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MARCH 2020 VOL. 15 • ISSUE 5
CONTENTS RILEY BUTTORFF & DAKOTA GRIGSON WIN GRAND AT FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
46 & 64
Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL. Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Insurance Services: 813-685-5673 Member Services: 813-685-9121
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PAGE 12 AG-Venture
PAGE 50 Endangered Species
PAGE 16 Champion of Champions
PAGE 52 US Secretary of AG
PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 54 Recipes
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 56 Literary Time Machine
PAGE 26 State Officers
PAGE 58 Recycle Yard art
PAGE 28 Umiker Retires
PAGE 60
PAGE 32 Gardening Done Right PAGE35 Rutabaga
Festival Reults (*Full results were not available at press time)
PAGE 62 News Briefs
PAGE 36 Jack Payne
PAGE 65 Benifits of Membership
PAGE 38 Plant Brothers
Hey Readers!
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! PAGE
DIRECTORS FOR 2018 - 2019 Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Sambahv, Vincent Tort, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes
Judi Whitson, Executive Director 813-685-9121 Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents
Valrico Office 813-685-5673
100 S. Mulrennan Rd., Valrico, FL. 33594 Tommy Hale, CLU, ChFC, CASL, CPCU Agency Mgr. Julie Carlson, Amy Engle
Plant City Office 813.752.5577
PAGE 48 John Dicks
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Dennis Carlton, Jr.....................President Jake Raburn................Vice President Tony Lopez..............Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary
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305 S. Wheeler St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer Artis Griffin
Tampa Office 813.933.5440
6535 Gunn Highway, Tampa, FL.33625 Greg Harrell, Jared Bean
AGENCY MANAGER Thomas O. Hale WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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STAFF
Letter from the Editor “Fair season” just wrapped up and FFA and 4-H students, along with their parents and guardians, are breathing a sigh of relief. Congratulations to each of you! It will be a short-lived break, however, as these hard working youth jump right in to next year’s projects. When the season starts again, plan on visiting the agriculture areas of any of the local fairs. Let exhibitors know you recognize the hard work they have put in to these projects.
Ask participants about their project. They will more than likely have a story to tell. So many things go into these projects. And one things is certain, life lessons are learned that carry into the future. It doesn’t matter what your project is, the one character trait that transcends all, is responsibility. Another valuable lesson is entrepreneurship. FFA and 4-H members must learn to budget, spend and save money. Other things these projects teach are communicating, developing relationship, decision making, organization and setting and achieving goals.
One more thing. Confidence. These projects provide the opportunity to gain confidence in themselves by caring for something that is 100% dependent on them. So again, go check out the agriculture area of whatever fair you are visiting. Get a first hand look at the culmination of their hard work. Win or lose, the lessons are the same.
Please remember to look for the Fresh From Florida logo when shopping. You will get the freshest food available and support your local farmers and ranchers. Also, a very special thank you to our advertisers. They allow us to continue to cover what is growing. Until Next Month
Sarah Holt The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Sales Karen Berry Sarah Holt Melissa Nichols Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Melissa Nichols Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams Anita Todd Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks Social Media Victoria Saunders
In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Hillsborough County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’s Association. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.
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Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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A GROUP WE JUST CAN’T FORGET HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
-Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
Greetings, We’ve just ended a special time for agriculture in the State of Florida and here in Hillsborough County. I hope you and your family had an opportunity to visit and enjoy both the Florida State Fair and Florida Strawberry Festival. Those are two great chances to celebrate our industry and a good deal more.
come any obstacles that may arise as they prepare for the competition. Then you have the volunteers that help with event logistics, enabling youth to bring their entries to the event, provide housing or display areas and an efficient way to change exhibits as the competitions proceed. You also have the volunteers who judge these various competitive events, and that’s a small army.
While many may associate just carnival rides and certain food items with these two celebrations, both offer opportunities for our youth to demonstrate and showcase the hard work they have put forth to compete in a number of different events at the fair and festival. Others help to educate attendees of all ages about the importance of agriculture. That brings to mind the Ag-Venture exhibit that’s a genuine learning experience for Fair-goers of all ages. FFA Chapter members from a number of schools in our county and their advisors made that happen, and for that we express our sincere appreciation. I would be remiss for not also thanking our Executive Director Judi Whitson for her ongoing involvement with not only Ag-Venture but everything we do.
Also, many area companies, organizations and individuals provide financial support to our youth as they prepare for competitions on through to the sale of their entry from some of the events during post-show bidding.
And that brings to mind a large and very important group of people to which we all owe our thanks. These are the volunteers who give of their time and talent at both the Fair and Festival. Some support their churches and other organizations as cooks, servers and dishwashers, preparing those special food items that attendees have come to enjoy. There are also countless men and women who help our youth not just in competitions at the Fair and Festival, but throughout the weeks and months before those events take place. You don’t just get a cow, pig or sheep the week before the Fair and compete. That’s the same with entries in any of the competitions. First, you have to generate that interest, provide the guidance that’s needed to enable that young man or woman effectively compete and help meet and over-
So while many associate carnival rides and certain foods with both the Florida State Fair and Florida Strawberry Festival, I truly believe neither would enjoy the stature they have without the many volunteers who play an integral role in each of these events. For that I am most thankful. I’m very pleased to note that many of these volunteers and their families are Farm Bureau members. They have found this type of volunteerism helps us have the “Voice of Agriculture” heard. If you and your family have an interest in learning more about Farm Bureau and the opportunities and benefits membership offers, please contact us. Visit: www. hcfarmbureau.org or call our office in Plant City at 813/6859121. Dennis Carlton, Jr.
Dennis Carlton Jr. Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
305 SOUTH WHEELER STREET • PLANT CITY, FL 33566 • 813-685-9121 Board of Directors
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Dennis Carlton, Jr. , President; Jake Raburn, Vice-President; Tony Lopez Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Sambahv,Jay Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes Judi Whitson, Executive Director
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MORE THAN 60,000 STATE FAIR ATTENDEES LEARN ABOUT FLORIDA AGRICULTURE AT AG-VENTURE
By Jim Frankowiak
One of the mainstays at the annual Florida State Fair is Ag-Venture, an opportunity to learn about Florida agriculture and its diversity and importance. “We’ve had the opportunity to visit with and help educate more than 60,000 Fair attendees of all ages this year,” said Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Executive Director Judi Whitson. The Ag-Venture eight-station presentation gave attendees the opportunity to squeeze their own juice from Florida oranges; show them how to make butter; enable them to learn about cattle and byproducts; showcase the important role fertilizers play in feeding our world; how to extract strawberry DNA; see how plants can be grown without soil through a hydroponics display and give younger visitors the chance to ride and drive tractors.
Ag-Venture began in 1994 through a partnership of local agriculture commodity groups, Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, the Florida State Fair and Hillsborough County Extension. The partners formed a 501(c) 3 corporation operating under the name Ag-Venture, Inc. The initial tour in 1994 began with five stations and 600 students. Today, the number of stations has more than tripled and educational outreach is provided to more than 6,000 third-graders.
“We are most appreciative of our sponsors and volunteers,” said Whitson. “The growth of our program, both in terms of participants served and enhancements to our educational outreach, would not have taken place without their ongoing commitment. It’s also very gratifying to see visitors experience ‘ah-ha’ moments when they learn This was the first year for the hydroponics and strawberry DNA sta- about some aspect of agriculture and its impact on their daily lives, tions, and “both were very well received,” said Whitson. The multi-step and that’s not just youngsters, but people of all ages.” process for extracting DNA is a critical task for Ag researchers developing new strawberry varieties that offer traits important to growers The Ag-Venture Fall and Spring program for third-graders in Hillsborough County is sponsored by the Florida State Fair, Florida Farm Buand consumers. reau, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences “Ag-Venture’s popularity was very high throughout the fair,” noted Extension and Hillsborough County. Whitson. “In just the first three days of the Fair, visitors squeezed 25 boxes of Peace River Citrus.” Each of the stations is operated by volunteers, consisting primarily of FFA Chapters with 25 members from each plus their advisors, as well as other Ag-related groups. Sponsors of Ag-Venture at the Fair include: the Florida Agricultural Marketing Association, Florida Farm Bureau and its subsidiary, Agricultural Education Services and Technology (AEST) and Everglades Equipment Group.
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Ag-Venture is not limited to the annual Florida State Fair. During the school year, Hillsborough County third graders have the opportunity during the Fall and Spring to participate in Ag-Venture and learn about the importance of Agriculture and to help them develop an understanding and appreciation of where their food comes from, as well as they impact Ag has on their lives every day. The student tours include a variety of stations and hands-on activities.
