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NEW FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT CASEY SIMMONS RUNKLES
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PAGE 35 Dates
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Strawberry Varieties
PAGE 42
Skip A Week
PAGE 43
Florida Turfgrass
PAGE 44
John Dicks
PAGE 46
Pet Finder
PAGE 48
Lethal Bronzing
PAGE 50
Cattle Industry
PAGE 51
UF/IFAS Bookstore
PAGE 52
Wags For Tags
PAGE 56
From The Scientific Field
PAGE 58
Winter Landscape
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Activity
PAGE 61 A Closer Look
Pictured with Daughter Bryce Carter Runkles
Photo By Karen Berry
Letter from the Editor
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, I’m not talking about Christmas, I’m talking about Fair Season!! This glorious time of year kicks off for Polk County youth with the Polk County Youth Fair, held January 24 through February 1. Following that is the Florida State Fair, held February 6 through 17. The Florida Strawberry Festival begins February 27 and runs through March 9.
I encourage you to attend one or all of these events. The youth work very hard, not just at the event but for months leading up to the competition. Caring for livestock and other projects teaches youth accountability and dedication. In addition, they learn responsibility, time management, communication, and the importance of healthy competition, sportsmanship, and hard work. Let’s show them that we appreciate that the future of agriculture is in their hands.
How are your New Year’s resolutions going? Once again, I saved myself from the resolution breaking by not making one. Why set yourself up for failure at the beginning of the year? If you want to make a change, just do it. Don’t wait for a special day. When making a big change, plan accordingly. Be sure it’s something you truly want to do. Otherwise, you can be hit with a lack of motivation, unrealistic expectations, and other things that will lead you to abandon the resolution.
See you at the fair(s)!
Sarah Holt
Publisher/Photography
Karen Berry
Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher
Sarah Holt Sales
Karen Berry
Sarah Holt De De Floyd
Melissa Nichols
Creative Director/Illustrator
Juan Alvarez
Photography
Karen Berry
Staff Writers Al Berry
Sandy Kaster
James Frankowiak
Sean Green Autum Miller
Contributing
Wade Osborne
John Dicks
Tiffany Dale Social
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 813759-6909
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.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
-Casey Simmons Runkles - President
Farm Bureau Family Members
I sincerely hope that each of you and your families had an enjoyable holiday season and began this new year with a great deal of joy and happiness. This time of year marks very important opportunities to showcase and educate all about the many ways our Agricultural industry impacts us all every day of the year.
The first is the upcoming Florida State Fair. That multiday event begins with the induction of new members into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include Cary and Marcia Lightsey, Madeline Mellinger, and Jim Strickland. The Lightsey’s and Jim Strickland are ranchers, while Madeline is an innovator in the field of integrated pest management. In addition to their respective career paths and how each helps us all, they have been highly instrumental in mentoring future farmers and ranchers, as well as leading their respective industries. My congratulations to them all.
The Fair kickoff event also provides an opportunity to recognize and applaud the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award. The recipient that will be recognized is Sandra Moore, the first winner of this honor that represents the tropical fish industry. She is president of Segrest Farms, one of the largest ornamental fish wholesalers in the area, that is based here in Hillsborough County.
Though not official award winners, I truly believe each of our strawberry growers should be recognized and honored for their overall resiliency in the face of multiple hurricanes and their devastating impacts on this important crop. Each has gone well beyond the norm to rebuild and replant, assuring “Fresh From Florida” strawberries are available. As a way of showing your thanks, please consider buying Florida strawberries the next time you visit your local grocery store and do so throughout the season. My thanks to you for doing so, our growers truly deserve your support.
As always, my thanks to those of you who are members of Florida Farm Bureau, and for those of you who are not members, please consider joining our organization. By joining, you not only support our industry but also open the door to a wide range of benefits that deserve your attention, from travel discounts, family entertainment options, and more. Check them out by visiting https://floridafarmbureau.org/benefits/save.
And, if you are a member, please consider getting involved at the local, state or national levels. The “Voice of Agriculture” needs to be heard, and your help in that regard would be greatly appreciated.
Casey Simmons Runkles
Casey Runkles - President
Board of Directors
THE KEY DEER
By Libby Hopkins
The Key Deer, or Odocoileus Virginianus Clavium, as it’s known by its scientific name, the smallest of all white-tailed deer, is a subspecies of the Virginia white-tailed deer. Key deer live on 20 to 25 islands in the southern Florida Keys, hence their name. They used to live across the lower Florida Keys but now are only found in the areas from Sugarloaf Key to Bahia Honda Key. The National Key Deer Refuge in Florida, where many of the deer can be found, was established in 1953.
Key Deer live in all the types of ecosystems found in the Florida Keys, from pine forests to mangroves and freshwater wetlands. They can swim between islands and move around their habitat in search of fresh water.
Key Deer feed on native plants such as red, black and white mangroves, thatch palm berries, and over 150 other species of plants. Key Deer can tolerate small amounts of salt in their water, and they will also drink brackish water, but fresh water is essential for their survival. They must also have suitable habitat to ensure their future existence.
Rutting season activities begin in September, peaking in early October and decreasing gradually through November and December. Some breeding may occur as late as February. The gestation period is 204 days, with fawns born April through June. At birth, fawns weigh two to four pounds.
Antlers are dropped in February through March and re-growth begins almost immediately so that by June, bucks with twoinch stubs are seen. Antler growth is completed by August, and velvet is rubbed and kicked off in early September.
No records exist documenting the origin of the deer in the Keys. It is believed the deer migrated to the Keys from the mainland many thousands of years ago across a long land bridge. As the Wisconsin Glacier melted, the sea rose, dividing the land bridge into small islands known as the Florida Keys.
The earliest mention of Key Deer is found in the memoirs of Fontaneda, a shipwrecked Spaniard held captive by the local Indians. Records suggest that the deer were found around Key West and were used for food by residents and ship crews alike. Although early records indicated sporadic wider distribution of Key Deer throughout the lower keys, current data indicates they occupy a range from Johnson Keys to Saddlebunch Keys.
Because Key Deer have lost their fear of humans, there is a serious problem with people illegally feeding them. This makes the deer more vulnerable to dog attacks or getting entangled in fences. It also brings them closer to roads where they can be hit by cars. Feeding Key Deer can also cause them to group in a small area, rather than spreading out over the available habitat. Then if one deer is sick, it more easily passes its diseases on to other deer.
The Key Deer are listed as endangered by the Endangered Species Act. Currently, fewer than 1,000 Key Deer survive, and their future remains precarious. Threats to Key Deer include habitat loss from the development of coastal habitats and floodplains, car accidents, disease, illegal feeding by humans, and climate change, which is affecting mangroves.
The National Wildlife Federation has worked to protect the Key deer since 1951 when only about 25 of the animals still survived. That year, they adopted a resolution at their annual meeting to safeguard them and soon after made “Save the Key Deer” the subject of National Wildlife Week.
The National Wildlife Federation also was instrumental in creation of the National Key Deer Refuge in 1953 and in making the Key Deer one of the first endangered species protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1973. Today, the National Wildlife Federation continues to take action to ensure a safe future for the Key Deer and its habitat through the courts and through education.
FFA Bike Drop
Members of the Durant / J. F. St. Martin FFA chapter participated in the annual "FFA Bike Drop." Over the past month, students collected bicycles from business partners, the community, students, and parents to present to deserving students at 10 elementary schools. FFA members delivered the bicycles to the elementary school on December 18 and were met with many kind hugs and heartfelt gratitude. We would like to thank the following business partners for donating bicycles to this unbelievable cause. Durant FFA also partnered with Newsome FFA Alumni to provide helmets for the students. This year, we delivered 159 bicycles to the elementary school students.
BUSINESS PARTNERS:
Suffolk Construction
CED Green Tech
Hillsborough Cattleman's Association
Fres Pack
Bank of Tampa
Lighting Bolt and Screw
Durant FFA Alumni
Newsome FFA Alumni
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
RECEIVING
BICYCLES:
Valrico
Yates
Springhead
Lithia Springs
Robinson
Trapnell
Walden Lake
Cork Dover
Nelson
Ag Community Supports Blue Star Families Stars, Stripes and Holiday Wishes: Nourish the Service Event at MacDill Air Force Base
By Jim Frankowiak
Blue Star Families blessed 355 enlisted families in the Tampa Bay Region with holiday cheer and essential support through its Stars, Stripes and Holiday Wishes: Nourish the Service event at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. “Thanks to the support of our main sponsor, CSX, along with Ardent Mills, D2 Freight Solutions, DiMare Fresh, Dundee Citrus Growers Association, Grimes Produce Company, Plant City Produce, Mathis Farms and M&B Products the enlisted families received strawberries,
tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, squash, grapefruit, flour, milk (whole, chocolate, buttermilk and egg nog) and the refrigerated trucking to get all of the contributions to MacDill,” said Blue Star Families, Tama Bay Executive Director Suzy Malloy.
In addition, the families received turkeys, complete holiday meal kits, coffee, and snacks, as well as bikes, clothing, school supplies, and electronics. They also received
Disney and Coach merchandise along with hygiene items, twin mattresses with bed frames, comforter sets, and more.
Blue Star Families, an all-volunteer organization, was founded by military spouses in 2009 to empower these families to thrive as they serve.
