In The Field magazine Hillsborough edition by Berry Publications, Inc

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

March 2014

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

March 2014

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March 2014

Contents

VOL. 10 â&#x20AC;˘ ISSUE 5

Heart of the Strawberry Industry Page

cover photos by Stephanie Humphrey

Lower Green Swamp Preserve

The Redheaded Gardener

Page 10

Page 56

Business Up Front

Page 15

Spring Gardening

Page 64

Fishing Hot Spots

Page 18

Blueberry Growers

Page 70

Rocking Chair Chatter

Page 22

Dept of Labor Seminar

Page 74

Market Watch

Page 32

GCREC Tomato Breeders

Page 80

Florida Coconuts

Page 35

Champion of Champions

Page 83

Tractor Review

Page 38

Mango Elementary

Page 88

Turkey Creek FFA

Page 46

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Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor-In-Chief Al Berry Editor Pasty Berry March is the month set aside by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as National Nutrition Month, a campaign to focus attention on making informed food choices, developing sound eating and physical activity habits. This year the theme is “Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right.” When you are planning your meals, plan right by checking the labels and purchase food grown in your state, so it is Fresh From Florida! According the web site www.eatright.org, “An easy way to focus on eating better is to start with the basics, build your nutritional health from the ground up. Start slowly and give yourself a good foundation as you work toward a healthier life.” The web site also lists the following tips: • Focus on Fruits and Vegetables — Add a serving each day and increase it every few weeks. • Look Locally — Try farmers’ markets and community-supported agriculture. • Make Calories Count — Focus on foods with more vitamins and minerals. • Test Your Taste Buds — Try a fish you haven’t eaten before, or find a new vegetable recipe. • Trick Yourself with Treats — A healthful diet doesn’t mean deprivation. If you have a sweet tooth, have fruit and yogurt for dessert. Don’t miss next month’s issue of In The Field. It will be full of coverage from the 2014 Florida Strawberry Festival! Until Next Month

Sarah

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

RETRACTION

In the February issue of In The Field magazine the article “Saving your Tomato Harvest” was incorrectly credited as being written by Brad Buck. The article was actually written by Mary Keith, PhD., LD, Extension Agent, Food, Nutrition & Health, UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension.

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Office Manager Bob Hughens Sales Manager Danny Crampton Sales Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Melissa Nichols Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Al Berry Stephanie Humphrey Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins Contributing Writers Woody Gore Les McDowell

ABC Pizza..................................................19 Ag Technologies......................................31 Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers............52 Alan’s Air Conditioning Service..........86 Aquarius Water Refining......................103 Arrowhead Archery................................67 Astin Strawberry Exchange.................93 Bankers South Group............................76 Bill’s Transmissions................................96 Bingham...................................................87 Boots and Buckles..................................57 Brandon Auto Services, Inc..................68 Brandon Farms Market..........................12 Brandon Regional Hospital..................107 Brewington’s Towing & Recovery........45 Broke & Poor...........................................42 Cameron Financial Service...................23 Cecil Breeding Farm..............................30 Certis USA................................................41 Certis USA................................................92 CF Industries Enterprises, Inc...............81 Choo Choo......................................78 & 111 Chuck’s Tire & Automotive..................34

Country Village Power Equipment................27 Country Village Power Equipment................34 Dad’s Towing......................................................43 Dr. Barry Gaffney, O.D. PA...............................11 Dr. Pat Almerico.................................................13 East Coast Ag Products, Inc...........................42 Effective Edge Communications, Inc.............21 Exo Creative.......................................................81 Everglades Farm Equipment.........................112 Fancy Farms......................................................26 Farm Bureau Insurance-Valrico....................90 Farm Bureau Insurance/Jeff Sumner............73 Farm Credit.....................................................103 Felton’s.................................................................51 Fischbach Land Co...........................................45 Fla Dpt of Ag & Consumer Svcs...................50 Florida Strawberry Growers Asso................44 Forbes Road Produce........................................14 Fred’s Market Restaurant................................23 Gator Ford.........................................................40 Grimes Hardware Center.................................14 Grove Equipment Service...............................34 Grove Equipment Service...............................99 Gulf Coast Tractor............................................48 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply..............................3 Harvest Meat Market.......................................29 Harrell’s Nursery, Inc.......................................93 Haught Funeral Home......................................72 Helena Chemical-Tampa.................................69 Highland Corporation.....................................23 Hillsboro Bank..................................................24 Huff Muffler..........................................................79 Hydraulic Hose & Cylinder, Inc.......................36 Jarrett-Scott Ford..............................................2 Johnson’s Barbeque.........................................68 Jon & Rosie’s Tree Farm................................93 Keel & Curley Winery......................................63 Key Plex..............................................................66 Loetscher Auto Parts.........................................79 Malissa Crawford..............................................52 Mark Smith Excavating....................................93 Meryman Environmental.................................36 Mosaic.................................................................55 Napa.....................................................................12 O’Conner Automotive.......................................16 Parkesdale........................................................106 Pathway BioLogic..............................................77 Patterson Companies.......................................49 Plant City Homestyle Buffet.............................5 Plant City Tire & Auto....................................93 Platinum Bank..................................................62 QLF Nutrients Division....................................43 Railroad & Industrial Fed Credit Un............40 Renee Corzine....................................................21 Savich & Lee Wholesale................................20 Savich & Lee Wholesale................................21 Seafood Dive.....................................................98 Seedway.............................................................45 Shrimp & Co. Express......................................13 South Fl Baptist Hospital..................................7 Southside Stores LLC......................................53 Southside Stores LLC.......................................91 Stephanie Humphrey.......................................84 Stollers..............................................................105 Sweetlife Farms.................................................49 Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort.......17 & 73 Trinkle,Redman,Swanson,Coton,D................69 Verti-Gro, Inc....................................................68 Walden Lake Car Wash & Service..............42 Wasabi Japanese Steak House.......................9 Wells Memorial................................................104 Willie’s................................................................79 Windfield............................................................93 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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

A BUSY TIME FOR YOUR A BUSY TIME FOR YOUR FARM BUREAU FARM BUREAU

REACHING OUT Dear Readers: Dear Readers: Dear Readers:

I am both humbled and honored to have been Ielected amis both humbled honored to have been president ofand YOUR Hillsborough County This a particularly important time of the year for elected president of YOUR Hillsborough County us.Farm FarmBureau. Bureau All volunteers from throughout Florida of us owe a debt of gratitude to Farm Bureau. Allto ofvisit us owe atheir debtfor of his gratitude to are taking the time with legislators in of Taloutgoing president Danny Aprile years outgoing Danny in Aprile for histoyears of lahassee become involved legislative process. servicetotopresident our organization. Ithe promise do my service to our organization. I promise to do my best to continue the momentum he carried forth. The of our to our elected forth. officials bestessence to continue themessage momentum he carried

during these face-to-face meetings is straightforward As a sixth generation Florida farmer, I know the – in addition to providing fresh produce food As a sixth generation Florida farmer,all Iand know thethat many challenges and opportunities of usmillions have feeds more than 19 million Floridians and many challenges and opportunities all us have in the agriculture industry and that is of an industry more throughout theindustry countryand andthat world, Florida agriinthat the agriculture is an industry Our for major challenge is to continue culture is is global. responsible creating and sustaining thouthat is global. major challengepopulation is to continue to produce theOur food ourstate growing must sands of jobs around the annually. The strength to produce the food our growing population must while of theFlorida lands devoted to farming continue andhave viability agriculture is extremely imhave while lands toeconomy. farming continue portant to thethe future ofdevoted Florida’s to diminish. The good thing is that the market to The good thing to is expand. that the market fordiminish. our products continues Our task

for our products continues to expand. Our task Please don’t think meet engaging our state legislators is just is to effectively those dual challenges while isprotecting to effectively meet those dual challenges while the responsibility and role of Farm Bureau directors. our precious environment. I am confident Allprotecting of are us who livethat in Florida should precious environment. I amthe confident we up our to task and I lookconsider forward to multihelping faceted aspects of agriculture inlook thisforward state andtohow we we are up to that task and I us all do our part to assure that we do so. helping allusbenefit. we will have many one-on-one all do Yes, our part to assure that we do so. conversations with our elected officials in Tallahassee and at Let me also tell you about theyou other new officers home, butalso I encourage each of to new consider buildLet me tell you about the other officers elected by your board last month. They are: ing relationships with them at home and having them elected by your Will board last month. They are: Vice President Treasurer Ray Wood, hear from you about Womack, the importance of agriculture, Vice President Will Womack, Ray Wood, Secretary Williamson and Member-Atseeking theirMichelle support for sound Treasurer policy actions. Secretary Williamson Member-AtLarge BillMichelle Burnette. My thanksand to each of them and Large Bill Burnette. My thanks to each and In our an effort Florida’s boardto forstrengthen their willingness toagricultural serve.of themcomour board for their farmers willingness serve. for future munity and position andtoranchers

success, Florida Farm Bureau’s bills will As I am sure all of you have 2014 comepriority to realize provide tax relief to farmers, protect the Greenbelt As I am sure all of you have come to realize vacation time is over. We are particularly busy atassessment and add educational certifications busy to expand vacation time isThis over.month We are at Farm Bureau. weparticularly are completing the job opportunities formonth students seeking to enter the Farm Bureau. This we are completing the third of our legislativeFor tours during which weabout take agricultural workforce. more information third of our tours during which of weour take elected and legislative appointed officials to (the several these priorities, please visit: ffbf.org. Florida Farm elected and appointed officials to several of our agricultural businesses in this areas so they can see Bureau website).

agricultural in this so management they can see agriculture businesses at work, some of areas the best agriculture at work, some of the best management practices that have been put into place and learn of practices that have been put into place and learn of

At the same time, I ask that you consider getting inthe challenges our local non-legislative industry partners face as lovolved with important audiences the challenges our localthe industry partners faceup asApril they strive high quality products cally. Thereto is produce a terrific opportunity coming they strive to produce the high quality products 29. is the 11th anniversary Agriculture ourThat markets demand. Those toursofare hard workLitour demand. Those tours are from hard work eracy Day here in Florida. representing andmarkets represent many hours ofVolunteers, support our and represent many hours of support from our Florida agriculture, will conduct readings for industry colleagues. We thank them and those young industry colleagues. We thank and those students inand kindergarten andthem elementary grades at legislators regulators who take the time to school classrooms. The book developed for this year’s legislators and regulators who take the time to learn first hand about agriculture in our area and even highlights ag-related programs thatarea are and already learn handwe about in our how first and why needagriculture their ongoing awareness, available in many statetheir schools. It isawareness, entitled Florida how and why we need ongoing help and support. Farms at support. School and features Agriculture in the Classhelp and room activities, FFA projects, 4-H, the Farm to School There’s more. Ag-Venture, our program for bringing program, school gardens and related subjects. There’s There’s more. Ag-Venture, our program for bringing thearticle story of children through an allagriculture about Ag to Literacy Day in thisschool issue of the story to children through activities, isagriculture going onthat and we will again be school particiIN THE of FIELD and includes how and where to activities, is going on and we will again be particivolunteer. pating in Farm City Days through which we bring

pating in Farm City Daystothrough which we bring the story of agriculture our friends living in the story of agriculture to our friends living in for you That brings to mind the fact it isn’t necessary Tampa. Tampa. to be involved directly in agriculture to participate,

nor do you have beaamember farmer or rancher belong Lastly, if you areto not of our FarmtoBureau to Farmif Bureau. In addition to supporting our imporLastly, you are not a member of our Farm Bureau family, please join us. It isn’t necessary that you be a tant industry and us. helping to necessary assure ourthat future, be Farm family, join It isn’t a farmerplease or rancher to for join. Please visitbringsyou Bureau membership your family its own farmer or rancher to join. Please visit http:// hcfarmbureau.org or call 813/685-9121 forberewards. If you haven’t checked the benefitsfor of http:// hcfarmbureau.org or call out 813/685-9121 more information. longing to Farm Bureau, please do. The modest fee asmore information.

sociated with family membership in Farm Bureau is a Oncedeal. again, honored to be Farm your president and great ToI am learn more about Bureau, please Once again, honored to be your president andfor visit: http://hcfarmbureau.org or call 813/685-9121 my very bestI am to you and your family. my very best to you and your family. more information. Sincerely, Thank you, Thank you,

Kenneth Kenneth

Kenneth Parker - President Kenneth Parker - President

Board of Directors

Board of Directors Kenneth Parker, President; Will Womack, Vice-President; Ray Wood, Treasure; Michelle Williamson, Secretary; Kenneth Parker, President; Will Womack, Wood, Treasure; Williamson, Secretary; Member-at-large; Bill Burnette; BoardVice-President; members: RoyRay Davis, David Drawdy,Michelle Jim Dyer, Jim Frankowiak, Member-at-large; Bill Burnette; Board Greg members: Roy Erin Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, Jim Frankowiak, Glenn Harrell, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lehman, Nesmith, Jake Raburn, Marty Tanner, James Tew, Glenn Harrell, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Greg Lehman, Erin Jake Raburn, Marty Tanner, James Tew, Ron Wetherington, andNesmith, Ray Wood, Ron Wetherington, and RayDirector Wood, Judi Whitson, Executive Judi Whitson, Executive Director 8 8 88

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Beacons of Yellow and Pink By Shannon P. Mitchell, The Redheaded Gardener

Launching spring into action are some bright yellow and soft pink beacons. Around the end of February and the beginning of March in central Florida you might begin to notice these beacons in neighborhoods and on street thoroughfares around your town. They are one of the surest signs that our weather is turning and milder days are ahead. They are Tabebuia chrysotricha or Golden Trumpet tree and Tabebuia heptaphylla or Pink Trumpet tree. These two varieties are the most commonly seen in home landscapes in this area, but there are several additional choices in the same plant family of Bignoniaceae that are suitable for home gardens. Some of these include Tabebuia caraiba – Silver Trumpet tree, Tabebuia impetiginosa – Purple Trumpet tree and Tabebuia serratifolia – Yellow Trumpet tree. Trumpet is an apt common name because in my mind’s eye they visually “Announce” or “Herald” the spring season in central Florida along with our traditional azalea blooms. In reality, this moniker describes the beautiful trumpet-shaped brilliant yellow or pale pink flowers that blanket the trees making them desirable accents for your landscape. The scientific name, Tabebuia stems from the native Brazilian tongue, which, when translated, describes the plant’s silvery leaf aspect and the tree’s symbiotic relationship with ants. Tabebuias are wonderful, medium-size trees that are suitable for pa10

