In The Field magazine Hillsborough by Berry Publications, Inc

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2012

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

Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply

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

Full Line of Feeds 813-689-1570

Corner of Martin L. King Blvd. & McIntosh Rd. Dover, FL 33527

Contents

VOL. 8 • ISSUE 12

Cover Story Darby Hasting

Page 54 Cover photo by Stephanie Humphrey

Business Up Front

Ray Clark

Page 10

Page 46

Going For The Gold

Recipes

Page 12

Page 50

Tampa Bay’s Fishing Report

Spice Up Your Life

Page 57

Page 14

Seeing The Old Florida

Rocking Chair Chatter

Page 60

Page 22 An Impressive And Diverse Resume

Page 32

Page 40 Page 43

Dave & Aileen Ayers

Ask-A-Vet

Page 84

Agro-Culture Liquid Picks Up The Pace

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Page 70 Page 80

Need Job Security?

Page 64 Bruce Shwedick

Not Your Everyday 4-H Club

Page 44

Florida Friendly Landscape

An Unstoppable Force Brooke Coats

Page 88 OCTOBER 2012

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2012

From the Editor

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

I don’t often get in to discussions regarding politics. We have all heard that friends who want to stay friends don’t discuss politics. Sometimes it is essential to discuss politics, just remember to state the facts and don’t get in to heated discussions with those who have completely opposite opinions. You probably aren’t going to change their minds anyway. I recently found myself in a discussion with a friend regarding politics. We were, thankfully, on the same page in regards to the candidate we were discussing. My decision had long been made in this regard. However, if it hadn’t been, if I had been on the fence, what my friend brought to my attention would have definitely solidified my vote. I’m not here to tell you how to vote. But I would encourage everyone to do their homework. Ask questions. Find out what the candidates can do for you, this great nation, your state, your county, all the way down to the community in which you live. Most of all, I encourage you to take the extra step and go vote. While this seems a given, many people think things like, my one vote won’t count. But if thousands, or even hundreds feel the same way, it can absolutely make a difference in the outcome. Many men and women have fought and died so that we can live in the land of the free. We have opportunities that many countries don’t have. Exercise one of these and get off the couch and vote. Your livelihood could, and probably does depend on it. Until Next Month,

Sarah

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. –Numbers 6:25

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

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OCTOBER 2012

OFFICE MANAGER Bob Hughens SALES MANAGER Danny Crampton SALES Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Callie Jo Parker 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 Callie Jo Parker Lindsey English CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Woody Gore Les McDowell

Index of Advertisers ABC Pizza................................................................90 Ag Technologies......................................................29 Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers .............................44 American Cancer Society.......................................90 Antioch Feed & Farm Supply...............................65 Aquarius Water Refining.......................................85 Astin Strawberry Exchange...................................77 B Powerful Promos.................................................77 Badcock....................................................................23 Bill’s Transmissions .................................................72 Bingham...................................................................56 Bloomingdale Children’s House............................34 Brandon Auto Services, Inc. ..................................36 Brandon Region Hospital......................................59 Brewington’s............................................................75 Broke & Poor..........................................................24 Brown’s Jewelers ..........................................49 & 75 Byrd & Barnhill, P.L...............................................17 Cecil Breeding Farm...............................................30 CF Industries, Inc....................................................82 Certis........................................................................15 Chemical Containers, Inc......................................39

Index of Advertisers Chemical Dynamics...........................................................41 Cornfusion Corn Maze.....................................................21 Chuck’s Tire & Automotive ..............................................2 Crescent Jewelers.....................................................49 & 84 Dad’s Towing....................................................................58 Discount Metals...............................................................39 Dr. Barry Gaffney O.D. PA.............................................74 Driscoll’s............................................................................48 Earhart’s Runway Grill ...................................................95 Elizabeth Belcher..............................................................72 Erwin Technical Center...................................................26 Farm Bureau Insurance...................................................86 Farm Bureau Insurance/Jeff Sumner..............................85 Farm Credit.........................................................................9 Felton’s ..............................................................................51 Fishhawk Sporting Clays ................................................35 Florida Dept. of Agriculture............................................91 Florida Mineral & Salt....................................................93 Florida Strawberry Growers Assoc................................58 Fluid Measurements ........................................................33 Forbes Road Produce......................................................11 Fred’s Market ...................................................................62 Gator Ford........................................................................52 Gerald Keene Plumbing ..................................................59 Glarner Farms ..................................................................62 Grove Equipment Service ..............................49, 61 & 87 Gulf Coast Tractor...........................................................96 Halfacre Construction Company...................................41 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply............................3, 23 & 36 Harrell’s Nursery, Inc.......................................................90 Haught Funeral Home....................................................68 Helena Chemical-Tampa ................................................31 Hillsboro State Bank........................................................90 Hillsborough County Farm Bureau ......................4 & 75 Hinton Farms Produce, Inc.............................................31 Home Protection Pest Control .......................................69 I-4 Power Equipment ......................................................63 Jane Baer Realty...............................................................49 Johnson’s Barbeque..........................................................36 Jon & Rosie’s Tree Farm.................................................90 Key Plex ............................................................................42 Kinkaid Auction...............................................................87 Loetscher Auto Parts .......................................................77 Malissa Crawford............................................................93 Mark Smith Excavating..................................................19 Meryman Environmental, Inc........................................52 Mosaic...............................................................................24 Myers Cleaners.................................................................53 Odessa Rodeo & Festival..................................................5 O’Connor Enterprises......................................................62 Pathway BioLogic............................................................20 Plant City Tire & Auto Service, Inc...............................90 Ring Power Corporation ................................................36 Savich & Lee Wholesale .................................................16 Seedway ............................................................................79 Shrimp & Co Express .......................................................7 South Florida Baptist Hospital .......................................83 Southside Farm & Pet Supply........................................13 Southwestern Produce.....................................................27 Stephanine Humprey.........................................................9 Stingray Chevrolet............................................................47 Super Service Tire & Auto..............................................66 Tampa Bay Times............................................................17 The Hay Depot................................................................19 Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort ..................................7 Trinkle, Redman, Swanson, Coton, Davis & Smith .................................................................66 Walden Lake Car Wash.....................................................7 Warner University............................................................70 Wells Memorial................................................................90 Wert’s Wedling & Tank Service, Inc..............................77 Willie’s ...............................................................................17 Woodside Dental..............................................................79 Zaxby’s..............................................................................81 W W W. 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You Too, Can Be A Winner

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

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

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

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2012

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

IT’S TIME TO VOTE

Dear Reader: Election Day is just a short time away. We are so fortunate to be able to pick our leaders, a right that unfortunately some take for granted. Please take the time to learn about the candidates that are on the ballot along with the amendments we will be voting on. With advances in technology it is very easy to access election information at your computer. Many men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our rights. Ag-Venture is coming up October 29 – November 8. That’s a special time for third graders in Hillsborough County to learn about the importance of agriculture, where the food they eat comes from and the impact of agriculture in their daily lives. Held at the Florida State Fairgrounds, arriving students tour five different stations representing different aspects of agriculture. Hands-on participation is one of the most popular aspects of the visit. I suggest you mark November 10 on your calendars as the day the Farm City Festival will be taking place in Ybor City. This is another chance for us to spread the word about agriculture among our urban friends. FCF is taking place at Ybor City for the first time. Visit (http://ybormarket.com/home) for more information.

Farm Bureau members can also purchase “No Trespassing” signs through our county office for a nominal charge. Farm Bureau signs offer a reward of up to $500 paid by Florida Farm Bureau Federal for information leading to the arrest and felony conviction of persons responsible for theft from, or vandalism to, property of a Farm Bureau member. We have several new members of our Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. They were elected at our annual meeting. Each will be featured in future editions of IN THE FIELD. For more information on Farm Bureau, including how to join and the benefits of membership, please visit www.hcfb.org or call 813/685-9121.

Thank you,

Danny Danny Aprile President

This is hunting season. If you are a landowner wanting to allow selected hunters to hunt on your lands, you may find it helpful to check with the state and one approach to doing that involves the Landowner Assistance Program and Authorized Hunter Identification (permission) Card. The link is http:/ / www.myfwc.com/ hunting/ more-hunt-links/ .

Board of Directors

Danny Aprile, President; Bill Burnett, Vice-President; Jemy Hinton, Treasurer; George Coleman, Secretary; Glenn Harrell, Member-at-large; Amanda Collins, Roy Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, Jim Frankowiak, Stefan Katzaras, Joe Keel, Greg Lehman, Kenneth Parker,Jake Raburn, Marty Tanner, James Tew, Patrick Thomas, Michelle Williamson and Ray Wood Judi Whitson, Executive Director 8

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• A square piece of dry paper cannot be folded in half more than 7 times. • Air becomes liquid at about minus 190 degrees Celsius. • Liquid air looks like water with a bluish tint. • A scientific satellite needs only 250 watts of power, the equivalent used by two-hour light bulbs, to operate. • The thin line of cloud that forms behind an aircraft at high altitudes is called a contrail. • The word “biology” was coined in 1805 by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. • Water expands by about 9% as it freezes. • In a desert, a mirage is caused when air near the ground is hotter than air higher up. As light from the sun passes from cooler to warmer air, it speeds up and is refracted upward, creating the image of water. • The typical bolt of lightning heats the atmosphere to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. • Saturday mail delivery in Canada was eliminated by Canada Post on February 1, 1969. • The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. It was the fashion in Renaissance Florence to shave them off.

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OCTOBER 2012

Business Up Front

By Ginny Mink

HOME PROTECTION PEST CONTROL:YOUR VARMINT ELIMINATING SOURCE

obody wants to talk about it. In fact, we are often so embarrassed by the situation we refrain from having people come visit. Yes, you guessed it, we’re talking about bugs, bugs invading your house and making you squirm. In an article by Nancy Thorn (2001) we find that there are about 500 species of insects that can only be found in Florida (lucky us) and according to her, “Humans and insects have long been at war here in Florida.” If indeed you have been at war with some of these critters, you might want to read on and learn about Home Protection Pest Control. Kathy Paul works with her husband, Steve, at their home-based business, Home Protection Pest Control. Kathy shared her background with us. She says, “My grand-

parents were chicken farmers, they had eggs. I just did that as a young girl. I’ve been in Plant City all my life. My father, who is Glenn Ford, sold fertilizer to strawberry growers all over Hillsborough County. He was quite well known for that. And, my son is an Ag teacher at Plant City High School. He’s been there about ten years, his name is Michael Paul.” Thusly, we discover that her roots run deep when it comes to familiarity with Plant City and small town life. She is a modest woman, saying, “I may have an uninteresting life. I traded hairdressing for secretarial office managing. I keep the books for Steve for Home Protection Pest Control. Steve is my husband. He was in FFA in high school all four years and showed steers back then,

that was in the 1970s. He graduated in 1972, has always had a garden. And, we’ve been married 38 years this year!” That’s an impressive feat in this day and age for sure.

So, they both know and love agriculture and they are both dedicated to making Plant City the wonderful place that it is. Thusly, insect control is key. Kathy continues, “Steve was in pest control for another company. He wanted to do something we could call our own. It seemed a good thing to do in Florida. Everybody has bugs at sometime!” She chuckles here and then goes on, “So, he got his license and we just went in business, pretty much on our own. We got a loan from my folks in February of 2006 and been goin’ ever since and it’s been good. Every year we’ve grown a little more. We have two part-time employees now. One is Walter Warren and the other boy’s name is Bud O’Callaghan.” Hearing that small businesses are growing in an economy like this does a heart good. In addition, it makes one wonder, ‘what

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control customer service anywhere in the area.”

are they doing differently?’ Kathy explains, “We are running it out of our home, we’ve got two trucks and it’s all from here, not much overhead. That’s a good thing!” It certainly is as the start-up costs in new ventures often put companies under in a relatively short span of time. The great thing for Kathy and Steve is that there are plenty of bugs to go around! Kathy adds, “We are pet friendly and child friendly. We try to be a personable company and treat you like a person, not a number.” In fact, if you visit their website: www.homeprotectionpc.com you’ll discover that their supplies are 100% safe for your kids and pets and they promise to get to you within a ten minute window of your scheduled appointment. Specifically, “We take pest control very seriously and we appreciate time taken from your busy schedule to allow us spraying time. And if you have to cancel, we can appreciate that, too. We aim to provide the very best pest

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Though they work from home, they are not confined to the Plant City area alone. Kathy says, “We service all of Hillsborough County but we do a little work this side of Lakeland.” As vast as their servicing area, so are their services. “We do roaches, ants and spiders. We treat for fleas inside and out. We do bees, we get a beekeeper to remove the nests but if they’re in a wall you can’t save them. We also supply complete rodent extermination services, so if you get rats, mice, or even squirrels in your home or business, we can take care of this for you, too! We do yards for fire ants, carpenter ants and little varmints we can spray and treat.” If you are a victim of any of these little “varmints” you should definitely contact Kathy and set up a consultation.

hiders” knows exactly what she means. Thusly, she offers a bit of advice as she closes, “Spray base boards, pull out refrigerators and spray behind appliances.” This is something they do every time they treat your home. Just to remind you, you can read all about Home Protection Pest Control on their website: www.homeprotectionpc.com and if you are interested in employing their services please give Kathy, or Steve, a call at (813) 757-6752.

Kathy explains the structure of their services, “We have quarterly service, every three months, every six months and monthly if necessary for extreme circumstances. We have a regular ant and roach service. We do German roaches, they’re masterful hiders, it’s a work in progress; you just have to keep after them.” Anyone who has ever battled these “masterful

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2012

Going For The

Gold! By Calli Jo Parker

members around the state prepare for months to compete at the annual State FFA Convention. This year Tomlin Middle School took home two major state titles, one of which is taking them all the way to Indianapolis, Indiana to the National FFA Convention.