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2020
CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS “The Best of the Best” 1ST Place - $1500 Cash Award BAILEY LAVENDER FROM ORLANDO 2nd Place Champion of Champions Isabel Perdomo from San Antonio 3rd Place Champion of Champions Austin Holcomb from Lithia 4th Place Champion of Champions Charles Phillips from Morriston 5th Place Champion of Champions Mary Babione from Brooksville
3rd place Senior Champion – Miranda Holder from Riverview 2nd place Senior Champion – Ethan Cates from Brooksville Champion Youth for Dog Show – Samantha Carr from Auburndale Youth Llama Junior Champion – Aviva Blatt from Lutz Intermediate Champion – Raina Ishak from Lutz 4th place Senior Champion – Miranda Holder from Riverview 3rd place Senior Champion – Karly Jameison from Wesley Chapel
6th Place Champion of Champions Payton Davis from Ocala
2nd place Senior Champion – Ryan Swartz from Sarasota
Mosaic Scholarship Winners
Champion Youth for Llama Show – Maggie Jordan from Nokomis
The winner of the $1,500 Scholarship is:
Youth Rabbit Junior Champion – Shelby Lawrence from Plant City
Daniela Ruiz from Seffner
Intermediate Champion – Layla Henson from Winter Haven
Florida State Fair Foundation Scholarship Winners The winners of the $1,000 Scholarship are: Callie Cramer from Oakland
4th place Senior Champion – Joslyn Hui from Winter Garden 3rd place Senior Champion – Kally Henson from Winter Haven 2nd place Senior Champion – Mary Babione from Brooksville
Shelbie Davis from Bradenton Camryn Farquhar from Zephyrhills
Champion Youth for Rabbit Show – Kelly Anne Swain from Belle Isle
Sierra Graham from Lake City
Youth Steer Intermediate Champion – Gabe Mitchell from Trenton
Jan Dillard Memorial Scholarship Winner
4th place Senior Champion – Madi Lefler from Dover
The winner of the $1,000 Scholarship is:
3rd place Senior Champion – Charles Phillips from Morriston
Emmalyn Dunn from Land O Lakes
2nd place Senior Champion – Bailey Lavender from Orlando
Jeanette Barthle Memorial Scholarship Winner The winner of the $1,000 Scholarship is: Mason Knowlton from Riverview
Champion Youth for Steer Show – Kylie Phillips from Orlando
Charles Phillips from Morriston
CHAMPION YOUTH WINNERS Youth Dog
Intermediate Champion – Michelle Faith Lightsey from Winter Haven
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Youth Dairy Junior Champion – Hannah Butler from Lorida Intermediate Champion – Logan Shoop from Wimauma 4th place Senior Champion – Mason Knowlton from Riverview
Junior Champion – Isabelle Muir from Lakeland
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4th place Senior Champion – Burlynne Mejeris from Old Town
March 2020
3rd place Senior Champion –Daniela Ruiz from Seffner 2nd place Senior Champion – Austin Holcomb from Lithia WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Youth Beef Junior Champion – Carlee Taylor from Lakeland Intermediate Champion – Gabe Mitchell from Trenton 4th place Senior Champion – Payge Dupre from Kathleen 3rd place Senior Champion – Payton Davis from Ocala 2nd place Senior Champion – Camryn Farquhar from Zephyrhills Champion Youth for Beef Show – Callie Cramer from Oakland Youth Sheep Junior Champion – Mia Portillo from Deltona Intermediate Champion – Isabella Moss from Deleon Springs 4th place Senior Champion – Isabel Perdomo from San Antonio 3rd place Senior Champion – Caitlin Wise from Deleon Springs 2nd place Senior Champion – Tyler Getzloff from Ocala Champion Youth for Dairy Show – Cole Verano from Okeechobee
Champion Youth for Sheep Show – Knatasha Beck from Deland
Youth Poultry Junior Champion – Amelia Zeleznock from Wesley Chapel Intermediate Champion – Caroline Evans from Brooksville 4th place Senior Champion – Ellie Huffman from Lithia 3rd place Senior Champion – Juliette Young from Lithia 2nd place Senior Champion – Nathanael Monroe from Floral City Champion Youth for Poultry Show – Connor Harper from Sorrento Youth Goat Junior Champion – Aleigha Walden from Dade City Intermediate Champion – Dylan Walden from Dade City 4th place Senior Champion –Amelia Sauls from Winter Garden 3rd place Senior Champion – Tyler Watson from Lake Helen 2nd place Senior Champion – Melina Perdomo from San Antonio Champion Youth for Goat Show – Rachel Morris from DeLeon Springs Youth Swine Junior Champion – Maggie Mosley from Green Cove Springs Intermediate Champion – Emily Shvetzoft from Zephyrhills 4th place Senior Champion – David Austin from Deland 3rd place Senior Champion – Jade Parrish from Parrish 2nd place Senior Champion – Megan Christopher from Deland Champion Youth for Swine Show – Madyson Keim from Lakeland
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WHY CHANGE TO “LED LIGHTS” Capt. Woody Gore
Brighter and Longer Lasting
What is an LED? As lighting technology improves, almost everyone has seen or will see this small bright light. They are an electronic light source created from a light-emitting-diode, and so the name LED. Invented in the early 20th century and introduced as a practical electronic component in 1962, these first devices emitted a low-intensity red light, but modern LEDs are now available across the color spectrum and capable of producing a very high brilliance. Applications of LEDs are widely diverse, often used as new equipment or as low-energy replacements for traditional lighting. Without getting into the process, manufacturing LEDs is simple but sophisticated. Although small in comparison, LEDs produce a brighter light source with advantages over traditional lighting. Some of these advantages include longer life, improved brightness, more modest size lower amperage draw, and instant-on capability. They hermetically seal LEDs for protection to work in the marine environment and other corrosive elements. The most reliable sealing method is encapsulating the circuit board and LEDs in a material that is impervious to the outside industrial, road, and marine environments. The most common application for LEDs in the boating industry is trailer lighting. However, boat manufacturers around the world are quickly jumping on the LED bandwagon. Primarily because of improved intensity, color combinations, and low operating amperage draws. Boat and utility trailers, for example, take a tremendous amount of misuse. Elements, including fresh and saltwater, rough roads, and rougher boat ramps, continually expose them to abuse. Therefore, producing a long-life light source like LEDs requires more exceptional care during design and manufacture. While this translates to a higher principle cost, it also means lower replacement costs over the life of the trailer. With some research, you can find an excellent LED trailer lighting kit priced somewhere between $50 and 75 dollars. So when replacing those old worn out filament bulbs,
Tampa Bay Fishing Report April 2020 Capt. Woody Gore
why not do it with a set of new LEDs and move into the 20th century.
Snook-Redfish-Trout - Closure Extended Through March 30, 2021 For you folks, that haven’t realized it yet we have four seasons in Florida – Almost Summer, Summer, Still Summer, and Christmas. But thanks goodness it’s almost summer and fishing is looking great for April. It’s always nice not having to throw the cast net unless you want to be a glutton for punishment. We’ve had an excellent last three months catching nice spotted sea trout using shrimp and artificial lures. We had some great days with trout measuring in the low to mid-20-inch range along with a few redfish, bluefish, some pompano and plenty of sheepsheads. Coming in April,
Snook (Closure Extended Through March 30, 2021) Look for snook can around docks, bridges, mangrove islands, oyster bars, or any other ambush spot structure. You often hear me talk about topwater action, well, this is a great month to get an excellent topwater lure punched out of the water by a big snook. It’s also a great time to fish docks and bridge fenders at night. Any good lipped lure tossed at a lighted structure and ripped through the light line will produce everything from snook, redfish, trout, to the occasional grouper. Trout Expect the trout fishing on any decent grass flat to be healthy through the rest of
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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the summer. Small jig heads with plastic tails or shrimp free-lined or under a popping cork will do the trick. And don’t be surprised if you might pull up a nice pompano off some the edges of the sandy flats. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Redfish (Closure Extended Through March 30, 2021) Redfish
are a staple of the TBA, and you can expect to catch plenty from now right through the summer. Live baits, dead baits or artificial lures, it’s all fun tussling these fighters. Target areas along the flats, edges of grass breaks, mangrove edges, and oyster bars should produce some nice catches.
Sheepshead, Snapper, Grunts, Sea Bass – Find one of the many rock piles or artificial reefs in Tampa Bay, and you’ll have yourself plenty of fish catching fun. These species are in the bay and easy to find. While sheeps take more time to clean, they are excellent table fare. When fishing for sheepsheads and others try using natural baits, like fiddler crabs, shrimps, oysters, mussels, and clams.
erel right out of the smoker, you’re in for a real treat. They are much better than smoked mullet and make tremendous fish spread. All you need is some garlic salt and the new non-stick aluminum foil. Smoke the fillets on medium heat until they flake; remove, and they’re ready to eat. Eat them while they are warm and the rest. Pull the meat away from the skin, missing the bloodline, and make a fish spread. Or you can vacuum seal the meat and put it in the freezer for later. Bluefish: Also, don’t forget those delicious bluefish fillets with the bloodline removed. Cut those bad boys into fingers and fry them up in your favorite batter. They go great with hush puppies and coleslaw. Or make up a batch of your favorite taco sides and shut the door.
Mackerel & Bluefish - If you are looking for
some great light-tackle action, look no further than Tampa Bay. It usually gets full of threadfins, and that means mackerel, bluefish, jacks, and ladyfish. Drift the bait schools or anchor around markers tossing out white baits or threadfins, and hang on. Shiny silver spoons or fast action artificial lures also do the trick. Since Trout, Redfish, and Snook closed for another year. And if you have to take a fish home but can’t make yourself stop by Cox’s Seafood Market on Dale Mabry for a deepwater fillet, how about trying this instead.
Spanish mackerel: How about taking home
a few mackerel fillets and putting them on the smoker. If you’ve never tried smoked mack-
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• Spanish moss used to be used for stuffing mattresses. • Coriander/cilantro has been around since biblical times. • Pineapples are the only bromeliad fruits that are sold commercially throughout the world • The ancient Egyptians believed coriander could be used in the afterlife as a food for the departed. • Because of the shape of the leaves, most Bromeliads are able to hold a lot of rainfall. • Because of the constant moisture, a food chain is created with the growth of algae, making them a small self-contained ecosystem. • Bromeliads include about 2,700 species, with the most well-known the pineapple. • Flowers are red, orange, purple or blue. • A bromeliad can grow in soil, on rocks and in other plants and trees. Because the plant can gather nutrients and moisture from its surrounding atmosphere, the plan has the nickname “air plant.”
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The first of December me and my wife, Patsy, went to Doctor Salvato’s office in Plant City for our annual flu shot. No problem, In and out in about ten-minutes. Three months later, no flu. They must be working for both of us. Ferris Waller, owner of the Flea Market north of Plant City, sent me an email from a friend of his on how to avoid the flu without taking a flu shot. In case you don’t want to take a shot next year you might want to follow his instructions. Ferris says the first step is to eat right. Take your vitamins and bump up your vitamin C. Get plenty of exercise because it builds your immune system. Walk for at least an hour a day, go for a swim, and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Wash your hands often. If you can’t, keep a bottle of antibacterial stuff around. Get lots of fresh air. Open doors and windows whenever possible. Try to eliminate as much stress from your life as you can. Get plenty of rest. OR, take the doctor’s approach. Think about it… When you go for a flu shot, what do they do first? They clean your arm with alcohol… Why? Because alcohol kills germs! So, why not walk to the bar (exercise) put lime in your vodka (fruit), Celery in your Bloody Mary (veggies). Drink outdoors on the patio…(fresh air)! Tell jokes and laugh…(eliminate stress), then pass out (rest). Ferris’ friend said, “The way I see it, is, if you keep your alcohol levels up, flu germs can’t get you!” If you’re hard of hearing, you will enjoy this story. An old man went to the Doctor complaining that his wife could hardly hear. The Doctor suggested a test to find out the extent of the problem. “Stand far behind her and ask her a question, and the slowly move up and see how farm away you are when she first responds.” The old man excited to finally be working on a solution for the hearing problem, runs home and sees his wife preparing supper. “Honey” the man asks standing around 20 feet away, “what’s for supper?” After receiving no response he tried it again 15 feet away, and again no response. Again at 10 feet, still no response. Finally he was 5 feet away “Honey what’s for supper?” She replies, “For the fourth time its lasagna!”
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Did you hear the story about Fred, who was in the hospital on his death bed? The family called Fred’s preacher to be with him in his final moments. As the Preacher stood by Fred’s bed, his condition seemed to deteriorate, and Fred motioned for someone to quickly give him a pen and paper. The Preacher quickly got a pen and paper
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and lovingly hand it to Fred. But before he had a chance to read the note, Fred died. The Preacher feeling that now was not the right time to read the note he, so he put it in his shirt pocket. It was at the funeral while speaking that the Preacher suddenly remembered the note. Reaching deep into his pocket the Preacher said, “You know what, I suddenly remembered that right before Fred died he handed me a note, and knowing Fred I am sure it was something inspiring that we can all gain from. With that introduction the Preacher unfolded the note that read “HEY PREACHER, YOU ARE STANDING ON MY OXYGEN TUBE!” Gertrude suddenly realized she was alone. For years she had been taking her husband to the doctor, then one day she realized she was all alone. Her husband had passed and she felt she could no longer move on. “Listen here Gertrude”, said her good friend Barbara, “Maybe you should go see a psychic. One of my friends did it after her husband died and it made her feel so much better knowing that her loved one was happy.” A few days later Gertrude found herself in a dim room with a crystal ball and a psychic talking in a calm voice. “Is he here?” Gertrude asked. “Yes, I sense him,” was her reply. “Please ask him if he is happy?” Gertrude hesitantly asked. “He’s putting his hand to his mouth like he wants to smoke,” said the psychic. “Oh, of course,” Gertrude said, “He wants a cigar. Fred can never last more than a few hours without a cigar. I guess they don’t have cigars up there. Did he say where he is or how I could get one to him?” Gertrude asked. “Hmm,” said the psychic. “I can’t seem to get that question across to him. But then again,” said the psychic after a short pause, “he didn’t say anything about needing a lighter.” I am sure most all of you have heard of John Hoki, the inventor of the Hoki Poki. While John’s life is well known, what’s not so well known is the story that happened at his funeral in the early 40s. Being that John was quite a popular fellow, mostly due to the Hoki Poki, which spread like wildfire through his small Alabama town, thousands showed up for his funeral, all coming to bid him farewell. Well it happened right before the ceremony was about to begin, when the undertake gently lifted John up to place him in the coffin. The problem that arose was that as soon as they put his right foot in….. (I’m sure you can figure out the rest.) Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the March 2016 issue WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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State Officers
Wow has these past six months have flown by. It seems like just yesterday I had the amazing opportunity of being elected to serve as the area V State Vice President. Over this half of a year, I’ve been given the experience of a lifetime. Whether that be visiting some of the amazing FFA chapters in the area I represent, or traveling within the country for various events like the national FFA convention, I am truly blessed to have this opportunity. If I had to choose my favorite part It would have to be the opportunity to facilitate the outstanding FFA members in our state during the leadership conferences like COLT (Chapter Officer Leadership Training) and CPC (Chapter Presidents Conference). I wouldn’t trade it for the world!
