clinical signs in cats often mimics other diseases like asthma, i.e. gagging, vomiting, rapid breathing, lethargy and weight loss. Sometimes, the only “sign” you will see in a cat is sudden death. Many of the heartworm preventions available treat or prevent other issues as well, such as intestinal parasites, fleas and ticks. Heartworm preventatives cost $5-$20 per month depending on the size of your dog or cat, as well as what other things the medication treats. Some heartworm prevention medications are dangerous if given to a dog that has heartworm disease. Therefore, always have a veterinarian test your dog and perform a thorough examination prior to starting on any product. The least expensive prevention is usually Iverheart or Triheart. This product prevents heartworms as well as two intestinal parasites. The more expensive versions will kill fleas, ticks and a number of intestinal parasites. Some even treat scabies and ear mites in cats. There are over 10 types of heartworm preventions available on the market currently. There are chewables, tablets, topicals and injectables available depending on what your veterinarian feels is right for you and your pet’s lifestyle. If you give an oral medication, make sure your pet eats the entire chewable and doesn’t spit any of it out. If you use a topical, follow the instructions as to when you can safely bathe your pet to not rinse off the product. It is very important to prevent this deadly disease. It is cheaper, safer for your pet and much easier to prevent this disease rather than to treat it. Treatment can cost $500-800 depending on the size of your dog and the severity of disease. In cats, there is not an approved treatment for the disease as the risks associated with treatment are too high. Heartworms typically live 2-3 years in a cat and 5-7 years in a dog. While living in your pet, they can cause severe, life-threatening heart and lung damage that is irreversible. These damages can cause heart failure, lung failure, An excellent resource for additional blood clots and death. information is the American Heartworm Society’s website at www.heartwormsociety.org Please feel free to email any of your questions to askavet@inthefieldmagazine.com and your question may be answered in next month’s issue.
Dr. Christy Layton, DVM 84
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different federal and state programs available for them and their families and the various community services that are also offered. There are a number of missions in this area that provide a wide range of services. All of this equals a very comprehensive benefits package that is of no cost to the employers, but makes their seasonal employees very happy,” he said. Those programs run the gamut from health care and education to language skills enhancement.
MEETING THE HUMAN RESOURCE NEEDS OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BY JIM FRANKOWIAK
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f you are involved in agriculture in Hillsborough County as an employer or employee, there’s a significant resource available to you and it doesn’t cost a dime. This resource is Sergio Sodre, the Migrant Seasonal Outreach Specialist of the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance (TBWA). One of 10 such specialists working for the state agency in Florida, Sodre, or “Mr. Ag” as he is known to many, currently works with 33 agricultural employers in the county and their more than 6,800 employees. That’s more than double the number of clients he had when he began with TBWA just four years ago. He credits that to referrals from among agricultural employers and his acceptance by seasonal workers in the field. These agricultural employers are growers, packers and processors and their crops include strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons and the newest – peaches. “These employers have seasonal labor needs and we help them recruit their workforce and we offer further assistance by providing translation services and assistance with the completion of the various form required by governmental units. Among those is Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. “The majority of this workforce needs translation help and I speak English and Spanish, while few employers have that capability” said Sodre. “Proper completion of the forms
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is important to both the employer and employee and I serve both.” “We appreciate Sergio and what he does for our company and our employees,” said Sara Sizemore-Cruz, office manager with Jaymar Farms. “He really cares about what he does.” Sodre visits Jaymar twice a week. He provides similar services and is held in the same high regard at Lipman Farm. “Sergio does an awesome job,” said Office Assistant Tina Laird. “He makes the process headachefree for our company and employees.” “It is very beneficial to have Sergio come to our company,” said Tomato Thyme Corporation’s Courtney Buckholt. “He comes to our office weekly and verifies our employees ID’s and their Social Security numbers. He also helps us find employees when we are in need of extra staffing, either in the office, like payroll clerks and administrative assistants, even farm managers and crew leaders. Having Sergio find the extra personnel and verify these documents on site enables our employees to continue working and not have to spend time traveling to and from one of the TBWA offices.” As a seasonal workforce, these employees work for an hourly rate with no benefits. “Another aspect of my position is to inform each member of this workforce of the many
Sodre, who spends the majority of his time literally in the field, almost as if he was his clients’ human resource manager, also works to handle complaints and misunderstandings that arise whether on behalf the employer or employee. “Both have rights and I strive to have both understand what those rights are and how they are best protected.” In addition to meeting the seasonal labor force needs of his clients, Sodre also serves as the important link to TBWA and its services. Guided by its mission statement, TBWA is “dedicated to helping to foster Tampa Bay’s economic strength and continuing development by implementing state-of-the-art career training, management and employment.” Should an employer need other types of employees beyond seasonal labor, Sodre is there to help complete job orders and begin the recruitment process through TBWA, whether at one of its three locations in the county or via its web presence at http:/ / www.employflorida.com. “Our center career managers stand ready to assist employers and prospective employees at any time,” said Sodre. “And there is never a charge for their services.” Sodre encourages Hillsborough County employers to visit one of TBWA’s onestop centers or the agency’s website: http:/ / workforcetampa.com “The website covers our full range of services to both employers and those seeking employment as well as the locations of our three service centers. We are a significant resource for both.”
