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June 2015
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Contents
VOL. 11 • ISSUE 8
Ferris Waller
One of Plant City’s Most Successful Entrepreneurs
Page
70
Business Up Front
Floating Works of Art
Page 10
Page 42
Basics of Exporting
Page 65
Boating Safety ID
Page 46
South Tampa Farm
Page 12
Century Pioneer Farm
Page 16
Page 48
Page 50
Page 18
Rocking Chair Chatter
Page 22
Born Again Gun Club
Page 24
Page 74
Knights Elementary
Recipes
Fishing Hot Spots
Summer Break Spot
FRE Tour
Page 52 AG Abilities
Pesticide Exposure
Page 80
Redheaded Gardener
Page 81
Naturally Amazing
Page 53 Literary Time Machine
Page 54
FishHawk Dynasty
Page 29
Automated Picking
Page 58
Warner University
Page 33
Veterans Tour
Page 64
Florida Jicama
Page 35
Page 84 Closer Look
Page 85 Meet the Minks
Page 86
Living Exhibit
Page 87 Caladium
Page 92
5117 Hwy 92 West • Plant City 4
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
June 2015
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IN NTHEFIELD IELD MAGAZINE
June une 2015
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Letter from the Editor Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Summer is officially here! What does that mean for those of us living in Central Florida? That means we go from hot, to hot with afternoon showers/thunderstorms. And don’t forget, it is now officially hurricane season. This year it is predicted that the number of hurricanes will be below normal. But don’t be complacent. Just because the number of hurricanes will be low doesn’t mean one can’t be devastating. Remember Hurricane Andrew? Only seven named storms formed in 1992 and the first was Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane. So even with the low predication it pays to be prepared. Here are some tips from the National Hurricane Center. • Gather Information. Know where you live! Do you live in an evacuation area? Is your home vulnerable to storm surge, flooding and wind? • Keep a list of contact information for reference. You should include local emergency management, county law enforcement, county public safety, fire/rescue, local hospitals, local utilities, the American Red Cross, and your property insurance agent among others. • Put together a basic supplies kit. • Develop an emergency plan. • Follow guidelines to guard your community’s health and protect the environment during and after the storm. • If you need to leave your home follow instructions issued by local officials. Leave immediately if ordered to do so. • Be alert for tornadoes as they are often spawned by hurricanes. • The calm “eye” of the storm can trick you into thinking the storm is over. • Wait until the area is safe before returning home. We hope we have a calm hurricane season, but just in case – be prepared! Until Next Month
Sarah
Editor-In-Chief Al Berry Editor Patsy Berry Office Manager Bob Hughens Sales Manager Danny Crampton Sales Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Melissa Nichols Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Al Berry Stephanie Humphrey Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins Nick Chapman Contributing Writers Woody Gore Les McDowell John Dicks
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25 ABC Pizza...................................................91 Action Yamaha.........................................95 Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers.............78 Alan’s Air Conditioning Service............72 Arrowhead Archery.................................76 Astin Strawberry Exchange...................91 Bill’s Transmissions.................................79 Bingham...................................................69 Brandon Auto Services, Inc....................19 Brandon Regional Hospital...................89 Brewington’s Towing & Recovery........45 Broke & Poor...........................................79 C5 Biotech...............................................30 Cecil Breeding Farm................................41 Country Village.......................................51 Country Village......................................88 Country Village.....................................102 Dad’s Towing..........................................66 Dental Associates at Walden Woods..17 Dr. Barry Gaffney, O.D. PA....................11 Dr. Pat Almerico.....................................29
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Everglades Farm Equipment..........................96 Exo Creative......................................................81 Farm Bureau Insurance-Valrico....................90 Farm Bureau Insurance/Jeff Sumner...........59 Farm Credit.......................................................68 Felton’s.................................................................31 Fischbach Land Co...........................................68 Florida Propane................................................23 Florida Strawberry Growers Asso................47 Forbes Road Produce........................................17 Fran Haasch........................................................13 Fred’s Market Restaurant................................23 Gator Ford..........................................................21 Gladstone Land................................................56 Go Fresh Produce..............................................15 Grove Equipment Service.....................56 &66 Gulf Coast Tractor............................................73 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply..............................3 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply............................75 Harrell’s Nursery, Inc........................................91 Haught Funeral Home......................................62 Hillsboro Bank..................................................26 Home Protection Pest Control........................23 I-4 Power............................................................34 Jarrett-Scott Ford..............................................2 Johnson’s Barbeque.........................................21 Jon & Rosie’s Tree Farm.................................91 Keene Plumbing................................................88 Ken’s Well Drilling............................................60 Key Plex..............................................................83 Loetscher Auto Parts........................................39 Malissa Crawford.............................................82 Mosaic.................................................................60 O’Conner Automotive......................................61 Parkesdale.........................................................44 Pathway BioLogic.............................................87 Patterson Companies.......................................67 Plant City Dermatology....................................91 Plant City Homestyle Buffet.............................5 Plant City Housing............................................57 Plant City Tire & Auto.....................................91 R&O Pest Control.............................................37 RAMM Recycling.................................................55 Rhonda Wetherington......................................39 Savich & Lee Wholesale................................20 Seedway.............................................................39 Silent Technology.............................................25 South Fl Baptist Hospital..................................9 Southside Stores LLC.............................14 & 40 Southwestern Produce.....................................55 Stephanie Humphrey........................................84 StingRay Chevy.................................................32 Sweet Life Farms.............................................67 The Southern Barn.........................................62 The Wild Guava...............................................65 Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort...............93 Trinkle,Redman,Swanson,Coton,...................78 Verti-Gro, Inc.....................................................57 Walden Lake Car Wash & Service...............91 Waller’s Lawn & Power Equipment.............36 Wasabi Japanese..............................................17 Wells Memorial..................................................77 Willie’s.................................................................82 Xaxby’s.................................................................43 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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FARM BUREAU Dear Readers:
100toSouth MulrennantheRoad • Valrico, 33594 • 813-685-9121 I am both humbled and honored have been challenges our localFL industry partners face as elected president of YOUR Hillsborough County they strive to produce the high quality products Farm Bureau. All of us owe a debt of gratitude to our markets demand. Those tours are hard work outgoing president Danny Aprile for his years of and represent many hours of support from our service to our organization. I promise to do my A BUSY industry colleagues. We YOUR thank them and those TIME FOR best to continue the momentum he carried forth. legislators and regulators who take the time to FARM BUREAU learn first hand about agriculture in our area and As a sixth generation Florida farmer, I know the how and why we need their ongoing awareness, many challenges and opportunities all of us have help and support. in theReaders: agriculture industry and that is an industry Dear Dear Readers: nity for our youth and that isour theprogram upcoming contest There’s more. Ag-Venture, forspeech bringing that is global. Our major challenge is to continue at the end of August. There is more information on that the story of agriculture to children through school to produce the food our growing population must While many of you are reading this letter competition and thelocal monetary awards givenface to top Ihave am both and honored to our haveLegislature been the challenges our industry as winners activities, going on and willpartners again be particiwhilehumbled the lands devoted to farming continue will be approaching the end of a special session that began at the localisand state levels we available at www.floridafarmelected president YOUR County they strive to produce the high quality products pating in Farm City Days through which weasset bringfor any Theof good thingHillsborough is that the our market June 1. to It diminish. is my sincere hope that the actions elected bureau.org. Public speaking is an important Farm Bureau. All of us owe a debt of gratitude to our markets demand. Those tours are hard work the story of agriculture to our friends living in for our products continues to expand. Our task officials take during this session will be beneficial to all young man or woman seeking a leadership position in any outgoing president Danny Aprile for hisinterests. years of and represent hours of support our Tampa. is toand effectively meet dualpolitical challenges while Floridians not guided bythose partisan profession andmany this competition fostersfrom that skill service to our I promise to do confident my industry colleagues. We thank them and those protecting ourorganization. precious environment. I am best to continue the momentum heforward carried forth. andare who take the time There are number matters legislators are considering you are not aregulators member of Farm I to ask that you Lastly, if you not a member ofBureau, our Farm Bureau weaare up to of that task and I look to helping Iflegislators learn first handjoin about agriculture in our area andbefee that areus of all high Florida consider membership family. The modest family, please us.for It your isn’t necessary that you doimportance our part to to assure thatagriculture. we do so. I would a asencourage to generation read the article in this edition of INthe THE sociated with family membership invisit Farm Bureau is a great As ayou sixth Florida farmer, I know how andor why we need theirPlease ongoing awareness, farmer rancher to join. FIELDmany that details the million requested byhave Comdeal and your active involvement be beneficial challenges and$18 opportunities allnew of us help and support. http:// hcfarmbureau.org Let me alsohow tell you about the other officers or call will 813/685-9121 forto both missioner Adam on behalf ofthat theThey Department your and our industry through programs such as in the agriculture industry is an are: industryof elected byPutnam your board lastand month. morefamily information. Agriculture and Consumer Services will be used to help the onesmore. above.Ag-Venture, If your family already part of our Farm There’s ourisprogram for bringing that global. Our challenge is to continue ViceisPresident Willmajor Womack, Treasurer Ray Wood, with the citrus greening challenge. At the same time let Bureau family, please consider suggesting membership to the story of agriculture to children through school to produceMichelle the food our growingand population must Secretary Member-AtOnce again, I am honored be your president and your elected officials knowWilliamson how you feel about this paryour friends. To learn more,to please visit: http://hcfarmbuactivities, is going on and and your we will again be particihave the lands My devoted to farming continue Largewhile Bill Burnette. thanks to would each of them and reau.org my veryor best you ticular budget matter and others. If you like more callto813/685-9121 forfamily. more information. pating in Farm City Days through which we bring to diminish. The good thing is that the market our board for their willingness to serve. information about this budget request or any of the items the story of agriculture to our friends living in for our products continues to expand. Our task important to agriculture and before the legislature, please Tampa. is to effectively meet those dual challenges while As I am sure all of you have come to realize visit: www.floridafarmbureau.org. That website can also Sincerely, our precious environment. I amnumbers confident provideprotecting you withtime email addresses andparticularly telephone vacation is over. We are busy at Thank you, Lastly, if you are not a member of our Farm Bureau we areBureau. up to that task and senator. Iwe look to helping for your state representative and Let them know Farm This month areforward completing the how you feel about important matters. family, please join us. It isn’t necessary that you be a us all do ourthese part to assure we do so. we take third of our legislative toursthat during which farmer or rancher to join. Please visit elected and appointed officials to several of our There is also story inyou thisabout edition a http:// hcfarmbureau.org Let me aalso tell theabout other new officers or call 813/685-9121 for agricultural businesses in this areas Ag-Abilities, so they can see Kenneth Parker - President program that Iby amyour proud to saylast Hillsborough County elected board They are: Farm more information. agriculture at work, some month. of the best management BureauVice helped to create and introduce in 2001 through the President Treasurer Wood, practices that Will have Womack, put into place Ray and learn efforts of Jon Goff and ourbeen executive director Judi Whit-of Secretary Michelle Williamson and Member-AtOnce again, I am honored to be your president and son with assistance from Exceptional Student Education Large Bill Burnette. My thanks to each of them and my very best to you and your family. teachers and the ongoing support of volunteers. I was part our board for their willingness to serve. Board of the tractor driving competition crew and there were oth- of Directors
Tallahassee Focus and Ag Opportunities for Our Youth
Kenneth
Parker, President; Will Womack, Vice-President; Ray Wood, Treasure; Michelle Williamson, Secretary; er members ofKenneth our board that volunteered with different Billcome Burnette; Board members: As I am sureMember-at-large; allthat of you have to Ag-Abilities realize competitive programs collectively make a Roy Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, Jim Frankowiak, Harrell, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Greg Lehman, Erin Nesmith, vacationGlenn time is over. We are busy at Thank you, Jake Raburn, Marty Tanner, James Tew, very noteworthy annual event for theparticularly special needs student Ron Wetherington, and Ray Wood, participants well asThis those who volunteer. Farm as Bureau. month we are completing the Judi Whitson, Executive Director
third of our legislative tours during which we take
8
Let meelected give you notice about opportuandadvance appointed officials to another several of our INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2013
agricultural businesses in this areas so they can see agriculture at work, some of the best management practices that have been put into place and learn of
Kenneth
Kenneth Parker - President
W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
Board of Directors
Kenneth Parker, President; Will Womack, Vice-President; Ray Wood, Treasure; Michelle Williamson, Secretary; Member-at-large; Bill Burnette; Board members: Roy Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, Jim Frankowiak, Glenn Harrell, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Greg Lehman, Erin Nesmith, Jake Raburn, Marty Tanner, James Tew, Ron Wetherington, and Ray Wood, Judi Whitson, Executive Director 8 88
THE FIELD M AGAZINE June 2015 INTIINN HE FIELD AGAZINE THE FIELDMM AGAZINE NOVEMBER June 2013 2015
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June 2015
W. Reynolds (Hwy. 574)
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Business Up Front By Vanessa Caceres IDLife makes health, vitamins personal Most people share the common desire of attaining better health; however, finding the proper resources to achieve this goal can be tricky. The health and wellness industry, while saturated with empty promises and gimmicks, can be expensive and also very scary considering the health risks involved when consuming unregulated supplements, especially over-the-counter products where nothing exists to implement required third party testing ensuring the accuracy of ingredients, or company compliance. These concerns create a huge challenge for folks who are truly searching for quality products that meet their personal needs, are safe to consume, and will actually result in the intended goal: health improvement. During their own pursuit to find a natural and healthy alternative to replace their son’s ADHD medication, Caleb and Lacey were introduced to IDLife (Individually Designed Life). The company focuses on personalized nutrition and tailors to each person based on their individual needs while making it known that “one size does NOT fit all” when it comes to taking vitamins and supplements. The backbone of IDLife is the patented IDNutrition, which is a customized regimen of pharmaceutical-grade supplements based on the needs of each individual. Caleb explains, “IDLife vitamins cannot be purchased over-the-counter as they are pharmaceutical-grade, which means they are the best quality available with the highest level of bioavailability (how quickly they are absorbed by the body). In addition, they are required to be checked for accuracy by a third party. This is just one of the many requirements for pharmaceutical-grade supplements. That title is a big deal in this industry, especially when certain well-known over the counter supplements are being pulled from the shelves after random tests found they did not contain ANY of the ingredients indicated on the label.” Lacey agrees that the whole concept just makes sense. She adds, “It’s a fact that no two people are exactly alike, so why should they take the same supplements when their actual needs are different?” Lacey also addresses the concerns associated with not receiving proper nutrition,“God did not intend for us to live OR die in sickness; therefore, our bodies were designed to heal themselves naturally when receiving proper nutrition.” She goes on to say, “Unfortunately, the essential nutrients actually needed by our bodies are no longer found in most of the foods we eat today, even fruits and vegetables have lost large amounts of nutritional value over the years due to the low quality of the soil and other factors. As a result, our bodies have become depleted of the essential vitamins and minerals needed to stay healthy, so we become ill.” She adds, “Even those of us who make a conscious effort to eat clean will still have some nutritional gaps, which is why I recommend for everyone to take the assessment. At the very least, their eyes will be opened to these gaps, and the assessment is free.” 10
