INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
June 2022
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JUNE 2022 VOL. 19 • ISSUE 8
CONTENTS FRESH FROM FLORIDA Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL.
40 PAGE 12 Landscape
PAGE 26 Fischbach Land Co.
PAGE 48 Ransomware
PAGE 10 Endangered Species
PAGE 28 Business Up Front
PAGE 52 State Officer
PAGE 30 News Briefs
PAGE 14 Termite Risk PAGE 16 Powdery Mildew PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 35 Mini Peppers
John Dicks
PAGE 47 Closer Look
PAGE 24
PAGE 56 Scott Angle
PAGE 44
PAGE 46 Activity
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 54 Recipes
PAGE 58 Water Quality
PAGE 60 Bamboo
Hey Readers!
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
Insurance Services: 813-685-5673 Member Services: 813-685-9121
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Dennis Carlton, Jr.....................President Jake Raburn................Vice President Tony Lopez..............Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary DIRECTORS FOR 2021 - 2022 Carl Bauman, Member at large, Christina Andrlik, Jake Cremer, Travis Council Tiffany Dale, Drew Futch, Rep. Lawrence McClure, Madison Astin Salter, Michelle Williamson, Gayle Yanes
Kaylee Poppell, Executive Director 813-685-9121 Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents
Valrico Office 813-685-5673
100 S. Mulrennan Rd., Valrico, FL. 33594 Tommy Hale, CLU, ChFC, CASL, CPCU Agency Mgr. Julie Carlson, Amy Engle
Plant City Office 813.752.5577
Stress Awareness
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Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
June 2022
305 S. Wheeler St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer
Tampa Office 813.933.5440
6535 Gunn Highway, Tampa, FL.33625 Greg Harrell, Jared Bean
AGENCY MANAGER Thomas O. Hale WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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STAFF
Letter from the Editor June 21 brings us to the first official day of summer! And while we are blessed with cookout type weather almost every day here in Florida, I think some tips for food safety are in order. Nothing ruins a family gathering like spoiled food that causes illness. With the temps in Florida, food borne bacteria replicates faster than you can blink. These food related illnesses can be easily avoided by following a few tips found on the Florida Department of Agriculture’s web site. Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs should never be eaten raw. These foods should be maintained in a refrigerator at a temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and cooked thoroughly before eating. A cooking temperature of 160 degrees is advised. When cooking, use a meat thermometer or follow these tips: • Poultry: Cook it until the meat is white and don’t eat it if you see blood or pink meat. • Hamburger: Cook it until there are no traces of pink in the center, or blood in the juices. • Steaks: Can be safely cooked medium; that’s because harmful bacteria in beef are found on the surface of the steak, not the interior like in ground meats. • Fish: Cook until it flakes easily and is no longer translucent in the center. • Eggs: Cook eggs and egg dishes thoroughly. Don’t sample anything containing raw eggs such as uncooked dough and cake batter. • Keep foods cold, below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or hot, above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Foods left out between those temperatures for more than two hours should be discarded. • Keep cooked foods separate from raw foods. Cross-contamination of foods could occur if bacteria-harboring raw food comes in contact with cooked foods. Wash hands, utensils, cutting boards and countertops after preparing or handling raw meats. • Avoid interrupted cooking. If you are partially cooking foods indoors to finish cooking on the grill, make sure the food goes directly from the oven to the hot grill. Don’t let the food stand partially cooked for any period of time. And of course, remember to buy food that is Fresh From Florida for your cookout and every day.
Sarah Holt PAGE
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
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Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor Patsy Berry Sales Karen Berry Sarah Holt Melissa Nichols George Domedion Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Intern Maggie Fussell Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks Social Media Victoria Saunders In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Hillsborough County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’s Association. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc. Published by Berry Publications, Inc. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Important Outreach HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
-Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
Dear Readers – We began this month with two noteworthy events. The first was the formal launch of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ “Farmer Stress Initiative” and the second is the statewide Farm Bureau “Hill to the Field” event. The Farmer Stress Initiative was launched right here in Plant City at Wish Farms’ main office. The demands of farming and ranching are substantial and can take their toll. This important program will help raise awareness of the signs of mental stress and the various resources available to farmers, ranchers and rural community members. This is a difficult subject, but one we cannot overlook. I am thankful for this program and the assistance it provides to help recognize the signs of stress among our family members and friends, and the resources available to support anyone facing these challenges. I urge you to read the story about this program in this edition of In the Field Magazine and visit the link it offers to find out more about this subject and the help that is available. “Hill to the Field” is an annual, statewide Florida Farm Bureau program during which county Farm Bureaus throughout Florida are encouraged to meet with their congressional office members, both elected representatives and staff, to discuss priority issues facing our industry and how congressmen can help. While we fully support this initiative, I want you to know that Hillsborough County Farm Bureau does this type of outreach throughout the year, every year.
The Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Board of Directors has welcomed multiple incumbents and candidates to our monthly board meetings to discuss the issues our industry is facing and truly serve as the “Voice of Agriculture” in Hillsborough County. These have included individuals seeking national and state offices as well as county commissioners, school board candidates, and other local offices. We welcome opportunities to meet with elected officials and candidates to educate them on the challenges our industry faces and help them understand the essential role agriculture plays in Hillsborough County. This is a continuous education effort to help make sure all of our public and private audience members recognize the importance of agriculture to our county, state and nation. If you are a Farm Bureau member, please consider volunteering to help us in our educational efforts, and if you are not a member, please consider joining. Visit us at hcframbureau.org or contact our Plant City location at 913-685-9121. We look forward to having you join us! Thank you.
Dennis Carlton Jr. Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
305 SOUTH WHEELER STREET • PLANT CITY, FL 33566 • 813-685-9121 Board of Directors
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Dennis Carlton, Jr. , President; Jake Raburn, Vice-President; Tony Lopez Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes, Judi Whitson, Executive Director
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
The Perdido Key Beach Mouse By Libby Hopkins
Perdido Key Beach is located on a narrow strip of snow-white beaches and crystal blue waters, in the Northwest Panhandle of Florida, between Pensacola, and Orange Beach, Alabama. No more than a few hundred yards wide in most places, Perdido Key Beach stretches some 16 miles, with almost 60 percent of it located in federal or state parks, making it one of the last remaining unblemished stretches of wilderness in the Florida Panhandle. It is also home to the endangered Perdido Key Beach Mouse. The critically endangered Perdido Key Beach Mouse is a rare yet important part of the dune communities of the national seashore. This small-bodied mouse has a hairy tail with large ears and eyes compared to their body. They are able to fit in the palm of your hand being between 2.7-3.3 inches long excluding the tail and weigh about 13 grams. Their back fur color is dependent on the coloration of the sand dune habitat and can range from grey to dark brown. Their stomach, feet and head are white and their tail is white/ grey. These mice inhabit beach dunes and coastal scrub habitats where they dig burrows to rest, raise young and store food. The Perdido Key Beach Mouse comes out of its burrows at night to feed on the seeds and fruit of beach plants as well as insects. Sea oats make up a large portion of their diet but they are also known to eat other dune plants such as bluestem, beach grass, ground cherry, evening primrose, beach pea and dune spurge. Sometimes they store seeds and when left uneaten, these seeds will grow into important plants that help stabilize dunes.
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Beach mice pair for life and breeding peaks during the winter months. The female can give birth to up to four pips per liter. The burrows they dig are around three feet below the
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sand with each burrow consisting of an entrance, a main nest chamber and an escape tunnel. These burrows provide habitat for many other species including gopher frogs, camel cricket and both the black widow and Carolina wolf spiders. Though the Perdido Key Beach Mouse once occupied the entire length of Perdido Key Beach, human activities, such as development, have fragmented their suitable habitat. Habitat fragmentation limits the area and availability with which this species can live, forage and even find a mate. From their historic range of 16.9 miles of coastal dune habitat, approximately nine fragmented miles of habitat remain. Other threats include large storms or hurricanes, sea level rise, artificial light as well as predation from foxes, raccoons, owls and coyotes. When human developments are near the habitat of this beach mouse, house cats and feral cats become predators as well. Perdido Key Beach Mice have been federally protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1985. The biologists at Gulf Islands National Seashore in partnership with FWC, track populations of beach mice every year to track the mouse population on park lands and to determine which specific areas are most frequented by the Perdido Key Beach Mouse. Some ways to help protect these mice are to stay off of dunes and be sure not to step on any plants because they are important sources of shelter and food for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse. Artificial light from beachfront properties, streetlights and automobiles cause a threat to beach mice behavior so regulations prohibit residents from having deck lights. While populations appear to be growing, the mouse will probably never be delisted because of continued habitat loss and degradation.
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Belle Glade | Boynton Beach | Brooksville | Fort Myers | Fort Pierce Homestead | Immokalee | Largo | Leesburg | Loxahatchee | Naples North | Plant June City2022 | St. Cloud I T Port F M | Odessa | Okeechobee | Orlando |Palmetto I T F M 11
Heat Seeking Annuals Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Agent
Annuals provide a great opportunity to color-up your landscape, front porch and lanai, whether in the ground or in containers. Most Florida annuals last one season, not one year. There are both warm and cool season annuals. This article focuses on warm season annuals, which are so named because they are damaged by frosts and freezes. You need to know your site conditions because these elements will help you make appropriate plant selection decisions. Consider whether the planting area is in the sun, shade or part sun and part shade. Is the area well drained, wet or in between? What is the size of the landscape bed you want to utilize? Once you have this information, you can make good plant selection decisions by ordering a free copy of the Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Guide to Plant Selection and Landscape Design from Southwest Florida Water Management District’s website. View Free Publications, FloridaFriendly LandscapingTM. The key to the information provided is on page 31. We are in ‘C’ for central Florida, 9B. I selected three warm season annuals that do well in central Florida. They include Caladium, Coleus, and Coreopsis. Caladium: This is a fast-growing bulb that can reach a height and spread of 1-2 feet. Soil moisture should be well drained. Caladium has medium drought tolerance. Different cultivars prefer partial shade, full shade or full sun. Foliage is colorful, and leaves die back in the fall.