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tios, lawns and as specimen trees in your landscape. They typically reach heights of around 15-25 feet but can extend to around 50 feet. Their native habitat is tropical America, but they are hardy here in Florida to zones 10 and 11. These eye-pleasing trees have velvety gray-green colored leaves in an oblong elliptical shape. The leaves form palm-like groupings of 3 to 7 per stem and together constitute a tree with a multi-branched, irregular form. Flowers can range from brilliant yellow to pale pink with varieties also available with red, purple and white bloom options. They are funnel or tubular in form and about 2-3 inches in length. When this tree blooms it blooms in profuse abundance all over the crown. This floral display when the weather turns is what makes it a truly spectacular accent in your garden. The tree remains mostly semi-evergreen with brief deciduous periods when it is in flower. It can be grown in full sun or partial shade. If grown in full shade, this will prohibit the spectacular floral displays and growth will be slow. Full sun is the best. This tree has some very nice textural features. Its bark is varied with some species having cork-like textures. When the tree fruits, you’ll find elongated linear seed pods around 10 inches long. Some are papery with individual capsules, some form with a more fuzzy coating. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

They are easy to save and you can propagate additional trees by this method or through layering. There are some very distinct pros and cons to using this tree in your landscape. Some reasons why you might want to consider adding this tree as a specimen are: • visually appealing floral displays • freedom from serious disease and pest problems • it is not considered an invasive to Florida • it lacks invasive rooting issues • it attracts bees and hummingbirds because it is an important nectar source for these species • for those of you on the coast, it does have moderate salt tolerance One of the cons is that the timber is susceptible to breakage. The wood can become brittle as the tree ages. It is also not considered very hurricane hardy. All that being said, I think this is one tree you should add to your gardening arsenal for its blooming beauty alone. I have several sprinkled throughout my yard. Though mine are young and haven’t reached full blooming glory I anticipate spectacular displays in the future. So take a chance and add this exceptional tree to your garden and reap future tree eye-candy. Happy gardening! WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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Business Up Front

By Libby Hopkins

Alan’s Air Conditioning has been a part of the Plant City community for two decades. They provide reliable air conditioning installation services for homes and businesses. Brian Lewis is the owner of the business and he was born and raised in Plant City. He bought the business from his father in 2013, but he has been a part of the business since his dad started in 1994. “After I graduated high school, I was working for Publix and on my days off, I would work for my dad,” Lewis said. He would work with his dad but he wasn’t sure if air conditioning was something he wanted to do full-time. Lewis started working in the construction business building power plants and he did that for four years but found the business not to be a steady source of income. “In construction, you get paid really well, but you get laid off quite a bit,” Lewis said. “So when I would get laid off, I would always go back and work for my dad.” His dad always had a job waiting for him and as he got older, he realized that working with his dad was what he should be doing. “My dad told me he could teach me a trade and possibly even give me a business one day,” Lewis said. “He also guaranteed he would never lay me off.” Lewis attended air conditioning school in Lakeland and got his certification. Small businesses like Alan’s Air Conditioning are what keeps the Plant City economy going and Lewis is thrilled that his business is a part of the community. “When my dad was a young man, he knew he had to find a trade that people would always need and in Florida, people need air conditioning,” Lewis said. It took his dad awhile to find a company that would teach him about air conditioning but when he did, he learned quickly and excelled in the trade. “He started out washing units, cleaning them out and changing filters, but he worked his way up through the ranks and eventually went to school and then later started his own business,” Lewis said. His father built his business on word of mouth through the community and that’s why keeping things local is so important to Lewis and his business. “If you work for somebody, whether it is friends, family or neighbors, they WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

will tell their friends and family, which in return builds your business,” Lewis said. “That’s what my dad taught me and he also taught me that bad news travels fast, which can ruin your business.” Lewis passed this knowledge down to his employees. “You always want to be honest, have integrity, treat people the way they want to be treated, give them a fair price and good work,” Lewis said. “It will go a long way and we’ve seen that in our customers.” The business is constantly evolving to offer its customers new services. They started offering foam insulation and it has helped the business to stay busy during the off season. “I did some research and brought the insulation business into the company,” Lewis said. “It really helps us during the seasonal months.” Lewis installs foam insulation in many of the local berry farmers and fish farmer’s warehouses. “They wanted to turn their metal warehouse into a kind of cooler to help keep their produce and fish alive, so we go in and spray foam on the walls along with installing air conditioning units,” Lewis said. “It has been working out very well for us and it’s another service we are pleased to offer.” Lewis hopes to continue to grow his business but he knows he can’t do that without the help of his employees. “When my dad started this business, it was just he and I and one helper. Now we have 12 employees and I’m very proud of all of them,” Lewis said. “I talk all the time about how proud I am of everyone from the ladies in the office answering the phones to the guys out there doing the work.” He feels truly blessed to have such a wonderful business. “Anytime we are looking for a new employee, God always brings us the perfect person,” Lewis said. “Without them, we couldn’t be as efficient as we are now.” If you would like to learn more about the services offered at Alan’s Air Conditioning, you can visit their website at www.alansairconditioning.com or give Lewis a call at 813-752-0821.

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Tampa Bay Fishing Report March 2014 Fishing around Tampa Bay has been hit or miss since the cold fronts show up at seemingly unpredictable intervals. One day its cold and overcast with a falling barometer and the fish seem to eat. Then two days later the front passes, skies turn blue, temperatures warm, barometer begins rising and the fish get lockjaw. However, when the fish are biting it’s been decent with catches including redfish, a few snook and trout. And if you’re into sheepshead the larger ones are showing up around bridge fenders, docks, seawalls, marina pilings, rock piles, and oyster bars. The bait of choice for this time of year when fishing for reds, snook and trout seems to be live shrimp, tail or head hooked using a light weight jig head or circle hook. Or for sheepshead, live or frozen regular shrimp broken behind the head then threaded on the hook followed by the head hooked from the side under the horn.

when you do, never take live bait along. “Leave the live bait at the bait shop.” It’s a fact that if you bring it along and you’re not catching fish in fifteen minutes using artificial’s, you’ll surely reach for the crutch. Remember, folk’s it’s not always about catching… sometimes it’s just about fishing… Snook (Closed Season) If live bait is your choice, shrimp fished on a free-line usually entice snook to bite. However, artificial’s usually work fine when fished correctly. Soft plastic jerk baits on a 1/8 oz. jig head will also produce good action during the winter. But, remember to slow it down in the winter… never work it too fast. Topwater lures seem to produce better during early mornings. Snook, redfish, and trout seemingly cannot resist a walk-the-dog lure on a calm morning broken bottom flat.

If you’re looking for greenbacks, they’re not on the grass flats as far as I can find. However they are at the Skyway Bridge and it’s usually one and done if you’re quiet setting up under the fishing pier. Remember, fish get sluggish during the winter and don’t seem interested in chasing a fleet footed greenback too far. It might help to damage the greenback by squeezing it before casting or try cutting off the tail fins. Winter is a good time for you to try your hand at one of my favorite pastimes, fishing artificial lures. Often anglers fish their entire lifetime and never get the opportunity to experience the thrill of targeting fish with artificial lures. If you never get the chance or have the desire you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s fun, exciting and helps you develop a skill that is never lost. Ask any old-school artificial angler and they will tell you that practically anyone can catch fish with live bait, but if you really want to see how you’re angling skills match up, try it with plastic. Once you’re hooked (old fishing pun) you’ll love it. It’s fishing at its best, pitching lures into that perfect spot, working it ever so gently, and watching with heightened anticipation because you know something is about to happen. If you’re just not sure about artificial’s… at least give it a try, but 18

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Sheepshead Sheepshead are everywhere during the winter months right through March. Tough, toothy, boney mouths mean aggressive hook sets. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

McKenna Trout

Try fishing for these great fighters around markers, bridge fenders, docks, seawalls, rock piles, oyster bars or practically any type structure. Shrimp and fiddler crabs always produce, but green mussels and oysters also work. Many anglers like oysters and mussels the best and so do sheepshead. Don’t forget to smash the shells into small pieces in your bucket using it for chum. It really gets them going. Redfish Redfish continue eating, especially the smaller rats. Grass flats with broken bottom, submerged oyster bars and mangrove shorelines like those found around Picnic Island, Simmons Park, Bishop Harbor, Joe Island, Weedon Island, Fourth Street, Cypress Flats, Rocky Point, Double Branch, and Culbreath Isle Flats are good starting points. Again, artificial’s work for redfish. Cut baits, small pinfish and dead-sticking stinky baits will usually attract their attention. Try suspending stinky baits, cut mullet or chunk of crab and letting it sit in the water, if a redfish is in the area they’ll find it. Spotted Sea Trout Spotted Sea Trout are readily found around deepwater flats on strong tides. They eat shrimp, pinfish, and greenbacks. A popper cork proves deadly, at enticing nice Trout, especially when rigged with shrimp, either live or artificial. Also, try bouncing a soft plastic jig off the bottom, but remember the bite always comes on the fall, so don’t be surprised to have a fish on just after the lure hits the water.

Cobia Cobia like to piggy back of large Rays and Manatees. As the waters cool you should see them around the hot water discharges of power plants. But don’t think you’re going to be alone in these areas… there will be plenty of boats to keep you company. Large shrimp on a ¼ oz. jig head normally does the trick. But small or chunk crab also works. You’ll also catch plenty of smaller sharks, Spanish mackerel, and some pompano. Also watch out for the manatee’s, there are hundreds in the hot water runoffs. “Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” – 813-477-3814 Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years, he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.

Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com

or give him a call at 813-477-3814

Also, don’t be shocked if you catch a Flat Fish (Flounder) while fishing the sandy pot holes. Look for hard sandy or rocky broken bottom flats (grass flats with plenty of potholes) around Picnic Island, Simmons Park, Bishop Harbor, Joe Island down into Bradenton and Sarasota. Upper Tampa Bay sports good fish around Weedon Island, Fourth Street, Cypress Flats, Rocky Point, Double Branch, and Culbreath Isle Flats.

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The almond is a member of the peach family. James Buchanan was the only unmarried president of the US. Jet lag was once called boat lag, before jets were invented. Twenty seconds worth of fuel remained when Apollo 11’s lunar module landed on the moon. Ketchup was sold in the 1830’s as medicine. Kleenex tissues were originally used as filters in gas masks. Lee Harvey Oswald’s cadaver tag (dead body) sold at an auction for $67,500 in 2008. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors, played the viola and spent 12 years painting the lips of Mona Lisa. In Hartford, Conn. it is against the law to cross the street walking on your hands. Abraham Lincoln was the only US president ever granted a patent. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated. Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite. The average person’s left hand does 56% of the typing. There are more chickens than people in the world. No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver or purple. All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill. Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable. A whale’s heart beats only nine times a minute. A ten-gallon hat holds only three-quarters of a gallon. A starfish can turn its self inside out.

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MY MOTHER Every time I turn around I read or hear something about how bad things are for you. The latest is the lemon. My wife, Patsy, said she heard on TV that the lemon skin collects bacteria and things that will make you sick. She no longer asks for lemon when she orders water or tea at a restaurant. I have never understood why they ask you if you want lemon in your water when you order it. If I wanted lemonade I would have ordered it. Now I ask for “diet water” with no lemon.

No Lemon! How did we ever survive? My mother would defrost hamburger on the kitchen counter. She used the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, and I can’t recall anyone in the family ever getting sick. They say that the kitchen sponge is 200,000 dirtier than a toilet seat. That’s it, no more sponges in our house. How did our grandparents ever survive bringing water in with a bucket that sat on the side of the well all day? Looking back, it’s hard to believe that we’ve lived this long. As children we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Our baby cribs were painted with bright colored lead based paint. We often chewed on the crib, ingesting the paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes we had no helmets. We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Years before germs and viruses were discovered, illness and sickness were blamed on everything from curses to bad air. We now know better. However, some old remedies are still around, and people continue to use them. Mother would put the inside of a banana peel on a bug bite or poison ivy. My sisters would use a mashed banana as a 22

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facial—they said it was great for moisturizing dry skin. Now days some folks are using duct tape to remove warts. They say it works better than freezing them off. Early settlers had an unusual treatment for infant diarrhea. They would cut the lining from a chicken gizzard and let it dry. Then they would put it in boiling water to make a tea. The baby was given one teaspoonful every half hour. Early settlers would take the skin of a boiled egg and apply it to their hemorrhoid to relieve the swelling. You can cure hiccups within one minute by swallowing a teaspoon of dry sugar. I have been told that the easiest way to eliminate foot odor is to wipe your feed a vodka-soaked rag. Here are a couple of ideas you may want to try. Place a mousetrap on top of your alarm clock. This will prevent you from hitting snooze, rolling over and going back to sleep. Avoid arguments with your wife about lifting the toilet seat by simply using the sink. If you have a bad cough take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough. Food for thought! The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and a flat tire. It is always darkest before dawn, so if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper that’s the time to do it. Never test the depth of the water with both feet. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his or her shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day. And finally, there are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works. Then there’s the story of a couple who were empty-nesters. They decided to start doing more things together to get to know each other again. They started with grocery shopping. The man reaches for some cookies. His wife slaps his hand and tells him, “No, put those back.” On the next aisle the man reaches for ice cream. His wife slaps his hand and tells him, “No, put that back.” On the next aisle the man puts some soft drinks in the cart. His wife slaps his hand and tells him, “No, you cannot have that. Put it back.” He gets tired of being told no and tells his wife he is going to wait in the car. Then he climbs out of the grocery cart! WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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AND BURGER BASH!