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
June 2015
In addition to the customized IDNutrition supplements, IDLIfe also promotes an all-natural performance line in areas such as, weightmanagement, increased energy, better sleep quality, etc. All IDLife products are gluten-free, hormone-free, lactose-free, non-GMO, casein-free, soy-free, organic, and without any synthetic ingredients, or artificial sweeteners. Customizing Your Nutrition After 17 years of medical research, including over 7,500 clinical studies, the IDNutrition assessment was developed. This HIPAA compliant IDNutrition assessment is free to utilize and is available when visiting Lacey and Caleb’s website at www.IDLife4Nutrition.com. The assessment will take into consideration personal information ranging from age, gender, personal health goals, lifestyle, family history, diet, current medical conditions and/or medications, and much more! If purchased, your vitamins will be personalized in a 30-day supply, labeled with your name on individual daily packets, and then delivered to your doorstep. The Opportunity When Caleb and Lacey were introduced to IDLife, the company had just launched in May 2014. However, IDLife was already experiencing record-breaking growth and hundreds of success stories were being shared by individuals who had personally experienced the company’s culture and/or the IDLife products. They not only recognized the amazing health aspects for their family of seven regarding their personal use of IDLife products, but were also intrigued by the business opportunity itself. There are no limits regarding the amount of money one can earn! Each person can set their own goals according to their vision and make as little or as much money as desired when dedicated to sharing IDLife with others! The IDLife Culture They view IDLife as a blessing. Caleb elaborates, “I believe God puts things in front of you, and I felt the Lord put IDLife in our lap.” Caleb and Lacey both find extreme comfort in knowing that IDLife was founded by leaders who uphold the same level of core values, and integrity that they possess themselves. If you are interested in learning more about IDLife, please call, text, or email Lacey directly at one of the following: Phone: 813-505-6618 (call or text) Email: IDLifeWithLacey@gmail.com Website: www.IDLife4Nutrition.com WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
HILLSOROUGH COUNTY FAIR SEEKS HARVEST AWARD NOMINATIONS Honoring Farm Families, Individual and Organizations By Jim Frankowiak Officials of the Hillsborough County Fair are once again seeking Harvest Award nominations from the community. “This is the 15th year for honoring farm families, individuals and organizations with the coveted Harvest Award,” said Hillsborough County Fair Director Emeritus and advisor to the board Mike McKinney. “You can be instrumental in this process by making nominations in the various categories recognized each year.” Those categories include: Farm Family of the Year, Lifetime Achievement in Agriculture, Outstanding Agribusiness, Young Farmer/Rancher/Nurseryman (40 and under), Urban Agriculture/Agriculturist, Outstanding Woman in Agriculture, Outstanding Public & Community Service. “This year we are also adding a new category, Posthumous Recognition, for those pioneers in agriculture who are no longer living,” noted McKinney. “I encourage members of the community to review past award recipients and to identify those worthy individuals or organizations who have not yet been honored. Take the next step and nominate them for this year’s award.” Previous Harvest Award Winners have included: Farm Family of the Year: Roy Parke Family, Elsberry Family, St. Martin Family, Kahelin Family, Aprile Family, Marshall Myer Family, Gerald Davis Family, Dickman Family, Cope Newbern Family, Tommy Brock Family, Carl and Dee Dee Grooms, Ed Swindle Family, McDonald Family and the Sizemore Family Young Farmer/Rancher/Nurseryman winners: Dennis Carlton, Mike Lott, David Wadsworth, Lane Wetherington, Steve Davis, Lance Hamm, Greg Shiver and Charlie Hinton. Urban Agriculturist: Tampa Heights Community Garden, Seminole Heights Community Garden, Project Now and MOSI Partnership School Lifetime Achievement In Agriculture honorees: Marshal Platt, Mabel Simmons, Ray & Eleanor Thompson, Oscar Lastinger, Jr., Chip Hinton, Vance Vogel, Sam Astin II, Nat & Alice Storms, Roger Newton, George Todd, Harry Carlton, Tom Umiker, Charlie Dorman, Jim Jeffries, Bob Thomas, Elton Hinton, Ray Clark, Elton & Vee Hinton (Posthumous), Betty Jo Tompkins and Michael McKinney Outstanding Women in Agriculture: Lisa Hinton, Cheryl Huckle, Vina Jean Banks & Trudy Carey, Joyce Givins, Judi Whitson, Benda Shamblin, Sandy Blackadar and Camy Hinton Outstanding Agribusiness: Sanwa Growers, CF Industries, Sun City Tree Farm, Bridges Equipment, Dooley Groves, Hinton Farms, Tomatoes of Ruskin, Grow Mor Fertilizer, Cargill Fertilizer, Inc., Aquatic Subsurface Injection, Plant City State Farmers Market, EKK-Will Waterlife Resources, Rick Martinez’ Sweetwater Farm, Gus Muench (Cus’s Crabby Adventures), Florida Strawberry Growers Association and Farm Credit of Central Florida. Outstanding Public & Community Service: Kitty Wallace of Tampa, The Mosaic Company, Camp Rotary and Jim Selvey (Posthumous) Nomination forms, which can be accessed and downloaded by visiting: www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com, and supplemental information should be mailed to: Harvest Awards c/o Hillsborough County Fair, P.O. Box 100, Sydney, FL 33587. McKinney said the deadline for award nominations is Wednesday, July 1, 2015. For additional information, email: Hillsboroughcountyfair@verizon.net or call 813-737-3247. “We will be honoring award recipients, their families and friends at the Harvest Awards luncheon Thursday, October 22 at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, “ said McKinney. The 2015 Hillsborough County Fair will take place the weekends of October 22-25 and October 29- November 1. Additional information about the 2015 fair will be posted on the fair’s website later this year. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
June 2015
11
South Tampa’s Best Kept Secret
By Libby Hopkins
South Tampa’s Bayshore Boulevard is packed with million dollar homes, upscale townhomes and fine dining. Hidden among the ritzy homes and fancy eateries is South Tampa’s best kept secret. Well, it was a secret until I wrote this story. The secret is the South Tampa Farm and it’s awesome! The farm is owned and operated by Marion Lambert and he is one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met and had the pleasure of interviewing. “There are people who live and grew up two blocks away from here and maybe even now have grandchildren, but they have no clue we are here,” Lambert said. It’s true, the farm is five acres large and is at the end of a dead end street that is off the main drag of Bayshore Boulevard. Once you find the farm and walk onto the property, you would think you were on the farm in the county. There are cows, a pig, a donkey named Thomas, a horse named Noah, homing pigeons, bees and more than 1000 chickens. The only thing that makes you realize you are not in the country on a farm is the occasional fighter jet that flies overhead. The farm is very close to MacDill AFB and oddly enough, the loud engines from the jets don’t scare any of the animals. “The jets fly over every day and the animals could care less about them,” said farm hand, Joe Basco. He found the farm because he gave a friend a ride there once. Basco liked it so much that he stayed. “I love farming and I help Mr. Marion out here on the farm,” Basco said. “I do everything from milking the cows, feeding the chickens, to collecting eggs. I do it all four days a week.” 12
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June 2015
Lambert grew up in Pensacola where he raised chickens from the age of 10 and sold the eggs to his neighbors. He founded the South Tampa Farm over 40 years ago. “The county Green-Belted us years ago and they said everyone should do it the way we do here on the farm,” Lambert said. If you ask him what his favorite part of the farm is, he will tell you two things. The first thing is the “farm lifestyle” and the other is the “sweet time.” “I love the lifestyle, meaning being agrarian and not having a sense of what is going on around you,” Lambert said. “I love how nature and the seasons relate to productivity. This farm has the capacity to accommodate what God has given us.” The “sweet time” is the end of the day when all the animals are feed and there isn’t a sound on the farm other than the crickets. Lambert sells all of the products he produces on the farm at the farm. He has a unique payment system as well. He uses the honor system. The honey he sells is in a stand at the front of the farm with a lock box attached to it. The same goes for the dairy products sold at the farm. They are in a cooler with a lock box next to it. The farm is open to the public from sun up to sun down and customers can come at any time to purchase the farm’s products. “We don’t live in a bad area of town and we leave everything out at night,” Lambert said. “We take cash, checks made out to South Tampa Farm, genuine Confederate currency, gold bullion, and real silver pre-1965 U.S. coins,” Lambert said with smile. I told you he was charming. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Eggs! Eggs! Eggs!
Some of Lambert’s neighbors have mixed emotions about living near or next to his farm. “Some people hate us, while other love us and visit on a regular basis,” Lambert said. Some of those neighbors come and volunteer at the farm. Lambert loves when volunteers come and want to learn about the farm. “I tell them I may not remember their names, so I may ask them over and over again until I learn their personality and what they like to do at the farm,” Lambert said. “Anyone who wants to come down to the farm and volunteer is more than welcome to do so.” Keeping things local is extremely important to Lambert. He uses a feed company from Okeechobee to purchase his chicken feed and hay. He also collects food and left over grains from local restaurants and breweries to use in feeding his cows and chickens. “Our chickens are free-range chickens in addition to what we feed them,” Lambert said. “We rotate them out of their coups daily to roam around the farm and feed.” If you ask Lambert what his hopes are for him and his farm, he will tell you that he hopes to live to be 120 and that he is able to do everything that he does every day on the farm. “I love what I do and I don’t see any reason to change it,” Lambert said. If you would like to learn more about the South Tampa Farm and the different products they have to offer, you can visit their website at www.southtampafarm.com or call 813-892-9418. The farm is located at 6101 S. 2nd St. in Tampa.
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June 2015
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Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam
Since the arrival of European explorers in the 1500s, agriculture has played a critical role in the in the history and growth of our state. Today, Florida agriculture helps to produce the food and fiber that people throughout our state, across the nation and around the world have come to depend on. Florida’s more than 47,000 commercial farms work day in and day out to produce 300 commodities, and more than 80 percent of those operations are family owned. However, only a handful of Florida farms can boast of continuous family ownership for at least 100 years. In fact, only 248 Florida farms have earned this unique historical distinction. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services works to honor and recognize those special families and farms that have reached at least 100 years of continuous family farm ownership through the Century Pioneer Family Farm program. Established in 1985, this program acknowledges the cultural and economic benefits that family farms and ranches provide to the state of Florida. Florida’s Century Family Farms represent the original stewards of the land who have helped to preserve our precious landscape. In addition, these farms have helped grow the state’s agriculture industry, which has a more than $120 billion economic impact and supports more than 2 million jobs. From Okaloosa County to Palm Beach County, families who appreciate the value of agriculture and a connection 16
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to the land operate Florida’s Century Pioneer Family Farms. One such family, Darren and Heather Jackson, along with their four children, raise around 400 acres of timber on the Mayo farm that has been in their family since 1904. The Jacksons, and the 247 other families that have been distinguished as Century Pioneer Family Farms, are not only keeping their families’ history of farming and connection to the land alive, they are preserving our state’s rich agricultural heritage as well. Through the Century Pioneer Family Farm Program, Florida’s oldest farms receive a certificate and a sign that can be posted on their property denoting its significance and place in Florida history. But these farms would not have reached such a milestone if they were interested in quick recognition or gain, Florida’s Century Pioneer Family Farms have placed tradition, a connection to the land and agriculture above all else. And for that, I thank them. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Casey with a really big redfish caught while fishing with Capt. Woody Gore in Tampa Bay.
Protect Your Eyes From The Sun Whether you are a weekend angler or a Commercial fisherman one of the most important things you can do is wear a good pair of sunglasses. It helps protect against Ultraviolet Rays or a Hook to the Eye. If you are fishing or boating in freshwater or out in the Gulf, picking the correct pair of sunglasses is crucial. Exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun without them can and will damage your eyes. When it is reflected off the surface of the water the ultraviolet light is intensified and potentially damaging to the eyes. Studies show that over time, exposure to the harmful rays of the sun can damage your eyes. It’s also being discovered that fishermen and boaters not wearing the proper sun protection are more likely to develop skin cancers in and around the eye. The simplest and easiest solution is to make sure you’re educated on the consequences of not wearing the proper sunglasses and eye protection. The huge benefit of wearing the proper sunglasses while boating or fishing justifies spending a little money on a good pair of sunglasses.
While we talking about our eyes let’s talk about something we probably take for granted, fishing-related eye injuries. In both salt and fresh water, eye injuries can be prevented with some kind of protective eye wear, either sunglasses or safety glasses if you’re working on a commercial vessel. Safety should always be used when fishing. Eye injuries can result in vision loss or loss of the eye, and are not easily fixed. This makes prevention, rather than repair, the most important aspect in eye safety. Our world is filled with warnings for everything and I hate to raise one more voice in this symphony, however, the necessity of protecting our eyes especially when people a few feet away are violently throwing sharpened hooks through the air. If not careful someone can take a hook to the eye. Talk about ruining a fishing trip. One very common fishing-related eye injury occurs when a hook, under tension, becomes dislodged from the fish, and whips back striking someone, often in the eye. This also occurs as a Captain/guide attempts to boat or release a fish at the boat. When the guide grabs the leader, most anglers continue holding up tension on the line (rather than relaxing the rod tip allowing for some slack line), then if the fish falls off, the hook shoots straight up. This happens so quickly there is little or no reaction time to avoid being hooked in the face, or worse, the eye.
Tampa Bay Fishing Report July 2015:
As usual, July remains hot without any degree of relief at least for another couple of months. In spite of the heat, anglers willing to endure high temperatures and humidity can look forward to catching fish. From Mackerel to Tarpon everything is cooperating and eating just about everything tossed in their direction. With Snook, Redfish and Trout remaining strong through the summer you should enjoy your time on the water. I’ve been wearing Ono Sunglasses for the last several months and these sunglasses are great. I use their +250 readers, they are sharp and clear and do not distort the horizon. I’ve just ordered another pair of Rhino readers and another pair of sunglasses for my wife. If you’re looking for a quality pair of 100% UVA and UVB Polarized mirrored or non-mirrored glasses you should check out a pair of Ono’s. Very reasonably priced and a lifetime warranty. 18
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Snook seem to be everywhere, especially around the flats and
mangrove shorelines, and willing to take greenbacks tossed in their direction. Speaking of greenbacks, they are everywhere and the young fry are starting to appear. Often it takes a while to get them to bite, but once the tide gets going they seem to become more interested in feeding.
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Christina Narens and son Sabastian with a double hookup when the fished with Capt. Woody Gore in Tampa Bay, FL. Christina with a nice snook and Sabastian with his first Jack Crevalle that gave him quite a battle.
Christina with another nice snook. She couldn’t keep them off her line. She was catching them on every cast. Seemed like one of those days a charter captain dreams about. “Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” – 813-477-3814 Captain Woody Gore has been guiding and fishing the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years; his level of customer service, experience and attention to detail allows him to offer world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done. Alan Geer Tampa Account with a beautiful 31” Tampa Bay Redfish caught and released when he, his son Will and Casey fished with Capt. Woody Gore. They all had a banner day catching snook, redfish and some really big yellow tail jacks.
Redfish
action throughout the bay seems consistent with plenty of slot fish waiting to tug on your line. Trout, snook and redfish usually haunt the same areas, often cruising open flats and sandy patches early then moving into the mangrove shade during the day. However, the trout will usually stay out on the broken bottom grass flats hanging around sandy potholes.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give him a call at 813-477-3814
Anglers favoring artificial lures should try topwater action with lures like the MirrOLure Series III S7MR or the Top Dog 74MR, Top Dog Jr. 84MR. Later in the day, soft plastic jerk baits like the favorite Gulp Shad rigged using 1/16 or 1/8 oz. jig heads practically assures success.
Cobia
Markers and sandy broken bottom grass flats, especially those holding bait, equal Cobia. These fish also frequent markers holding bait. They often cruise the miles of open grass flats following rays and manatees on the lookout for a quick snack. When fishing open water flats, it’s always a good idea to have a rod and reel rigged for something larger, you never know when one might slide by.
Tarpon
fishing should continue this month. Many begin moving offshore to spawn some. Threadfin herring, crabs, and larger greenbacks are all over Tampa Bay and work very well for tarpon. The Skyway Bridge, Anna Maria, the St. Pete Beaches, and Egmont Key are holding plenty of fish this month. It’s also holding plenty of tarpon anglers in boats. So, be sure you bring plenty of patience, especially if you’re a fishing guide.