The organization’s groundbreaking research is raising the nation's awareness of the unique challenges of military family life. With the help of neighbors across the country, Blue Star Families is overcoming the isolation and alienation of frequent moves, deployments, and reduced support from the government. The group’s innovative programs are solving specific challenges for military families, including fighting economic insecurity with resources that foster spouse career development, creating family strength with rich family programming, and providing critical peer support for caregivers, whose numbers are only increasing.
With approximately 275,000 members in its network, including chapters and communities all over the world, Blue Star Families touch more than 1.5 million military family members each year. This means that wherever American military families go, they can always feel connected, supported, and empowered to thrive.
Sheepshead are on the Menu!
The pre-spawn sheepshead bite has been very consistent lately, and as they school up during their traditional spawning season February, March, and April, the action is only going to intensify. Some say the sheepshead taste similar to lobster, so if you like lobster, sheepshead is a cheaper alternative. The challenge is catching enough for dinner before melting butter in a pan. That takes a bit of work and a little skill.
Sheepshead are always hanging around seawalls, bridges, and residential dock pilings, but during the spawn, they school up heavily and become extremely aggressive. They like to feed on small crabs, shrimp, barnacles, and other small crustaceans.
be used for bait, once thawed. In addition to having frozen shrimp onboard, I always stop at the local bait and tackle shop to buy live shrimp. When buying live shrimp, I always go for the medium-sized. As you fish, if you miss a strike and reel back in half of the shrimp, toss it back out there. Shrimp halves work very well!
Sheepshead are known as “Bait Stealers.” It’s often said, to catch sheepshead you need to set the hook before you feel the bite. That’s easier said than done. It helps if you’re using braided fishing line, but when using mono, it’s important to keep as much slack out of your line as possible. Then once you feel even the slightest of bites, immediately reel until your line is tight and lift the rod for a solid hook set. In most of the areas where you’ll be fishing for sheepshead, the water will be super clear, so down-size your terminal tackle. Start with a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader and use a size 1 or 1/0 hook. If necessary, drop down to a 15-pound fluorocarbon leader and use strictly size 1 hooks.
Some people keep a long-handled scraper on their boat and scrape barnacles off the bridge pilings where they’re fishing to chum up sheepshead. You can even put a piece of barnacle on your hook as bait to catch them. This works very well actually, but don’t try the scraping barnacle technique on residential homeowner’s private dock pilings, it’s illegal.
Fiddler crabs are another very productive bait for sheepshead, but unless you’re willing to go digging around in the sand for them along mangrove shorelines, fuhgeddaboudit! Sometimes bait shops have fiddler crabs on a day-to-day basis, when that’s the case, it’s a win-win. I, on the other hand, chum up sheepshead with pieces of shrimp. Whatever shrimp I have left over from a day of fishing, I freeze. On my next charter, I take the frozen shrimp along for chum. It can also
Once you’re back at the cleaning table, filleting sheepshead takes some practice to avoid waste. Begin by running the fillet knife down along the top of its back starting at the head area, and as you work the flesh off around the rib cage continue filleting along the backbone down towards the tip of its tail. Then flip the fillet over and run the knife between the skin and the flesh. I’m sure there’s got to be videos of filleting sheepshead on YouTube. The minimum size for sheepshead is 12 inches with an eight fish bag limit per person.
26-Year Veteran Fishing Guide, Captain Wade Osborne.
Capt. Wade Osborne
The spotted seatrout action remains strong, and they’re easy to find. It’s no secret that with the extremely low tides we’ve been having lately the fish are in deeper water. Large concentrations can be found in all the tributaries leading into Tampa Bay. Some days though, getting a bait to the seatrout can be a problem due to the number of ladyfish feeding in the same area. Schooling ladyfish are like a pack of wolves, they will chase bait down in groups of threes and fours until it’s devoured.
When ladyfish are this abundant, it’s a perfect time to have some fun while using a fly rod. Jack found this out firsthand during his first saltwater experience with a fly during a recent trip while down from Virgina. Jack
caught numerous ladyfish, aka, “Poor Man’s Tarpon” and some feisty seatrout. With a little coaching while using a 9wt and a pinkish-brown imitation shrimp fly pattern, he started landing fish in no time at all.
Afishionado, “Adventures in Fishing.”
Tampa Bay fishing guide Wade Osborne of “Afishionado Guide Services” has been plying the waters of Tampa Bay as a professional full-time captain, since 1997. Osborne has been featured on numerous TV and radio shows and writes for multiple publications. Osborne offers inshore fishing charters on light tackle spin, fly or plug. He also offers eco-tours with an emphasis on photography. For more info visit Afishionado.com or find Afishionado Guide Services on Facebook and Instagram. Email: wade@afishionado.com Call/Text 813-286-3474
Florida ranks 2nd in US production of fresh vegetables and provides 80% of the fresh vegetables consumed in the US during January, February, and March each year.
Florida ranks 4th in the Southeast and 12th nationally in the production of beef calves.
The second largest industry in the state is agriculture. Tourism is the largest industry within the state.
The state flower is the orange blossom.
Cattle were first introduced to North America in Florida in 1521 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon.
If all the boxes of Florida tomatoes shipped in a crop year were laid end to end, they would stretch from Pensacola round-trip to Beijing, China – over 58 million boxes!
Florida has 47,500 farms consisting of 9.25 million acres.
The average farm size in Florida is 195 acres.
FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971
YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR
Brain Exercise
I’ve heard it said it is as important to exercise the brain, as it is to exercise your muscles. As we grow older, we should keep mentally alert. With that in mind I have prepared a test to see if you are losing it or still “with it.”
Relax and clear your mind. (Do not look at the answers until you answer the question)
First question!
What do you put in a toaster? The answer is “bread.” If you said “toast” then give up now and go do something else. Try not to hurt yourself. If you said “bread,” go to Question 2.
2 - Say “silk” five times. Now spell “silk.” What do cows drink?
Answer: Cows drink water. If you said “milk” please do not attempt the next question. Your brain is obviously over stressed and may even overheat. It may be that you should content yourself by reading a Disney book. If you said “water,” then proceed to Question 3.
3 – If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a
Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the January 2016 issue
green house made from?
Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said “green brick,” why are you still here reading these questions? If you said “glass,” then go on to Question 4.
4 - Twenty years ago, a plane was flying at 25,000 feet over Germany. If you will recall, Germany at the time was politically divided into West Germany and East Germany. During the flight three of the engines failed. The pilot, realizing that the last remaining engine is also failing, decides on a crash landing procedure. Unfortunately the engine fails before he has time to do anything, and the plane crashes smack in the middle of “no man’s land” between East Germany and West Germany. Where would you bury the survivors, East Germany or West Germany or in no man’s land?
Answer” You don’t, of course, bury survivors. If you said anything else, you are a real dummy and you should never try to rescue anyone from a plane crash. If you said, “Don’t bury the survivors” then proceed to the next question.
5 – If the hour hand on a clock moves 1/60 of a degree every minute then how many degrees will the hour hand move in one hour?
Answer: One Degree. If you said “360 degrees” or anything other than “one degree” you are to be congratulated on getting this far, but you are obviously out of your league. Turn in your pen and exit the room. Everyone else proceed to the final question.
6 – Without using a calculator – You are driving a bus from New York to Washington D.C. with 17 people on the bus as you start. Five miles into your trip you stop and 6 people get off the bus and 9 people get on. Fifteen minutes later you stop again, 2 people get off and 4 people get on. On your third stop 11 people get off and 16 people get on your bus. Two more stops. First stop 1 gets off, 3 get on, and the last stop 9 get off and 3 get on. You then arrive at the nations capital on time. What was the name of the bus driver?
Answer: Oh, for goodness sakes! Don’t you remember? The driver is YOU!
7 - There is a fishing trawler with a ladder in it leaning against a wall in the harbor. There are 5 oars and 2 fishing nets in the trawler. The distance between two consecutive steps on the ladder is one foot. If waves lashing against the wall rise six-inches in 30 minutes, how much time will it take for six steps to get under the waves?
Answer: The trawler rises with the waves, so no steps will go under water.
8 - There are 6 mangoes in a basket and 6 kids eagerly waiting to get one. Each kid is given 1 mango, yet there is one mango in the basket. Answer – The last kid gets the basket with the mango in it.
Most likely you did not get all the right answers. If you did you looked at the answers first!
Let’s look at some of the 2015 Darwin Award winners. A young Canadian man searching for a new way of getting drunk cheaply, because he had no money with which to buy alcohol, mixed gasoline with milk. To no ones surprise this concoction made him ill, and he vomited into the fireplace in his house. The resulting explosion and fire burned his house down, killing both him and his sister.
Another winner was a medium-size warehouse in west Texas that had a gas leak. Sensibly, management evacuated the building extinguishing all potential sources of ignition; lights, power, etc. After the building had been evacuated, two technicians from the gas company were dispatched. When they entered the warehouse, they found it difficult to navigate in the dark. To their frustration, none of the lights worked. Witnesses later described the sight of one of the technicians reaching into his pocket and retrieving an object that resembled a cigarette lighter. Upon striking the lighter-like object, the gas in the warehouse exploded, sending pieces of it up to three miles away. Nothing was found of the technicians, but the lighter was virtually untouched by the explosion. The technician suspected of causing the blast had never been thought of as “bright” by his peers.
In closing, I know you have been lying awake at night wondering why diapers have brand names such as “Luvs”, Huggies,” and “Pampers,” while undergarments for old people are called “Depends.”
Well here is the answer. When babies poop in their pants, people are still gonna Luv’um, Hug’um and Pamper’um. When old people poop in their pants, it “Depends” on who’s in the will.