Coleus: This is a fast growing plant that can reach a height and spread of 1-3 feet. Soil moisture should be medium drained. Coleus has low drought tolerance, prefers full sun and performs well in partial shade/partial sun. Propagation from cuttings is very easy. Coreopsis: This is our state’s wildflower which produces orange/yellow, summer flowers. It is a fast growing annual that can reach a height of 1-4 feet and spread of 1-3 feet. Soil moisture should be well drained. Coreopsis has high drought tolerance. It prefers full sun and performs well in partial shade/partial sun. This plant attracts butterflies and birds. For more information on environmental horticulture, contact the University of Florida/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, 813-744-5519, visit our office at 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584, or website, calendar of events and Facebook pages. We hope you will get outside and garden! It can improve your attitude, health and landscape.
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Lynn Barber is the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ agent for UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County. Contact her at labarber@ufl.edu.
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What is your termite risk in Florida?
UF/IFAS scientists explain - it depends where you live By Jim Frankowiak
You’re most likely to notice termites during their swarming activity, but colonies infesting trees and structures are active year-round in Florida. This puts properties at risk for costly damages and trees vulnerable to high winds.
Scientists have learned the keys to knowing the potential termite risk in an area: climate, identification of an established species, property conditions and species range within a geographic location.
Scientists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) want residents, property owners and pest control operators to know the areas of risk and how to limit that risk through proactive science-based approaches. ‘Termite Species Distribution in Florida and UF Termite Identification Services’ is a newly released publication authored by a team of UF/IFAS scientists conducting year-round research on termites at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (FLREC). The publication – ENV-2079 - can be accessed by visiting: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
It’s critical to know where you stand on the distribution ranges of all termite species tracked on the interactive map. Scientists have determined distribution ranges by using sampling efforts performed over the past four decades. Those samples accumulated more than 6,500 termite samples obtained from throughout Florida. They obtained samples either through biological surveys, pest control providers, private residents or UF/ IFAS Extension offices.
“Termite infestations are a year-round risk to property owners in the Sunshine State,” said Thomas Chouvenc, an assistant professor of urban entomology at FLREC and a co-author. “With 20 species of termites established in Florida, knowing when, where and which termite species have been recorded in abundance in a geographic area can help limit your risk and provide an advantage against potential property damage from infestation.”
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In the publication, authors provide tools and resources for property owners, residents and pest control operators. Among the tools and resources are links to an online interactive distribution map, steps to submitting samples for proper termite species identification and up-to-date status, descriptions and links to native and established termite species reported in Florida.
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All samples were identified according to species by a member of the “UF termite ID team” or the “UF Insect ID Lab” and placed in the University of Florida Termite Collection (UFTC) located at the research center in Fort Lauderdale. Since 2016, the collection location of all termite samples has been publicly accessible and is regularly updated. Additional images of termites and termite damage in Florida are collected and reported by Rudolf Scheffrahn, professor of entomology at the center. “This map is the most detailed and accurate termite distribution map in the world. However, with the spread of invasive species, it is important that consumers and pest control companies continue to provide samples to us, so we can monitor new areas where invasive pest species are establishing” Chouvenc said. “This is important, because once established in a new area, the entire local community is now at risk for such new invasive termites and knowing about it can help property owners to prepare appropriately.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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GCREC Scientists May Have New Help for Battling
Powdery Mildew on Strawberries By Jim Frankowiak
Strawberry farmers worldwide may get help from new University of Florida research that shows a way to battle one of the fruit’s fiercest foes – powdery mildew. The key: combine genomic data with phenomics. The genome amounts to all of the DNA in an organism. Phenomics is the study of plant growth, performance and composition. Through phenomics, scientists use DNA to measure plant traits. In a newly published study, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientists found a new way to help strawberry growers battle powdery mildew.
Whitaker cautions this method is not guaranteed to work in all situations, but he’s hopeful.
Ronald Tapia, a doctoral student at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), led the research. Tapia worked under the supervision of Seonghee Lee, a UF/IFAS assistant professor and Vance Whitaker, a UF/IFAS associate professor, both in horticultural sciences.
• A handheld sensor. Whitaker and his colleagues used the device to detect wavelengths of light that you can’t see with your eyes. The wavelengths gave researchers data about the health and disease status of strawberry plants.
Prior research already showed this method detects diseases in other crops, Whitaker said.
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“We already have a lot of technology that helps us understand the genes in strawberries, but those genes still need to be connected to their actual effect on the plant – in this case how the plant resists powdery mildew disease,” said Whitaker. “That’s why we combined genomics and phenomics. Any technology that reduces the cost or increases the speed of evaluating any trait -- like disease resistance -- in our breeding trials can help us out.”
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To reach their findings, Whitaker and his colleagues conducted a field trial of strawberry plants at GCREC. They took DNA from each strawberry and looked at its genes. Then they rated the disease using two methods: • Their own eyes, which gives them a visual scale. The plants were evaluated the traditional way by eye, recording the severity of the disease, rated on a scale of 0 to 6 for each plant.
“We showed that by combining the DNA information (genomics) and the spectroscopy information (phenomics), we can predict the visual rating of disease resistance surprisingly well,” Whitaker said. “In the future, we can eliminate the work of the visual rating.” The finding should help scientists assist strawberry growers globally as they look for powdery mildew in their crop. In Florida alone, farmers grow strawberries on about 11,000 acres, and the fruit carries a $1 billion-a-year economic impact on the state. They are grown mostly in west-central Florida - specifically in Hillsborough and surrounding counties. Florida produces most of the nation’s domestic winter crop. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Business Principal & Fishing Logic Capt. Woody Gore
Florida’s “Fishing Capital of the World” features excellent inshore, nearshore, offshore, and freshwater fishing. Young and old alike take advantage of this famous fishery, often catching a few for dinner or relaxing with a rod and reel. In the 1930s, a quality management pioneer Dr. Juran redefined Pareto’s original concept and applied it to the science of management, which evolved into today’s basic concept for time, life, and business management. Dr. Juran explained that 20 percent of something is always responsible for 80 percent of the results, and this theory remains recognized as Pareto’s 80/20 Rule. The same rule we often use today, meaning concerning anything and everything of the minority (20 percent) is essential, and the majority (80 percent) are unimportant. To better grasp the concept, here are often used business examples: • Inventory: You do 20% of your business on 80% of your inventory. • Sales: 80% of your business equals 20% of your time. • Customers: 80% of your sales equals 20% of your customers. • Complaints: 80% of the complaints come from 20% of the customers. • Advertising: 80% of the business comes from 20% of your advertising. • Employees: 80% of the work by 20% of the employees. With this new awareness, how often have you heard someone mention the 80/20 rule or consider how it might relate to your fishing or fishing charter business? Considering the acceptably in business, you can see how it might relate to fishing. Consider the assumption that 20% of the anglers catch 80% of the fish. Consider that the same 20% consistently catch 80% of the fish, and you soon begin asking yourself how and why. The standard excuses for going fishless are luck, weather, tides, equipment, tackle, etc. Although good excuses, they only disguise the truth and are not the answer. Some suggest that the 20% that experience high catch ratios do so because they spend more time fishing. While this is partially true, it is not the total solution. Others rationalize those successful anglers will “fish where the fish are.” Ok, now we are getting to the point. Accurately predicting where and why fish congregate separates the 20% who consistently catch from the 80% who only fish.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Of the millions fishing, many will have the right equipment, tackle, and enthusiasm. However, their catching dilemma is not how but where and when to fish. Assuming because fish live in the water, all water has the species you’re trying to catch. People also assume that because “fish live in water, people believe if they fish there, they will catch fish.” Think about it, then ask yourself, do fish live in water with no food, little or no oxygen or protection? Of course not. So, where do they live? First, understand we are not dealing with superior intelligence. Fish are relatively simple creatures driven by instinct and exist on fundamental principles of survival. They require food, oxygen, protection, and an environment that supports their physiology. First, you must learn to fish using the proper equipment, ambition, and desire. So, what is next? Seventy percent of the earth’s surface is water, which gives us a significant starting point. Finding fish should be relatively simple with all the water, how-to magazine articles, and fishing seminars, yet anglers complicate the task. Just think about the best possible environmental conditions that make life easy, and you have 90% of the equation. Then reduce everything to its simplest form, and you will find fish. Here are four simple things to understand:
• Oxygen in the water is a priority for sustaining marine life, while stagnant, polluted, or hot water provides little or no oxygen.
• Food fish must have food, and the law of nature dictates that big fish eat little fish; therefore, no little fish, no big fish. • Shelter protects from predators and
relief from relentless currents and tide movements.