FFA

teams compete, they will take the top two of each group creating the six top teams for the final round. Each team is given 13 minutes to complete the Opening Ceremony, Parliamentary Procedure demonstration, and Closing Ceremony, and points are deducted if they exceed this time.

Tomlin Middle School FFA members are known for their hard work and determination, competing in various competitions throughout the year. In June they won both the Parliamentary Procedure and Opening and Closing Ceremonies contests. For the first time in the history of the National FFA Organization, there will be a middle school Parliamentary Procedure competition at the National FFA Convention. This competition is slightly different than at the state level, the Parliamentary Procedure teams are required to do a demonstration of the FFA Opening and Closing Ceremonies before they dive into their debate. Having won both state titles, Tomlin is one step ahead of the game!

The national competition requires one more team member than the state level. Tomlin is blessed with enough talent to promote one member in a moments notice. The National Parliamentary Procedure team members are: Anna Conrad, Arie Fry, Meredith Del Castillo, Colten Smith, Ethan Parrillo, Clay Joyner, and Parker Killebrew. The Tomlin advisors, Jason Steward and Emily Petrilli, are working with the students each week to prepare for National Convention. The Tomlin FFA members want to thank their teachers for the time and effort they put in to making this team successful, saying, “We have the best ag teachers ever!”

This competition is an invitational sponsored not by the National FFA Organization, but the Society for Agriculture Education Parliamentarians. This is a trial run, which is how all of the national competitions began. The competition will start with 18 teams, breaking them down into three groups of six. After these 12

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The National FFA Convention will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 22 -27. Send thoughts and prayers on October 23 as Tomlin Middle School represents Florida in the National Parliamentary Procedure contest. Good luck Tomlin FFA, bring home the gold! •

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MirrOMullet Top Dog Jr.

by Captain Woody Gore

f we get lucky, we get some nice dryer air this month as fall is just around the corner. It seems like this is the time of the year when I have to put a jacket back in the boat for the early morning ride to get bait, especially if the wind is blowing. The water will start cooling down and the fish should start getting a little more excited about being fish. The bite has been exceptional during the last weeks of September and I expect it to continue right through the Fall. You can expect good catches using live bait and artificial lures all over Tampa Bay. If you’re interested in some exciting early morning action, tie on a new 16MR MirrOMullet Surface Walker or Top Dog Jr. from MirrOLure and walk-the-dog across a calm morning grass flat. The anticipation will kill you waiting for the next explosive strike of a large Snook or the water moving swirl of a stalking Redfish. A topwater lure strike is more than exhilarating… it’ll almost stop you heart. From other articles, you’ve probably surmised that when it comes to fishing, artificial lures are close to my heart. There is something magical about tricking a fish into striking something that’s alien looking at best. I often think the stranger the lure the better chance of getting a strike. Over the years I’ve used everything imaginable to catch fish. Live baits, artificial lures, and plastic straws. I’ve even used a strip of old white tee shirt to catch spotted sea trout and I’ve come to this conclusion… if it has action and looks wounded, something’s going to try and eat it.

There are plenty of redfish, and snook are all over the area, hanging around the many lush grass flats and mangrove shorelines. As redfish move back into the Bay it’s usually fairly easy to find them schooled up on the many grass flats covering the Bay. It’s also the time of the year when some of the big redfish start showing up. You never know whether you’re going to a catch one in the slot or one of the giants over 30 inches, so be prepared. These big reds often top the scales at 12 to 14 pounds. The upper Bay area is holding good numbers of fish, but you must pick your tide days carefully when fishing north of the Courtney Campbell Causeway, especially by boat. The area gets extremely shallow on low tide days. Snook are closed on the Gulf Coast. Most of the snook we caught average in the 22 to 25 inch range. For those who like the night life associated with snook fishing, this is a great time. They’re hanging under residential docks watching the light line for a quick meal. Use a shallow diving artificial lure or free-line a big shrimp. Make sure to use a weighty leader like Seaguar 30-40 lb., so you don't get cut off on the pilings. As for the others, expect some good sized mangrove snapper at the bridges with some topping out around three pounds. Cobia are showing up for us. It usually only takes a chum bag over the side to spark their

curiosity. If you hook-up, be ready with another rod and bait as other cobias will be following the action. Mackerel, bluefish, jacks and ladyfish will be feeding on bait schools everywhere. If its glass minnows they’re after, try to match the hatch. Never turn your fishing nose up at ladyfish and jacks, especially when kids are involved, they can certainly make or break a trip. Most children are not interested in fishing, however they are interested in catching and they don’t care what it is. When you take kids fishing make sure it’s all about them catching fish. You’ll get your turn when you and your buds get out.

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, and Bradenton 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 or send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give him a call at 813-477-3814.

Try your hand at something man-made on your next fishing trip. You’ll be surprised at how many fish you’ll catch and how much fun you’ll have doing it. 14

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Photos courtesy of the Plant City Photo Archive

Top & Bottom Photos: May 26, 1959 Farmers Market Inset Photo: 4-H Clubs at the Farmers Market in 1946 18

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Now here’s one for you, “The Emma Crawford Coffin Festival” in Manitou Springs, Colorado. I don’t know just how much to believe about this Festival, but the story goes that sometime in the 1800s Emma Crawford moved to Manitou Springs, only to succumb to tuberculosis before she could marry the love of her life John Hildebrand. In honoring her last wish, her fiancé and twelve men carried Emma in her coffin to the top of Red Mountain, some 7,200 feet above sea level, where she was buried. According to the town folks they had a heavy summer rain some 20 years later that washed her coffin down the mountain and into the canyon in the middle of town. In her honor, the weekend before Halloween, the citizens of Manitou Springs host some sort of morbid activity. The main event is an annual coffin race. Each team enters a homemade coffin with four small tires no more than six inches in diameter. Each team has a woman to play the part of “Emma,” while four men push their coffin craft down a 250-yard stretch of main-street. The teams are judged on speed and the creative design of their coffin. Then there’s the RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. The main dish of the Festival is deep fried Moon Pies. The festivities conclude when the World’s Largest Moon Pie is cut and served by the Festival King and Queen with the assistance of the Knights of the Moon Pie Round Table. Mmm, can you imagine being crowned the Moon Pie Queen, or RC Cola King?

guess I am the oldest board member of the Florida Strawberry Festival in tenure. Over the years I have watched the organization grow and expand. For the past couple of years, under the management of Paul Davis, I would say the Festival is running like a fine tuned Ferrari. Thinking back over the years, I remember Ercelle Smith was the committee chair of the Rooster Crowing and Cow Chip throwing contests. While we no longer have those two events, I think Paul Davis came close in 2012 to replacing them with the appearance of the actors of the TV reality show “Lizard Lick.” Maybe next year he will bring in the “Swamp Boys.” If it’s the unusual that attracts people, what ever happened to the Bearded Lady, the Alligator Man, Mermaid Woman, Violet and June the Siamese Twins, and Sealo the Sealboy? Other Fairs around the world find their unusual niche and pack in the crowds. For instance, there’s the Possum Queen contest and Fair in Litchfield, Connecticut, which is nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek beauty pageant where beauty and talent have nothing to do with it, it’s all about bribing the judges. Other beauty queen contests include Miss Artificial Beauty, Miss Atom, Miss Mosquito Legs and Miss Dirt Bag Queen in Bozeman, Montana. In 2007 the LaBron James Bubblicious Ultimate Bubble Blowing League Tour made an appearance at the Great Texas Mosquito Festival in Clute, Texas, looking for those that could blow the largest bubble. A new speed eating benchmark for eating dumplings in two minutes was established at a Food Festival in New York. They also set the dumpling eating Guinness World record. I wonder how much fun it would be to attend the Dirt Bag Festival!

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Over in Monroeville, Alabama they have a Fruitcake Festival in November to usher in the fruitcake season. To me the fruitcake ranks number 25 on my top 25 list of cakes and pies. Obviously I am one of few, as Paradise Fruit in Plant City is the world’s largest when it comes to producing candied fruit for fruit cakes. I think the company makes the candied fruit for the “Claxton Fruit Cake.” Obviously somebody likes fruitcakes, or Paradise would not be in business. They ship their candied fruit all over the world. I had better back up! If my memory serves me right, there was one fruitcake that was pretty good. Billy Ray Kirby gave me a fruitcake heavily submersed in Jamaican rum. When I called to thank him he was in the kitchen. “Billy Ray,” I said, “Thank you for the fruitcake, I didn’t know you were so handy in the kitchen. You must have a secret recipe!” “Yep, I do,” he replied. “It’s from my great grand daddy that lived in the hills of north Georgia.” “Tell me more about it,” I said. “Well, this is the second batch I’m working on today.” He said, “First thing you add six eggs to the mix’n bowl, then chunk in the cup of dried flut. Mix on the tuner, throw in two quarts of flour. Gradually pour in the cow. Add two dried anything. If the fried druit gets stuck in beaters, pry it loose with a screwdriver. Sample the rum for the third time, and check it again for tonsistency. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something….who cares?? Check the rum again. Now get the nutmeg and add one table. One more spoon of rum or something, and anything else you find left over. Grease the oven, and turn the crake pan to 350 degrees. Don’t for-

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get to beat off the turner. Then you pour the oven into the batter. Throw the bowl out the window. Lick the rum bottle top and put the screwy thingy on top. Next throw the bowl out the window. Lick the batter off the floor. Bake 300 minutes at 40 degrees. Unscrew the top of the rum bobble and finish it off. Put the top back on and flow to bed.” After that I said, “Thanks for the info, Billy Ray,” and hung up.

Your business

I have always said that the fruitcake has many value added uses that would make it one of the most versatile desserts ever served. Consider the fruitcake as a doorstop, paper- weight, boat anchor or even a weight for workouts. In addition, the Monroeville Fruitcake Festival it is also known as the home of the “Fruitcake Lady,” whose real name is Marie Rudisill. She became popular when she appeared on the Jay Leno Show on December 14, 2000. You can hear some of her interviews from the Leno show on YouTube. The Fruitcake Lady died in Hudson, Florida in 2006, at the age of 95! Yes, we have a lot of strange fairs throughout the world, and I have mentioned only a few. There is nothing strange about the Florida Strawberry Festival. It is one of the nations best, and always opens with a lot of great entertainment. Keep next years date in mind: FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, February 28 thru March 10, 2013. •

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By Jim Frankowiak

he 19th edition of the Hillsborough County Fair takes place Oct. 17 – 21 and it truly has something for every one, that includes The Firefighter Show, a new offering combining education and entertainment about fire safety, a traditional midway with rides for all ages, a range of entertainment, competitions and lots of food options. The show’s five-day run has livestock shows each day, including sheep jumping, cow clipping and rabbit costume competitions. Youth will compete for showmanship awards as they lead their animals into the show rings. A Swine Auction for 4H or FFA student-raised pigs is slated for Saturday evening, October 20, at 7 p.m. The traditional Family Living Arts and Crafts competition will again offer the opportunity for entrants to seek recognition in art, photography, baking, needlepoint, quilting and more. There’s a “Just for Kids” dimension of the competition for youngsters and all entries will be on display for attendees to view and enjoy. Fairgoers will have an opportunity to meet the 2012 Harvest Queen and Junior Queen who will be present for beauty competitions involving babies, toddlers and children at the Children’s Pageant set for Sunday, October 21. More information and entry forms are available on the fair’s website. The Firefighter Show combines entertainment and education that involves children and depicts or simulates firefighting, heroism and action. “What comes off as fun and entertainment today, may save a life in the future,” says show organizers. The fair also includes a Recycled Yard Art Competition and Hay Bale Decorating contest. Fair fare includes a 4H Foundation BarB-Que dinner Saturday, October 20, and there’s a Chili Cook-Off the next day. Local cattle women will be sharing tasty beef recipes, as well as sponsoring a Kid’s Cooking Contest. “Lots of traditional fair food will also be available,” said Fair Executive Director Tom Umiker. “That includes roast corn on the cob, mini-donuts and fried vegetables plus grilled hamburgers and hot dogs prepared by the Brandon Shriners.” W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

One popular offering of the fair – the annual Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association Auction – is set for Saturday, October 20, starting at 1:30 p.m. “This is a great chance to purchase quality plants at wholesale prices,” said Shawn Steed of the FNGLA’s Tampa Chapter. Among the items available are landscape shrubs, trees and ground covers, house plants, flowering annuals, perennials and herbs, hanging baskets, gardening supplies, fertilizer, dish gardens and the chance to talk to industry experts. The event is co-sponsored by FNGLA, the Fair and UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension. As with a traditional county fair, the entertainment is diverse and includes the Bay Area Bandits Mounted Shooting Club show on the 20th and a Speed Show under the auspices of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse takes place on the 21st. Area ranch hands get the chance to compete in the Friday and Saturday night Ranch Rodeo as their teams vie for cash prizes in Wild Cow Milking, Bronc Riding, Mutton Busting and a lot more. The Desert Moon Band will get rodeo fans in the mood with a pre-rodeo performance. Admission to the fair includes the opportunity to watch Horse, Horses, Horses with Heidi Herriott, the Firefighter Show and just about everyone’s favorite, Robinson’s Racing Pigs. Midway rides are provided by Arnold Amusements. “We are pleased with the support of our sponsors and delighted to be able to offer this true slice of Americana at very family friendly pricing,” said Umiker. The Fair is located east of Brandon at State Road 60 and SydneyWasher Road. Adult admission is $7, $5 for students (6-years-old through high school) and children under age 5 are free. There is no charge for parking. Advance rodeo ticket purchases include free gate admission on Friday or Saturday with your rodeo ticket. Daily specials are posted on the fair website, www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com, along with added information on events, competitions and entertainment. •

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2012

WE’RE NOT JUST IN DRY CREEK ANY LONGER

Dry Creek By Les McDowell Photos courtesy of Linda Constant

inally some relief from the hot weather, I can feel the coolness in the air. At our Dry Creek set in Parrish, horses and dogs seem to feel the onset of Fall in the breeze. At times I've noticed the smell of smoke drifting across the ranch signaling the first campfires from the neighboring woods. As Fall and Winter approach, I look back over Dry Creek’s growth this year. I see all the hard work everyone has done to get Dry Creek, the T.V. Series, to a national nomination level. The hundreds of volunteers who have given their most precious gift, time, believing in the dream of Family Programing and wanting it returned to television. At the end of October, Dry Creek will be making the trip to NYC and The Fax Cable Awards. BlueHighwaysTV, the network that runs Dry Creek nationally, submitted us for Best Of Series/Family Friendly Programing. Just a few short weeks ago we were contacted and told that Dry Creek had won a nomination. We will be up against four other shows from major networks with major budgets. It was said we had beat out many major networks for this prestigious nomination. Thanks to the good Lord for steering our little engine up the hills and around the dangerous curves. Our journey started less than two and a half years ago from the woods of Manatee County and has lead us to New York City. Make no mistake, it wasn't Les McDowell who got us here. Much prayer and then more prayer has guided us. We might not have a Hollywood machine behind us, but this also means we don't have to answer to them. We say that not being smug, but believing the industry has turned their backs on shows the whole family can sit down too and watch together.