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America’s First Frontier

By Les McDowell

Photos by Linda Constant

This Season on Dry Creek Dry Creek just wrapped up filming our latest episode called, “The Doll.” This episode has so much Florida history in it. I’m finding so many stories about the legends and history being brought back up from the dank swamps of Florida’s past. Dr. Wall, played by Gene Bicknell, is such a colorful character from our past and will bring a lot of depth to the roll. Dr. Wall was a Doctor in early Tampa who believed Yellow Fever was caused by a bite from the Mosquito and wasn’t caused by the dirty unsanitary practices of the day. He was right and a plaque hangs in his honor at Tampa General Hospital. Dr. Wall will be a permanent character on Dry Creek. Gene has so many credits to his 40 plus years making TV and movies. Not just in front of the camera but he also has Executive Producer, Writer and just about all aspects of the industry. Dr. Wall’s life was filled by so many aspects of Florida history and we can’t wait to tell those stories. Dry Creek has also gotten Billy Ray Hunter from the series The Man Trackers season 7. Billy is a third generation Floridian Cow Hunter with Cracker Horses and Cattle that will supply the streets of Dry Creek with a real look back at history. 28

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Bones Mizell, the original Florida Cracker Cowboy will also be coming back to life this season on Dry Creek, probably the most colorful character in Florida History. Bone was lean and mean and just down right funny. Famed artist Fredrick Remington traveled to Arcadia to paint a picture and drawing of him. From those pictures Bone’s fame spread out nationally. He will be introduced in Dry Creek’s next episode called, The Awakening. He will be holding a wild hog across his saddle riding a Cracker Horse bringing Cracker Cattle down the Main Street of Dry Creek to the pens. Bones was once told by a judge to remove his hat in his court room and that wearing it in would cost Bones five dollars. Bones handed the Judge ten dollars and said he would be wearing his hat out also. Trust me a writer could not write the stories Bones lived. Through Dry Creek, I hope, as the creator, to bring early Florida back to life, the fence cutters, and hog stealers, that could steal a hog so fast they would leave the squeak, the hard working pioneers, Seminoles and the lives that were here way before Disney. Everybody Knows where Dry Creek is.......because it’s inside each and everyone of us. Watch for us on BlueHighways TV, Bright House Saturday night at 7:30 PM EST. WWW. WWW.IN INTTHE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM

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MARKET WATCH: by: Libby Hopkins

The Fresh Market at Wiregrass Mall in Wesley Chapel has been in existence for a little over three years now and it has become quite the hotspot in Pasco County. It brings handmade crafts, sweet treats, fresh local meats and produce to the suburbs. One of the popular vendors at the market is Solterra Natural Meats. They provide their customers with the highest quality, organically raised free-range chicken and grass fed beef. Their chickens arrive on their farm at about three days old and are raised the old fashion way, in a field, eating grass, weeds and bugs. Since they are free range, there is no need for small pens, and they don’t use antibiotics or growth hormones. Their cows are also organically raised on their farm and are 100 percent grass fed. Cheryl and Kevin Barron are the owners of the business and they started it over four years ago along with another family. Kevin grew up farming and he is a fourth generation farmer. Cheryl’s family farmed off and on all while she was growing up. “We got

into this business thinking that we would like to get back to the old ways of doing things,” Cheryl said. “We try and do things more naturally and get away from all the processing and chemicals that are in today’s meats at the grocery store.” The couple strongly believes in raising grass fed cows. “We do things the traditional way because it makes sense,” Kevin said. Grass fed beef is growing in popularity thanks to people becoming more aware of where their food is coming from and how it’s produced. According to a report published on the CNN website (www.cnn.com) “A study by researchers at California State University in Chico examined three decades of research and found that beef from pasture-raised cows fits more closely into the goals for a diet lower in saturated fat and higher in ‘good fats’ and other beneficial nutrients. Grass-fed beef is lower in calories, contains more healthy omega-3fats, more vitamins A and E, higher levels of antioxidants, and up to seven times the beta-carotene.” The report also said the number of grass-fed beef producers has raised from 50 in 2002 to more than 2000 today.

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The Barron’s wanted to expand their farming business so they decided to give the Fresh Market at Wiregrass a try. “It’s a really good market and we sell chicken, beef and pork at the market,” Kevin said. The market director, Tiffany Ferrecchia feels that Solterra Natural Meats is a perfect fit with her market. “They have developed a very nice following and their customers depend on their products and presence each month,” Ferrecchia said. “The high quality and freshness of their meats is always consistent and their prices are very good.” The couple recently purchased a shuttle bus so they can do additional pick-up location for customers who can’t make it out to the market. “They can go online and order their meats through our website and then we can give them a location to pick up their meats,” Kevin said.

In addition to selling meats, the couple’s children, Maddie and Tyler have their own small business at the market called Maddie and Tyler’s Egg Company. The children care for over 100 hens on their parents’ farm. They collect the eggs, package them and then sell them at the market. “We are trying to teach them responsibility and money management,” Kevin said. He hopes that his children will continue the family tradition of farming. “We know this is not something we are going to get rich on and we don’t want to get to a point where we have to hire other people to do this for us,” he said. “It’s a way of life for us and it makes a huge difference in our family. Our goal is to make it work.” If you would like to learn more about Solterra Natural Meats and the different products they offer, you can visit them on the web at www.solterranaturalmeats.com. For more information on the Fresh Market at Wiregrass, you can visit their website at www.tampabaymarkets.com.

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By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science Coconuts and coconut palms are what many people picture when they think of Florida. Coconut palms flourish in warmer weather and are grown widely on the east and west coasts of the state. The most widely grown and used nut world wide, the coconut is an important commercial crop in many tropical areas. It is valued as both an ornamental and an edible fruit in Florida and is harvested year round. The flesh of the coconut is called copra, which is the source of coconut oil. Copra is used in cooking oils, margarine, soaps, shampoo, and cosmetics. The inner apical buds of the palm, also called hearts of palm or palm cabbage, are edible, nutritious, and high in fiber. The water inside the green coconut, coco frio, is a refreshing, nutritious drink that has skyrocketed in popularity in the past year.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE

Coconuts have longer been thought of in a negative light nutritionally because of its saturated fat content. However, not all saturated fats are equal. The type found in coconuts are predominantly medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) that have health benefits and are not as harmful as long chain fatty acids. Coconut oil contains some of the healthy MCFAs including lauric acid and capric acid, which have been used as dietary supplements in people who have poor absorption of nutrients. Coconut water, the water inside young coconuts are very high in electrolytes, minerals, and vitamins, and has gained popularity as an ideal, natural sports drink. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one ounce of shredded fresh coconuts (28 g) contains 99 calories, 9 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate, 3 g of dietary fiber, and 1 g of protein. It also provides manganese, copper, zinc, vitamin C, iron, phosphorus, and potassium. One cup of coconut water (240 g) contains 46 calories, 0 g fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 2.6 g fiber, and 2 g protein. It also provides 17% of the Daily Reference Intake for potassium and manganese, 15% for magnesium, 11% for sodium, 10% for vitamin C, 8% for riboflavin, 6% for calcium and 5% for phosphorus and copper. Both forms of coconut provide plenty of fiber and vitamins and minerals!

Fiber

Florida coconuts contain a significant amount of dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, provide satiety, assist with digestion, and prevent constipation. 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. One ounce of fresh shredded coconut or one cup of coconut water provides over 11% of your daily fiber needs. Fiber can also help maintain steady blood sugar levels and aid in weight control. Eating foods high in fiber, such as coconuts, can help you feel fuller on fewer calories since fiber is not digested in the body and doesn’t contribute any calories.

Magnesium

Coconut water is a rich source of magnesium, providing 15% of your daily needs in a single cup. This mineral is involved in hundreds of WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

CocoNuts

biochemical reactions in the body. Magnesium is essential in maintaining normal nerve and muscle function, a healthy immune system, and strong bones. Like potassium, magnesium is also important in healthy functioning of the heart. It also is involved in the production of energy and protein and the regulation of blood glucose levels. Magnesium may also play a role in preventing and managing high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.

Potassium

Coconuts are high in potassium, a mineral which is essential for the heart to function normally. A diet high in potassium also protects against high blood pressure and counters the effects of high sodium in the diet. Potassium helps regulate fluids and mineral balance, aids in muscle contraction, and helps transmit nerve impulses. People with low potassium levels are more prone to muscle cramps. Fortunately, vegetables and fruits, such as coconuts, are a rich source of potassium, and one cup of coconut water provides almost 20% of your daily requirements.

How to Select and Store

Choose a fresh coconut that feels heavy for its size. Shake vigorously to find one that makes a sloshing sound, which is the coconut water inside moving freely. Coconuts have three eyes. Look at the “soft eye,” which does not have the shell raised around one side of it. Pick a coconut that does not have any discoloration around the “soft eye.” The coconut should be brown without any gray areas or staining. To open the coconut, use a hammer and screwdriver to pierce the soft eye on the shell. The shell will loosen and break apart. The juice can be strained and then is ready to drink. The skin can be removed with a vegetable peeler. The white flesh can be picked out, and is more easily removed if the coconut is first toasted in the oven for 10-20 minutes.

How to Enjoy

Coconuts can be eaten straight out-of-hand, and you can simply plunge a straw into the open coconut to drink the juice. They are also delicious made into jams, jellies, and candies, or used in sweet or savory dishes. • Spread coconut oil on a bagel or toast as an alternative to butter • Sautee vegetables and fish in coconut oil as you would any other oil • Use coconut milk in your favorite curry dishes • Place straws in whole coconuts for a refreshing pool-side drink • Use in cookies, such as macaroons • Use shredded coconut as a garnish for any fruit salad or cake • Toast shredded coconut and use to top ice cream or yogurt • Mix coconut water or milk in a variety of beverages or with lime juice or sparkling water Savor fresh Florida coconuts and enjoy their tropical flavor year round! SELECTED REFERENCES http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg043 http://www.whfoods.com INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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INTHE MAGAZINE 20132014 INFTIELD HEFIELD MAGAZINE NOVEMBER March

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Charles F. “Chip” Hinton

C. Dennis Carlton, Sr.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANNOUNCES NEW AGRICULTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORSAND OFFICERS By Jim Frankowiak

Hillsborough County’s Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has confirmed the new officers and board of directors of the Agriculture Economic Development Council (AEDC). The new AEDC Chair is Charles F. “Chip” Hinton, a lifelong Florida resident and University of Florida Alumnus, who attended the university on a football scholarship. C. Dennis Carlton Sr., a 7th generation Floridian and owner of two cow/calf businesses, a citrus division and strawberry leases, is Vice Chairman. Formed by a BOCC action in February of 1998, the AEDC “initiates and assists with efforts to create a business atmosphere that is conducive to the continuation and expansion of agricultural businesses within Hillsborough County for the benefit of all of its residents,” noted AEDC Agribusiness Development Manager Simon Bollin. “The Council serves the BOCC to review and evaluate county agricultural issues and to initiate projects and recommendations.” Board members are confirmed by the BOCC from nominations originating with the AEDC. The Council has a maximum of 13 members with at least 60 percent representing major agricultural commodity groups and the remainder consisting of at-large agriculturally-related representation. All AEDC members serve at the pleasure of the BOCC. The AEDC meets quarterly at the office of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau in Valrico. Hinton holds advanced degrees, including a doctorate in agriculture, and has been very active in University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) programs. He has held many positions in a range of notable agricultural organizations and his contributions have been widely recognized. Among that recognition is the University of Florida Distinguished Alumnus Award and Gene Trotter Leadership Award from the Wedgeworth Leadership Institute, which he served as a charter board member. In addition, Hinton has been active in local, regional and national land use issues. He has also headed three non-profit corporations promoting the Florida strawberry industry, which grew under his WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

management from an annual farm gate production value of $38 million to $350 million. Currently, Hinton is consulting for the Florida Association of Food Banks program, Farmers Feeding Florida, through which wholesome but unmarketable produce is provided for the hungry through grower incentive programs. In just its third year of existence, the program captured 11.2 million pounds (278 truckloads) of wholesome product to feed Florida’s hungry that would otherwise have been delivered to landfills. Carlton and Carlton Ranches is a family-owned cow/calf operation headquartered in Hardee County with cattle in Hardee, Desoto, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. The Hillsborough County cow/calf operation, Audubon Ranch, is located at the former Cone Ranch on 12,000-acres of leased land. Carlton’s citrus business is located in Hillsborough and Hardee counties, while strawberry land is leased to growers. In addition to serving as AEDC Vice Chair, Carlton also sits on the boards of Farm Credit of Central Florida and Centerstate Bank. He is also a Trustee of Freewill Baptist Church. Carlton was named 2004 Agriculturist of the Year by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce and 1996 Harvest Award-Outstanding Young Farmer/Rancher, and received recognition from the Hillsborough County Fair and The Valrico State Bank. Hinton also represents Farm Bureau on the AEDC Board, while Cartlon is the cattle representative. Other board members and their affiliations include: Michelle Williamson, vegetables; Ted Campbell, strawberries; Walt Boland, citrus; Hugh Gramling, ornamental horticulture; David Drawdy, aquaculture; Danny Aprile, dairy and at large representative Jay Sizemore. Additional information about the AEDC is available online at www.HillsboroughCounty.org/AEDC.

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Do you own five to twenty acres and are looking for the perfect tractor at the right price? Well John Deere and Everglades Farm Equipment have the right tractor for you! The John Deere 3E series of tractors come with great features like: hydrostatic transmissions with twin-touch pedals, powerful John Deere built loaders made just for these tractors, strong three point hitches to lift those heavy implements and even add an iMatch Hitch to make hooking and unhooking implements simple and easy. This is a basic tractor with lots of available options that make it far from “basic.” 3038E Specifications: • 36.7 Gross Engine HP • 30 HP Power Take Off (PTO) • 4 Wheel Drive • Twin Touch Hydrostatic Transmission (Two Range) • Tractor weight: 2,087 lbs We have heard many people over the years come into our dealerships and say things like, John Deere’s cost more than all the other brands or you are paying for that green and yellow paint. Well allow me to set the record straight! Owning a John Deere piece of equipment does not have to cost more than the other quality brands out there. Truth is in a lot of cases we cost LESS!