• Always know that Tidal Flows bring clean oxygenated water and food. Reduce these things to their simplest form, and you understand why and how to recognize prime fishing locations. Fish traveling from location to location inevitably use the same routes; therefore, you must learn to locate and identify these routes. These routes are referred to as fish highways and usually created by tidal currents. These highways, creeks, rivers, canals, and old-river bottoms lead to and from saltwater grass flats, backcountry, WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
mangrove islands, and shallow bays. Take these highways as roadmaps, add water movement, structure, and plenty of fish food (bait), and you understand why fish congregate in certain areas. Armed with much of the puzzle, you should now recognize primary and secondary locations. Most fish usually occupy primary locations by size, while smaller fish occupy the secondary. High ratio anglers do their homework. They investigate and study area charts and satellite imagery maps. They look for channels,
Tampa Fishing Report June - July 2022 Snook fishing in the summer is almost a given. Practically every angler is looking to catch them, and given the amount of fishing pressure, especially during weekends, it is a wonder they bite at all. Practically any mangrove shoreline holds Snook, provided there is bait and structure.
changes in depth, bottom contours, sand bars, grass flats, drop-offs, and tidal directions and take this information to the water. They use this information to explore and scout areas they intend to fish.
Tarpon
Tarpon fishing comes alive in June, and they are everywhere; greenbacks, threadfins, and crabs found abundantly in the bay are excellent choices for bait. Tarpon fishing around the Tampa area is good through the summer, from the beaches to the causeway. If you are Professional anglers can instruct all into night fishing, almost any bridge holds fish day on how, when, and where, but along the light line; however, landing one presnothing suffices more than studying ents another problem. your fishing areas. Remembering, to keep it simple, you can study and “Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” learn forever. But “thought substantiated by experience” allows for inCapt. Woody Gore owns and operates Tampa formed decisions. Bay’s #1 Outdoor Fishing Guide Services. Guiding and fishing in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater areas for the past sixty years. or potholes. Tampa Bay offers good fishing check areas like the Pinellas He offers first-class customer service, familyoriented charters, and a lifetime of memories. Flats, Veterans Flats, Joes Island, Call 813-477-3814 or Visit our website, Bishops Harbor, Piney Point, Culwww.captainwoodygore.com, breath, and Cockroach using live or email us at shrimp and greenbacks free lining fishing@captainwoodygore.com or under popping corks. The many broken-bottom flats with potholes produce large fish and an occasional flounder.
813-477-3814
Redfish
There will be good redfish days around the Tampa Bay grass flats. Finding redfish means covering lots of water; once located, they do not venture too far if there is food. Bear in mind as long as there is food there are fish. Live greenbacks and dollar-size pinfish work and are good choices. Do not forget the old standby-live shrimp.
Spotted Sea Trout
Trout fishing continues to remain strong through the summer. Search deep grass flats looking for grass beds with plenty of broken bottom INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
June 2022
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• Sheep have very good memories. They can remember at least 50 individual sheep and humans for years. They do this by using a similar neural process and part of the brain that humans use to remember. • Sheep are known to self-medicate when they have some illnesses. They will eat specific plants when ill that can cure them. • Sheep have a field of vision of around 300 degrees, allowing them to see behind themselves without having to turn their head. • Their milk is used to produce gourmet cheeses. • Wild sheep tend to be larger than domesticated species, the largest (Argali) being 1.2m tall. They also have longer horns which they use to defend themselves from predators. • Cattle and sheep have what is known as a ‘ruminant’ stomach, consisting of four different chambers, each with a specified function. • Like various other species including humans, sheep make different vocalizations to communicate different emotions. They also display and recognize emotion by facial expressions.
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Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the June 2018 issue
I have written several times in this column about how confusing the English language can be. The following thesis describes it perfectly.
shot one and the dove dove into the bushes. And a buck does funny things when the does are present. Confusing, eh?
We will begin with a box. The plural is boxes; but the plural of ox became oxen not oxes. One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese, yet the plural of moose should never be meese.
In closing the thesis the student surmised that we have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which our house can burn up as it burns down and an alarm goes off by going on.
If the plural of man is always called men, why shouldn’t the plural of pan be called pen? If I spoke of my foot and show you my feet, and I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet? If one is a tooth and whole set are teeth, why shouldn’t the plural of booth be called beeth? We speak of a brother and also of brethren, but though we say mother, we never say methren.
We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
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To continue, I point out that a bandage was wound around the wound, and the farm was used to produce produce. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. In my home we had Polish furniture, and my mother asked me to polish the Polish furniture. Huh? While dove hunting I
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I heard a story of a parish priest was being honored on the 25th anniversary of his arrival to the church he was serving. A leading local politician, who was member of the congregation, was chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner, but was delayed in traffic, so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited. “You will understand,” he said, “the seal of the confessional can never be broken. However, I got my first impressions of the parish from the first conWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
fession I heard here. I can only hint vaguely about this, but when I came here 25 years ago I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first man who entered my confessional told me how he had stolen a television set and when stopped by the police, had almost murdered the officer. Further, he told me he had stolen money from his parents, embezzled money from his place of business, fooled around on his wife and took illegal drugs.” “I must say,” He said, “I was appalled. But as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that, and I had, indeed come to a fine parish full of understanding and loving people.” Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies for being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and give his talk. “I’ll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived,” said the politician. “In fact, I had the honor of being the first one to him in confession.” Moral: DON’T EVER BE LATE When George Bush was president he went to Heathrow Airport in England. A red carpet was rolled out to Air Force One and the President strode to a warm but dignified handshake from the Queen. They rode in a 1934 Bentley to the edge of central London where they climbed in to an open 17th century coach hitched to six magnificent white horses. As they rode toward Buckingham Palace, each waving to the thousands of cheering people lining the streets, all was going well. This was indeed a glorious display of pageantry and dignity. Suddenly the scene was shattered when the right rear horse let rip the most horrendous, earth-shattering, eye-smarting blast of flatulence and the coach immediately filled with noxious fumes.
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Uncomfortable, yet maintaining control, the two dignitaries did their best to ignore the whole incident, but then the Queen decided that was a ridiculous manner with which to handle a most embarrassing situation. She turned to President Bush and explained, “Mr. President, please accept my regrets. I am sure you understand that there are some things even a Queen cannot control.” The President, ever the gentleman, replied, “Your Majesty, please don’t give the matter another thought. You know, if you hadn’t said something I would have assumed it was one of the horses.” INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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FDACS’ Farmer Stress Awareness Initiative Launched at Wish Farms By Jim Frankowiak
The formal launch of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Farmer Stress Awareness Initiative took place earlier this month at Wish Farms in Plant City as part of an outreach campaign to raise awareness of mental health challenges and resources for farmers and rural community members. “The pressures of keeping our food supply strong when so many factors are outside of a farmer’s control – from weather events to supply chain issues, unfair foreign trade practices and invasive pests – result in Florida’s agricultural community experiencing tremendous stress,” said FDACS Commissioner Nikki Fried. “Yet these communities are too often forgotten when it comes to mental health care. Thanks to our federal agency partners and the great work being done by Florida organizations, my hope is that with this initiative we can raise awareness and expand the impact of existing programs to help Florida’s producers, ranchers, farm workers and rural communities access the resources and support they need to thrive.”
In 2021, FDACS was awarded a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a new Farm Stress Awareness and Reduction Initiative. For this initiative, FDACS is partnering with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) to train public school agriculture teachers, 2-1-1 responders, 4-H and FFA Members and others to recognize the signs of farm stress in their communities and families. This program will also help create partnerships to help agriculture producers connect with mental health services in their communities and to expand the reach of new telehealth sites in rural counties. As part of this initiative, FDACS has produced multiple videos to raise awareness and promote existing resources that are airing digitally in all Florida media markets along with radio and print advertisements.
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More information is available at: fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Farmer-Stress-Assistance. 24
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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 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Supports the Central Florida Ag Community by Sponsoring and Attending the Agritech Tradeshow & Seminar L to R- Blaise Lelaulu, Melissa Raburn Fischbach Land Company Fischbach Land Company, Brandon, FL, a long-time supporter of the Central Florida agricultural community, sponsored and exhibited at the Florida Strawberry Growers Association’s 40th Agritech Tradeshow & Seminar. The event was held April 1920, 2022, at the Grimes Family Agricultural Center in Plant City, Florida. Agri-tech was a great opportunity for growers to come together to learn about the current research updates from IFAS (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences). We enjoyed the chance to connect with so many folks who have become friends to us over the years. Our farmers are facing significant and ever-changing challenges ranging from government regulations, and labor shortages, to new pests and diseases – so we are committed to being a champion for their success. Fischbach Land Company Real Estate professionals, Blaise Lelaulu and Melissa Raburn attended and won 4th place for exhibitor’s booth display. The Florida Strawberry Growers Association represents over 75 grower members farming over 10,000 acres of strawberries in Florida.
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ABOUT FISCHBACH LAND COMPANY Fischbach Land Company is a full-service real estate firm specializing in agricultural real estate land sales, leasing, and development opportunities in the Central Florida region. Located in the heart of Central Florida, the land professionals are known for their knowledge of Central Florida land market trends. Specializing in agricultural land brokerage and commercial real estate endeavors, the dedicated team of land professionals offers years of land brokerage experience and expertise in the real estate industry.
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Sign up
for a FREE On-Farm Readiness Review The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) inspections have begun. Sign up now to request a free On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR), offered in partnership by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and University of Florida IFAS. The OFRR is an educational opportunity to help individual farms align practices with the PSR regulatory requirements in preparation for inspections.
For more information on FSMA and to sign up for an OFRR, visit FDACS.gov/FSMA or call (863) 578-1900. To take full advantage of the OFRR and for PSR compliance, one farm representative should first attend a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training. Upcoming trainings can be found at: crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/events
This publication is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007446 totaling $1,179,719 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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Business Up Front
Advancing Eco Agriculture By Tiffany Dale
Calcium is critical for cell division in growing plants. When there is a calcium deficiency a limited amount of cells within leaves and fruit are cause deformity and quality problems.