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Walt Disney used to say after he finished a project, “the next project we need to plus it.” That's what we at Dry Creek will be doing this fall. We have a major set rebuild going on now. The Tennessee Screen Writers are helping us bring new ideas to our stories. We have a long, long road ahead of us. Also many steep hills and valleys to go through. Well, with the coolness of the air I'd better get out there and get back to work. But before I do, I'd like to thank everyone who has followed Dry Creek. Thanks to all the volunteers and most of all Thank You Lord for taking us to NYC... we're not just in Dry Creek any longer. Watch Dry Creek on Verizon FIOS, Channel 246 Saturday nights at 7:30 E.T. • Check us out at drycreektv.com

Everybody knows where Dry Creek is..... cause it’s inside each and everyone of us. 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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AN IMPRESSIVE AND DIVERSE RESUME – BUT SHE’S NOT YET 21 By Jim Frankowiak

evon Parke just completed working on a two-week leadership conference for Summit Ministries at Manitou Springs, Colorado and before that was a volunteer at the Republican National Convention in Tampa where she worked the Convention Without Walls application for smart phones, computers and Ipads and the list before that and up ahead is just as jam-packed, but not unusual. Though she won’t be 21 until next month, Devon has packed a great deal of experience into her life already and her “bucket list” is just as ambitious. A member of the notable Parke family, Devon is the daughter of Gary and Terri who she considers “great role models and they gave us the work ethic and the skills I currently use in everyday life.” She has an older sister, Amanda, 23, 18-year-old sister Jordan and the youngest “but the tallest” of the Parke children, Joshua, 16. She grew up in Plant City, “on the same road, same house for my whole life,” she said. “Funny thing is all my family live down the same road. We have family reunions every time we drive down the road. I love the small town feel of Plant City. Everyone knows everyone. Plus being an agricultural community we all come together in hard times like freezes, it’s like having a very large extended family.” Devon attended Grace Christian School through the first grade “then we decided we would do homeschooling so we can be more flexible and actually travel when learning about a subject. For example, I

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remember my first time to Washington, D.C., we learned about how the government works and about our great nation’s history during the school year and then during the summer we went there, actually experiencing what we learned. Doing it that way helps it to stick.” In 2009, Devon graduated high school with honors at the Florida Parents Education Association convention. She then attended Hillsborough Community College for a year and then transferred to a Bryan College satellite campus in Pagosa Springs in south central Colorado, where she currently resides.

me to transfer to Summit’s satellite campus in Pagosa Springs. I‘ve grown a lot in my faith, love for my family and country, and how to make a difference in the world. The impact of Summit has been so significant that I am now a staff member for that same two week summer conference I attended in 2010. The Lord is so amazing with how He works.” Getting back to the RNC and politics, Devon feels “politics should be what everyone wants to do as a citizen of America! It shouldn’t be something you have to do, but something you want to do.

“I did 4-H for 12 years, serving as president of the local club, county and district at the same time,” said Devon. “4-H taught me how to do speeches, think on my feet and increased my love for politics through 4-H Legislature. I also was a member of Generation Joshua, which is a civic education group.”

“I’m pretty sure I got my start in politics while I was still in the womb. Being part of a major agriculture legacy, it wasn’t odd during election season to be called up that a presidential candidate was coming to the market to meet with the Parke family, so we would wear our strawberry red and go represent our family, town and most importantly the agriculture industry.

“I took up sign language for three years and I brush up on it from time to time. I have also played the flute for 12 years. It’s taught me patience and how to value musicians because it takes a lot of practice. I sing in my church choir, attend surf camp, mission trips and Vacation Bible School.

“I think everyone in the Florida Cabinet knows me because I in some way helped them on their campaigns. I started holding signs on street corners at the age of 8,” said Parke. That’s a lesson she shares “with Republican groups I speak to: You start ‘em young and you keep’em forever.”

“Church is an important part of my life, if I hadn’t been part of a church I would not be who I am today. I attended a two week conference at Summit Ministries in 2010 and learned so much about faith and the importance of defending it that prompted

Working the Republican office during the 08 and 2010 elections “was a great opportunity and learning experience.” Devon has interned for Congressman Gus Bilirakis at his Plant City office, served as president of her local teenage republican

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club and communications director of the state organization two years ago. Given the breadth of her political involvement and experience she’s “had people in many other states call me for help. I also talk to Jeff Atwater (Florida Chief Financial Officer) pretty often.” Devon has been a member of the Republican Executive Committee since late 2009 and regularly attends Republican Party of Florida quarterly meetings. She served as campaign manager for Tina Pike, who went on to win her race for State Committeewoman, and was hired by Dan Raulerson, State House Seat 58, as campaign manager. At the RNC, Devon was one of eight volunteers spreading information about the Convention Without Walls application. “We helped people navigate on the app, handle any questions and tweeted and Facebooked about the app and the convention itself. I got to meet many of the speakers and attendees, including Ann Coulter, Allen West, Herman Cain, John Voight, Nikki Haley and a brief picture of Paul Ryan.” Not surprisingly, long term goals for Devon include politics. “I plan to be speaking on the RNC stage in four years. Not as a presidential or vice presidential candidate, but as a representative that has made a difference.” A double major (political science and military war history) Devon plans to complete her college education abroad, graduating from Oxford College in England hosted by Summit Ministries. “That’s my plan and I’m sticking to it unless God has something better in mind,” she said. Given the work ethic model she has with her parents and her record of achievement to date, betting against Devon would not be wise. However, it would be a good bet to keep our eyes on Devon and what the future holds in store. •

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After an absence of several years, The Odessa Rodeo and Festival is “Back–In-The-Saddle Again” and will be bigger and better than ever. The event will be October 26 - 28 at their new location on the grounds of Tampa Bay Downs on Race Track Road just South of Odessa. Sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), each performance includes Bareback and Saddle Bronc Riding, Team Roping and Tie-Down Roping, Steer Wrestling, Women’s Barrel Racing, and the ever popular Bull Riding event. The 5-Star Drill Team will perform an “All American Salute” prior to each performance. Contestants compete for over $20,000 in prize money and earn points to be invited to the Grand National Finals held each December in Las Vegas. A minimum of ten contestants compete in each of the seven events. Starting times are 7:00PM on Friday and Saturday, and 4:00PM on Sunday. A Kiddie Rodeo is held each day just prior to the opening ceremonies. In addition to the Rodeo, the Festival Grounds will open at 3:00PM on Friday and 10:00AM on Saturday and Sunday. Attractions include, live music and entertainment in the main tent, a carnival and kiddie play zone, food, beverage, and craft vendors, pony and camel rides, an all class truck show and chili cook-off on Saturday, a 10-class motorcycle ride out and show on Sunday, and special performances by the “Hole-In-the-Head Gang” daily in the OK Corral. Nashville Recording Artist, Warren Silvers and his band will headline following the Rodeo on Friday and Saturday, and Tampa Bay favorites, The Black Honkeys, will close out on Sunday. Other performers include The Applebutter Express, Amanda Drake and the Barn Burners, Stormbringer, Thompson-Cook with Terry John, Jon Webber, Jerri Walsh, the Suncoast String Band, square dancers, line dancers and cloggers. Tickets are necessary to view the rodeo, but admission to the festival grounds and main attractions and events are free. Preferred seating tickets are $25, general admission tickets are $19. Children under 10 receive a $3 discount on any ticket. A special “VIP Experience” ticket is available for $125 and includes valet parking, a meet and greet reception, gourmet buffet, open bar and entertainment in the SKYE Room, VIP seating for the rodeo and headliner performance, and a “Behind the Scenes Tour.” This year’s event is sponsored by Russell’s Western Wear, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, The Tampa Tribune, WQYK, Full Throttle Magazine, Waste Management, Coca Cola, Holiday Inn Express, and other local businesses. The event is presented by ODESSAFEST, INC., a Florida Non-Profit and produced by Five-Star Event Services. Proceeds benefit several local area charitable organizations including Camp Rotary, the Pinellas CARES Organization, the Upper Pinellas Educational Foundation, Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts of America, and others. Additional information can be found and tickets may be purchased by visiting the ODESSAFEST Web Site, at www.orodeo.net 34

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It’s all about the weight! by Lindsey M. English

Each steer entered must have been bred and born in Hillsborough County, Florida in order for them to be eligible to be shown at the 2013 Florida Strawberry Festival.

This year at the 41st Annual Strawberry Festival Steer weigh-in there were a total of 104 steers. In order to qualify, all of the steers entered must weigh between 550 pounds and 850 pounds, no more, no less. This year the lightest steer weighed in at exactly 550 pounds and the heaviest at 832 pounds. Each qualifying steer was checked, tattooed and ear tagged following its weighing.

Over the past months each of these 104 students devoted time out of his or her day for their projects by taming, halter breaking, walking, washing, and, for some, showing their animals at prospect cattle shows across the state of Florida. From now until March 5, 2013 exhibitors will continue working with their steers and monitoring their weights to be sure they are gaining the required minimum of two pounds per day. Students will also be keeping a record of all of their earnings and spending required to complete the Strawberry Festival livestock record book.

n the morning of September 8, 2012, students from across Hillsborough County lined the bus ramp of Durant High School to weigh their steers and qualify for the 2013 Florida Strawberry Festival Steer Show.

Each exhibitor participating in a steer project with the Florida Strawberry Festival must be a member of the FFA or a local 4-H club. They must be a Hillsborough County high school student, with a weighted grade point average of 2.5. This year there were a total of 10 chapters and 4-H clubs with students whose steers qualified at the weigh-in. These youth organizations include Plant City FFA, Durant FFA, Strawberry Crest FFA, Newsome FFA, East Bay FFA, Barrington FFA, Florida Virtual School, Turkey Creek 4H, Young Sprouts 4-H and Steppin’ Stone Farms. The process of getting these 104 steers to the point of the initial weigh-in was very extensive for these students. For many, their process began in early March, just after the Strawberry Festival ended, by arranging and purchasing their steers from the wide selection of Hillsborough County beef producers. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

In the end, raising a steer is a long process. But many students and previous exhibitors find that the experience is worth the effort in the end. The 2006 Grand Champion Steer exhibitor Lauren Der said, “Showing steers taught me a lot about how to be a responsible young adult. The money I made from my steer and other Supervised Agricultural Experience projects paid for my college education.” Each of the 104 exhibitors this year have one goal in mind; the show and sale at the 2013 Florida Strawberry Festival, taking place March 6 and 9. If you know or meet any steer exhibitors, wish them luck and success. They have a long road ahead of them, but are well on their way to making this year’s show a successful one. • INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2012

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

risp, fresh, Florida kohlrabi is now entering its prime season. While available year-round, its peak season is during the cooler months, between October and April. Also called German turnip or cabbage turnip, kohlrabi is actually not a type of turnip or a root vegetable. Kohlrabi grows above the ground and is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, which also includes broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, cabbage, and kale. This highly nutritious vegetable tastes like the broccoli heart but sweeter and juicier. Both the leaves and bulb are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. Striking in appearance, this vegetable can be purple, green, or white and has stalks growing upwards from the spherical bulb.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Kohlrabi and the other cruciferous vegetables are well known for being nutrition superstars. They contain multiple anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial compounds. Eating more cruciferous vegetables has been associated with a lower incidence of a variety of cancers, including those of the lung, colon, breast, ovaries and bladder. Current research studies show that people who eat the most cruciferous vegetables have a lower risk of prostate, colorectal and lung cancers, even when compared to those who regularly eat other vegetables. Kohlrabi is bursting with vitamins and minerals while being low in calories. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup of raw kohlrabi (135 g) contains 36 calories, 2.3 g protein, 0.14 g fat, 8.37 g carbohydrate, and 4.9 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 140% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin C, 19% for dietary fiber, 14% for potassium, 10% for vitamin B6, and 9% for both copper and manganese. Kohlrabi also contains signifi38

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cant amounts of phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, niacin, and riboflavin.