My favorite part of this journey has been meeting people from across the country, as well as people right here at home. Seeing everyone come together for one purpose, despite different backgrounds, is amazing and really inspires me to be my best self. It’s been extremely rewarding to make friends with people from different states and territories while also strengthening bonds made with those in Florida. We all fight for the agricultural industry and want to make a difference in the world.
My favorite part of the journey has simply been working with the students. They always make me smile and laugh and I have so many wonderful memories with them. Every school visit I feel so blessed to spend a little bit of their day getting to know them and inspiring them to follow their dreams. I hope that i can inspire them to get more involved in our organization and strive for success. -Sydney Swartman, State Secretary
-Jp Prescott, State President
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-Cole Hanson, Area V Vice President
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TOM UMIKER RETIRES;
SUZANNE HOLCOMB BECOMES NEW MANAGER OF THE GREATER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FAIR
By Jim Frankowiak Long Time Greater Hillsborough County Fair Manager Tom Umiker has retired and former Assistant Fair Manager Suzanne Holcomb has become the new Manager of the Fair. Umiker has been associated with the Fair for 25 years, and although he is retiring from his post, he plans to continue his volunteer involvement and assistance with special projects at the fairgrounds in eastern Hillsborough County. Born in upstate New York where his family owned and operated a dairy and poultry farm, the Umikers relocated to the Turkey Creek area in 1962. He attended local schools and was active in FFA , serving as president of the Turkey Creek FFA Chapter and as a state FFA officer. “I was born and raised in agriculture,” said Umiker, “and that along with a love for traditional fairs have been part of my life.” He is an alumnus of the University of Florida. Umiker and his wife Julie, who is on the staff Lincoln Elementary School, have a grown son and daughter and several grandchildren.
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Umiker is the owner of All About Ag, Inc. which provides ag-
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ricultural exhibits to fairs primarily in Florida for attendees of all ages. He was a staff member at the Florida State Fair from 1982 to 1990, serving as Executive Director from 1986 – 1990. In 1990, a new, dedicated group of citizens, who recognized the importance and need for bringing back and preserving the traditions of a county fair, formed The Greater Hillsborough County Fair Association. “I got involved after the Fair was started the first year and was struggling,” said Umiker. The initial Fairs were held on the grounds of the Florida State Fair followed by a year period at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Fair moved to its current location in 2007, but was limited to livestock shows its first two years in eastern Hillsborough County. The Fair with a ride midway, entertainment, competitive exhibits and livestock shows came about in 2009 as a five-day fair that has enjoyed continued growth. The 2011 Fair was the inauguration of spectator events in the new 1,800-seat arena and patrons attended two nights of Ranch Rodeo, complementing other Fair events. Two years later, a 20,000-square-foot, multi-use building was completWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
ed, allowing a portion of the livestock program to be housed under roof along with an exhibit area for Family Living entries which had previously been displayed under a tent. 2014 marked the largest expansion of the Fair program as the previous five-day event was expanded to eight days spread over two consecutive weekends (Thursday through Sunday). This allowed a number of new events and alleviated overcrowding. Umiker attributes the grown and expansion of the Fair to multiple sources. “We have a very strong group of volunteers who work throughout the year to enhance the Fair and what is has to offer,” he said. “Hillsborough County has been very supported along with a number of businesses and individuals.” As a multi-use facility, the fairgrounds has been the location for multiple county training activities from involving first responders and others. “We have also been the venue for many different private events, as well,” he said. Umiker has received numerous awards and recognition including Agriculture Educator of the Year from the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce; The Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fair, designation as a Certified Fair Executive from the International Association of Fairs and Expos and top honors in the American Farm Bureau Discussion Meet, as well as being selected as the Southeast Regional Winner in the National FFA Speaker Contest. In 2018, he was honored as the Hall of Fame inductee for the Florida Federation of Fairs and Livestock Shows.
“I have been involved in fairs since a youth, first as a youth exhibitor, volunteer, parent of exhibitor, ag education vendor and employee,” said Holcomb. “I have seen many aspects of the fair and in 2019 graduated the International Associations of Fairs and Expos Institute of Fair Management. “The Fair will continue to offer family entertainment and fun in a safe and wholesome environment,” she said. “The Youth Livestock Programs will continue to grow, along with our competitive events such as arts and crafts, photography and our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Ag/Art and Math) competitions. The historical area will have some improvements this year, with a feature on a local community. We will continue to offer free, daily entertainment and additional special events in the arena, as well as discount tickets prior to the Fair.” For more information, visit: hillsboroughcountyfair.com.
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Holcomb, a native of Plant City currently residing in Lithia with her husband and their three children, is a graduate of the University of Florida with degrees from the College of Agriculture in Animal Sciences. She has been associated with the Fair since 2009, initially as a volunteer on the livestock committee assisting with the youth dairy show. Holcomb became a parttime staff member of the Fair in 2012 and took on full-time responsibilities for marketing, youth livestock shows and contracts two years later.
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Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM (FFL) 101: Gardening Done Right Saturday, May 16, 2020, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, Seffner Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FFL) Agent
FFL 101 is an annual educational event addressing many of the principles of the Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM program. There are nine FFL principles, which include right plant-right place, water efficiently, fertilize appropriately, mulch, recycle, control yard pests responsibly, reduce stormwater runoff, attract wildlife and protect the waterfront. There will be four timely topic presentations, Right Plant-Right Place, Turfgrass and Fertilizers, Landscaping in the Shade and Edible Gardens, presented by UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County agents, staff and Tampa Water Department. By attending FFL 101: Gardening Done Right, you will learn easy and affordable ways to practice Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles in your landscape. You will receive several handouts, a gift bag per registration which contains a rain gauge, Florida gardening book and much more.
You will be able to browse displays featuring materials and information for your landscape, speak with UF/IFAS Extension professionals about your Florida-Friendly Landscape and share your favorite water-saving tips for outdoors and indoors. Bring your latest water bill and speak with our water conservation team who may be able to save you time, water and $ on irrigation. Several educational vendors will be present and have great giveaways, such as water bottles, FFL Guide to Plant Selection and Landscape Design, Park and Recreation Guides and much more. Other vendors have items for sale. D&D will have amazing ornamental, herb and vegetable plants. Twisted Mind Rusty Metal, Andy Hamilton, will have his unique and crazy creations, like a dragon made from chains. Blue Sage Eco Boutique features all-natural, hand-poured soy candles made with Essential oils and premium fragrance oils.
There is Easy Online Registration! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ffl-101-gardening-doneright-tickets-86030973959 or view http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/upcoming-events/
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We hope you will be able to join us from 10 am – 2 pm and learn more about plant selection and placement, how and when to appropriately use fertilizer, proper turfgrass management, how to identify shade versus sun loving plants and cre-
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ate a successful edible garden. This event is for Hillsborough County (all municipalities included) residents only. There is a fee of $12.50 which includes lunch, a gift bag and soil sample. 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://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu and http://edis.ifas. ufl.edu. Remember to reuse, reduce, recycle and repeat.
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Sign up
for a FREE On-Farm Readiness Review The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) inspections have begun. Sign up now to request a free On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR), offered in partnership by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and University of Florida IFAS. The OFRR is an educational opportunity to help individual farms align practices with the PSR regulatory requirements in preparation for inspections.
For more information on FSMA and to sign up for an OFRR, visit FDACS.gov/FSMA or call (863) 578-1900. To take full advantage of the OFRR and for PSR compliance, one farm representative should first attend a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training. Upcoming trainings can be found at: crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/events
Funding for this statement was made possible, in part, by the Food and Drug Administration through grant PAR-16-137. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services.
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FLorida
Rutabaga By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Rutabaga is a cruciferous root vegetable that is a cross between cabbage and turnips. Also called yellow turnips, white turnips, neeps, or swedes, rutabagas are native to Scandinavia and Russia. Both the leaves and the root are edible. The peel is generally not eaten, since it is waxy. The root is similar to a potato and can be mashed, roasted, fried, boiled, or sautéed. The main rutabaga season in Florida is October through March. The root is denser than that of a turnip and ranges in color from yellow-tan to deep purple.
Additionally, this important vitamin is involved in glucose and lipid metabolism, helping the body use the fats and carbohydrates eaten, as well as synthesis of neurotransmitters, which include serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and GABA. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are hormones that play a key role in responding to stress; GABA is essential for healthy brain function; and serotonin contributes to feelings of wellbeing. Conversely, a lack of serotonin and norepinephrine is linked with depression.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE
An important contributor to heart health, vitamin B6 also lowers homocysteine levels, a dangerous molecule that causes damage to the blood vessel wall and subsequent atherosclerosis. High homocysteine levels have been associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Eating rutabaga and other foods high in vitamin B6 is good for your heart.
As a root vegetable, the rutabaga is packed with a wide variety of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals such as carotenoids and polyphenols. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup raw, cubed rutabaga (140 g) contains 52 calories, 1.5 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 12 g carbohydrate, and 3.2 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 160% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin C, 20% for vitamin B6, 19% for magnesium, and 16% for calcium, 12% for dietary fiber and plentiful amounts of phosphorus, potassium, manganese and the B vitamins.
Fiber & Resistant Starch One cup of rutabaga provides 12% of your daily requirements for fiber. Fiber has many beneficial functions, including lowering cholesterol, preventing colon cancer, and improving bowel regularity. Rutabaga is a great source of complex carbohydrates, including fiber and resistant starch. Resistant starch is a type of fiber, along with soluble and insoluble types, and has beneficial physiological actions in the body. Resistant to digestion in the stomach and small intestine, it reaches the large intestine intact. It improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, lowers plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, increases satiety, and provides bulk. In the bowel, resistant starch also supports the growth of healthy bacteria and inhibits the growth of potentially harmful bacteria. The amount of resistant starch can be maximized by cooking and then cooling the rutabaga before consuming, such as in a salad.