John Deere 3038E Compact Utility Tractor

Looking for a tractor that can handle more with less hassle? Looking for a higher level of comfort and ease of operation that can’t be found in competitive tractors? Look no further than Kubota’s new Grand L60 Series tractors. With a spacious ergonomically designed cab, and a wide range of versatile features to make jobs easier, the Grand L60 Series combines luxury with outstanding productivity never before seen in its class. And with a choice of five clean-emission Common Rail engines and three advanced transmissions, the Grand L60 offers a higher level of performance while going easy on the environment and your budget. Whether you’re replacing your existing tractor, upgrading to a bigger one or even buying for the first time, the Grand L60 Series will surely provide everything you need plus a whole lot more. Common Rail System (CRS) with Exhaust Gas Recirculation system (EGR) and Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Muffler The CRS electronically controls the timing and amount of injected fuel providing high-pressure injections in stages, rather than all at once for an optimal combustion rate that results in greater efficiency, better fuel economy and less engine noise. Its combination with the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Muffler and Exhaust Gas Recirculation system (EGR) reduces emissions to meet the latest emission regulations.

The mForce 100 horse power tractor is a great

new product not only for Mahindra but also for Grove Equipment Service. End users range from farmers to custom operators. This tractor utilizes the reliable 100HP Perkins engines which have withstood the test of time. With this brute power, Mahindra did no compromise on the comfortable operator environment. These models are available with or without loader, test drive one today at Grove Equipment Serve in Bartow and Plant City.

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Grove Equipment Services 908 E. Baker Street Plant City, FL 1-800-717-8333 813-759-8722 AND 5905 Highway 60 E. Bartow, FL 1-800-833-2460 863-537-1345 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

Everglades Farm Equipment is one of the leading John Deere dealers in the world. We are a family owned business based in Florida and have been owned since the inception by the same family 51 year ago. Others talk about providing a customer experience or customer service. We actually deliver it!

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Come visit our knowledgeable staff that will deliver on the “Customer Experience”!

Everglades Farm Equipment 2805 State Road 60 West Plant City, FL 33567 813-737-1660 Site Manager: Dan Inglima

Gulf Coast Tractor

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FLORIDA

AG LITERACY DAY• APRIL 29 By Jim Frankowiak

NEW KUBOTA ENGINES The Grand L60’s engine lineup has been redesigned for cleaner emissions and outstanding fuel economy. Common Rail direct injection is employed to deliver greater fuel savings and lower emissions while maintaining a high level of power and torque. Its combination with the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Muffler and Exhaust Gas Recirculation system (EGR) reduces emissions to make the engines compliant with the Tier IV emission regulation. NEW GRAND CAB Step inside the Grand L60 cab and discover spaciousness beyond expectation.Interior space has been increased by approximately 20 percent over previous, and glass has been used extensively to minimize blind spots for a grander view of your surroundings. What’s more, you get wider opening exit, a deluxe swivel-type suspension seat, more legroom, ample headroom and abundant storage compartments to store all your necessities and manual.

Tuesday, April 29 will be Agriculture Literacy Day across Florida. This is the 11th anniversary of the event during which volunteers, representing Florida agriculture, will conduct readings for young students in kindergarten and elementary grades at school classrooms throughout the Sunshine State. Those interested in taking part in this event are encouraged to volunteer at their local elementary school by way of Florida Agriculture in the Classroom (FAITC). The book developed for this year’s event highlights agriculturerated programs that are already available in many schools in Florida. It is entitled Florida Farms at School and features Agriculture in the Classroom activities, FFA projects, 4-H, the Farm to School program, school gardens and related subject. “The day’s readings help to highlight the importance of agriculture for our state and encourage agricultural education for all children,” said FAITC Executive Director Lisa Gaskalla. “Farmers, growers, ranchers, FFA teachers and students and other volunteers will read in kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms around the state as part of this event.” The book and related materials are provided to volunteer readers at no cost as a result of funding FAITC receives from sales of the agriculture specialty vehicle license plate commonly referred to as the “Ag Tag.” Teachers and volunteers interested in participating are encouraged to visit the FAITC website: www.agtag.org. Volunteer readers are asked to schedule their classroom visits first, then register on the FAITC website. The book and associated materials will then be mailed to the volunteer readers. Each volunteer reader will receive one book, one Teacher’s Guide on a disc and a set of stickers and bookmarks per classroom.

e MForcw er

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FAITC is a non-profit organization that helps to educate teachers and students about where their food, fiber and fuel come from through classroom lessons, materials, grant programs and other projects. If you would like to help support FAITC programming, consider purchasing an Ag Tag online by visiting: http://www.myfloridaspcialtyplate.com/gallery.html. Additional information on FAITC and Florida Agriculture Literacy Day is available by contacting Gaskalla via email: gaskalla@ufl.edu or by calling her at 352/846-1391. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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• Agriculture

• Operating

• Youth Steer Projects Photo by Ron O’Connor – Farm Credit Expenses

• Residential • Livestock Property Equipment Farm Credit of Central Florida• President & CEO, Reggie • Hunting & agricultural•issues Cropwith Insurance Holt (L) discussed former Florida Recreational Governor, Jeb Bush (Right) at the Farm Credit Council’s Annual Meeting in Orlando. Properties

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Turkey Creek FFA students show Robinson Elementary Head-Start kids where their food really comes from by: Cheryl Kuck

Just before the Strawberry Festival opened on Feb. 27, Frances Dobbs, with her four-year-old Head Start class from Robinson Elementary School, had a “U-pick” experience at the ripe and ready strawberry fields located directly opposite Turkey Creek Middle School.

son Sparkman with Buddy Coleman, Turkey Creek FFA Ag-teacher and their FFA students use the fields maintained by Sam Astin, Tres McQuaig and Mike Connell as their living laboratory. Student’s plant, grow, pack and sell their berries to assist in FFA projects.

The four-year-olds learning experience is part of Turkey Creek Middle Schools’ tradition of hands-on agricultural teaching that began in 1936 when the Future Farmers of America’s (FFA) Turkey Creek Chapter was formed and is ongoing today as the FFA student strawberry project, sponsored by Sam Astin, Astin Farms and Astin Strawberry Exchange. “I love the children’s vitality and the challenge of teaching,” says 40-year teaching veteran Frances Dobbs. “Just look at how inspired these four-year-olds are and how seriously they are working on this project. This has been an exciting science lesson for them and one we will continue when we get back to our classroom.”

“Our students learn how to prepare the land for our strawberries, new technology and global positioning. Last October, FFA students planted the “Festival” variety of strawberries the four-year-old Head Start class were picking and taking home the last week in February. That variety was developed by the University of Florida in 2000 and named after our own Florida Strawberry Festival.

Turkey Creek Agriscience Teacher and FFA Advisor Alli-

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“In addition to picking the fruit, we want children to learn some amazing facts about the berries. They now know strawberries are from the rose family and have 200 seeds…all on the outside! Most importantly, they now understand strawberries or any other whole fruits and vegetables don’t come from the supermarket. Supermar-

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kets do not grow anything. First, seedlings are planted and cultivated by farmers before it is packaged and shipped to their local store. We, as FFA educators, hope to begin educating children in the future of farming and agriculture, the backbone of our economy, at an age as early as these Head Start students,” said Sparkman. Soon there will be other projects such as, picking for The Cancer Foundation’s annual “Run for Life” and bringing the blind and visually-impaired to the fields where they can learn, touch and feel how berries grow. The FFA Strawberry Project booth on Turkey Creek Road, across from the school, will be open to the public and FFA students will continue their learning process about the business of growing, inspection and quality control, finance and how to work with the public and maybe one day they will respond to the question, “What do you want to do with your life,” the way 8th grade student Bayle Astin did when she replied, “I want to farm like my dad, it’s in my blood.”

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S e p i c e R from the FSGA

Submitted by Strawberry Sue Harrell of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association

Rustic Strawberry Tart

There is absolutely no easier and more delicious breakfast dish than this. I usually serve it when I have overnight guests or as a delicious treat to a Sunday brunch. A combination such as fresh peaches and Florida strawberries are a perfect duo.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Prepare bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with butter or non-stick cooking spray. If you’re lucky enough to own a skillet that was passed down from your grandmother or other great family cook, that’s perfect. Or try Lodge Cast Iron Cookware.

3. Arrange one of the uncooked crusts in the skillet, more or less, evenly. It’s not even necessary to roll out the dough. It will fit nicely. Note: Most refrigerated pie dough brands have enough product in each package to give you a second opportunity to make a delicious pie or tart another day.

4. Place cut strawberries in a medium bowl; add sugar and corn-

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon butter or enough non-stick cooking spray to grease skillet • 1 /2 (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie dough • 3 cups Florida strawberries, washed, caps removed, allowed to dry and sliced into quarters, lengthwise • 1/3 cup sugar • 1 tablespoon cornstarch • 1 teaspoon ice water • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar • 1 /2 pint whipping cream • 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar • 1 /4 teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups Florida strawberries • 1/2 cup avocado • 1 jalapeño • 1/4 cup red onion • 1 lime • 1 handful cilantro • salt and pepper to taste 50 50

DIRECTIONS

starch and toss gently. Set aside for about 20 minutes. Pour strawberry mixture into center of skillet and fold the edges of the dough toward the center, leaving a 2-inch border so the strawberries are visible in the center of the skillet. The dough will only partially cover the strawberry mixture. Brush edge of dough with 1 teaspoon water and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly.

5. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and continue beating for about 20 seconds. Stir in vanilla.

6. When tart has cooled slightly spoon into individual serving dishes. Pass the whipped cream. Makes four servings.

Note: Chill cream bowl and beaters before whipping.

Don’t over whip. Stop when peaks are soft. Add sugar and vanilla at the end of the whipping. Dollops of cream may be frozen on waxed paper.

Strawberry and Avocado Salsa

1. Begin by chopping and dicing fresh ingredients. Chop strawberries and avo-

cado into small pieces. Dice jalapeño (remove the seeds if you want a milder salsa) and red onion. Combine in a mixing bowl.

2. Zest and juice one lime into the mixing bowl. Add in some chopped cilantro

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Aqua

Dowdell’s Middle School

BY ZACHARY LENNARD Dowdell Middle School has an interesting part of our agricultural class, our Aqua Lab. The Aqua Lab provides a great source of exciting hands on education for our students. Currently our Aqua Lab consists of a variety of fish such as Angel Fish, Talapia (a big part of our fish industry), Red Drum and many more aquatic creatures. In this lab our students learn how to test water, care for the animals and help to take care of the filters and tanks. This lab was created three and a half years ago and ended up being an amazing experience for our staff and students. Dowdell patners with Segrest and the Tropical Fish Reaserch Unit at the University of Florida. The Florida Marine Fisheries Port Manatee Enhancement Center generously donated to us Red Drum to take care of and release back into the ocean. The Tropical Fish Research Center donated Talapia for us to raise. Segrest is a wholesale tropical fish supplier. For more information visit us at http://dowdell.mysdhc.org/.

Dowdell Fair Booth We made a fair booth for the Florida State Fair as a class project in our Agricultural Communications Class. We did this project to learn more about communications and how it’s used in the real world. The fair booth was a little complicated because everyone had an idea and they wanted it to be included in the booth, so we compromised. We first designed then discussed the parts that should be or shouldn’t be in the fair booth. Once we finished the design, we split up into different group to begin construction. The first group built butterflies, using plastic bottles as the body, construction paper for the wings and shiny wrapping paper to make the wings reflect or shine. We got fishing wire and wrapped it around the bottle and fixed it to a position where we could hang it from the ceiling. The butterflies were made to represent our school gardens. The next group was making flowers, one student showed us how using pipe cleaners. Then we just continued to make them until we ran out of pipe cleaners. The flowers were also made to represent our school gardens. We also have the group that made the top of the barn, using red construction paper, a black permanent marker and tape. The barn roof was made to represent the schools barn and the animals in it. The solar panel came next, this one was complicated because you have to be very precise on your measurements. We measured some blue wrapping paper and carefully taped it on. We also made six squares to make it look realistic. And the solar panel shows how Dowdell is conserving energy. Building the fair booth was a difficult task because sometimes we didn’t get along, which ties right back into how we used our communications. We had fun doing it too. The whole Ag communications class put this all together. Once it was set up it looked fantastic and we were so proud it’s hard to believe we did that, but we did and we learned about our communications in the process of doing this as well. 54

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By Corena Moore, Maritza Deleon, Nathan Gonzalez, Glenn O’Steen, and Kalista Watson WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

Tenoroc High School FFA held their annual Farm Fair

on Feb. 20. Members of the Polk County Cattlewomen’s Association were on hand to help educate those in attendance. PCCW members in the pics are Ellen Bryan, Laura Sherrouse, Sharon Richards and our cowboy is Earlow Costine holding Donna Smith’s grandbaby Skye.

We’re growing a future for creatures great and small.