VITAMIN C Vitamin C is important for a healthy immune system, cancer prevention, healthy blood circulation and wound healing. This vitamin acts as a potent antioxidant in the body, neutralizing harmful free radicals and preventing its damaging effects in cells. By fighting cell and tissue damage, Vitamin C protects against cancer and other diseases, such as the common cold. This vitamin also helps the body absorb more iron, and aids in the development of strong bones and teeth. Current research findings support that Vitamin C’s benefits come from consumption of whole fruits and vegetables. A high intake of produce, including cabbage, is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes, including heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Taking supplements does not seem to provide the same protective benefits as eating raw or cooked kohlrabi.

FIBER Kohlrabi and other cruciferous vegetables contain a huge amount of dietary fiber. A single cup of raw kohlrabi provides over 19% of the daily value for fiber. In fact, more than half of the carbohydrate content in this vegetable is comprised of fiber. Fiber can help lower cholesterol, assist with digestion, and prevent constipation. It also promotes satiety while consuming fewer calories and can help maintain steady blood sugar levels. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, a diet high in fiber may decrease the risk of several types of cancer including colon, rectum, breast, and pancreas.

POTASSIUM One cup of kohlrabi contains 14% of your daily needs for potassium. This mineral is essential for the function of every cell in

the body. As an electrolyte, it plays a key role in heart function, as well as in muscle contraction. Potassium is required for protein and carbohydrate metabolism and is involved in acid-base balance in the body. Too little potassium can lead to muscle cramping, abnormal heart rhythms and feelings of weakness.

HOW

TO SELECT AND STORE Choose the smaller bulbs of kohlrabi that feel firm and heavy for its size. The smaller bulbs tend to be sweeter and more flavorful than larger bulbs. Look for those with dark green leaves, which are edible as well. Kohlrabi is best when eaten as fresh as possible. It can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. This vegetable can also be blanced and frozen for up to several months.

HOW TO ENJOY Fresh Florida kohlrabi is delicious eaten raw or cooked. A very versatile vegetable, it can be enjoyed sliced into a salad or steamed, boiled, baked, roasted or fried. The leaves can be lightly sautéed or eaten raw. More ways to enjoy kohlrabi include: • Shredded in a coleslaw or as a sandwich topper • Marinated in oil and vinegar • Stir-fried in a vegetable stir-fry • Roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper • Added to soups, stews, or casseroles Enjoy fresh Florida kohlrabi today. With its crisp delicious flavor and versatile uses, you can boost your health and expand your palate by adding kohlrabi to your plate.

SELECTED REFERENCES http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http:/ / www.florida-agriculture.com http:/ / aggie-horticulture.tamu.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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have to socialize with their peers as well as the subjects they are shooting,” Linton said. “They have to give direction and tell their subject how to act and they have gained this confidence through the 4-H program.”

By Libby Hopkins

hen you think about 4-H clubs, you usually think of horses and some form of agriculture, right? Would you ever think of fine art or photography in 4-H clubs? Well, that’s what Laura Linton thinks about when she you ask her about her 4-H club. She is the leader for Frog Pond Center for the Arts 4H in Gibsonton. She only has six students in her club and they range from age 14 to 18 years old. They are a photography and fine arts 4-H club and Linton likes the fact that her club is unique. “I take the kids through a design study for photography and we have three different levels, a beginner, middle and advanced level and if they really excel, then they move into an independent study level,” Linton said. “We do both wet and dry work.” Linton did start off as a 4-H leader in master gardening and even had some goats for a short time, but they didn’t seem to move her as much as photography. She wanted her club to be different from other clubs. The only agriculture found in her club is in the photos her students take for their photography projects. “We are strictly what you would call a special interest club,” Linton said. They still follow 4-H guidelines and they still compete against other clubs at 4-H competitions, just in photography. Linton says even though her club isn’t a traditional club, she still believes the 4-H program empowers her students to reach their full potential by working and learning in partnership with caring adults. She feels that that through her art program, she prepares her students to step up to the challenges they may face in their community and the world. Studies have shown that students

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who are involved in any 4-H program are nearly two times more likely to get better grades in school and attend college. They are 41 percent less likely to engage in risky behaviors and 25 percent more likely to positively contribute to their families and communities. Frog Pond 4-H has been in existence for eight years and Linton has seen all of her students gain more confidence and become better leaders because of their photography. She gives them photo projects that make them work outside of their comfort zones. She makes them do self-portraits. Most of her students find it difficult to take a self-portrait because most of the time they are not happy about how they look in their photos. She teaches them how to overcome their fears. “I don’t want them to just shoot a photo in a mirror, they have to tell me a story about who that person is in the reflection,” Linton said.

Her students aren’t the only ones you have taken something wonderful away from the 4-H program. Linton herself has learned a lot from 4-H. She feels blessed to be part of a wonderful program that has given her so many wonderful students to teach. “They have given me a whole new world and I get to play and have fun again,” Linton said, “I get to watch them grow and walk with them through their journey of life.” The Frog Pond Center for the Arts is located at 10610 East Bay Road in Gibsonton. •

Students who are involved with 4-H are committed to improving their communities and Linton says her students love to be a part of their community. They participate in the Hillsborough County Fair, the Florida State Fair and the Strawberry Festival. “We help with all the fair and man the areas for other clubs,” Linton said. “We also help clean up the areas after the fair is over.” Her students have taught photography classes at various libraries in the Tampa Bay area in the past as well. They had an exhibit that was on display in Senator Ronda Storm’s office in Tallahassee for the last three years. She has seen unbelievable leadership skills develop in her students and their photography skills have become very diverse. “They

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Need Job Security? Consider Trade School Erwin Technical Center

By Ginny Mink

arrison Ford started out as a carpenter, he had to have some kind of employment before he made it big. So, prior to Indiana Jones and Han Solo, he built and repaired things. People are starting to realize that specific trades are more financially beneficial and stable than typical college educations. In fact, according to CNN, the enrollment in for-profit-schools, which includes trade schools, has jumped from 365,000 to 1.8 million during the recession over the past few years (www.money.cnn.com). So, if you are one of the 12.7 million people in the United States who is currently unemployed, it might be a good idea to check out trade school, specifically Erwin Technical Center. James Rich is the Principal at Erwin and he’s been there a little over four years. He comes from a family of farmers based out of Michigan. They raised soybeans, wheat and corn. However, his parents were the first to leave the family farming tradition. He says, “My mom ended up leaving the farm to become a nurse and my dad left the farm to work in a paper mill. I think what changed it for them is that corporate farming began to take over more than anything else. I think my grandparents, on both sides, had 120 acres but when I was growing up they were leasing them to bigger farms. I miss the farm because it was great to go hunting in the fall.” W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

While James spent many weekends on the family farm as a child, he did not return to the farming life as an adult. Instead, he became an educator. He says, “I’m just a biology teacher that did well.” Certainly attaining the position of principal is an accomplishment. However, he admits that he ran into a former automotive repair student while he was still an assistant principal, and discovered that the auto tech was making $20,000 more a year than he was. Thusly, James is very aware of the benefits of technical school. He explains, “Practical nursing is probably almost 35 percent of our total enrollment. We usually have three classes going at the same time. Last year we graduated about 135 practical nurses and of those graduates, 92 percent passed the licensure exam the first time.” Obviously they are doing something right in order to have an over 90 percent passing rate! While the nursing program is their top enroller, they also see a large percentage involved in the industrial programs like electricity or automotive. The average age of students at Erwin is 35. Many of them have bachelor’s degrees, but have experienced downsizing or layoffs and they are seeking job security. The trades offer a sense of security because these are positions that can’t be outsourced, you don’t send your car to China to have it repaired, or call someone in the Middle East to fix the plumbing in your bathroom. James advises people to, “really think about what you want to do and, more importantly, think about getting a job you can make a living wage in. College is very expensive and it doesn’t work out for everyone who starts.”

With regards to expenses, one will discover that Erwin is significantly less financially burdensome than a considerable number of private institutions. James says, “We’re very low cost compared to the private schools, very affordable.” He tells a story about a newly hired practical nurse on the elevator at a local hospital. The young woman graduated from a private program in Hillsborough County and when asked

how much she’d spent on her education, the price was four times that of Erwin’s. Of course, when that was revealed to the young lady, she cried. You would too, if you could have saved $12,000. Erwin Technical Center is located on Hillsborough Avenue and 22nd Street in Tampa. James said one of the guys he golfed with had driven by it for ten years and never realized it was a school. In fact, he explains, “People really don’t know what we do. They don’t know that this is available, it’s a very well kept secret.” Not anymore! Truth be told, they are expanding their programs to include irrigation. That’s supposed to start in January.

One other really great thing about Erwin is that you don’t necessarily have to pay for it all on your own. James expounds, “Financial aid is available for students; Pell Grants for those who qualify. We take Bright Futures and Florida Pre Pay and we do have some scholarships available as well.” Therefore, that $20+ an hour job could be right around the corner for you. We definitely recommend that you check out their programs, which include the health fields as well as industrial and automotive. You can find out the specifics on their website: www.erwin.edu

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OCTOBER 2012

Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers Picks Up The Pace By Galynn Beer

gro-Culture Liquid has demonstrated the advantage of balanced crop nutrition in the challenging conditions of the southeastern U.S. As an industry leader in supplying a full range of plant nutrients to its customers, Agro-Liquid has earned a reputation for being able to address nutrient limitations of crops by drawing from experiences on their extensive nutrient research farm to help growers maximize yield and quality. An important aspect that sets Agro-Culture Liquid

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Fertilizers apart from other fertilizer companies is a commitment to not only supplying a full range of nutrients, but also adding in company support to ensure maximum benefit from the nutrient applications. Support from Agro-Liquid continues to grow in the southeast. The recent addition of Paulino Gutierrez is a step toward building on momentum that has already been established. Paulino has spent most of his career in the ag industry and can quickly identify opportunities, as well as challenges, in an area. His “hands-on” approach to supporting products with an active presence in the field is an attribute that will increase the value of Agro-Liquid in his area. Paulino resides in Sarasota, and as a result is accessible to many key crops and areas of the southeast. His support of Agro-Liquid’s area sellers will ensure that growers can count on the company to supply their crop nutrition needs. Another addition to the staff in the southeast is Dr. Mike Read. He will provide agronomy support for fruits and vegetables.

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Mike has worked with Agro-Culture Liquid products in various capacities for several years. Over his career, he has lived and worked in several countries with diverse climates and cultural habits. This experience has equipped him to be able to adapt the flexibility of Agro-Liquid products to the management and available resources of the grower. He resides in Venice, and, like Paulino, is a quick commute to many area crops. Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers is committed to an increasing presence in the southeast. The company philosophy of maximizing production from applied nutrients is a good fit with the challenges in the area. The climate and soils of the southeast create some obstacles for growers that AgroLiquid is equipped to meet head-on. The dedication to knowledgeable field support and a complete menu of plant nutrition places Agro-Culture Liquid in a position of growth in the area. Be sure to visit the website at www.agroliquid.com in order to verify their value to your operation. •

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A Closer Look

By Sean Green

Photo by April Wietrecki

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

all has arrived in Florida. For many, this is the most enjoyable of our Florida seasons. Migratory birds have already begun to nestle in for the winter. A welcome decline in temperature and humidity levels remind us that the carefree days of summertime are winding to an end. Community spirit seems warmer this time of year as if kindling the upcoming holidays. Friends relax at local farmers markets to share fresh food and good conversation and Fall festivals fill the air with live music and the laughter of children. Of all the experiences that can be associated with autumn, the migration of the Monarch butterflies could well be the most memorable, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re willing to take a closer look. The colors black and orange embellish October typifying the end of harvest and, in many world cultures, the hallowing, or honoring of the dead. These colors are especially significant when they come on the wings of a butterfly. Butterflies are ancient symbols of death and rebirth because of the metamorphosis that characterize their lifecycle. The ancient Greek word for butterfly is psyche, which means soul, or mind. The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in particular is one of the worlds most revered of all butterflies. Monarch butterflies are the only butterfly in the world that engage in a long distance, round trip, migration to the grand finale of their life for the welfare of future generations. As daylight shortens through mid-August, the last of the summer monarch generation enter into a non-reproductive phase known as diapause and may live seven months or more. There are three major Monarch populations in North America; the two migratory populations are separated by the Rocky Mountains. Monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains migrate to the California coast while (most) monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains migrate to pine and oyamel fir forests in central Mexico from as far north as Canada. The means by which the Monarchs navigate the same route and location as their ancestors is not completely understood. Monarchs in northern latitudes begin the migration and more Monarchs join the swarm in the journey south. W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

With little exception, Monarch butterflies are expected to migrate, this behavior is thought to have manifest during the last Pleistocene glaciations in North America when Canada and most of the Northern part of the United States was blanketed with sheets of ice. It was common then for animals to migrate north and south with the patterns of vegetation zones and the monarchs were no exception. The tropical environment in Florida however accommodates differences in Monarch behavior that has inspired passionate research to determine Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in the migration. We have resident Monarchs in Florida that do not migrate and populations drop significantly with the addition of migratory birds functioning as predators. Some migratory monarchs are thought to branch into Florida and reproduce with the resident population. Monarchs that migrate to Florida, or through it, seem to be more active in the winter months than those that settle in Mexico. In Florida, researchers have documented several winter generations that peak between February and March and a lull at the end of August. Those that settle in Mexico generally do not begin to reproduce until they leave in February and March and lay eggs on early milkweed growth before they die along the route back up north. By the middle of this month we should begin to see resident caterpillars in central Florida again. At the end of the month, Monarchs are expected to travel through Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gulf coast on their way to Mexico. St Marks National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best places to see migrating monarchs in Florida and will host the 24th Annual Monarch Butterfly Festival on October 27.