In the early 2000s when vegetable grower John Kempf witnessed a phenomenon in his own field, Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), a plant nutrition and consulting company was born out of necessity. Since Kempf started Advancing Ego Agriculture as a consulting company in 2006, it has grown into a nationwide company that focuses on regenerative agriculture, soil health, plant physiology and the relationship between them. Kempf, a fruit and vegetable grower from Ohio, farmed on his family farm from a young age. Kempf’s father was an input supplier for the region; therefore, the crop nutrition and pesticide programs were always comprised of the latest and greatest products, yet the farm still faced devastating pest and disease challenges like many others also experienced. It wasn’t until Kempf acquired a contingent property that was previously a dairy operation that he made a groundbreaking discovery. There was a definitive line in his vegetable crop that made it evident that the crop health and yields were significantly greater on the property that had not been previously treated with conventional chemistries for combating pests and increasing yields. A holistic system was present, and as a result the plant health excelled. As Kempf observed this difference, it was so significant that he wanted to share it with other growers and AEA was born.
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“Farmers have more effect on the health of a nation than all doctors combined,” said David Miller, AEA’s Director of Education, as he reflects on Kempf’s famous quote. The goal for AEA as they work with growers to maximize soil health, crop health, and year’s profits, is to maximize the health of all the components in growing a crop so that the product is the highest quality and most nutritious for consumers.
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According to AEA, the goal is to work alongside growers to create customized crop programs, combining biological and mineral nutrition products with regenerative practices to improve crop quality, yields, and disease and insect resistance while regenerating soil health. “This is not rocket science, it’s simple,” states Josh Young, AEA Sales Consultant. Young, a local native to Plant City agriculture understands the importance of soil and plant health as he has been in production himself. “Science is showing us what we should’ve known all along.” Young explains that the holistic management system that AEA offers produces high return on investment. Young emphasizes the importance of Carbon as the basis of life and while it gets caught in the atmosphere, getting it back into the soil is key. Regeneration rather than degradation from natural soil and plant health are a primary focus of AEA’s efforts and products. The approach is one that does not mask the issues, yet takes a long-term approach to improving and maintaining overall health. AEA continues to grow across the country as they have customers in every state. The team takes great pride in AEA products as they are not denatured by a chemistry process. They are holistic, they support biology and plant availability. Ultimately, Miller understands that growers perceive pests as living organisms that are out to destroy crops, but AEA has discovered that pests only attach sick plants. “If it’s unhealthy, it’s being attacked,” explained Miller. AEA offers a comprehensive system and tool kit to assist growers where they are to maximize soil and plant health therefore maximize yields and overall return of investment to growers across the country. For more information about AEA, visit www.advancingecoag.com or contact AEA at 800-495-6603 or hello@advancingecoag.com. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
Harvest Awards Nominations Sought
SEA TOW OFFERS FFB MEMBERS TWO FREE MONTHS Sea Tow, the international marine assistance provider, is offering Florida Farm Bureau members two free months of services. Members receive 14 months of worry-free boating for the price of 12. To access the offer, visit: SeaTow.com/FFB.
USDA/NRCS Programs Offer Continuous Signups
Nominations are currently being accepted for this year’s Harvest Awards. The Harvest Luncheon traditionally kicks off the Hillsborough County Fair and will be held November 3, 2022. Nomination forms (online or print) must be received at the fair office no later than July 15, 2022. The nomination form and list of previous recipients can be found at: 2022 HARVEST AWARDS - Hillsborough County Fair
Michelle Williamson Elected SWFWD Governing Board Secretary The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board has elected Michelle Williamson Secretary of the Governing Board for the 2022-2023 term. A member of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Board, Williamson is operations manager of G&F Farms. She has represented Hillsborough County on the District Board since 2016.
Is Your Dog Top Dog?
Florida State Conservationist Juan Hernandez with the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is reminding producers and landowners that NRCS programs under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) have continuous signups. Through EQIP, assistance is available to help producers and landowners plan and implement conservation practices providing environmental benefits on cropland, pasture, forestland and associated agricultural land, including animal feeding operations. For more information, contact District Conservationist Leslie Diaz-Alvarez – Telephone: 813/7521474. Email: leslie.diazalvarez@usda.gov.
FARM BUREAU AND PARTNERS OFFER MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Farming is one of the most challenging ways to make a living and can take a toll on farmers and those close to them. Mental health can be a difficult topic to discuss in farm country where life is definitely a demanding and stressful way of living. There are often times farmers and ranchers struggle in isolation. There are resources available to those struggling to cope with the challenges of farming. American Farm Bureau via farmstateofmind.org offers a number of resources, including a national resource directory where interested parties can find information that is available in every state. These include hotlines, counseling services and other support materials and informational resources.
USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs of Organic, Transitioning Producers
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Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to submit their loyal pup’s application in American Farm Bureau’s 2023 Farm Dog of the Year contest, sponsored by Purina. The winning farm dog will receive one year’s worth of Purina Pro-Plan dry dog food, a trophy plate and $5,000 cash prize. Applications are due July 1, 2022. For other prizes and contest rules, visit: https://www.fb.org/land/fdoty.
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Agricultural producers and handlers who are certified organic, along with producers and handlers who are transitioning to organic production, can now apply for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) and Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), which help producers and handlers cover the cost of organic certification, along with other related expenses. Applications for OTECP and OCCSP are both due October 31, 2022. For more information, visit: usda.gov.
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Regenerative agriculture
quality, yield and diseas
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At Advancing Eco Agriculture, Our team in Plant City works with citrus and fruit growers across Florida to create customized crop programs, combining biological and mineral nutrition products with regenerative practices.
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(800) 495-6603 • www.advancingecoag.com •
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e can help improve fruit
se and insect resistance.
Scan the code to learn more about how the regenerative
approach can benefit your farm.
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• 2611 Sammonds Rd, Plant City, FL 33563
Great health care is closer than you think.
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South Florida Baptist Hospital is more than just a small community hospital. We’ve got a wide array of specialty care and surgical services that you don’t have to travel far to get. Our surgeons are experts in minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures that provide lots of benefits, including shorter hospital stays, decreased blood loss and smaller incisions that reduce the risk of infection. Plus, faster recovery times that mean you can get back to your normal activities sooner. You’ll find comprehensive orthopedic care—whether you’re an athlete who needs sports medicine services or you’re someone who needs a total joint replacement. Our all-inclusive gynecology program offers high-quality care to the women and mothers in our community with a variety of women’s care services. We’ve even been designated as a Center of Excellence for our weight loss surgery program, meeting nationally recognized standards and providing outstanding care to our patients. And all of this extraordinary care exists right here in Plant City. Learn more: SouthFloridaBaptistSurgery.org
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FLORIDA MINI PEPPERS
By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Mini peppers are small, sweet, and pack a big punch of flavor in a small package. These colorful, small peppers are sweeter than bell peppers and full of nutrition. They average seven centimeters in length and each pepper can be eaten in several bites, making them a perfect, portable snack. They come in different colors--- yellow, orange, and red, and have a thin, glossy skin and firm, crunchy, juicy texture with a sweet taste. They have an elongated, slender shape, and the interior contains small lobes and few seeds. Mini peppers, botanically known as Capsicum annuum, are members of the Solanaceae family. Originally from Central and South America, mini peppers are produced mainly in Florida, California, and Mexico. They can be found at farmer’s markets and many grocery stores and can also be grown in your home garden. They are prized for their sweet flavor, bright colors, and versatile use.
Nutritional Profile Fresh mini peppers are highly nutritious and very low in calories. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, an 85 gram serving of fresh mini peppers (about three to four fresh peppers) contains 25 calories, 1 g of protein, 0.02 g of fat, 5g of carbohydrate, and 2 g of fiber. One serving also provides 170% of the Daily Recommended Value (% DV) for vitamin C, and substantial amounts of carotene, potassium, zinc, choline, and folate. These mini peppers can add a ton of flavor and nutrition with very few calories.
Antioxidants for Heart Health Fresh Florida mini peppers provide not only flavor, but also cardiovascular benefits. They can reduce blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and platelet clumping. Additionally, compounds in peppers help dissolve fibrin, a substance involved in the formation of blood clots. Fresh mini peppers contain vitamins A and C, which act as antioxidants, sweeping away free radicals which can damage cells and start the cascade of atherosclerosis (the accumulation of fatty substances such as cholesterol and triglycerides on the artery wall). Atherosclerosis can lead to heart attacks and stroke.
Fiber: For regularity and heart health Research has shown that dietary fiber has a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases, by lowering blood choles-
How to select and store Choose fresh mini peppers that have glossy, vivid colors, firm skin, and fresh stems. Avoid those that are wrinkled, have cracks near the stem, or have soft spots. Store unwashed peppers in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to several weeks. Fresh peppers can also be dried by hanging in the sunlight or in a home dehydrator.
How to Enjoy Mini sweet peppers are delicious eaten raw out-of-hand. They can be eaten sliced or whole, and added to vegetable trays or salads, or cooked in any dish. Mini sweet peppers pair well with olives, garlic, lentils, quinoa, onions, oregano, tomatoes, Greek yogurt, ground beef, cheddar, feta, garbanzo beans, and black beans. The peppers will keep up to one week in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Mini peppers are delicious simply roasted or grilled with olive oil and salt. They can be used in a stir-fry or eaten raw in salads or on sandwiches. Additional ways to enjoy fresh mini peppers include: • Roasted with olive oil and used to flavor dishes • Chopped and added to a stir-fry • Diced and added to omelets, tuna salad or chicken salad • Roasted and used to top tacos or eggs • Roasted and mixed into a salsa • Stuffed with ground meat or cheese and baked Enjoy fresh Florida mini peppers today!