Building Cells with Vitamin B6 A one cup serving of rutabaga contains 20% of your daily requirement for vitamin B6. As a water-soluble vitamin, B6 is not stored in the body, and needs to be consumed in adequate amounts on a regular basis to replenish the body’s supply. Vitamin B6 is involved as a coenzyme in many enzymatic reactions and is essential for the formation of new cells in the body. This nutrient is required for the synthesis of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, as well as nucleic acids, which are used to make DNA. Phospholipids, which make up the cell membrane, and heme, the protein component of red blood cells, are also dependent on vitamin B6.
Choose root vegetables that are firm, smooth, and free of decay or wet spots. Avoid those that have sprouts or discoloration. Smaller rutabagas tend to have a sweeter flavor than larger varieties. You can store rutabagas for up to 1 week at room temperature or up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Rinse well under running water and peel the waxy skin before cooking.
How to Enjoy Rutabaga can be cooked in a variety of ways, including boiled, baked, or roasted. It can be used to thicken soup or even sliced thin and eaten raw in a salad. It is also delicious when cooked with other root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots and mashed or sautéed. Since rutabaga has a neutral flavor, it can fit easily into any dish. Additionally, rutabaga can serve as a gluten-free thickener in soups and stews. Here are some more serving ideas: • Mash boiled rutabaga with milk, yogurt, or chicken broth • Scoop the flesh out of the peel, mix with cheese and spices, and refill the shells for baked rutabaga • Sautee sliced potatoes with sliced carrots, rutabaga or parsnips for a mixed root vegetable dish • Add sliced, cooked rutabaga to egg omelets • Roast with olive oil and salt for an easy side dish • Grate and use for hash browns, dumplings, or potato pancakes • Grate and add to soups or stews • Cook, mash, and add to cake and muffin recipes Enjoy more fresh Florida rutabaga today.
SELECTED REFERENCES http://www.whfoods.com http://www.florida-agriculture.com http://www.ipmcenters.org/cropprofiles/docs/ INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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How to Select and Store
“free” services can point the way toward establishing programs that can help farmers provide even more of them. Yes, we want to cast greater shade, protect you from bigger floods, host wildlife on our properties, support rural economies, and do more for the health of bees and butterflies that pollinate food and non-food plants alike. By Lynetta Usher Griner, Jim Strickland, and Jack Payne As your farmers, foresters, ranchers, and agricultural scientists, we know you’re buying based on more than price. We see it when you spend extra for grass-fed beef, organic produce, or cage-free eggs. We believe there’s a market for food that fights climate change. Your tomatoes already take carbon from the air and lock it in the soil. Your steaks come from pastures that keep the planet a lot cooler than subdivisions do. We want to do a lot more. With the right tools and incentives, farmers can be leaders in finding solutions to the climate crisis. We’re your green infrastructure. Traditional infrastructure such as roads and sewers and fire stations get funded by taxpayers. The green infrastructure of farms, pastures, and forests provide critical services, too, such as clean water and air and preserving land for future generations. But you don’t pay for those – we do. We’re talking millions of acres of living air filters, for example, that can slow the warming of the planet. While they’re at it, they might even reduce asthma rates. About a year ago a group of us started meeting as the Florida Climate Smart Ag Working Group to look for ways to make us even better climate citizens. What we’ve discovered is that even we don’t fully appreciate what we’re providing now. That’s why our producer-led group will be the first of what we expect will be many agricultural organizations to get behind an idea developing at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to take an inventory of the environmental benefits provided by Florida agriculture. In science, they’re called ecosystems services. This inventory will help us identify what agriculture provides in addition to food, fiber, and fuel. Such cataloguing of these
We also want to do more to fight climate change. We need science to show how farms can capture more carbon, how forests and pastures can clean more air. We don’t deny that there’s a carbon footprint from running irrigation systems, fueling tractors, and unspooling acres of plastic sheeting over our plant beds. No matter what we do on this planet, though, we leave our footprints. Dinner for 7.8 billion can get messy. We’re in this climate crisis together. Almost no one stands to lose more than farmers as temperatures rise, stronger hurricanes lash crops, and new pests ride in on heat waves. Traditionally, farmers have not wanted to listen to scientists’ hand-wringing over a planet in peril. This is especially true when it involves farmers needing to change the way we manage our land. We have come to understand and appreciate climate solutions we can deliver from the land. We’re now asking university researchers to help us help mitigate climate change. Some of these scientists are showing interest in analyzing agriculture’s costs and benefits to inform policy that will tilt that balance in the right direction. We haven’t much talked about farming’s aesthetics, cooling, carbon sequestration and other intangibles because we haven’t identified them all. Nor have we measured them. It’s time for that to change. If we want to acknowledge farmers who score high in offering these intangibles and encourage others to do so, we need scientists. They have the tools to figure out what it is of value that farms produce beyond food. Your purchases of climate-smart food and your votes for representatives interested in incentivizing climate mitigation will strengthen our efforts. We’re all in this together. We want our land to provide solutions to the climate crisis. In the long run, if we don’t, it won’t provide as much food.
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Lynetta Usher Griner is the 2018 Florida Farmer of the Year and a generational forest landowner and logger. Jim Strickland is the 2019 Audubon Florida Sustainable Rancher of the Year. They are the co-chairs of the Florida Climate Smart Agriculture Steering Committee. Jack Payne is the University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
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Celebrating a most fruitful relationship
between Florida Strawberry Growers and International Paper.
1979
Together we’re sure to enjoy many more years of sweet success.
711 E. Lancaster Rd Orlando, FL 32809 (407) 855-2121
1996
2402 Police Center Dr Plant City, FL 33566 (813) 717-9100 6706 N. 53rd St Tampa, FL 33610 (813) 744-2220 Sales: Dean Fultz (901) 355-5197 or Jim Johnson (813) 205-0355
2001
2003
Present
©2018 International Paper Company. All rights reserved.
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Plant Brothers By Libby Hopkins
It has been said that, “Behind the success of every small business is a family.” Sam and Aaron Rodas would agree with this statement. The two brothers are the owners of the new popup plant shop, Yura Vine Brothers. “We are two brothers that proudly call Tampa home,” Sam Rodas said “We are originally from beautiful Peru and the first word in our name ‘Yura’ comes from the ancient Incan language of Quechua. Yura means a living being with strong roots that has the strength and desire to live.” The brothers came to Tampa in 2001 and they both worked in the corporate world but found peace and relaxation in plants. “Two years ago I joined the Seminole Heights Community Garden where I learned to grow many vegetables from seeds,” Same said. “I grew a variety of vegetables ranging from tomatoes to eggplants, and even okra. In December of 2019 I became plant house obsessed. I live in a onebedroom apartment and it is truly a concrete jungle with over 60 houseplants. My passion for houseplants is what led my brother and I to create the business.” Aaron Rodas has the same passion for plants as his brother. “Throughout my life, I have started many successful businesses, something I think I get from our dad,” Aaron said. “My wife Leia and I have numerous houseplants and when my brother Sam presented the business idea to me, I knew it was a great one. House plants make people happier, healthier, and it gives people something to look forward and care for.” Yura Vine Brothers was born.
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Aaron and Sam officially opened their business in November of 2019, with their grand opening being at the Ybor City Saturday Market. “The business took months of preparation and
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hard work,” Aaron said. “We had to get all of the right licensing done, and we even built a greenhouse from scratch. Since our grand opening, we have participated in numerous markets throughout the Tampa Bay area. We are a pop-up plant shop and some of our plants can be found for sale at the Lufkas Refillables Store in Seminole Heights.” Growing up in Peru definitely influenced the brothers to start a plant business. “This is primarily because of our father,” Sam said. “Our father is a go-getter that has had many different jobs and businesses in his life. His perseverance of getting back up when he has confronted challenges has taught us the meaning of working hard. Our father still lives in Peru and at the age of 63 continues to be a very hard working man. Our mom, who lives in the United States with us, has also influenced us tremendously. She has taught us to always be humble and grateful for the opportunities that life gives us. Plants are living beings that have the power to make people happy. And for us to be able to share that with our Tampa Bay community is something that we will always be grateful for.” There is truth in what Sam said about plants making humans happy and even healthy. According to WebMD (www.webmd. com), “Plants not only can brighten up your surroundings, but they can lift your mood. Employees who work in offices with plants tend to feel better about their jobs, worry less, and take fewer sick days. Flowers in particular are a good pick-meup.” The website also said, “Furnaces and air conditioners can sap humidity indoors, especially in the winter. That can raise your chances for catching a cold or the flu, or make your skin itch. Houseplants add moisture to the air. One study found a collection of spider plants boosted the relative humidity in a bedroom from 20 percent to a more comfortable 30 percent.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
So, what makes Yura Vine Brothers different from other pop-up plant shops in the Tampa Bay community? Sam would say they can relate to each and every one of their customers. “So many of our customers are first time plant parents and some are experienced plant people,” Sam said. “Between Aaron and myself, we have given numerous counts of advice on plants to our customers. Several of our customers message us on Instagram and send us photos of their plants when they are struggling and we happily help them on getting back on the right track. Aside from that, we carry a variety of plants that are just not found at big retailers.” The brothers are strong believers in shopping local and supporting local, too. “Shopping local is everything to us,” Sam said. “Prior to starting our own plant business, we were established repeat customers at many local farmers’ markets and stores. We love getting fresh vegetables from the farmers’ markets. I personally buy just about all of my everyday household items from local businesses such as candles, cleaning products, etc.” Aaron is proud that they locally source their plants as well. “Our plants are sourced from Florida only,” Aaron said. “We have a few growers in the central Florida area that we exclusively work with.”
If you’d like to learn more about Yura Vines Brothers or to find out what local artisan markets they are going to be at in the Tampa Bay area, you can visit their website at www.yuravinebros.com. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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CROP INSURANCE: IT PAYS TO MANAGE YOUR RISK When you purchase risk management coverage with Farm Credit of Central Florida, we return a portion of our commission as patronage dividends to eligible stockholders. Patronage dividends could help lower the cost of insurance premiums, saving you money as you manage your risk. Farm Credit of Central Florida is glad to discuss how we can save you money on your crop insurance with patronage dividends. Feel free to contact our crop insurance specialist, Regina Thomas, at 407.721.4687 or rthomas@farmcreditcfl.com. Patronage dividend distribution is subject to eligibility. Certain limitations, conditions, and exclusions apply for crop insurance. Please refer to the policy for more details.
Important Sales Closing Dates Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) . . . . . . .Feb. 28 Citrus Fruit & Citrus Trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April 15 Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 1 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 15
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Blueberries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 20
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If you need a heart procedure, making an appointment with BayCare is standard procedure. From the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and heart rhythm disorders to emergency heart attack care, South Florida Baptist Hospital is your BayCare hospital in Plant City. We use advanced technology like state-of-the-art imaging and noninvasive diagnostic tests. And we always provide the high level of personal care that BayCare is renowned for. If your primary care doctor suggests you see a cardiologist, we can refer you: (844) 344-1952 or KnowYourHeart.org.
In Tampa Bay, BayCare hospitals are selected most often for people needing cardiac care.
Based on an aggregated number of adults who needed to be admitted to hospitals due to cardiovascular problems as reported by the state of Florida that lived in the four-county area of Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk from April 1, 2018, through March 31, 2019.