We have much to discover about Monarch migration, researchers know that the sun plays a role in the migration; however, new research indicates the Monarch butterfly may use the earth's magnetic field for orientation. The antennae contain a protein that is sensitive to the violet-blue part of the spectrum. In the presence of this spectrum, the protein can function as a chemical compass. Dr. Chip Taylor, Professor Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, founded Monarch watch to encourage education, research and conservation relative to Monarch butterflies. The Monarch WATCH program provides citizen science opportunities for volunteers to help tag Monarch butterflies during the fall migration. Once tagged, scientists and volunteers can track the Monarch butterfly migration Florida Tagging and monitoring is appropriate in late September and October and is not limited to known migratory routes, in fact, greater variety in tagging locations is helpful. We have included links to both the Monarch WATCH program and St Marks National Wildlife Refuge for those interested.

http:/ / www.fws.gov/ saintmarks/ http:/ / monarchwatch.org/ index.html

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Ray Clark with his wife and mother

Ray Clark INDUCTED IN FLORIDA FFA HALL OF FAME The Florida FFA inducted Plant City’s Ray Clark in the Florida FFA Hall of Fame on October 1, 2012 at the FFA Leadership training Center near Haines City.

that middle school students who saw him at all the FFA functions couldn’t wait to get to high school so they could be in his classes.

Also inducted at this 6th Annual event were: Alfred Rankin Cox Jr. (deceased), Donald Charles Hurst (deceased), Gary Doyle Lee and Winton Oziel Whittle.

In 1998 Ray was named as department head and became responsible for managing an agriculture program with eight agriculture teachers. Despite the periodic budget cuts and other challenges, he continued to get things done and produce outstanding students to help shape a strong and prosperous future for Florida agriculture.

Harold “Ray” Clark was born on October 18, 1949 in Plant City and grew up on a farm that produced bell peppers, strawberries, citrus, and cattle. He graduated from Kathleen High School in 1967, and attended Polk Junior College for two years before continuing his education at the University of Florida, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture in 1972. Ray was immediately offered the post of agriculture teacher at Plant City High School, a job he was to perform for 36 years, until his retirement in 2008. Under Ray’s leadership the Plant City FFA chapter became known as one of the best chapters in the state of Florida. His parliamentary procedure team consistently placed in the top three in the state, and many of his other teams also won state contests. Ray trained 16 state FFA officers, including two presidents, and one of his five national officers held the highest post as president. Ray Clark’s reputation as an educator and FFA advisor became so great

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Ray’s leadership outside the school with many professional and community organizations was noted. He was president of the

Hillsborough County Agriculture Teachers Association in 1982-83, and president of the Agriculture Teachers Owls Club in 1985-86. He held many positions with the Polk County Fair, the Florida State Fair, and the Florida Strawberry Festival. He continues to remain active in most of these organizations even though he is in full retirement. For all his service and many accomplishments, Ray Clark has been honored with many awards, including the Honorary State FFA Degree, the Honorary American FFA degree, Plant City Ag educator of the year, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hillsborough County Fair. He now has more than 30 former students teaching agriculture. Ray is a “full blown” Gator, and a member of the Florida FFA Alumni and the University of Florida Alumni Association. Presently Ray is enjoying his retirement and spends time with his wife, Phyllis, his son, daughter and their three grandchildren. A well deserved award to a tireless promoter of agricultural education and FFA.

Three Generations of Ag Teachers at Plant City High School, beginning in 1952 L-R: Ray Clark, Ray Arrington, Wesley Joyner

Ray Clark and family 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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RECIPES Recipes Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agricluture

Fluffy Stuffed Strawberries INGREDIENTS 1 pound strawberries 8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened 3 ounces low-fat yogurt 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION

Florida Arugula and Goat Cheese Salad with Citrus and Strawberry INGREDIENTS

Cut stems off the strawberries and carefully scoop out 2/3 of the inside by using a knife or spoon, creating a â&#x20AC;&#x153;cup.â&#x20AC;? Be sure not to make any holes. Cut off a piece off the bottom tip of the strawberries to allow them to stand up. Beat cream cheese and yogurt until fluffy. Fold in vanilla extract. Working in batches, place cheese mixture into pastry bag or a zip-lock bag with a small corner cut off. Fill strawberries with cheese mixture. Garnish with mint and serve.

16 ounces arugula, rinsed and drained 1 dozen strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced 2 oranges, peeled and segmented 8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled 1 lemon, juiced 1 tablespoon olive oil sea salt to taste fresh ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add arugula, lemon juice and olive oil. Lightly toss the arugula to coat and season lightly with salt and pepper. To serve salad use four chilled plates. Add an even amount of the dressed arugula to the centre of each of the four plates. Arrange an even amount of citrus and strawberries in a decorative manor on each plate. Evenly distribute the crumbled goat cheese over the top of each salad. Serve arugula salad chilled. 50

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Specialty Meats Ducks, Capons, Fresh Ham, Rabbits, Quail, Fresh & Smoked Turkey Wings and Drumsticks, Beef and Pork Kidneys, Hog Heads, Hog Maws, Pork Skin, Tripe & Honeycomb Tripe, and Alligator Meat. • We Accept TECO Payments • Western Union Money Orders 49¢ each

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t’s another dream come true for the Florida Strawberry Festival as its Board of Directors, staff and community members observe the much anticipated ribbon cutting for the Astin Farms and Ed & Myrtle Lou Swindle Family Pavilions. The new pavilion’s, along with the 30,000 square foot multi-purpose agricultural complex that was completed in 2011, have been a dream in the making for more than 30 years. Friday, October 12, hundreds gathered to hear Commissioner Adam Putnam speak on behalf of the Festival and the importance of youth in agriculture today. To better serve our agricultural programs and the communities’ needs, in 2011 the Florida Strawberry Festival board approved the construction of two open air pavilions that adorn the East and West sides of the multi-purpose agricultural complex. The East Pavilion is named after the Astin Family, while the West Pavilion is named after the Swindle Family, both of whom are lifelong supporters of the agriculture industry and the Plant City Community. These generous donations not only benefit 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. The two pavilions 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 to rent during the off-season. 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 one of 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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Agriculture, Family And Community Are All Behind

Darby Hasting By Jim Frankowiak

hile this is probably true in many communities, new comers to the greater Plant City area discover early on this community unites in good times and times that are not so good, supporting individuals, families and organizations. This is especially evident in times of need. Darby Hasting is a case in point. The oldest daughter of Dwight and Gloria Hasting, Darby, a 16-year-old junior at Durant High School, has a long and noteworthy history of both involvement and achievement in agriculture. This relationship and commitment is attributed to her father “whose interest with FFA competitions and showing livestock were things he did growing up in Plant City,” said her mother, Gloria. “He has nurtured that desire in both of our daughters and continues support it to the fullest,” she added.

Working Together In Good And Bad Times

Darby began in 4-H as an eight-year-old, showing chickens and rabbits at the Florida Strawberry Festival. She then moved on to Southdown Sheep, swine, commercial heifers and market steers. Coincidentally, she won an In The Field essay contest as a 6th grader after her name was drawn for an entry to show a swine at the Strawberry Festival and received Reserve Grand Champion honors. Darby has been an FFA member since 6th grade and has held the offices of Chaplain, Treasurer and Vice President. She has been a Hillsborough County Federation officer twice, holding the offices of Chaplain and Sentinel. “Darby takes pride in whatever she does,” said her mother. “Darby gives 110 percent to everything that she does.” That includes multiple state titles with FFA in Career Development Events – Livestock Judging, Nursery & Landscape Judging, Ornamental Horticulture Demonstration, Prepared Public Speaking and Vegetable Judging. She has won multiple awards with her animals, including Grand Champion Carcass for her Strawberry Festival steer this year, Premiere Exhibitor, also at the Festival, and many Grand Champion and Reserve Championships with her sheep over the last eight years. Darby’s 14-year-old sister, Cassidy, is a freshman at Durant and President of her FFA chapter. She too is very involved in showing her livestock that includes Southdown sheep and commercial cattle. Cassidy also competes in Career Development Events through FFA like Forestry Judging, Prepared Public Speaking, Ornamental Horticulture Demonstrations, Livestock Judging and the FFA Creed. The Hasting sisters’ path of growing involvement and achievement in things agriculture stalled temporarily in June of 2011 when Darby was struck by a significant health care challenge. The week of final exams and the time before she was headed off to a state FFA competition, Darby began to feel discomfort and puffiness, initially thought to be an allergic reaction. However, after her condition did not change after several days, Darby’s parents sought medical treatment. Testing eventually determined she had a rare and incurable kidney disease called Focal Segmental Glomeruloscleriosos, known as FSGS. It is a rare disease that attacks the kidney’s filtering system causing

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scarring of the filter. FSGS is one of the causes of a condition known as Nephrotic Syndrome (NS). There is no known cure for FSGS and eventually Darby may need a kidney transplant. “We knew when she was diagnosed, that our lives were going to change forever,” said Gloria. “She has a long road ahead of her with medication changes, treatment, dialysis and possibly a kidney transplant. She is in a real good place right now. Her medication combination is doing its job. They are slowing down the scarring process of her kidney filtering system. This will prolong any need of a transplant and hopefully during that time, medical research will hit a home run and find a cure for this disease. “With a lot of hard work, Darby still maintains a 3.4 GPA at school. She loves soccer and played competitively for Parks and Recreation for seven years, but is limited on her amount of strenuous physical activities due to liquid limitations,” said her mother. Quit is not a word that seems to be permitted at the Hasting home. “Immediately after we learned of Darby’s diagnosis we began to educate ourselves and plan for the future,” said Gloria. “I will never give up,” emphasized Darby. “I encourage everyone to always continue your life no matter what gets in your way.” As information spread of Darby’s situation the response has been dramatic. “We knew our family and friends would be supportive,” said Dwight, “but they have really wowed us.” Birthday gifts have given way to contributions to the fund the Hasting’s are building for Darby’s future health care needs. Parties had been held benefiting Darby, and a lot more. “The community of Plant City has been beyond wonderful,” said Gloria. “Julie Hasting hosted a Benefit for Darby this past May and doubled the amount we were hoping to raise.” That event was held at the Red Rose Inn, which donated the ballroom and Carabba’s supplied entrée food at cost and Chili’s donated all of the appetizers. Many local stores stepped up and donated raffle items for the auction. “My close friends – Danny and Kim Garrett, Brigitta Long, Tina Sanders, Nichole Danley, Kim and Bill Butler and of course the Red Rose Inn,” said Julie. In total, that event, with many other donations, raised over $20,000 for Darby’s fund. “This support from community 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

family has been humbling,” said Gloria. Darby’s fund, as of this writing, is nearly $25,000, one-quarter of the way to the family’s goal. But there’s more. “Unity in the Community asked that our family be present at a golf tournament fund-raiser where Darby was presented a check for $5,000. Henry Falcone of Sweet Bay Supermarket and Stingray Chevrolet owner Steve Hurley gave Darby the check along with their own personal donations and there have been many, unexpected gifts at Agriculture gatherings throughout the year,” said Gloria. “Many classmates and fellow club members have really stepped up to support me at the various events that have been held on my behalf,” said Darby. Keel & Curley Winery just did a Mud Run Blueberry Stomp with over 1,300 people in honor of Darby and Evan Ranieri, an 18-month-old also with a kidney disease.

other families coping with Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS. This is critical to raising funds for research and the ultimate care for this terrible disease. The Nephcure Foundation has announced its annual Walk at Largo December 8. For more information, visit: http:/ / www.nephcure.org/ walk An interesting side benefit to Darby as a result of this situation has been finalization of a career path. After Durant, she plans to move to Ocala and live with relatives while attending College of Central Florida where she wants to pursue a degree in radiology. “I always thought I wanted to work in health care,” she said, “and while undergoing an ultrasound test I had the chance to speak at length with the technician and her explanation of the process helped me finalize my plans for my career. I look forward to becoming a radiology technologist and possibly advancing further in the medical field.” •

Equal donations to Darby and Evan in excess of $4,000 are anticipated. “Young Sprouts 4-H Club here in Plant City is doing a chapter pig at the Hillsborough County Fair and the proceeds are going to Darby’s account to assist with medical expenses and medicines,” said Gloria. Young Sprouts leader, Sheri Ray, said the club began its year with a Piggy Bank Parade and members were encouraged to make a bank from a milk jug that will be placed in local businesses throughout the year, seeking donations for Darby, who, with her family, judged the contest. “Our members have created major displays for the State Fair the last two years that won 1st place status and cash awards of $2,500 which is how we have paid for our club pig project for Darby,” said Ray. “While we do have health insurance for Darby, it only covers a portion of her needs. Our goal is to raise $100,000 to have in her medical fund for future medical needs,” said Gloria. “It is our hope not to be put on a waiting list for a kidney when the time arises, due to a lack of funds. We are being proactive in preparing for her future health care needs. Overall, we have and continue to be blessed in so many different ways,” said Gloria. The family attends Van Dyke Church in Lutz and Darby is on their daily prayer chain. The Hasting family has also become involved with Nephcure and its efforts to raise money and awareness and to meet INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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By Libby Hopkins

n my never ending quest to lose weight and eat a healthier diet, I started looking into the health benefits of different spices and herbs. I was amazed at my findings! Not only do some of these spices and herbs smell wonderful, they are beneficial. Take the herb rosemary for example, it smells great and is used as an antibacterial, antioxidant, and antifungal. It is considered a brain and circulatory stimulant. It can stimulate hair growth and can be used as an insect repellent as well. Emily Wenzel is the President of The Florida Herb Society and her website is Body and Mind Enrichment

(www.bodyandmindenrichment.org). Wenzel became interested in the health benefits of herbs and spices after she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, which is an inflammation of the large intestine. “I realized that there has to be a better way other than what the doctors were telling me,” Wenzel said. “Their feedback was take all these pills or let us take part of your colon out.” She was faced with the challenge of going from Western medicine to Eastern medicine and learning how to heal her body without pills. She went to a Tampa Bay Herb

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Society meeting and saw a woman mixing herbs together for to use as a salve; she was hooked. She began planting herb plants in her backyard. “I try to add things into my cooking or everyday life,” Wenzel said. “Cinnamon is really good to boost up your metabolism.” In the winter months, she’ll use sage or ginger in her foods or teas because they warm the body from the inside out. Another good warming herb is lemongrass. It has many health benefits and healing properties because it contains many compounds, oils, minerals and vitamins that are known to have anti-oxidant and disease preventing properties. Peppermint can be used for common respiratory ailments. It has an antihistamine effect, coupled with the strong, cooling action of menthol that makes it a useful decongestant. Lemon balm is a perennial herb from the mint family and it is used for digestive problems, including upset stomach, bloating, gas and colic. Many people believe lemon balm has calming effects, so they take it for anxiety, sleep problems and restlessness. It’s also used for Alzheimer’s disease and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Turmeric is a spice that helps with dementia. I found this very interesting while I was doing my research because my grandmother has dementia.