Selected References http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://www.whfoods.org INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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terol levels and slowing the progression of heart disease in high-risk individuals. Fiber also assists with digestion and prevents constipation. As with many other vegetables, mini peppers contain a significant amount of dietary fiber, which can help with weight loss by helping you stay full with very few calories. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, a diet high in fiber may decrease the risk of several types of cancer including colon, rectum, breast, and pancreas.
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Information provided on properties is as accurate as possible. Fischbach Land Company does not guarantee the accuracy thereof. All parties shall conduct their own due diligence, research, inspection, and records to come to their own conclusions.
With every generation,
we get better at protecting our environment.
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Reclamation ecologists like Ashlee work to return mined lands to productive use as wildlife habitats, public parks and more—so future generations can enjoy these lands for years to come.
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NEW EPISODE OUT NOW! INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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FRESH FROM FLORIDA PUTS locally-grown products on the map
Since 1990, Fresh From Florida has served as an effective marketing tool for Florida’s growers and producers. By Taylor Jenkins
The state of Florida is home to over 47,000 farms and ranches that utilize 9.7 million acres of land to produce a wide variety of safe and dependable food products, in addition to serving as a massive driver of the state’s economy.
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Agriculture is the second-largest industry in Florida and provides more than 300 commodities from the citrus groves and nurseries in Central and South Florida to the vegetables grown and the cattle and calves raised throughout the state. In 2019, Florida ranked first in the United States in the value of production for bell peppers for fresh market, grapefruit, oranges, sugarcane, fresh market tomatoes. They ranked second in the value of production for bell peppers, fresh market sweet corn and strawberries. They ranked third in the value of production for fresh market cabbage, peanuts and squash. In total, agriculture and agribusiness employ more than 2.4 million people in Florida alone and contribute nearly $150 billion to the state’s economy each year.
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In 1990, the Florida Legislature introduced the “Fresh From Florida” program to help provide Florida’s agriculture industry with results-oriented marketing solutions, with programs developed to assist Florida growers and producers to increase awareness and promote the sale of Florida commodities all under the Fresh From Florida brand. Since then, the Fresh From Florida brand has evolved to broaden their ability to reach consumers, adapting their marketing efforts to include digital media, paid social media, online shopping platforms, coupon apps and more. Additionally, Fresh From Florida promotes their brand along with a wide-range of Florida-grown products through television, radio and print advertising. These campaigns promote Florida commodities during their peak seasons in an effort to encourage shoppers to both look for and purchase these products. Now Fresh From Florida has grown into a massively recognized brand with over 450,000 followers on FaceWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
CREATION EXPANSION INNOVATION
book, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest, reaching nearly 60 million shoppers annually through their advertising. The brand then uses this following to implement strategic multi-media marketing campaigns, targeting consumers throughout the southeast and as far north as Canada to raise brand awareness and drive consumer loyalty, in turn continuing to increase the sales of Florida commodities. Fresh From Florida looks to increase out-of-state consumer participation through retail partnerships throughout the southeast, northeast and midwest that promote Florida-grown products in stores when in season. Out-of-state consumers can also follow Fresh From Florida social media channels to learn what products are in season, access recipes, sign up for giveaways and more.
Their campaigns are associated with more than 60 retail chains both domestically and internationally while having a brand presence in 10,000 domestic stores, 35 domestic chains, 4,400 international stores and 31 international chains. It also directly assists Florida companies in their exporting endeavors by working with the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services sponsored activities. Some of these outreach initiatives include attending trade shows and conducting both outbound and in-bound trade missions to increase the international exposure of growers and producers under the Fresh From Florida umbrella. The department also coordinated export seminars presented to Florida companies aimed at increasing the number of exporters shipping
products from Florida in partnership with the Southern United States Trade Association. Most recently, Fresh From Florida has partnered with Instacart and Amazon Fresh along with implementing a marketing initiative with Ibotta, a coupon app, to promote digital coupons of Florida featured commodities. These efforts have built a relationship of trust with consumers as logo awareness remains at a high of 85 percent, nine of 10 consumers are more likely to buy a product labeled “Fresh From Florida” and 83 percent are willing to actually pay more for a Fresh From Florida product – an all-time high. For the 2021-2022 fiscal year, Fresh From Florida has a budget of $5 million with 100 different positions throughout their Division of Marketing and Development, including 41 positions at 12 state farmer’s markets. Throughout the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the Division plans to expand consumer advertising and retail campaigns in domestic markets, increase in-state advertising and expand online shopping initiatives.
THE BRAND STORY
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As a member of the Fresh From Florida Industry Membership Program, growers and producers can benefit from their widely recognized brand, marketing campaigns, retail partnerships and outreach conducted by the Division of Marketing and Development. With both paid and non-paid membership opportunities available to apply for, Fresh From Florida has a wide variety of
ways to help all different growers and producers across the state. Their full list of membership benefits includes: Use of widely recognized “Fresh From Florida” logo Opportunity to participate in the Logo Incentive Program Choice of customized “Fresh From Florida” business signage Graphic design services for logo development Training and technical assistance on marketing, exporting and grants Monthly email newsletter with industry updates and marketing opportunities Point-of-purchase materials to display with Floridagrown products Discounted industry tradeshow participation opportunities Co-op advertising and promotion opportunities Trade lead opportunities from industry tradeshows, retailers, etc. Subscription to the “Fresh From Florida” annual magazine Discounted advertising rates for “Fresh From Florida” magazine You may recognize several of the local farms partnered with Fresh From Florida, including Astin Farms in Plant City, Riverview Flower Farm in Riverview, Noble Citrus in
Winter Haven and Jones Potato Farm in Parrish, among others. For more information on how to join the program for yourself, visit www.FDACS.gov. Fresh From Florida encourages consumers to check them out at www.FollowFreshFromFlorida.com or follow them on Facebook (@FloridaAgriculture), Instagram (@FreshFromFlorida), Twitter (@FreshFromFL) and Pinterest (@FreshFromFlorida). Through these channels you can join the Fresh From Florida Club to gain access to additional content and tips from the “Fresh From Florida” state chef.
CREATION EXPANSION INNOVATION
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THE BRAND STORY
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by John Dicks | Photo by iStock
Paddling in Florida!
It was just one of those days. You know the kind; a day we look back at with the fondest of memories.
supply/demand forces at work sending prices spiraling upwards towards absurdity.
The water was shimmering under a crystal clear blue sky, with only the slightest wisp of a breeze drifting in with the temperature posting a perfect 72º. Not too cool, and certainly not too hot for the best of times.
A prime example of such craziness is that prior to the pandemic you could fly to Europe for less than what it now requires for a ticket to Chicago; and seriously, who wants to go to Chicago?! (Ok, just kidding; sort of!).
Dipping a paddle into the gently flowing water, catching a quick feel of the drops it made, left the uncanny realization that both liquid and air were at equilibrium with their temps precisely in tune with each other.
Take heart, however; for fortunately, through sheer fate, or luck, or even pure genius, we live in Florida, the place that everyone really does want to go to.
Fish were jumping, playing games in school while gliding along. A manatee, swimming solitary this morning, snorted and surfaced, rolling over to catch a look at life above. Perhaps she caught sight of the barred owl which seemed to follow me, flitting from tree to tree and hooting with each landing. Perfect and picturesque it was; the kind that daydreams are made of. This day, though, was the real deal. It was just a few weeks ago; and really, not all that surprising when you know that it was in Florida. For as we all know, our Sunshine State can, this time of year, be absolutely amazing. Times like these are the ones which beckon us to get out and enjoy this place that we live! Every headline you read or newscast that fills our eyes or ears shouts that Americans are ready to travel again. It’s the number one item at the top of every list. We’ve been cooped up for so long through the pandemic, that we’re anxious to get going. Interesting, though, is that it appears people are scrambling for extremes, when much of the best is right at hand. Pent-up demand is through the roof for cruises and flights. Destinations don’t seem so important as is the internal urge to just “go!” There are, however, only so many seats on a plane, and ships won’t float with too many people. So it all adds up to
What others don’t know though, and that we sometimes need to remind ourselves, is that Florida at its best is far from the maddening crowds found at our mega-amusement and theme parks. Rather, the best of what we have is what I refer to as the real Florida. It’s experienced in those seldom spoken of wonders like Rainbow River, and Silver Springs, and Juniper Springs Run, and the Ichetucknee. The opportunity for paddling world class rivers is in abundance in Florida. Our government has done quite a remarkable job at preserving and protecting places of extraordinary beauty to enjoy and explore. Certainly you could visit one, or maybe a handful. The very adventurous souls could spend several years of a busy bucket list by checking out all 175 of the state parks, trails, and historic sites within the system. You can do it at a bargain, too, by purchasing from the state an annual pass. One for an individual costs $60, while a family pass is $120. You can find the details on the website: www. floridastateparks.org The place of my most recent paddling was the incomparable Weeki Wachee River. On that perfect morning, there were no crowds like those drawn to our beautiful beaches. While granted I started rather early, still, with all its serenity, by 10 am I had seen nary another soul. Certainly I hope you’ll enjoy Florida and all it has to offer. Just don’t tell anybody about it. Let’s keep it our secret!
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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation presents
Christmas in July D O N AT I O N
D R I V E
July 1–29 Your donation can give hope to the extraordinary kids at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital by providing ways for them to cope during their hospital stay.