Mackerel
fishing is on fire, Tampa Bay is loaded, and July fishing should be no exception. Just find schools of threadfins or greenbacks, net a few, put out a chum bag, and hold onto your rod and reel. This means some real excitement on spinning tackle using 50 to 60 pound Seaguar leader and 2/0 long shank hooks. WWW.IN NTHE HEFIELD IELDMAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
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Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. Babaco is gorgeous torpedo shaped fruit. It’s also named as champagne fruit since it has a fizzy flesh. Sapodilla is a uniquely tasting fruit. It had a soft brown flesh with flavor like a sweet mix of brown sugar and root beer. Green peppers are a big (healthy) zero. The vegetable contains zero fat, zero cholesterol and zero sodium. It also contains zero capsaicin, which is why the green pepper does not have the same spicy bite as a jalapeno or Serrano pepper. The durian, a fruit widely available in Asia, has legions of fans despite being awfully stinky—it smells of rotting meat. The stench is so bad that the fruit has been banned on Singapore’s public train systems. The people of Troy, in modern-day Turkey, were the first to note an appreciation of the raspberry fruit. Cauliflower means “cabbage flower” and is part of the broccoli family. This crunchy, tasty vegetable is available in more than just plain white. You can find cauliflower that is green, orange and even purple! In moderation, ginger is one of the best foods for acid reflux. It has been used throughout history as an anti-inflammatory and as a treatment for gastrointestinal conditions. Ginger root can easily be peeled, sliced, diced, or shaved using a grater. You can use it while cooking or add it to smoothies. 3/28/14 10:15 AM
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Weddings
One bride must hold the record for the most distressful wedding day ever! Princess Maria del Pozzo Della Cisterno’s wedding was marked by not one unforgettable event but six of them. The day she married the Duke D’Aosta (the son of the King of Italy) in 1867 her wardrobe mistress hung herself and the palace gatekeeper cut his throat. Further events to mar the day were the death of the colonel, who was leading the wedding procession and collapsed from sunstroke, and the stationmaster who was crushed to death underneath the honeymoon train’s wheels. If that was not enough the best man shot himself and the King’s aide fell from his horse and was killed instantly. Some people pep up the wedding ceremony with their own version of the vows, much like this couple from St. Petersburg. Groom: I promise to love you as much as the Tampa Bay Rays. From this day forward, I will listen to all of your complaints about the mall if you say them during the off-season and promise to retire my baseball cap and face paint for public outings. I will love you in sickness and in health, from this day forward, until death parts us. Bride: I promise to love you as much as I love my credit card and not hold your poor fashion sense against you. I will only show you my new clothes during commercial breaks and promise to keep you in the latest Rays fashions. From this day forward, I will make sure your lucky Rays shirt is washed for every game day and will always have plenty of potato chips on hand. I will love you for richer or poorer, as long as our credit limit stays high. Bill and Veronica, a young couple, got married and went on their honeymoon. When they returned, Veronica immediately called her mother, and her mother obviously asked, “How was the honeymoon?” “Oh Mom,” she replied, “The honeymoon was wonderful and so romantic!” Then she started crying. “But Ma, as soon as we returned home Bill started using the most ghastly language... saying things I’ve never heard before! I mean, all these awful 4-letter words. You have to come get me and take me home now…Please mother come and get me!” “Calm down, Veronica’” her mother said, “tell me, what could be so awful? What 4-letter words?” Still crying, Veronica whispered, “Oh, mother…words like dust, wash, cook and iron.” After a few years of marriage for some reason couples begin to fuss and fight with one another. Here are a few of those situations. 22
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I asked my wife, “Where do you want to go for our wedding anniversary?” It warmed my heart to see her face melt in sweet appreciation. “Somewhere I haven’t been in a long time,” she said. So I suggested, “How about the kitchen?” And that’s how the fight started. My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary. She said, “I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 140 in about 7 seconds.” I bought her a scale. And that’s how the fight started.I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter for some reason took my order first. I‘ll have the T-Bone steak, medium rare, please.” He said, “Aren’t you worried about mad cow?” “Nah” I said, “She can order for herself.” And that’s how the fight started. A woman was looking in the bedroom mirror. She was not happy with what she saw, and said to her husband, “I feel horrible. I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment.” The husband replies, “Your eyesight is absolutely perfect.” And that’s how the fight started. My wife sat down on the couch next to me as I was flipping channels. She asked, “What’s on TV?” I replied, “Dust.” And that’s how the fight started. What do you make of this one? Wide-eyed residents looked on as a married mother-of-five shared a piece of cake, a toast and even a kiss with her young 9 year-old groom, Sanele. Last year the boy, from nearby Tshwane, Africa tied the knot with bride Helen after claiming he had been told by his dead ancestors to wed. Shockingly his family took the message from the heavens seriously and hurriedly made arrangements for the big day. Despite stunned villagers branding the act ‘sickening’ the 9-year old boy’s family defended the union saying it was just a ritual. It’s not unusual to hear stories of married couples that met online. But it is unusual when that couple that meets online and marries also has the same name. That’s the case of a guy from Texas named Kelly Hildebrandt and a girl from Florida named Kelly Hildebrandt. Kelly Hildebrandt met Kelly Hildebrandt when Kelly, the girl, looked up her own name on Facebook. “I was like, ‘I wonder if there’s any other Kelly Hildebrandts on Facebook’,” she explained. “So, I searched my own name and he’s the only one that came up. In the photo he didn’t have his shirt on, and I’m like, ‘oh, he’s cute!’” And the Kelly in Texas was also intrigued. “She started off, ‘Hey, I see we have the same name, and I thought it was cool, so I wanted to say hi, I guess’. Lots of laughs,” he said. Eight months after that innocent Facebook message, Kelly proposed to Kelly. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Fuel your growing season with propane. Irrigation Incentives Available Now
Florida Propane Gas Safety Education & Research Council For more information, visit www.oridapropane.org/peff-incentives/irrigation/ or email info@FloridaGas.org WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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By Ginny Mink Guns and Christians seems to be a pretty controversial topic. One we certainly won’t debate here. Suffice it to say, there’s a Christianbased gun club in Plant City. It meets at HopeWeaver Church and has about 20 members. First things first, Jeff Keene, the founder, having been the president of a gun club in New York 20 years ago, felt he was missing something when he moved down here. So, he started the Born Again Gun Club. He told us, “We wanted to portray gun owners to the public in a more positive light. We did affiliate ourselves with the NRA because we support the 2nd amendment and the Constitution.” It would appear that the Constitution is the number one victim in modern times. So many political moves are jumping in to eradicate what the Founding Father’s laid as cornerstone ideals. One of those specific concerns is the right to bear arms. That’s just my opinion. He continued, “We clean up after ourselves at shoots. We try to be positive role models, no cusswords. We’re trying to counterbalance that negative portrayal.” Given the recent tragedies, et cetera, gun owners have been vilified and falsely represented. I think it goes back to that adage, guns don’t kill people; people do. The members of his club make every effort to shine Christ in the midst of the gun ranges they attend. He explains, “When we go shooting, we look around and see a lot of trash left behind. A lot of irresponsible gun owners who litter. We pick up after ourselves. We try to show responsible gun use.” So responsible in fact, that all members are required to have taken a gun training course, or hold a valid hunting license prior to or within three months of application submittal. According to Jeff, “We want to make sure we’re not haphazardly out 24
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in the woods just shooting up things like you see on YouTube. We don’t just hand someone a gun and laugh at them when they drop it because it was too much for them. We’re all about training and safety as well.” I wonder who finds that funny anyway? Sad, really. The members of his club don’t see guns as toys, but as tools. Certainly they enjoy their pistols, rifles and shotguns, but they are responsible with them. He says, “They’re something that is a tool that can be fun, and if necessary you should know how to use it to protect your family, protect your home. As well as find food for yourself if you ever got into a situation like if you were ever out in the middle of nowhere, hiking or camping, or on a boat and that was your only means of getting sustenance. Don’t be afraid of it because there’s a lot of negativity in the news lately. Anti-guns are everywhere.” This stance was important enough for him to share with his children. He added, “I grew up with it; firearms have always been a part of my life. I grew up on the south shore of Long Island. We hunted ducks and geese and I even went to upstate New York and hunted deer from time to time. I wanted to pass that on to my children. I wanted them to feel comfortable with firearms and realize that they shouldn’t be afraid of them, that firearms are not something that people should fear.” The mission of the Born Again Gun Club (which was incorporated as a non-profit entity in 2013) is to be a light and show people that guns are valuable tools. Moreover, Jeff elaborated, “We focus on competition, fellowship and service as well. One of the founding members, and the chaplain for the club, is the pastor, Randy Humphrey. We give back to the church. We give them a monetary stipend for using their facilities and we also participate in work days, clean-ups and things like that.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Let’s be clear, I support gun ownership. Jeff Keene supports gun ownership. In reality, anyone who believes that this country was, at least on some level, founded on decent morals, should also be concerned by the erosion of those so-called inalienable rights. Yes, gun ownership is a sensitive topic, a debatable one even, but if we are willing to hand over our guns, what will be next? Our voices? Our children? I don’t mean for this to be some political war cry per se, but really, how much ground are we going to allow an unfettered government to gain as they trample our toes in our own homes? These are serious and desperate times. What will we do as a nation when they come knocking on our doors demanding our guns? Will there be none in our homes to hand over? I’m not supporting violence here, but I am supporting what I believe is something similar to Luke 22:36. Really, if Jesus told the disciples to sell their cloaks and buy swords…well…just think about it I guess. Forgive the diatribe. Getting back to the article, Jeff began to wrap things up by providing some essential information for people who might be interested
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in joining, “We only charge $40 a year. Every six months we hold a formal competition. We shoot pistol of different caliber, rifle of different caliber and we have two shotgun skeet shoots twice a year. We have six informal shoots where we focus on getting more proficient.” Apparently the focus on proficiency needed explanation because he expounded, “The NRA has a lot of marksmanship goals and we are working on getting all our members more proficient on them as well.” Then he returned to the club activities list, “We have an annual dinner where the top shooters from the club, the top three, win trophies. It’s a fun fellowship event. Our club members are from all over the place, Zephyrhills, Lakeland, from all around. “ Finally, he offered one word of warning, “You have to have an interest in what we do, not just shooting up things, not just being crazy. Ultimately the major goal is to be an influence on people in the Christian way through fun firearm use. That’s part of our mission, to be role models and guides to people.” Those who are interested in joining the club can “shoot” Jeff an email at: 1keeneteacher@gmail.com .
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Beach Mice: Save Their Dunes By Ginny Mink
While researching an animal to focus on this month, I was shocked to discover that there were five mice on the federally endangered list in Florida. Then, reading a little further I determined that five out of six Florida beach mice are on the federal or state endangered list. What in the world is a beach mouse? I wondered aloud. Plus, mice, really? Most people are happy to be rid of the little critters. So, what’s the big deal? All these questions flying around spurred my further investigation and therefore I’d like to share that new enlightenment with you! According to some documents prepared by the University of Florida, “beach mice, as their name indicates, live on beaches in Florida and Alabama…Beach mice occur only in dune habitats.”¹ Therein, of course, lies the problem. If we consider the state of Florida’s beaches and the amount of dune area lost to development and other human behaviors, it is easy to see why the beach mice are losing ground, literally. In truth, most beach mice are considered threatened or endangered. Their habitat is declining so rapidly it is concerning for all who treasure their presence. Looking at them from a scientific, educational perspective it is important to note that the beach mouse is part of a group of subspecies whose origin is found in the Oldfield mouse. Two of the Florida based subspecies are Atlantic Coast centered and four are Gulf Coast designated. The Atlantic Coast mice are: Anastasia Island and Southeastern. The gulf coast mice are: Santa Rosa, Perdido Key, St Andrews and Choctawhatchee. The only one that is not endangered or threatened currently is the Santa Rosa beach mouse. So what do these little guys look like? Thankfully, I’m writing about mice and not rats because that makes them a lot cuter and will hopefully make you more sensitive to their plight. Beach mice have large ears and dark eyes. They are usually pale in color but most have a grey or brown tinge across their backs. It’s often hard to tell them apart from the average Florida mouse but with close observation you’ll note that they are significantly whiter. Interestingly enough, the Santa Rosa beach mouse is the palest of them all. This makes me think that it’s nearly white fur has enabled it to avoid the fate of its counterparts! This next piece of beach mouse trivia kind of endeared this creature to me. Statistically only 3% of all other mammals adhere to this behavior…beach mice are monogamous! Really? I thought. What about all the jokes about breeding like rodents? Yet, here’s a mouse that sticks to one partner! Of course, the fact that pregnancy last only 23 days and a female is ready to breed again 24 hours after she gives birth to four pups (the normal birth rate for beach mice) is a little eye popping. Yet, since they breed all year long (with peak time in winter) it’s interesting that they’re having so much trouble. Perhaps part of that can be assigned to all the feral and other wandering domesticated cats! People really should be responsible pet owners (but I digress). Of course, the fact that beach mice only live 9 months to a year in the wild could likely be a problem as well. What’s a beach mouse house like? Well, since they consider a nearly 28
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Photos Courtesy: Kristy Yanchis US Fish and Wildlife Service 54,000 square foot area their home range, they actually have multiple triangle entry shaped burrows (up to 20) that extend 2 to 3 feet underground which includes a centralized living space and has an escape tunnel that comes to a point just below the surface in case something invades the burrow. Should that occur, they just bust through that small sand cover and haul tail (which might be striped depending on the species). A male and a female will share their domicile, or a female will remain there with her wee-ones. They prefer to put their burrows in vegetated dune areas, not just right out there in the sandy open. They spend most of their time in the primary and secondary dunes but they do occasionally venture into the swales. However, they only eat in the primary and secondary dune areas, the swales are mostly for hiding from predators. They are nocturnal and are chiefly sustained by seeds and fruit from beach plants though they do eat insects as well. Their diets predominantly consist of sea oats but they do utilize other seed bearing plants. Perhaps the most relevant reason to protect these wee creatures (who weigh less than 15 grams, unless pregnant) is the fact that they often store seeds in their burrows. It is believed that this storage of seeds is helping to maintain the vegetation found on Florida dunes. Perhaps that doesn’t sound significant to you, but vegetation is what holds sand in place and protects areas from erosion. We need the vegetation that springs up from the burrows of beach mice. Which means: we need beach mice! So, how do we help? Here are some great steps to take in our endangered species protection endeavors: • Keep cats indoors and don’t feed strays in beach areas. • Stay off the dunes, walking on them destroys the vegetation the beach mice need. • Don’t drive on the dunes either (even when the sign says you can).² • Private beach residents should encourage the growth of native plants. • Don’t litter, it draws predators.² • Share your knowledge with other people so that they can help save the dunes and the mice! I really hope this has put a bee in your bonnet (as my Pappaw used to say) and that you’ll start taking your beach trips a little more carefully. I hope that you’ll remember you’re not the only creature enjoying the sands. If you’d like to learn more please check out the resources provided below. Resources Used: ¹Beach Mice. Brittany L. Bird, Lyn C. Branch, and Mark E. Hostetler: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw173 ² http://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/beach-mice Additional Reading: http://www.nps.gov/foma/naturescience/dunes.htm http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/SoutheasternBeachMouse.pdf http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/species-accounts/beach-mice-2005. htm http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Peromyscus_polionotus_allophrys.pdf WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
FishHawk Dynasty By Melissa Nichols This year two squads of local shooters from FishHawk Dynasty, the youth program at FishHawk Sporting Clays, qualified to go to the National Shooting contest in Sparta, Illinois. The contest will run from July 13 to 17. This event is hosted by the National Scholastic Clay Target Program, a program that is open to youth from elementary school through high school and college. The SCTP is a program that prepares shooters to compete at State, National, and International levels if they qualify and decide to do so. The SCTP is a program that teaches much more than just how to shoot at targets, it teaches gun safety and responsibility. The youth involved must complete all the safety lessons and requirements prior to shooting and then spend countless hours practicing to master the ability to shoot accurately and hit the clay or target. They must participate as a team, and teamwork is a very important skill youth should learn to be successful. “What is clay target shooting?� Shooting sports is broken down into multiple categories, trap shooting, skeet shooting, and sporting clays. In sporting clays, clay targets are thrown from machines in various directions to simulate wild game. Athletes fire at the fast moving targets with shotguns, and are scored how many they break. A competition round consists of 100 targets thrown at 10 to 16 different stations. The rookie squad that qualified to go to Sparta is Trevor Hinton, Abbey Wigh, and Nash Sollmqnn. Trevor Hinton placed high individual and Abby was the High Lady individual in the state contest in their age group. The Varsity squad of shooters will be Brett Coleman, Matt Coleman, Drexyl Brewer and Wyatt Hinton. This is an exciting time for the participants, coaches and the families as well as FishHawk Sporting Clays. There are several opportunities to help these young shooters get to the National Contest. They have a Go Fund Me page set up where donations can be made online, you can stop by FishHawk Sporting Clays make a donation to the FishHawk Shooting Sports Foundation a 501.3c non-profit organization, and business and individual sponsors can contact FishHawk Sporting Clays for additional sponsorship opportunities. The new season will be starting up in September. There will be several practices over the summer that new shooters may attend to see if they are interested in joining the Dynasty team. Anyone ages 8 to 18 who is interested in joining the team can get more information by calling FishHawk Sporting Clays at 813-689-0490, or Coach Joe Mandracchia at 813-624-6982.
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Warner University Receives $1 Million Gift
Ed and Myrtle Lou Swindle Warner University has officially named the new agriculture building on their campus, The Ed and Myrtle Lou Swindle Agriculture Complex, after a $1 million donation was made to the private college. Plant City natives, the Swindles are involved in agriculture including timber, strawberries and other produce, as well as the previous owners of the ESI Group, Inc. of Tampa, an industrial insulating company. The couple had originally given a half a million on February 20 at Warner’s Ag Complex groundbreaking, upon hearing about an anonymous $500,000 match challenge. On Saturday, May 16, the couple decided to double their initial gift to a total of $1 million. “The entire Warner University community is delighted to have our new Ag Complex associated with such a well-respected, Christian family,” said Leigh Ann Wynn, Asst. VP for Advancement at Warner. “This family epitomizes what our institution stands for.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Construction will begin on the new ag complex this October with a finish date by Fall of 2016. Warner University began their Agriculture Studies degree program in 2012 through the direction of the Ag industry task force that included Hill Griffin of Ben Hill Griffin, Inc, Tony DiMare of DiMare Fresh, Steve Maxwell of Highlands Corporation and Keith Mixon of Dole. With the recommendation of Commissioner Putnam to move forward, Warner created a diversified Agricultural Studies degree. Currently, there are approximately 38 students in the Ag program, with six graduating this Spring of 2015. A student in the Ag program at Warner graduates with over 500 hours of hands-on experience. The private, Christian college was founded in 1968 by the Church of God as Warner Southern College and became Warner University in 2008. There are 1,100 students enrolled and the school offers associate, bachelor, master’s degrees as well as online programs. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Florida Jicama By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Jicama is a crisp, juicy, slightly sweet root vegetable that is high in nutrients and very low in calories. Used in Mexican and Latin recipes, as well as eaten raw in salads, jicama is grown throughout Florida. Also called a Mexican potato, Mexican turnip, or yam bean, jicama is also grown in the Southwestern states of the U.S., Hawaii, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. The only edible part of jicama is the root, which has a brown outer skin and an inner white, juicy flesh. The crisp white flesh can be eaten raw or cooked and tastes like a combination of a water chestnut and an apple. Jicama is a popular vegetable in Mexican dishes and can also be used in place of water chestnuts in Asian dishes.