FSGA HONORS MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS AT 42ND JAM AWARDS BANQUET; GIFTS USMC’S “TOYS FOR TOTS”
By Jim Frankowiak | Photo Courtesy of Captured by Crown
The Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA) held its 42nd Annual Jam Awards Banquet at Varlow Farms in Plant City last month to celebrate growers and those who support the Florida strawberry industry.
“For his decades of hard work, leadership, and lasting impact on the Florida strawberry industry, we are proud as an Association to induct Ronnie Young as the 2024 inductee into the FSGA Strawberry Hall of Fame,” said Executive Director Kenneth Parker.
Young’s career in farming began in the 1970s when he started working alongside his father and brother. In 1986, Ronnie and his business partner, Marvin Brown, purchased an 85-acre farm in Dover. In 1990 Ronnie and Marvin formed BBI Produce, which began the start of a now well-recognized brand in the produce community. Ronnie’s hands-on approach has always been at the core of BBI Produce’s success. His leadership allowed them to monitor
the quality and consistency across their farms, and over the years, Ronnie’s dedication to sustainable farming practices helped implement environmentally focused programs throughout their operations.
“I have been blessed to be able to work alongside my dad every day for the past 23 years. In that time, I have begun to realize that I will eventually have some big shoes to fill,” said Ronnie’s son, Adam Young. He continued by sharing that his dad was “being recognized because of [his] passion for growing strawberries, [his] decades of hard work, and [his] own contributions to the industry.”
Ronnie has served on many agricultural boards and associations, and his role as President of the FSGA was instrumental in advancing the industry and advocating for Florida strawberry growers. Through all his hard work and leadership, Ronnie has earned numerous recognitions and awards. These accolades
reflect his innovation in farming, his dedication to environmental stewardship, and his tireless efforts to improve the future of Florida agriculture.
Jam 42 also included the presentation of the Classic Award to Jeff Phillips of Farm Credit of Central Florida. This award honors those individuals who earn their living supporting the strawberry community through private ventures and their commitment to the industry. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson was presented the FSGA Public Service Award for his actions in the public realm that exhibit a strong commitment in support of the strawberry industry, especially following the impacts Hurricane Milton earlier in the season.
Grower Matt Parke of Parkesdale Farms was honored with the “Workhorse Award” in recognition of his continuous availability when work needs to be done, whether advocating for the industry or helping the FSGA advance its mission.
The “Influence of the Year” honor went to Casey Runkles of Simmons Farms for her ongoing actions ‘above and beyond’ to share the story of Florida strawberries. The “First Flat Award” was presented to Chris Parks of G&D Farms for their October 30th harvest.
As part of Jam 42, the FSGA held their annual toy drive benefitting the U.S. Marine Corps “Toys for Tots” Program. Master Sergeant Daniel Ramirez and his son, Corporal Gerardo Ramirez, were present to receive the donation, one of the largest to date for this toy drive, according to the FSGA.
THE GREENES LOVE THE DAILY GRIND
GREENE ACRES STUMP GRINDING,LLC, OWNED BY TIM AND AMY GREENE, IS READY TO REMOVE DANGEROUS AND UNSIGHTLY STUMPS FROM YOUR YARD.
By Michelle Caceres
In the world of entrepreneurship, timing is everything. For seasoned entrepreneur Tim Greene, the licensing of his newest endeavor, Greene Acres Stump Grinding, couldn’t have come at a better time.
Two weeks before Hurricane Milton made landfall on Oct. 9 as a Category-3 storm, Greene applied for and was granted a business license for his new company. He also purchased a Bandit SG40 stump grinder, an all-terrain machine with an aggressive cutter wheel drive system, enhanced operator visibility, enhanced travel speed, and high maneuverability.
The company’s focus on removing tree stumps, a service needed year-round, now found itself on the frontlines of a crisis and in the perfect storm. “I was in the right place at the right time,” said Greene. “People needed help clearing debris, and I was ready to respond.”
Months after the storm caused widespread damage and downed trees throughout the region, Greene is still fielding calls from homeowners and businesses eager to remove hazardous stumps from their properties, both for safety and aesthetic reasons.
Greene helped Plant City resident Jay Kent after a 60’ cedar tree split into four pieces in his front yard. He had removed the tree but a six-foot stump remained. “He told me exactly what it was going to cost and he stuck to that price,” said Kent. “He arrived on the day and time he said he’d be
there, just a couple days after he gave me the estimate, and did a great job.”
Kent was particularly happy that Greene went above and beyond his expectations. “He spread the mulch out and made the area look very nice and even left me a pile that I could spread into another flower bed,” he said.
He’s shared his positive experience of Greene Acres Stump Grinding with friends and family and while he hopes he doesn’t have another felled tree, he will use him again if the need arises.
Greene Acres Stump Grinding is the latest in a line of successful entrepreneurial businesses. Born in Lakeland and raised in Plant City (he graduated from Plant City High in the Class of 1983), he launched Family Vending, his first venture, at the age of 25 after working for a company whose soda/snack vending machines were always inoperable. “I saw a need and wanted to fill it so I went to the owner and convinced him to let me put a working vending machine in his business,” he said. “That was my first taste of entrepreneurship.”
After growing the business for five years, he sold it and started Payphones Plus, a company he expanded from a small route of managing five pay phones to 330 pay phones throughout the Tampa area. During the same time period, he also started Capital Telecommunications to manage other business owner’s payphone routes.
As demand for pay phones waned, and with the increase in popularity of cellphones, he created Cellular Safety One, a company that assisted customers with cell phone activations and accessories, which eventually morphed into a wholesale company whose client list included Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. Headquartered in Atlanta, Greene sold the business in 2015 and moved back to Plant City to care for his elderly father, where he also met and married Amy Trinkle.
With Greene Acres Stump Grinding, as with all his other businesses, he aims to stand out from the competition by offering a great customer experience. “In my years in business, I have learned that providing exceptional customer service is how to stand out from other companies in your field, and you do that by delivering on your promises,” he said.
Green Acres Stump Grinding is licensed and insured.
For more information about Greene Acres Stump Grinding or to get a free estimate call 656-7774099 or visit its Greene Acres Stump Grinding Facebook page.
Land Brokerage | Development |
Encompassing approximately 19 acres of high and dry acreage, this picturesque property combines the charm of improved pastureland with the tranquility of a lakefront retreat.
Pricing: $1,345,000 Available as a whole or individually, this rare offering is perfect if you’re looking for the ideal setting for your custom home or a small family compound to accommodate 3 homes!
Pricing: $725,000 - Entire 7± Acres Lot 1: $210,000, Lot 2: $200,000, Lot 3: $325,000
Carlton Lake Retreat, 26.45± Acres, Wimauma, FL
Lithia Acreage Homesites, 7± Acres, Lithia, FL
Blaise Lelaulu, CCIM, Broker Associate
Ellie Dahl, Agent
Reed Fischbach, Broker Melissa Raburn, Agent
NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
Florida State Fair – February 6-17
The 2025 Florida State Fair is scheduled for February 6 – 17. More information about the Fair and events taking place is available by visiting: www.floridastatefair.com. You may also sign up for email updates on Fair activities at that website.
AG Losses from Hurricane Milton Top $190 Million
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program (EIAP) estimates agricultural production losses in Florida as a result of Hurricane Milton have an estimated value between $190.4 million and $642.7 million.
Mosaic Contributes $50,000 to Farm Bureau’s Hurricane Relief Fund
The Mosaic Company Foundation has contributed $50,000 to the Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s Hurricane Relief Fund, helping Florida’s farmers and rural communities recover from recent storms. The grant complements The Mosaic Company’s $500,000 in contributions to hurricane relief efforts across Florida. “The contributions reflect our ongoing commitment to standing with those in need during challenging times,” the company said. “Together, we are working to rebuild and strengthen the communities that we are proud to call home.”
Ask IFAS Available 24/7, 365 Days a Year
Ask IFAS, the Electronic Information Source of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension, offers access to information provided by Extension throughout the year. Content is peer-reviewed with target audiences including agricultural and horticulture producers, homeowners, Extension agents, industry or governmental staff, land managers, other professionals, youth, and interested citizens. Access is available by visiting https://edis.ifas.ufl. edu.
90th Annual Florida Strawberry Festival
February 27 – March 9
The Florida Strawberry Festival – with the theme “The Stage is Set” --- is scheduled for February 27 – March 9. Event attendees will be introduced to the festival’s new soundstage for a new entertainment experience. Information, including ticket sales, entertainment headliners, livestock shows and more is available by visiting www.flstrawberryfestival.com
HOMEGROWN HILLSBOROUGH RECAPS 2024; FUTURE PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED
By Jim Frankowiak
Homegrown Hillsborough (H.H.) is a community development initiative led by Hillsborough County Extension which seeks to create a network of community organizations with a mission to support a strong food system. Monica Petrella is the Homegrown Hillsborough Coordinator and Food Systems Coordinator with Hillsborough County University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension.
The H.H. vision is an integrated food system that is diverse, reliable, and creates opportunities for active participation. The values of Homegrown Hillsborough are:
• Stewardship
• community well-being
• choice
• education
• accessibility
In 2024, Homegrown Hillsborough hosted 10 Summits with unique food system topics each month.
From March to December, summits attracted 146 total attendees, with 58 attendees (~40%) returning for two or more summits. Summit participants included representatives of non-profit organizations, government agencies, academic institutions, private busi-
nesses, and individual citizens. Homegrown Hillsborough’s online platform grew to 252 members by December, beginning with 198 members in March.