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Florida FFA State Convention Prepares Students
“For The Future” By Lauren Der
ack in the 1920s, E.M. Tiffany penned the words, “I believe in the future of agriculture.” This, the beginning of five paragraphs Tiffany wrote about leadership, respect, hard work and passion for agriculture, would eventually be adopted as the official creed of the National FFA Organization in 1930.
While this convention serves as the annual culmination of students’ work in the organization, it is not just the students who find reward in their efforts. For advisors, parents, sponsors, legislators, school administrators and other visitors, this convention is a breath of fresh air from the typical stories they hear about today’s youth.
Fast forward 82 years to the Florida FFA State Convention and Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla. where Tiffany’s words came alive in late June in a convention entitled “For The Future.” With this convention, Florida FFA continued its commitment to equipping students with the leadership, knowledge and passion necessary to ensure a bright future for the agriculture industry.
Yes, the music is loud and the colors are bright. But these students are genuinely excited about having a purpose that positively impacts the lives of people around the world. And that is refreshing to watch.
At this five day event, over 4,300 middle and high school FFA members, advisors and parents packed the hallways of the Caribe Royale Resort to take part in career development events, workshops, leadership sessions and awards ceremonies.
Mylie Feaster, Durant FFA – High School Extemporaneous Public Speaking State Winner
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The efforts of FFA members in Hillsborough County, specifically, were rewarded this convention in the organization’s Career Development Events:
Darby Hasting, Durant FFA – Feeder Steer State Proficiency Winner
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Adrian Dyer, Strawberry Crest Jr. FFA – Creed Speaking State Winner Strawberry Crest Jr. FFA – Agricultural Issues State Winner; team members include: Richelle Sapp, Rachelle Sapp, Mckenzie Green, Lindsey Killebrew and Danielle Mayo Tomlin FFA – Middle School Parliamentary Procedure State Winner; team members include: Anna Conrad, Meredith Del Castillo, Clay Joyner, Ethan Parillo, Colten Smith and Parker Killebrew
A major highlight at each year’s convention is the election of new state FFA officers. This year, David Walden of the Durant FFA Chapter was elected as the Area V State Vice President. Walden’s mother, Terry, was a state officer from 1981-1982. It is accomplishments and conventions such as these that E.M. Tiffany spoke of in his creed. These FFA members clearly believe in the future of agriculture and are doing their part to ensure the industry continues. For this, Tiffany would be proud.
Tomlin FFA – Opening and Closing Ceremonies State Winner; team members include: Anna Conrad, Ali Baker, Arie Fry, Ethan Vaughan, Meredith Del Castillo, Clay Joyner and Haley Riley Cassidy Hasting, Turkey Creek FFA – Middle School Prepared Speaking State Winner Jesse Coleman, Turkey Creek FFA – Sheep Production State Proficiency Winner
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Some labs allow their mosquitoes to feed the old-fashioned way, by biting live animals. But to save time, money and effort, other labs give the insects packaged animal blood, which may contain additives or lack components removed by processing. Scientists with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have found that different types of blood influence the quantity of eggs a female mosquito produces, and the likelihood those eggs hatch.
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Study shows how diet affects lab-raised
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Crescent Jewelers 1514 S. Alexander St. Plant City, FL Phone: 813.752.2413
in medical studies By Tom Nordlie
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
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ost people try to avoid feeding hungry mosquitoes, but for some medical researchers it’s a different story. Lab-raised mosquitoes are used in studies investigating how the blood-sucking insects transmit viruses and parasites. Those mosquitoes must be cared for and that means providing female specimens with blood, which supplies protein they need to produce eggs.