Turmeric and its key component, curcumin, help ward off dementia and even help current dementia patients. Alzheimer’s and dementia occur significantly less in elderly people of India than America because turmeric is used in Indian cooking. According to Duke University, “turmeric extracts block the formation of beta-amyloid, which is responsible for the plaques that hinder brain function in Alzheimer’s disease.” Ginseng is also used to help with mild to moderate vascular dementia. Garlic, whether you love it or hate it, it is good for you. As a staple of natural remedies and traditional medicine, garlic has anti-fungal, antibacterial and antiviral effects. Studies have shown that it can stop blood clots from forming in your arteries. Thyme can be used fresh or dried. Its oil is antiseptic and antibacterial. Recent studies show thyme can kill MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) a type of staph infection, which is resistant to other antibiotics. These are just a few of the spices and herbs I found to be very interesting while I was doing my research. I plan on using more of them in my foods, even the rosemary. I’m not a huge fan of the herb but if it will help me get healthier, I’ll try it. Emily also had some great tips on her website which I may try out as well. She said to drink two glasses of water when you rise each day. One glass will feed your mind, one will feed your body. Try a new fruit or vegetable, ask someone at the market or in the produce section for ideas. Smile while leaving someone a message because you can tell the difference in someone’s voice and tone. Finally, seek change, even if it’s driving a new route or in my case new eating habits. For more information on the Florida Herb Society, you can visit them on the web at www.floridaherbsociety.org

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Seeing The Old Florida WARNER UNIVERSITY Now is your chance! Warner University, after speaking with leaders in the agriculture industry, parents and students, is starting an Agricultural Studies Degree! The program will kick off in the Fall of 2013, but there are already Ag students enrolled, starting out this year with their general education requirements. To help with the program, The Brahma Island Family Day, hosted by the Lightsey Cattle Company will be held December 1. But it is so much more than a fundraiser. This is your chance to get an up close and personal tour of Brahma Island, home to 28 protected species and a prime example of Florida agriculture’s commitment to sustaining our environment by being part of the conservation easement program. When people think of Florida they often think of beaches and Disney World. This is your chance to see Florida as it used to be, a place of wild beauty, with a variety of animal species roaming the land, huge oak trees reach skyward, forming a canopy of hammocks with welcoming shade from the Florida sun. Old Florida is palmetto thickets, alligators, bald eagles and snail kits. Old Florida is, simply put, stunning. And Brahma Island is old Florida. Many involved in the agriculture industry are already on board with Warner University’s Ag Program. “The Florida Specialty Crop Foundation is pleased to participate in the inception of the new Ag studies program at Warner University. We strive to support young people who are pursuing a career in agriculture, and this is a promising program to support that. It provides another avenue for high school graduates who want to become more involved in agriculture, which is critical to this state and our organization. Warner University has done a tremendous job of ramping of this program in a very short period of time. And they found a wonderful director for the program in Lauren Lewis, who is working so hard to make our industry aware of this program,” said Sonia Tighe, Executive Director of the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation.

Also, very interesting to me is the way you plan to have Ag students involved in their major their freshman year to keep them motivated through the basics of the first two years.” During the event, the plans for the Agricultural Studies Program will be on display, including a model of the facilities designed by architect Scott Crews, as well as the degree curriculum. “The support and encouragement from the Florida agriculture industry for the Agricultural Studies degree program has been humbling and overwhelming. I have enjoyed meeting with industry leaders who are dedicated to the future of the agriculture workforce and are willing to partner with our new program. More so though, I am thrilled to welcome students on campus enrolling in the Ag Studies major. The future of the program is promising, and I am blessed to be involved,” said Lauren Lewis, Director of Agriculture Studies at Warner University. There will also be children’s activities, live and silent auctions, and a presentation by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam and Carey Lightsey. In addition you will be served a delicious lunch! Tickets can be purchased by contacting Lauren Lewis at lauren.lewis@warner.edu or 863-638-7116, or Doris Gukich, VP of Advancement, at doris.gukich@warner.edu or 863-638-7611. Tickets are $200 per adult and includes admission for accompanied children under the age of 18. Make this a family event! It is certain to be educational as well as entertaining.

A prospective student wrote, “I am graduating from Lake Placid High School (Highlands Co.) this coming June 2013. I noticed on your website your new Ag program and am very interested. I have friends that graduated from Warner and sing it's praises. I very much like the idea of a smaller school and the Christian values. 60

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Lynn Barber,

Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Agent Hillsborough County and UF/IFAS Extension

o you want to make your neighbors green with envy because of the beauty of your landscape? Here’s how…the University of Florida’s Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM (FFL) program provides recognition to homeowners, businesses and governmental entities that use environmentally friendly gardening and landscape maintenance practices. Florida-Friendly Yards incorporate the nine (9) FFL principles which include: Right Plant-Right Place, Water Efficiently, Fertilize Appropriately, Mulch, Attract Wildlife, Manage Yard Pests Responsibly, Recycle, Reduce Stormwater Runoff and Protect the Waterfront.

There is no one cookie-cutter landscape design to achieve Florida-Friendly Yard Recognition status, that you can readily see by viewing the University of Florida’s FFL Yard Recognition photo gallery: http:/ / fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/ homeowners/ recognitions.htm. Notice how different the landscapes are, some are manicured, some more natural and others are quite non-conventional. Landscape plants should be appropriate for our zone. Landscape maintenance is the criterion that determines if it is Florida-Friendly. Exotic invasive plants should not be used. The IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants can be found at: http:/ / plants.ifas.ufl.edu/ assessment/ conclusions.html. This assessment lists plants that have been determined to be invasive and should not be part of your landscape. All recognized landscapes are evaluated via checklist initially by the homeowner, business or governmental entity by thoroughly completing the form. Homeowner yards are evaluated based on a checklist located at: 64

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http:/ / fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/ materials/ FYN_Yard_Recognition_Checkli st_2010.pdf. For newly constructed commercial, governmental, multi-family and single family construction, utilize the form at: http:/ / fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/ pdf/ B _and_D_Checklist.pdf. Yard Advisors that are Urban Horticulture staff/agents and Master Gardener volunteers review the completed checklist, schedule a meeting with the property owner, evaluate the landscape and provide their feedback on the same type checklist that was completed by the owner. Having all parties walk the landscape together and discuss it provides a great educational opportunity. To receive Yard Recognition, the landscape must meet the minimum requirements and achieve a specific point score. What’s in this for you? It’s a lovely sign that recognizes your landscape as a Florida-Friendly Recognized Yard and a landscape that helps beautify your neighborhood and preserve Florida’s natural resources. As always, follow the landscape or architectural control procedures in your deed restrictions before making changes. For assistance with horticultural questions, call 813-744-5519 Extension 4, or visit us at the Hillsborough County Extension Service, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL. More gardening information is available at: http:/ / hillsborough.extension.ufl.edu and http:/ / edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Remember to reuse, reduce and recycle. 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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Florida Citrus Growers Thank USDA for $9 Million Research Grant

lorida Citrus Mutual thanked the U.S Department of Agriculture after the agency announced it awarded a $9 million grant to help support citrus research.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to advance research into citrus greening so we can save our $9 billion industry,” said Michael W. Sparks, executive VP/CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual. “I must commend Secretary Vilsack for his leadership on this issue and understanding that the key to beating this insidious disease lies in the laboratory.” Stopping citrus greening or HLB, a bacterial disease that attacks trees, is crucial to the future of Florida citrus. The disease is endemic to the state and has caused billions of dollars in losses over the past five years. “The effort to secure the grant was multi-state and showed that when faced with a crisis California, Texas and Florida, historically rival citrus producing states, can work together,” Sparks said. “This disease threatens the entire domestic citrus industry.” The $9 million will come from the USDA’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), a Farm Bill program designed to promote specialty crop research. The funding will support a five year project, submitted by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), exploring the use of biological controls to neutralize the Asian Citrus Psyllid, the small bug that vectors HLB. “This approach to psyllid management is a missing element of the current research portfolio, one that is well-suited for a national effort,” said Harold Browning, Chief Operating Officer of the CRDF. “Although identified earlier as a priority, it is only recent progress in research on psyllid biology that allows this approach to move forward at this time. The intermediate to long-term nature of this research is an excellent complement to the short-term research on suppressing the psyllids.” The $9 million SCRI grant augments $2 million in funding the USDA appropriated to the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facility in Ft. Pierce earlier this year to study citrus greening. Sparks also credited U.S. Senator Bill Nelson calling him a longtime proponent of citrus disease research. He said Senator Nelson has worked tirelessly to bring this issue to the attention of the USDA and he remains committed to establishing a permanent citrus research trust fund financed through a portion of the tariff on imported orange juice. The Florida citrus industry creates a $9 billion annual economic impact, employing nearly 76,000 people, and covering more than 500,000 acres. Founded in 1948 and currently representing nearly 8,000 grower members, Florida Citrus Mutual is the state’s largest citrus grower organization. For more information, visit www.flcitrusmutual.com

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h MELVIN KENNETH BLANDFORD, 78 of Plant City, Florida and Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania died September 26, 2012, at South Florida Baptist Hospital. Born December 30, 1933 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Gordon Blandford and the late Wilma Nonemaker Blandford. He was the husband of Dolores Smith Blandford. ARNOLD JEFFERSON MCEVER, JR., 81 of Plant City, Florida died September 24, 2012, at South Florida Baptist Hospital. Born August 11, 1931 in Plant City, he was the son of the late Arnold McEver, Sr., and the late Marie Wood McEver. He served in the Army in Korea from 1954 until 1956. Arnold was a retired conductor having worked for CSX and Amtrak during his career. THOMAS COLLINS CAMPBELL, 91 of Riverview died September 22, 2012, at Brandon Regional Hospital. Born April 21, 1921 in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was the son of the late Thomas Campbell and the late Stella Whyte Campbell. He was the husband of the late Ruth Junkerman Campbell. He served in the U.S. Army from 1941 until 1945. Born February 7, 1945 in Leon Guanajuato, Mexico, he was the son of the late Juan Abundis and Antonia Resendez Abundis. He was the husband of Obdulia Carrizales Abundiz. His services will be in McAllen, Texas at a later date. Final interment was in Roselawn Cemetery, McAllen, Texas. 68

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JAY C. TROXEL fell asleep in God's arms on Wednesday September 19, 2012 at 3:03 am. Jay was born in Flint Michigan on January 23, 1917 to Harley and Ilah Jay Troxel. He and his wife Eloise, retired to new Port Richey in 1982 and relocated to his grandmother's home in Lakeland in 1988. He was a member of Trinity Christian Center, Lakeland and a previous member of The First united Methodist Church, Lakeland. BETTY JANE DENT, 84 was born May 22, 1928 in Williamson, West Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Earl Graves and the late Maxine Billups Graves. Betty was a nurse working at Tampa General Hospital and South Florida Baptist Hospital, and was a member of Plant City's First Baptist Church. ANNA LEE HALL, 55 of Dover died on September 16, 2012, at Sun City Center Hospice House in Ruskin, Florida. Born August 4, 1957 in Baltimore, Maryland, she was the daughter of the late William Boggs and the late Cora Poplin Boggs. She was the wife of Kenneth â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kenâ&#x20AC;? Hall. .

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View From Above

Photos By Al Berry Special thanks to Ed Verner for the flight! The strawberry fields in Plant City and Dover are now being planted for the succulent harvest we all love so much. Here is a view we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t often see of these fields, prepped and ready for plants.