WEIGHT CONTROL One serving of fresh jicama has only 38 calories. Jicama is comprised of over 85% water, which adds volume and hydration to your meal with very few calories. Eating more jicama and other fresh vegetables is linked with lower body weight, increased energy, and lower risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Jicama and other juicy vegetables and fruits can help you stay hydrated and refreshed in the summer heat. HOW TO SELECT AND STORE Choose jicama that has smooth skin that is free of blemishes or bruises. The root should feel firm and heavy for its size. Avoid any that are soft or wrinkled. Jicama can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Jicama is low in calories and high in nutrients, thanks to its high water content. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one serving of raw, sliced jicama (100 g) contains 38 calories, 0.72 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 8.9 g carbohydrate, and 4.9 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 34% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin C, 13% for fiber, 7% for iron, 5% for copper, 3% for potassium, magnesium, manganese, folate, and vitamin E, as well as significant amounts of vitamin A, niacin, and calcium. VITAMIN C One serving of fresh Florida jicama meets one third of your daily vitamin C requirements. Vitamin C, along with the vitamin A and manganese in jicama, work as antioxidants. Antioxidants work to neutralize the effects of harmful free radicals and preventing its damaging effects on cells. By fighting cell and tissue damage, vitamin C protects against cancer and other diseases, such as the common cold. Vitamin C also enhances iron absorption from other foods, which reduces the risk of anemia and aids in the maintenance of healthy skin, and strong bones and teeth.
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HOW TO ENJOY Jicama is delicious eaten out-of-hand or pickled. Its mild flavor and crunchy texture makes this vegetable a welcome addition to any salad or dish. Other ways to enjoy jicama include: Use jicama slices in place of crackers for toppings like hummus or salsa Slice and mix with other vegetables and herbs in a salad Use thinly sliced jicama as a salad topper Dice and add to salsa or fruit salads Peel into ribbons for a garnish and side dish Dice and mix with tomatoes and feta cheese Cut into sticks and sprinkle with lime juice, salt, olive oil, and chili pepper Stir fry with other vegetables
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Enjoy delicious Florida jicama today and every day. With its mild flavor and crisp crunch, jicama is a nutritious summertime treat. SELECTED REFERENCES http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://www.whfoods.com INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Summer is Here
Well here we are in another Florida summer. It seems I always plan not to do any shooting of the Dry Creek television series during the summer but here I am once again planning on our next episode called, The Cow Camp. I once had a man tell me there’s no place any hotter in the summer time than a junk yard or colder in the winter. I’m not comparing the Dry Creek set to a junk yard, but have to use this analogy in describing the temperatures of our set. The dirt streets and wood buildings reflect heat and it keeps the temperatures at a high level. I remember sitting on my horse dressed in costume during a hot July day. The hot lights were focused on us, along with reflectors to fill in the light on us and I started to feel some strange sensations run through my body. As always, we were doing take after take and I felt myself start to melt and sink through my horse. Sounds strange but that was the feeling I felt. I got off my horse and made it over to a boardwalk and lay down. After water being poured over my head and cold water towels wrapped around my neck I regained my senses and was ready to climb back on my horse and finish the scene. The old timers of Florida tell me it’s hotter today than years ago. They say that all the concrete from the roads and buildings radiate the heat and that makes it hotter. I can’t help but think back to 1880s Florida, which we are portraying on Dry Creek and think of what those folks went through. There’s an old saying that goes, you keep turning your pillow over to the cool side, that being one of the remedies for a hot summer night. Heck probably some of those folks didn’t ever own a pillow.
America’s First Frontier
By Les McDowell
Back in the 1980s my wife and I spent a day on the set of Little House in Simi, CA. The actors of Little House that were on call that July afternoon never once complained sitting around dressed in their costumes waiting for the call. Of course they were getting paid well for thir sacrifices. Michael Landon did have a Coors beer in his hand most of the day. I read a story of Cold Mountain and Nicole Kidman having to deal with freezing conditions during the production. Between takes they threw a ski jacket around her and covered her lips so they wouldn’t freeze, all for the art of film making. Even through the heat I can’t wait to re-create an 1880’s Florida Cow Camp for Dry Creek. We are using Cracker Cattle and will be on a location to shoot some scenes using untouched pristine Florida landscapes. We will be bringing a cow camp back to life from yesteryear. Some of the cow hunters will be using Palm fromes trimmed for plates just like the old days. Enough talk in the air conditioning, it’s time to get to work on Dry Creek’s latest episode. Everybody knows where Dry Creek is.... “cause it’s inside each and everyone if us.”
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813-752-2379
Mon. - Sat.: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Western & Outdoor Wear, Farm, Ranch & Pet Supplies
3014 S. Jim Redman Pkwy. (Hwy. 39 S) Plant City, FL • www.southsidestores.com 40 40
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Floating Works of Art Otis Brandon
By Libby Hopkins
There are two types of fisherman, those who fish for sport and those who fish for fish. Otis Brandon of Riverview is both of these types of fisherman. He was born in Riverview in 1929 and he will tell you fishing is in his blood. “My dad starting taking me fishing when I was 6 years old,” Otis said. “It wasn’t much long after that when I sawed off the handle of my mother’s mop to make my first fishing plug.” By plug he means fishing lure and what young Otis didn’t realize back then was that he was creating his first work of art. “I sanded the wood, painted it red and white and put some hooks on it before I took it fishing with me and my dad,” Otis said. “My dad said ‘What in the thunder are you doing with that on your rod,’ and I said, ‘I’m going to catch a fish.’” Young Otis threw out his line with his homemade lure on it and after two more casts, he did what he said would, he caught a fish. “I caught me a big old trout,” Brandon said. His dad helped him get the fish off the line and he cast his line out again with the lure on it. After a short time, he caught another trout. “My dad helped me get the fish off my line and then said, ‘Son, let me see that lure you made,’ he took my lure and didn’t give it back for a very long while.” Since this fateful fishing trip with his father, Otis has been fishing in various parts of Tampa Bay and beyond for over 80 years. He’s fished in the waters of what later became home to the TECO Big Ben Power Station. “I knew every place for the best fishing and I only let a few people know where the fish were biting,” Otis said. He also fished for sport. He’s won numerous trophies for his fishing skills and some of those trophies were won with the lures he’s made. “I loved fishing and I learned all I could about fish and their habits,” Brandon said. “I loved it, enjoyed it because it was my life.” Otis is in his late 80s now and he is partially blind. He doesn’t do much fishing these days but he still gets up every morning and heads out to his work shed to make his fishing lures. “I’m almost blind and I got one eye with 20 percent vision, so I have to feel the lure when I’m sanding it,” Brandon said. “I do this to make sure it comes out the way I want it. I paint the lure by hand using my fingers and they 42
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come out beautiful.” He has sold a few to friends and he recently brought some to Wolfe’s Produce Market in Riverview to sell. “Most of the lures you buy now-a-days are plastic and if they hit something hard when you throw them, they break,” Brandon said. “Wood doesn’t do that and most of the time it will bounce off because it’s light and works well.” Otis has been married to his wife, Mary for 64 years. The couple met at a Girl Scout bonfire. “I would come out to Riverview with my cousin to go to the Girl Scout camp they have out there,” Mary said. “The night we were there, they had this huge bonfire that got out of control. We ended up fighting the fire together.” It wasn’t long after that the couple met again, only this time Mary was with her then boyfriend. “I grew up in Ybor City and back then I had this Italian boyfriend who had a brand new Pontiac,” Mary said. “We were with my cousin visiting my aunt. We decided to go to Causeway Beach and I got in the front seat because I thought my boyfriend was going to drive. The next thing I knew, Otis got in the front seat and drove my boyfriend’s new car. He tells everyone that not only did he steal his girlfriend, he took his car as well.” The whole Brandon family has sport fished at one time or the other. Mary and Otis have even competed in the same competitions together using the lures Otis made. Even though Mary and Otis don’t fish together anymore, she still helps Otis make his fishing lures. “We make around 50 lures a week,” Otis said. “We use two or three different kinds of wood to make them, but most of our lures are made out of the wood from my Azalea bushes.” That surprises people when Otis tells them. “I use it because it’s the lightest and toughest wood. If a fish gets on it, it stays on it.” Otis said. Mary said Otis gets the wood and she gets the flowers. “It’s a win-win for both of us.” Otis likes to say he grows his own fishing lures. If you would like to see or purchase some of Otis Brandon’s beautiful fishing lures, you can stop by Wolfe’s Produce Market in Riverview. The market is located at 6005 US Hwy 301 South. They are open daily from 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
NO BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE. The Birthday Cake Milkshake
Thank you for 25 indescribably good years! Now’s a great time to celebrate with a delicious Birthday Cake Milkshake. The creamy flavor of cake batter blended with festive sprinkles and finished with chocolate whipped topping.
Join the party and try one today. 2901 1/2 James Redman Pkwy. • Plant City 813.752.1971 Limited time only. © 2015 Zaxby’s Franchising, Inc. “Zaxby’s” is a registered trademark of Zaxby’s Franchising, Inc.
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Get An ID Card for Summer Boating Fun! by John Dicks
It’s a surprise for some to learn that folks in Florida as old as 27 who want to run or operate a boat in our state’s beautiful waters are required to have a Boating Safety Education Identification Card issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Really? Yes, it’s not only true, but that stated age of 27 will just get older each and every year. Several years ago, Florida’s state government adopted a statute (FS 327.395) in which it required people to successfully complete an approved boating safety course before they could become, in the words of the statute, “boat operators” of a “motorboat of ten horsepower or greater.” Rather than picking a specific age for “operating,” or let’s just call it running, the boat, lawmakers chose to pick a specific date and, essentially, said that if you were born on or after that date, you have to take the course and get a certificate, no matter your age. The date that was chosen was January 1, 1988. Because the law is pegged to a particular date, rather than a specific age, it means that anyone and everyone born after that date will have to, at some point in their life if they ever want to run a boat, get the license. Never will they “age up” out of the requirement. What it all means for now, of course, is that lots of folks in the their mid to late 20’s and younger will need to get their ID Card before hitting the waves behind the boat wheel this summer. The same applies to those who want some fun with Personal Water Crafts (PWC’s) such as WaveRunners and Jet Skis.
In case you are wondering whether there are any exemptions to this mandatory boating ID Card, most of the ones listed are narrow in scope, such as to a person licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard as a master of a vessel, or to a person operating on a private lake or pond. While it is not an exemption, there is one relatively recent exception to the boating education requirement that may be of interest to fledgling young boaters. Free for Florida residents ages 12 to 18 is the Florida Virtual School Outdoor Education Course. This is stated to be “the only course in the nation to combine both hunting and boating safety.” The FWC says that, “participants will develop skills in outdoor activities and learn about the benefits of physical activity while using proper safety procedures to experience wildlife, outdoor and extreme sports.” Here’s the link for more information on the course: http://www.flvs.net/Students/Pages/findcourse.aspx#highschool/1242. Not only is the online course free to Floridians aged 12-18, but by meeting all of the requirements of the Outdoor Education course, students will be able to both receive their Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card and be eligible to obtain a Florida Hunter Safety Certificate. Even better is that by completing the course they will also earn a 0.5 credit for high school, and meet public school requirements for taking an on-line and a physical education course.
Happy boating … have a great … and safe … summer!
The good news is that once you complete the course and get the ID Card, it lasts a lifetime. That is, of course, unless the law gets changed again, as things sometimes happen. The FWC is quick to point out that Florida is not requiring you to have a “boating license.” It seems that a license would require that you pass a test, which you do not have to do in the case of this ID Card. But you must soak up the info through the course, which, as you would imagine, you can do online. To help with the process, the FWC lists a variety of companies offering the course. You can find the list at http://myfwc.com/boating/ safety-education/courses. It will, I am sure, not surprise you to learn that companies listed charge a fee for providing the online boating safety education. While the prices generally run the gamut from $15 to nearly $30, there is one that offers the recommended course for free. It is from the respected Boat US (boatus.org/courses). Why someone would want to pay $30 for something when they can get the same information for free is beyond me; but apparently the other listed companies are making money doing it since their links still seem to work. This ID Card (and education course) requirement applies to our out of state visitors as well. However, if they have proof that in their home state they have met or exceeded Florida’s requirement, they can get a Florida temporary certificate from any number of vendors listed on the FWC website. 46
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John Dicks is both a lawyer and a farmer. He and his family own 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. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Plant City, where he served nine years as City Commissioner, including three years as Mayor. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Growing Young Gardeners Sometimes a great idea takes a while to germinate, and that is exactly what happened to Catie Seip, first grade teacher at Knights Elementary School in Plant City. She attends Bay Life Church in Brandon, which has a community garden where she volunteered. “I really wanted to learn more about gardening, because it was something I was interested in doing at school,” said Catie. It had been Catie’s desire to do the same type of gardening project at Knights for a few years. And this year “Planting Seeds of Knowledge” took root and became a reality.
Catie also realized Knights Elementary is surrounded by agricultural fields, but many of the students lack experience with producing food. She noted the project would also serve to enhance parent and community involvement, especially with the diverse backgrounds of all the students. The garden would also serve to enrich students with new life skills and possibly a life-long hobby. 48
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By Nick Chapman
It was a big project, which caused her to put it off for a while, but she finally decided to make it happen. “So after several years I decided I was going to go for it. From the beginning of this year, I made it one of my goals.” She set her plan in motion and applied for three grants to help fund the program, and two were awarded: one from Mosaic and the other from Florida Agriculture in the Classroom. With those grants and help from teachers, parents and the students, the gardening area became a reality. They were able to build eight raised bed gardening plots where students could get real “hands-on” experience on growing edible plants. They used cinder blocks for the raised beds since they are maintenance free and will not rot. The beds were weeded, and organic compost and top soil were added for growing medium. Organic gardening practices were followed to keep the produce chemical free. Although they couldn’t get plants or seeds in the ground until March, they were able to try many different plants. Some did well and some did not, which allowed the students to research why certain plants didn’t grow and to explore resources that could guide the planting of future gardens. Some of the plants they tackled this year include broccoli, string beans, strawberries, squash, herbs, blueberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, carrot, cantaloupe and watermelon. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
“Students from every grade level have benefited from use of the garden. The children are enthusiastic about observing growth, and love to harvest when things become ripe,” Catie added. “I’ve never seen so many kids go crazy over raw broccoli! They all ate it and not one of them spit it out. I’ve had parents and teachers tell me their children want them to buy broccoli now from the grocery store. They’re excited about fruits and vegetables.” “We were able to harvest 16 gallon bags of romaine lettuce which went into the teachers’ lounge, and we put our sign for a dollar a bag, and they all sold. That money went right back into the garden pot.” The teachers shared watering details and the students helped by weeding and harvesting ripe produce. Some of the lessons learned for Mrs. Seip’s first graders included plant parts and what each part does. They learned that some of our food is the roots of the plant, and some grows on the plant, and that seeds continue the life cycle The last lesson for the school year was for the students to chop up the left over plants and fold them back into the soil to enrich it for the next growing season. “This year has been a bit of a trial and error. We’ve been working out the kinks, so we think next year will be even more successful. Since the ground-
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work has been set up, any future funding can go to irrigation, pH testing, compost and other items.” Unfortunately Catie Seip will not be at Knights Elementary next year, but the project will be carried on by Ms. Place who aided in the project all year. “Now that we have it and it is set up, we can continue to benefit from it every year. We can plant both fall and spring crops.” They are thinking about dividing up the garden by grade level, so each group can research what plants to grow for each particular part of the year. They would be able to start the germination process indoors and possibly transplant their own seedlings into the garden plots. Catie will miss the wonderful students and “family” she shares at Knights Elementary School after she moves. She hopes she’ll be able to set up a garden at the school she will be working with next year. She is pleased with the yield of her “Planting Seeds of Knowledge” garden. “It has ignited a passion for them to understand where food comes from and wanting to grow it, and wanting to try it. They are trying things they normally wouldn’t want to try.” And perhaps some will grow up to be farmers, some gardeners and some teachers, thanks to the efforts of this innovative instructor.
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Recipes Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Chef Justin Timineri
Florida Sweet Corn Tomato DIRECTIONS and Black Bean Pasta
Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Continue to cook ingredients and bring to a boil.
Add vegetable or olive oil to the preheated sauté pan.
