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MAY 2019 VOL. 14 • ISSUE 7
CONTENTS ANNA CONRAD NEW CATTLEMEN’S “SWEETHEART”
64 Cover Photo by: Berry Sweet Memories by Dee Dee PAGE 11 Durant FFA
PAGE35 Dewberries
PAGE 58
PAGE 12 Ag-Abilities
PAGE 36 Jack Payne
PAGE 59
PAGE 16 FishGillz
PAGE 44 Fair Lamb Show
PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 45 Lazy Gardening
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 46 John Dicks
PAGE 26 Flood Map
PAGE 48 Endangered Species
PAGE 28 Healthly Medicine
PAGE 50 Jackie Hunter
PAGE 32 Hops Field Day
PAGE 53 Tamp Bay Bats
PAGE 33 Farm Bureau Membership
PAGE 54 Literary Time Machine
Activity A Closer Look
PAGE 60 Agriculture Tour
PAGE 62 Community Water Wise
Eat Your Veggies
PAGE 66
News Briefs PAGE 68
Pam Bradford PAGE 69 Farm Credit Loan Officer
Hey Readers!
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InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
May 2019
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 Dennis Carlton, Jr.....................President Jake Raburn................Vice President Tony Lopez..............Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary 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
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Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL.
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
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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Letter from the Editor It’s Beef Month! The month of May has been named Beef Month. It’s a time to celebrate all things beef. If you haven’t fired up the grill lately, (who are we kidding, in Florida we can grill just about 365 days of the year), dust it off and throw on some delicious steaks or burgers, whatever cut of beef is your favorite. In addition to celebrating Beef Month, you will also be paying homage to National Barbeque Month. Of course you know it’s not just the juicy cuts of beef we celebrate, but also the numerous beef-by-products we use every day. Everyone thinks of beef when we see leather, but what about industrial oils, biodegradable detergents, pesticides, buttons, bone china, piano keys, you get the picture, right? We encourage you to celebrate farmers and ranchers everyday, but for the month of May, lets give a special toast to those who supply us with so much. In addition, it is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, so here is your yearly lecture, get checked out! Here are some fast facts about skin cancer from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: • Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and includes different types. • Unprotected skin can be damaged by the sun’s UV rays in as little as 15 minutes. • Even if it’s cool and cloudy, you still need protection. UV rays, not the temperature, do the damage. • The most common signs of skin cancer are changes on your skin, such as a new growth, a sore that doesn’t heal, or a change in a mole. Take it from me; you need to get checked out. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends the following as steps to take to help prevent skin cancer. • Seek the shade, especially between 10AM and 4PM (We know this isn’t always possible, so read on) • Don’t get sunburned
STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Patsy Berry Editor Sales Melissa Nichols Karen Berry Sarah Holt Necole Holt George Domedion Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams
• Avoid tanning and never use UV tanning beds • Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses • Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with and SPF of 15 or higher every day.
Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks
• See a dermatologist at least once a year for a professional skin exam. Do your research. These are just a few of the things you can do to help prevent skin cancer. Until next month
Sarah Holt The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
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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THE 2019 LEGISLATIVE SESSION HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
-Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
Greetings, The Florida legislative session for 2019 is over. Many of the actions taken by the State House and Senate are of major importance to Agriculture in Florida. Here’s how the Florida Farm Bureau Federation’s agenda for this session fared. Hurricane Michael relief measures for Ag families in north Florida are budgeted for just over $220 million and include additional considerations. Among them are sales tax rebates for certain items that had to be replaced due to hurricane damage, along with a sales tax rebate for fuel used to transport agricultural products and debris after the storm, and a reduction in tangible personal property tax for equipment idled due to the storm. This package also includes sales tax rebates on “back to school” items for kids. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has legislation on his desk, which creates the framework for establishing commercial hemp production in the state. This bill will give rulemaking authority to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It has the strong support of Commissioner Nikki Fried. Senators voted 39-0 to pass the bill, after the House approved it in a 112-1 vote. The state is trying to take advantage of a 2018 federal law that legalized industrial hemp as an agricultural product. Industrial hemp can be used in the manufacture of numerous products including ropes, clothing, building materials and animal feed. Industry supporters contend, if properly regulated, it could be an alternative crop for the state, providing a new crop for northwest Florida farmers and timber operations, which sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Michael. Funding for “Fresh From Florida” was originally reduced from general revenue. However, thanks to support from many of you, both chambers agreed to fund the program at current levels. We had hoped to see an increase, but that did not happen at this session, but will be part of the Farm
Bureau agenda next year. There was adequate funding for water quality and Best Management programs, but no funding for the Rural and Family Lands program. It was a particularly tough year for university funding as institutions statewide received cuts to their base budgets and few of their funding requests were granted. However, the University of Florida and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences fared well in comparison. Although the UF/ IFAS budget is significantly less than what was requested, new funding totaled $1,750,000 with only one program unfunded. The budget also includes an additional $1 million in recurring resources for workload, which essentially funds research and extension programs statewide. It also includes $750,000 in non-recurring funds for the Florida 4-H Program. There are several other items whose fate is to be determined. Consequently, it is premature to characterize how we fared overall. In the meantime, please consider attending the Capitol Coffee Wednesday, May 22, at the Trinkle Center on the Hillsborough Community College campus in Plant City. This will be an opportunity for you to engage in a post legislative session conversation with area elected officials. The event is free for chamber members and $10 for non-members. To reserve a seat, call the chamber at 813/754-3707 or visit: www.plantcity.org. The gathering begins with a “meet and greet” at 8:30 a.m. followed by a program at 9. There’s no better chance for your legislators to hear “the Voice of Florida Agriculture.” Thank you,
Dennis Carlton Jr. Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
305 SOUTH WHEELER STREET • PLANT CITY, FL 33566 • 813-685-9121 Board of Directors
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Dennis Carlton, Jr. , President; Jake Raburn, Vice-President; Tony Lopez Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, 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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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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DURANT THE FFA STATE ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE DEMONSTRATION CONTEST
FFA RESULTS Avery Surrency and Carter Howell State Champions in the Production Division
On April 26, four teams from Durant FFA competed in the FFA State Ornamental Horticulture Demonstration Contest in Gainesville. This is a public speaking contest where teams put together a 7-10 minute demonstration/speech about something in the horticulture industry. There were over 60 teams in attendance and here is how students from Durant placed.
Brenna Sturgis and Amiyah Sykes 3rd in Landscaping
Makayka Facenda and Lisee Griffin 4th in Marketing
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Emma Poole
2nd in Artistic Arrangement
AG-ABILITIES COMPETITION
THRIVES THANKS TO ONGOING SPONSOR, VOLUNTEER SUPPORT By Jim Frankowiak Ag-Abilities is a competitive, educational program developed in 2001 by Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Executive Director Judi Whitson and Hillsborough County educators in Exceptional Student Education (ESE). The overall goal of the program is to teach ESE students the many facets of agriculture and prepare them for potential careers in the industry. This past April ESE students from throughout Hillsborough County participated in the program held at the Florida State Fair. “For many of these students, the Ag-Abilities competition is the highlight of their school year,” noted Whitson. The program includes four stations where students asked to identify plants, beef cows, dairy cows and various tools used for both farming and ranching. Advanced students are asked to identify care of plants and characteristics associated with beef and dairy cows. Competitors are also asked to identify food by food group, as well as successfully complete a tractor driving test. Ribbons are awarded to competitors that pass the verbal testing portion of the program. An additional ribbon is given to those ESE students that complete the tractor driving and maneuvering challenge. Every competitor was presented with a 2019 AgAbilities T-shirt upon registration.
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“The growth and ongoing popularity of Ag-Abilities is due in large part to the ongoing support the program receives each year,” said Whitson. Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and the Florida State Fair have been supporters since the program was first held in 2002. “AgAmerica Lending was particularly helpful this year as underwriters of the T-shirts given to
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each participant plus the assistance of eight staffers throughout the event,” she said. “The Ag-Abilities event was a rewarding opportunity to have our AgAmericans involved in supporting the education of agriculture to local students,” said Patrick Spinosa, Relationship Manager at AgAmerica Lending. “The excitement the students show in being hands on and learning about agriculture remind us how important it is to support organizations such as Florida Farm Bureau to advocate for the involvement of America’s youth in the field of agriculture.” Farm Bureau board members Chris Andrlik, Buddy Coleman, Gayle Yanes, Michelle Williamson and John Joyner, as well as Florida Farm Bureau Regional Representative Brianne Bird and District XV Director Dan West ,were all involved in different competitive aspects of the program. Jemy Hinton “pinch hit” for her husband Chip, who is a board member. Coleman is also an ESE teacher at Turkey Creek Middle School which had a group of participants in the competition. “Grove Equipment Service supplied two Massey Ferguson tractors that were used for the tractor driving portion of the competition,” said Whitson. “John Joyner’s neighbor Chad Roach loaned us his flatbed trailer, enabling us to pick-up and return the tractors from and to Grove Equipment’s Plant City location.”
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In addition to the competition, Ag-Abilities was again treated to lunch prepared by “Chef” John Lawson of Hydro Harvest Farms. He has been preparing lunch for Ag-Abilities participants and volunteers for more than a decade. Of special note was the luncheon dessert, strawberry shortcake with berries grown at Chef John’s farm. Program volunteers also included photographer Terri Zeleznock and her daughter Amelia, who helped administer oral testing at one of the competition stops. Additional volunteers included Hillsborough County Farm Bureau student/ intern Megan Meredith, who is enrolled at Warner University and Middleton High School students Jennifer Torres, Caitlin Catalan and Angelina Thomas. “My most sincere thanks to these important supporters and volunteers,” said Whitson. “Without their ongoing assistance there would be no Ag-Abilities.”
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Business Up Front
By Libby Hopkins
There is an old saying, “Working with your hands is good for your soul.” Shawn Gill of Plant City would agree with this because he and his family have a background of creating handmade goods. “My wife and I both grew up in rural areas of the Midwest and come from families who spent a great deal of time outdoors; hunting, boating and fishing,” Gill said. “When not enjoying the outdoors, both of our parents were busy running small businesses and honing their own crafts. My parents and siblings are all miniature dollhouse builders and my wife’s father was a gun builder and woodworker, while her mother focused on leather goods.” Gill, and his wife Laura, have been married for 32 years and have a daughter named Savanna. “Since I’m an avid fisherman, living in central Florida has given me access to some of the best lakes in the country for fishing, so I have purchased a lot of mass produced fishing rods from big box stores,” Gill said. “Over the years, I realized that I couldn’t buy exactly what I wanted in a fishing rod, so, since I’ve always been a tinkerer, it just seemed natural to build my own. I’ve also watched my father-in- law build rods for many years, so he gave me the inspiration to start building rods for myself.” FishGillz was born.