Between November and December, Homegrown Hillsborough Ambassadors interviewed 56 engaged network members to determine working group topics for 2025 and gain overall feedback.
Member responses averaged 4.5 out of 5, indicating H.H.’s high value among its members. Working group priorities were voted on and the top three initiatives are:
• Food Production
• Food Access
• Economic Development
Starting this month, members will be invited to apply as leaders of working groups focused on these specific initiatives. Working group leaders and members will influence the direction of our collective work and allocate funding to support projects and programs to accomplish established goals.
For additional information about Homegrown Hillsborough, including how to become a member, contact Petrella via email: petrellaML@hcfl.gov.
FRESH FLORIDA DATES
By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Fresh Florida dates are sometimes referred to as “nature’s candy” since they provide a natural source of sweetness in eating and cooking. Fresh dates are the fruit of the date palm tree, which can grow up to 75 feet. More than 1,000 dates can grow in a single bunch! Dates are considered healthy because they are packed with nutrients, including fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds. Dates often make an appearance during the winter and holiday season in a variety of forms---Christmas pudding, sticky toffee pudding, and date nut bread. Their main harvest season is in the early winter. Dates have a long shelf life. Some varieties of dates are sold dried and processed, while other types, including the Medjool date, are eaten fresh and gradually shrink and wrinkle as they age.
Nutritional Profile
Dates are as nutritious as they are delicious. Rich in polyphenols, potassium, and fiber, dates pack a hearty nutrition punch in a small package. They also contribute to your daily requirement for magnesium, iron, and manganese. Because dates are naturally sweet, they can be used to replace refined sugar in baking and cooking. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one 100-gram serving of fresh Medjool dates (approximately five dates) contains 277 calories, 1.8 g of protein, 0.1 g of fat, 75 g of carbohydrate, and 6.7 g of fiber. A serving of dates also provides 40% of the Daily Reference Intake for copper, 27% for fiber, 20% for potassium, 19% for vitamin B6, 14% for magnesium, and 13% for manganese. Dates also contain notable amounts of vitamins A and K, folate, niacin, zinc, iron, calcium, and phosphorus.
Protect Against Heart Disease
Fresh dates are high in potassium and low in sodium, which is beneficial for maintaining normal blood pressure and optimal heart function. Additionally, people who ate foods high in fiber, magnesium, and potassium, such as dates, had a lower risk of stroke. The potassium and calcium in dates can also enhance bone health. Some studies suggest that potassium can slow the rate of calcium loss from bone.
Polyphenols and Antioxidants
Fresh dates are a rich source of antioxidants including polyphenols which include flavonoids and phenolic acids. These antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, decrease inflam-
mation and support overall heart and immune function. Some polyphenols also have neuroprotective properties, which could contribute to brain health by protecting neurons from damage. Potentially, this could reduce the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease. Antioxidants support heart health by protecting against oxidative stress, reducing cholesterol levels, and improving blood pressure.
How to Select and Store
When shopping for fresh dates, choose those that are shiny and unbroken. Avoid any that are hard, have crystallized sugar on their surface, or have a sour smell. Fresh dates can be stored in an airtight container (to prevent them from drying out) in the refrigerator for up to one year or freezer for many years.
How to Enjoy
Dates can be eaten fresh or dried, much like raisins. People can also add them to a variety of sweet or savory dishes. Dates are sometimes processed into syrup or sugar and can be used in baking or serving. Additional ways to enjoy fresh dates include:
• Stuff dates with almonds, pecans, cream cheese, or goat cheese for a snack or finger food.
• Add chopped, sliced, or pitted whole dates to any vegetable or fruit salad.
• Blend dates into a smoothie
• Cook in Moroccan stews or tagine dishes.
• Make energy balls by blending dates with nuts, cranberries, oats, coconut flakes, or a variety of other ingredients to make no-bake “energy balls.”
• Substitute for raisins in cookies, breads or baked goods, such as date nut bread.
With so many ways to enjoy this delicious fruit, enjoy fresh Florida dates today. They add natural sweetness and nutrients to your dish.
Selected References
http://www.whfoods.com http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
TWO NEW STRAWBERRY VARIETIES INTRODUCED THIS SEASON
By Jim Frankowiak
ENCORE EMBER
Two new strawberry varieties – Ember and Encore – are in commercial production for the first time this season. Combined, the new varieties are being grown on approximately 1,400 acres – with Ember accounting for roughly 900 acres and 500 acres for Encore.
Both varieties, which were released in 2023, were developed at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) at Balm in south Hillsborough County. The Strawberry Breeding Program is headed by Vance Whitaker, Ph.D., Professor of Horticulture, who develops strawberry varieties. The program is enhanced through genetic research and
collaborations with GCREC faculty and Florida growers/ Dr. Whitaker works closely with the Florida Foundation Seed Producers, the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA), and Ekland Marketing Company to license and market UF/ IFAS strawberry varieties in Florida and globally.
“Florida Ember® ‘FL 20.80-4’ is named for its bright red external fruit color,” said Dr. Whitaker. “It has excellent overall fruit quality, in particular the unusual combination of a high degree of rain resistance combined with excellent sweetness and flavor similar to Florida Medallion™. It has an excellent overall disease-resistance package. In particular, this cultivar is less susceptible to Neopestalotiopsis spp. than other current
varieties from our program, particularly with regard to disease on the fruit.”
“Ember has excellent early yields and is well-suited to planting during the early half of the planting window in Florida from October 1 to October 15,” said Whitaker. “This variety is best suited for open field production and has not yielded as well in high-tunnel environments.”
“Florida Encore® ‘Fl 20.34-183’ is so named because it is considered an improved version or “encore” of ‘Florida Brilliance,’ a grandparent of this cultivar. “It has a robust plant that is easy to grow and is well-suited for the sandiest soils in central Florida,” said Dr. Whitaker. “It works well when planted in the second half of the Florida planting window, between October 10 and 20. It has high early yields with a heavy fruit load on the first inflorescence. It exhibits better tip pollination and larger fruit size than ‘Florida Brilliance.’ Encore also possesses a reflexed calyx that curves away from the shoulder of the fruit, reducing the development of Botrytis. It has moderate resistance to Phytophthora cactorum.
“Both Ember and Encore are robust and do well in organics and each has strong consumer acceptance,” Dr. Whitaker added.
“Our growers and the food industry truly benefit from the efforts of Dr. Whitaker and his team,” said FSGA Executive Director Kenneth Parker. “His foresight and willingness to
adapt and expand is testimony to his forward-thinking. He is never satisfied with the status quo, and that bodes extremely well for our growers and their ongoing impact on the marketplace.”
“To see these new varieties perform so well in this hurricane-impacted season gives further testimony to his success and its ongoing importance to our industry,” Parker added.
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New Farm Bureau President CASEY SIMMONS RUNKLES
By Jim Frankowiak
Growing up on the Simmons Family Farm in Plant City, new Hillsborough County Farm Bureau (HCFB) President Casey Simmons Runkles didn’t see a future in farming for her career plans. After graduating from Plant City High School, she went on to receive her undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida (Go Bulls!), majoring in Business Administration and Marketing.
Runkles then became a teacher at the middle school level and taught math; followed by a stint in mentoring new teachers. After working for approximately five years in the Hillsborough County School District, an opportunity arose on the family farm, and she decided to pursue it. She became the Director of Financial Operations and Food Safety. Regulatory Compliance and Safe Food Procedures have become a very important part of agriculture farming over the last two decades. She was able to blend her learned teaching skills within her new position to help modernize the farm. Runkles has gone well beyond the need for Food Safety at Simmons Farms. She created her own consulting business and assists growers throughout the southeast with ongoing food safety practices and regulatory compliance.
Casey is married to Jason, a City of Tampa police officer. The Runkles have three daughters: Roby Elizabeth, Laney, and Bryce. The family are actively involved members at First Baptist Church of Plant City, where Jason is a deacon, and Casey is part of the Women’s Ministry.
Simmons Farms, founded in 1977, has produced numerous commodities over the years: strawberries, blueberries, watermelons, cantaloupes, and others. Currently, strawberries is the only crop grown on the farm. Simmons Farms is a Wish Farms partner. Simmons Farms is truly a family operation where Casey works with her father, Billy (owner), brother, Shad (Farm Manager), and brother Chaun. Another brother, Philip, is currently pursuing an electrical apprenticeship with the goal of bringing those skills to the farm one day. Casey’s two sisters, Evie and Brea, work outside of farm life, but who knows, maybe one day they will join in some capacity. Casey’s mom, Carol, retired years ago from maintaining the weekly payroll and now has the most important job, helping with the grandkids. Throughout her career, Runkles has observed the growing need for agricultural education targeted at
Casey Simmons Runkles • Daughter
Bryce Carter Runkles
non-farm audiences. To enhance her leadership skills to promote education, she participated in the FFVA’s (Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association) Specialty Crop Foundation Emerging Leadership Development Program, Class of 2015-16. Runkles also participated in the Wedgworth Leadership Institute (Class XI), which has as its mission “to develop leaders to ensure a strong and adaptable Florida agriculture and natural resources industry for generations to come.” “Both of these programs stressed the importance of getting involved in order to help make a difference,” she said. That, along with her appreciation for the need to help educate non-farmers on the importance and desire for a robust agricultural industry, Runkles joined and became an active member of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau. Runkles was elected to the HCFB board in 2022, elected Vice-President in 2023, and President last year.