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Director of Reptile Discovery Programs

Bruce Shwedick By Ginny Mink

n the Field frequently includes articles about livestock, but this month we have the distinct pleasure of introducing you to reptiles galore! Bruce Shwedick, Director of Reptile Discovery Programs, gave a presentation at the Lazy Days RV Campground and we were his special guests (though the reptiles were probably more appreciated than we were). Bruce has been providing similar presentations to schools and college campuses across the country since 1974. He is fascinated by reptiles and is incredibly knowledgeable about their natural history, geography and conservation necessities. Bruce grew up in the Washington, DC area, as his father, who served in WWII, worked in the Pentagon. Bruce’s brother, Michael, was the first to develop an interest in reptiles, but Bruce wasn’t far behind. Bruce says, “In the eleventh grade, my brother brought a copperhead to school. He got bit with one of its two fangs and spent three days in the hospital on the Air Force base.” This revelation leads him to explain anti-venom. He continues, “Anti-venom was first produced in the US when they were experimenting on pigeons. However, Brazil was the first country to produce anti-venom in mass quantities. They immunized horses against pit vipers, rattlesnakes and coral snakes.” Bruce’s first reptile introduction was a 30-year-old yellow-footed tortoise from the Amazon rainforest. He explained that her shell is as thick as a pencil and that she eats mushrooms and other vegetation but loves bananas. He demonstrated her love by having her follow the banana back and forth on the table she was on. He added, “Reptiles have the ability to learn and that means they can be trained.” Her biggest predator, according to Bruce, is the jaguar that can bite right through her shell!

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Next up was a very aggressive and surprisingly quick, alligator snapping turtle. Bruce said, “Some people think that the alligator snapping turtle can live for up to 200 years. They think this because flint arrowheads have been found in their shells and musket ball bullets embedded in their legs.” The alligator snapping turtle is found as far north as Southern Illinois, as far east as Georgia and as far west as Texas. Apparently, one weighed 200 pounds. Now that’s a big turtle! Yet, Bruce expounds, “The leatherback is the largest, it eats 100 pounds of jellyfish a day. Many weigh over 700 pounds. There was one found in Wales that weighed 2016 pounds!” Bruce leaves the turtles (after putting them back in their respective crates) to dive into an area in which he has a special affinity, crocodilians. In fact he says, “The reason I moved to Plant City is because there was an attraction here called Gator Jungle. It was also an alligator farm. There’s 800,000 pounds of alligator meat eaten by tourists here each year. There are over one million three hundred thousand alligators in Florida. There are few places in Florida that don’t have people and alligators.” He then jokes, “What do alligators and people have in common? We all like waterfront property!” Returning to the educational aspect of the presentation Bruce explains that the largest salt water crocodile ever captured alive was in the Philippines and it was over 20 feet long. In addition, Bruce says, “I’ve been taking care of one of the biggest alligators ever captured alive. He was captured by a harpoon, and pulled up with a cable and a noose.” At the time of his capture, Bruce was the reptile curator for Cypress Gardens and he was trying to bring in a new gator exhibit. Ultimately, Mighty Mike (the gator with a 23 inch head) has toured the country and has even been displayed on the Jumbotron in New York City! W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

This leads into the presentation of a Chinese alligator named Chopstick. Chopstick is eight years old and rare, as there are less than 100 left in the wild. Bruce explains, “The marsh lands in eastern China turned out to be a great place to grow rice so the people considered them an agricultural pest and killed them whenever they found them. Chinese alligators are small, they only grow to 6-7 feet long.” Many zoos are actually getting rid of their alligator populations to expand areas for their bigger residents, like elephants. According to Bruce, there are 23 different kinds of crocodiles and six or seven of them are still some of the world’s most endangered species. Next, Bruce introduced his audience to Carlos the iguana from Hispaniola, he’s a rhinoceros iguana. Bruce elaborates, “Rhinoceros iguanas are strong, fast, powerful, robust and he has scales on his nose that look like a rhino horn. I began to train him and he’s stopped running from me and trying to hit me with his tail. His favorite treat is banana peel, he’ll follow me anywhere. This is called operant conditioning training.” Indeed, Carlos gladly followed Bruce, eager for a bite of peel. The finale of the presentation consisted of snakes. Bruce explained that there are 3100 different kinds of snakes and that Ireland and Hawaii are two islands that don’t have any. He offered additional tidbits of trivia. Australia has the deadliest sea snakes, the milk snake from Honduras looks like a coral snake and therefore you should recall the following: “If red touches yellow, kill a fellow; red touches black, venom lack.” Of course, you’d be better off not messing with any red, yellow and black snakes because a bite from a coral snake can kill you in as a little as four hours and there’s a shortage of coral snake antivenom currently. Bruce continued to inundate us with an insane amount of knowledge. It would be in your best interest to look into having him come and speak to your organization, he knows some really cool stuff. The icing on this highly educational experience though, was the introduction of Banana Girl, an 18 year old, 17 foot, 7 inch, albino Burmese python (or rock python) weighing in at 125 pounds. She stretched the length of both display tables and upon completion of his presentation we were all allowed to come touch her. What an experience! So, if you are into cold-blooded creatures, or if you are looking for some educational entertainment for your kids, your employees or your other group involvements, you should definitely check out: www.reptilediscovery.com Bruce does birthday parties, too! Trust us, he’s incredible and his reptiles are even better.

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UF/IFAS Team Wins NIFA Partnership Award For Innovative Graduate Course By Mickie Anderson

wo faculty members with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have won a prestigious U.S. Department of Agriculture award for their work creating a graduate-level course that combines the three-part mission of land-grant universities: Extension, teaching and research. Karla Shelnutt, an Extension nutrition specialist and assistant professor in family, youth and community sciences, and Gail Kauwell, a professor in food science and human nutrition, will accept the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Partnership Award for Innovative Programs and Projects October 11 in Washington, D.C. The pair collaborated to create a yearlong course, “Nutrition Education Program Planning, Development, Implementation and Evaluation.” Under their guidance, the students plan, develop and implement research-based nutrition education programs, materials and media aimed at building and supporting healthful behaviors among consumers. The most comprehensive project that the students complete each year is a nutrition education curriculum. Each curriculum incorporates experiential learning activities focusing on the USDA’s food guidance system, physical activities, healthy snacks, and evaluation tools among other components, and each lesson meets the Sunshine W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M

State Standards for academics. The students also train county Extension faculty on how to implement the curriculum and collect evaluation data. The students’ coursework led to the development of three nutrition-related curricula used in classrooms around the state and 4H and other Extension programs: Youth Understanding MyPlate (YUM), Youth Understanding MyPlate Exploration Edition (YUM-EE) and Get Healthy Together. “We’re thrilled about this recognition for two of our talented faculty members who have worked so hard on this project,” said Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “It’s a wonderful example of IFAS’ extension, teaching and research missions coming together to create something of great value to children’s futures.” The program’s impact has been vast: 16 graduate students completed the course; 25 UF/IFAS Extension faculty members and volunteers have been trained to implement the YUM-EE curriculum, which will be used in sixth through eighth grades in 2013; 99 UF/IFAS Extension faculty members and volunteers trained in the YUM curriculum, which has been implemented in 11 counties with plans for 9 more by September 2013, and 39 UF/IFAS Extension faculty members and volunteers trained in the Get Healthy Together cur-

riculum, which focuses on developing healthy eating habits among 7- to 10-yearold children and their caregivers. Shelnutt and Kauwell have worked together before, and paired up again in response to new accreditation standards for UF’s dietetic program. The UF/IFAS program is believed to be the only accredited dietetic internship program that has a concentration in Extension, which provides dietetic interns with the knowledge and hands-on skills to communicate nutrition information to different audiences using a variety of formats. The graduate students gain valuable experience from the program – creating educational materials and teaching everyone from pre-schoolers to adult Extension agents, Shelnutt said. Teaching the adults is the toughest part of the course, she said, and the pair spends a lot of time coaching students on how to best present themselves and their material. “It’s really intimidating for them,” Shelnutt said. But after all the coaching and revisions and practice, the Extension agents who participate in the training enjoy it, Kauwell said. “They love the students, they love their ideas – they have such original ideas and by the end, they know how to present them in a way that’s really great,” she said.

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A PASSION FOR BEEF

Alex

Lucas

By Calli Jo Parker

eet Alex Lucas, your 2012 Florida Senior Beef Ambassador. Attending the Florida Cattlemen’s Convention in Marco Island last June, Lucas was introduced to the ambassadorship that changed her life. At the convention fellow Cattlemen’s members encouraged Alex to try out for the State Beef Ambassador competition. Three short weeks later, Lucas was well prepared to win. Throughout the competition she had to participate in a mock media interview, a mock consumer demonstration, and an issue response and presentation. After all of her hard work and determination Lucas was named the 2012 Florida Senior Beef Ambassador, but the story doesn’t stop here. A student at the University of Florida majoring in Food Animal Science, and an active member of the Gator Collegiate Cattlewomen, Lucas now has to study and prepare for the National Beef Ambassador Competition. This will be held in California on September 28 -31. There

she will have to do three youth presentations, two consumer demonstrations, and a media interview. After completing this competition Lucas will be given the opportunity to show her true passion for the Beef Cattle Industry. She will tour the state visiting agriculture and non-agriculture groups informing them of the importance the Beef Cattle Industry in their lives. Lucas will be raising awareness all over the state until next June when she passes down her title. Lucas encourages others to learn about the Beef Cattle Industry and seek out new information and progression in the agricultural industry. This community is so blessed with talented youth who are passionate about agriculture. Agriculture is a necessity of life, one that this young Beef Ambassador does not take for granted. Contact Alex Lucas at AlexLucas50@gmail.com with any events, interviews, or questions!

Strawberry Fact Provided by the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center

Florida is the nation’s winter strawberry capital. Of all the fresh strawberries produced in the United States, 15 percent are grown in Florida. Over 90 percent of the state’s strawberries are produced in Hillsborough County, primarily in the Plant City and Dover area. Strawberries have been cultivated commercially in this area for over 100 years. Florida strawberries are grown as an annual crop on raised, 74

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plastic-covered beds. Land is typically prepared in September and plants are set in October. Berries are harvested from midNovember through March. Strawberries are picked and packed in the field by hand. The trays of berries are then sent to shipping facilities where they are loaded on refrigerated trucks for delivery across the country.

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4892 Sun City Center Blvd. Sun City Center, FL 33573

P O Drawer L Plant City, FL 33564

12880 E US Highway 92 Dover, FL 33527

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Naturally Amazing Activities

Butterfly Net

The goal is simply to attach netting to a loop and the loop to a handle. There are many way to do this depending on the tools and resources you have available. The following instructions will suffice for an inexpensive net that is quick and easy to make.

By Sean Green Butterflies are still abundant here in Florida. If you will be participating in the monarch tagging program you will need a butterfly net to safely capture the monarch you want to tag. This month we will construct a butterfly net that can be made from inexpensive materials, some of which you may already have around the house.

Materials Needed: • Handle: (mine is 1” diameter wooden dowel) • Net frame (mine is a plastic embroidery hoop, at least 12” diameter recommended) • Netting (mine is 1.5 yd of nylon, cotton weave is more durable, need enough for a 24” – 30” deep net) • Strong Glue (to secure the hoop to the handle, I used Gorilla Glue) • Twine (to secure the hoop to the handle)

Step 1

Step 2

Create a notch in the handle just big enough to hold the adjustment end of the embroidery hoop

Drape the netting over the embroidery hoop outer ring Secure the netting to the embroidery hoop with the inner ring (glue for extra hold)

Step 3 Glue the embroidery hoop into the groove that was cut into the handle

Step 4 Secure the embroidery hoop to the handle with twine with a figure 8 pattern and the net is finished

MOSAIC Contribution Funds Mini-Grants for School Gardens in DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk Counties Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. is offering $500 school garden mini-grants to teachers in five central Florida counties beginning September 1, thanks to a grant from The Mosaic Company Foundation. General education and agri-science teachers in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk counties are eligible to apply using an online application system on Florida Agriculture in the Classroom’s website at www.flagintheclassroom.com. The funds can be used for new or existing school gardens to pay for items needed to plant and maintain fruit, vegetable and ornamental plant gardens. Mosaic’s grant to Florida Agriculture in the Classroom is part of $2.79 million recently donated to 37 non-profit community organizations serving counties in the company’s Central Florida operating area. Grants were awarded to organizations implementing initiatives focused on hunger relief, agricultural research and development, water conservation and stewardship, and community enrichment. “We are pleased to support this hands-on program that enables students to personally experience and learn about the importance of farming and our food supply,” said Gary N. "Bo" Davis, Mosaic’s senior vice president of Phosphate Operations and a board member of The Mosaic Company Foundation.”

in several grant rounds each year, Davis said. Over the past year Mosaic and its Foundation have donated more than $8.4 million to community organizations focused on Central Florida. To read more about Mosaic’s focus on food, water and local community investments and its online grant system, visit: www.mosaicco.com/ community/ community.htm “Florida Agriculture in the Classroom appreciates the chance to work with a partner like Mosaic to provide teachers with resources they need to educate students about where their food, fiber and fuel comes from,” said Jennifer Sills, chairwoman of FAITC. Florida Agriculture in the Classroom is a non-profit organization based in Gainesville that educates students about Florida agriculture by providing pre-kindergarten through 12th grade teachers with curricula, materials, grant money and other programs. Its primary source of funding comes from sales of the agriculture specialty license plate called the “Ag Tag.” About The Mosaic Company and The Mosaic Company Foundation The Mosaic Company is the world’s leading producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash, two essential crop nutrients. Driven by its mission to help the world grow the food it needs, Mosaic is committed to strengthening global food security and protecting critical water resources. The Mosaic Company and The Mosaic Company Foundation make investments in and partner with best-of-class leaders in the focus areas of food, water and local community investments. More information about Mosaic is available at www.mosaicco.com.