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WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM 20-1020466-0120
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Charity Events Benefiting the Florida FFA Foundation
SATURDAY • MARCH 21
FOURTH A N N UA L
FUTURE FARMER CLASSIC
REGISTRATION - 8:00 AM SHOTGUN START - 8:30 AM
$125 PER INDIVIDUAL SHOOTER $450 PER TEAM OF FOUR SHOOTERS 50 Bird Tournament. Carts are $125 each. Limited Quantities Available.
and stick around for the 17TH AN N U AL
BEAST FEAST & AUCTION FOOD & SILENT AUCTION - 11:00 AM LIVE AUCTION - 1:30 PM
Wild Game Dinner to include Gator, Venison, Swamp Cabbage and more! Silent & Live Auctions include Hunting & Fishing Trips, Travel Packages and much more!
$25
DONATION
$100
5 TICKETS
Florida FFA Leadership Training Center • 5000 Firetower Road Haines City, Florida 33844
For more information, visit FlaFFA.org • Sponsorship Opportunities are available. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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NEED BERRY OR VEG GROUND ???
Gladstone Land owns a dozen farms with close to 2,000 acres in Hillsborough and Manatee counties that we lease to growers.
1. We provide flexible lease terms based on market rents.
2. We provide ongoing capital to improve the wells, irrigation and drainage.
Please contact Bill Frisbie at Gladstone Land: (703) 287-5839 PAGE
bill.frisbie@gladstonecompanies.com | www.gladstoneland.com
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RILEY BUTTORFF Named Florida Strawberry Festival Steer Grand Champion
By Breanne Williams
This year’s grand champion at the Florida Strawberry Festival’s Mosaic Youth Steer Show has proved that relentless hard work can achieve exceptional results.
For those who head to the Charlie Grimes Family Agriculture Center for the first time to watch the Mosaic Youth Steer Show everything seems seamless and simple. Students come out with the steer they’ve been raising over the past year, walk it around the ring and prove to the judges they have cultivated a perfect specimen. When you peel back that picture perfect final product, however, you find months of meticulous training, countless hours of feeding, grooming and handling the steer and weeks of reaching out to businesses and community leaders asking them to attend the show and potentially purchase the animal. Riley Buttorff, a 17-year-old student at Plant City High School, proved that hard work does in fact pay off. She and her steer Augustus, aka ‘Gus’, wowed the judges and were officially dubbed Grand Champion at the 85th annual Florida Strawberry Festival. When Buttorff stepped into the Patterson Co. Livestock Arena she fully felt the weight of more than six years of training for this moment on her shoulders. She began showing livestock in sixth grade. She was small, she was determined and she showed her sheep with pride for the judges.
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It was an exhilarating rush and in seventh grade she decided to try something even more complex: heifers. She said one of her father’s good friends owns a farm and suggested she make the move to cattle. He and her parents guided her and taught her everything she would need to know to start showing the larger animals.
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She learned a lot over the course of that year and decided she was ready to move up to a steer in eighth grade. Her inexperience, she joked, led to one of the craziest years of her life. She walked the calf sporadically and while she did make sure she spent enough time with him to get him ready for the ring she didn’t spend even a fraction of the time she does now molding the animal to perfection. At first his determination scared her. He would fight and she would let go of the lead. It took a while for her to realize she had to stand up to him and make him realize she was in control. “That first year was just crazy,” Buttorff said. “He would not set up. I was putting in the extra hours, but not near as much as I realize now I should have. Anything you put in a little extra effort — well you get out of life what you put into it. Anything you do halfway, you’re only going to get halfway success. You have to throw everything you have into things you are passionate about if you want to get real success out of the project.” After that first year her mindset completely shifted. She began spending hours every week training her steers and ensuring everything they did was perfect. This year was the most she’s ever spent with her animal and the extra mile evidently paid off as she walked away with the prestigious title. She tied his head up every single day to ensure he stood properly in the ring. Sometimes she worked with her father to WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
smooth out any wrinkles in his stance, often she was out there alone combing through the routine. She walked him at least half an hour every day and those few days she missed she added extra time to the next day’s affair. Her parents pushed her to strive for excellence and their support and encouragement convinced her to make sure she really was giving everything she had toward the project. As the Strawberry Festival drew near she began to look at Gus with pride. She knew she had raised a valuable contender. Then right before the show chaos ensued. As Gus was stepping onto the scale to be weighed one of his hooves slipped. He was limping and nothing Buttorff did seemed to work to correct his stance. She was in tears, faced with the knowledge that the steer she had poured her heart and soul into and worked so tirelessly with over the past year would not be up to par because of a freak accident. Three hours before the show, Wesley Joyner, took Buttorff and Gus outside and began the process of slowly walking him again. Buttorff said she still doesn’t fully understand it, but something just clicked and suddenly Gus was healed and walking like normal. Flooded with relief she carefully led him out into the ring and she said while she was proud of everything he accomplished she was so emotionally drained she wasn’t expecting her name to be called when the judges finally announced their choice of grand champion. “Honestly I was completely speechless,” Buttorff said. “I was in complete shock. I did not expect that because while I knew my steer had been worked with a lot and was looking very good in the ring, there was all of the other insecurities from earlier in the day lingering in the back of my mind. There were a lot of great steers in that ring so to hear my name called, that was such an honor.” Gus, who weighed 1,337 pounds, ended up selling for $21. Buttorff said she always puts the money toward her education and is saving it for her college expenses. She wants to spend the next year working on improving her college application by getting more involved in the community. She currently is on the cheer team for the special olympics at PCHS and has big plans on using her newly acquired free time to give back more. She will show a heifer next year so that she can wrap up her high school experience with her friends in the barn without having to spend such extensive hours training a steer. Buttorff said the dream is to attend the University of Florida to become an agriculture lawyer. Every year, as more and more people flock to Florida, ag land continues to disappear. She said it is important that farmers have someone in their corner that understand what they’re going through and will fight for them in court. The profession mixes her two passions, ag and law, so she’s eager to get started pursuing her “dream career.”
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ZOOM INTO SPRING!
Yes! Finally! Spring is here!
There were those times, last month, when I really wondered whether Spring would get here. Granted, February gave us some crazy weather. One day it would be in the 80’s, and you’d think we just had skipped right into summer. Then, just as suddenly, it was back into the 40’s; and maybe even the 30’s if you lived in the right (or wrong) place. Really, though, isn’t that one of those things that’s just great about Florida? Variety is the spice of life is what the old saying says; and we certainly get our share. Whenever someone from up north tells me how great things are back home with their four seasons, I just smile and point out that February often gives us four seasons over the course of just one month!
by John Dicks
and answer questions, letting you get a close hand look of what and who it takes to fly these amazing machines, including the ones that zoom faster than the speed of sound and pull 8 g’s while flipping inverted at the end of a simulated bombing run. Topping off each day is the exhilarating demonstration show of the world famous Blue Angels, flown by the team of expert naval aviators from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Hearing the “Sound of Freedom” emanating from the engines of the F/A 18 Fighter Jets is simply amazing, but to literally feel their power thundering low over the audience is an experience few will ever forget. The AirFest will stir your feelings of patriotism and make you proud of the men and women with such special skills, talents, and expertise, who willingly defend our nation. Don’t think about going to AirFest, just do it!
Now all of that crazy weather is behind us. It is, isn’t it? Sort of. Let’s at least enjoy it until August and the dreaded hurricane season starts in earnest. After that will be “Campaign Season,” with probably the stormiest of all winds imaginable. It should be a wild one. So for now, enjoy the glorious springtime. Here, are some things I’m looking forward to this “season”
SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo - March 31 - April 5 So as not to let Tampa have all the aeronautical fun, Lakeland likes to showcase every spring all it has for flying fanatics. It’s time for the grand event, formerly known as the Sun ’n Fun Fly-In. Since 1974, aviation enthusiasts have flown in from some 80 countries for a week of events including airshows, seminars, forums, and workshops. By some estimates, upwards to 250,000 people will check-out some or all the activities.
Tampa Bay AirFest 2020, March 28-29 Certainly not to be overlooked, nor missed, is this year’s AirFest at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. If you’ve never been to this extravaganza of aerial things, put it high on your list of todo’s. The whole thing is free, including parking, and over the course of two days you can really get up close and personal with both current and vintage military aircraft. There are static displays where you can pose with supersonic fighter jets, checkout the cockpit of helicopters, and even walk through the belly of giant transport planes. Generally, the pilots and maintainers of the aircraft will be standing by to chat
It’s grown so much, and looked forward to by so many, that the official name has morphed from the SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In, to the grandiose moniker of SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo. The Blue Angels won’t be there this year (probably because they’ll be performing in Tampa just a few days earlier), but the Air Force Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the Expo. Granted that while I am admittedly partial to the Blue Angels (particularly since they fly the same plane as does my Marine Corps Fighter Pilot son), the Thunderbirds also put on a grand show and are exciting to watch. They are aptly named, too, as all will witness when the massive engine of the F16 thunders through the sky.
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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
Elusive and Incredible: The South Florida Rainbow Snake By Ginny Mink
This month we are excited to write about an animal that has an elusive history and an incredible story! Had we not come across this recent news we would have never even heard of this interesting reptile. So, now, let us introduce you to the South Florida Rainbow Snake. Don’t let the name give you a false view of this snake’s appearance. In fact, some say that it looks more like a rainbow’s shadow that an actual rainbow. Yet, it is still beautiful and colorful though very few people have ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on this creature.¹ The truth is, “virtually nothing is known about this snake…”² This is why it is considered one of the rarest snakes in the country. Between the years of 1949 and 1952 there were only three snakes found. Since the 1950s there were many attempts to locate this secretive snake, but none of these searches were successful!² However, a rainbow snake was recently seen in north Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently revealed, literally this year, that a hiker, Tracey Cauthen, saw a four foot long rainbow snake while she was hiking in the Ocala National Forest.³ What makes this so incredible is that the Center for Biological Diversity had petitioned the government to include the South Florida Rainbow Snake in the Endangered Species Act. They petitioned in 2010, but the federal government decided, in 2011, that the snake was actually extinct and therefore was not eligible for protection.¹ Apparently, they didn’t even investigate the situation since the last time anyone saw one was in 1969.³ Thankfully, the Center for Biological Diversity was not ready to give up on this cryptic snake. They even set a reward of $500 for hard evidence that the snake still existed. In 2012, there was a reported sighting that set the Center, along with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service back on the mission to locate this creature. But, they didn’t locate any at that time.¹ Now, with the discovery in Marion County, there is hope that this cool reptile can actually be placed under protection!