The story of Agriculture is complex and has many audiences. As a Voice for Agriculture, “I want to continue and possibly expand our efforts so more people will recognize our industry’s importance to each of them, its economic impact, the caution our farmers take when it comes to environmental impacts, and the overall need to assure industry profitability.”
Specialty crop farming (i.e., strawberries) is challenging in many ways; there’s the ever-changing weather, the continual increase in labor costs, and other seasonal complications. Couple that with the continued efforts from developers interested in purchasing farms and converting them into housing and commercial developments. These are serious obstacles that could have long-term impacts within the farming community. We must do whatever we can to help people understand the implications of these actions and how they affect each of us going forward.”
“We also need to continue working with our legislative friends and regulators at all levels,” says Runkles. “We don’t want special treatment or unnecessary financial handouts; our desirable mandate is to have a level playing field when it comes to our international competitors.”
Runkles is honored to have been selected to lead HCFB and looks forward to continuing the organization’s vision for Hillsborough County.
SKIP A WEEK YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Why should homeowners skip a week of irrigation in the winter?
According to research by the University of Florida, grass only needs one-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days in the winter. That means you can skip a week of irrigation in the cooler months. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, you can turn off your irrigation system and operate it manually as needed. It’s important to remember that grass is a plant and plant watering needs change throughout the year.
Overwatering in the winter not only wastes water but can lead to poor plant health.
How do I know when my lawn needs water?
You can determine when your grass needs water when grass blades are folded in half lengthwise on at least one-third of your yard; grass blades appear blue-gray and/or grass blades do not spring back, leaving footprints on the lawn for several minutes after walking on it.
What day and time should I water my lawn in the winter?
Check local water restrictions to confirm your home’s watering day(s) and time. It is recommended to water in the early morning or evening hours. Remember that although water restrictions set what day of the week you can water, it does not mean you have to water. Only water on your designated day(s) if you need to. Visit WaterMatters.org/Restrictions or contact your local water utility to learn more about your watering day(s).
Can smart irrigation controllers help with seasonal changes?
Yes! Smart irrigation controllers monitor local weather and other site conditions to adjust your irrigation system to apply just the right amount of water at the right time. Consider upgrading to a WaterSense labeled smart controller this winter to make seasonal changes even easier.
Q:
How are
the current hydrologic conditions?
Since Hurricane Milton hit the region, rainfall has been below average. The Climate Prediction Center indicates a chance of below-average rainfall through spring. The region’s water supply storage systems are relatively full due to the summer rainy season. However, these supplies need to last through the dry season, which typically ends in May.
Katherine Munson
Why is protecting our water resources so important?
Water is a limited resource in Florida that we all play a role in protecting, which makes it important to understand your personal impact. The choices you make as a homeowner or community, from the plants in your landscape to how you water your lawn, can make a big difference on your overall water use. The District encourages everyone to do their part in protecting and conserving our shared water resources. To learn more, visit WaterMatters.org/Water101.
Katherine Munson
Lead Conservation Education Coordinator
Southwest Florida Water Management District
As lead conservation education coordinator, Katherine manages the District's youth education program and assists in water conservation outreach efforts. Katherine holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies concentrating in Environmental Education and Communication from Green Mountain College. She also holds a master's degree in Global Sustainability concentrating on water sustainability from the University of South Florida.
FLORIDA TURFGRASS: AN UPDATE
By Jim Frankowiak
A healthy lawn is an important aspect of the urban landscape. “Lawns not only increase the value of a property, but they also reduce soil erosion, filter stormwater runoff, cool air, and reduce glare and noise,” said Marco Schiavon, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center (FLREC). “A healthy lawn effectively filters and traps sediment and pollutants that could otherwise contaminate surface waters and groundwater.”
Whether a homeowner is installing a new lawn or maintaining an existing one, it is vital that actions taken are appropriate for the species being installed or maintained, and that requires proper species identification.
Dr. Schiavon and Alex J. Lindsey, assistant professor, Department of Environmental Horticulture; Claude J. Jean, Extension agent I, UF/IFAS Extension Flagler County; Kevin E. Kenworthy, professor, Department of Agronomy; and J. Bryan Unruh, professor, and associate center director, Department of Environmental Horticulture, UF/IFAS West Florida Research and Education Center; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL recently collaborated on an article entitled, “Florida Turfgrass Identification.” The full article is available on “Ask IFAS,” accessible at edis.ifas.ufl.edu, a virtual library of peer-reviewed publications developed to support Extension program initiatives throughout Florida. A good portion of that article is reflected below in the review of Florida turfgrass species.
Bahiagrass is viewed as a low-maintenance turfgrass that does well with limited water and fertilizer inputs. It forms an extensive, deep root system, and it is not prone to forming excessive thatch. However, it does produce tall seedheads, and it forms a relatively open turf canopy.
Bermudagrass is viewed as a high-maintenance turfgrass and generally requires greater input levels compared to other Florida lawn grasses. It produces a vigorous, dense turf when managed properly. However, it can have poor tolerance to many pests, and it has poor cold and shade tolerance. Additionally, excessive thatch buildup is common due to its aggressive growth.
Centipedegrass is viewed as a low-maintenance, slow-grow-
ing turfgrass that has low fertility requirements and grows well in acidic soils. It grows close to the ground and has a lighter green color than other Florida lawn grasses. Mismanagement, especially overfertilizing with nitrogen, can increase pest problems and reduce cold tolerance.
Seashore paspalum is viewed as a higher-maintenance turfgrass that does well in areas with high salinity. It produces a dense, dark-green turf when managed properly. However, it is prone to excessive thatch buildup. It has poor cold and shade tolerance, but it can withstand extended periods of low light intensity.
St. Augustinegrass is adapted to most soils and climatic regions in Florida. It produces a dense, green to blue-green turf. It has relatively good salt tolerance, and certain cultivars have better shade tolerance than other Florida lawn grasses. However, it can produce excessive thatch when mismanaged, and it has poor wear tolerance. St. Augustinegrass is the most distinct turfgrass species in Florida.
Zoysiagrass is adapted to a variety of soils and climatic regions in Florida; however, zoysiagrass maintenance is different from other Florida lawn grasses. Improper maintenance practices generally lead to undesirable turfgrass. Zoysiagrass produces a dense turf stand that is resistant to weed invasion when properly managed, and it has good salt, traffic, and shade tolerance. However, it can produce excessive thatch when mismanaged.
Detailed visual assistance for identifying various Florida turfgrass, is available at “Ask IFAS” accessible at edis.ifas.ufl.edu, specify publication ENH1382. Best Management Practices for each of the listed turfgrass species such as fertilization, irrigation, mowing, and more is also available at “Ask IFAS” accessible at edis.ifas.ufl.edu. specify Publication ENH979.
by John Dicks
NEW YEAR BRINGS NEW LAWS
With celebrations of the Holiday Season behind us, it’s time to get back to business, work, school, play, and whatever other pursuits we might have planned for the new year.
Adding to our enjoyment (or chagrin), the state government joins in the fray by enacting some of the laws passed by the legislature last spring. That seems like a long time ago, but perhaps they are such that legislators considered that the public needed time to prepare, or maybe some were such that they just hoped we’d forgotten about them!
Nonetheless, every year in Tallahassee, when 40 Senators and 120 members of the House of Representatives meet to discuss and argue over the future of Florida, thousands of matters and ideas are put forth in the form of proposed bills to change the laws of our state. Most of them never actually make it through the process, but even the few hundred that do seem like a surprising number of things supposedly wrong with Florida that needed changing.
Once passed by the legislature, and having escaped the veto pen of the Governor, the new laws typically linger until enacted, traditionally and by custom, either in July (middle of the year) or January (beginning of the new year).
The ones taking the longest to get going through enactment are generally the ones that are the most significant, sweeping, or controversial. Here are a few that just recently took effect:
Amendment 5 to Florida’s Constitution - Sometimes, Floridians just take things into their own hands rather than relying on the legislature to get things done. It happens when the general public gets so propelled to do so over a particular concern that enough signatures of voters are gathered to force the initiative on the ballot. Many get proposed, but most seem to fail during the November elections since the threshold for passage requires approval by at least 60% of voters.
Sailing through, though, with a strong percentage of voters favoring it, was Amendment 5, probably because it resulted in some property tax savings on homesteads. Specifically, it increased
an exemption on homestead properties by factoring into the calculation an adjustment based on inflation as measured by the consumer price index. It’s a convoluted matter of math, but basically, it will save some for most homeowners.
Threatening
First Responders - Thanks to Senate Bill 184, the new law of the land says that it’s illegal to threaten, disrupt, hinder, harass, or interfere with First Responders from performing their duties. Well, that makes sense, and frankly, I thought that would have been illegal all along! This one, though, does make things specific. When told to move, onlookers have to move at least 25’ away.
Social media restrictions on children - This came out HB3, and it aims to prevent children under age 16 from opening social media accounts on some internet platforms. Parents can give consent to have accounts for kids aged 14 and 15 years old, but children under 14 would be barred from doing so.
Presumably, this will apply to social media apps and sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, although the new law did not name specific ones. Instead, it defined such platforms as those with criteria related to such things as algorithms, addictive features, and allowing the content or activities of other users to be viewed. Not surprising is that already lawsuits have been filed citing First Amendment issues, all of which have delayed the implementation of this law.
Revision to Building Regulations - Arising from HB 267, this new law modifies the Florida Building Code so that sales drawings are not required to replace windows, doors, or garage doors in existing homes, provided that they match the previous installation. This sounds like a reasonable revision, which should require less paperwork for review by local government building departments and result in a faster building permitting process.