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Fishing rod making can be traced back to ancient times, and, according to the website, History of Fishing (www.historyoffishing.com), “History of fishing rods go back to ancient Egypt and China. The stone inscriptions dating back to 2000 B.C. used fishing rods in ancient Egypt, China, Greece, Trinidad and Tobago, Rome and medieval England. When people started to fish in prehistoric times, they used bare hands, but
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caught the fish that was in shallow water. This method was not practical in deeper water, so someone invented the fishing hook and line. The first fishing hook was so-called ‘gorge,’ made from a short piece of wood or bone, pointed at both ends and tied with a line at the middle. These hooks were also tied to the line, but were unpractical to use because the fisherman would cut his hands when the fish starts to pull and has less control on where baited hook will fall. Because of this, people started tying a line to a fishing rod.” The website also says that recreational fishing with rod, line and hook became popular in the 15th century. People of that time used rods made from one piece of wood, four meters long. The jointed rod appeared in the 18th century with a wooden bottom and a bamboo top, which gave the rod greater flexibility. “ Rods today are made for specific techniques of fishing (Texas Rig, Crankbait, Topwater, Carolina Rig, Flipping) and for different species of fish,” Gill said. “Most of what I build is for freshwater fish; large- mouth bass, crappie and catfish. I also build inshore rods, which are primarily used for catching trout, Snook and Redfish. Then, there are deep-sea rods, which are used for catching grouper, shark and tarpon. Basically, the style of fishing that is preferred and the type of fish being targeted determine the rod type.” Gill’s latest deep-sea rod was for a client who targets Goliath Grouper. FishGillz’s custom-made rods are nothing like store-bought rods. “There is nothing ‘cookie cutter’ about what I build,” Gillz said. “Each and every rod I build is unique and built to each WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
customer’s specifications. A great custom built rod is built knowing each person is different in what they like or need from their rod. The size and length of the handle, the placement of the reel seat, the action of the rod and the species of fish that is being targeted, are some of the factors that are utilized prior to, and during the building of a rod.” Gill has gotten many complements from his clients, who he’s built custom rods for, as well as other rod makers. “Just like any other artist, I start with a concept, be it my customer’s, or mine” Gill said. “The blank is chosen along with the necessary components and is crafted into a one of a kind fishing rod, which is not only beautiful but is exactly what the customer wants.” Repairing and restoring broken or old rods is where the real challenge comes into play for Gill. “To take a broken or old rod and bringing it back to like new condition is a reward in and of itself,” Gill said. “Many times the components are no longer made, so I have to be creative to find the closest match to how the rod was originally built. Repairs and restorations are typically done because there is a huge sentimental value.” Gill is a strong believer in shopping local and keeping things local. “Small business has always been a part of my life,” Gill said. “My parents raised me and my three sisters on the earnings of a small business in rural Michigan, so the importance of supporting small businesses and taking care of your customers was taught to us at a very early age.” If you would like to learn more about FishGillz, you can visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FishGillz. If you’d like to have a custom FishGillz rod made for yourself, contact Gill at 813-836-9806. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Instinct or Remembrance 2019 Capt. Woody Gore
The popular observation that fish are merely instinct driven has given way to new theories. Scientists now believe they possess compound mental and cognitive abilities with the capacity to remember. This ability to remember indicates the mental capacity for memory. Scientists doing studies worldwide in aquaculture concerning fish behavior are finding them capable of pursuing Machiavellian strategies of manipulation, and understanding while exhibiting stable communal traditions. Because there are many species cooperating in recognizing predators and catching food presents a good example. To learn requires fish retain an experience, object, event or information. To retain something necessitates the use of short-term and long term memory. Without getting into scientific rhetoric, short term memory stores limited information for limited periods, roughly 15-30 seconds. This contrasted to long-term memory, where an unlimited amount is stored indefinitely and recalled from 30 seconds to decades later. Memory also involves and improves with practice, indicating the presence of: 1. Procedural (skill based) or how to do things, forage and catch food 2. Episodic (episodes) or objects, events plus near-fatal experiences with predators. 3. Spatial (navigate) learn to map and recognize bottom contours. 4. Familiarization (used to) repeatedly hooked on a certain lure or bait. Had the scientist consulted with any aged or seasoned angler, they might have shortened the study considerably. Most longtime anglers would gladly explain that fish must have memories, how else could they differentiate between sounds, colors, navigate territorial waters; know what food is, and what a predator is. Guess it takes someone with a Ph.D. or other scientific title to explain it.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Avid anglers understand psychological reasoning leads to understanding. In other words, the
behavioral characteristics of fish, how they behave at certain times to certain colors, noise, flash, and water depth, involves a learning process. To further what many old-time anglers have known for years, studies being done in aquaculture offer substantiated proof that fish do react differently to colors, noise, and stimuli indicating there could be a presence of memory. Which brings us to artificial lures or baits? Those who fish with any regularity appreciate that this question is not easy to answer. Various reasons indicate fish interpret baits or lures as either food or predator, food if previously eaten and predator if hooked. They may also get used to seeing it, which decreases its effectiveness. Psychologists refer to this as familiarization (requiring memory) or getting used to something. Understandably, we know fish repeatedly eat and are hooked on the same lures and baits. However, it does not indicate a loss of memory. But it can indicate a stronger urge to protect its territory or the basic instinct associated with hunger. Territoriality cases in point would be a bedding largemouth bass. Tournament bass angler’s often spend a significant amount of time trying to catch a large female bass guarding its bed. Time after time, she removes the lure before finally eating it, probably more through frustration rather than hunger. Or how about that monster snook hooked many times previously that heads for the mangroves or dock pilings; remembering this survival technique means freedom. Consistently, successful anglers and hunters alike understand that members of our animal world use their senses beginning at birth to gather information in relation to their world. However, without a memory, all would be for naught. The fact they do have memories relates to the principal goals of survival becoming an important tool in the evolutionary process. Usually taken for granted, but if given some thought, we soon should realize these marvelous creatures are actually fairly intelWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
ligent, often beyond our own comprehension. So, treat them with the respect they deserve and remember that lifetime-trophy you just landed did not get that big by accident, it simply made a momentary error in judgment.
June 2019 Fishing Report Mackerel
The big mackerel have moved into the bay and it sure makes for an exciting, fun, fishing trip, especially for the kids. So find a school of threadfins or glass minnows, start chumming and hold on. I like to use a pair of scissors and cut the greenbacks into about three pieces, letting them drift with the current; then followed up with a half dozen live ones tossed out. This usually gets them going fairly quick. Catches in the 3 and 4 lbs. range reported using long shank 2/0 hooks and fifty-pound leader. For some added action, try a popping cork, and if the current is too strong to keep your bait in the strike zone, add a #3 split shot.
Sheepshead: Are showing up almost
everywhere, especially around docks, canals, and rock piles. Their tough, toothy, boney mouths mean aggressive hook sets. Try fishing for these great fighters around markers, bridge fenders, docks, seawalls, rock piles, oyster bars or practically any type of structure. There are plenty of rock piles and artificial reefs throughout the Tampa Bay area. Check out a Hot Spots Map or other bay fishing map showing reefs and wrecks. Then take some time visiting and locating the best ones. I like a
split shot and 1/0 hook with a piece of fresh shrimp, you do not need to purchase the large ones, regular and medium broken in half do just fine.
Grey/Mangrove Snapper, Orange Mouth Grunts: While you are look-
ing for that favorite sheepshead spot; guess what else you are going to find on those rock piles, wrecks, structure, piling, bridges and oyster bars. Yep, you figured it out the first time you dropped a shrimp down and pulled up a snapper. They all hang out in the same areas and are great table fare. And the best part is they all love shrimp. However, grey snapper also like small sardines/ greenbacks hooked on a slip sinker rig. Here is the catch to snapper fishing a slip rig; you must keep a tight line because you are only getting one bite, after that your bait is gone. If you do not hook up on the first bite, reel up, bait up, and drop again. Yes, it does take patience but it is worth it at supper time.
Flounder: Flounder is very popular, delicious to eat and can often show up in various locations. They put up an awesome fight and are great fun to catch. Fishing can be tricky sometimes but who does not love a challenge. I recommend using a jighead because your bait has to stay on the bottom. Pick a weight that lets you get down and keep it down so you have much better feel when a fish strikes. I recommend a slow twitch and drag along the bottom rather than bouncing because it tends to trigger more strikes. A flounder’s strike is normally soft and unless your line is taut you can miss it.
Much like snook, flounder are ambush feeders, lying in wait where tides and currents bring the food. Check out passes, inlets, channels, areas with a good current around sandy shoals are likely spots to hold flounder. Anywhere current sweeps bait through, around or over, is a good place to look for flounder. As ambush feeders, they use structure to hide and often lie flat in the sand waiting on current to sweep food right to their hiding spot. If there is a good source of food, there is probably a flounder or two in the area. That’s why they like inlets and passes. Places like this have everything they need to survive, plenty of places to hide and an abundance of food.
Cobia A few Cobias show up around
the bay, most are cruising markers or following large rays or manatees around the flats. If you are anchored up, mackerel fishing on a shallow reef, it is common to see one or two show up at your outboard motor or under your boat. So, always try to keep at least one rod and reel rigged and ready to toss a nice pinfish in their direction.
Tarpon are showing up at the Skyway.
Grab a few threadfins or large greenbacks or perhaps a few crabs and fish a slow in or out tide. Anchor and chum by cutting bait into and sending down with the current, then send a couple of baits back in the same area.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” 813-477-3814
Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the west central Florida areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Multi-boat Group Charters With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give me a call at 813-477-3814
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There are about nine chickens for every human being in the world. Nolan Bushnell founded Atari and Chuck E. Cheese. The mango is the most popular fruit on Earth, consumed worldwide by a factor of three to one over bananas and ten to one over apples. Kool-Aid was once marketed as Fruit Smack. 7-Up was first marketed as Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda. Austin, Texas was first named Waterloo. The tortoise can live to be 140 years old. Dead skin cells make up about 90% of all household dust.
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A young Naval Officer was in a terrible auto accident. Due to the heroics of a hospital staff the only permanent injury was the loss of one ear. Since he wasn’t physically impaired, he remained in the Navy and eventually became an Admiral. However, throughout his career, he was always sensitive about his appearance. One day the Admiral was interviewing two Navy Master Chiefs and a Marine Sergeant Major for a position on his personal staff. The first Master Chief was a surface Navy type. It was a great interview. At the end of the interview the Admiral asked him, “Do you notice anything different about me Master Chief?” The Master Chief answered, “Why yes sir, I couldn’t help but notice you are missing your starboard ear, and I have been wondering to myself whether this impacts your hearing on that side.” The Admiral got very angry at this lack of tact and threw him out of his office.