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According to the Florida Museum, the record size for these snakes is just over four feet long. The adults are thick bodied. They have red and yellow areas on their chins, throats, and bellies and reddish-pink stripes on their sides. They are an iridescent blue-black with stripes or spots down the middle of their backs. And their babies are thought to look quite similar.² Rainbow Snakes are aquatic, for the most part. They are believed to spend the majority of their lives hidden under and in the midst of aquatic vegetation. They burrow in tidal mudflats, and near marshes, creeks, and lakes. These snakes feast
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mainly on eels and have sometimes been known as eel moccasins even though they are non-venomous.³ Historically, the snakes were only observed in one population found in Glades County. This was in Fish Eating Creek which flows “into the western side of Lake Okeechobee…”² which is located in the southern peninsula.² So, the hiker’s sighting in Marion County is an incredible breakthrough that is definitely worthy of excitement for those of us that care about creatures purposely placed on earth. Some believe that the main reason we haven’t seen this snake in over 50 years is because it lives a secretive life in subterranean areas. And, the rationale behind this most recent sighting is due to the fact the Rodman Reservoir has been getting low causing the snake to seek more appropriate habitat.³ Regardless of the reason the snake was on the move, we are just so thrilled that the federal government was proven wrong! We love that this snake is still in existence and we are sure that Tracey Cauthen is enjoying her reward for having been able to provide proof that this snake is still alive! Now, perhaps, there will be hope for protection and further investigation. We would love to know more about a snake that has proven to be one of the least understood and under-studied in our country! Photos of the snake prove that it is really quite gorgeous. God’s ability to make creatures that are unusual and secretive always excites us. His creativity is an example of how amazing He is. And, since He deemed this snake worthy of life, we think it is equally worthy of our protection as stewards of this planet. With 2020 just barely underway we look forward, in hope, that other previously thought-to-be-extinct animals will be sighted here in Florida! Resources: ¹Center for Biological Diversity. Saving the South Florida Rainbow Snake. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/reptiles/South_Florida_rainbow_snake/index.html ²Florida Museum. University of Florida. Southern Florida Rain bow Snake. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/herpetology/fl-snakes/list/farancia-erytrogramma-seminola/ ³Clarkson, B. (2020). ‘Cryptic’ rainbow snake spotted in Florida county for first time in over 50 years. Sun Sentinel. https:// www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-ne-rainbow-snakeflorida-20200226-ffxswz6bezct5cnnyr5vhqwgg4-story.html Photo Credits: Enge, Kevin. (2013). Rainbow Snake. FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/ERRUiE Biodiversity Heritage Library. (2011). n169_w1150. (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/adgDU2 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
With every generation, we get better at protecting our environment. Ashlee, seen here with her father, Bud, is a secondgeneration employee. As a reclamation ecologist, she works to return mined lands to productive use as wildlife habitats, agriculture, restored streams, and more—so future generations can enjoy these lands for years to come.
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U.S. Ag Secretary
Sonny Perdue
visits Florida Strawberry Festival
After three years of trying to make it happen, the Florida Strawberry Festival was finally able to host Sonny Perdue, the United States Secretary of Agriculture, on March 6. Perdue was joined by Representative Ross Spano (FL-15) and Representative Greg Pence (IN-6) of Indiana. Though Perdue’s visit wasn’t announced until the last minute, strawberry growers and other stakeholders were able to pack the festival’s directors’ box late that morning for a steak luncheon that led to a roundtable discussion. “If we can hear these things, if I can hear them, I can take them back and it empowers us to go back to our colleagues both in Congress and in the administration and advocate for those policies that make sense for you all,” Perdue said.
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The room was anxious to hear Perdue’s thoughts on issues impacting their work, and they seemed pleased with what the secretary had to say as early as he finished his opening statement prior to taking questions. The stakeholders didn’t have
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By Justin Kline
many questions for Perdue — three asked questions and another topic was suggested by Spano — but he gave in-depth answers and explaining what he and his department hope to do to address the issues. Perdue was asked about topics like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, H-2A-related losses and immigration issues, school lunch options and more. The hottest topic of the day was about negative effects imports from central Mexico have had on Florida’s berry market, which has led local growers to feel they operate at a disadvantage despite being based in the United States. “That’s where this investigation has to come about,” Perdue told stakeholders. “We’ve got to prove a case there. President Trump has demonstrated his willingness to use leverage that way. But when you’re in a free trade environment, you’ve got to have facts when they’re not playing fair.”
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Spano said having Perdue come in to personally talk to growers will help give them confidence that the government is there to advocate for them. “Our growers still have an incredibly positive attitude,” Spano said. “They support the President, they’ve supported USMCA but they are excited and optimistic about what, hopefully, we can achieve through this investigation and hoping we can have some relief for the problems we feel like we’ve experienced here in our area.” Perdue said he tries to make similar appearances around the country as often as he can to meet with farmers and hear their concerns for himself. “This is where real agriculture takes place,” Perdue said. “We’re traveling over 50 percent of the time and this is my favorite part of the job, getting out with members of Congress and their constituents, because what we try to do in administration is meet the needs of what they’re hearing from their constituents.”
quick tour of the festival grounds. Perdue visited the Florida Strawberry Growers Association’s display and sat on their iconic porch. He chowed down on a strawberry shortcake from St. Clement and got one of their signature stickers to wear at his next few stops for the day. He visited some of the FFA booths to talk to students and teachers and pose for photos, then visited the Smithfield Entertainment Tent and chatted with members of Transforming Life Church before leaving Plant City around 12:30 p.m. Perdue said the USDA will host a public hearing regarding USMCA seasonal provisions in Plant City on April 7 at a location and time to be determined, though he won’t be there. “We want to continue to make sure you all are in a fair trading environment going forward,” Perdue told stakeholders.
After finishing the roundtable discussion and posing for photos with many who attended the luncheon, Spano and Florida Strawberry Festival directors led Perdue and his group on a
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s e p i c e R These recipes come from WWW.STRAWBERRYSUE.COM
Florida Strawberry Nutella Pizza Filling
Pizza dough for one pizza 1 jar of Nutella 8 oz bittersweet chocolate bar 4 cups of sliced Florida strawberries
DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven as it preheats. This will give you an extra crispy crust just like a traditional stone pizza oven!
and carefully place the pizza dough on the stone. Place back into the oven and bake for around 10 minutes or until its edges are puffy and the crust begins to turn golden brown.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Pressing from the center out in a circular motion, start forming your pizza. It’s important to keep the dough density consistent so flip the dough and re-flour from time to time.
Once the pizza is ready, remove from the oven and the pizza stone. Now spread the Nutella and don’t be afraid to be as generous as you like! Grate the dark chocolate bar over the Nutella.
Evenly distribute the sliced strawberries, Take your pizza stone out of the oven. slice and enjoy! Dust the top of the pizza stone with flour
Florida Strawberry Dream Ice Cream INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole milk 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup white sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups mashed fresh strawberries
DIRECTIONS In a large bowl, combine the milk, cream, sugar, salt and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix for 20-30 minutes until it begins to thicken.
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Add strawberries and process for 10-15 more minutes. The ice cream
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will have a soft, creamy texture. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving. Add a sprig of mint or basil for an even more beautiful display. Chef’s note: If your ice cream maker is as noisy as most, or if it tends to lose its cool a little early in the process, have I got a trick for you! Simply clear out some space in your refrigerator or freezer and let the magic happen in the cold, quiet darkness of your freezer or fridge. This also means you can make more than one batch a day since your freezer bowl won’t thaw out as quickly!
March 2020
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By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida Part 66 Traveling on the Literary Time Machine has certainly been an interesting journey and so we look forward to this next voyage. What will Mr. Torrey Simpson advise us of this month? What new plants will we be introduced to? What might we learn from this nearly one hundred year old book? These are the questions that drive us forward on this adventure each month. Join us as we hop on, once again!
We’ll start this month’s trip taking a look at Tricholaena rosea. Mr. Simpson says it’s also known as Natal grass, “…and has become naturalized almost throughout Florida.”¹ He continues to describe it as, “A delicate grass, three feet high, with a panicle of silky spikelets which may be rose color, wine color or purple, even varying to rich coppery red.”¹ He adds, “In places this grass has taken possession of large fields and the effect of the waving plumes under the wind is wonderful. It is used for hay and for pasture.”¹ Photos of the grass agree with his description. It is quite pretty, but we suppose it probably would only serve as an ornamental plant in a large space. So, we move on to Vinca rosea, or Madagascar periwinkle. Mr. Simpson writes, “Nearly everywhere in South Florida the first flower that greets the northerner is the bright, happy periwinkle for it has run rampant in gardens and sandy waste places throughout the country. Perhaps the commonest is the rosy purple form, next the pure white and here and there will be found the variety that is white with a red eye.”¹ Then he gets a little upset as he states, “Now Hubbard tells us that this plant is probably neither a native of Madagascar or the Old World. Thus are our cherished ideas destroyed.”¹ But he advises, “If these plants are given good soil or are well fertilized the bloom will be much larger and finer.”¹ We tried to figure out who this “Hubbard” was that got him so riled up about the periwinkle but to no avail. However, he obviously took the revelation quite hard and was very disappointed.
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At this point Mr. Simpson summarizes his section titled Exotic Herbaceous Plants. He pens, “There are many other plants which might well be placed in this list but in a single small volume there is not room for any detailed notice of them. Some of these have been tried in the state while others have not so far as I know. In such a list there might be mentioned a number of the Aloes which are excellent for rockeries; the Alternantheras with richly variegated leaves and fine for borders in the warmer part of the state; Amomum, which has been sold by the Reasoners and is allied to ginger; Amorphophallus, strange Aroids with compound leaves and great, Calla-like flowers from the tropics of Asia; Calceolarias, pretty flowered plants mostly for house culture; Crotus, one of the gingers with spirally arranged flowers; Crassulas which are fine succulents and useful for rock work; Echeverias, closely related
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to the last and used in a similar way; Euphorbia splendens, a fine old succulent which blooms all the year but most profusely in winter; Hemigraphis, an elegant plant with finely colored foliage but very tender; Nierembergia with dainty white and blue flowers; Othonna, a charming succulent well adapted to basket culture; some of the fine Pentstemons; Pitcairnia moritziana, a plant with a rosette of linear leaves and branching spikes of bright red flowers; Stromanthe with handsome, often blood colored leaves and many others.”¹ With a list that long of other ornamental exotic herbaceous plants it seems obvious that he was disheartened that he didn’t have the space to include them all. We find this an interesting thing to consider since it was his book, which he self-published, and could very readily have written about whatever he wished. So, either those plants were not as valuable to him as he intimates, or he simply didn’t have enough information about them to include them in this publication. The last one he listed, the Stromanthe, caught our attention. And, with a little bit of research we recognized the plant. One site stated that it was a “…strikingly beautiful houseplant that never fails to catch the eye.”² However, it did not mention that the plant had blood colored leaves. Rather just that the backsides of the leaves were a pinkish-purple. Which we found quite disappointing, but because this plant is one we recognized, we have to admit that it is popular still! We are always amazed that the plants Mr. Simpson tells us about are often those that people still find valuable today. Of course, there have been other instances in which the ones he suggested have turned out to be considered invasive species. So, the greatest thing about this book is that it always brings us things to consider. Next month, in fact, we will begin looking at Exotic Bulbous and Tuberous Plants. That should be an exciting trip! We hope you’ll join us again then for another journey on the Literary Time Machine. Resources: ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardening in Florida. Published by the Author; Little River, FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New York. (p. 200-201). ²Costa Farms. Stromanthe. http://www.costafarms.com/ plants/stromanthe Photo Credits: Alejandro, Javier. (2015). ‘Triostar’ Stromanthe (stromanthe sanguinea). (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/APnAvP Aidras. (2010). Madagascar Periwinkle. (Flickr). https://flic. kr/p/8Zfa6R Rose, Harry. (2010). Melinis repens plant NC7. (Flickr). https:// flic.kr/p/bWXX2M WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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2020 Florida State Fair
Recycled Yard Art Contest – The Results Are In! Lisa Meredith and Lynn Barber
Twice each a year, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, sponsors a Recycled Yard Art Contest, one at the Florida State Fair and one at the Hillsborough County Fair. The purpose of the Recycled Yard Art Contest is to increase environmental awareness and encourage reuse/recycling of materials into yard art. The competition involved two- and three-dimensional artwork creations made from items already used for their original purpose. During the twelve days of the 2020 Florida State Fair, attendees voted for the People’s Choice award on one of several entries submitted. All 9,439 votes have been tallied and the People’s Choice Award Winner is Andy Hamilton, for his dragon which was created with chains, a ceiling fan and lug nuts. Nicolette Tiedemann won the Judge’s Choice Award for Adult Submissions. Her creation, The Fabulous “Ghost Trio Dancers,“ included a seed pod, material, hangers and a can lid. Unfortunately, there were no High School Submissions this year; however, next year is around the corner! The Middle School Judge’s Choice Award, Greco Middle School, designed “Bloomin’ Tubes,” which involved plastic bottles and printer tubes.
until March 23, 2020. We hope you will stop by to view these creations, stroll through the Bette S. Walker Discovery Garden and see what we have to offer. This year we welcomed yet another group of creative residents! In every contest there are items I would love to have in my landscape. My challenge to you is to put on your creativity hats now! We hope you will consider submitting an entry for the Hillsborough County Fair Recycled Yard Art Contest in the fall. Contact Lisa Meredith for more information about this upcoming contest at: meredithL@hcflgov.net or 813-744-5519 x 54146. Hope you will consider participating. Thanks for Reducing, Reusing, Recycling and Repeating!