Now that these new laws are up and running (along with a few more), the Legislature is set to convene yet again, just a few weeks ahead, so that evermore matters considered to be urgent can be deliberated and argued over. It all begins on March 4.
John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
PLANT CITY NATIVE SAVES THE DAY— ONE PET AT A TIME
By Dave Hoover
LOCAL DRONE PILOT USES HIGH TECH TO FIND LOST ANIMALS.
Trey Larson, a 2010 Plant City High School graduate and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Reserve 1 Deputy, is the owner and operator of Florida Game Recovery. He has a high-end drone he doesn’t play with—he uses it for good by recovering pets, livestock, and wounded game. “As a kid, my best friend growing up was my Redbone Coonhound,” Larson said. “His name was Dan. Just like in the book, ‘Where the Red Fern Grows.’ We would go running through the woods every day. I even got a female and named her Ann, just like in the book. When I was 16 years old, Dan, Ann, and our beagle got out and ran away. Six days later, we did recover the beagle and Ann, the female, but we never recovered Dan. Being able to help these pet owners recover their missing pet is personal to me because I lost my dog. We are helping these people now so they don’t suffer the same loss I did as a kid.”
To be legally hired as a drone pilot, Larson had to study for and pass the Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 License test. This is a condensed version of the same test airline pilots take. Larson’s drone has a wingspan of 18 inches and weighs seven pounds. The reason it is so heavy is that it is full of high-tech equipment. It carries a thermal camera, a wide-angle camera, a first-person view (FPV) camera, a spotlight, and a laser range finder. The thermal camera offers multiple color-contrast palettes to make finding things easier. The drone also has GPS and satellite location capabilities.
When he arrives for a job, Larson sets up his gear including a 32-inch monitor to which he hooks his remote controller. With this, the pet owner gets to see everything the drone sees. Using Google Maps, the pet owner shows Larson the areas where the pet may be so he can drop pins on the map to mark areas to focus on.
To find animals, Larson uses the thermal camera set for white-hot imaging. Cool areas show as grey, but an animal’s
temperature causes it to glow like a lightbulb in the dark.
“The thermal camera is extremely high quality,” Larson said. “It can pick up all the different heat signatures. Animals stand out extremely well. We scan the area, looking at each different heat signature. For an animal, we switch over to the 200x zoom camera. It is a 48-megapixel camera, so it can zoom in incredibly far. During the day, even from 400 feet in the air, I can zoom in and see every detail on the animal to differentiate whether it is the missing pet or just another animal on the loose in the area. One of the questions people ask is, how do I figure out the animals I locate at night? The drone has an 8,000-lumen spotlight on it. So, whenever we locate an animal with the thermal camera, then we switch over to the zoom camera with the spotlight. From 400 feet in the air, we can zoom in and immediately differentiate between the missing pet or somebody else’s pet.”
Once Larson locates the missing animal, he uses the laser range finder. “I point that at the pet and push a button, and it drops a pin in the exact location of the pet,” Larson said. “It coordinates that with Google Maps, and it pulls up a QR code. The pet owner can scan that QR code, and it pulls the exact coordinates of where that animal is sitting. Once we do that, I keep the watchful eye in the sky, while the pet owner looks at their phone and responds to that exact location. I talk to the owner on the phone. I can see the owner approaching, and I can guide them to the animal even if it is moving, so they can recover it.”
Every situation is different, but in some cases, Larson has located a pet in a few minutes. Sometimes it can take hours. Or if the pet has moved out of the search area or has been picked up, not at all. To date, he has a 70 percent recovery success rate. In addition to dogs and cats, he has located a lost donkey and a herd of goats gone missing. “My main focus is the cats and dogs,” Larson commented. “Those are definite-
ly the most important to people because cats and dogs can be like people’s children. Being able to locate and recover the pet for them is an extremely rewarding process.”
A family in Bartow had been missing their dog for 33 hours. After Larson set up, it took about an hour to locate the dog. He was able to direct owners to the pet and make a successful recovery. In another search on Christmas Day, a widely known Youtuber had spent more than six hours looking for his cat. Within two minutes after getting the drone in the air, Larson spotted the cat two houses away hiding in bushes.
“Trey’s business is amazing and I want to do all I can to spread the word so others know this service exists,” Ansley Peacock said. “We were incredibly lucky that a friend sent me his website, and that he picked up the phone, and could respond that evening. I do not think we would have been able to find our dog without his drone. It was impressive to see his operation and the use of the drone technology. We had been able to obtain sightings by spreading the word through Facebook and flyers that we posted throughout town and put in hundreds of mailboxes. By giving him those sighting locations he was able to find her within 90 minutes. And it was in an area where we had searched (a vacant lot on a lake), but she was so far back in the bushes that my husband had to crawl to her location. We would not have found her without him. His technology and ability to use that technology was absolutely amazing.”
More information about Larson’s service can be found at floridapetrecovery on Instagram; Florida Pet Recovery on Facebook, and https://www.floridagamerecovery.com. Drone footage and audio of actual pet recoveries can also been seen on these pages.
LETHAL BRONZING AND PALM TREES
By Jim Frankowiak
Whether your landscape includes palm trees or you are considering adding them, it is important to be aware of Lethal Bronzing Disease (LB). It is a deadly disease for which there is no known cure.
“LB was originally called Texas Phoenix Palm Decline (TPPD) because it was first discovered infecting trees from the Phoenix genus of palms in Texas,” said Dr. Brian Bahder, an Associate Professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center (FLREC) where he specializes in insect vector ecology.
“Lethal bronzing was first discovered in Florida in 2006 in Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties in West Central Florida,” Bahder said. “The disease has since spread to 36 of the Sunshine State’s 57 counties, as far north as Jacksonville and to the Keys in the far south. It is most prevalent in the central part of Florida. LB has also been reported in Louisiana. “LB is caused by a phytoplasma, an unculturable bacterium that has no cell wall. Phytoplasmas are transmitted to plants by piercing-sucking insects that feed on the sap,” said Bahder. “The insects spread the disease from plant to plant as they visit different hosts during their feeding activities. Phytoplasmas are not known to survive outside of their host, whether the host is plant or insect. Planthoppers and leafhoppers are the main groups of insects that transmit phytoplasma.
Palm trees do not show any LB symptoms until 4 to 5 months after they have been infected. Fruits will start dropping to the ground much earlier than expected. Then, the palm’s flowers start dying.
If a palm tree has neither fruit nor flowers, the first symptom observed is lethal bronzing’s most prominent one. The oldest leaves will start turning bronze, brown, or gray. The disease will work its way up to the younger fronds until it reaches the spear leaf.
If the palm’s spear leaf has collapsed, then it is completely dead. From the first sign of disease, the infected palm has about 2 to 3 months to live. “This happens because the phytoplasma concentrates in the palm’s sap at the base of the tree and cuts off its circulatory system,” said Dr.Bahder. “It is as if the palm has suffered a heart attack. The blood vessels are just clogging up, and the palm can’t handle it, and it dies.” Management of LB involves removal of infected palms and the preventative injection of antibiotics. “Current data suggests that once palms start showing symptoms, the label rate for injected antibiotics is not sufficient for symptom reversal,” said Dr. Bahder. “Because of this, upon symptom development and/or a positive test result, a palm is considered lost and should be removed immediately to reduce the amount of time this source of phytoplasma exists in the environment. The longer it is left, the higher probability that further spread will occur.
“Sampling healthy-looking palms around infected palms can help get ahead of the disease because even healthy-looking palms can test positive. Even though no symptoms are present, those palms need to be removed since there is insufficient time for an antibiotic to take effect before LB symptoms develop. Also, by testing healthy-looking palms, non-infected palms can be identified, and preventative antibiotic injections can begin,” said Dr. Bahder.
Following is a list of palm trees that can be infected by LB:
• Coyol palm
• Christmas palm
• Dwarf sugar palm
• San Jose Hesper palm
• Pindo palm
• Carpentaria palm
• Coconut palm
• Chinese fan palm
• Canary Island date palm
• Edible date palm
• Pygmy date palm
• Wild date palm
• Fiji fan palm
• Buccaneer palm
• Needle palm
• Mexican palmetto
• Cabbage palm
• Queen palm
• Chinese windmill palm
When sampling a palm for phytoplasmas, some basic equipment - distilled water, cordless power drill, 5/16” Drill bit (6”–8” long), trigger-start propane torch, golf tees, hammer, toothpicks or coffee stir straws, plastic bags, and a marker to label samples.
After you assemble all of the equipment and choose a palm to sample, begin by flame sterilizing a drill bit and cooling it off with sterile distilled water. Next, select a location on the trunk approximately two feet (about 0.6 meters) above the ground and drill a hole. Palms contain both living and dead tissues. The brown outermost tissue, called pseudobark, is the dead tissue and should be discarded. Drill through the dead tissue, pull the drill out, clean the drill, and then resume drilling into the living tissue.
The depth of the pseudobark is variable among palm species, thus this step involves observation to determine how much to remove. The living tissue is typically an off-white color. Continue drilling to obtain approximately two tablespoons worth (three grams/0.1 oz.) of the living trunk tissue. Without touching the tissue, put it into a plastic zipper-closure bag and seal carefully. The use of nitrile gloves is highly
recommended to avoid contamination. Excess tissue on the drill bit can be scraped into the bag using a sterile toothpick or individual coffee stir straw. The trunk tissue need not be obtained from the same hole, and it is advisable to take tissue from different spots around the circumference of the trunk, for a total of 0.1 oz./three grams. Hammer golf tees into the sample holes to seal them and protect the tree
Test tissue samples must be shipped overnight to Dr. Bahder at the University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Vector Entomology Lab 3205 College Avenue Davie, FL 33314-7719. Tissue can be placed in a zip-lock bag within a standard mailer only if shipped overnight. The basic test fee is $75.