That’s our promise. As Mosaic produces essential phosphate crop nutrients to help the world grow the food it needs, our 3,000-plus Florida employees are unwavering in our commitment to wildlife stewardship. Mosaic has pioneered wildlife relocation techniques and created prime habitats, as well as financially supported wildlife rehabilitation and education. We’ve worked with regulators to develop the largest scrub jay population in Southwest Florida; we’ve reclaimed numerous popular fishing lakes; and we own and help fund an island sanctuary that is home to as many as 18,000 pairs of native water birds. At Mosaic, we are dedicated to the protection of local wildlife, and equally dedicated to the creation of local jobs and economic opportunities. Join in Mosaic’s promise at www.mosaicco.com/promise. Roseate Spoonbill Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary Hillsborough Bay, Florida WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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COUNTY OPENS NEW TRAILS AT LOWER GREEN SWAMP NATURE PRESERVE Equestrians and Hikers Invited to Use and Enjoy “Natural Paradise” By Jim Frankowiak Hillsborough County is inviting hikers and horseback riders to enjoy three new joint-use loop trails at the Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve in the northeastern corner of the county. Completion of a new access bridge and other work at the preserve, which was formerly known as the Cone Ranch, has opened the trails for use by equestrians and hikers. The area includes a fourth trail, the North Loop, which is limited to hikers. The preserve is a 12,809-acre tract owned and managed by the county’s Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department. It was purchased with funding from the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP). Half of the preserve is comprised of native habitats such as riverine and cypress swamps, freshwater marshes, pine flatwoods and hardwood hammocks. The balance includes pine plantation and pastures that have been and will continue to be restored into native habitats. The newly accessible trails are located in the preserve’s southeastern area, accessible via entrance on East Knights Griffin Road. County Commissioner Ken Hagan, speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new access bridge, termed the preserve “a natural paradise rich in history” that was once home to a stockade during the Second Seminole War. It is also the location of a cattle ranch and celebrates the agricultural traditions of Hillsborough County. Hagan noted that the area had previously been proposed as the location of a theme park, sports facility and affordable housing. He said that each of those proposals was challenged by area residents who sought to preserve and protect the land. “The preserve is an excellent example of a very successful public private partnership that will preserve, restore and protect this land in 56

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perpetuity,” said Hagan. Another speaker at the ceremony was Alvin Futch, a long- time resident of the area and self-proclaimed Florida Cracker Cowboy, who, with his son Carson and members of the Plant City Rotary Club, oversaw the planting of 1.2 million pine seedlings at the preserve. “Those seedlings were all donated and the actual planting cost just $30 an acre,” he said. “To date those seedlings have produced revenues of $250,000 and a like amount is anticipated in the years ahead.” That money help support the county’s management of the preserve. Scott Emery, who is Wetlands Director of the county’s Environmental Protection Commission, has had a 28-year relationship with the lands constituting the preserve and is most appreciative that this “critical piece of Florida which serves as an important habitat and wildlife corridor has been restored and preserved.” He also authored the preserve’s management plan, including ongoing restoration. Of the four trail loops at the preserve, the North (2.2-miles) Loop is only for hiker use, while the West (4-miles), Central (3.7-miles) and East (1.7-miles) loops are for both hikers and horseback riders. Gates separating trails must be kept closed after visitors pass through. The East, West and Central trails are located within areas that were historically pine flatwoods. The North trail traverses a mosaic of native flatwoods and wetlands, representing some of the highest quality habitat on the preserve. Land management and restoration methods via Emery’s plan utilize prescribed fire and invasive plant control. The preserve is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Parking, including WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

room for horse trailers, is adjacent to the 3536 Knights Griffin Road East entrance. Horses must be thoroughly broken, properly restrained and prevented from straying unattended. Horses must have proof of a negative Coggins test and riders under age 16 must wear a helmet. Dogs must be on hand-held leashes. No vehicles are permitted on the trails. No swimming, hunting, digging, fires or overnight camping is permitted. Garbage must be removed from the Preserve. All plants and animals within the Preserve are protected. There is an active cattle lease on the preserve and may be observed on the West trail. Cattle harassment of any kind is not permitted. There are no restroom facilities on the preserve. There is an equestrian water source /trough adjacent to the East trail. Users are encouraged to bring along a compass, insect repellent and sunscreen, as well as sufficient water. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted within the preserve. The preserve may be closed during prescribed burns, wildfires, flooding or emergencies. Further information is available by calling 813/757-3713 or by visiting www.hillsboroughcounty.org/parks. Interpretive group (minimum 10 people) tours of the site are offered for a nominal fee by calling 813/672-7876. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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Fresh From Florida: Nurturing Success. Growing the Future.

Spivey Family Farm Stephen, Zachary, and David 2013 Fresh From Florida Members The Florida Strawberry Growers Association joined the Fresh From Florida program on behalf of all of its members. “We joined Fresh From Florida because the program supports our best interests and the interests of all producers in the state. We’re proud to be Florida strawberry growers.” – David Spivey

INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE or call March 2014 617-7399. 59 ForWWW. more information on member benefits visit FreshFromFlorida.com (850)

HILLSBOROUGH SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT The Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District (HSWCD) increases public awareness and participation in resource conservation by holding annual poster and speech contests. These environmental educational programs are open to students in Hillsborough County public, private, and home schools. Soil is the reservoir on which most life on earth depends, as the primary source of food, feed, forage, fiber, and pharmaceuticals. Soil plays a vital role in sustaining human welfare and assuring future agricultural productivity and environmental stability. The study of soil as a science has provided us with a basic understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological properties and processes essential to such a complex ecosystem (soils4teachers. org). Students gain knowledge of the importance of protecting our soil. The winners of each local contest advance to compete at the Area Contest. Area winners advance to the Association of Florida Conservation Districts (AFCD) State Contest. First place winners at the state level compete at the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) National Contest.

1st Place – Adrian Dyer, Strawberry Crest High School ($100 and a trophy)

2nd Place – Roxanna Storms, Homeschooled ($50 and a trophy)

SPEECH CONTEST

The 2014 AFCD Speech Contest topic is

“Dig Deeper - What are the mysteries in the soil?” The contest for 6th to 12th grade students was held on Thursday, January 30 at the Hillsborough County Extension UF/IFAS Conference Center in Seffner. Contestants were judged by Betty Jo Tompkins – Vice-Chair of the Hillsborough Soil & Water Conservation District, Stephen Gran – Director of Hillsborough County Extension, and Jemy Hinton – BMP Implementation Program, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.

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The winners are as follows: POSTER CONTEST The 2014 NACD Poster Contest theme is “Dig Deeper - Mysteries in the soil”

The poster contest provides Kindergarten through 8th grade students an opportunity to convey their thoughts about soil, water and related natural resources through art. Students submitted 255 creative entries. The winners are as follows:

K-1st Grade 1st Place – Aylliah LoPresto, Lockhart Elementary Magnet, $25 and trophy 2nd Place – Natalia Sherry, Lockhart Elementary Magnet, $15 and trophy 3rd Place – Laila Sanchez, Lockhart Elementary Magnet, $10 and trophy

1st Place Aylliah LoPresto

2nd Place Natalia Sherry

3rd Place Lalla Sanchez

2nd–3rd Grade 1st Place – Felix Tossas, Pizzo Elementary School, $25 and trophy 2nd Place – Nica Arabelle Ko, Frost Elementary School, $15 and trophy 3rd Place – Brianna Hudgins, Frost Elementary School, $10 and trophy

1st Place Felix Tossas

2nd Place Nica Arabelle

3rd Place Brianna Hudgins

4th–6th Grade 1st Place – Kyra Bioh, Pizzo Elementary School, $50 and trophy 2nd Place – Jocelyn Diaz, Beth Shields Middle School, $30 and trophy 3rd Place – Zach GolobDrake, USF Patel Partnership, $20 and trophy

1st Place Kyra Bioh

2nd Place Jocelyn Diaz 3rd Place Zach Golob-Drake

7th-8th Grade 1st Place – Maria Laura Villegas, Orange Grove Middle Magnet, $50 and trophy 2nd Place – Sara Richwine, Tomlin Middle School, $30 and trophy 3rd Place – Cameryn Hodges, Orange Grove Middle Magnet, $20 and trophy WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

ist Place Maria Laura Villegas

2nd Place Sara Richwine

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Spring Gardening in Hillsborough County Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Agent March is ready, set…garden month in Hillsborough County. We’re past the last chance of frost, local area gardening festivals are occurring and we can recycle and redesign our landscape beds. Maybe you’ve already completed most of your pruning. If you haven’t, it’s a good time to shape and reduce the size of landscape plants. Don’t prune Gardenias and Azaleas until after they have bloomed. For ornamental grasses, cut the stems to 4-12 inches above the ground, depending on the size of the clump. Recycle your landscape clippings in your compost bin. If you’re raking oak leaves, compost or use them as mulch in a landscape bed. To learn about the do’s and don’ts of composting, sign-up for a composting workshop offered one Saturday a month at the UF IFAS Extension Hillsborough County from February through November. Register at: http://www.eventbrite.com/o/hillsborough-county-extension-service-468730304?s=6298232. It’s a great time to mulch! Apply 2-3 inches of organic mulch to your landscape beds and pull the mulch away from the stems of your plants. Mulch is a great landscape addition because it adds nutrients to the soil when it decomposes, retains soil moisture, regulates soil temperature, suppresses weed growth and is much prettier than sand. Consider taking a soil sample to determine the pH in the area you want to plant. For more information about soil testing, please see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss494, Soil Sampling and Testing for the Home Landscape or Vegetable Garden. Soil testing for pH only is done at our office for $3.00 per sample. You may want to plant vegetables, herbs and spices and bulbs. Beans, corn, eggplant, peas, squash, tomatoes, watermelon and much more can be planted in March. If you like to grow your own herbs and spices, consider basil, chives, dill, ginger, lemon balm, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme. Bulbs provide color, form and texture. Some bulb beauties are African lily, Amaryllis, Blackberry lily, Caladium, Crinum, Elephant ears, Rain lilies, Shell gingers, Voodoo lily and Walking iris.

be planted. Watch for Lubber grasshoppers, aphids and mites. Lubbers can be ‘pruned’ in half, picked off the plant or thrown to the ground and stepped on. Who knew gardening was this dangerous…at least for Lubbers! Insecticidal soap sprays control aphids and mites if their natural predators (Lady beetles, for one) don’t. Roses should be sprayed with a fungicide to control black spot and powdery mildew diseases. Let’s get outside and dirty our hands so our gardens can return to their former beauty. Be sure to take time for a nice glass of iced tea and a good book (gardening, of course) on your front porch or lanai. Enjoy! Life’s too short not to garden. For assistance with horticultural questions, call: 813-744-5519 or visit us at the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584. More gardening information is available at: http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu and http://edis.ifas.ufl. edu. Remember to reuse, reduce and recycle.

Fertilize vegetables, perennials and palms. Check the Central Florida Gardening Calendar, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep450, which provides information on what to plant and what to do month by month. Also, view the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide, http:// edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021, which provides information about the site, plan, soil preparation, adjusting the soil pH, fertilizing, irrigation and drainage, pest management, no-pesticide approaches, using pesticides wisely and lists the months during which vegetables can 64 64

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EXTENSION OFFERS FREE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHILD CARE PROVIDER TRAINING Modeled After DOD On Base Child Development Center Programs By Jim Frankowiak Hillsborough County Extension is offering free Child Care Training for those providing child care services in the county. This program is currently being funded by a U.S. Department of Defense grant and is modeled after Child Development Center programs available on U.S. military bases. Training is offered to those who provide child care (infants through age 5) and after-school care. “Base child development programs are highly regarded,” said Extension Agent and Family Life Educator Diana Converse. “Grants are designed to improve the quality and quantity of childcare for children in counties where there is a military presence or base. It is not uncommon for base childcare facilities to have substantial waiting lists for new enrollees.” The Childcare and Youth Training and Technical Assistance Program (CYTTAP) is being offered in cooperation with the Land Grant University System. “This free training is open to providers with or without military children under their care,” noted Converse. “Additionally, parents may enroll for training for a fee of $10 per session. She said the Child Care Program curriculum was developed by Penn State and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. “Attendees may also earn 0.2 Continuing Education Unit certificates per class from the University of Florida,” Converse, who also leads the sessions, added. The two-hour training sessions cover a wide range of topics: • How to Get Parents on Your Team • Creating Special Moments with Infants and Toddlers • Fighting Children’s Obesity through Active Play • Sparking Kid’s Curiosity • Problem Solving with Young Children and others. Classes for after school care providers include topics like: • Explore it. Design it. Use it (Science, Engineering, Technology) • Hands on. Minds on. Inquiry and Experiential Learning • SET(Science, Engineering, Technology) Abilities for the 21st Century • SET Everyday: Using Centers in Afterschool Setting Additional information on class topics is available at http://extension.psu.edu/cyttap which is also the web address for registration. Once on the site, click on the green State Training tab at the bottom of the page, choose Florida, then Tampa to find a list of workshops in your area. To have the $10 fee waived, Hillsborough County child care providers must enter their Zip Code and click on “yes” WWW. WWW.IIN NTTHE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM

when asked if they provide care for children of military families. Converse advises all registrants to follow the registration process though to and including clicking on “confirm registration” as that will provide an email confirmation of registration. Class size is limited to approximately 35 participants and advance registration is required. Registrations are on a first come, first served basis. Classes are held at the Extension Office, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, but may be held at other locations with at least 15 advance registered participants. Walk-in participants are not permitted. Sessions are held weekday evenings and Saturday mornings at Extension. For additional information, you may contact Converse by telephone: 813/744-5519, Extension 54140 or via email at: converse@ufl.edu. You may also visit: http://hillsboroughfcs.ifas.ufl.edu/ parent_Fam-Life.html. Hillsborough County Extension is a cooperative service of Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida. IINNTTHE HEFFIELD IELD M MAGAZINE AGAZINE

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BLUEBERRY GROWERS ELECT NEW PRESIDENT; BRIEFED ON NEW VARIETY -- INDIGOCRISP AND MORE AT WINTER MEETING By Jim Frankowiak

Nearly 500 blueberry growers and 60 industry vendors gathered at the Trinkle Center on the campus of Hillsborough Community at Plant City last month for the winter meeting of the Florida Blueberry Growers Association. Among the day’s activities was the election of new association president Dudley Calfee, who is general manager of Ferris Farms, Inc. of Floral City and will serve as the association’s president for the next two years. Calfee assumes the office from Bill Braswell, who completed his two-year term as head of the association. Ferris Farms, founded in 1931 by L.G. “Doc” Ferris, began planting his citrus trees on Duval Island. As his business grew, Doc added a packing and shipping plant and a retail store. The devastating freezes of the 1980s forced the farm to find new crops and began planting the Ferris Berry, consisting of strawberries and blueberries. Today, only 25 of the farm’s 450-acres remain in citrus production while the balance is dedicated to strawberries and blueberries. Calfee has been general manager of Ferris Farms since 2007 when he left the construction business and he has been the driving force behind the farm’s efforts to increase environmental and ecologically-friendly practices. With the help of the staff at the University of Florida, Calfee developed farming practices that optimize output while minimizing input costs. This effort has significantly reduced the usage of pesticides and fungicides, while also discovering ways to reuse and recycle plastic and corrugated materials. Calfee’s efforts have also led to surpassing crop production averages. Further, Calfee has optimized scouting and monitoring systems at the farm allowing more precise application of pesticides, thereby sav70

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ing spray material, labor, fuel, tractor time and overall costs to the betterment of the environment. He has also built permanent water retention/drainage/sediment structures and planted more than 100 oak and magnolia trees at Ferris Farms to protect adjacent lakes and neighbors from potential runoff. For his efforts, Calfee was named a 2013 recipient of the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Ag Environmental Leadership Award. In addition to his role with the Florida Blueberry Growers Association, Calfee serves on the board of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Citrus County Chamber of Commerce, Floral City Heritage Council and is the founding director and immediate past president of the Floral City Merchant’s Association and the Agricultural Alliance of Citrus County. The meeting’s morning session also included an update on the 2014 Blueberry Festival and a six-grower discussion of working and nonworking bird control practices. Dr. Oscar Liburd with the University of Florida (UF) Department of Entomology and Nematology presented the “Biology and Management of Chilli Thrips and Other Key Pests,” while Dr. Larry Duncan, a nematologist with the UF/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center discussed “Managing the Root Weevil Complex in Blueberry Fields.” Dr. Jeff Williamson, with UF’s Horticultural Sciences Department, then presented an “Update on Blueberry Irrigation Practices in Florida” and he was followed by UF Blueberry Breeder Dr. Jim Olmstead, who presented “Indigocrisp and Other Southern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars from the University of Florida Breeding Program.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

Dr. Olmstead began his remarks with a review of the various steps and conditions that are followed in the UF breeding program and how, after release, Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. (FFSP) handles commercialization for UF. His comments also reviewed the utilization of royalties realized through the sale of released plant materials. His comments then focused on FL 98-325 (Indigocrisp™) “an early maturing crisptextured genotype best adapted to areas with chilling requirements similar to or higher than Gainesville.”