Find out how you can help: StJosephsChristmas.org Benefiting
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A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green
Cork Wine Bottle Shadowbox Wine corks are one of those things many people love to keep whether they have something to do with them or not. They have lots of personality, and if you emptied the bottle yourself, each one has a story. They are naturally waterproof and have an elegant simplicity. I do not typically collect wine corks but had a small stash of them and thought I would do something with them. I saw a cool wine bottle made of cut up corks and took the idea my own direction by making a shadow box to frame the cork bottle. I went into this project with no conceived notions and just let it evolve with the materials I happen to have laying around the house.
Materials: Wine Corks Scrap Wood Scrap Fabric Wood Glue Glue for Cork (gorilla glue,2 part epoxy, fabric glue) Wax Paper Finishing Nails Stone Texture Spray Paint
Process: Prepare the wine corks for cutting: In a vegetable steamer, bring water to a full boil, steam the wine corks for 10 minutes. Steaming the cork will return them to their original shape and sterilize them Cut the corks with a serrated knife, let the knife do the work, do not press hard or the cork will crumble.
Create the shadow box: Cut wood scraps (Back and 4 sides to a desired size, enough to frame your cork bottle.) Coat the back of the shadow box with wood glue and glue fabric to the top and sides of the wood. It helps to clamp the fabric with a scrap piece of wood and wax paper while the glue dries. The wax paper will prevent the wood glue from sticking to the scrap wood as it penetrates the fabric and dries. Nail four narrow strips of wood together with finishing nails to construct a rectangular frame, this will be the “shadow” portion of the box so the finished outside diameter should match the back of the shadow box. Paint the shadow box frame with a paint of your choice (I used stone texture paint) * leave the bottom of the rectangular frame unpainted, we will later glue this frame to the cloth covered shadow box back * Glue the rectangular frame to the finished backing (the one covered in fabric).
Create the cork design: If the cork did not cut clean, lightly sand the flat edge of the cork so there is an even surface to glue to the shadow box. Lay out the cork design for composition making sure it looks good in the frame (leave room for embellishment if desired). Glue the flat edge of the cork pieces to the fabric within the rectangular frame of the shadowbox. I used 2-part epoxy to glue the cork. Gorilla Glue works, too. Fabric glue works okay, but not as well. Finish by nailing a hanging bracket on to the back side and hang it on the wall.
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Soak Leather
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Mold Leather June 2022
Trim Leather
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A Closer Look A Closer Look
by Sean Green
Ghost Ants (Tapinoma melanocephalum)
The nesting adaptability of this species is an important factor in its pest status because it can nest nearly anywhere, including frequently disturbed areas that would be unsuitable for other species. As a home invader, the ghost ant can nest in small openings along the baseboards or within the homes foundation. They are also known to nest in bizarre locations such as between books, behind wall pictures, or in the wall itself if there is an opening to the void.
Every once in a while we get what seems like thousands of tiny ants in our kitchen that drive my wife crazy. They are so tiny they are hard to see and when disturbed, they scatter in all directions making it difficult to determine where they are coming from. Sometimes they appear to be coming in along the water pipes, other times along the baseboards. What we have discovered is that these ants are small enough to have more entrances than we could possibly plug so we simply accept them as a temporary visitor brushing them out of our way when necessary. These ants are commonly known as ghost ants (Tapinoma melanocephalum) and are so called because they seem to disappear at will. This month we will take a closer look at the ghost ant; an introduced species that may occasionally haunt your home. The Ghost Ant Tapinoma melanocephalum is thought to originate in either Africa or the Orient. There is some uncertainty about when and how this ant species was introduced to North America and through the late 1980s was only occasionally reported as a household pest. Some sources suggest that by 1995 the ghost ant had become a common household pest in central and southern Florida (Klotz et al 1995). The ghost ant is so named because its small size and light, translucent coloration make them difficult to see. These ants are also commonly known as Tramp Ants because they can make a home nearly anywhere and are widely distributed through the tropics worldwide. Small, isolated colonies can be established in habitats that would be unsuitable for a large colony; plant stems and clumps of dead moist grass for example. It is common to find thriving colonies within detritus, under rocks, and in potted plants. What may seem to be separate small colonies is actually a much larger multi queen colony subdivided into smaller units, each occupying a distinct nest site. Each of the smaller nest units share resources along scent trails that connect the subdivisions to create a large colony matrix. A study in 1990 revealed that the multi queen and subdivided nesting behavior enabled this ant species to quickly establish a nest even if only for a few days at a particular location (Hölldobler and Wilson 1990).
Ghost ants are known to have a symbiotic relationship with aphids that is often compared to dairy farming. A symbiotic relationship means both animals benefit from working together, in this case, the ant and the aphid. Aphids are a crop pest that suck the sugary fluids from plants. Excrement from these sap sucking insects is called honeydew and happens to be a sugar and nutrient rich meal for certain ant species such as the ghost ant crave. The ghost ants forage for sugars and the aphid is a natural producer of sugar. If the foraging ants find a population of aphids, they begin farming them for honeydew. This is the basis of the symbiotic relationship. The ants protect the aphids from natural enemies and diseases in return for a steady supply of honeydew. The ants will often herd the aphids into specific areas of their nest dedicated to aphid farming to help keep them safe. To encourage honeydew production, the ants stimulate the aphids by stroking them with their antennae and harvest the resulting honeydew much like we harvest milk from a cow. Ghost ants will certainly not be a beneficial insect for the control of aphids, and few other agriculture pests for that matter and not typically a welcome house guest. Infestations are best treated by leveraging the ant’s sweet tooth. Sweet bait traps are usually the most effective solution when used in conjunction with aphid control. Contact poisons will not work for ghost ants because these ants are highly mobile and have multi queen colonies. Contact poison will only kill a few on the top of the nest and the queens will remain safe and unaffected. Many pest control blogs suggest a mixture of up to 5% Boric acid in a sugar, honey, or syrup solution works well. This month, while you are inspecting your plants for aphids, take a closer look, you may have ghost ants farming the aphids and more to consider for a pest control strategy. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Its important to remember that although these ants are capable of nesting inside the house, home invasions are more often than not little more than foraging activity with several single file marches from the outside into your home. So far, the yearly invasions we have seen in our home seem to be temporary foraging and the ants dissipate within a day or two. I enjoy watching ants forage for food outside (where they should be) and for that reason I have never considered toxins inside my home to rid it of this temporary visitor. Lately, I have been watching them “milk” the aphids that my pepper plants are attracting.
Ransomware Attacks on Agricultural Cooperatives Potentially Timed to Critical Seasons
By Jim Frankowiak The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is informing Food and Agriculture (FA) sector partners that ransomware actors may be more likely to attack agricultural cooperatives during critical planting and harvest seasons, disrupting operations, causing financial loss, and negatively impacting the food supply chain. The FBI noted ransomware attacks during these seasons against six grain cooperatives during the fall 2021 harvest and two attacks in early 2022 that could impact the planting season by disrupting the supply of seeds and fertilizer. Cyber actors may perceive cooperatives as lucrative targets with a willingness to pay due to the time sensitive role they play in agricultural production. Although ransomware attacks against the entire farm-to-table spectrum of the FA sector occur on a regular basis, the number of cyber attacks against agricultural cooperatives during key seasons is notable. According to a February 2022 Joint Cybersecurity Advisory authored by cybersecurity authorities in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Ransomware tactics and techniques continued to evolve in 2021.
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2021 Trends Show Increased Globalized Threat against critical infrastructure organizations increased globally. The FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the National Security Agency (NSA) observed incidents involving ransomware against 14 of the 16 U.S. critical infrastructure sectors, including FA, the Defense Industrial Base,
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Emergency Services, Government Facilities, and Information Technology Sectors. Since 2021, multiple agricultural cooperatives have been impacted by a variety of ransomware variants. Initial intrusion vectors included known but unpatched common vulnerabilities and exploits, as well as secondary infections from the exploitation of shared network resources or compromise of managed services. Production was impacted for some of the targeted entities, resulting in slower processing due to manual operations, while other targeted entities lost access to administrative functions such as websites and email but did not have production impacted. A significant disruption of grain production could impact the entire food chain, since grain is not only consumed by humans but also used for animal feed. In addition, a significant disruption of grain and corn production could impact commodities trading and stocks. An attack that disrupts processing at a protein or dairy facility can quickly result in spoiled products and have cascading effects down to the farm level as animals cannot be processed. In March 2022, a multi-state grain company suffered a Lockbit 2.0 ransomware attack. In addition to grain processing, the company provides seed, fertilizer, and logistics services, which are critical during the spring planting season. In February 2022, a company providing feed milling and other agricultural services reported two instances in which an unauWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
thorized actor gained access to some of its systems and may have attempted to initiate a ransomware attack. The attempts were detected and stopped before encryption occurred. Between 15 September and 6 October 2021, six grain cooperatives experienced ransomware attacks. A variety of ransomware variants were used, including Conti, BlackMatter, Suncrypt, Sodinokibi, and BlackByte. Some targeted entities had to completely halt production while others lost administrative functions.
ï Disable unused remote access/RDP ports and monitor remote access/RDP logs. ï Require administrator credentials to install software. ï Audit user accounts with administrative or elevated privileges, and configure access controls with least privilege in mind. ï Install and regularly update anti-virus and anti-malware software on all hosts.
In July 2021, a business management software company found malicious activity on its network, which was later identified as HelloKitty/Five Hands ransomware. The threat actor demanded $30 million USD ransom. The ransomware attack on the company led to secondary ransomware infections on a number of its clients, which included several agricultural cooperatives.
ï Only use secure networks and avoid using public Wi-Fi networks. Consider installing and using a virtual private network (VPN).
Cyber threat actors will continue to exploit network, system, and application vulnerabilities within the FA sector.