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By Hannah Baker
Looking Back on 2024 & Looking Into 2025
As we look back on the cattle industry in 2024, there are many things to be thankful for and reflect on, with many more things to look forward to and plan for in 2025. Tight supplies, record-level/breaking prices, carcass weights, and culling rates were some of the main talking points for 2024 as we discussed historical trends along with circumstances such as H5N1, drought impacts, high input costs, elections, and the detection of New World Screwworm that temporarily halted imports of cattle from Mexico at the end of the year. It is safe to say that 2024 was an eventful year for the cattle industry. This article gives a brief summary of what happened in 2024 and how it sets the stage for what we can possibly expect in 2025.
Feeder cattle prices started rising in 2023 and reached record levels in 2024 due to tight supplies. Prices for 450-500-pound steer calves in Florida ended 2024 at around $314/cwt, a 20 percent increase from 2023. Average annual prices for this same weight class were roughly 23 percent higher than 2023 ($56/cwt). While location affects prices for cull cattle from state to state and even within a state, it can be concluded that national prices for cull cows were also more than favorable in 2024. The national weighted average price for lean (85%) cull cows in 2024 was $122.51/cwt, a 32 percent increase from 2023.
Liquidation over the last couple of years has diminished the supply of beef cows available for slaughter. Demand for ground beef products has remained fairly steady, supporting high prices for lean trimmings and cull cows. Total beef cow slaughter declined by 18 percent in 2024, but we were still culling about 10 percent of our beef cows. The culling percentage during the last expansion was about eight percent. However, despite having fewer cull cows, heavier carcass weights of fed cattle and more heifers entering feedlots than being retained helped to offset the overall decline in cattle slaughter. As of October 2024, almost 40 percent of cattle on feed were heifers. Steer and heifer carcasses reached record level carcass weights with average dressed weights of 929 pounds and 846 pounds and peaks of 960 pounds
and 869 pounds. As a result of heifer slaughter numbers and increased carcass weights, data indicates that beef production for 2024 only declined by about 0.6 percent compared to the expected decline of about four percent at the beginning of 2024.
2024 will most certainly be a year to remember for the beef cattle industry. But it might also be safe to say that 2025 could be just as “exciting” with the likely continuation of high prices for the next couple of years and preparing to answer the question of when we will be able to start rebuilding and expanding.
The USDA Inventory Report was released at the end of January, giving us a clearer picture of the state of the beef cow herd. If you would like to read more about what was in the 2025 January Inventory Report along with other details relating to information in this article, please see the 2025 January Annual Report that can be found at https://rcrec-ona.ifas.ufl. edu/about/directory/staff/hannah-baker/ under ‘Annual Report Summaries’ or by scanning the QR code below.
University of Florida - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF IFAS) Bookstore
Lynn Barber, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
For those of us who love to read, you should check out the University of Florida - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF IFAS) Bookstore in Gainesville. There is a large variety of educational materials. They include topics such as 4-H, agriculture, boating and fishing, Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM, gardening, lawn and landscapes, health, nutrition, family and community, homes and home maintenance, horticulture and plant diseases, insects, natural resources and wildlife, pollinators and native plants and more.
There is a section on health, nutrition, family, and community that includes books on family and relationships, community, SMART-strengthening marriages and relationships training, and financial management.
There is a great selection of cookbooks. Some include the Florida Vegetarian Cookbook, Simply Florida: A Taste of Flavors from the Sunshine State, Pickled, Fried, and Fresh: Bert Gill’s Southern Flavors, My Plate for Older Adults, Honey: 50 Tried & True Recipes, Good Catch: Recipes and Stories Celebrating the Best of Florida’s Recipes, Eggs: 50 Tried & True Recipes, Field to Feast and Blueberries: 50 Tried & True Recipes. There is also A Culinary History of Florida that looks very interesting!
The bookstore also has a large variety of UF clothing items: shirts, t-shirts, hats, jackets, and more. Picture an alligator or
chicken hat, alligator plush key ring, bee, piggy bank, sea turtle, and alligator, which at least will make you smile, if not laugh out loud.
You can view products for sale and make purchases online https://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/. To make an in-person appointment, go to: https://outlook.office365.com/book/bookings-ifasbooksifasufledu@uflorida.onmicrosoft.com/. The bookstore is located on campus at 1374 Sabal Palm Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611-0011. Their telephone number is 352-392-1764, and a toll-free phone number is 800-226-1764. You can also FAX to 352-392-2628.
The travel time from Brandon to Gainesville is about 2 hours and 10 minutes using I-75 North. There is more good news. Antique malls and great restaurants are on both sides of the interstate. There are also amazing restaurants in Gainesville. If you are looking for Gator garb, great recipes, and a fun day, head to the UF/IFAS Bookstore in Gainesville. I may even see you there! Thanks.
Contact: labarber@ufl.edu
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Making a Difference in Rescue Animals Lives
By: Libby Hopkins
Kenny Yip of Tampa is a high school senior with a passion for animals. In 2017, he adopted his dog, Jake, from the animal shelter, and in 2018 he adopted his dog Duke from a rescue organization. “When I adopted the dogs neither of them came with pet ID tags,” Yip said. “I remember we needed to quickly get to a pet store and get them ID tags. We were warned that newly adopted pets are considered ‘high flight risk’ and we did not want to take any chances with our new family members.”
Although pets from shelters are typically microchipped, not everyone has quick access to a chip reader but almost everyone carries around a cell phone. “After thinking about it and learning more over the years I decided to combine my passion for helping rescue animals with technology and start a charity dedicated to laser engraving free temporary pet ID tags for rescue organizations and shelters,” Yip said. Wags for Tags was born.
As Yip got older, he learned that there was a need for free tags for rescue organizations so he set out trying to figure out how he could fill the need. “I started all the paperwork to create the 501c3 organization in January 2023, but became official and really launched in April of 2023 at an SPCA charity event,” Yip said. “Many rescues reached out to me, either they read about the charity, met me at a rescue event, or heard about us from a rescue we already supported. After they request tags, we ask a few basic questions, and then I engrave the tags with the shelter/rescue organization's contact information and mail the tags to the rescue/shelter at no charge. It is a completely free program. I usually try to provide a rescue with six months’ worth of tags.”
Wags for Tags works with many local and national rescues. “Locally, we work with Rags to Riches Animal Rescue, DC Doggos Rescue, Mercy Full Pet Project, Humane Society of Tampa Bay, Polk County Bully Project, Another Man's Treasure Rescue, Maxx and Me Pet Rescue, Animal Luvr's Dream
Rescue, First Ladies Farm and Sanctuary, Dachshunds Seeking Forever Home Rescue and McNeeley Farmly Rescue and Sanctuary,” Yip said. “I also have a map on my website which shows our impact throughout Florida.”
Rescues appreciate the peace of mind that the tags offer especially when the dog or cat is in foster care or transitioning to a new home. The Wags for Tags program has helped free up funds to pay for other necessities like food and beds. “When I started this charity, I wanted to do something to make a real difference in the lives of rescue pets,” Yip said. “By providing these tags, I am giving them a better chance of finding help if they get lost. It is a small but impactful way I could help.”
Keeping things local is very important to Yip and his team. “Keeping things local is incredibly important to me,” Yip said. “When I was starting the charity, I was fortunate to have so much support from local businesses who donated products and services. I am truly appreciative of the local community for their generosity. Attending local pet rescue events has also allowed me to connect with many rescues and witness firsthand the incredible impact they have. I am grateful to have the support of the community, and I am so happy I have been able to give back to the community.”
The primary objective of Wags for Tags is to ensure that pets in rescue and foster care have identification tags that can help them find their way home if they get lost. “These tags serve as a temporary ID until the pets are adopted and their new owners can provide a permanent tag,” Yip said. “This is crucial for the safety and well-being of the animals, as it increases the chances of a quick reunion with their caretakers if they become separated during this transitional period. If any rescues or shelters are interested in receiving tags at absolutely no cost, they can reach out to me via my email or website.”
If you would like to learn more about Wags for Tags, you can visit their website at www.wagsfortags.org or email Yip at kennyyip@wagsfortags.org.
FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD
By Brad Buck
INTERMITTENT IRRIGATION CAN SAVE STRAWBERRY GROWERS AS MUCH AS 67% ON WATER, MAINTAIN YIELD
As we enter the state’s strawberry-growing season, establishing young strawberry plants in the field requires substantial water. New University of Florida research shows that growers can save as much as 67% -- or up to half a million gallons per acre per season by alternating sprinkler cycles on and off -- and get the same yield.
The savings take place during the first two weeks of the season.
As Florida’s population is expected to grow from 21.5 million to 26 million by 2040, it is critical that every drop of water is used wisely. Conserving water is also crucial for enhancing the sustainability of Florida’s $434 million-a-year strawberry industry.
Normally, growers get their bare-root transplants from places such as Canada and northern California and plant them in Florida’s strawberry heartland -- Hillsborough, Polk, and Manatee counties.