“The key positive attributes of the new variety are: • Very firm, crisp texture similar to Bluecrisp and Sweetcrisp • Earlier maturing than either Bluecrisp or Sweetcrisp • Higher yields than existing crisp textured genotypes • Potential for machine harvest for fresh market production • Reduced postharvest bruising or pathogen damage • Good flavor and size • Good vegetative budbreak with high crop loads

Potential problems with the new variety include higher chill requirements, meaning limited potential from I-4 south; propagation by softwood stem cuttings has often resulted in low rooting percentages, susceptibility to Botryosphaeria stem blight and darker fruit color. “We hope to minimize the problem of unreliable propagation by making tissue culture plantlets available at the time licenses are offered,” Olmstead said. “Initial budwood distribution will be limited with breeder stock maintained at the Plant Science Research and Education Unit at Citra,” he noted. Interested growers are directed to the FFSP for license information at telephone: 352/273-3656 or at its website: www.ffsp.net. The afternoon session included a presentation regarding “Food Safety Audits” by Travis Tucker of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and “Summer Pruning Southern Highbush Blueberries in Florida by Al Kovaleski, a graduate student in the UF Horticultural Sciences Department. The day’s proceedings concluded with a panel discussion of “This Year’s Experiences with Hydrogen Cyanamide” and it included incoming association president Calfee, outgoing president Braswell, Farm Manager Gary Smith of Haines City; Groveland Grower Dustin Lowe and Extension Specialist Dr. Williamson. For association information and access to winter meeting presentations, visit: http:// floridablueberrygrowers.com.

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Hillsborough County Debuts Directory of Locally Grown Food Products

Shoppers and chefs looking for locally grown and produced food products can now find them more easily thanks to the new Hillsborough-Grown Consumer Directory at http:// www.HillsboroughCounty.org/HillsGrownDirectory. The web-based resource from Hillsborough County Agribusiness Development was launched to help connect consumers to local farmers and sellers of agricultural products in the community. The Hillsborough-Grown Consumer Directory features a searchable listing of locally grown products sold directly to the public. “Having not only agribusinesses but consumers as well aware of this web-based resource is important and we will be promoting involvement and access to the site on a continuing basis,” said Agribusiness Manager Simon Bollin. To be listed in the free directory, agribusinesses can register online at http://www.HillsboroughCounty.org/HillsGrown. Hillsborough County Agribusiness Development recognizes the growing movement known as locavore – consumers whose diets consist only of principally locally grown or produced food items. A variety of crops and goods can be produced year-round in Hillsborough County, and the new site’s Hillsborough Grown Product Availability link at http://www. HillsboroughCounty.org/locavore provides a listing of which crops are available and when. For more information call Simon Bolllin, Agricultural Industry Development Manager at 813-276-2735

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR HOLDS INFORMATION SEMINAR FOR

Berry Growers Improvements Occurring; Substantial Room for Improvement By Jim Frankowiak

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encouraged attendees to visit the department’s website (www.wagehour.dol.gov) for information or to call the district office at 813-288-1242 for additional information and/or questions regarding compliance and/or applicability to their agricultural operation. Additionally, the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSP) provides regulations for grower compliance for protection of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers with regard to wages, housing, transportation, disclosure and recordkeeping. MSPA also requires farm labor contractors to register with the Department. Farm labor contractors are those who, for money or other valuable consideration paid or promised to be paid, recruit, solicit, hire, employ, furnish or transport migrant and/or seasonal agricultural workers or provide housing to migrant agricultural workers. Ag employers, associations and their employees are not included in the registration requirements. Attendees were advised that when multiple regulations come to play, “follow and adhere to the most stringent to be assured of compliance.” Presenters discussed aspects of the H2-A program through which non-U.S. agricultural workers are recruited to work at U.S. Ag operations for a specific period of time. Full disclosure in the language of the H2-A worker must be provided at the time of employment and includes what commodities will be picked, period of employment, rate of pay, the identity of the employer, housing and transportation and any related charges. Net pay to the H2-A employee after any and all charges must equate to $10.26 per hour. In addition, all other workers working for the same employer and engaged in the same type of work must be compensated at the same rate as H2-A workers. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Tampa District Office recently held an information-sharing compliance session at the Florida Strawberry Growers Association Events Center at Dover. The session was held for strawberry and blueberry growers to update them on applicable laws, highlight most common violations and to answer attendee questions. There were approximately 30 berry growers in attendance. “There are more agricultural products originating in Hillsborough County than in any other in America,” said Assistant District Director David King during his opening seminar remarks. As a consequence during the past year district investigators, “conducted 135 ag investigations, which was also the most of any District Office in the U.S. And of that total, 42 involved strawberry growers and 75 percent of those investigated were in violation or not in regulatory compliance.” That figure is better than the previous year when 93 percent were found out of compliance, but there is “substantial room for improvement.” King said the most common violations found included housing, failure to disclose workers’ dues and pay and wage statements. There were 131 housing investigations conducted and 76 or nearly 50 percent were found out of compliance conditions. “There were no child labor violations found last year,” King noted. Housing investigations involve 97 individual criteria and include such considerations as sufficient space per occupant, functioning and lockable doors (including bathroom doors), available heat, operational windows, sanitary conditions, potable water and more.

“Some growers who use farm labor contractors believe that compliance and any related violations rest solely with the contractor, but that is not the case and bears further investigation,” said King. “There are a number of factors that come to bear in situations where a farm labor contractor is involved and it is best for growers to have an advance understanding. Compliance is complicated,” he said. “The citrus industry has had the benefit of utilizing H2-A workers for a much longer period than berry growers. It may be helpful for berry growers to consult with their counterparts in the citrus industry to help them make a determination whether or not they should engage farm labor contractors or if H2-A workers would be in their best interest.” King also advised attendees to follow good recordkeeping practices since records are almost always involved in investigatory situations. “That includes both payroll and time records,” he said. Payroll records for the prior three years and time records for the previous two years should be retained. The seminar also included information regarding transportation, field sanitation, child labor regulations and penalties for violations.

The balance of the seminar involved presentations from District field investigators, many including photos of violations they uncovered while conducting unannounced field visits. Regulations originate from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping and child labor standards for agriculture. Agriculture includes farming in all of its branches when performed by a farmer or on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with such farming operations. Virtually all employees engaged in agriculture are covered by the Act in that they produce goods for interstate commerce. The FLSA also applies when a grower has two or more employees and annual gross sales of $500,000 or more. However, there are exemptions and King and his presenting field investigators WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

Maria Torres of Career Service Tampa spoke briefly of her organization and its scope of services offered at no charge to all prospective employers in the area, both agricultural and non-agricultural. “It may be worthwhile to consider us as an alternative H2-A workers,” she said, noting her services include both recruitment and training. Additional information for employers is available at www. careersourcetampabay.com. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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VF 36

Fla. 8314 Bs2

GCREC TOMATO BREEDERS HAVE SOLUTION TO LONG TERM TOMATO BACTRIAL SPOT CHALLENGE

But Will It Be Accepted By Consumers By Jim Frankowiak

Dr. John W. “Jay” Scott joined the faculty of the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) as a tomato breeder in 1981, at that time and to this day “bacterial spot has been one of the most consistent problems for growers that we have and continue to face.” “There has been a concerted effort to incorporate resistance into improved germplasm by way of conventional breeding for over 30 years, but to date no varieties have been released,” said Scott, who has worked on this challenge with his colleagues at the GCREC, UF/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Department of Horticulture and Plant Pathology with funding from the Florida Tomato Committee. “The major reasons for the lack of success are changing races of the pathogen, complex genetic control of resistance and unfavorable associations of resistance with undesirable characteristics such as small fruit size, late maturity and low yield,” noted Scott. However, bacterial spot resistance is common among varieties of bell pepper. More than 20 years ago, one of the pepper bacterial spot resistant genes, Bs2, was transferred to the tomato variety VF 36, a California bred tomato unadapted to Florida and very susceptible to bacterial spot. That deployment was done by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. Work with the Bs2 gene in tomato has been supported by the Two Blades Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to deploy modern disease resistance technology to 80

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improve crop production within developed and undeveloped countries worldwide. “We have had good results for both bacterial spot resistance and improved yield in several years of testing VF 36 with Bs2 compared to VF 36,” said Scott. These results prompted Scott and his associates to conduct trials with the Bs2 gene introduced into Fla. 8000, a Florida adapted inbred that has resistance to bacterial spot race T3 and is heat-tolerant. The gene was also introduced into Fla. 8111B, a large-fruited globe tomato that is sensitive to bacterial spot but has other desirable characteristics. “The conventional hybrid, Fla. 8314, has these two lines as parents and has been widely trialed throughout Florida,” said Scott. The Fla. 8314 parents were then transformed with the Bs2 gene and extensive trials with the transformed and untransformed were conducted over several seasons. The transformation of the Fla. 8314 makes it a genetically modified organism (GMO), noted Scott. “The results of these trials have been impressive with multiple benefits, not just bacterial spot resistance,” said Scott. “In addition to bacterial spot resistance, the trials showed a consistent jump in yields and no environmental impacts from copper spraying since none was done and that also represents a cost-savings.” He said there was not much early blight in the WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

transformed tomatoes possibly because it is an “opportunistic” fungi that could not get established because of the lack of bacterial injury to get it started. The Bs2 gene has also been introduced and trialed with other experimental Florida varieties such as Fla. 8455 whose characteristics include strong tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and heat-tolerance. Another hybrid that has looked good has TYLCV and crown rot resistance. “These results have caught the attention of growers who have fought the bacterial spot challenge forever,” said Scott. “And that, coupled with reliable higher yields and potential costsavings achieved with no need for copper spraying, make this GMO variety of high interest.” This situation is essentially at a crossroads for several reasons. The source of funds for deregulation which is estimated at $1 million is not clear at this time. “Despite the fact that consumers have been eating bell peppers that have the conventionally bred Bs2 gene in them for more than two decades with no ill effects, there is the concern over consumer acceptance of Bs2 in tomato since it is a GMO. “We sincerely hope good science will guide the next steps in this process,” said Scott. “I think it would be prudent to avoid broad-based GMO approvals or denials and treat cases individually. In this instance there is simply no scientific basis to oppose these varieties of GMO tomatoes. In addition to the absence of any consumption issues related to bell peppers containing the Bs2 gene for over two decades, we have the added benefits of reductions in negative environmental impacts, less expense in field spraying, less fuel use to spray, while attaining higher yields. “And while each of those is important in its own right, we must not overlook the importance of increased yields as our global population continues to grow. We must responsibly utilize technologies that will enable us to safely meet the increasing demands for food and fiber.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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EXTENSION OFFERS BEEKEEPING SHORT COURSE APRIL 19

All You Need to Know to Begin Your Beekeeping Journey Is beekeeping on your bucket list? If it is, you can learn everything you need to know to get started at the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County Office on April 19. That’s the day Extension will host its Beginning Beekeeping Short Course at its Seffner location, 5339 County Road 579. “The course begins at 9 a.m. and will conclude at 4 p.m.,” said Extension Agent Susan Haddock. “The fee for the Short Course is $22 plus the Eventbrite fee ($22.40) for each person attending the full day program. The Short Course is hosted by Extension and offered by Jeanette Klopchin from the Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab at the University of Florida.” The morning session will begin with how to get started with your beekeeping endeavor and will cover resources, equipment, setting up an apiary, acquiring bees and caring for colonies. The second-half of the morning class will review honey bee biology, including hive components, honey bee castes, nutrition, swarming and queens. 82

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Hive maintenance will kick-off the afternoon session which will review pests and diseases, apiary and equipment care and harvesting honey. The balance of the afternoon will be devoted to open hive demonstrations that will include the opportunity for hands-on activities, bee and disease identification, finding the queen and more. “We will have live bee colonies on site for hands-on learning,” said Haddock. “And, we will provide all of the tools and protective gear for everyone in attendance. This training is essential if you think beekeeping would be a good hobby or business.” Advance registration is required at http://hillsboroughbeecourse.eventbrite.com. Additional information is available by contacting Jeanette Klopchin: 352/273-3932 or jklopchin@ufl.edu or contacting Susan Haddock at the Extension Office: 813/744/5519. You can also visit the Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab website: www.UFhoneybee.com. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