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The next candidate was an Aviation Master Chief. After a very good interview, the Admiral concluded by asking this same question. The Master Chief answered, “Well yes sir, I noticed you seem to be short
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one ear.” Again, the Admiral was incensed by his lack of tact, and threw him out also. The third interview was with the Marine Sergeant Major. He appeared to be articulate, extremely sharp, and seemed to know more about current events than the two Master Chiefs before him. The Admiral decided that he wanted this Marine on his staff, but to be totally fair he asked the Sergeant Major the same question he had asked the two Master Chiefs. The Admiral said, “Sergeant Major, do you notice anything different about me?” To his surprise, the Sergeant Major said, “Yes sir. You wear contact lenses.” The Admiral was impressed, and thought to himself, what an incredibly tactful man. “And how do you know that?” the Admiral asked. The Sergeant Major asked, “Well sir, it’s pretty hard to wear glasses with only one ear. The Admiral hired the Sergeant Major on the Spot. You just have to love the Marines. A large group of ISIS fighters in Iraq were moving down a road, when they hear the voice of an American from behind a WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
sand dune, “Hey you dummies! One Marine is better than ten wimpy ISIS fighters!” The ISIS commander quickly orders 10 of his best men over the sand dune, where a gun battle breaks out and continues for a few minutes. After a minute of silence, the voice calls out again, “One Marine is better than one hundred of you ISIS scumbags!” Furious, the ISIS commander sends his next best 100 troops over the dune and a huge gunfight breaks out. After 10 minutes of battle, there is again silence, until the voice calls out again, “One Marine is better than a thousand ISIS fighters.” The enraged ISIS commander musters 1,000 fighters and sends them to the other side of the dune. Rifle fire, machine guns, grenades, rockets and cannon fire ring out as a terrible fight is fought … then silence. Eventually, one badly wounded ISIS fighter crawls back over the dune and with his dying words tells his commander, “Don’t send any more men … it’s a trap. There’s not just one marine over there….there’s two.” Four strangers traveled together in the same compartment of a European train. Two men and two women faced each other. One woman was a very wealthy and sophisticated 70-year-old lady who was decked out in the finest of furs and jewelry. Next to her sat a beautiful young woman, 19 years old, who looked like something right off the cover of a fashion magazine. Across from the older lady was a very mature looking man in his mid-forties who was a highly decorated Sergeant Major in the Army. Next to the Sergeant Major sat a young private fresh out of boot camp. As these four strangers traveled, they talked and chatted about trivial things until they entered an unlighted tunnel, and there they sat in complete darkness and total silence, until the sound of a distinct kiss broke the silence; following the kiss a loud slap could be heard throughout the cabin. In the ensuing period of silence the four strangers sat quietly with their own thoughts. The older lady was thinking, “Isn’t it wonderful that even in this permissive day and age there are still young women who have a little self-respect and dignity?” The young woman, shaking her head and greatly puzzled, asked herself, “Why in the world would any man in his right mind want to kiss an old fossil like that when I’m sitting here?” The Sergeant Major, rubbing his sore face, was outraged that any woman could ever think that a man in his position would try to sneak a kiss in the dark. The private, grinning from ear to ear, was thinking, “What a wonderful world this is when a private can kiss the back of his hand and then smack a Sergeant Major in the face and get away with it!”
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OVERVIEW
FLOOD HAZARD MAPPING UPDATES
TIME TO CHECK JUST-RELEASED NEWMapping FEMA FLOOD ZONE MAPS Terminology The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) partners with Tribal nations, States, and communities through the Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP) program to identify flood hazards, assess flood risks, and provide accurate data to guide stakeholders in taking effective mitigation actions that result in safer and more resilient communities. This data is incorporated into flood maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), that support the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and provide the basis for community floodplain management regulations and flood insurance requirements.
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) – The official flood map that shows a community’s different flood hazard areas. These may include high-hazard (Special Flood Hazard Areas), moderate- to low-hazard, and undetermined areas. Different flood insurance and building requirements apply to these flood hazard areas.
Flood hazards are dynamic and can change frequently because of a variety of factors, including weather patterns, erosion, and new development. FEMA, through the Risk MAP program, works with communities to collect new or updated flood hazard data and periodically updates flood maps to reflect these changes.
National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) – A digital database containing the flood hazard mapping information from FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
What Happens When A Flood Map Changes?
When a new map is issued or an effective map is revised, your mapped flood hazard, as well as building or insurance requirements, may change. An effective map is one that has been through the public review and appeal process and has been adopted as a regulatory FIRM. Therefore, it is important for users to check FEMA’s Map Service Center (MSC) or the local community map repository for current, effective information.
What May Affect or Change a Flood Map?
Flood Insurance Study (FIS) Report – A compilation and presentation of flood hazard data and analysis for specific watercourses, lakes, and coastal flood hazard areas within a community.
Letter of Final Determination (LFD) – A letter FEMA sends to local officials stating that the process of establishing new flood elevations is complete, and a new or updated FIRM will become effective in 6 months. Letter of Map Change (LOMC) – A general term used to refer to the several types of revisions and amendments to FEMA maps that can be accomplished by letter (LOMA, LOMR-F, LOMR). Map Service Center (MSC) – FEMA’s official public source for flood hazard information produced in support of the NFIP. http://msc.fema.gov
FIRM updates can occur in a variety of ways, including Flood Risk Projects, Physical Map Revisions (PMRs), and Letters of Map Revision (LOMRs). Letters of Map Amendment Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) – By Jim (LOMAs) Frankowiak The area where the NFIP’s minimum floodplain and Letters of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMRmanagement regulations must be enforced by the Fs) can change flood hazard designations for specific structures flood insurance. require the use of techIf you are a landowner in Hillsborough County, you may want communityChallenges as a conditiontoofFIRMs NFIP participation, or properties. Each of these processes is discussed in more nical data therefore, should review the to check the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) just released andand the area where theproperty mandatoryowners flood insurance detail in the table on page 2. preliminary FIRMs and start the process of challenging them by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), acpurchase requirement applies.
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before the 90-day appeal cordingHelpful to the law firm ofMap Stearns Weaver Miller. A FIRM is the Revalidation Letter –period opens. Flood Information official map that shows the government’s estimate of flood A letter identifying the previously issued LOMCs Goesproperties into a Flood an infographic, is available “Alternatively, landowners canFIRM process a Letter risk byWhat placing in Map, respective flood zones. Theseat that are still valid after the has been revised.of Map Rehttp://www.fema.gov/blog/2014-02-21/what-goes-flood-mapvision (LOMR) or Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) at any maps are updated by FEMA periodically. infographic. time, including during and after the appeal period. These processes can be used to change a portion of a FIRM or to get FEMA is currently updating FIRMs in a number of Florida an official determination of how a FIRM relates to a particular counties, including Hillsborough. Stearns Weaver terms property or structure. Each property requires a case-by-case these updates “critically important as they could lead to propanalysis to determine which process is best,” the firm said. erties being in flood zone when they were not previously, being in a higher risk flood zone than before or having a higher Preliminary FIRMs are now available to the public by visiting: base flood elevation.” Changes such as those listed above www.fema.gov. New FIRMs become effective six months could result in flood insurance coverage changes, including after the appeals period ends. Stearns Weaver advises that the legal requirement of owners to purchase flood insurance property owners “should work closely with local floodplain by their lending institution. Such changes could also make 1 administrators to determine when their appeals period starts construction more difficult or more costly on affected properand expires. In Hillsborough County, preliminary FIRMs are ties. Lastly, residential sales could be affected as a property’s available, but the 90-day appeal period has not begun, nor perceived risk could change. has it been scheduled.” Property owners impacted by these proposed changes do Attorney Jake Cremer at the Stearns Weaver Miller firm may have recourse. FEMA has a 90-day appeal period during be contacted for more information by email: JCremer@steawhich a property owner can challenge the proposed flood rnsweaver.com or by phone: 813/223-4800. The firm has ofrisk revisions with evidence showing the preliminary FIRMs fices in Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Tallahassee. are incorrect, noted the Stearns Weaver firm. “This can be beneficial since a successful challenge can reduce or eliminate a lender’s requirement for a property owner to purchase
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Healthy Medicine
It has been said that our greatest wealth is our health and nowadays, many people are looking for ways to increase their wealth. They exercise, do crazy fad diets or try fasting, all in the effort to get healthy. Maybe going back to nature and eating the fruit or berries of the land is the key to increasing our health wealth? Alicia Lansdell lives in the Channelside District in downtown Tampa with her husband Chad, and their two dogs Vera and Hannah, and she loves to cook. “I don’t have a professional culinary background, but I have always had a love for cooking,” Lansdell said. “Every time we have a family gathering my family always asks what I’m making because they love my cooking so much.” One of her favorite things to make is elderberry syrup. “I have a friend, Mallory, who started making and selling elderberry syrup in the Pasco County area a few years back,” Lansdell said. “My family and I would purchase syrup from her, but once my parents moved to Channelside and my sister moved to Springhill, it became more difficult to get it from her. From there, I decided to combine my love of cooking and natural health and start making my own elderberry syrup.”
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With Lansdell’s friend Mallory’s help and encouragement, she started testing batches with her family and once she found a recipe she felt would represent her brand and the benefits she was going for, Lansdell decided to go for it. “From there I teamed up with my sister who is also into natural wellness with her essential oils and now we’re out sharing our natural wellness solutions together,” Lansdell said. Alicia’s Organic Elderberry Syrup was born!
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By Libby Hopkins
Elderberry syrup is known for having many medicinal uses, as well as many health benefits. According to the website, Best Herbal Health (www.bestherbalhealth. com), “Elderberry is a medicinal plant used to treat many health conditions, and is one of the oldest and most common natural remedies in use. Elderberry is known as one of the main antiviral herbs, and its healing abilities were well known among ancient Greeks and Egyptians. The berries and flowers of the elderberry plant contain essential nutrients and powerful antioxidants.” When the berries are made into a syrup, it can be used to help treat inflammation, manage diabetes, treat upper respiratory conditions, alleviate flu symptoms, and help to promote a healthier immune system. “A lot of heart goes into each batch I make, and I try to find the highest quality ingredients I can,” Lansdell said. “I’m also working with other local vendors to get as many ingredients sourced locally as possible. I love knowing that in that one tablespoon a day my customers are taking, they are getting one step closer to a healthier, natural lifestyle.” Like Lansdell’s business’s name, her syrup is organic and contrary to belief, not a seasonal item. “My syrup contains ingredients that are all organic such as, elderberries, rose hips, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, Echinacea and local raw honey,” Lansdell said. “Most people that purchase elderberry syrup think that it is only good for seasonal allergies when in all reality it goes way beyond that.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Lansdell recently joined the artisan/farmers’ market circuit here in Tampa and she loves connecting with her clients and using their feedback to improve her syrup. “Feedback is the best in my opinion and I always say please tell me good or bad what I am doing,” Lansdell said “The reason is because you won’t grow if you only expect positive comments. So I tell my customers to please let me know what they think, because the end goal is to keep them as a customer and make the best syrup available. Good news is that so far I have only received amazing comments and reviews. I have even custom made a batch for a customer that requested the addition of garlic and onion in her syrup. Her response was that it was perfect and just what she wanted.” Lansdell believes firmly in keeping things local. “My goal is to source as many ingredients local as I can,” Lansdell said. “I am a girl that loves farmers’ markets and will choose that over sourcing my ingredients from the web. It’s really fun to go and find small businesses like mine and purchase their products. I feel better helping others small businesses thrive. We are a small community, but a community that supports each other. What can’t anyone love about that?” Lansdell uses honey from I Heart Bee’s in Lakeland in her elderberry syrup. If you would like to learn more about Alicia’s Organic Elderberry Syrup or to find out which artisan/farmers’ market she will be at in the near future, you can visit her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AliciasOrganicElderberrySyrup. If you’d like to order some of Lansdell’s syrup you can send her an email at aliciaelderberrysyrup@gmail.com.
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HOPS FIELD DAY MAY 23; REGISTRATION OPEN
By Jim Frankowiak
The Spring 2019 Hops Field Day will take place at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) at Balm on Thursday, May 23. Registration takes place at 9:30 a.m. and the program will begin at 10 a.m., concluding shortly before 3 p.m. Field Day participants will have the opportunity to view the GCREC’s just-expanded hop yard, which has been expanded from 0.8 to 2.2 acres, making it the largest hop yard in Florida. Presentations will cover a range of topics related to growing hops in Florida, including hop yard construction, cultivar selection, photoperiod manipulation, cultural practices and pest management. The program will begin with a field tour at the GCREC followed by lunch. Afternoon presenters include Simon Bollin, Agribusiness Development Manager for Hillsborough County Economic Development; Plant Physiologist Dr. Shinsuke Agehara, Plant Breeder Dr. Zhanao Deng, Plant Pathologist Dr. Gary Vallad, Entomologist Dr. Hugh Smith, Nematologist Dr. Johan Desaeger and Postdoctoral Associate Dr. Aleyda Acosta Rangel. Agehara, Deng, Vallad, Smith, Desaeger and Rangel are all members of the Alternative Crops Research team at the GCREC.