After being shipped to Florida -- with no soil around the roots -- the plants initially need extra care, particularly daytime sprinkler irrigation. That’s because their damaged roots cannot absorb enough water to support the plants’ survival and growth. It typically takes 10 to 14 days of daytime sprinkler irrigation for bare-root transplants to settle in the field.
In fact, the establishment of strawberry transplants typically requires 355,680 to 456,000 gallons of water per acre over 10 days, or more than 600,000 gallons per acre with the extended use of sprinklers, said Shinsuke
Agehara, a UF/IFAS associate professor of horticultural sciences and lead investigator of the new study.
“This is a significant amount, especially considering the establishment period lasts only up to two weeks, and there are more than 14,000 acres of strawberry production in Florida,” said Agehara, a faculty member at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. “Using an intermittent sprinkler program can reduce water use during the establishment period by 50 to 67%.”
Results surprised scientists because they expected that alternating sprinkler cycles on and off would increase heat stress on the strawberry plants and negatively impact establishment and yield. But they saw no yield reduction.
Scientists also found that for some strawberry varieties, this method can increase yield without negatively affecting fruit quality. That includes ‘Florida Brilliance,’ which saw a 27% increase in yield in one season, using intermittent irrigation.
“Our next step is to set up an on-farm trial, so growers can see the water savings and the impact of intermittent irrigation for themselves,” Agehara said. “We would like to go beyond just academic publication. Our goal is to implement this intermittent irrigation program as a commercial standard practice for strawberry production, so we can conserve water and address practical issues.”
WINTER LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE GETTING PAST THE WINTER BLUES
By Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM agent, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
Winter, such as it is in Florida, can last for several months. In West-Central Florida, however, we are very fortunate compared with other areas in the country. Now is a great time to get outside and garden. It may be chilly in the morning, but the afternoons are wonderful.
The Central Florida Gardening Calendar is a great resource that will help you make timely landscape maintenance decisions. Access this publication at “Ask IFAS” followed by the title.
Gardening green tips for the next few months:
Plant vegetables: January: Plant peppers and potatoes; February: Plant beans, corn, cantaloupe, and tomatoes; and March: Same as February plus cucumber, okra, sweet potato, and watermelon.
Mulch: Cool weather is always a great time to add mulch to your landscape beds if it is less than 3 inches deep. Mulch regulates soil temperature, adds organic value, inhibits weeds, and retains soil moisture. Pine bark, pine straw/needles, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, and leaves are good options.
Manage Weeds: Using mulch (2-3 inches deep after it settles) helps. If you choose to fight the weed war, you can cover weeds with newspapers to smother them and/or point, aim, and squeeze with an environmentally-friendly weed killer spray.
Prune? Check the “Calendar” for what plants can be pruned and when. Prune to train plants to grow in a certain direction, improve health by removing diseased stems, increase flowering, and more abundant foliage.
Pests: Biting, Sucking and Chewing. Yes, we have pests: aphids, caterpillars, slugs, snails, scale and spider mites. Less than 1% of all bugs are “bad bugs.” The first step is to properly identify the insect to be sure it is a pest versus a beneficial insect. If you must, use the least toxic product. Spot treat plants as needed, not the entire landscape.
Inefficient Irrigation? If you have an in-ground irrigation system, do you have broken heads, plants or other materials blocking the spray pattern, and/or a rain shut-off device that does not work? Do you have program A, B and C set to run subsequently? Is your water bill for more than 20,000 gallons of water per month? If yes, call Will Stone at 813,744-5519, ext. 54133, to see how he may be able to help you decrease your water usage.
Right Plant, Wrong Place: After the last chance of frost, which is generally mid-February, consider the opportunity to move the right plant to the right place in your landscape if it is not there now. Consideration should be given to light (sun/ shade), soil pH and texture, water, wind, and other conditions. An invasive plant is never the right plant in any place. Not sure if it’s invasive? Go to UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas.
Rewards of winter landscape maintenance: You are outside, productive, enjoying nature, speaking with neighbors you may not have seen in a while.
For more information on environmental horticulture, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office. In Hillsborough County, call (813) 744-5519, visit our office at 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584, website, calendar of events and Facebook pages.
Contact me at labarber@ufl.edu
Naturally Amazing Activities
By Sean Green
Leather Coaster
Leather work can be a lot of fun and does not have to be expensive. Scrap pieces of leather can come in the form of old leather wallets, jackets, boots, purses, or a number of other items. One of the qualities I love about working with leather is not only its endurance, but it ages with character and even scraps of leather that look worn out can be perfect for the right project. This month’s project is a leather beverage coaster that can be made from scrap leather and will last for years.
Tools:
Leather
Leather Lace
(from shoes, boots, or craft store scrap bag)
Cordage (Sinew, Hemp)
Hammer
Awl (Stitching Awl, Nail)
Leather Stamp (optional)
Scribe Compass (optional)
4
Final
1 2 3
1
Cut a scrap of leather into the desired shape of your coaster and inset a scribe a line on the leather, inset the thickness of the Leather Lace.
2
Punch (with awl or nail) holes along the scribed line Loosely whipstitch ever other hole on the diagonal.
3
Feed the Leather Lace through the loose whipstitch Cut Leather Lace to length Tighten Stitch around the lace (DO NOT CUT CORDAGE YET)
4
Continue whipstitch in the OPPOSITE direction to create a crisscross pattern. Tie off neatly to the side and trim the cordage.
5
Embellish the coaster with leather stamp patterns or hand stitched embroidery.
Join us for 12 days of family fun at a friendly price showcasing the very best in livestock competitions, exhibits and learning activities.
Photo by Jennifer Pohlhaus
A Closer Look
by Sean Green
The Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus)
Milkweed is an important plant for a variety of pollinators including not only the infamous Monarch butterfly, but also a large variety of bees, flies, beetles and seed bugs. Like many gardeners, I keep milkweed growing year round to attract the pollinators and I take great pleasure in watching generations of Monarch propagate right outside my front door. I do not try to control the dominance of any one species that is attracted to the milkweed and consequently, get to witness the changing command of milkweed real estate as different insect species take the stage in natures drama. This month we take a closer look at the Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus), a seed eating insect that is a blessing to some and a pest to others, depending on one’s disposition for milkweed.
Milkweed bugs belong to the Lygaeidae family of true bugs (Hemiptera). Hemiptera are characterized by sucking mouth parts and include many crops pests such as aphids, plant hoppers, leaf hoppers, and shield bugs. Milkweed bugs (Lygaeidae) have evolved to feed primarily on milkweed plants (Asclepias) for good reason. Milkweed plants are so named for the milky sap produced to protect the plant. The sap itself contains a natural latex that helps the plant seal up and heal injuries, but more significantly, the milky compound contains toxic alkaloids and cardenolides that are distasteful at the very least but more often, fatal. Cardenolide is a type of steroid derived from sugars, in the milkweed, these compounds take the form of cardenolide glycosides which is a heart arresting compound. These plants have been used by humanity as both a medicine and a poison since at least 1500 B.C. Certain insects such as the Monarch Butterfly and the Milkweed Bug have mastered the used of these compounds over millions of years and are typically colored bright orange and black to display their deadly potential to would be predators. Insects that consume these toxic plants have evolved different strategies for dealing with the toxic compounds. The milk weed leaf beetle (Labidomera clivicollis) for example, chews through the veins of the leaf to drain the plants toxins from the outermost layer, then feeds on the drained outer tissue. The Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus), like the Monarch, isolates the toxins from the milky sap and stores them in its body so the insect itself becomes as toxic as the plant that created the toxins.
In Florida, both the Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) and the Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii) are abundant. Though similar in color, the two can be distinguished
by the pattern on their backs. The Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) has a thick black band crossing it’s wings while the Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii) has an red X pattern across it’s back and a black heart shape just above the X mark. Both species are migratory but can have populations in Florida all year long. Large Milkweed Bugs have a fairly short development period of only four instars and can reach adulthood in less than a month. Because they are easy to cultivate, they have become one of the most popular insects studied by scientist and insect enthusiasts. The Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) feed only on milkweed or if necessary, closely related species in the dogbane family (Asclepiadaceae) such as Oleander. The nymphs of the Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) will occasionally feed on young shoots, flowers, and developing pods, but require mature seeds for healthy growth from nymph to adult, fully developed wings, and effective reproduction.Small milkweed bugs (Lygaeusspp.) on the other hand, are more liberal in their dietary needs, they feed on seeds as nymphs but they can develop into adulthood with host plants other than milkweeds. The adults are not strict herbivores and will scavenge insects trapped in milkweed flowers, stalk monarch butterfly pupae, and frequently engage in cannibalism.
Our Florida population of milkweed bugs primary host is Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassivica), a largely introduced species that contains a much higher supply of toxins than native species such as Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa). Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassivica) is native in the Neotropic ecozone of southern Mexico and South America and the southern half of Florida. This particular species is a widely promoted exotic species that often becomes invasive, displacing species such as Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) that are native to our Nearctic ecology. Milkweed, especially exotic species, can propagate beyond control to become crop weeds, displace native species or pose a threat to livestock and agriculture regions, in which case, the milkweed bug may be a very welcome and abundant predator. Gardeners that want to attract butterflies to their gardens may not welcome an abundance of milkweed bugs and may be in for a battle to keep healthy milkweed for the butterflies while keeping the milkweed bugs from crashing the party. Knowing that the exotic milkweed are more attractive to the milkweed bugs than the native species, gardeners are encouraged to consider including more of our native milkweed species to attract butterflies.
Photo: Oncopeltus fasciatus on Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) | Photo Credit: Sean Green
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