F L O R I D A S TAT E FA I R

CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

2014

“The Best of the Best” 6th Place Champion of Champions - Nicole Sieling, St. Petersburg 4th Place tie Champion of Champions - Brittany Wolford, Edgewater 4th Place tie Champion of Champions - Savannah Bates, Archer 3rd Place Champion of Champions - Timothy Hoover, Tampa 2nd Place Champion of Champions - Helena Polansky, Land O’ Lakes THE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS - 1ST Place - $1500 Cash Award - JACOB MCGEHEE, OKEECHOBEE

Youth Dairy Junior Champion – Connor Sutton, Sun City Intermediate Champion – Cara Zenney, Parrish 4th place Senior Champion – Jacob McGehee, Okeechobee 3rd place Senior Champion – Adam Cole, Riverview 2nd place Senior Champion – Zoe Wallace, Odessa Champion Youth for Dairy Show – Michael Fioretto, Bradenton

Mosaic Scholarship Winners The winner of the $1,500 Scholarship is: Erin Jones, Trenton

Florida State Fair Foundation Scholarship Winners The winners of the $1,000 Scholarship are: Shelbi McCall, Mayo Kylie Philipps, Inverness Landon Smith, Bronson Victoria Harris, Valrico Helena Polansky, Land O’ Lakes

Jan Dillard Memorial Scholarship Winner The winner of the $1,000 Scholarship is: Nathan Jameson, Lake Panasoffkee

CHAMPION YOUTH WINNERS

Youth Dog Junior Champion – Emma Kordek, Plant City Intermediate Champion – Corin Hockenberry, Lakeland 4th place Senior Champion – Alexis Smith, Sarasota 3rd place Senior Champion – Samantha Richards, Pinellas Park 2nd place Senior Champion – Steven Pink, Punta Gorda Champion Youth for Dog Show – Erica Curtis, Winter Haven

Youth Llama

Intermediate Champion – Madison Tilton, Zephyrhills 4th place Senior Champion – Victoria Tinney, Zephyrhills 3rd place Senior Champion – Ashley Wilburn, North Port 2nd place Senior Champion – Kaele Lawless, Odessa Champion Youth for Llama Show – Anastasia Sturgis, Orlando

Youth Rabbit

Junior Champion – Kally Henson, Winter Haven Intermediate Champion – Abby Ligocki, Land O’ Lakes 3rd place tie Senior Champion – Joseph Hoover, Tampa 3rd place tie Senior Champion – Jeremy Odom, Howey 2nd place Senior Champion – Helena Polansky, Land O Lakes Champion Youth for Rabbit Show – Timothy Hoover, Tampa Youth Steer Intermediate Champion – Christian Rodriquez, Live Oak 4th place Senior Champion – Matthew Jennings, Dade City 3rd place Senior Champion – Matthew Staples, Groveland 2nd place Senior Champion – Nathan Jameson, Lake Panasoffkee Champion Youth for Steer Show – Jeffrey Mitchell, Zephyrhills WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

Youth Poultry

Junior Champion – Connor Harper , Sorrento Intermediate Champion – Emily Jennings, Dade City 4th place Senior Champion – Abby Marion, Deltona 3rd place Senior Champion – Jonathan Sangiorgio, Brandon 2nd place Senior Champion – Matthew Jennings, Dade City Champion Youth for Poultry Show – Nicole Sieling, St Pete

Youth Goat

Junior Champion – Payton Davis, Ocala Intermediate Champion – Isabel Perdomo, San Antonio 4th place Senior Champion – Austin Davis, Deleon Springs 3rd place Senior Champion – Mary Roy, Miami 2nd place Senior Champion – Nicole Falk, Edgewater Champion Youth for Goat Show – Victoria Harris, Valrico

Youth Swine

Junior Champion – Abigail Mae Parmer, Dover Intermediate Champion – Christian Rodriquez, Live Oak 4th place Senior Champion – Savannah Bates, Archer 3rd place Senior Champion – Shelbi McCall, Mayo 2nd place Senior Champion – Haley Stark, Ormond Beach Champion Youth for Swine Show – William Jameson, Lake Panasoffkee

Youth Beef

Junior Champion – Laykin Williamson, Dade City Intermediate Champion – Cara Zeveney, Parrish 4th place Senior Champion – Jeremy Odom, Howey 3rd place Senior Champion – Sarah Flowers, Clermont 2nd place Senior Champion – Matthew Staples, Groveland Champion Youth for Beef Show – Kylie Philipps, Inverness

Youth Sheep

Junior Champion – David Austin, Deland Intermediate Champion – Thomas Schroeder, Deland 4th place Senior Champion – Morgan Sistrunk, Lithia 3rd place Senior Champion – Cassidy Hasting, Plant City 2nd place Senior Champion – Brianna Edwards, Deland Champion Youth for Sheep Show – Brittany Wolford, Edgewater INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

March 2014

Naturally Amazing Activities

By Sean Green

Chemical Reactions: Oxidation 1 3 2

Bombardier Beetles create a blast of steam by creating chemicals in their body and mixing them together to create a chemical reaction. One of the chemicals it creates is hydrogen peroxide (23%). The beetle also creates enzymes in its body that, when mixed with the hydrogen peroxide, break down the hydrogen peroxide causing a chemical reaction that release oxygen and heat.

Materials:

Sealable Bag Highly active yeast (¼ teaspoon) 3% hydrogen peroxide (1 oz) pipette or medicine cup Directions:

• Pour dry yeast into a sealable bag • Fill a pipette or medicine cup with hydrogen peroxide (do not pour it in the bag yet)

This activity demonstrates a similar reaction using a much weaker solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%) and baker’s yeast, which contains enzymes that act the same way the yeast in the beetles body does to break down the hydrogen peroxide and create both oxygen and heat. • Set the pipette or medicine cup inside the sealable bag • Gently squeeze the air out of the sealable bag and seal it shut • Grabbing the pipette or medicine cup, mix the hydrogen peroxide with the yeast You will see an immediate reaction in the form of bubbles. The bubbles are caused by the release of oxygen. The energy released during the process of releasing oxygen creates heat that you can feel through the bag. If the right combination of yeast and hydrogen peroxide are used, the sealable bag will pop from the internal build up of oxygen. When the beetle does this, it releases the compound before it builds up enough to explode the insect.

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A Closer Look

By Sean Green

Bombardier Beetles (Neobrachinus) Hydrogen Peroxide Sphincter Muscle

Explosion Chamber

Photo Credit: Bombardier Beetle, Thomas Eisner & Daniel Aneshansley; Cornell University

When I acknowledge the many things I am grateful for throughout the day, the wonders of nature are always near the top of the list. We are all gifted with living opportunities to learn from nature, literally in every step of our walk in life. The natural world around us is filled with enchanting creatures, wondrous beauty, and clever biologic systems that astound even the world’s greatest minds. It’s easy to acknowledge familiar virtue such as the spectacular metamorphosis of a butterfly, or the beauty of a peacocks feathers, but some of the greatest gems of curiosity are right under our nose and escape our attention. The Bombardier beetle (Subgenus: Neobrachinus) is a ground beetle that includes over 500 old and new world species, 40 common to North America and at least 2 species are found only in specific areas of Florida. Though somewhat modest in appearance, the Bombardier Beetle has fascinated naturalists, inspired rocket scientists, and often fuel debates over creationism and evolution. A closer look at the Bombardier beetle will clarify why this little insect has become such a big deal. Chemical defense mechanisms are common in a large number of insects. In “The Insects: an Outline of Entmology” (2005), entomologists P.J. Gullan and P.S. Cranston divide the chemical defense of insects into two classes. Class 1 chemicals are toxic; they are used to injure or kill and are chemically similar to poisons such as strychnine, cyanide, psilocin, and bufotoxins. Class 2 chemicals on the other hand usually have a strong odor, and can be mildly acidic, but in general, function as an irritant to dissuade an attack rather than function as a lethal weapon. The Bombardier beetle, like other insects, uses a chemical defense mechanism for protection, however, this particular insect takes chemical warfare to a unique level by way of internal chemical combustion. The beetle gets its name from its method of chemical defense. Unlike other insects that inject toxins or secrete them as contact poisons, the Bombardier beetle creates two chemicals that are explosive when mixed together, yet manages to house and deploy this deadly combination without self-destruction. Not much information has been documented about North American species of Bombardier beetle. Early observations of this insect were documented in the proceedings of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences as early as 1750. The author, Daniel Rolander, referenced an insect that “produced both sound and smoke” and noted; “So is nature full of wonder in its diversity” (Eisner, 2003). Just about ten WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

years to the date (Feb 2004), the wonder of this insect and its exemplarily intelligent design inspired a research initiative funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The 3-year project at the University of Leeds was initiated to study the highly effective natural form of combustion. Insects such as the Bombardier beetle have contributed to the growing field of biomimetics, which is the study of biological systems as models for the design and engineering of materials and machines. Scientists seeking to understand the Bombardier beetle have learned that hydroquinones and hydrogen peroxide are produced in glands and stored in abdominal reservoirs. When threatened, muscles surrounding the reservoirs contract, forcing the two chemicals through a muscle-controlled valve and into a reaction chamber where the two chemicals are mixed. The mixing chamber walls secrete peroxidases and catalases enzymes that break down the hydrogen peroxide and produce a catalyst for the hydrogen peroxide to oxidize the hydroquinones into p-benzoquinones, a compound similar to chlorine bleach and a strong irritant. The chemical reaction with the hydrogen peroxide frees oxygen molecules and in the process generates substantial heat very quickly bringing the compound to boiling temperatures (100°C / 212°F) producing a gas that forces the compound out of the abdomen at the rate of 500 pulses per second (Eisner, et al., 2000). The process describing the defense mechanism of the Bombardier beetle resembles the pulse jet propulsion systems of World War II technology, compelling scientist to designate the Bombardier beetles behavior as a “jet-based” system of “pulse combustion.” By understanding the mechanics of the beetles biology, scientist hope to mimic its function to re-ignite gas turbine aircraft engines that have cut out in flight. In addition to gaining a better understanding of the defense system of the adult Bombardier beetle, scientists are learning that some South American species of Bombardier beetle larva will only develop if provided a diet of mole cricket eggs. South American Bombardier beetle species are the only known agent to target mole cricket eggs, other biologic control agents target mole cricket nymphs. Further trials are needed but there is a strong potential that the South American Bombardier beetles could be a more effective biologic control agent against Florida mole crickets (Genus: Scapteriscus). INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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School Garden Harvests Department of Agriculture Grant:

Mango Elementary School

By Ginny Mink Elementary schools are not generally agricultural hubs. There are no elective class choices offering agricultural education nor is there an FFA club to join. So, when we locate an elementary school with agricultural leanings, or at least one with its very own student planted garden, it becomes a point of interest. Mango Elementary School in Seffner, is just such a school. In fact, it had the honor of being visited by Adam Putnam just a few short years ago due to the garden it produces. Carol Stewart is the teacher to thank for this endeavor, having started the garden there 25 years ago! Carol is from Tampa and she spent her entire teaching career at Mango. Twenty-five years ago a fellow teacher decided to start growing plants that attracted butterflies. Carol liked the idea so she began working with various plants at home. She realized that she really appreciated the flowers, particularly the zinnias. This turned into a hobby Carol wanted to share with her students. The first Mango Elementary School garden consisted of butterfly attracting flowers but soon, Carol’s agricultural prowess blossomed and she began experimenting with various vegetables. When questioned about the garden’s beginnings Carol states, “I just started, 25 years ago, here at Mango. The principal was George Shaw and I asked him if I could have a school garden and he said ‘yes,’ and so I just started experimenting, planting different flowers at first, then we started planting vegetables. We had a summer garden, a spring garden and a fall garden. I would cook the vegetables for the students and make salads and stuff with the vegetables so that they could get exposure to eating them and I found that they would eat the vegetables that they grew even though they might not eat them at home or in the lunchroom. Three years ago I partnered with the lunchroom

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manager and she would actually cook some of the vegetables for the school so that students could taste the vegetables here. In 2012, Adam Putnam, the Commissioner of Agriculture, came to our school and visited the school garden. Then I retired in 2012, and now I’m back so I started it up again.” We love the idea of school lunchrooms utilizing student planted and maintained garden harvests! Given her Tampa native status we wondered where she’d gotten her agricultural drive. She told us, “I don’t have an agricultural background, I just started experimenting with planting. I started at home first and when I was successful at home I just said, ‘maybe this would be something good to do at school.’” Since she was keen on introducing her students to agriculture, we questioned whether or not she had them assist her in the planting, weeding, etc. She shared, “At first it was my class so they would do all the work. Now I just get students from different classes to help me. When we planted this fall I had some students from the school and some other children I knew from previous years that helped me out.” So how did Adam Putnam find out about this little known amenity? Carol answered, “My ex-sister-in-law is a State Senator, Arthenia Joyner, and she knew Adam Putnam was coming to Tampa. So, she asked him if he like to visit a school garden of a friend of hers. That’s how he ended up coming here in 2012. I was very excited, the students were excited. He came and read them a story and he told us about his agriculture background,“ Carol said. As an avid agriculture supporter, we asked what she thought was so important about teaching kids to grow their own food. She responded, “I think it is so important for the students to actually see

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how plants grow and know that that’s an option for them and that they actually get accustomed to eating vegetables. They will eat them when they grow them, things like salad, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers. They will eat the squash because a lot of times I would take it home and cook it and bring it back in the crockpot for them to eat the next day. I think that the important thing is that kids will eat healthier if they are exposed to school gardens, or gardening, period. I have grown sunflowers, morning glories, marigolds, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, green beans, squash, celery, okra, eggplants, carrots and some potatoes one year. And peanuts! We put the raw peanuts in and they grow underground and we were talking about George Washington Carver, so we planted the peanuts and harvested them, pulled them up and behold, there they were, underneath the ground!” Perhaps the greatest aspect of the Mango garden is Carol’s ability to tie it in to curriculum, what an incredible way for those kids to recall George Washington Carver’s accomplishments! Finally we wanted to know what Carol liked best about her garden over the years. It was obviously a difficult question to answer. She said, “Sunflowers are so beautiful, and zinnias, that’s my favorite flower, they’re really pretty and colorful and easy to do. But the potato was the most fun, I think, because one of the teachers had some old potatoes and we just kind of dug some holes, her ESE class planted them and they say when the tops start withering they were ready, so we dug down and we had a huge potato!” She exclaims, “Oh, and

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pumpkin! Yeah, pumpkin, that was the most phenomenal! We grew some pumpkin with the ESE students and they actually made the mounds and planted them and I was able to give each one of them a pumpkin to take home! They loved that.” We have no doubt. In closing, Carol summed up the 2013-14 school year. She told us, “This year the cafeteria cooked green beans and they cooked collard greens for the students. That was it because we planted later in the fall, we didn’t get the pumpkin. The teachers got cabbages out and cooked them and tomatoes and that kind of thing. I have grown some strawberries but I didn’t have enough. Hopefully maybe this year because I did get a $500 grant from the Department of Agriculture. I applied with the Department of Agriculture in September for a School Garden Grant and I was successful! We were alerted at the end of January that I did get the grant. Now I’m going to get a tiller so that I can have it here so that when I get ready to change seasons and till it back up I can do it. We’ll plant, for the spring: corn and squash, greens and green beans, maybe some onions and a few herbs and more flowers. We just planted marigolds, for the fall. But, for the spring we’ll plant zinnias and marigolds and sunflowers, some fennel, things that attract the butterflies.” This will definitely be the garden to visit. Perhaps it will be given the opportunity to grow and thereby offer its produce to the community in the future. We thank Carol for her passion and willingness to share that talent with the students at Mango Elementary!