ï Focus on cyber security awareness and training. Regularly provide users with training on information security principles and techniques as well as overall emerging cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities (i.e. ransomware and phishing scams).
The following steps can be implemented to mitigate the threat and protect against ransomware attacks: ï Regularly back up data, air gap, and password protect backup copies offline. Ensure copies of critical data are not accessible for modification or deletion from the system where the data resides. ï Implement a recovery plan that includes maintaining and retaining multiple copies of sensitive or proprietary data and servers in a physically separate, segmented, secure location (i.e., hard drive, storage device, the cloud). ï Identify critical functions and develop an operations plan in the event that systems go offline. Think about ways to operate manually if it becomes necessary. ï Implement network segmentation. ï Install updates/patch operating systems, software, and firmware as soon as they are released. ï Use multifactor authentication where possible. ï Use strong passwords and regularly change passwords to network systems and accounts, implementing the shortest acceptable timeframe for password changes. Avoid reusing passwords for multiple accounts and use strong pass phrases where possible.
ï Disable hyperlinks in received emails.
For additional resources related to the prevention and mitigation of ransomware, go to Stopransomware.gov, a centralized, U.S. whole-of-government webpage providing ransomware resources and alerts. CISA’s Ransomware Readiness Assessment (RRA) is a no-cost self-assessment based on a tiered set of practices to help organizations better assess how well they are equipped to defend and recover from a ransomware incident. CISA offers a range of no-cost cyber hygiene services to help critical infrastructure organizations assess, identify, and reduce their exposure to threats, including ransomware. By requesting these services, organizations of any size could find ways to reduce their risk and mitigate attack vectors. The FBI encourages recipients of this document to report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to their local FBI field office. Field office contacts can be identified at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices. When available, each report submitted should include the date, time, location, type of activity, number of people, and type of equipment used for the activity, the name of the submitting company or organization, and a designated point of contact. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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ï Consider adding an email banner to messages coming from outside your organizations.
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Florida FFA State Secretary Carter P. Howell
Comparatively to the last several months, May was relatively tame in the frequency of Florida FFA Events. However, this month has been the busiest of the year as State Officers, staff, and supporters gear up for the 94th Annual Florida FFA State Convention & Expo. May began with a convention planning retreat where State Officers and staff were able to gather to place total focus on all the happenings and details that will be taking place at the most anticipated event of the year. Unsurprisingly, the scale of the work that must be done to host an event of this magnitude is massive. From logistics to the technical aspects and the actual delivery of the experience for our student members, advisors, and supporters, it is all hands on deck to bring everything together in crunch time. After a very fruitful and productive retreat, it was time to hit the ground running. The month before the convention is not only a time when the state association prepares for the conclusion of the year, but the FFA chapters across Florida look to celebrate their successes and triumphs with banquets and award ceremonies. An FFA chapter culminates its year with an awards program that recognizes the incredible hard work of students who have chosen to be involved as members of America’s most prominent student-led organization. As State Officers, we have the distinct honor of attending several FFA banquets, which allows us to see firsthand the future leaders of this state and Nation. This year, I attended banquets at Taylor County High, Dowdell Middle, Sugg Middle, Newsome High, Braden River High, Durant High, and Colonial High. What is so special about FFA is that each of these chapters embodies a different identity, but at the same time, they have the same mission. It was one of my greatest honors to be able to celebrate alongside these excellent chapters as they turned the page on another memorable year.
With our year of service coming to a close, the State Officer Team traveled to our Association Headquarters one final time. While in Gainesville, we had the opportunity to join the newly elected Farm Bureau President Jeb Smith and his wife Wendy Smith and General Counsel Staci Sims for lunch. We were ecstatic to be able to share conversations about agriculture and how our organizations continue to work collaboratively for the benefit of the industry. Florida Farm Bureau is Florida FFA’s longest-standing sponsor, and we could not be more thankful for the support they show our organization and its members. Farm Bureau is not only a great partner, but they truly are the voice of Florida Agriculture. Our attention is zeroed in on state convention, with everyone working hard to make this the best State FFA Convention. By my approximations, the Convention will be underway when this column goes to press. I cannot wait to be in Orlando, Florida, with the most extraordinary FFA members in the country. Of course, I can’t wait to share all the exciting details with everyone once the gavel is tapped for the final time and the convention adjourns. Best, Carter
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After “banquet season” concluded, the State Officers traveled to Gainesville to complete media filming for several aspects of the state convention. At Florida FFA, we are blessed to have unique partnerships with talented individuals that assist in this process. On behalf of Florida FFA, I would like to thank Dr. Kevin Kent, who volunteers his time and talent each year to facilitate the media filming process. Dr. Kent also does an immense amount of work behind the scenes each year as he works tirelessly to create graphics and media to make our convention an unforgettable experience for all attendees.
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s e p i c e R
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Chef Justin Timineri
Stuffed Florida Zucchini and Yellow Squash Parmesan Stuffed yellow squash on a baking sheet.
DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut off the stem side of the zucchini or yellow squash. Cut zucchini or yellow squash evenly in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds from each half to create room to hold other ingredients. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the preheated pan. Season the zucchini or yellow squash with salt and pepper. Place the zucchini or yellow squash skin side up in the sauté pan and cook for about 2 minutes on both sides. Remove from pan and place on a cookie sheet skin side down.
INGREDIENTS 2 medium Florida zucchini or large yellow squash 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 cup marinara sauce (your favorite) 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese,
grated 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried Olive oil for cooking Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
In a small mixing bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped basil and Parmesan cheese. Season ingredients to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Evenly distribute the ricotta cheese and marinara sauce on top of the zucchini or yellow squash. Top the yellow squash and zucchini with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumb topping mixture on top of the zucchini or yellow squash. Bake the stuffed zucchini or yellow squash for 10 minutes or until topping is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm.
Florida Chicken and Vegetable Fried Rice q Ingredients q 2 (8 ounce) Florida chicken breasts 1 Florida bell pepper (any color) 1 cup Florida cabbage, sliced thin 2 Florida carrots, sliced thin 6 Florida mushrooms, sliced thin 2 cups Florida spinach 2 eggs 3 cups cooked rice (brown
or white) 2 green onions, sliced thin 2 garlic cloves, minced 2-3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or Tamari 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking Chili sauce or sriracha (optional) Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS Cook rice according to package directions and set aside. Dice the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Prepare and slice all the vegetables and set aside. Mix soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic and set aside.
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Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Beat two eggs and scramble, set aside. Next, season the diced chicken with salt and pepper and sauté for 6 minutes or until cook thoroughly. Remove from pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sauté the carrots for one to two minutes. Add the bell pep-
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pers and cabbage, season with salt and pepper and cook for additional two minutes. Remove the vegetables and set aside. Using the same pan, add a small amount of olive oil and sauté the mushrooms and spinach. Add this to the rest of the cooked chicken and vegetables. Lastly, add a 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot pan and stir-fry the rice until it is slightly crisp, add the scrambled eggs and combine. Pour the soy sauce mixture and stir to combine. Serve chicken and vegetables over fried rice in large bowl. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD
By J. Scott Angle
67 When I joined UF/IFAS in July 2020, I pledged to visit Extension hood. You donate food to the needy, raise money for scholaroffices in all 67 counties. I got to Hillsborough a little over a year ships and volunteer on civic boards and in schools. ago, and Polk in February and December 2021. You rely on science. Farmers repeatedly told me they would UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County Director Stephen Gran not be in business were it not for the innovation to which got me back to his county by inviting me to accept an award agents gave them access and sometimes helped absorb the for UF/IFAS as the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s risk of trying something new. agribusiness of the year. Our future is bright. In numerous counties I met 4-Hers. All of The trip was also rewarding for the opportunity to visit with them were articulate, motivated, service-oriented, courteous then-Hillsborough County Farm Bureau executive director Judi and engaged. I could see the future leader in each of them and Whitson, as well as Jason Conrad, chairman of the Florida Beef the emerging intellect that will make them our next generation Council and a board member of the Hillsborough County Cat- of problem-solvers. tlemen’s Association and the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, I also shared laughs and enjoyed folk wisdom like that from a and Florida 4-H Hall of Famer Betty Jo Tompkins. Madison County farmer who told me that in his community, if a I fulfilled my 67-county pledge on April 8 in Lake City by break- porch rocker is in place and facing the street it means someone ing a ceremonial runner’s finish line tape at the Columbia is home. If it’s turned around and leaned against the wall, you can save yourself the trouble of going up the steps to knock. County Extension office.
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I embarked on what turned out to be a journey of tens of thou- I do not consider the fulfillment of my pledge to be mission sands of miles because that’s what it takes to meet the people accomplished. It is mission acknowledged. Food is our middle name, and it’s our job at UF/IFAS to help food producers stay I work for—you, the farmers and ranchers of Florida. profitable so they continue to feed the world and protect the I went to Chipley, Dade City, Jasper, Moore Haven, and, of planet. Extension is a crucial piece of how we do that. course, Seffner and Bartow, to learn from Extension agents about their important work and to demonstrate my support for You’re not done teaching me. I’ll continue to visit Hillsborough that work. I also went so I could learn from the farmers in those and Polk counties to remind myself who we work for—every communities. I asked Extension directors to invite local Farm citizen of Florida! Most of them don’t live here on campus. Bureau presidents, advisory board members and other farmer See you in Seffner, Bartow, Wimauma, Plant City and Ruskin, stakeholders to meet with me during my visits. where we have UF/IFAS facilities. Or maybe even on your farm From you, I learned about the incredible diversity of the state’s if you invite me. Like our Extension agents, I’ll do my best to crops, soils and climates. I came to appreciate more deeply come to you. that the needs are different everywhere. I couldn’t just get a J. Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Senior Vice Presione-size-fits-all briefing in Gainesville and be done with it. dent for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural SciHere’s what else I learned: ences (UF/IFAS). Our relationships are strong. I heard stories of agent-farmer friendships that go back decades. In most counties there is a deep and abiding trust between UF/IFAS Extension faculty and the farmers they serve. Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Vice President for Agriculture and NatuYou want to do good while doing well. I heard repeatedly that ral Resources and leader of the UF Instiyou are committed to being good stewards of the environtute of Food and Agricultural Sciences ment, that you want to protect the land you rely on for a liveli(UF/IFAS).