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GCREC Center Director, Dr. Jack Rechcigl, provided the majority of support for the hop yard expansion with the
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balance coming from Drs. Agehara and Deng. The expansion was driven by the need for more hop research in Florida. “My new project will focus on hop yard trellis designs and production practices,” said Agehara, while Dr. Deng’s program “will focus on cultivar evaluation, as well as the breeding program.” The expanded hop yard has 24 rows in total. The hoops research program at the GCREC has been funded by the Florida Specialty Crop Block Grant Program since 2016. Additional sponsors and collaborators include UF/IFAS, GCREC, Hillsborough County, Redner Family Foundation, Bailey Family Foundation, Crooked Can Brewing, Hopsteiner, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA), 3 Daughters Brewing, Cigar City Brewing, Coppertail Brewing, Toro and Chemical Dynamics. The Hops Field Day registration is $20, including lunch. To register, visit: https://2019hopsfielddayatgcrec. eventbrite.com. You may also stay up-to-date on hops research at the GCREC via Facebook – https://www. facebook.com/pg/GCREC.Hops/. Questions may be directed to Dr. Agehara at 813/419-6583 or via email: sagehara@ufl.edu. The GCREC is located at 14625 County Road 672, Wimauma, FL 33598. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
FARM BUREAU MEMBERSHIP: Agricultural Advocacy and More!
By Jim Frankowiak The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest, non-profit general organization comprised of more than 146,000 families, working to ensure the future of family farms, locally grown food and the rural land. Membership in Florida Farm Bureau means that you are part of a growing community of families who support agriculture in the Sunshine State. Florida Farm Bureau and its members comprise the “Voice of Agriculture,” but there’s more, a lot more associated with your membership. Hillsborough County membership is an annual fee of $54 and this modest charge is for your entire family, enabling you to advocate for issues important to you at the local, state and national levels. Please remember, you don’t have to be a farmer or rancher to become a Farm Bureau member. If you appreciate the importance and continuance of agriculture, become a member. Put bluntly, “No Farmers, No Food!” Farm Bureau member families also enjoy valuable discounts and savings on vehicles, insurance, travel and farm equipment. These savings can easily pay for your family’s Farm Bureau membership. If you’re in the market for a Ford or Lincoln vehicle, be sure to let the dealer know you are a Farm Bureau member and you’ll save on the cost of that car or truck. Home and auto insurance are other options open only to Farm Bureau members, as well as estate planning help and other coverage benefits. Members will also find savings through Case-IH, Caterpillar, John Deere, Grainger, Grasshopper and others. You can purchase No Trespassing signs. You can also enjoy exclusive discounts on Florida’s Best® products through the Florida Farm Bureau Buyers Club, the oldest and largest club in the country.
You can also enjoy reduced prices on sporting events at both the University of Florida and Florida State University. For more information on the broad range of Farm Bureau member benefits, visit: FloridaFarmBureau.org/membership/. Membership will also allow you to stay informed about the many aspects of Agriculture through a subscription to Florida Agriculture Magazine and updates on current research and public policy issues. You will also have opportunities to network with peers and various commodity groups, providing peer networking opportunities leading to enhanced professional experience and leadership skills. If you want to reach out personally to your local, state and/or federal lawmakers on behalf of our industry, Farm Bureau has opportunities each year for you to do this. Membership in Florida Farm Bureau is truly the family gift that keeps on giving throughout the year, while helping to have the Voice of Florida Agriculture heard by those whose actions have short and long term impacts on the viability of our industry. Your membership also means a “no charge” meal for you and your family at the annual meeting of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau. That’s charcoal-grilled steaks for mom and dad and burgers or hot dogs for the children. Don’t wait any longer, join today. You’ll be glad you did! Visit: FloridaFarmBurea.org/membership/. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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If your family is traveling within or outside of Florida, Farm Bureau membership offers discounts for auto rentals, lodging and discounted tickets for Disney World, Universal Orlando, Sea World and other theme parks and attractions. Membership in Farm Bureau also offers exclusive pricing on hotels and vacations in the greater Orlando area.
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Florida
Dewberry By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Florida is home to many kinds of berries---strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and the lesser-known dewberries. Part of the genus Rubus, dewberries are closely related to blackberries. In fact, the leaves and fruit of the dewberry can sometimes be hard to tell apart from those of the blackberry. Both blackberries and dewberries are edible and are mostly used in pies, jams and cobblers, but dewberries are sweeter. Unripened dewberries are a deep red color and they become dark purple or black when they are ripe and ready to eat. Like other berries, dewberries are tart when unripe and sweeten with ripeness. Dewberries grow on low trailing vines with aggregate fruits. Fresh Florida dewberries are delicious when eaten raw, and can also be used to make jam, pies, ice cream, or cobbler.
Nutritional Profile According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup of fresh dewberries (145 g) contains 74 calories, 2 g of protein, 0.7 g of fat, 18 g of carbohydrate, and 7.6 g of fiber. It also provides 50% of the Daily Reference Intake for vitamin C, 31% for dietary fiber, 10% for copper, 7% for magnesium, and plentiful amounts of vitamin A, calcium, zinc, thiamin, phosphorus and vitamin B6.
Get lots of nutrients Fully ripened berries contain the most antioxidants and are also the most delicious! Research suggests that the antioxidant levels actually increase as a fruit fully ripens. Ripe berries are freshest if kept in the refrigerator and consumed within a few days. They can also be frozen and can last up to six months in the freezer. Both fresh and frozen dewberries contain anthocyanins, but processed foods do not. Anthocyanins were almost undetectable in canned foods, bread, cereals, and baby foods containing berries, according to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Researchers speculate that this may be due to the instability of the chemical structure of anthocyanins, which allows them to be easily destroyed during processing. Therefore, fresh or frozen berries contain the most nutritional value.
Keep your brain strong Consumption of dewberries may alleviate some of the effects of age-related cognitive decline, which occurs in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. When older animals were fed blackberries, a close relative of dewberries, they showed improvements in short-term memory, coordination, balance, muscle strength and stamina. Polyphenols, another type of antioxidant occurring in high levels in blackberries, were thought to be responsible for this improvement. Regular intake of polyphenols, found in berries and red wine, is associated with a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Keep your heart strong Dewberries are a heart healthy food. Feeding berries to animals lowers stroke damage and risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and total blood lipid levels.
Prevent or Slow the Growth of Cancer Other disease-fighting compounds in dewberries that have been shown to inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells include phenolic acids, tannins, and flavonols. High intakes of flavonols have been shown to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer in women, compared to those who ate the least.
Ways to Enjoy Choose fresh berries with a fragrant smell that are free of wet or soft spots. Refrigerate any berries you are not planning to consume immediately. Wash berries under running water just before consuming. Dewberries are delicious eaten straight out-of-hand or with a simple dollop of whipped cream. Other ways to enjoy include: • Top oatmeal, cereal, or yogurt with fresh dewberries • Make into jam or jelly • Mix with apples or peaches into a crisp or crumble • Use to top cake instead of frosting • Toss some into any fresh salad Eat more fresh Florida dewberries in their peak season today. They’re delicious and they’re good for you!
Selected References http://en.wikipedia.org/ https://www.britannica.com/plant/dewberry INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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By Jack Payne I visited a Farm Bureau friend of mine last month. His pine plantation is in Marianna. Actually, his pine plantation was in Marianna. As we stood among acre after acre of trees snapped like matchsticks, Mack Glass didn’t complain about the economic value those trees lost when they fell. In fact, he joked that he was lucky that he and his wife of 51 years were young enough to start over with a 25-year crop. What Mack lamented more was that his trees were so little valued by society while they were standing. No one ever paid him for the carbon sequestration, the water filtering, the wildlife habitat, or flood control he provided with his trees. There are conservation easements and other nascent programs to incentivize farmers not to grow houses and roads on their land. What I hear repeatedly from producers, though, is that they don’t get credit -- in cash nor gratitude – for the things they provide but do not sell. With the help of a former Mississippi Farm Bureau official and former Maryland assistant secretary of agriculture, I’ve convened a discussion on how to change that. The Florida Climate Smart Ag Working Group is a producer-led discussion about how to provide for Florida’s farming future in the face of changing conditions.
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Tomato industry leader Tony DiMare, who has operations in Hillsborough County, is part of the group. Longtime Manatee County Farm Bureau board member Jim Strickland and forestry leader Lynetta Griner are, too. Scott Kirouac was there from the Highlands County Farm Bureau.
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Capturing the value of ecosystem services emerged as a priority in the first two meetings. The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has agriculture and natural resource economists who can help. One of them has already started a survey to learn how widespread best management practices are. The results could inform the public, researchers, and policy makers about the services farmers provide. In fact, Dr. Tara Wade of the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, states, “Your responses are crucial to understanding the burden placed on growers and to begin a conversation about who is really benefitting from BMPs and who should be paying for them.” Please consider participating in her survey and telling your colleagues about it. You can get it by emailing tara.wade@ufl. edu or calling her at 239-658-3444. With your observations added to Mack’s, and with Tara’s data, we’ll get a clearer picture of what Farm Bureau members deliver beyond food, fuel, and fiber. At some point, we may even agree what it’s worth.
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. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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H ELP US
TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT
Buy the AgTag® $20 of your purchase helps educate our kids!
Through your purchase of the Florida Agriculture License Plate, Florida Agriculture In The Classroom is able to provide: • Funds for school gardens • PreK–12 agriculture curriculum • Teacher and volunteer grants • Workshops and farm tours • Florida Agriculture Literacy Day • And much more! Visit agtag.org to learn more. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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OPTIMIZING SOIL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS PAYS OFF IN SANDY SOILS Healthy soil is alive, a living ecosystem, and serves as the foundation for agriculture. Sometimes, it doesn’t get the respect it deserves. When treated like dirt, soil is less productive, and the fertility of the land may be diminished. One new technology, called Cool Terra®, provides growers a way to enhance soil vitality for greater yield in strawberry fields like yours. In fact, Cool Terra has shown some of the greatest results in the type of high sand, low organic matter soil common in Florida’s strawberry fields. Just like a coral reef supports sea life by providing structure, resources, and habitat in an otherwise barren ocean floor, Cool Terra can support plant life by: •Optimizing water retention in the root zone •Enhancing nutrient exchange and availability •Building lasting soil structure •Providing an environment for microbes A 2018, 32 acre commercial trial in Polk County Florida using Cool Terra demonstrated improved strawberry yields by over 500 flats per acre. The increased strawberry yield provided a revenue impact of over $4K and a grower return on investment of 15.5x!
FIELD TRIAL: 32 ACRE COMMERCIAL TRIAL PLANT CITY, FL | 2017-2018 | STRAWBERRY VARIETY: RADIANCE Revenue Impact: +$4,055 | 1 year grower ROI: 15.5x 4000 3500
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Full program details can be found at www.coolplanet.com/cool-terra/innovator-advantage
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A FIXED-CARBON MATERIAL SPECIFICALLY ENGINEERED TO PROVIDE LASTING SOIL PERFORMANCE BENEFITS Backed by over 120 independent, 3rd party field trials, Cool Terra provides, on average, a 12.3 increase in marketable yield and a greater than 3 to 1 return on investment. Give your soil the respect it deserves to establish a solid foundation for strawberry productivity and quality. For more information, contact Cool Planet’s Regional Sales Associate, Jordan Schultheis: 330.770.1118 Available for sale today:
Cool Planet is proud to support and contribute to the FSGA to further soil health research and innovation.