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STRAWBERRY GROWERS AND ‘FRIENDS’ CONTINUE TO NURTURE THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL’S HEART More Than Just Another Local Fair 94

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By Jim Frankowiak WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

If you attended the just completed annual Florida Strawberry Festival there’s a very good chance you availed yourself of some, or all, of the 10,000-square-foot exhibit of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA). Maybe you had your picture taken with one of the displays, took a close look at the berries grown by some 800 live plants within the exhibit plot, interacted with Jammer (the FSGA mascot) or posed a question to a real grower at the “Ask a Farmer” station. All of that and more is the heart of the annual festival, an event that has taken place at Plant City for nearly 80 years. Honestly, without the strawberry growers, the festival would not be what it is, an opportunity for families to gather and enjoy a wholesome and fun-filled event that helps to celebrate and recognize the strawberry industry which has been producing berries in this area for over a century. Since its founding in 1982, the FSGA and its members have fully supported the festival through the exhibit and the opportunity it presents to inform attendees about the industry’s rich history, importance to the local economy (an economic impact in excess of $700 million annually) and how – specifically -- strawberries are grown and the equipment used – today and yesterday -- in more than 10,000-acres in the greater Plant City area. However, there is more, much more to the impact of this endeavor.

St. Martin, Steve Dukes, Marty Sewell, O.M. Griffin, Rodney Hutto and Eddie and Trenda Jones. FSGA helps fund a program with the University of South Florida’s Department of Education to provide scholarships to deserving children of migrant workers. The association also sponsors special awards during the Florida FFA annual convention. Most of the scholarship money awarded by the FSGA is raised at the Best Flat Contest held each year at the Florida Strawberry Festival. After the selection is made based on criteria of color, shape, size, uniformity and taste, the top three flats are auctioned off during the plant, swine and steer sales that take place during the festival. All auction funds are earmarked for FSGA scholarships. Scholarship recipients are typically enrolled in one of three area high schools: Durant, Plant City and Strawberry Crest. Since 2001, the FSGA has also awarded $1,000 scholarships to each of its ambassadors, senior high school students who have submitted letters of intent to attend college, as well as a completed application. Each is required to attend functions throughout the strawberry season and represent the association and strawberry industry. Current ambassadors are Lindsey English, Aly Joyner, Alyssa Shepherd and Morgan Sistrunk.

FSGA is a non-profit, voluntary organization that’s mission is to represent the industry in the areas of research, promotion and member/community service. As part of its commitment to the community, FSGA has facilitated the presentation of nearly 425 college scholarships totaling over $400,000. Although the number of scholarships varies from year to year based upon the number of applicants, the association awards various scholarships, as well as six special $1,000 memorial scholarships in honor of Brenda

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Through its ongoing partnership with the festival, FSGA has a permanent and prominent location front and center for high visibility. The recurring location allows FSGA to install permanent underground irrigation to maintain the strawberry plants for the required three weeks. Each year grower volunteers bring in their tractors and build actual raised strawberry growing beds covered with plastic mulch. Equipment is displayed on partially complete rows in the sequence used to set up fields, so the public can see each step. They can easily view how the mounds are formed, how the plastic sheets are installed and how the holes are punched for the plants. Informational signage is placed around the field area for further enhancement. Plants are field grown to maturity by FSGA members and transplanted into the display field at a full fruit-

ing stage. So these static displays show most of the planting technology, how the fruit matures on the plants and they also provide some industry statistics and other interesting information. Though the FSGA exhibit set up and operation reflects the hard work and time of many grower and associate members as well as volunteers, there’s a trio of recent and former board members who have been the “go to guys” for nearly a quarter century. That’s growers Mike Lott, Mark Harrell and Billy Simmons and they quickly agree they do it to tell the industry’s story and for the funds raised to underwrite the broadbased FSGA scholarship program. Current officers of the association are Shad Simmons, president; Vice President Joel Connell; Secretary Marc Sewell and John Sizemore, treasurer. In addition to Lott, board members include Tres McQuaig, Todd Alexander, Terry Benefield, Patrick Borchard, Dudley Calfee, Hilda Castillo, Russell Griffin, Carl Grooms, Allen Hawkins, Todd Jameson and David Spivey. The plants at the association’s festival plot are grown at Jameson’s Berry Bay Farms. For the opportunity to interact with visitors, FSGA created a small farm shed with a front porch adorned with rocking chairs and antique strawberry farming equipment. Actual farmers with extensive strawberry growing experience bring the exhibit to life as they man the exhibit. This “Ask the Farmer” site has become the most popular area of the display. Hollis Maxwell and Lee and Pat Hutto are regular volunteers at “Ask the Farmer.” Lee Hutto is a retired Florida State Trooper and strawberry grower. This year FSGA marked the return of long time exhibit volunteer Faye Elliott and many were delighted to see her back. FSGA also uses its educational cartoon characters to populate signs around the field with cutouts so the children and adults can place their faces in the holes for photo opportunities. It’s interesting to see the lines that form as people wait to get a picture of their face on a strawberry blossom or the “Polly Nator” Bee. Many enjoy FSGA mascot Jammer and the chance to watch and sometimes join with Jammer and his noteworthy Strawberry Shake dance as he saves the farm day in and day out.

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While the festival attracts nearly one million visitors from everywhere, local residents have the opportunity to learn about the importance of strawberries to Plant City and Hillsborough County. FSGA’s outreach at the festival helps to reinforce the crop’s more than $700 million economic impact to residents who may not be directly involved with agriculture. Hillsborough County produces over 90 percent of America’s winter strawberries. These are some of the sweetest, reddest and juiciest strawberries grown anywhere, thus Plant City’s well-deserved nickname, the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.

For more information about the FSGA, visit: http://flastrawberry.com

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Trade Development Mission to Panama By Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam

This year, the Panama Canal will celebrate its 100th anniversary since the first ship passed through in 1914. The canal has not only transformed international trade, but it has had a powerful impact on the country of Panama itself. A place that was once overcome with mosquitoes carrying malaria and yellow fever is now a modern skyline full of skyscrapers and construction cranes. Today, Panama is one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and presents many opportunities for Florida, particularly Florida agriculture. I recently traveled to Panama with a delegation of Floridians with three objectives in mind. First, I wanted to learn about how Florida agriculture can benefit from the current project underway to expand the Panama Canal. Next, Panama is a growing market for fresh, high-quality produce, and there are significant opportunities for Florida agricultural products. Finally, we sought to collaborate with Panamanian officials on efforts to protect our agriculture industries from the threat of pests and disease. The expansion of the Panama Canal is a game changer in global trade logistics. The newly constructed, larger locks will enable post-Panamax ships, with more than double the cargo capacity, to pass through the canal. The use of larger vessels operating at deeper drafts could improve the ability of Florida agricultural products to compete in global markets. Bill Johnson, Director of PortMiami, was part of the delegation and he is working to ensure Florida ports will be prepared to wel100

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come the post-Panamax ships when the expansion is complete in 2015. Also, Florida growers joined us in Panama to promote “Fresh From Florida” products to this growing market for high quality produce. Exports of Florida agricultural products have grown by 70 percent over the last two years, up to more than $168 million in goods. Because of meetings with trade and agriculture officials on the trip, Panamanians will enjoy new Florida produce varieties never before sold in Panama. With high volumes of international tourists and cargo, Panama and Florida both struggle to protect our agriculture industries from pests and disease. In our meetings with Panamanian officials, we shared our efforts to prevent the introduction of pests and disease by educating international travelers about the threat and urging them to declare agricultural items for inspection. We hope to expand our public awareness campaign to include Panama airports and seaports, and we’re confident this partnership can benefit agriculture industries in both Florida and Panama. I’m excited about the opportunities for Florida in Panama. Not only will the expansion of the Panama Canal enable Florida to share more of its agricultural bounty with others around the world, but the country of Panama itself provides many opportunities for Florida. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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Weeds with Potential:

Castor By Ginny Mink As Florida agriculture takes a direct hit in the citrus production arena, there are researchers looking for ways to help bolster farmer revenue. Certainly citrus crops grown in the numerous orange groves throughout the state would be the most ideal, but what should be done with the sections of groves that are currently unusable for various reasons? David Campbell, a former UF agronomy graduate student decided to review castor’s potential. He performed a study, with his advisor, Diane Rowland, that has shown promise for future castor crop plantings. If you are not particularly well-versed in the field of castor, we have discovered some very interesting aspects of this intriguing crop. David shared that it’s used in paints, lubricants, deodorants, facial creams and other industrial products. However, we also discovered that it’s used as a natural pesticide, and as an ingredient in some animal feeds, according to Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In addition, Botanical.com revealed its other values: as a laxative, a worm expeller, an element in artificial leather, coloring for butter, and it’s essential in some artificial rubbers and in the manufacture of transparent soaps. Perhaps most interesting was the fact it is used as a topical medicine for the treatment of leprosy! Certainly there is a lot of value to be found in this fascinating plant. There are attributes though that might shock you. Before we share, we want you to be able to identify castor in its natural habitat. Cornell University describes it this way, “The stalked leaves consist of usually eight radiating, pointed leaflets with slightly serrated edges and prominent central veins. Many varieties are green, but some are reddish brown. The flowers are green and inconspicuous, but pink or red in the pigmented varieties. The soft spined fruits containing attractively mottled seeds are distinctive features of the plant. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens, sometimes as a houseplant, and also grows as a weed…and it may reach 15 feet tall outdoors.” Of course, you could always just look at the pictures provided. 108

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So here’s the scoop on castor, before we explain why Florida should consider growing it. According to April Holladay, a USA Today columnist, “The castor bean plant is the most deadly of all plants. Castor beans contain a poison, called ricin, which works by preventing cells from making proteins. More ominous: ricin is part of the mash left over from making castor oil from the beans, and can be used to deliberately poison people. A 500 microgram dose, about the size of a pin head, is enough to do the job if injected or inhaled. We have no antidote for ricin.” Apparently if you live 3-5 days after being exposed then you should make it, otherwise it’s bad news! Surely there’s been enough bad press on ricin and chemical warfare, so why in the world would we want to grow this here? David Campbell reveals, “Castor is an oil-seed crop, you physically crush the seeds and get the oil, that has potential as an on farm biodiesel source. Florida farmers approached IFAS about the potential for growing castor in Florida again, potentially as a replacement crop for lost citrus acreage, and we evaluated some promising lines bred in Texas from Dr. Dick Auld. The first idea was that farmers could potentially grow castor on some of their land and convert the oil to biodiesel to help the farm become more self-sufficient. Right now castor oil is much more valuable as a feedstock for industrial purposes than use as a biodiesel.” A study by Scholz & Silva revealed, “Castor oil is more than just a raw material in great demand by the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. In several southern countries its use as a fuel is also being discussed in connection with social and ecological aspects.” However, castor hasn’t been commercially grown in the US since 1972! Which leaves the US having to import it from India, Brazil and China. David’s research revealed that there are IFAS documents on how to grow castor dating as far back as 1917 and in fact, during World War II, it was grown in Florida as a component of military jet fuel. DaWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

vid believes it can be grown here again if farmers will utilize proper management techniques. He says, “Castor can be found along the roadsides in south and central Florida today, so we were confident it would grow in this area under managed agricultural practices.” Thusly they studied the Texas varieties mentioned earlier. The results showed that yields were lower here than in Texas but the potential is definitely there. So what about the ricin issue? According to Brad Bucks, February 11 article, “UF researchers used a reduced-ricin cultivar as one of the types tested. Texas scientists are developing ricin-free cultivars. In the near future, any industry that uses domestically grown commercial castor would likely be using ricin-free castor.” Hopefully that will eliminate any farmer hesitation and will lead us into a new castor growing future, particularly since it has so many uses and has proven to grow well here all on its own! The biggest issue the study noted was the possibility that the castor would grow too tall. However, the cultivars utilized were shorter genetic types and as long as they don’t grow taller than a corn stalk, harvesting machines will work just fine! David shared that due to castor’s many uses, the economic growth potential is immense and while growers will need to create and utilize a machine to crush the oil from the seed in order to make it a viable crop, he’s not concerned. Why? Because where there’s a will there’s a way, some farmers are already working on that! WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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