Add the cooked pasta and cilantro.
Add the corn kernels and cook them for 2 to 4 minutes until they start to get some color.
Continue to cook ingredients until the pasta is heated throughout and the sauce has started to slightly stick to the pasta.
Add the black beans, garlic and diced tomato to the sauté pan. Cook ingredients for about 3 minutes until the tomatoes soften and release juices.
INGREDIENTS
Add the cumin, chili powder, lime juice and half-and-half.
3 ears fresh Florida sweet corn, kernels cut off the cob 1 pound pasta (corkscrew), cooked as directed on package, drained and cooled under running water 1 can cooked black beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed 2 cups fresh Florida tomato, diced 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, rinsed and chopped plus more for garnish 1/2 cup half-and-half 4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced 1 teaspoon cumin, plus more to taste 1 teaspoon chili powder, plus more to taste 1 lime, juiced 1 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove pasta from heat and serve hot. Garnish with any extra fresh cilantro.
Ingredients 1 pound Florida snap beans, stems trimmed 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 large onions, peeled and sliced 16 large Florida button mushrooms, rinsed and sliced sea salt and fresh ground
pepper to taste 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS Preheat a large sauté pan over mediumhigh heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the preheated sauté pan. Add sliced onions to pan and cook them for 3 to 5 minutes until almost caramelized. Add the green beans and garlic to the pan and continue to cook ingredients for anoth-
er 3 to 4 minutes until the green beans are almost to desired tenderness. Add mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce and butter. Cook another 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve warm.
Florida Snap Beans with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms 50 50
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By Jack Payne
Food and Resource Economics Tour
In 1974, a Hillsborough County government report predicted the demise of local agriculture by the turn of the century. Then a funny thing happened – Hillsborough agriculture grew in value from $40 million annually at the time of the report to $400 million at the point of its predicted demise. In the 1990s, a new IFAS research and education center director in the Tampa area was told that one of his first duties would be to close the center and lay off staff. Growers on the center’s advisory board not only opposed the closure of the center, they demanded a new one. They got it. In 2005, IFAS opened the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma. The story of Hillsborough County agriculture can’t be fully told in Gainesville – or anywhere other than Hillsborough. That’s why I was so pleased when Spiro Stefanou, our new chair of Food and Resource Economics, told me he was taking 36 mostly Gainesville-based faculty on a field trip to one of the state’s leading agricultural counties. I call it Spiro’s hairnet-and-hard-hats tour. From a tomato repacking plant where hair coverings were required to the helmets handed out on their look at North America’s largest desalination plant, our people spent a day taking a look at agriculture Hillsborough style. As the tour bus rolled past a cattle ranch and a hog wholesaler in Balm, Gulf Coast REC economist Zhengfei Guan was frank. It’s much farther from Gainesville to Balm than it is from Balm to Gainesville, he said. In other words, if we don’t get out of the office, we run the risk of developing an overly Gainesville-centric view of the world while our employees and stakeholders feel overlooked. And in the case of economists, you can’t measure what you can’t see. So we had to see. Hillsborough gave us an eyeful. What emerged from the trip was a narrative of resiliency. Hillsborough agriculture is what it is today because it continually adapts and defies predictions of its demise. At the DiMare repacking plant in Riverview, cameras snapped photos of every single tomato that rolled onto the line and computerized instructions diverted each piece of fruit to its proper destination. It’s a 131,000-square-foot plant that serves some of the largest restaurant and supermarket chains in the nation. The plant doesn’t have to be where it is, general manager Chuck Bruno told us on the tour. Modern communications, a well-developed transportation network and widespread markets mean they could
locate just about anywhere. But when DiMare needed to move from its former site in the Tampa wholesale produce market, it found it made economic sense to stay in the Hillsborough area, just a bit more inland where land is more affordable. That’s consistent with the overall trend of agriculture moving inland as the coast urbanized and land prices rose. DiMare also adapted from grower to vertically integrated company. It has trucks, farms, the plant and other links in the food chain located in Hillsborough. It’s a modern approach to the legacy industry of tomatoes. The tour then moved to a dusty field at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, where Tasti-Lee tomato creator Jay Scott explained that he’s trying to invent a transgenic tomato that’s pesticideresistant. IFAS/Hillsborough County Extension leaders briefed the group on how local politics have evolved, too. The same county government that had forecast the disappearance of agriculture two decades earlier decided in 1993 that it needed someone to help agriculture stay strong, and the Board of County Commissioners created the agricultural liaison office. Two years later, the Commissioners appointed an Agriculture Task Force to support and enhance farming. The tour concluded with an inside look at Tampa Bay Water’s desalination plant. Again, the plant’s very existence demonstrated Hillsborough County’s resiliency. Although the plant wasn’t built specifically for agriculture, the area faced a water crisis due to major reductions in groundwater pumping. Tampa Bay Water responded with a drought-proof source to its supply mix, which makes it a little less likely that Hillsborough agriculture will face a California-style catastrophe. The upshot of the trip was that the distance from Gainesville to Hillsborough is a little shorter now – at least from the McCarty Hall headquarters of the Food & Resource Economics Department. Our economists saw plenty to measure and monitor. They’ll better know the story, though they may tell it in numbers as much as words. Spiro’s hairnets-and-hard-hats tour is an example of how we get out of the office, but we never really leave campus because we consider the entire state our campus.
Jack Payne is the senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. jackpayne@ufl.edu • @JackPayneIFAS 52
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ANOTHER GREAT TURNOUT FOR AG-ABILITIES AND FULFILLING EXPERIENCE FOR VOLUNTEERS By Jim Frankowiak
What began in 2001 to provide Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students to compete in various ag-related competitions has continued to grow and prosper with increasing agricultural industry and volunteer support. This year’s Ag-Abilities competition drew 111 registrants from six Hillsborough County schools for the half-day competition which concluded with lunch and the presentation of ribbons to successful participants at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. While broad smiles and countless “high fives” were the order of the day for competitors, the impact of Ag-Abilities was heartfelt for the approximately 25 volunteers who oversaw the competition, interacting with the competitors in the Plant Identification, Food We Eat, Animal Breed Identification and Tractor Driving events. Ag-Abilities volunteers included board members of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and an employee team from Rabo AgriFinance led by Tony Lopez. Rabo also provided a donation which was used to underwrite luncheon costs. Dessert –strawberry shortcake-- was provided once again by John Lawson of Hydro Harvest Farms, his way of saying thanks for ESE programs that benefited his son. “Working with these students in the competition has a dramatic impact on our volunteers,” said Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Executive Director Judi Whitson. “Despite the challenges the competitors face, the opportunity to compete and succeed brings genuine happiness and a sense of fulfillment to each of them. And, it is most definitely a reality check for our volunteers who do not face such obstacles on a daily basis, giving each of them many reasons to be thankful for the lives they have.” Student competitors came from Caminiti and LaVoy Exceptional Centers and ESE programs at Turkey Creek Middle and Riverview, Middleton and East Bay High Schools. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Prior to 2001, ESE students, even those who belonged to FFA, were not able to compete and test their skills despite yearlong studies of various Ag topics. FFA member Jon Goff thought this was unfair and contacted Whitson to see if there was a way for this shortcoming to be fixed. Ag-Abilities was developed to meet this need through the efforts of Goff, Whitson, ESE teachers and staffers from the Parks and Recreation Department of Hillsborough County. “The first competition was held in 2001 at Raymond James Stadium as part of the Hillsborough County Fair,” said Whitson. There was a two –year hiatus due to location requirements and Ag-Abilities resumed in 2003 at its present location, the Florida State Fairgrounds. Goff was later recognized by FFA nationally and given the H.O. Sargent Award for his work on the development and implementation of the Ag-Abilities program. The award signifies FFA member success and leadership in agriculture. For Ag-Abilities participants, the competition marks the culmination of studies in each of the categories throughout the school year. Each program event is competitive with students required to successfully complete each segment. Those that do receive ribbon awards as part of the luncheon. “We are truly indebted to the Florida State Fair Authority, Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, Hydro Harvest Farms and Rabo AgriFinance for their support,” said Whitson. “The same must be said of the tireless efforts of the ESE teachers at participating schools as they watch their students succeed after months of study.”
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By Ginny Mink
Part 9
Take a step into the literary time machine and voyage back with us to 1926 where we meet Charles Torrey Simpson, author of Ornamental Gardening in Florida. If this isn’t your first voyage with us then you will recognize the sometimes fanatical and certainly sarcastic tone with which Mr. Simpson writes. If, perchance, this is your first ride, please be advised of his style prior to trekking onward.
On this trip we find ourselves in Chapter 11: Treatment and Planting of Low Ground. Certainly many of us are familiar with large patches of Florida lowlands. Not much has changed in nearly a hundred years as Mr. Simpson writes, “It often happens that the builder of a home has a piece of lowland on his premises, too wet for gardening or ordinary cultivation, which is really an eyesore.”¹ He proceeds to describe those who fill it in with “rubbish,”¹ and is apparently none too pleased or impressed by the practice. He continues, “Now it is quite possible to work every bit of such land into the general scheme of landscaping without filling and to make of it something very different from the rest, and at the same time quite attractive, and this being true of brackish as well as freshwater swamp.”¹ Having traveled throughout the state extensively, Mr. Simpson has experience on both fronts. In fact, he advises, “Wherever the land is so low that it is usually under water it may easily be made into a pool, pond or lake according to its size. It may be done with a minimal amount of labor and expense and the mud obtained from it can be either put onto sandy upland or worked into a compost heap.”¹ We are always amazed by how nonchalantly he mentions methodologies that people of today seem to think belong to them alone. He was upcycling and recycling before such words were coined (we suspect). Prime example, reading on we discover this recommendation, “In laying out walks in lowlands…Broken rock of any kind, pieces of brick, plaster, tile or concrete blocks laid and leveled off to a depth of three or four inches will make a good foundation and over this an inch of sand or sandy soil may be spread. Although this will shake when it is walked over it will be found strong enough to bear up any ordinary load.” Truly, the thing that often grasps our heart strings and imaginations deepest about this 54
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Ornamental Gardening in Florida book is the imagery Mr. Simpson creates. He explains, “Rustic seats may built of rock on a foundation of wet or muddy soil if the base is made broad, and they will not settle; they may be placed so that a fine view can be had over water.”¹ He moves then into some helpful gardening tidbits, “I do not know of any grass that would be desirable cover in such soil but there is a native succulent in the swamps, fresh and brackish, over the entire state, Monniera monniera, that will make a nice cover plant.”¹ Whenever he mentions something that we’ve never heard before we dive into a little research. What in the world, we wondered is monniera monniera and is it still as pervasive as he said? Alas, the only thing we could find that might resemble what he was talking about is the Bacopa monnieri, also known as water hyssop. Apparently there’s a good deal of controversy surrounding the plant. So, if you happen to have had your interests piqued, feel free to check out its supposed memory boosting potential.
• Eucalyptus: globulus, robusta, rudis and others • Bamboos: Arundo donax , Bambusa argentea, B. vulgaris • Sambucus intermedia • Giant ferns: Acrostichum aureum and A. excelsum • Smaller ferns: Osmunda spectabilis, O. cinnamomea • Two species of sword fern • Some of the nymphaeas • Pinguiculas • Utricularias • Ficus aurea • F. brevifolia • Melaleuca (tea tree) • Pandanus • Ravenala (traveller tree) • Nipa palm • Strelitzias • Alpinias • Royal Poinciana • Cordia • Hamelia We read on and discovered that the plant • Rhodomyrtus he was describing has pale blue flowers and • Oleanders all we saw were pale white ones; though the University of Florida states that there are at He concludes by stating, “It will be seen from least three different types in the state.² How- the above lists and from what has been said ever, given Mr. Simpson’s vast experience and that a great variety of very ornamental vegthe time passage, it is highly probable that etation can be grown in lowlands that may the name of the plant was changed or that be found on one’s place and that such may be his pale blue flowered succulent is one of the changed with little effort into beauty spots. three noted species here in Florida. So, yes, Epiphytic orchids and many other kinds of air we’re going to just have to trust him on that plants do especially well on the trees in such one. localities, probably because the air is quite moist.” A typical Floridian, he addressed the Further along he discusses his residence which issue that had been on everyone’s wetland was apparently located near Biscayne Bay (in preserving minds, “What about the mosquiSouth Florida) and the surprise he’s had with toes?” He states, “Wherever mosquitoes are the number of plant varieties that grow in its likely to trouble small fish can be kept in pools quite salty environment. He proceeds to dis- or ponds and they will keep these pests down cuss potential wetlands planting options. His as a general thing.” Sounds like he’s got it all list includes: figured out. Time to start looking at that rela• Palms: reclinata, tenuis, paradenia, paludosa tively cheap property with the lowland incluand others sions! • “Cocos nucifera, the common coconut,” he says, “revels in locations by the seaside and Research Info: a large number of nuts have been washed in ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardenon my lowland where they have germinated ing in Florida. Published by the Author; Little River, and would have produced trees only that they FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New have been stolen to plant elsewhere.”¹ Here York. (p. 45-49). ² http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/61 we couldn’t tell who did the stealing… Photo Credits: • Cocolobis uvifera (the shore grape) • “Crescentia cujete, the West Indian calabash Oleander- Tom Morris, https://flic.kr/p/4TzoTL tree and our wild one are at home in low- Sea Grapes – Kathy from Dunedin, https://flic. kr/p/6zFX9R land.”¹ Bacopa Monnieri—Alex Popovkin, https://flic.kr/p/ • Paritium elatum brXoDZ • P. tiliaceum
June 2015
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WE BUY FARMS Gladstone Land is actively acquiring farms in Florida. We offer owners and farmers three options: 1. We buy farms and provide long-term leases to the farmer.
2. We buy land that farmers would like to farm, but not own.
3. We buy farms with leases in place or can be leased.
Please contact Bill Frisbie at Gladstone Land: (703) 287-5839 bill.f@gladstoneland.com | www.GladstoneFarms.com
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AUTOMATED STRAWBERRY PICKING: THE FIRST OF MANY AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES PLANNED BY HARVEST CROO ROBOTICS By Jim Frankowiak It’s no secret. Labor, or the shortage thereof, is becoming a serious problem for agriculture. In our area, strawberry growers have been forced to leave ripe berries in the field since there weren’t sufficient field workers available to pick the berries. Some growers have reduced the number of acres devoted to strawberries because they were uncertain if sufficient labor would be available at harvest time. Gary Wishnatzki, owner of Wish Farms, knows those challenges first hand and was not content to let that challenge continue. Several years ago, he was having lunch with Bob Pitzer, a University of Florida mechanical engineering alumnus with extensive experience in industrial and machine design and automation, when the discussion got around to the labor problem facing strawberry growers and how it was getting worse. Wishnatzki and Pitzer had worked together before on other projects. Pitzer has been closely involved with robotics for many years. “In the early 2000s, he was involved with television shows featuring combat robots,” said Wishnatzki. Pitzer has been associated with U.S. First Foundation to develop the technology to run their large scale science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education programs, which now consists of hundreds of thousands of people involved in running the largest series of robot competitions in the world to inspire students in the areas of science and technology. Among those connections is Dean Kamen, the man who developed and introduced the Segway, a personal, two-wheeled transportation device, and other resources enabling him to develop groundbreaking and innovative projects. “Bob is a creative and ingenious engineer with the ability to make what others think might not be possible reality,” he added. 58
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That luncheon discussion led to the founding of Harvest Computerized Robotic Optimized Obtainer (CROO) by Wishnatzki and Pitzer, who serves as the company’s chief technical officer and vice president for engineering development. Wishnatzki was aware of other initiatives to develop automated strawberry pickers, “but those for the most part required growers to radically change the way they currently grow and they have not advanced to commercial availability. I charged Bob and his colleagues with the task of creating a picker that does not require growers to change the way they grow berries,” said Wishnatzki. Pitzer and his team, which includes engineering student interns from the University of South Florida, studied and observed the way human pickets harvest strawberries, enabling him to outline and conceptualize the elements of his first prototype which was built in approximately six months at a facility in east Tampa. It mimics the ways humans currently pick strawberries. “With robotic manipulation, our biggest challenge is minimizing time,” said Pitzer. “Our goal was to develop robots to pick as many berries as possible while utilizing conservation of motion.” Field tests of the prototype unit have been successful and an Alpha unit is planned for the 2015-2016 season. “We have proven the intellectual property concepts this season and have set the stage for the alpha unit next season,” he said. Funding for this endeavor has included strawberry growers in Hillsborough County as well as in California. Recent field tests confirmed the prototypes computer vision recognition system, enabling it to differentiate ripe from un-ripened berries. “We have the ability to distinguish between red and green berries,” said Wishnatzki. “That objective has WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
been crossed off the list” “I am confident our machine will be less costly, more efficient, more dependable and capable of better quality packing,” said Wishnatzki. The Harvest CROO business model does not call for the sale of machines, but rather to lease them to growers who would be charged on a per box basis. “I see this as a seamless transition from human to machine harvesting.” The ultimate Harvest CROO machine will be fully automated with no operators. It will be eco- friendly too, with electric power provided by batteries and solar systems. The alpha unit will also have packing capability and the ability to cover two beds at one time. “Additionally, we have varied harvest head designs to accommodate different practices among strawberry growers, particularly in southern California.” As to the future, commercialization of the automated Harvest CROO strawberry harvester is just the start. “This is what I believe is the beginning of the Ag robotics boom,” said Wishnatzki, who also anticipates a satellite facility for this new company and the strawberry growers in California’s Silicon Valley. And while the current focus is on strawberries, “we will have the opportunity to address the harvesting of other crops. I feel that we have the potential to become a leader in agricultural automation,” said Wishnatzki. For more information about Harvest CROO Robotics, visit: harvestcroo.com.