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL RETAILER TODAY INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FAIR LAMB SHOW NAMED IN HONOR OF
DR. EARL LENNARD
The Lamb Show and Sale at the Hillsborough County Fair has been renamed in honor of Dr. Earl Lennard. It is now known officially as the Dr. Lennard Honorary Market Lamb Show & Sale. This is the second year of the show at the fair “and due to our first year being a huge success, we will be increasing the number of entries to 35 lambs,” said Show Committee CoChair Melissa Sampson, who is also an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Simmons Career Center. “We had 17 lambs in the show and sale last year with an average sale price of $9.25 per pound, including add-ons,” she said. Other members of the committee include Co-Chair Brittany Coleman and committee members Lauren Paul, Abby Davis and Aubrey Davis. “In honor of his commitment, dedication and passion for the agriculture industry, the youth of our community and the Greater Hillsborough County Fair, it is with great pride that we dedicate our show to Dr. Earl Lennard,” according to a statement from the Show Committee. “Dr. Lennard has dedicated his life to service by first becoming an agriculture teacher, then Agriculture Education Supervisor and ultimately the Hillsborough County Superintendent of Schools. His legacy and service to our community then continued while he served as Supervisor of Elections.
BY Jim Frankowiak
October 23 from 4 – 6 p.m. The show will take place Friday, October 25 at 5 p.m. with Showmanship to follow, based on callbacks. The sale day is Saturday, October 26, at 7 p.m. All events take place at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, State Road 60 and Sydney-Washer Road. The show is open to youth enrolled in a Hillsborough County 4-H Club or FFA Chapter, youth who live in Hillsborough County or youth who attend school in Hillsborough County. Entrant ages will be determined as of September 1 with categories as follows: Novices - ages 5-7, Junior – ages 8-10, Intermediate: ages 11- 13 and Senior – ages 14 +. Information regarding the number of entries or other showrelated questions may be directed to Ms. Sampson by phone or text at: 813/478-9224 or email: Melissa.sampson@sdhc. k12.fl.us or to Ms. Coleman at 813/928-1337 or email: Brittany. coleman@sdhc.k12.fl.us. Other information regarding the Show and Sale such as Record Books, Final Weigh-In and Check-In; the Market Show and Showmanship, as well as the Auction can be accessed by visiting the Hillsborough County Fair website: hillsboroughcountyfair.com.
“Dr. Lennard has helped pave the way for children involved in the agriculture industry and in our community to reach their potential, find their passions and dedicate themselves to a life of service. Please join us as we pray for Dr. Lennard’s health and continue improvement,” the committee’s statement concluded.
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Show entries are now being accepted until 35 entries have been received. Entries are accepted on a first come, first served basis. There is an initial Tag-in and required clinic set for 9 a.m. Saturday, July 20. Show Check-in is Wednesday,
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LIMITATIONS TO LAZY GARDENING
Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Agent UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County Last month my article covered how you can have a beautiful garden while maintaining a lazy gardener lifestyle. This month it’s about the limitations to lazy gardening. Mulch: Takes a little work to put it down but saves a lot of time and effort in the long run. Regulates soil temperature, adds organic value, inhibits weeds, and retains soil moisture. Pine bark, pine straw/needles, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, leaves are good options. Cypress is not because when cypress stands are cut down for mulching, the habitat of native birds and animals is destroyed. Fertilizing: Use slow release fertilizer every three to four months per label. To be really lazy, don’t fertilize until you are sure of light rain for activation. Water-based fertilizers leach through the soil after rain or irrigation. The University of Florida recommends fertilizing turfgrass two to three times per year. Leaving grass clippings on your turf means you can decrease one fertilization, needing one to two, saving you both time and $$. Why Prune? Reasons to prune include training the plant to grow in a certain direction and improving health by removing diseased stems, which opens the interior space, creating better air circulation. Pruning also increases flowering, allowing for bigger fruit on some types and more abundant foliage. It can also restrict growth and keep the plant in the boundary of available space. And, you can deadhead to reduce pruning. War on Weeds: A weed is the wrong plant in the right place, right plant/wrong place, or a plant with nine lives. Using mulch (depth two to three inches after it settles) helps. If you chose to fight the weed war, you can cover weeds with newspapers to smother them and/or point, aim, and squeeze with an environmentally-friendly weed killer spray.
chemical solutions, go to: https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/ffl/managing-yard-pests.html. Inefficient Irrigation: If you have an in-ground irrigation system, do you have broken heads, plant or other materials blocking the spray pattern, and/or a rain shut-off device that does not work? Do you have program A, B and C set to run subsequently? Are the times set for each irrigation zone appropriate? Is your water bill for more than 20,000 gallons of water per month? If yes, you should talk to Paula Staples, ext. 54142, to see how she may be able to help you decrease your water usage. Right Plant, Wrong Place: You now have the ‘opportunity’ to move the right plant to the right place in your landscape or take the time and expense of replacing it after it dies. Site conditions are very important when making plant selections. Consideration should be given to light (sun/shade), soil pH and texture, water, wind and other conditions. An invasive plant is never the right plant in any place. Not sure if it’s invasive, go to UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas: https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/. Rewards of laziness: Reading, golfing, sleeping, cooking, crafting, outings with family and friends, more gardening, attending an Extension workshop…your choice! For more information on environmental horticulture, contact the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Hillsborough County, (813) 744-5519, visit our office at 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584 or website, calendar of events and Facebook page in this order: http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/, http://sfyl. ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/upcoming-events/ and https:// www.facebook.com/HCFFL/.
Pests: Biting, Sucking and Chewing! We have aphids, caterpillars, slugs, snails, scale and spider mites. Less than one percent of all bugs are BAD BUGS. “When we kill off the natural enemies of a pest, we inherit their work,” said Professor Carl Huffaker, Ph.D. (entomology/ecology). The first step, however, is to property identify the insect to be sure it is a pest versus a beneficial insect. If you must, use a non-chemical and least toxic product. Spot treat plants as needed, not the entire landscape. Lazy Pest Management (LPM) Alternatives: Murder by Hand Methods: Use two pinching fingers to squish pests; hard spray with water; and/or prune off infested sections and place those sections in your household trash, not your yard waste which could be recycled elsewhere. For more info on nonINTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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A $2 Million, Million Fix For America’s Infrastructure! Recently I read in the news that President Trump and Democratic leaders in Congress had agreed to a long needed plan to rebuild and restore out nation’s infrastructure. Great news, I thought, since so much work is desperately needed to fix crumbling roads, bridges, sewers, airports and transportation hubs. That’s not even considering any new expansion that may be desired. We’ve got a fortune in potential bills piling up just for deferred maintenance. Then I read again the headline number that really caught my attention. The agreement between the President and Congressional leaders was for an amount upwards to $2 million! Wait! Did I read that right? To rebuild and restore our nation’s infrastructure they agreed upon spending $2 million?! That can’t be right. In Plant City alone, our local and state leaders have been working together (well done!) to repave several miles of the city’s major roadway at a cost in excess of $1 million per mile. How, then, could the Federal Government plan to repair our nation’s problems for just $2 million?! I checked the headline again. Maybe my eyes were deceiving me. Maybe I need new glasses. Maybe I need to “big up” the type on my iPad to get a better look. Nope. It still said $2 million. Mind you, this was a well known, well read, respectable online newspaper that many people read daily. Yet the truth is that the number was missed by a “t”. That’s right. One letter off it was. The infrastructure plan is actually for $2 trillion. It’s NOT $2 million! So here’s the real question. How could an educated, well paid journalist miss that one minor mistake? Even more so, how could the editor not notice the error? Seriously, $2 million for the Federal Government is like pocket change to a panhandler. Frustrating as it might be, but $2 million is something that slips through the cracks. Such sum rarely even gets noticed. Think about it. Our military’s new fighter jet, the Joint Strike Fighter F-35, costs about $100 million each. Could anyone
by John Dicks
actually consider that we’ll fix our country’s infrastructure on what it takes to make spare parts for the plane? By the way, notice that I, too, exaggerated a tad when I said that the cost of the new plane is “about” $100 million each. The best that I can determine is that no one really knows what it costs! I’ve seen estimates for the plane ranging from $94 million to $122 million. I suppose, though, that we should be pleased that the maker, Lockheed Martin, did declare earlier this year that it expects to be able to get the cost of each plane to drop below $80 million by the year 2023. Nonetheless, it’s an absolutely fantastic plane and I’m all in favor of the program (which, by the way, costs a total of $1 trillion, and is incidentally 1/2 what is being proposed to fix our nation’s infrastructure). The planes and their excellent aviators will do wonders in insuring our nation’s security. But I digress. The point of my even mentioning the F-35 and its cost is that everyone knows the Federal Government spends millions and millions and millions on things. So I’m just amazed that the number $2 million got mixed up with $2 trillion and somehow it got printed. For the record, $2 million and $2 trillion aren’t even close. Remember, there’s six zeroes in a million; but in a trillion, you’ve got 12 of them. Better put, a trillion is equal to a million million! That’s right. Somebody with a million, or six zeroes, as in $1,000,000 feels rather comfortable. Somebody with a trillion, or 12 zeroes, as in $1,000,000,000,000 feels rather faint. At least I suspect so. No one’s hit that mark. At least not that we know of. In all the world, there’s only a handful of billionaires. It takes a thousand of those billions to make a trillion. That’s a lot, indeed. I guess it’s just a reminder of something we all know already. Not everything we read is right. Sometimes innocent mistakes are made, even when it concerns trillions of dollars! So you’ll know, I checked back on the story a few hours later and found that the $2 trillion mistake had been fixed. Bravo! Now let’s turn our attention to that infrastructure plan itself and get it in place. It’s way past time for water projects, road and bridge repairs, even a buildout of fast and secure nationwide broadband. There’s lots of work that needs to be done and done now!
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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. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Plant City, where he 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
Toadstools with Ruffles: Brittle Maidenhair Fern By Ginny Mink
When it comes to thoughts on endangered species in Florida, our minds generally wander to the myriad of animals on the list. Rarely do we consider all the plants that also make up that compilation. In fact, they should probably come first in our minds, as it is the devastation of said plants that is increasing the number of animals that are also threatened and endangered. Since plants need to garner larger residence in our thoughts on endangered species, we are going to discuss the brittle maidenhair fern this month. Brittle maidenhair ferns, Adiantum tenerum, are quite appealing to the eyes. Their green foliage and odd shaped leaves make them all the more ignored due to the fact their appearance doesn’t initially elicit thoughts of them being considered ferns. In fact, we’d venture to say that most people who come across these unique plants probably think they are moss or fungi of some sort. According to the Atlas of Florida Plants, the brittle maidenhair fern was added to the Plants in the Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act, in 1998. Though they are not designated as endangered elsewhere, Florida has come to the belief that they are “in imminent danger of extinction within the state…” There is concern that they will not survive if the cause of decline continues to deplete their numbers.¹ When traveling through areas in which there are known rockland hammocks, keep your eyes out for areas of moist limestone. This appears to be their favorite habitat. Though the presence of humus material is not necessarily required, it would seem that they appreciate it for the sake of growth. In fact, they are able to grow in soil with poor nutrient composition as long as there is some organic content available.² If you are a fern lover and would like to try your luck at locating these cool little bits of vegetation, you should know that they can reach 23 inches in height and an equal size in width. New growth starts out as a pale green, but gets darker as the plant ages. This is an evergreen fern composed of “many 3-pinnate fronds… It has segments more or less rhomboidal, lateral and upper margins lobed and finely toothed.”³ Basically the leaves look a lot like a toadstool with ruffles. These plants have been found in the following counties: St. Johns, Alachua, Marion, Volusia, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Broward, and Miami-Dade.¹ The earliest specimen collection, noted in the records located at the FSU Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium, is dated February of 1905 by A. A. Eaton. Additional information there suggests that as late as 1959, the brittle maidenhair fern was still in abundance in Alachua County according to D.B. Ward. And, it was frequently seen in Citrus County in 1966 based on information from John T. Mickel, Alan R. Smith, E. Laurence Thurston, and James H. Peck.⁴
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By 1982, the number of specimens collected had considerably declined and there was no mention of abundance in any of the counties represented by these collections. There are, of course, a vast number of potential causes of decline. Due to the fact they cannot tolerate blazing sun, it is imperative that they have access to the rockland hammocks they call home.