That’s important to know, because mosquito researchers typically want to know how closely their lab experiments mimic real-world conditions. The study, conducted at UF’s Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory in Vero Beach, was published in the June issue of Journal of Vector Ecology. To feed the mosquitoes, scientists used four blood sources: 1. live chickens 2. chicken blood with an anticoagulant added 3. beef blood with an anticoagulant added 4. beef blood with its main clotting protein removed. Female mosquitoes were divided into groups and most groups were offered only one blood source throughout the study. One example of the variability the scientists found: Among mosquitoes offered beef blood without the clotting protein, only 31 percent chose to feed; among those that fed, 40 percent laid eggs and 70 percent of those eggs hatched. In contrast, 61 percent of the mosquitoes offered a live chicken chose to feed, 46 percent of those that fed laid eggs, and 83 percent of those eggs hatched. Lead author Stephanie Richards, now an assistant professor at East Carolina University, said the results show that mosquito researchers should carefully consider feeding methods when designing experiments. She also suggests more research might be needed to determine whether different blood sources may affect mosquitoes’ ability to transmit viruses. •
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Tel: 813.759.6909
ANIMALS & NEEDS ANIMAL & BIRDCAGES Add living microbes to improve your soil, equipment serving the fur-bearing and exotic bird industry. Cages built to order. Wire by roll or foot. 813-752-2230 • www.ammermans.com Swap July 15, 2012 and Nov. 25, 2012 HORSE BOARDING Stalls and individual turnout, lighted arena and round pen. Owners on property. $325 full care. Call 813-610-4416 1998 HART HORSE TRAILER All aluminum gooseneck trailer. Two horse slant load with dressing room. Original one owner. Call Today 813-650-3173! $9,500 CHICKEN MANURE FOR SALE Dry and available immediately! Call Tim Ford or Danny Thibodeau 863-439-3232
AUTOMOTIVE 1999 JEEP WRANGLER 4x4, 5 speed with cold AC, Xtra Clean, New Soft Top, Low Miles, Back Seat, CD Player, Deep Rubber and more. Solid Black. Low Payments & Easy Financing. Reduced to: $8650.00 O'Connor Automotive, Plant City, 813-650-0535 2002 MERCURY DAKOTA 4 Door Quad Cab Pickup. V8,AT,PB, PS, PDL, PW. Family Size 4 Door Pickup. Very Clean. Low Payments and Easy FInancing $5950.00 O'Connor Automotive, Plant CIty 813-650-0535 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Montery Edition, 6 CYL, AT, AC, Leather Loaded, Very Nice, Easy Financing and Low Payments. Only $4950.00 O'Connor Automotive, Plant City 813-650-0535 2000 OLDS BRAVADA AWD 4 Door SUV. Family Size, Gas Saving 6 Cyl, Leather Interior, Loaded,Very Nice, Easy Financing and Low Monthly Payments. $4950.00 O'Connor Automotive, Plant City 813-650-0535 2002 FORD F150 Four-Door, Super Crew Family Size Pickup. Loaded 4 WD, Power Everything, Very Sharp. Low Payments and Easy Financing $8950.00 O'Connor Automotive 813-650-0535 1997 FORD F-250 4X2 Lariat Super Cab. This is a very low mileage (83,000) original one owner (non smoker) vehicle that has been professionally maintained and garage kept since new! Call 813-650-3173 $7,000
BUILDING SUPPLIES
DOUBLE INSULATED THERMO PANE Starting at $55. Call Ted 813-752-3378
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WINDOW SCREENS We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted 813-752-3378
MASSEY FERGUSON GC2300 4 X 4 hydro stat transmission, 2702 hrs. $4,750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
TILL 4 X 8 SHEET B-grade $17.95. Call Ted 813-752-3378
1984 MASSEY FERGUSON 240 tractor, 42 pto hp, 2wd, works great! $5,950. Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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’ x 4’ 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 25 for pricing.
FARM EQUIPMENT MAHINDRA 4505D Tractor with loader, 2wd, 45hp., 407 actual hours. $7,500, Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MASSEY FERGUSON 245 W/ STRAWBERRY WHEEL KIT Diesel tractor. Good condition. $6,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 KUBOTA L345 TRACTOR 34hp, 2wd. $4,250 Call Alvie (813)759-8722 MASSEY FERGUSON TRACTOR 1980 Massey Ferguson 230. 34pto hp, power steering. $4,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 HEAVY DUTY TRAILER 14’ Shop built, heavy duty trailer, 2 axel with ramps. $750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 FORD NAA TRACTOR Good condition, gas engine. $1,950. Call Alvie 813-759-8722 3PT LIFT 3 row hole punch. Very good condition. $500.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 BUSH HOG 2615 15' Batwing mower $3,950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 BUSH HOG 950 Backhoe attachment, 9.5 digging depth. Like NEW condition. $4,000 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MASSEY FERGUSON 255 Grove Tractor with 6’ mower $7,500. Call Alvie 813-759-8722.
DECKING BRDS. & TILL SIDING Call Ted 813-752-3378
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FOR SALE TRAILER FOR SALE 44x12 single wide trailer in Winters Mobile Home Park. Zephyrhills 5k or best offer. Call (813)967-4515 ALL A BLOOM FLORIST Carnations 75¢ each, 813-567-5735 116 N. Collins – Downtown Plant City. www.allabloomtampa.com
LAWN EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES RUBBER MULCH All colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE! $8.99 a bag. Call Ted 813-752-3378 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) 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 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
JOBS CONTRIBUTING WRITER Write about events in your community. Immediate openings in Hillsborough and Polk Counties. Paid per article. Responsibilities include covering community events and taking pictures. Email your resume to sarah@inthefieldmagazine.com
KUBOTA L275 With shuttle shift. Ready to work! $3,500. Call 813-759-8722 JULY 2012
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