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Conserving and recycling water is
Lian Blackwelder, Engineer Florida phosphate operations
Safeguarding local water sources is an important part of what we do at Mosaic. As an engineer here in Florida, I help ensure Mosaic reuses and recycles approximately 90 percent of the water at its local facilities. Over the past 20 years, we’ve seen our phosphate operations reduce groundwater use by more than half. But we’re not done yet. Every day, we explore new ways to conserve natural resources and reduce our water usage even further.
®
We help the world grow the food it needs.
mosaicco.com/florida
© 2015 The Mosaic Company
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VETERANS TOUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AGRI-BUSINESSES Ag Options for Military to Civilian Careers By Jim Frankowiak
A group of veterans from different branches of the armed forces recently participated in a day-long tour of agribusinesses located in Hillsborough County. The free, bus tour was offered by Hillsborough County Economic Development in partnership with The Mosaic Company, Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Hillsborough County Extension. “This tour was organized to offer military veterans an opportunity to explore career opportunities available in the agriculture industry here in Hillsborough County,” said Simon Bollin, agribusiness development manager for Hillsborough County. The tour group consisted of 30 participants. “In addition to highlighting agricultural career opportunities for veterans, the tour served to showcase the diversity of agricultural operations in the county, and the similarities in purpose-driven work that a veteran would experience transitioning from the military to a career in agriculture,” he said. “This event is part of a commitment Hillsborough County and its partners have made to assist veterans transitioning to civilian life by providing meaningful connections to quality career opportunities and training.” “Mosaic was proud to be a sponsor of the special Veteran’s Ag Tour,” said Christine Smith, Manager, Community Relations for Mosaic. “We provide tours for our neighbors and customers to educate the public about our business and the important role of fertilizer production in the use of crop nutrition. Mosaic plays an important role in providing the food that farmers grow for us locally and globally.” “The opportunity to co-sponsor this tour was important to Hillsborough County Farm Bureau for several reasons,” said Executive Director Judi Whitson. “It was our way of showing our appreciation to these veterans for their service to our country, and it helped showcase some private sector career opportunities for them to consider. The skills and commitment they would bring to agriculture are precisely what we need as we strive to feed our growing population. ” Tour participants gathered at Hillsborough County Extension in Seffner and boarded a charter bus for the first stop at Fancy Farms for a tour and discussion with farm owner Carl Grooms and his son, Dustin, an Army veteran and former drill instructor. Fancy Farms, founded in 1974, is best known for its strawberries. Since joining his father at Fancy Farms, Dustin has overseen the production of vegetables in the non-strawberry season that are sold primarily at local retail markets. In addition to touring the farm, the group heard candid comments regarding the opportunities and challenges associated with contemporary farming from the Grooms. 64
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Winfred and Glenn Harrell then hosted the group at Harrell’s Nursery Inc., a 250-acre wholesale operation that grows trees and shrub material delivered to customers throughout Florida and south Georgia. The nursery, which was founded by Winfred in 1962, was initially focused on azaleas, but now offers more than 150 varieties of plants. The tour’s next stop, which included lunch, was Keel and Curley Winery and Two Henrys Brewing Company. Ryan Keel, son of the founder and owner Joe Keel, led the tour and described the evolution of the multi-faceted business which is located on a site that was originally a nursery. Over the years, the property was converted to blueberry production with the addition of a winery and most recently a brewery. Currently, production includes blueberries, blackberries and peaches, as well as products of the winery and brewery. Luncheon speakers Josh Young and Christian Ramthun, both veterans, shared their military to civilian life transitioning stories and offered advice to tour participants. Young is president of Crop Protection Services of Florida, an agribusiness, while Ramthun is currently involved in real estate with his wife, Stephanie. The Ramthun’s also operate a beekeeping business they hope to expand into a fulltime endeavor. Young urged attendees to “really get to know and understand the market you wish to pursue and create a plan and follow it,” he said. “Your military drive will help as you continually seek opportunities. Ag has many opportunities, but recognize that you may have to start at the bottom and work your way up.” He offered to meet and counsel veterans seeking careers in agriculture. Ramthun, a retired U.S. Army officer, told tour participants to “apply your military focus to your civilian career, narrowing it down to the niche you wish to pursue and stay focused.” The fourth and final tour stop was at Oak Ridge Fish Hatchery where owner David Drawdy gave a tour of his tropical fish operation and described his agricultural business and opportunities available for interested veterans. In addition to the tour, attendees were provided with information regarding online resources for veterans, agricultural job opportunities and placement agencies, local/state agricultural education and training resources and information on loan programs available to veterans interested in agribusinesses. Additional information about careers in agriculture is also available by contacting the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Hillsborough County Extension at its website: Hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu or by calling: 813-744-5519. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
SEMINAR FOCUSES ON THE BASICS OF EXPORTING Range of Services Available, Many at No Cost By Jim Frankowiak
“Global marketplace” is a term often used these days to describe the geographical breadth of opportunities available for the sale of goods and services, including those of agricultural producers. To help dispel any mystery or confusion associated with tapping this worldwide opportunity and to focus on the many resources available for those who want to sell overseas, the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) and Fresh From Florida co-hosted a recent, free seminar at Hillsborough County Extension. Hillsborough County Extension Director Stephen Gran showcased the varied resources and assistance programs Extension offers producers in the county at the local, state and federal levels, including advocacy and promotion on behalf of the industry. The access point for added information about Extension and its varied resources and partners is located on the web at: hillsborough.extension.ufl.edu.
reimbursement, as well as involvement in trade missions on international trade shows. LTA International represents a variety of brands interested in marketing their products overseas. The company offers assistance with retail merchandising, marketing and procurement and is currently active in Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia. The SUSTA website, http://www.susta.org/services/ert.html, offers access to all of the presentations given at the seminar and the various resources included in each.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Marketing and Development Director Susan Nardizzi described the scope and some of the services available to agricultural producers through membership in the “Fresh From Florida” program instituted in 1990 to increase consumer awareness and expand the market for Florida agricultural products both domestically and internationally. “Fresh From Florida has a brand presence in 10,000 domestic stories, 35 domestic chains, 4,400 international stores and 31 international chains,” noted Nardizzi. “Our campaign directly assists Florida companies in their exporting endeavors, working with our regional and national partners in outreach and educational initiatives.” Added information about Fresh From Florida, including membership and eligible member reimbursement costs, is available on the web at freshfromflorida.com or by calling 850-617-7399. The Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA), a non-profit organization helping small businesses based in the southern U.S. export U.S.-made food and agriculture products around the world, was represented by Marketing Coordinator Missie Lindsey. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, SUSTA is comprised of the Departments of Agriculture of the 15 southern states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. “SUSTA offers a market access program, international marketing, exporter education and research initiatives to assist small businesses in our geographic area,” said Lindsey. She detailed some of the 16 different brand promotional activities for which SUSTA offer cost reimbursement up to 50 percent. Information regarding membership qualification and qualifying products and their labeling, visit: www.susta.org. An added resource for small businesses interested in penetrating global markets is the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida. Associate Director Yanina Rosario outlined the scope of confidential services offered by the center’s staff of 25 consultants who serve the greater Tampa Bay market. “There is no charge for the services we provide to qualifying small businesses and it spans both domestic and international market development initially and on a continuing basis,” she said. More information about the center and its services is available at SBDCTampaBay.com. Once a company has entered a foreign market and begun to develop a customer base, the task of delivering those goods from the U.S. to foreign customers presents its own set of challenges. Jay Hood, Director of Operations for American Cruise-Aid Logistics, described some of the critical procedures and documentation that must be addressed to assure timely delivery to non-domestic customers. In addition to utilizing appropriate resources, he offered attendees an overview of available, web-based resources for familiarization of the various types of documentation required for shipping overseas by air, land or sea. The final seminar presenter was Sandra Baumstark, International Marketing Director for LTA International, who described how the services of seminar presenters have been especially helpful to her company and its offshore marketing, both in terms of expertise and WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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It Pays to Borrow from Farm Credit! “Farm Credit makes it simple to borrow money”
Strawberry and vegetable growers, Elias (L) and Lorena Gutierrez, have been Farm Credit Members since 2007. Loans made for farmers by farmers, since 1916. Farm Credit is the nation’s leading provider of credit to agriculture and rural America.
866.245.3637 FarmCreditCFL.com Loans for land, homes & country living 68
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Ferris Waller :
One of Plant City’s Most Successful Entrepreneurs “Just surviving with below average skills” in His Words By Jim Frankowiak Ferris Waller is most definitely one-of-a-kind. He’s a successful businessman – a true entrepreneur – but he’ll probably never accept that designation, preferring the moniker “busy bee whose wheels are always turning.” Also, unlike most entrepreneurs, he keeps what he has developed and continues to enjoy the successful operation of several endeavors in the Plant City area and elsewhere. Most entrepreneurs become bored once an idea has become reality, selling it and moving on to the next big idea and success, but not Waller. He has also brought the art of self-deprecation to new heights, though he will probably say he has no idea what that means since he “finished high school with an extremely high “D” average” just as he has characterized himself as “focusing on survival with below average skills” in some of his social media postings. For the record, selfdepreciation is “the act of undervaluing, disparaging oneself or being excessively modest. It can be used in humor and tension release.” With Waller it’s probably a little bit of all of that. But, let’s take a look at the beginning and more in some of his own words: Ferris Stephen Waller, Sr. “was born in the year 1938 in an upstairs apartment above a bakery on Haines Street in downtown Plant City. My father and mother were Marcus W. Waller Jr and Oneita M. Wright Waller. Some of our kin came to Florida in the late 1800s. My grandparents were from, on my dad‘s side, Ashford and Cottonwood in Houston County, Alabama, and on my mother’s side, Tabor City, Pireway and Hallsboro in Columbus County, North Carolina. My grandfather, Marcus W. Waller Sr., was a farmer, when he was not fishing. My other grandfather, Ferris S. Wright, had a furniture and hardware store in Plant City. As I grew up most of my time was spent 70
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working in the store, Wright’s Furniture & Hardware, despite the fact my dad fired me three times. My family bought the store from my grandmother Lutie V. Wright in 1955. The name was changed to Waller’s Hardware and is still being operated by our family as Waller’s Power Equipment.” Ferris is part owner of that business with his brother Leon. An alumnus of Plant City High School, Waller “was too dumb to be class clown, so I became the class dummy. I’ve been in the school of hard knocks for the last 60 years or so, focusing on survival with below average skills.” One of the most noteworthy “survival steps” for Waller began in 1978. That was The Country Village Flea Market on a ½-acre parcel at the corner of State Road 39 North and West Sam Allen Road. “This was ‘Hair’s Corner,’ a small country store that sold Gulf Gasoline,” said Waller. “The store was owned by my grandmother Lutie V. Wright and she rented the store to her son-in-law Bill Hair and daughter Jenette Wright Hair.” Waller bought the property from his mother and three aunts, who were known “around town as The Wright Girls.” Waller, with a friend of his – Dale Ballard – opened a store called “Save A Buck” which lasted for a while and then Waller with the help of his neighbors, Bruce and Alice DeHond, decided to sell produce for a few months. It was about that time when Bruce, Alice and Ferris decided to try a flea market one weekend. The trio and seven other people “put out a bunch of second-hand merchandise, AKA junk.” Waller, recognizing the potential of this to become a business, then WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
purchased a few additional aces from neighbor Julia Allen. In 1979, the land was rezoned and the flea market was officially opened. The market then had six-acres. A few years later another 10 acres of low land to the north was purchased from Cleotis and Rebecca Smith. Through the years, additional acreage was purchased and the market now has 35-40 acres. In the late 80s the Florida State Farmers market, located on the west side of Plant City, closed its market to vendors, fruit and vegetable pickers and farmers. This was when Waller added the Farmer part to the Flea Market, officially making it the Plant City Farm & Flea Market. “Our Farmers Market is open seven days a week, closing only on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said Waller, adding that the flea market portion of the business is only open on Wednesdays. “The Farmers Market is open to the public, but it is a large, wholesale market with more than 100 vendors occupying more than nine-acres and only a few items are available in small quantities.” Through the years, the Plant City Farm and Flea Market has grown to become one of the largest independent Farmers markets in the southeastern U.S. “Thousands of truckloads of produce come through the market each year,” noted Waller. “There are millions of dollars of business being done annually at the market by the hundreds of vendors and farmers who sell here.” It is commonplace for produce dealers from throughout Florida, Georgia and Alabama to purchase semi-trailer loads of produce at the market several times each week. “Eckerd College did an economic impact study of what the market contributed to the local economy over 25 years ago,” said Waller. “The numbers back then were between $65 and $75 million annually. It is estimated that the number would well exceed $250 million today.” That’s not too bad for a business that grew through hard work and persistence and no government incentives. Waller said approximately 90 percent of the produce at the market is sold to restaurants, grocery stores and hundreds of fruit and vegetable dealers that sell along road sides. “You will find produce from the
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Plant City Market in the local fruit and vegetable stores in most any town or flea market in Florida and parts of Alabama and Georgia.” Waller’s ventures at the market location also include produce bags, the design and production of signs, design and silk screening for tshirts and metal roofing. His son Mark operates I-4 Power Equipment, which used to be located on the market site, but now operates from a larger facility on the I-4 south frontage road just west of Park Road. Waller’s most recent addition includes three businesses in Nobleton, Florida. They include River Ratz Café and a canoe/kayak rental – all along the Withlacoochee River and an RV Park a short distance away. Son Steve oversees those businesses. Waller and his wife Peggy also have a daughter Stephanie, who is involved in pharmaceutical sales (a “drug dealer,” according to her father) after an extended role with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as public relations director under Hugh Culverhouse and the early years of the Glazer family ownership. Ferris and Peggy recently completed what was to have been a storage barn for his collection of tractors with a second floor for her sewing, but that has become Kathleen’s Garden & Grandpa’s Event Barn. Both are located on lands owned by Peggy’s family north of Knights Griffin on Pless Road, aptly named after her family. Those plans have changed and the facility has become an increasingly popular venue for weddings and other types of special events. Not at all a surprise given Waller’s record of success over the years. Despite his diverse record of achievement in a variety of businesses, Waller describes success as “working long and hard and acquiring more property than you can pay taxes on.” He also likes to remind people of what one of his high school classmates wrote under his yearbook photo, “What he doesn’t know would make a good book.” As noted at the outset, Ferris Waller has brought self-deprecation to lofty heights, but he is still a Plant City businessman with an enviable record of achievement. Find out more about the Plant City Farm & Flea Market and how to get on Ferris’ blog by visiting: http://www. plantcitymarket.com.
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By Libby Hopkins
Fighting Hunger
Summer break is here for school children in the Tampa Bay area. This means kids will have time to play with their friends and enjoy everything summer break has to offer. For some children, summer isn’t all that fun because it means they will be missing a meal they got at lunchtime during the school year. Lunchtime is the only time some children get to eat all day. Studies done by Feeding America Tampa Bay (www.feedingamericatampabay.wordpress.com) have shown that 1 in 7 adults and 1in 4 children in the Tampa Bay area are food insecure. Nearly half of the hungry population consists of children and seniors. Florida is ranked fourth in the nation for family hunger. Many at-risk children do not eat between Friday lunch and Monday breakfast when they are not in school.
kids participate in the summer program and this number got a lot of us interested in how to help.”
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has come up with a program to help food insecure children called the Summer Break Spots. They are partnering with faith-based organizations across the state to feed more children through its Summer Break Spot nutrition program. The Summer Break Spot program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is run in local communities by qualifying nonprofit organizations.