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The tendency for humans to destroy these natural habitats for the sake of building has been hugely detrimental to a large population of creatures and vegetation within our great state. It would seem, that the best way to ensure that we protect and preserve this species is to take action of our own accord. In fact, many of the sites we located suggested that the brittle maidenhair fern makes a great indoor plant. If you opt to attempt this, make sure to remove any discolored or old fronds in the spring so that new growth can appear. Additionally, repot and add fresh soil during that time. In winter, reduce your watering and keep the plant in a cool space.³ A lightly shaded position is the most advantageous location and rainwater will be your best source for keeping the soil moist. Make sure you don’t overwater these ferns though, especially when it’s cool outside. You can mist them every four days to add the necessary humidity for them to thrive. And, you might even consider placing them in a terrarium environment for optimum results.³ According to Natives for Your Neighborhood, “In the right situations, this rock-loving fern will recruit readily in the garden.”² So, if your goal is to make a difference in the lives of endangered plant species in Florida, please consider adding these to your garden or your home. We want to ensure that we are the stewards God designed us to be when He placed all things under our dominion. Resources: ¹Adiantum tenerum. Atlas of Florida Plants Institute for Systematic Botany. http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant. aspx?id=2812 ²Brittle maidenhair Adiantum tenerum Pteridaceae. Natives for Your Neighborhood. https://www.regionalconservation.org/ beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Adiatene ³Adiantum tenerum ‘Scutum’. Plants Rescue. http://www. plantsrescue.com/tag/brittle-maidenhair-fern/ ⁴Specimen Detail. Adiantum tenerum. The Florida State University Biology Department Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium. https:// herbarium.bio.fsu.edu/view-specimen.php?RecordID=82579 Photo Credits: Carlson, A. (2011). Brittle Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum tenerum ‘Farleyense’). Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/a3wx1m Starr, Forest & Kim. (2012). Adiantum tenerum leaves backside showing. Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/EgwKh3 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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.
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CO-WORKERS AND FAMILY GATHER TO HONOR
Jackie Hunter
BY Jim Frankowiak
While events such as this are typically called “retirement parties,” this was a special gathering more akin to a family celebration honoring Jackie Hunter for her nearly four decades of service and achievement with the majority of that time at Extension. Jackie and her colleagues, both current and past, are more like family members than co-workers, meeting the demands of their various roles with Extension and helping one another, as needed, whether dealing with life’s challenges or lending a hand with child care. As a result, there were equal amounts of laughter and tears throughout the event at the Extension office in eastern Hillsborough County.
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Retired Extension Director, Mike McKinney, recalled one of those instances when Jackie’s youngest daughter, Jessica, was at an Extension event her mother was overseeing, but needed help with Jessica’s supervision. Mike proved well-equipped to handle the task and suggested, “Jessica must have thought this big white guy,”
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referring to himself, “was Santa Claus and she realized she needed to behave.” Jackie and John’s oldest daughter, Erika, works in television, while Jessica is a nurse. Jessica’s daughter Novah is the love of her grandmother and retirement will expand Jackie’s opportunities “to spoil my granddaughter, my little heart beat and the joy of my existence.” John, who retired from Johnson Controls a short time ago, and Jackie have been married for 48 years. Jackie’s career with Extension began in 1977 at the District of Columbia Cooperative Extension Service where she served as a Family and Consumer Science Agent. This was after she had received her Associates degree from Ferrum College (now University) and Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Science from Bennett College. The following year she and her husband John, who met while both were students at Ferrum College, relocated to Hillsborough County and Jackie became a CETA Program Family and Consumer Science TechniWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
cian, working for the Board of County Commissioners. A year later, Jackie moved on to the Northside Behavioral Center where she served as a Life Skills Coordinator in the Transitional Program. She then joined the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Hillsborough County Extension Service as 4-H Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Coordinator Extension Agent, achieving permanent status. In 2005, Jackie became Interim 4-H Program Leader, a post she held until 2008. At that time, she was named Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) Program Supervisor for Youth and Adult Programs, a position she held until her retirement at the end of last year. Jackie’s retirement was bittersweet for many, including current Extension Director Stephen Gran. “Our EFNEP Program is one of the best in Florida,” he noted. “Jackie’s innovation and effectiveness has made it a challenge to continue the program achieving the same results. She has been one of the constants for me,” he said. “Jackie’s retirement is both a personal and professional loss for me,” said Gran. “Jackie catered my wedding and our families have become friends,” said Gran. He went on to present Jackie with a UF certificate of appreciation and gratitude for “35 years of loyal and dedicated service” along with a letter from UF Provost Dr. Joe Glover awarding Jackie Emeritus Status. There were gifts from Extension staff members, including a blanket with phrases Jackie used, and comments, often amid tears, noting Jackie “always cared about us and always put family first. We will really miss you.” Pam Bradford, who has replaced Jackie as EFNEP Supervisor, said, “Jackie has been like a mom to me. I am happy to carry on her legacy.” Former Florida State Senator, Faye Culp, who is a member of the Hillsborough County 4-H Foundation Board, expressed the “foundation’s love of Jackie for her kindness, friendship and leadership.” Culp said the Foundation is grateful that Jackie has joined the group. Responding to the expressions of gratitude, Jackie said, “I really like these people. My time with Extension has not been a job, but a career. 4-H’ers were my babies for my first 30 years. EFNEP is one of the best in the state thanks to our staff. I am so glad to have been part of this. I will continue to be involved. This is truly my family,” she said. Perhaps McKinney best summed it up when he said. “Seeing these families grow thanks to Jackie, the remarkable role model they had as their mother. Jackie is a master at her profession and motherhood. Often, you were the one that kept Hillsborough County 4-H and Extension going while I was director,” he said. “I am honored to know you.” INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Bat Woman
By Libby Hopkins Tampa Bay Bats in Lutz is here to dispel the myths surrounding the nocturnal creature that seems to instill fear in the hearts of so many. “We are an educational and bat rescue and rehabilitation organization located in the Tampa Bay, Florida area,” said Francine Prager of Tampa Bay Bats. “Our goal is to teach children and adults how beneficial these gentle animals are and to dispel the many myths surrounding them.” There are 13 species of bats in Florida, with five living right here in the Tampa Bay area. They are Evening Bat, which is a very common bat, often mistaken for a baby bat as it only measures two to two and half inches long and has a wingspan of about eight inches. They can be found roosting in tree hollows or under bridges and culverts. With shiny brown fur and black face, feet and wings, they are very pretty bats. They are slow, but steady fliers. The Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat, which is a medium sized bat with forward pointing ears and wrinkled lips, has a tail extending more than one third of its length beyond the tail membrane. Colonial bats can be found roosting in caves, abandoned buildings, under bridges and sometimes in attics. They have long narrow wings, with a wingspan of between 11-13 inches and are strong and fast fliers. They can reach speeds of 100 mph and "cruise" at 10,000 feet. The Northern Yellow Bat, one of Florida's larger bats and the largest bat in Tampa Bay, has long yellowish fur, which blends in nicely with the dead palm fronds and Spanish moss where it lives. It is a solitary bat with a body length of just under three inches and a wingspan of 14-16 inches. The Eastern Red Bat has bright red fur. It roosts in tree branches where it can sometimes be found hanging by one foot, making it look like a dead leaf. It's body length is about two inches and it has a wingspan of 11-13 inches. A close relative to the Seminole bat, females give birth to one to four pups in late May or early June. Finally, the Seminole Bat has rich mahogany color fur with a white tipping in some individuals. A close relative of the Eastern Red Bat; they roost in pine trees and Spanish moss. Their
Prager always had an interest in bats, so when she moved to Florida she wanted to find a way to learn more about them. “I always found bats fascinating and when I moved to Florida I joined a bat organization as a volunteer and moved up the ranks to board member,” Prager said. “The founders of this organization wanted to retire but I had gotten into educating kids about bats by doing bat programs in schools and loved it, so I started Tampa Bay Bats. We can now go into six counties doing educational programs. Tampa Bay Bats is primarily a bat rescue and the programs are a way of supporting it.” The education programs offered by Tampa Bay Bats are very popular with the local schools in the Tampa Bay area. Kids love the little furry creatures! “The educational programs have proven to be big hits and have greatly been expanded from years ago when we had only one program,” Prager said. “Now there are programs for every grade level and a special program for adults. They are informative and I do try to make them humorous. The newest one, ‘Super Heroes-Super Bats’ and it compares some bats’ abilities with the same ones super heroes have.” Prager hopes that her educational programs help to dispel the many myths and fears people have about bats, like all bats are blind or are bloodsuckers. “All bats can see and many can see quite well,” Prager said. “The United States does not have vampire bats. They are found only in zoos. They live in South and Central America and some parts of Mexico. They do not ‘suck’ blood, but since they are required to drink blood in order to live, they do make a small scrape with their sharp incisors and lap up a little blood. Out of the almost 1,400 species of bats in the world, only three are vampires and two of those drink only the blood of birds. The third species, the common vampire bat, does drink the blood of mammals, but prefers the blood of cattle and horses.” If you would like to learn more about Tampa Bay Bats and their educational programs, you can visit their website at www.tampabaybats.net or contact Prager at 813-463-3785. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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body length is approximately two to two and half inches and they have a wingspan of 11-13 inches.
By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida We’re excited to be taking this month’s voyage with you as Mr. Torrey Simpson’s next plant in the Exotic Vines and Creepers section appears to have its own unique history. We are looking forward to doing some additional research about it to see if we can determine what has changed in the 93 years since he penned this book. So, hop aboard and let’s take a trip on the Literary Time Machine. We will dive right into his writings about Cereus. He says, “All the climbing Cereus have been scattered into other genera but I am so old-fashioned that I shall retain them under the well-known name. It is very difficult to identify members of this group from the books as none of my plants tally with the descriptions and no two authors agree. We have what I suppose is grandifloras with about five angled, prickly stems and very large, fragrant, white flowers. Another much like it but with blossoms not fragrant was received as nycticalus and it agrees well with a figure so labeled in Nicholson’s Dictionary.”¹ Here we’ll stop and see if we can find any answers to the debate. So, when we searched for the cereus grandifloras, we found it to be the night blooming cereus cactus. And, having had some personal experience with this particular cactus, we have to admit that it would easily be considered a vine as we’ve seen it wrap itself around trees and have, in fact taken photos of its blooms. The Clearpath School of Herbal Medicine suggests that this is a common cactus, so it remains quite viable that this is indeed the “exotic vine” of which Mr. Torrey Simpson spoke. According to this same site, “The flowers are large, waxy, splendorously showy…Like the name says, the flowers bloom at night, and it is a spectacular, one-night-only event.”² We feel honored to have had the opportunity to experience the show. Something we feel confident that Mr. Torrey Simpson did not realize, is that these plants have medicinal properties. The author of the article on the above-mentioned site suggests that the stems and immature flowers offer positive influences on the: cardiovascular system, nervous system, respiratory system, and female reproductive system (especially during premenstrual and menopausal times).² If you’d like to know more about its uses and the methods in which to take it, feel free to read the article which is listed in our Resources section.