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Farming is stressful Help is available Call 211 Or Text ‘FarmFL’ to 898-211 Working on a farm can be physically and emotionally demanding. If you are feeling anxious or depressed, you’re not alone. Nine in ten farmers cite financial issues, farm business concerns and fear of losing their farms as mental health stressors. Call 211 to speak to someone who will listen and provide the resources you need to get through tough times. Calls are confidential and can be anonymous.
Learn more at 211.org
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PROTECT YOUR FRESH WATER:
A Q&A WITH A WATER QUALITY EXPERT By Jim Frankowiak
An estimated 2.5 million Floridians rely on private wells for home drinking water, according to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). These systems are sensitive to environmental changes, like flooding, and owners are responsible for the management, and therefore quality, of the water they drink. University of Florida water quality expert Andrea Albertin, a water resources regional specialized agent for the UF/IFAS Extension Northwest District, provided must-know information that private well owners can use to best manage this vital resource. Q. What should private well owners have their water tested for and how often should it be tested?
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A. At a minimum, FDOH recommends testing drinking water annually for bacteria (total coliform bacteria and fecal coliforms, usually E. coli). They also recommend testing for nitrate, especially if you have an infant or pregnant woman in the household. Nitrate levels at and above 10 milligrams per
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liter can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb oxygen. Depending on where you live and current or past activities in your area, other contaminants may affect your well water quality. Call your local health department to see if they recommend any additional tests. It’s also important to reach out to them for testing recommendations when: • There is a change in the taste, appearance or odor of your water. • There is recurring gastrointestinal illness or other unexplained illness in the household. • Your well is flooded or damaged. • You have a spill of oil, liquid fuels, solvents or other chemicals into or near your well. • Any time services or repairs are done and the sanitary seal on your well is opened. Q. Where can I find testing services in my area? A. Some county health departments provide testing for bacWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
terial contamination, at a minimum. If they do not offer testing for a particular contaminant, they can help point you to certified commercial labs in the area for testing. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) also maintains a list of certified water testing labs, which are searchable by county: floridadep.gov/dear/florida-dep-laboratory/content/nelap-certified-laboratory-search. Q. What are some practices that can reduce the risk of contaminating well water? A. There are several basic care measures everyone should pay attention to year-round: •Make sure that the well is properly sealed at the surface to keep pollutants from getting directly into your well and groundwater. A sanitary seal or sanitary well cap keeps surface water, pathogens, insects and other animals, chemicals, liquid fuels and debris from getting directly into your well. Grout, which works as a sealant, is used when a well is drilled and installed to fill the space between the well casing and the edge of the borehole. It prevents surface water from flowing down along the outside of the well casing directly to the groundwater being drawn by the well. •Keep the area around your well clean and accessible. •Make sure there is at least 75 feet between your well and your septic system. (Note: This is required in Florida.) •A well shouldn’t be close to – at least 100 feet away – or downhill from an animal enclosure. •Don’t store any chemicals, fertilizers or fuel near your well or in a well house. • Don’t use a well as a chemical mixing station.
Q. Are there any special considerations private well owners should know about pre- or post-storm management of their water? A. For well care before a storm, the most important thing is to make sure your well is properly sealed at the surface so that flood water can’t have a direct conduit into your well (and well water). This means having a properly functioning well cap – a sanitary seal and grout that seals off the area between the bore hole and the outside of your well casing. This is something you should have all year round. If your well was flooded or damaged due to a storm, you should have your well water tested for bacteria to ensure it is safe for home consumption.
SUMMER SUPPLEMENTS NOW AVAILABLE WE HOPE TO SEE YOU! Florida Cattlemen's Convention June 14-16 at Marco Island Come see Greg, Steve and Gary at our Booths 117-118
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Considering bamboo?
Know the risks before you plant
By Deah Lieurance, UF/IFAS Extension scientist Recently, interest has resurfaced in the possibility of growing bamboo in Florida as a biomass crop. Bamboo has been called “green gold” and “the world’s most amazing plant,” with uses ranging from structural materials to industrial products, fencing and even food. However, there are many uncertainties surrounding growing bamboo for commercial purposes. These uncertainties include risk of the bamboo becoming yet another invasive species, challenges in production and availability of consumer markets.
Permitting Additionally, farmers should be informed that in Florida, any biomass planting of 2 acres or more requires a permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry (FDACS DPI). A UF/IFAS Extension document I co-authored, “Navigating the Non-Native Planting Rule: Permit Requirements for Large-Scale Plantings of Non-Native Species in Florida,” explains the process in detail.
Invasion risk There are two major types of bamboo: clump forming and running. Generally, running bamboos thrive in temperate climates and are a high risk for invasion; the less risky – but not risk-free – clumping bamboos prefer tropical or subtropical conditions. Still, both require management to keep them contained.
Production challenges Another concern that should be mentioned is challenges in production itself. Growing on a commercial scale involves site preparation, fertilization and harvesting in dense bamboo stands, and stands must be strictly managed to prevent spread outside cultivation. Climatic tolerances differ in the types of bamboo, so you must be certain you are growing the right bamboo for your area. The challenges don’t end at harvest, either, as viable markets to sell bamboo products may not readily exist.
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As an Extension scientist and coordinator of the UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas, I must caution farmers interested in growing bamboo that many bamboo species pose an invasion risk for the state. The UF/IFAS Assessment provides conclusions about many species of bamboo. The two prominent species in production in the Southeast are the clump forming Dendrocalamus asper (often called Asper or Tropical Asper) and the running Phyllostachys edulis (Giant Moso Bamboo, Moso, or Edulis bamboo). Dendrocalamus asper is labeled as a moderate risk to Florida, meaning strict management is required to prevent escape, and all Phyllostachys species are a high risk for invasion, including Moso. In fact, Phyllostachys aurea (Golden bamboo) is currently invading the Southeast from Texas to Florida, up to Kentucky and Virginia!
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For more on growing bamboo in the Southeast, check out this regional extension document, “Growing Bamboo for Commercial Purposes in the Southeastern US: FAQs,” co-authored by experts from Clemson University, Auburn University, the University of Georgia and UF/IFAS. This document provides broad guidance on the prospect of planting bamboo for biomass, carbon sequestration, and/or food. In short, before deciding to grow bamboo, farmers should be aware of the risks and work with their local Extension agent to see if the crop is right for them. In Florida, please reach out to your local UF/IFAS Extension agent with any questions regarding bamboo. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Study looks to oxygen as solution for flooded fields By Kirsten Romaguera | Photos Courtesy Danyang Liu and AgroClimate Field Camera UF/IFAS
The two from the trial can be credited to Danyang Liu, and the third is of one of our flooded research fields in Jay, Florida, after Hurricane Sally in 2020 (credit to AgroClimate Field Camera, UF/IFAS).
Flooded fields can be a problem for Florida farmers, with various locations across the Sunshine State averaging some 40-60 inches of rainfall per year. In spite of this, Florida still ranks No. 1 in the nation in production of several crops. This includes snap beans, the subject of a new study from University of Florida scientists that evaluated a technique to lessen the impact of floods on this $84 million industry in the state. The study, led by Guodong (David) Liu, associate professor in the UF/IFAS horticultural sciences department, found that flooded young snap beans showed more resilience with the addition of solid oxygen fertilizers. The researchers tested calcium peroxide and magnesium peroxide. “We know that flooding suffocates plants,” Liu said. This hypoxic stress, as he explained, means the plants can’t get enough oxygen to take up the nutrients in the soil that plants need to grow. “We also know, from our previous research, that soils amended with oxygen fertilizers may reduce that stress, minimizing the damage from flooding or hurricanes,” Liu said. In the study, plants were divided into three groups. One group was watered as normal. Another group received an abun-
The flooded plants that received either peroxide application grew taller and produced higher yields than the flooded control plants, some by as much as 50%, although neither treatment produced as much as the non-flooded plants. The highest yields came at the rate of 2 grams for calcium peroxide and 8 grams for magnesium peroxide per container with a single plant. “We used the snap bean in this study for its quick growing season, but all vegetable crops require the same oxygen and can suffer hypoxic stress,” Liu said. “Oxygen fertilizers should be useful for other crops we grow in Florida, and may also help combat stressors like salinity in coastal areas experiencing sea-level rise.” The study, “Effects of oxygen fertilization on damage reduction in flooded snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.),” is available in the journal “Scientific Reports”: nature.com/articles/ s41598-022-08165-5. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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dance of water, while a third group received an abundance of water plus oxygen fertilizers. This third group received different amounts of calcium peroxide or magnesium peroxide. “We were evaluating the best amount of solid oxygen fertilizer that would keep the plant alive and productive,” Liu said, “while also finding the most economical rate.”
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2016 MASSEY FERGUSON 2606H 65hp, 2wd grading tractor with Bush Hog RBX780 box blade. 178 hours. $29,500 Call LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES Avie 813-759-8722 USED ZERO TURN MOWERS Prices begin at $1,750 Call Alive 813-759-8722
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