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70 Years of Service to Agriculture Photos by Al Berry The Hillsborough County Farm Bureau celebrated their proud tradition at their annual meeting held October 4th at the Trinkle Center on the Campus of the Hillsborough Community College in Plant City. This marks 70 years of service to agriculture for the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, one of the largest federations in Florida with well over 4,500 members. The organization is the voice of agriculture in Hillsborough County and keeps members informed of things that may affect the industry. Speakers at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event included County Commissioner Al Higginbotham, who presented a BOCC Commendation to the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau. Craig Register of Farm Credit of Central Florida was on hand, as was Erika Der, who read a letter from the Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam and Ray Wood presented The Friend of Agriculture Award to Rich Glorioso. What is Farm Bureau? The Hillsborough County Farm Bureau web site, at www.hcfarmbureau.org , lists the following: Farm Bureau Federation is a free, independent, non-governmental, voluntary grassroots organization for farm and ranch families and anyone interested in Agriculture, united for the purpose of analyzing their problems; and by formulation action, seeks 78

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to achieve educational improvement, economic opportunity and social advancement, thereby promoting the national welfare. Farm Bureau Federation is local, statewide, national, and international in its scope and influence. It is non-partisan, non-sectarian, and non-secretive in character. It is an organization that makes it possible for the voice of the people to be heard where it will count. It has a reputation for fairness in State Legislatures and the Congress of the United States. It is a family organization. Membership is determined on the basis of families, not of male members, or female members, but of whole families; father, mother, and children. Farm Bureau Federation believes in the American capitalistic, private, competitive enterprise system in which property is privately owned, privately managed, and operated for profit and individual satisfaction. We believe in a competitive business environment in which supply and demand are the primary determinants of market prices, the use of production resources and the distribution of output. We believe in the right of every person to choose their own occupations; to be rewarded according to their contribution to society, to save, invest, spend, or convey to their heirs, their earning as they choose. 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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OCTOBER 2012

By Calli Jo Parker

griculture is the basis of how we live. It provides us with the necessities to help us grow and prosper. However, often we take for granted the help agriculture brings to our hearts. God has given us a tremendous opportunity to share with others our faith in Him and our faith in agriculture. We never know what relationships this industry is going to bless us with. However, we can always be certain they will be tightly bound through faith and agriculture. Dave and Aileen Ayers are from Caledonia, New York, a place where agriculture prospers in many ways. For this couple it is horse breeding. Dave and Aileen spend their days raising, training, and selling Haflinger horses. They are used for farm work, carriage driving and riding. The Ayers’ specialize in the driving Haflingers, specifically selling to the Amish community, and have for roughly 26 years. The Amish farmers use them as draft horses. Since the Amish community does not use modern technology even in their agricultural endeavors, they use the Haflinger horses to plow their fields. Dave lends his horses to the youth in his community to show at horse shows. He showed at the Florida State Fair for the first time this year. You can also find Dave at numerous community events with his horses and buggy.

Horses have been a part of Dave’s life since he can remember. His Grandfather raised Belgian horses to use on the family farm. It is safe to say that Dave’s first love was a small pony he received as a Christmas gift when he was 4 years old. That was until he met his wife and love of his life Aileen in school many years later. Aileen was a “townie” and Dave was a recognizable country boy. She was very active in church musicals, and he was named the New York FFA State Star Farmer in 1956. As different as they were, their love grew and they became the perfect team. Dave credits all of his success in the horse business to Aileen. “Her support at home is the reason I could travel and be so successful,” Dave says. Aileen was a school teacher for 41 years, often times 80

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Dave and the kids would travel to horse shows while Aileen was working, but she was always supportive of everything they did and encouraged her family every step of the way. Now some of you are wondering why this couple from Caledonia, New York has anything to do with Hillsborough County and the agricultural industry here in Florida. Well, these snow birds happen to spend their winter months in a small town full of agricultural prosperity that goes by the name of Plant City, Florida. As was previously mentioned, we never know what relationships the agricultural industry will introduce. Twenty years ago, when Dave and Aileen were first starting their horse business, they sold two of their horses to a farm in Deland, Florida. As they got older they decided Florida was just the place for them to spend their brutal winter months. Often times they bring their Haflinger horses down with them to their second home. They had their first foal born in Florida in February of 2012. They enjoyed showing their new baby to their neighbors and teaching them about the Haflinger breed. Dave and Aileen say that “Floridiana” is now a very spoiled young filly, whom they love spending time with. While living in Florida Dave and Aileen attend Welcome Baptist Church. They comment on how wonderful and friendly the people are. It is truly amazing to see how much we have in common with our neighbors from the north. God has a way of placing people in our paths to teach us and help us grow. This special couple proves just how diverse American agriculture is, as well as its faithful workforce. Dave and Aileen love Florida agriculture. Dave says, “Our time in Florida is always too short. We so enjoy the diversity of fruit growing and ranching as well as the friendliness of the folks around Plant City. I’d like to be more active in the agriculture in Florida, but Aileen says I’m supposed to be retired.” 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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Ask-A-Vet

shorter small intestine, dogs can adapt to a wide-ranging diet. This means they are not dependent on meat-specific protein or a very high level of protein in order to fulfill their basic dietary requirements. Dogs can easily digest a variety of foods, including vegetables and grains, and can consume a large proportion of these in their diet while remaining healthy. So, with that information, you can see one of the reasons dogs may eat plant material, they are hungry or they feel that a particular plant/grass is especially tasty.

Why does my dog eat grass?

That is a question I hear a lot. There has been a lot of speculation about this habit - none of which has been proven to my knowledge. Theories include (but are not limited to): boredom, dietary deficiency, stimulation of vomiting, carry-over from when dogs were wild, etc. First, let me say that while a dog is classed as a carnivore by its genus, they are by nature scavengers and opportunists. Unlike obligate carnivores, such as the cat family with its

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Dr. Christy Layton, DVM

Another common reason it seems that dogs eat grass is that they feel nauseous. Sometimes the grass will aid in allowing them to vomit and sometimes it works as a “digestive aid” and decreases the nausea. The nausea can be due to a gastrointestinal disease such as inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal parasites, cancer, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and various other diseases. The reason the nausea causes them to eat the grass is unknown. Things to do if you are concerned with your pet’s addiction to grass are: Have a complete examination performed by your veterinarian

OCTOBER 2012

to look for signs of illness in your pet. Have your veterinarian look for intestinal parasites in your pet’s stool (this should be done every six months anyway as many parasites are zoonotic – passed from pet to human and cause significant disease in humans, especially children or immune compromised adults). Discuss your pet’s diet (type, amount fed & frequency) with your veterinarian and make sure it is appropriate for your particular dog. Also, remember that there are some plants that are toxic to dogs, so make sure whatever plant/grass your dog prefers to graze on is safe for them to eat. •

What’s Your Question? Please feel free to email any of your questions to: askavet@inthefieldmagazine.com and your question may be answered in next month’s issue.

Call: 813.754.PETS (7387) 1704 Walden Village Ct. • Plant City, FL 33566

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An Unstoppable Force

Brooke Coats By Libby Hopkins

here is a lot you can do in eight seconds. You can hug someone, smile at a stranger, merge into traffic, or you can have the ride of your life on bucking bull. That’s what Brooke Coats of Riverview lived for every two weeks when she would ride at The Crosstown Arena Rodeo. She wanted to be able to stay on the bull for eight seconds. Her parents, Keith and Susan Coats, could not believe their daughter wanted to become a professional bull rider. They kept telling her “no way,” but Brooke was an unstoppable force. She wasn’t like the rest of the girls at Riverview High School. She could dress up and wear a pair of high heels like them, but she could also lift more weights then some of the guys at her school. She loved being outdoors and she loved agriculture. She was on the swim and tennis team at her school. She was also a wrestlerette for the wrestling team and the only reason she joined them was because she wanted to learn how to wrestle. The wrestling coach wasn’t too thrilled with Brooke because wrestlerettes are suppose to be there to support the wrestlers, not want to wrestle them. She was even a part of the girl’s flag football team. Anything that tested endurance, she wanted to be a part of it. “She was a beautiful girl but she was tough,” Keith Coats said. “ She could be all girly with her mom and then the next day she would want to go snake hunting with me.” Her mom Susan grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania and Brooke always wished she had grown up on one, too, because she love animals. “She talked about going to the University of Tennessee to become a veterinarian if she didn’t become a professional bull rider,” Susan Coats said. No one in the Coats family was ever involved in rodeos. Her parents where shocked when she said she wanted to become a bull rider. Her brother thought she was crazy for wanting to be a part of such a dangerous sport. She didn’t care, it was becoming her passion and she wanted to learn all she could to become the best. Brooke met a girl who rode bulls and she asked her to teach her how to ride. For Brooke, there was no turning back, she was hooked. She started practicing every Monday night and couldn’t wait for a chance to ride in a rodeo. Her parents finally gave in and agreed to let her ride and they even put a balance barrel in the front yard for her to use for practice. “I asked her why she liked it so much and wanted to ride because the bull was big and she could get stomped on,” Keith said. “She told me that I wouldn’t understand what it was like for her to be out there on the bull.” At first, some of the other male riders thought she wanted to ride to be a “show off.” Brooke quickly changed their minds when they saw a bull punch a hole in her leg and she got up off the ground unphased and gave them a big smile and a thumb up sign. At that point she was one of them. “Getting hurt never bothered her, no matter how many times she fell off,” Keith said. “ She love riding and wasn’t scared by

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any of it.” Every time Brooke fell off a bull, she’d get up with a big smile on her face. She was even smiling when she got up from being thrown and kicked in the chest by the same bull that put a hole in her leg. She walked across the arena and then collapsed. An offduty paramedic who was at the rodeo attended to Brooke as she and her parents waited for the ambulance to arrive. “It seemed like it took forever for the ambulance to get there,” Keith said. She was in surgery as soon as she got to the hospital. By 10 p.m. she was gone. “She had on all the right equipment you can have,” Susan said. “She wanted to get back at the bull for stepping on her leg, that’s why she picked him, it was just a freak accident.” The bull that kicked Brooke was sold the day after she died. The owner of the bull has held a few fundraisers for the Coats family to help with expenses. Brooke has been gone for over a year but her family is still dealing with the shock of losing their beautiful daughter. They keep her spirit alive by holding an annul golf benefit at the Temple Terrace Golf and County Club in Temple Terrace. They still go to rodeos, too. “There was something she loved about riding that we will never understand,” Keith said, “ She wasn’t afraid to die because she had no fear of anything, she was tough.”

ABOVE: BROOKE WITH PIGMY RATTLESNAKE, BELOW: BROOKE’S HAT THAT SHE WORE AND THE PINK BRACELETS HER PARENTS HAD MADE IN HER HONOR

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

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

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

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2012

Banker Plant

An ornamental pepper plant stands out amid a sea of poinsettias in this photo. Researchers with UF/IFAS and the USDA are studying the peppers for their efficacy as banker plants to support populations of the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii, which controls silverleaf whiteflies and thrips in greenhouses. UF/IFAS photo by Chris Fooshee

Protecting Greenhouse Crops

eeping valuable greenhouse crops safe from whiteflies and thrips may become easier for producers, thanks to a new study on banker plants from the University of Florida and U.S. Department of Agriculture. A trend in biological pest control, banker plants provide food and shelter to natural enemies of target pests, giving the enemies a home base so they can provide continuous pest control. In a study posted online this week by the journal Biological Control, researchers tested three ornamental pepper varieties as host plants for the well-known predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii. The mite dramatically reduced silverleaf whitefly populations, as well as chilli thrips and Western flower thrips, on greenhouse-raised green bean plants and pepper plants.

This approach could work for other greenhouse-grown vegetables, fruits, herbs and ornamentals, said Lance Osborne, an entomology professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The ornamental peppers tested were Masquerade, Red Missile and Explosive Ember, all performed about equally well, he said. “The banker plant seed is commercially available, and so is the mite,” said Osborne, at UF’s Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka. “The peppers are easy to grow. Once they start to flower you put the mites on them and then it’s off to the races.” In the study, researchers began by establishing colonies of A. swirskii mites on the ornamental pepper banker plants, and simultaneously infested greenhouse-raised

By Tom Nordlie green bean plants with silverleaf whiteflies, chilli thrips or a combination of chilli thrips and Western flower thrips. After banker plants were moved into the greenhouses, the mites were free to disperse to the beans. Two weeks later, overall populations of the silverleaf whitefly were reduced to less than one percent of those on control plants, overall thrips populations were reduced to about five percent of those on control plants. The study was part of a larger bankerplant project funded by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service via its Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative. The research team included Osborne, Cindy McKenzie, a USDA entomologist based in Fort Pierce, and Yingfang Xiao, Pasco Avery and Jianjun Chen of UF/IFAS.

The adult silverleaf whiteflies congregate on a green bean plant in this photo. The destructive pest can be managed in greenhouse cropping systems by using ornamental peppers as banker plants to support populations of the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii.

Whitefly-on-Green-Bean

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UF/IFAS photo by Lance Osborne

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FOR SALE 18KT GOLD TANZANITE RING Beautiful piece of jewelry. 1.05kt round nice blue gem with diamonds. Would make nice Christmas gift - never been worn. Appraisal papers included. Size 7-1/2 $1,200 Call 863-370-8891

OCTOBER 2012

REAL ESTATE 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 45 ACRES 45 acres mol, former Plant City Nursery, Dover area. Two M/H hook-up’s. 3, 6 and 8 inch wells with 4 and 6 inch mainlines through out property. Asking $699,500. Call Kilgore Real Estate 813-689-5881 11.7 ACRES 11.7 acres WUP approved for blueberries. 400’ frontage culvert and fence. Hwy 674 Fort Lonesome. 813-728-9132 FOR LEASE Established fish camp, mobile home, RV park with full hookups in eastern Polk County. Located on a renowned bass fishing lake within the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. 14 acres of beautiful oak hammocks with canal and recreation hall. Call 863-692-1013 W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M