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Those things addressed, we continue reading about the Cereus. “I have another which climbs lofty pine very strictly with immense flowers, the sepals being brick red, the petals white that may be macdonaldiae. Nicholson says, “Sepals bright red and orange, petals delicate white,” that its stems are cylindrical, and Bailey that the ribs are rather low, obtuse and somewhat interrupted which is exactly true of my plant but the lat-
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Part 56 ter says “White flowers” with no hint of red sepals. Grafting the two together we have a good description of my vine.”¹ Once again, we are off to explore this different variation on the Cereus he’s talking about here. Interestingly enough, we discovered that the “Selenicereus macdonaldiae” is also considered the night-blooming cereus. All the pictures we looked at were devoid of red sepals. Yet, as we read further into an article titled, “Selenicereus macdonaldiae: The Champion Cactus Flower,” the author, Mark Dimmitt reveals, “Selenicereus (Cryptocereus) anthonyanus has ric-rac stems and the flowers have dark purplish-red sepals that starkly contrast with the white petals.”³ It would appear we have solved a 93 year old mystery by arriving at the modern name for the Cereus with red sepals located on Mr. Torrey Simpson’s property. However, he tries to defend his own lack of information by adding, “Those who write manuals have seldom seen the plants of the tropics actually growing and blooming at homehence the difficulty in describing them. I have a fine six angled species from Cuba with splendid flowers- C. pitijaya I was told in the island. C. triangularis is magnificent here, sometimes covering stone walls almost with a mass of flowers, each a foot across. All these and others climb our pine trees and through May- sometimes into June, they are simply unbelievable to one who has never seen such a display. My macdonaldiae has opened forty immense flowers of a night and they keep coming for a month. Usually, however, there is one supreme night of glory that is far ahead of anything else.”¹ If you have never had the opportunity to see these incredible cacti bloom, you are definitely missing something splendid and glorious, as he suggests. We’d ask you to seek them out as the time for the “supreme night of glory” is rapidly approaching! And, please, feel free to share your experience and your photos with us! 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. 182-183). ²Marano, C. (2016). The Medicinal Benefits of Night-Blooming Cereus Cactus. Clearpath School of Herbal Medicine. http:// www.clearpathherbals.com/medicinal-herbs/medicinal-benefits-night-blooming-cereus-cactus/ ³Dimmitt, M. (2012). Selenicereus macdonaldiae: The Champion Cactus Flower. Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society. https:// www.tucsoncactus.org/html/growing_succulents_in_the_desert_column_June_2012.html Photo Credits: Souza, M. (2010). Ric Rac Cactus Flower. Flickr. https://flic.kr/ p/8eg5CG Mink, G. (2012). Night Blooming Cactus. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green
Framed Rustic Collage I was poking around one of the retail craft stores and came across these cool picture frames that have a canvas backing stretched over foam and a hinged front panel that is secured with magnets. I love the look of raw canvas and burlap and thought it would be a great environment for the twigs I collected for last month’s project. For this we are transferring silhouette prints to the burlap background of the frame and recreating the image by gluing twigs together for a simple framed fleur-de-lis and a lighthouse piece from a collage of materials. The materials used for these projects are only suggestions. We hope this project will inspire our readers to crank up some great music and immerse yourself in a day of creative freedom. We would love to see pictures of what you created.
Materials:
Shadow Box Frame Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks Wood Glue Pruning Shears Heavy Duty Scissors Twigs
Pebbles Foil White Glue Food Coloring Paint Brush (or cotton balls)
Production:
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Print a silhouette design and cut out the image area (this will be where the twigs go.) Trace the image onto the burlap Cut and glue twigs in place For water, mix a few drops of food coloring into white glue, paint the foil with the glue mixture, (dry in the oven at low temperature) Hot glue heavy object (or object that will overlap foil) Place (or glue) the matting into the frame
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A Closer Look
by Sean Green
Invasive Mole Crickets (Neoscapteriscus)
When I first moved to Florida in 1979 one of the first insects that fascinated me was what we commonly call a mole cricket. I had no idea what a mole cricket was until a Florida native explained that this critter was a type of cricket that digs into the ground to eat the roots of the grass. My friend continued to clarify that they are called mole crickets because they look like a tiny mole. Looking at this cricket I could see the resemblance to a mole and enjoyed collecting them. They were actually a cool insect to play with; they have claws on the front legs that are used for digging into the soil, and it’s huge mandibles are sturdy enough that if it bites you it might give you a scare (but not much harm). Most of us living in Florida have been taught that mole crickets in general are a terrible pest that ruin your lawn. This month we will take a closer look at the peculiar insect we know as the mole cricket. I learned later we have a total of four species of mole cricket in Florida. Our only native species, commonly known as the northern mole cricket (Neocurtilla hexadactyla), and three invasive species, the tawny (Neoscapteriscus vicinus) the short-winged (Neoscapteriscus abbreviates) and the southern (Neoscapteriscus borellii) mole cricket. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that our native species is the only one of the four not considered a pest. Through the lens of ecology this makes sense since our native species is the only one with native natural predators. Researchers generally agree that the three invasive species originate in South America where their host plant bahiagrass and its cultivars also originated. With the prevalence of bahiagrass dominating landscape choices, we have set a welcome plate for one of Florida’s most difficult pests. The problems that we face with imported agriculture is we also import the insects that come with it and without natural enemies they become pests. Although these mole crickets are primarily a turf pest, they also account for significant crop loss that include strawberries, tomatoes, peanuts, sugar cane and other vegetables, as well as ornamentals grown in Florida. Don’t get me wrong, our native species are capable of the same damage the invasive species create, however, there are native predators in North America that keep our native species in check, specifically the Larra wasp (Larra analis), com-
Knowing which species of mole cricket, you have (if any) is an important factor in controlling them with biologic agents. The invasive species (Neoscapteriscus) are known as two claw mole crickets, they can be differentiated from our native (Neocurtilla) by the two claws on the front legs; our native species has four claws on the end of it’s leg, with two more on the rest of it’ front leg for a total of six claws. In addition, the invasive species (Neoscapteriscus) has long wings that cover most of the abdomen, while our native species has short wings. Finally, the invasive species (Neoscapteriscus) has a smooth transition from its thorax to its head whereas our native species (Neocurtilla) appears to have a hood over its head. Managing these pest will not be an easy task, but if you take a closer look, to identify which mole cricket(s) you have, there is a chance you could let nature do the work and reduce the pesticide footprint around your home and your food. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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monly known as the “mole cricket hunter.” These are solitary ground dwelling wasps that have no nest to guard and therefore lack the aggression that is common with social wasps like the paper wasps. These wasps are also thought to be obligate predators of our native mole cricket, meaning they only attack our native species of mole cricket, parasitize them as a food source for their own young. This happens when two organisms evolve together, and one becomes a specialized predator of the other. Another similar wasp (Larra bicolor) was introduced to Florida as a biological means of pest control for the South American species in 1979 by researchers at UF/ IFAS after chlordane was banned as a pesticide by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Researchers planted shrubby false button weed (Spermacoce verticillate), the host plant of the wasps, to encourage them to stay and propagate. Releases were then made in Gainesville, Tampa, Lakeland, Bradenton, and Ft. Lauderdale, however only the Ft. Lauderdale releases took hold initially. By 2009 surveys demonstrated that the Ft Lauderdale population had spread to at least 44 counties and showed the high level of effectiveness of Larra bicolor as a biological control agent of Neoscapteriscus mole crickets at two sites in the Gainesville area. This is by no means a silver bullet, but it gives s hope and planting the host plant Spermacoce verticillate to provide the wasps an ideal source of nectar seems to be working.
VETERANS AQUACULTURE TOUR SET FOR JUNE 6 By Jim Frankowiak
The Veterans Aquaculture Tour II is set for Thursday, June 6, from 8 a.m. – 2:30p.m. at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/ IFAS) Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory (TAL) in Ruskin. The tour is open to any veteran, active duty or member of the National Guard. Registration is on a first come, first served basis. There is no charge to participate. Morning tour stops include ornamental fish farms in Ruskin and Wimauma. After lunch, the group will tour the TAL.
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“During these site visits, we will discuss the process of working on an ornamental fish farm and what that entails,” said Assistant Extension Scientist Eric Cassiano, who is based at the TAL. “Aquaculture in Florida is quite diverse. Total farm gate value of all aquaculture products is roughly $70 million, with ornamental fish the largest aquaculture commodity in Florida,” he said. The majority of that production is located in Hillsborough and Polk counties. In Hillsborough County, ornamental fish is the 4th largest agriculture commodity.
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The primary focus of the TAL “is the ornamental aquaculture production industry,” said Cassiano. “But we will also discuss other aquaculture commodities during the tour such as clams, alligators and food fish.” “There are many different types of career opportunities available in the aquaculture industry; including field work such as working in ponds and hatchery work like breeding fish and raising fry (baby fish),” said Cassiano. He also noted that the industry offers positions associated with branding, marketing and sales. “Farms range in size from smaller, family-type facilities to larger operations with numerous levels of employment and opportunity,” he noted. The TAL was created in 1996, using a surplus building from the National Weather Service, an adjacent fish farm that was for sale and funding from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Today’s internationally-recognized TAL comprises a 5,000-square-foot office and disease lab, an adjacent 6.5-acre fish farm with 48 ponds, 5 greenhouses, a fish
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quarantine space and a building housing tanks and lab space for a wide range of projects. Hillsborough Community College (HCC) utilizes one of the on-site greenhouses for its hands-on aquaculture production facility. Aerated well water, seawater and reverse osmosis water is plumbed throughout the facility to allow for research in fresh, brackish or seawater with an unlimited variation depending on project needs. As part of its Land Grant Mission, TAL programs focus on research and extension to solve problems or create opportunities, annually providing millions of dollars in savings or new profits to farms. Working closely with industry and other partners, the faculty, staff and facilities development have all been strategically planned and implemented. The U.S. Department of Agriculture
The tour is part of an ongoing Hillsborough County initiative to provide participants with the opportunity to explore career options available with local agribusinesses. Reservations can be made by contacting Cassiano via email: ericcass@ufl.edu or by calling him at 813/6715230, Extension 109.
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(USDA) continues to maintain its Wildlife Services regional programs office at the TAL. The USDA has also added veterinarians from its Animal and Plant Health Service (APHIS), including the Aquaculture Program Leader and the Aquaculture Import/Export Coordinator.
Community Water Wise Awards Program LYNN BARBER, FLORIDA-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPINGTM AGENT
Does your landscape have what it takes to win? Enter today to find out!
The 2019 Community Water Wise Awards, sponsored by Tampa Bay Water, recognize individuals and businesses committed to conserving our water resources and protecting the environment by using Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) principles. There are nine FFL principles which include: right plant right place, water efficiently, fertilize appropriately, mulch, attract wildlife, manage yard pests responsibly, recycle, reduce stormwater runoff and protect the waterfront. Many of these principles are used as part of the landscape evaluation process for this award program.
to complete the application and submit on-line to tampabaywaterwise.org. Attaching a photo or two is helpful. On-site landscape evaluations will be scheduled and conducted in May and early June with homeowners and business owners present. Winning entries will receive a handmade mosaic stepping stone for homeowners or a plaque option for businesses. If you have questions regarding the Community Water Wise Award program, please contact me at 744-5519 x 54105.