There is no cost for the meals. At almost all sites, there is no application necessary and any child 18 or younger can simply come during meal times to receive a meal. However, the program does suggest that parents give the site a call first to let the site know that their child/ children may be coming during mealtime. Some sites ask that an adult or responsible teen accompany children during the mealtime because they don’t have staff to handle extra children that may not be a part of their regular activity program. “Every child is welcome to receive a meal at any Summer Break Spot site,” Peacock said. “Once the completed site list has been published, you can go online to find a site near you or you can text FoodFl to 877-877 or download the app NutriSlice to your smartphone to locate a site near you.” Peacock also said the site list is usually published online by the very end of the school year. “I hope that every eligible child has access to the Summer Break Spot program within a reasonable distance so they can have year-round nutrition,” Peacock said. If you would like to learn more about the Summer Break Spot program or if you would like to see if there is a meal site location near your home, you can visit them on the web at www.summerfoodflorida.org. If you are interested in becoming a Summer Break Spot meal site sponsor, you can contact Peacock at Caitlyn.peacock@networktoendhunger.org. If you would like to learn more about the Tampa Bay Network To End Hunger, you can visit their website at www.networktoendhunger.org.
Many children rely on a nutritious breakfast and lunch through the National School Lunch Program and are at risk of suffering from hunger during summer break. The Summer Break Spot fills the nutrition gap during the summer by serving meals to children 18 years and younger so they can return to school healthy, happy and ready to learn. Caitlyn Peacock is a member of the Tampa Bay Network To End Hunger. The network is comprised of over 180 members from three counties (Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough). Florida Impact is one of the members of the network that works specifically to expand Children Federal Nutrition Programs. “The representative from Florida Impact, Christina Sudduth, gave a presentation on the Break Spot Program last February on the importance of the program due to the lack of participation,” Peacock said. “Only 10 percent of eligible 74
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Peacock is currently looking for sponsor sites for the Summer Break Spot program. “An interested sponsor can contact me,” Peacock said. “We have sponsors that can deliver meals, but it’s the sites we need to grow.” Meal sites are where children receive meals in a safe and supervised setting and may include faith-based organizations, schools, parks, housing projects, day camps or community centers. Breakfasts, lunches or snacks can be delivered daily to a site or prepared on-site depending on facility capabilities and resources. Sites can provide each child up to two free meals per day.
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Pesticide Exposure and Poisoning: Part 1
by Susan Haddock, Commercial Landscape/IPM/Small/ Farms Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
Integrated pest management is an environmentally sound approach to manage pest populations at aesthetic or economic thresholds using the least toxic methods of pest control. Generally, the approach includes identifying the pest correctly and then employing proper cultural practices, physical and mechanical methods, biological or natural pest enemies, pest resistant plants, and/or chemical controls. Chemical controls or use of pesticides are often used inappropriately as the first line of defense without much thought being given to the risks of pesticide exposure and poisoning. This three part series on pesticide exposure and poisoning will help readers be able to: 1. Distinguish between pesticide exposure and pesticide poisoning. 2. Avoid the potential for pesticide exposure and poisoning. 3. Recognize the types of pesticide exposure and the possible effects. 4. Know how to respond to pesticide exposure. 5. Accurately report history and symptoms to clinicians. 6. Understand the challenges of diagnosing pesticide poisoning. Defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest. Pesticides are often referred to as insecticides, however, the term pesticide also applies to herbicides, fungicides, miticides, algaecides and various other substances used to control pests. Under United States law, a pesticide is also any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant or desiccant. Many common household products such as: cockroach sprays and baits, insect repellents for personal use, flea and tick sprays, powders, and pet collars, kitchen, laundry and bath disinfectants and sanitizers, products that kill mold and mildew, and some swimming pool chemicals are pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals developed to kill or control primarily insects, weeds, fungi or rodents. They are widely used on agricultural crops, in the home, in yards, in public places and for mosquito control. Pesticides are often referred to according to the type of pest they kill. Common pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, miticides, rodenticides, nematicides, insect growth regulators, and so on. Benefits of using pesticides include increased crop production, preserving produce, combating pest infestations, preventing structural damage and controlling invasive or exotic species.
Pesticide Exposure
Pesticide exposure occurs when you come in contact with a pesticide and it enters the body through ingestion, inhalation or contact with the skin, eyes or mucus membranes. The pesticide must come in contact with your body to harm you. When not used, stored or disposed of properly, pesticides can cause harm to humans, animals, non-target organisms and the environment. LD50 is a standard measurement of pesticide acute toxicity. Acute toxicity describes the adverse effects of a pesticide exposure that result either from a single exposure or from multiple exposures in less than 24Â hours. LD50 is the amount of a substance that is acutely lethal or kills 50 percent of the test population (e.g., rats, fish, mice, cockroaches). It is stated in milligrams (mg) of pesticide per kilogram (kg) of body weight. The lower the LD50 dose, the more toxic the pesticide. The low LD50 indicates that a small amount of the pesticide can cause harm. The LD50 is not always on the label, however, the signal words CAUTION, WARNING, DANGER or DANGER/POISON reflect the relative acute toxicity of the pesticide. The severity of an exposure depends on the toxicity of the chemical ingredients and the amount, length of exposure time and how it enters the body. 80
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Hazard = Toxicity X Exposure
Types of Pesticide Exposure
The three types of pesticide exposure are drift, occupational and household.
Drift:
Drift or overspray occurs when pesticides sprayed from an airplane, tractor, truck mounted, compressed air or backpack sprayer drifts or is blown onto people or non-target sites. Drift can also occur when the wind carries soils treated with pesticides offsite or pesticides volatilize after application and move from the treatment site.
Occupational:
Occupational exposure occurs when farm workers, applicators or mixers come into contact with high concentrations and/or large volumes of pesticides, or when workers unknowingly expose families by carrying pesticides into homes on their bodies, clothes, shoes or by washing work clothes together with family laundry. The most risky activities for pesticide exposure are mixing, applying, hand weeding and hand harvesting crops.
Household:
Household exposures occur when household pesticides are used, applied or stored improperly, or when individuals come in contact with residues from commercially applied products. Common household exposures come from insect repellents, foggers, baits, rodent poisons, weed killers, flea and tick control and disinfectants.
Pesticide Poisoning
Pesticide poisoning is an illness or injury resulting from a pesticide exposure to a single or mixture of pesticides from a single or multiple exposures. Pesticide poisoning is commonly under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed due to healthcare provider limited training in pesticide related illnesses, unwillingness of occupational workers to report pesticide exposure or the occupational worker does not associate the illness to a pesticide exposure. Prevention of pesticide exposure is the best way to remain safe, healthy and avoid poisoning when using pesticides. Exposure prevention is achieved by receiving training prior to pesticide use, reading the pesticide label prior to use, and strictly following all label instructions and recommendations. Knowing how to use application equipment correctly and equipment calibration is key to reducing the chance of exposure. Exposures can also be reduced by being familiar with the application site and environmental conditions prior to making pesticide application decisions. Check future editions of In the Field for Pesticide Exposure and Poisoning: Part 2 where pesticide poisoning, potential for pesticide poisoning and the effects of pesticide poisoning will be discussed. Part 3 will discuss responding to and the challenges of diagnosing a pesticide poisoning. For more information on integrated pest management and pesticide education contact the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County office at (813)744-5519. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
On the River By Shannon P. Mitchell, The Redheaded Gardener In May we honored those who passed either in service or after service to our country during Memorial Day weekend. My family chose to celebrate that freedom so hard won by our nation’s soldiers by sharing a trip to the St. John’s River in Welaka, FL. We came to spend time together, to fish and to enjoy some much needed relaxation. For me these trips are always an opportunity to observe some wonderful native and sometimes some non-native plants that grow along the river. Many of the river’s bends and turns along some of the better fishing spots showcase Spatterdock or Nuphar advena, also known as cow lily. As we slowly coast by them in the boat, I always imagine myself walking across the tops of them like the Great Blue Herons do. They fish for prey amongst the broad leaf pads of these waterlilylike plants. No showy blooms here- just tight balls of yellow the size of golf balls bobbing amongst the pads. Despite their lack of showy blooms, they perform a workhorse sort of function for any number of river fauna. Birds, turtles, frogs, insects and fish use these swaths of lily pads as shelter, sources of food and pathways.
along the river banks. So take some time to appreciate the flora along the river next time. A good site to learn about aquatic based plants is http://plants.ifas.ufl. edu/ UF/IFAS’s Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants website. Lots of great photos and lists of native and non-native plants along our rivers in Florida. Happy Gardening!
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Another favorite is Pickerel Weed or Pontederia cordata. Leaves of this water plant are spade-shaped and spear upward, standing straight at attention as they slowly wave back and forth. The boat ripples past. The highlight for me with this plant is the elongated purple spike blooms. In mass they are beautiful to behold. Butterflies and pollinators of all sorts buzz in and out of the sunlit blooms during the day and they team with flies and moths of all sorts during the moon filled nights. Equally impressive during this time of year are the strappy clumps of white Spider Lily (Hymenocallis latifolia) or Swamp Lily (Crinum americanum) that bloom among the muddy banks and in amongst the cypress knees. Their blooms remind me of little hexagonal pinwheels. Waving sweetly in the breeze they shout out a cheerful greeting of laundry white against the dark grey of the banks and shadowy greens of the river trees. The shiny strap-like leaves bend and curve. Flowers differ in the two varieties but both are native. And they smell divine. Other plants worth watching for along the river include Red Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Button Bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum). All three attract various native wildlife including hummingbirds, pollinators and mammals WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Naturally Amazing Activities
By Sean Green
Plastic Spoon Lady Beetles There are many insects we can count on to protect our gardens and crops and the ladybeetle is one of them. One of the coolest physical features of the ladybeetle is the large variety of patterns and colors you can find on them. They do not all have the same number of dots on their back and many of them are not even red. This month, I will share with you, a craft inspired by I Myself Mk.Ru that repurposes used plastic spoons to make a unique lady beetle of your own. Although the craft is designed to support the article on lady beetle larva, this craft can be used to mimic any beetle you can imagine. You could even use glitter to mimic some of the jewel beetles or metallic wood boring beetles.
Suggested Material: Used Plastic Spoons Paint / Marker Old Buttons Glue Wire Cutters
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7
(colored or white) (Acrylic will dry to be water proof, a permanent marker can also be used) (for the head) (Keep it safe and non-toxic) (to cut the spoons)
Paint or color the top of one spoon black for the body. Paint or color the top of two spoons red for the wings. Paint or color dots or patterns onto the wings of the ladybeetle. Paint or color the button to make a face for the ladybeetle. Cut the tops off of three spoons. Glue one red wing to each side of the black body. Glue the button face onto the front of the red wings.
Use the bean ladybeetles as decoration in the garden, as a counting activity, or to play a game of traditional dominoes. If you like board games they can be used as game pieces. If you like building Leggo environments, they can be used as creatures in your Leggo world. Glue them to a painting or picture of a flower and you will have a 3D piece of artwork. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
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A Closer Look
By Sean Green
Mealy Bug Destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) Wolf in Sheeps Clothing
At the end of last month, I was presented with a video Karen Berry, our publisher, took of a “creepy crawly” that was on her magnolia tree. It is always an honor and delight to attempt to identify the creatures brought to me or presented in the form of a video or picture. I took a look at the video during a quick break from a busy work day and with that quick glance, told Sarah Holt, our assistant publisher, that the critter in the video looked like a species of mealy bug at first glance but offered to take a closer look and share my thoughts with other readers that may share Karen’s curiosity when such critters are found on their ornamentals. This month we will take a closer look at a small beneficial insect that illustrates the biblical idiom of “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” (Matthew 7:15). Unlike the metaphor described in the New Testament, the wolf in this case is the good guy rather than the enemy. The beneficial Mealy Bug Destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) is cloaked in a white waxy coat that is virtually identical to that of its prey, the mealy bug (Pseudococcidae) thus concealing it’s true nature as a dangerous predator making the Mealy Bug Destroyer (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri) the ravenous wolf in the eyes of the mealy bug. In evolutionary biology, mimicry is a similarity of one species to another which protects one or both organisms. Mimicry occurs when organisms evolve to share (or mimic) common characteristics with another group of organisms that have an evolutionary advantage (the models). There are different types of mimicry, one being Batesian mimicry, so named after the English naturalist Henry Bates whose work with butterflies in the Amazon rainforest led to his pioneering the field of biologic mimicry. Batesian mimicry is typically expressed as a prey animal mimicking its predator, think of a sheep in wolves clothing in the midst of a pack of wolves. The wolves (predators) would not attack the sheep (prey) because it looks like just another wolf, additionally, the sheep in wolves clothing benefits from the protection of the pack against other potential predators. Aggressive mimicry is similar to Batesian mimicry but is characterized by the predator mimicking the prey, instead of the other way around. In this instance, our predator is a small beetle in the Coccinellidae family and the prey could be any of a number of unarmored scale insects in the Pseudococcidae family commonly known as mealybugs.
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The Coccinellidae family of beetles are commonly known as ladybird beetle (or ladybugs in North America). Its common name is associated with the Virgin Mary (mother of Jesus), also known as Our Lady, who is often portrayed wearing a red cloak. Legend has it that during the middle ages, insects plagued European crops and farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help. Soon thereafter ladybugs arrived to devourer the swarms of crop pests. Believing the insects were a gift from the Virgin Mary, farmers began to call the insects “The Beetles of Our Lady.” Over time, the term was simplified to “Lady Beetles.” Additionally, the spots on the wings of the Lady Beetle are said to represent both her joys and her sorrows. There are about 400 species of Lady Beetles in North America alone and over 5000 worldwide with a wide variety of coloration and physical characteristics. Lady Beetles are largely considered beneficial insects for their hearty appetite for pests in the farms, fields, and gardens of America. Beetles in this family are still used as biologic control agents for pest such as aphids scale insects, mites, caterpillar, and even other beetles. The Coccinellidae species of interest to us is known as the Mealybug Ladybird in its homeland of Australia and Mealy Bug Destroyer in North America, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, has served the Agriculture community for 125 years. The Mealy Bug Destroyer was first introduced to California to combat the Citrus Mealybug (Planococcus citri), an agricultural pest introduced from Asia. One of the distinctive characteristics of the Mealy Bug Destroyer is that in its larval stage it looks almost exactly like the adult mealy bugs it hunts. The evolutionary adaptation of Aggressive mimicry not only allows Cryptolaemus montrouzieri to hunt by stealth, but also grant some protection from other predators. Mealybugs are typically more problematic in the presents of ants because each organism has co-evolved to mutually benefit from the activity of the other (Mutualism) without requiring the other for survival. Ants benefit from the mealybugs production of honeydew, a food source for ants and other insects, and the mealybugs benefit from the ants preying on predatory insects attracted by the honeydew without becoming prey to the ants themselves. If you spot a mealybug infestation, a closer look may reveal beneficial insects that are simply dressed to kill. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Exotic Plumeria
By Ginny Mink
Let’s talk flowers here for a minute. Listen, I know that every woman in her right mind has at least one that she’d call her favorite. Mine has always been the stargazer lily, I had them in my wedding and if you asked me that’s the flower I would list. However, the truth is, there’s another flower that holds great significance to me. It’s one that I have formed such a sweet memory around and I’d like to share that with you here as it pertains to the story.
to one specific flower, Zeke declared quite emphatically, “I like it!” and that one remained with him even after others were presented and consequently discarded. You won’t believe what Alan called this variety…ready? Cool-Aid. Yep, wouldn’t you know that the one whose scent is supposedly similar to cherry Kool-Aid would be the scent in which Zeke approved? Please don’t tell, but yes, I do give my kids Kool-Aid (to supplement the other option…sweet tea).
My dad, is an interesting man (to say the least); one whom I absolutely adore and have pretty much always felt that way about (internally). He’s the smartest man I know and I am privileged to have grown up under his tutelage because he’s a bit of a dreamer. Most of those creative types are. Anyhow, as a kid I watched him blow glass, raise snakes and bees, build things, airbrush things, you name it and I bet my dad’s done it. Yet, there was one thing we did together and that was take pictures. He had a whole darkroom and everything (but I digress).
I will tell you that J was more actively involved in this endeavor than he has been in a while. I think the sheer fact that each flower had its own unique and bold scent was a draw for him. He was frequently caught with his nose in a flower. Really, the aroma of these beauties is so intense you can be nearby and feel like heaven just tickled your nose.