The Judge’s Elementary School Choice Award goes to Mueller Elementary. Their artwork entry, How Recycling Can Improve the Air, Land and Water, was made with reused bottle caps, plastics and plywood.
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All contest winning entries are on display at the UF/IFAS Extension Service, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584,
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2020 Florida Strawberry Festival Results
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Mosaic Youth Swine Show Patterson Co. Livestock Arena, Grimes Family Agricultural Center Class 1 1st Place: Cameryn Smith 2nd Place: Cody Rice 3rd Place: James-Steward Haynes 4th Place: Ella Connell 5th Place: Coley Riley 6th Place: Alana Kicklighter 7th Place: Kendall Long 8th Place: Kali Daniels Class 2 1st Place: Bennie Rice 2nd Place: Callie Smith 3rd Place: Nicholas Retter 4th Place: Josiah Comas 5th Place: Mackenzie Puerto 6th Place: Blake Chancey 7th Place: Lynzi Butler 8th Place: Kaleb Williams Class 3 1st Place: John-Wayne Haynes 2nd Place: Emily Little 3rd Place: Annslea Woody 4th Place: Marissa Johnson 5th Place: Olivia Ennis 6th Place: Alex Griffin 7th Place: Chase Braglin 8th Place: Carlie Braglin 9th Place: Carter HerndonStalvey Class 4 1st Place: Cooper Davis 2nd Place: Kyndell Drawdy 3rd Place: Sydney Watson 4th Place: Tylie Thompson 5th Place: William Obrien III 6th Place: Landon Harper 7th Place: Landon Futch 8th Place: Macey Riley 9th Place: Haley Courtney Class 5 1st Place: Dakota Grigson 2nd Place: Joel Bender 3rd Place: Gehrig Graham 4th Place: Julia Adams 5th Place: Chelsea Woodard 6th Place: Rylie Vasquez 7th Place: Hannah Simmons 8th Place: Brielee Bedenbaugh 9th Place: Macyn Graham 10th Place: Charlotte Byrnes 11th Place: Gracelyn Grooms Class 6
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1st Place: Avery Ashley 2nd Place: Tucker Conrad 3rd Place: Alyssa Chancey 4th Place: Emma-Grace McConnell 5th Place: Roby Elizabeth Runkles 6th Place: Shelbi Farrell 7th Place: Brooklynn Brewer 8th Place: Drew Blanton 9th Place: Caroline Haxton Class 7 1st Place: Emily Franson 2nd Place: Brylynn Newsome 3rd Place: Justin Boyette 4th Place: Caden Mittan 5th Place: Hudson Brown 6th Place: Chloe Dudzinski 7th Place: Logan Webb 8th Place: Rebecca Holcomb 9th Place: Kash Swilley 10th Place: Lyla Bent Class 8 1st Place: Milee Hasting 2nd Place: Kortney Whitmer 3rd Place: Tytan Gill 4th Place: Ava Swindle 5th Place: Cooper Sollars 6th Place: Jessie Parker 7th Place: Jacob Ogden 8th Place: Jordan Farnsworth 9th Place: Joseph Ford 10th Place: Will Haxton Class 9 1st Place: Justin Zinke 2nd Place: Shad Stevens 3rd Place: Cameron Ipock 4th Place: Lexi Ford 5th Place: Faith Satterfield 6th Place: William Letner 7th Place: Alli Taylor 8th Place: Aaden Griffin 9th Place: Abigail Mullis Swine Showmanship
March 2020
Senior Division 1st Place: Ashley Avery 2nd Place: Dakota Grigson 3rd Place: Drew Blanton Intermediate Division 1st Place: Miley Hasting 2nd Place: Blake Chancey 3rd Place: Abigail Mullis Junior Division 1st Place: Brielee Bedenbaugh 2nd Place: Jessie Parker 3rd Place: Tucker Conrad Mosaic Youth Poultry and Rabbit Show Poultry Grand Champion: Brielle Bolger Reserve Grand Champion/ Best Opposite Sex: Aubree Palmer Best Opposite Sex Production: Kenzie Vazquez Rabbit Grand Champion: Connor Kennedy Reserve Grand Champion: Amanda Calkins Best Opposite Sex Fancy Exhibition: Marissa Johnson Best Opposite Sex Commercial Exhibition: Kayla Peacock Mosaic Youth Steer Show Patterson Co. Livestock Arena, Grimes Family Agricultural Center Grand Champion: Riley Buttorff Reserve Grand Champion: Mariah Austin Lightweight Division Grand Champion: Ava Hasting Reserve Grand Champion: Kenley Connell
Middleweight Division Grand Champion: Ramsey Bowers Reserve Grand Champion: Shalee Conrad Heavyweight Division Grand Champion: Riley Buttorff Reserve Grand Champion: Mariah Austin Class 1 1st Place: Kenley Connell 2nd Place: Cassidy Eramo 3rd Place: James Cooper 4th Place: Taylor Hoerie 5th Place: Trinity Ruskin 6th Place: Haley Fletcher 7th Place: Brooke Varn 8th Place: Austin English 9th Place: Jonathan Vaughan 10th Place: Seth O’Neal Class 2 1st Place: Shelby Allen 2nd Place: Isabella Weaver 3rd Place: Chase Campbell 4th Place: Clay Lingo 5th Place: Bethany Cray 6th Place: Savana Bunting 7th Place: Kendal Triner 8th Place: Bailee Lawrence 9th Place: Joleigh Hinton 10th Place: Dakota Lapointe Class 3 1st Place: Ava Hasting 2nd Place: Raegan Hyder 3rd Place: Anne-Marie Iampieri-McGinnis 4th Place: Ethan Rebman 5th Place: Autumn Durando 6th Place: Alysa Branch 7th Place: Jayce Ware 8th PLace: Madelyn McClellan 9th Place: James Gray 10th Place: Rebecka Smith Class 4 1st Place: Ramsey Bowers WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
2nd Place: Shalee Conrad 3rd Place: Gerald Williams 4th Place: Carter Howell 5th Place: Cooper McDOnald 6th Place: Jamie Paris 7th Place: Wyatt Drawdy 8th Place: Makayla Collier 9th Place: Chloe Murphy 10th Place: Matthew Sweeney Class 5 1st Place: Bake Zajac 2nd Place: Naomi Donnell 3rd PLace: Jackie Marvin 4th Place: Spencer Baylor 5th Place: Luke Williams 6th Place: Michaela Carmichael 7th Place: Jose Campos 8th Place: Logan Goodyear 9th Place: Fallon Lanteigne Class 6 1st Place: Haie Guthrie 2nd Place: Bailey Brock 3rd Place:Marissa Zolna 4th Place: Harlee Miller 5th Place: Riley Guy 6th Place: Kaylee Hudson 7th PLace: Jesse Donnell 8th Place: Savannah Rice 9th PLace: Emma Stephens Class 7 1st Place: Syylen Denmark 2nd Place: Gabrielle Howell 3rd Place: Brenna Sturgis 4th Place: MacKenzie Kilpin 5th Place: Alivia Rivera 6th Place: Annistyn Griffin 7th Place: Sophie Aten 8th Place; Elise Griffin 9th Place: Judson Smith 10th Place: Alexis Swantek Class 8 1st Place: Colten Drawdy 2nd Place: Logan Scott 3rd Place: Erin Morrissey 4th Place: Jasmine Lee 5th Place: Angelic Alex 6h Place: Aidan Vaughan 7th Place: Gabrielle Sabik 8th Place: Carly Varnum 9th Place: Makayla Register 10th Place: Easton Kicklighter Class 9
Mosaic Beef Breed Show Patterson Co. Livestock Arena, Grimes Family Agricultural Center Showmanship Senior 1st Place: Jayce Ware 2nd Place: Case Watson 3rd Place: Peyton Chandley
Intermediate 1st Place: Shalee Conrad 2nd Place: Jayden Mathena 3rd Place: McKenzie Hollie Junior 1st Place: Bella Ballard 2nd Place: Lillie Meyers 3rd Place: Tucker Conrad
Youth Plant Show sponsored by Choo Choo Lawn Equipment Held in the Swindle Family Pavilion Grand Champion: Colton Taylor Reserve Grand Champion: Madelien Rosnbrough Woody Ornamental Champion: Samuel Shiver Foliage Champion: Owen Baylor Hanging Baskets Champion: Madison Brewer Liners Champion: Alex Griffen Miscellaneous Champion: Avery Palmer Size No. 1 Champion: Dallas Edward Size No. 3 Champion: Erin Scott Size No. & Champion: Jacob Farnsworth Awards of Distinction Alexis Swantek Nick Retter Kendall Bass
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1st Place: Riley Buttorff 2nd Place: Noah Hamrick 3rd Place: Emma Futch 4th Place: Zane Baez 5th Place: Beckham Hasty 6th Place: Addison Griffin 7th Place: Kayla Swantek 8th Place: Kyle Holland 9th Place: Hannah Rice 10th Place: Mallory Goodyear Class 10 1st Place: Mariah Austin 2nd Place: Morgan Walls 3rd Place: Jaycee Flowers 4th Place: Owen Baylor 5th Place: Kiah Swiller 6th Place: Jaylie Wyatt 7th Place: Ethan Baird 8th Place: Corbett Wyatt 9th Place: Garrett Dixon 10th Place; Elizabeth Ford
NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
UF RANKED BEST PUBLIC COLLEGE FOR AG SCIENCES; 2ND OVERALL The University of Florida has been ranked the top public college for Agricultural Sciences and the #2 overall U.S. school as compiled by Niche, a data science company based in Pittsburgh. Cornell University took top honors. The findings are based on rigorous analysis of academic, admissions, financial and student life from the U.S. Department of Education along with reviews from students and alumni. To be included, schools must confer at least 20 bachelor’s degrees in the field annually or have the major represent at least 2.5 per cent of all bachelor’s degrees conferred by the school. Statistics obtained from the U.S. Department of Education represent the most recent data available, as selfreported by the colleges. USDA Invites Comment on Regional Conservation Partnership Program Rule The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) seeks public comments on its interim rule for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which helps partners develop and implement unique conservation solutions that engage farmers, rangers and forest landowners. Comments will be received through April 13 on the Federal Register. Electronic comments must be submitted through regulations.gov under Docket ID NRCS-2019-0012. More information is available at nrcs.usda.gov. Click on the Regional Conservation Partnership Program once on the NRCS landing page. FARM BUREAU HELPS KICK OFF STATE FAIR Hillsborough County Farm Bureau board members once again helped kick-off the Florida State Fair as cooking participants in the traditional “Fresh from Florida” breakfast. Guests were welcomed with the aroma of biscuit and sausage treats prepared by members of the board.