There is a picture on the wall in my parent’s house that I specifically remember helping him take. The flowers in that picture are white and yellow with a hint of orange and I recall the heavenly scent that permeated the air around us as we set up the tripod for the shot. Yes, I vividly recall this event because doing things with Dad was special. As I tear up, I’ll conclude by just telling you it was a Plumeria and the name has equated with adoration ever since. Today, I took my lovelies to the Exotic Plumeria Tropical Gardens for this month’s Meet the Minks. I tell you the most amazing truth, Hazel didn’t know where we were going but for the first time (ever, literally) she wanted to bring her vTech camera. Yep, she wanted to take pictures and we were heading to see the flowers I love, whose stories revolve around a picture for me. Incredible how life plays out, really. Maybe you don’t care about all that, maybe you were hoping to hear something funny Hazel said, or about some dramatic poop stepping tragedy. Sorry. Instead, there was just a flood of memories and Hazel taking pictures of Plumeria and Zeke. Ah yes, there was Zeke, who has now turned two and has a vocabulary most people are astounded by. Every day new words come out of his mouth. Mostly he repeats things he’s heard his sister say, but he’s listening and he’s forming his own opinions. Those opinions were revealed today. You see, Zeke is a madman if not wholly confined and thusly he had to ride in the stroller during our brief visit. So, having the opportunity to smell the flowers on the trees wasn’t really possible for him. Therefore, Hazel and I would pick the flowers off the ground (we didn’t take ANY off the trees) and hand them to him to smell as Alan Bunch, the owner, told us the names of each one. The funny part here is that every flower, just about, got a brief sniff, an “I don’t like it,” and a toss to the ground. However, when we got
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Alan picked a couple of flowers which Hazel absolutely had to have in her hair. What cracked me up was that it took a few before she decided she wanted to do that. The one that finally pushed her over the edge was called “Hot Pink.” Yep, that’s definitely Hazel. Hot pink for her and Cool-Aid for Zeke, hysterical really. I can’t tell you that J actually had a favorite but if he’s like me (and I think he is), he liked ‘em all! Let me briefly sell you on a visit, and really if you have your own place, buy a Plumeria, you won’t regret it! Alan has been in the business since 1989 and he’s a plethora of information on the topic (he even wrote a book, which he gave me a copy of!!). They make leis there and you can rent the area for a custom (provided by them) luau, complete with real Hawaiian hula dancers. No joke, this place is incredible. When we pulled up, there was a finch that greeted us. Seriously, he flew up to the window and landed on the mirror. Then he went to the other side of the van and did the same thing. Apparently, that’s his MO. He’s pretty cool for sure. On top of that there were two super incredible looking wee-little woodpeckers in the bamboo. Yep, it was pretty neat and worthy of a visit. As we packed up to leave Hazel informed me that she loves those flowers and wants to go back every day so she can put some in her hair. She told me that again when I gave her a bath, and again when I put her to bed. Actually, according to Alan, they are the longest blooming trees (evergreen in Hawaii). So, if we had our own…well, I guess we’d need our own place then too. I’m only gonna tell you one more time, please go check out the Exotic Plumeria Tropical Gardens, tell ‘em the Minks sent ya and buy something (we’d love a tree, it can stay in the bucket a while, right?). Just kidding about buying us a tree, but please go support this guy with his delightful flowers. Your next party could be a luau… Visit: http:// www.exoticplumeria.com/ or call: (813) 653 2496.
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A Living Exhibit
When people talk about carnivorous plants, the first thing that may come to mind is a huge Venus Flytrap plant devouring a human or an animal. Okay, so maybe I watch too much of the Syfy Channel, but admit it, you thought of it too! The truth is a Venus Fly Trap may only get as big as five inches and the only living things it will devour are insects. An insect eating plant is really something cool to see and you can see a real, live Venus Flytrap and other carnivorous plants at the Museum of Science and Industry’s Savage Garden exhibit. “We had a donation from Jean Coleman, who is a huge fan of carnivorous plants and finds them absolutely interesting,” said Kristen Gilpin, MOSI Outside Coordinator. “She wanted to share her love of carnivorous plants with MOSI and to give all of MOSI’s guests an opportunity to see the plants she loves.” According to the museum’s website, “The Savage Garden is a living experiment and MOSI is working to see which species will thrive within our exhibition. The plants on display in the garden are likely to change periodically and some may be dormant for parts of the year. The exhibit is supplemented with other plants commonly found in a southern bog, including tillandsias, mosses, ferns, and wetland plants.” The exhibit includes Venus Flytraps, in addition to Pitcher plants, which have trumpet-shaped leaves that mimic flowers and attract insects with bright colors, sweet scents and sugary nectars that exude from the lips of the pitchers. The steep walls, slippery surfaces, and downward pointing hairs inside of the pitchers ensure that insects that visit often end up in liquid at the bottom of the tube. This liquid is a soup of digestive juices, bacteria, and sometimes even the larvae of small insects, which all work together to break down and digest the unlucky prey. Sundews have slim, modified leaves covered in hairs that are topped with sweet sticky glue that attract and trap insects. Some sundew species then curl their leaves around their trapped food to ensure the insect does not escape while being digested by the plant. Bladderworts are shaped somewhat like a bean and many are located under water. The walls of the trap pump water out of the interior and contract as the trap empties, creating a vacuum. The plant secretes a sugary substance near the trap door of the bladder, and when prey come to investigate, the door springs open, sucking in both water and the prey. The walls of the trap continue to pump water out leaving just the prey to digest and also resetting the trap. Many bladderworts are aquatic and can be seen floating in ponds. WWW.IIN NTTHE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
By Libby Hopkins Butterworts capture their prey on their broad leaves, which are covered in tiny stalks that produce sugary glue. Insects are attracted to the sweetness and become quickly trapped by the sticky substance. After trapping an insect, the stalks produce more glue and digestive juices to better secure their prey, as well as break down and digest the nutrients. Each section of Butterwort leaf only works once for feeding, and after the digestive juices are used up, that portion of the leaf cannot produce more enzymes. Butterworts produce new leaves to consume more prey. All of these plants are hard to grow in a home environment and even more difficult to purchase. “Creating an exhibit inside a museum where the plants can receive the proper care is something that could provide the guests with the ability to see plants they normally wouldn’t see,” Gilpen said. “Carnivorous plants exist in a very specific environment and most of them aren’t close to where people would live.” Gilpen and MOSI have received some phenomenal feedback from guests about the Savage Garden exhibit. “People are fascinated by the exhibit and most of the guests never realized that the Venus Flytrap is so small,” Gilpen said. “They always want to see the plants eating and that doesn’t always happen, so we try to point out that when the traps are closed, they are already feeding.” If you would like to learn more about MOSI’s Savage Garden exhibit or any of the other exhibits at MOSI, you can visit their website at www.mosi.org. MOSI is located at 4801 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa. IINNTTHE HEFFIELD IELD M MAGAZINE AGAZINE
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NEW VARIETIES ENHANCE THE FLORIDA CALADIUM HERITAGE More on the Way BY Jim Frankowiak
Summer Pink
Fiesta
Red Hot
Fairytale Princess
Royal Flush
Sizzle
Caladiums are popular ornamental plants with an interesting origin and link to Florida that is unmatched anywhere else in the world. Originally from the New World tropics – specifically the Amazon River Basin in South America – caladiums are members of the aroid family and display a wide diversity of leaf shapes, eye-catching colors and color or vein patterns rarely found in other cultivated plant species. “Their colorful leaves rival many flowers, and the plants grow well in summer heat and rains,” said Dr. Zhanao Deng, Associate Professor and Ornamental Plant Breeder at the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC). He and his associates develop new ornamental plant cultivars for Florida growers and consumers. “Caladium varieties do well in shady landscapes where it is difficult to grow most flowering plants,” said Deng. “All varieties are easy to grow and their color lasts to the end of the year.” He noted the importance of watering caladiums at least twice weekly to help assure their longevity. Potted and landscape caladium plants are grown from tubers, often called bulbs. “Most of the tubers used throughout the world are produced in Florida,” said Deng. The majority of those tubers are grown in Highlands County where the muck soil, climate and rain are ideally suited. That is also home to the majority of caladium growers that offer the sale of caladium bulbs. At the beginning of the 20th century, Henry Nehrling and Theodore Meade, who are considered pioneering horticulturists in Florida, began caladium breeding in this country. Nehrling once had more than 2,000 varieties and some are still in commercial production today. Meade focuses his efforts on the lance-leaved varieties. Fancy is the other popular leaf shape that often referred to as elephant ear shape. After Meade’s death, caladium breeding declined. In 1976, UF/IFAS began a caladium breeding program at the GCREC which was then located in Bradenton. Since that time, the program has been the only major organized breeding effort in the world. Dr. Gary Wilfret directed the UF/IFAS caladium breeding program until 1999, and Drs. Brent Harbaugh and Baldwin Miranda led the program until 2002. Dr. Deng has led the program since late 2002 with collaborative assistance from GCREC faculty members, among them Plant Pathologist Dr. Natalia Peres and Floriculturist Dr. Harbaugh. 92
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Cherry Tart
Passionista
Garden White
Within the last several years, the UF/IFAS caladium breeding program has released a host of new caladium varieties: Cherry Tart, Garden White, Red Hot, Royal Flush, Sizzle, Strawberry Star, Summer Pink and Tapestry. “Cherry Tart was the star of the Florida Floriculture Field Days held at Disneyworld in 2013,” said Deng. “Attending growers, landscapers and nursery men ranked Cherry Tart the best of the flower varieties on display.” He also noted that Garden White with its heart-shaped leaves “glow” in the evening gardens thanks to its white coloration. Such recognition as that garnered by Cherry Tart is well-received and appreciated by Deng and his colleagues since the development of new varieties takes anywhere from 8 to 13 years, representing work with thousands of candidate plants. “In addition to beauty, new caladium varieties must do well in containers and in the landscape,” said Deng. “They must also produce sufficient bulbs to meet the needs of growers who supply more than 95 percent of the bulbs sought in the U.S. and more than 40 countries worldwide.” In addition to the new varieties recently released (there have been 20 since 2005), Deng said five more will be introduced next year and they are: Fairytale Princess, Fiesta, Passionista and two, yet-to-be-named varieties: UF- R304 and UF- R813. Funding for the GCREC caladium program comes from a variety of sources. “Seventy percent of the royalties for varieties we have developed support our program along with grants from caladium growers here in Florida, the Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Florida Legislature,” he said. “I am also grateful for UF/IFAS assistance, as well as that of Dr. Jack Rechcigl here at the GCREC, my colleagues and staff.“ Caladium bulbs are available from the following growers: Bates Sons & Daughters: https://www.caladiumsonline.com Classic Caladiums: https://www.classiccaladiums.com Happiness Farms: http://happinessfarms.com Hendry Caladiums: http://hendrycaladiums.com Spaulding Bulb Farm: http://www.spauldingbulbfarm.com Caladium World: http://www.caladiumworld.com Information on how to grow caladiums is available online: http:// gcrec,ifas,ufl.edu/ornamentals/growing-caladims/growing-in-thelandscape/ WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
June 2015
93
Classifieds
Tel: 813.759.6909 Info@inthefieldmagazine.com CATTLE TRAILER
ANIMALS & NEEDS ANIMAL & BIRDCAGES
Equipment serving the fur bearing animal & exotic bird industry! Cages built to order. Wire by roll or foot. (813) 752-2230. Call Don Ammerman. www.ammermans.com July 19, 2015, Nov. 29, 2015
CHICKEN MANURE FOR SALE
24’ Circle W Factory Built gooseneck type cattle trailer. Like New, new floor, canvas top, brakes, wheel bearings, lights and paint $7,750 Call 863-608-0454
2002 EXISS
3H Slant w/Mid Tack and full living quarters, $24,000. Email brie1936@gmail.com for more information.
Dry and available immediately! Call Tim Ford or Danny Thibodeau (863) 439-3232
We have all your aluminum needs! Screen Room, carports & awnings. Call Blake (813) 752-3378
WINDOW SCREENS
HUSTLER RAPTOR
FOR RENT
GO FRESH PRODUCE
All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. Granite counter tops. Custom made to your size. Call Blake 813-752-3378
MOBILE HOME TUBS
FOR SALE KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES
(Pasco County) 45 acres are comprised of gently rolling hills with big trees & solid ground, A great setting for residential development. To the east of the property is a 60 acre parcel (Lake Gilbert) that adds significant aesthetic value to the 45 acres. Zoning: AR (Agricultural-Rural) Call Heidi Cecil for more information (863) 899-9620
Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the LOOKING TO LEASE 10 Plus acres prefer North Lakeland for BIG Box STORES! Call Today! cattle. Will maintain fences and mowing. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 Call Reggie 863-698-2967
MASSEY FERGUSON 135
Diesel Tractor, good condition. $3,950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. Many standard sizes in stock. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378
BUSH HOG 3209
9’ Offset mower $3,950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
SERVICES CALLER ON HOLD
A low cost service that enables you to communicate important information about business to customers while they are In The Field Magazine is looking for in- your hold. No monthly payments or annual dependent account managers to join our on Call today and ask for team. Appointment setting & presenting payments. Al (813) 763-2220
JOBS
7X15 LAWN TRAILER Used Lawn Trailer with aluminum plate tool box. 5ft tongue & heavy duty gate. $1,650 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 YANMAR F205 TRACTOR Loader Backhoe 173 hours. 3pt. lift, pto, 4x4. $8,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
marketing plans to prospective clients. Develop & Maintain relationships with clients. Ensure proper/effective input from client for advertising campaign & evaluation. Extreme focus on client service: client retention & growth. Multi-Tasked. email us: info@inthefieldmagazine.com
24’ Cornelius Pro Factory Built gooseneck type hard top cattle/horse trailer. Excellent condition. $6,750 863-608-0454
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
Working with local farmers! 2500 sq. ft. of FRESH produce, Locally Owned. Come out and visit us. On the corner of Hwy 92 & Forbes Rd. 5117 Hwy 92 W. Plant City
REAL ESTATE
Ext. Siding 4’X7’ sheets stucco texture & 12” on center. $18.95 Call Blake 813-752-3378
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Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us!
FOR SALE - 45 ACRES VACAT LAND
SIDING
CATTLE / HORSE TRAILER
PRODUCE
42” cut, 21 hp Kawasaki engine. 3 year warranty. $2,799 Call Alvie (813) 759-8722
CABINETS
FARM EQUIPMENT
All Colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE! $8.99 a bag. Call Ted (813) 752-3378
FRESH PRODUCE
Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mullcher. We make window screens of all sizes available For blueberry farms, six yard, in different frame colors. PTO drive need at least a 30hp Call Ted(813) 752-3378 tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details.
Metal brand new in bo 54” Mobile Home Tubs Call Ted (813) 752-3378 $185.00
RUBBER MULCH
RedMax 28 hand held blower with purchase of NEW zero turn mower with select brand &models of select inventory while supplies last. Prices start at $2,599. 813-759-8722, 908 E. Baker Street Plant City.
METAL ROOFING
ALUMINUM
Zero Turn Mower 52” cut, 23hp. Kawasaki engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
FREE REDMAX
BUILDING SUPPLIES Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris.
LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR
June 2015
MISC. HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL?
Call us today! 813-759-6909 or email us: info@inthefieldmagazine.com Let us help you get rid of it!
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
June 2015
95
Work 32 horses for around $7 a day
If you’re ready to save big and get more done... check out the John Deere 3E Genuine Value Package. Get a 32 horsepower 3E Tractor, a loader and a box blade... all for a lot less that you’d ever expect to spend. Hit the ground running and save with the 3E Genuine Value Package. Whether you’re digging, baling, hauling or cutting, you’ll love the versatile, ready to roll 3E Tractor. Devour your todo list, not your paycheck.
Plant City
2805 SR. 60 West Plant City, FL 33567
Leesburg
1800 US HWY. 441 Leesburg, FL 34748
813-737-1660
352-315-1016
Odessa
2240 Success Drive Odessa, FL 33556
Okeechobee
727-842-8618
820 US Hwy. 98, North Okeechobee, FL 34972
Clearwater
863-763-1921
5090 Ulmerton Road Clearwater, FL 33760
727-828-8200
Fort Pierce
6150 Orange Ave. Ft. Pierce, FL 34947
Palmetto
772-461-5568
906 US HWY 301 North Palmetto, FL 34221
941-722-3281
Loxahatchee
13295 Southern Blvd. Loxahatchee, FL 33470
Fort Myers
561-784-4000
9501 State Road 82 Fort Myers, FL 33905
239-332-5045
Belle Glade
Corporate Headquarters
Immokalee
775 E. Main St. Immokalee , FL 34142
239-657-4413
2017 N. W. 16TH Belle Glade, FL 33430
561-996-6531
Naples
1945 Pine Ridge Road Naples , FL 34109
239-260-8800
Since 1963 *Offer valid 5/8/2015 through 8/4/2015. Prices and model availability may vary. Subject to approved installment credit with John Deere Financial. Monthly payment of $212.00 based upon 10% down plus 0.0% for 84 months and $1,750 implement bonus on 3032E Compact Utility Tractor with D160 Loader and BB2060 Box Blade. Taxes, setup, delivery, freight, and preparation charges not included. Eligibility for the down payment offer is limited to highly qualified customers andWWW. scheduled N monthly be required. Implement HE payments IELD will AGAZINE.COM N HE IELD AGAZINE une bonus is in addition to Low Rate financing and requires the purchase of 2 or more qualifying John Deere or Frontier implements. Some restrictions apply; other special rates and terms may be available, so see Everglades Farm Equipment for details and other financing options. Valid only at Everglades Farm Equipment.
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