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Florida Secretary of Agriculture Nikki Fried and other cabinet members participated in the event, which marks the beginning of the Fair. It’s also an opportunity for attendees to network and learn about Florida Agriculture and the industry’s importance to the state and residents. The breakfast and Fair showcase many of the industry’s stars such as the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, 4-H and FFA members who demonstrate some of their current projects.
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USDA ANNOUNCES INNOVATION INITIATIVE The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the Agriculture Innovation Agenda, a department-wide initiative to align resources, programs and research to position American agriculture to better meet future global demand. Specifically, the USDA will stimulate innovation so that American agriculture can achieve the goal of increasing production by 40 per cent while cutting the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture in half by 2050. More information is available by visiting: usda.gov. USDA Announces Updates ELAP Program Updates The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced updates to the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) designed to improve program administration and clarify existing program requirements. The USDA is encouraging producers to become familiar with program changes with information available able at farmers.gov/recover or by contacting their local FSA office at 201 South Collins Street, Plant City, FL 33563, Telephone: 813/752-1474. Farmers Join Forces for Sustainability and Responsible Climate Policy The American Farm Bureau Federation is one of 21 farm and ranch groups, representing millions of U.S. farmers and ranchers that have launched Farmers for a Sustainable Future (FSF), a coalition committed to environmental and economic stability. This coalition is to serve as a primary resource for lawmakers and policymakers as they consider climate policies. More information about coalition members, guiding principles and sustainability achievements can be found at www. SustainableFarming.us. Florida NRCS Accepting Conservation Easement Applications The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida is reminding landowners they are accepting applications to fund agricultural easements in the state. Agricultural Land Easements and Wetland Reserve Easements are accepted throughout the year and funding selections are made annually. NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to conserve working lands and wetlands through both programs. More information is available at nrcs.usda.gov.
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‘BETTY’ GOES FROM BACKUP PLAN TO BIG TIME By Justin Kline | Photos: Hillsborough County Public Schools (Twitter)
Dakota Grigson’s overall Grand Champion-winning pig wasn’t supposed to be her main show pig from the start. Grigson, a Strawberry Crest High School sophomore, started her journey to the 2020 Florida Strawberry Festival with two pigs to raise. Betty was the backup to another pig that had plenty of promise, but not quite the right personality. “It didn’t work out,” Grigson said. “That pig wasn’t very cooperative. I started working with Betty, she filled out really well on the feed that I gave her and was very cooperative.” Grigson’s Hampshire cross filled out enough to weigh in at 259 pounds at the festival and the judges were impressed enough with Betty to give her and Grigson the highest honors at the Youth Swine Show. This was Grigson’s first time showing at the Florida Strawberry Festival and she couldn’t have been happier to win the whole thing on her first try. “It was kind of nerve-wracking, but very fun,” Grigson said. Grigson joined Strawberry Crest’s FFA chapter after a friend recommended she check out all the opportunities it can lead her to, even if that didn’t lead to her showing anything. She started with pigs and “fell in love” with the process of raising and showing them.
Though she doesn’t have any college plans set in stone yet, Grigson knows she wants to stay in the ag business after high school, especially if she can be around animals.
IN THE RING Raising a pig to show is a long, tricky process. Even if you have a pig that looks like a winner outside the ring, all your hard work can go down the drain if you don’t make a good showing of it. Texas A&M University’s AgriLife Extension offers the following tips to help you and your pig stand out from the rest in a competition:
Though Grigson did show pigs last year, she missed the cutoff date to apply for the 2019 Florida Strawberry Festival show. This year, she said, she was more prepared and there was no way she was going to miss the cut-off date.
1. Keep your pig away from the fence, out of the corners, and away from large groups of pigs. 2. Keep one eye on the pig and one eye on the judge at all times. 3. Keep the pig between you and the judge. 4. Drive your pig slowly. 5. Keep the pig under control at all times. 6. About 15 feet from the judge, keep the pig open. 7. Move quietly and quickly, keeping your pig in position. 8. Keep hands and brush off pig’s back. 9. Never hit the pig on the rump. This will cause him to straighten his tail and have a steep rumped appearance. A light tap on the side should work
Getting in the ring with her pigs is just one way for Grigson to quench her thirst for competition. She’s also involved in high
For more information, visit http://counties.agrilife.org/lasalle/files/2011/07/How_Raise_Show_Pigs_7.pdf.
“I really like them and their personalities. My first two pigs were boys. This one (Betty) was a girl. My first one, I could chill out with him. My second one, he liked to run around all the time.”
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school athletics as a member of Strawberry Crest’s varsity competitive cheerleading team. A two-year member of the school’s top team, Grigson has won two state championships and helped Crest win its first-ever UCA national championship this season. To say Grigson’s year has gotten off to a good start would be an understatement.
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FARM BUREAU MEMBER BENEFITS – Money-Saving Opportunities
UF SEEKING INTERVIEW SUBJECTS FOR OPIOID USE IN AGRICULTURE STUDY
by Jim Frankowiak When your family joins Florida Farm Bureau, you all become part of a growing community of families who support agriculture in the Sunshine State, but there’s more. Membership provides you with valuable benefits and resources to help you save money while staying connected to issues affecting agriculture in our state. Member benefits include travel discounts, health and wellness, family entertainment, home and auto, farm and business, as well as financial help and insurance. Your family can save money when traveling on car rentals and lodging. You can also enjoy savings at theme parks such as Disney World, Universal Orlando and others, along with exclusive pricing on hotels and vacation homes nearby. Farm Bureau members also have the opportunity to save money on various health and wellness matters such as hearing enhancement devices, prescriptions and discounted “Personal Emergency Response Systems”. In the home and auto categories, members can save money through AmeriGas, Marathon, and the Farm Bureau Buyers Club for various food items during sales that change throughout the year. Other cost-savings are available through Ferrellgas, Ford, Lincoln and SeaTow, as well as the Security Safe Company. Many offer increased, time-sensitive specials, too. Farm and business owners can also save money when they buy Case-IH, Caterpillar, John Deere, Grainger and Grasshopper products. There’s also access to a Property Protection Plan and a way to save money via workboots. com. From financial and insurance perspectives, members have access to estate planning, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Insurance and notary services via the member’s local Farm Bureau office. There’s also an accidental death benefit for the primary member that increases annually while membership is maintained. So, while industry support and advocacy are very important aspects of Florida Farm Bureau membership, benefits and resources available to member families are an extra bonus, bringing added value to this growing community of Floridians. More information about member benefits is available by visiting: https://www.floridafarmbureau.org/membership/. You can also contact the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau by telephone: 813/685-9121 or email: info@hcfarmbureau.org.
The University of Florida (UF) is conducting a study on the topic of opioid use in agricultural sectors and is seeking confidential volunteers for personal or telephone interviews. The study is headed by Heidi Radunovich, Ph. D., in UF’s Department of Family, Youth and Community Services. This request for volunteer participants has been approved by Florida Farm Bureau. The UF/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Center for Public Issues Education in Agricultural and Natural Resources (UF/IFAS PIE Center) is partnering with Dr. Radunovich on the study. Participants, whose identities will be kept confidential, are being sought for personal or telephone interviews regarding their experiences with opioids in agricultural sectors. Interviewees must be 18 or older, work in an agricultural sector, including crops, nursery/landscaping or livestock, speak fluent English, live and work in Florida and be willing and able to speak about how opioids may have affected the agricultural industry, as well as their lives. Interviews will be scheduled at times convenient to participants and should be completed within 30-minutes. Participants will be eligible to receive a $25 gift card for participating in the interview. Contact Dr. Radunovich at 352/2733534 or email hliss@ufl.edu for more information or to schedule an interview.
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by Jim Frankowiak
Classifieds BUILDING SUPPLIES METAL ROOFING Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris. ALUMINUM We have all your aluminum needs! Screen Room, carports & awnings. Call Blake (813) 752-3378 WINDOW SCREENS We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted(813) 752-3378 CABINETS All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. Granite counter tops. Custom made to your size. Call Blake 813-752-3378
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Tel: 813.759.6909
2017 MASSEY FERGUSON 1526 With loader, 4x4, 841 hours. Warranty. $11,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MAHINDRA 4025 4x4, 41hp, low hours. $10,000 Call Alvie at 813-759-8722
FOR SALE BETOMIX 320 3 pointy lift, pto driven cement mixer. Very good condition. $850 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 OLD ANTIQUE BLUE STOVE Bread warmer, chrome trim. You have got to see it to believe it! Call Ted for more details. 813-752-3378
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HESSTON 4550 Inline square baler. $7,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR Zero Turn Mower 52” cut, 23hp. Kohler engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
PRODUCE
2002 MASSEY FERGUSON 1260 Tractor with loader. 40hp, power shuttle, 1040 hours. $10,000 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 JOHN DEERE Looking for your new tractor? Come see us at Everglades Farm Equipment. evergladesfarmequipment.com 2805 SR 60 West, Plant City 813-737-1660
FREE Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722 24 HOUR SERVICE Coggins Plumbing licensed • bonded • Insured. www.cogginsplumbing.com 813-643-7173 FARM BUREAU INSURANCE We have you covered! Call us today. 813-752-5577 LOOKING TO BUY OR SALE? Call Rhonda Wetherington, P.A. Realtor, GRI. 813-933-1761
ALAN’S AIR CONDITIONING Residential, Commercial Sales SVS & Repair. Legendary service for over 20 years! DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER 813-752-0821 No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. FOR RENT Many standard sizes in stock. Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details. BIG Box STORES! Call Today! Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378
VINYL SIDING Many colors and styles to choose from. Ask for Ted. 813-752-3378 MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES Everything you need under ONE roof! Call Blake 813-752-3378 CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE. We are a MI Windows dealer. Our windows are energy star, lifetime warranty. CROSSBOW Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378 Barnett Squad 300 w/Rhino 4x32mm Crossbow Scope, Case And Arrows. FARM EQUIPMENT Great Condition! Call 813-376-9320 2015 MAHINDRA 100S JOBS 100hp, 4x4, Cab tractor for $23,000.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits I4 POWER EQUIPMENT based on experience. Trade-Ins Welcomed, Service Department Available. Exit 22 • S. Frontage Rd. Call David 863-537-1345 Plant City 813-752-4459 TAYLOR WAY TILLER DISC Plow - good condition. $1750.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
MISC.
FRESH PRODUCE Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us!
TRADE • BUY • SELL? Since 2004 In The Field has been Hillsborough and Polk Countys #1 Agriculture Magazine. Call Us at 813-759-6909 to place your Ad Today!
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2011 MASSEY FERFUSON 1529 With loader, 29hp, shuttle, 4x4. 171 hours. $11,000 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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