The retention of existing trees and vegetation is evaluated, as are landscape design, utilization of mulch and plant selection. Stormwater runoff prevention and efficient irrigation techniques are reviewed, including rain gardens, rainwater harvesting and functioning rain sensor devices. Winning landscapes balance attractive designs with plants, landscape elements and water efficient irrigation techniques that have a positive impact on our environment. You can view photographs of past winners at http://tampabaywaterwise.org and watch a short video which includes several of them. The deadline for entries is June 30, so you can complete an application now, submit it and get a head start on the 2019 contest! It takes approximately ten minutes
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For more information about the nine principles of the Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Program, for assistance with gardening-related questions, contact the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County at 813-744-5519 and visit our website at: http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/upcoming-events/ for upcoming workshops.
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Like Momma Said, “Eat Your Veggies!”
By Alison Grooms, MPH, CPH, CHES® Nutrition & Health Agent with UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
If you have kids you may remember how much of a chore it was to get them to eat their fruits and vegetables. You may have found some creative ways to make sure the little tykes ate all that was served to them. I can remember the airplane into the mouth trick, hiding them in other foods, and (dare I say it) – some good old-fashioned bribery. No matter what it took, we made sure our kids were getting all the nutrients their bodies needed that we knew fruits and vegetables could provide. So what happened to us as adults? According to a report published by the CDC, 90% of Americans are not getting the recommended servings for fruits and vegetables. When we become of age to make food choices for ourselves, as the report shows, the majority of us are avoiding produce. Why would we give up something we know our bodies’ need? We knew it was important for our kids but our bodies don’t stop needing the nutrients from fruits and vegetables just because we are old enough to have kids of our own. There are many reasons adults choose to forego consuming fruits and vegetables, with taste being a top contributor. Other factors include price, shelf-life, and time for preparation. However, these reasons will seem like silly excuses once you have a little creative thinking and pre-plan your way to incorporating fruits and vegetables into every meal. Use the tips below to bring nutrition through produce back into your life.
When you learn what counts as a serving, you will soon discover that it is not an unrealistic amount to consume in a day’s time. The USDA sets the recommended daily servings for each food group. For the fruit group, the recommended servings are two cups for women age 19 to 30, one and a half cups for women age 31 and up, and two cups for men ages 19 and older. However, not all fruit comes in a cup so it’s important to understand what qualifies as a one-cup serving. For example, a one cup serving could be a small apple or a cup of applesauce. If all the fruit you ate in a day were these two items, you would have met the recommended servings for men (two cups a day). The recommended servings of vegetables for women age 19-50 is two and a half cups per day and two cups a day for women age 51 and older. For men, the recommended servings are three cups of vegetables a day for those age 19-50 and two and a half cups a day for men age 51 and up. A one-cup serving of vegetables could be one cup of chopped broccoli or one cup of tomato juice. If this was all the vegetables you ate in a day, you would have met the recommended two cups a day serving for women age 51 and up.
2.) If you don’t like the taste, sneak them in:
While the old airplane into the mouth trick may not work on you anymore, you can still use other methods to sneak fruits and vegetables into other foods. Puréeing foods, or dicing them up into small pieces and throwing them into
your favorite dishes, is a great trick to get in those recommended servings and not even taste that they are there. For example, throw some chopped carrots into a meatloaf or spiral some zucchinis into noodles to add into your spaghetti.
3.) Try frozen or canned varieties if needed:
If you are like many who, in the pursuit of trying to be healthier, purchase lots of fresh produce with good intentions of eating it all before the end of the week, only to discover by the weekend the spinach is wilted and your refrigerator looks more like a science project than a fresh market, then try choosing some frozen or canned versions of your favorite produce. Frozen and canned produce still contain valuable nutrients, and frozen can be just as nutritious as fresh if it was flash frozen properly. While it may not taste the same as fresh, it can still have lots of flavor, especially when cooked. However, be sure if choosing canned varieties that you choose low sodium, no added sugar varieties, and fruits that are canned in their own juices. This can also help to save both money and time. Learning to preserve your own produce is also a valuable tool to ensure you are getting the most nutrients with the least amount of preservatives as possible. Remember, it’s better to get some fruits and vegetables into your diet in any way possible than not at all. References: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1116-fruit-vegetable-consumption.html https://www.choosemyplate.gov/ INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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1.) Learn the recommended servings and what counts as a serving size:
NEW CATTLEMEN’S “SWEETHEART”
Anna Conrad The Hillsborough County Cattlemen’s Association has a new “Sweetheart” and her name is Anna Conrad, the daughter of Jason and Stephanie Conrad and sister of Madi and Shalee and brother Tucker. The Sweetheart Pageant, a staple of annual activities at county associations across Florida, is a yearlong commitment and opportunity for selected sweethearts to serve as ambassadors for their respective county associations and the beef industry. County sweethearts also have the chance to compete for the position of State Sweetheart at the annual meeting of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. That session will be held at Marco Island in June and contestants will be involved in interviews, question-answer sessions and a presentation to the judges on a related subject area of the contestant’s choice. At the conclusion of their year of service, sweethearts receive scholarships from their county associations, support that the state sweetheart also receives. “If I were to be chosen State Sweetheart, that would provide me with the opportunity to work closely with the Florida Cattlemen, Cattlewomen, Junior Cattlemen and the Florida Beef Council,” said Conrad.
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Throughout the year sweethearts interact with the public on behalf of their respective county associations at a range of venues. “For me it’s a way of giving back to the industry that helped raise me,” said Conrad, whose family has a multicounty cattle operation, Weeping Creak Ranches, based in
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Photo by Berry Sweet Memories by Dee Dee
By Jim Frankowiak
Dover and a rich agricultural heritage. Her father is current Hillsborough County Cattlemen’s Association president, and her mother is closely involved with the Junior Cattlemen’s Association in the county. The Hillsborough Association, which is committed to the promotion of the beef industry, individual property rights and family values, has 145 members and growing with more than 25,000 head of cattle. Approximately 900,000 head of cattle are raised in Florida and the state has the largest cow-calf operation in the country. If the Anna Conrad name is familiar, that’s not surprising. She was featured in the pages of this publication just about three years ago after having been elected Area V Vice President for the Florida FFA, a one-year commitment that took Anna across Florida, the U.S. and even to South Africa. Anna was one of eight state FFA officers actively involved in leadership initiatives during 2016-2017 such as fostering chapter programs in Florida, participating in conferences and serving as voting delegates at the national FFA convention. That was the year immediately following her graduation from Plant City High School where she was president of the FFA Chapter. Anna also served two consecutive years as president of Florida FFA’s District 9, covering chapter in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties with approximately 4,000 active members.
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FFA began in 1928 when a group of young farmers brought together students, teachers and agribusinesses to solidify support for agricultural education. It was initially known as “Future Farmers of America,” but the name was changed to the National FFA Organization in 1988 and familiarly known as FFA. The name change was made to recognize that the organization is for those with diverse interests in the food, fiber and natural resource industries, encompassing science, business and technology in addition to production agriculture. The FFA has as its mission to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Since its founding, millions of agriculture students have worn the official navy blue FFA jacket and championed the FFA creed. Membership includes minorities and women all helping to expand the nation’s view of traditional agriculture and finds new ways to infuse agriculture. FFA nationally has more than 610,000 members in over 7,660 chapters in each of the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. FFA is the largest career and technical student organization in the U.S. The Florida FFA Association has over 18,000 middle and high school student members as part of more than 300 local FFA chapters. Members annually participate in leadership and career development events (CDEs), contests allowing members to showcase the skills they have learned through agricultural education instruction. Additionally, Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs involve the “hands-on” application of concepts and principles learned in the classrooms. Anna joined FFA in the sixth grade and she was also a 4-H member. She also has an enviable record showing cattle in and out of state. FFA has had a profound effect on Anna. “I was shy and very reserved as a middle school student, but my first FFA convention helped me break out of my shell as I became comfortable speaking publicly and actively participating in several sessions.” Attesting to her “break out” is her record participation on three State CDE winning teams, a number of top 5 and top 10 finishes and individual wins, as well. While a Florida FFA officer, Anna and her co-state officers traveled internationally to South Africa, a trip she considers “the
That trip also exposed Conrad to different types of agricultural operations unlike any here in the U.S. “Our group visited mango and goat farms, as well as an abalone farm,” she said. “I also came to more fully appreciate the stability of agriculture in the U.S. despite the challenges we face here. The agriculture industry in South Africa has many more issues.” Following her year as a state FFA officer, Anna enrolled at Warner University and has just completed her sophomore year. Anna had initially intended to focus on agricultural studies and pre-law, but she uncertain as to whether law school would be in her future or not. She is now majoring in Ag studies with focus on animal and plant sciences along with agricultural machinery, policy and business. “The trip to South Africa solidified my desire to work with people and that might be in a career such as public relations or communications. I want to continue to learn, but away from the classroom, working with people.” Courtesy Photos She is quick to point out that spending time with her close friends is very important and Anna considers “the highlight of my week her Wednesday evenings with the youth group at the First Baptist Church of Lake Wales” where she has the opportunity to interact and share with the 125 middle school and high school students that gather. “My faith is most important to me. It drives me,” she said. At Warner, Conrad is treasurer of the university’s Collegiate Cattlemen’s Association, a member of the Collegiate FFA and Polk County Farm Bureau. Congratulations Anna and best of luck as Sweetheart of the Hillsborough Cattlemen’s Association.
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Courtesy Photos best 12 days in my entire life.” She overcame her hatred of flying while taking the 14-hour trip and took delight in meeting the “most joyful people,” experience a diverse landscape that ranged from the jungles and mountains to the seaside city of Cape Town. “I came to realize that we live in a huge world of kindness and joy, not hurt,” she said. “The trip further enhanced my love of people. I know that I want to be involved in missionary work at the right time, both short visits and hopefully a longer term opportunity at some time in the future.”
NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
FARM BUREAU SEEKS WOMEN IN AG SURVEY PARTICIPANTS American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Program has launched “Women in Ag,” an online survey seeking to gauge the goals, aspirations, achievements and needs of women in American agriculture in a variety of areas. All women who are farmers, ranchers, farm employees, employees of Ag businesses, pursuing ag-related higher education or supportive of agriculture in other ways are invited and encouraged to participate. The survey can be accessed at: fb.org/women. Respondents must reside in the U.S., but Farm Bureau membership is not required.
USEPA MANDATES PARAQUAT CERTIFIED APPLICATOR TRAINING Farmworkers who apply the weed killer paraquat must be certified and certification requires successful completion of a course from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Applicators become certified by passing exams approved by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The online exam can be accessed at: www.usparaquattraining.com. Extension offices throughout the state also administer the tests and some also offer exam training preparatory classes prior to exams. The Hillsborough County Extension office in Seffner can be reached at: 813-744-5519.
PRESCRIBED BURNS NEAR THONOTOSASSA THROUGH JUNE The Southwest Florida Water Management District is conducting prescribed burns through June on the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area. This area of approximately 300 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. It is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Morris Bridge Road near Thonotosassa.
STEM AGRICULTURE GAMES OFFERED TO YOUTH The American Farm Bureau Federation Foundation for Agriculture has launched a mobile application for four of its My American Farm games. Available games and corresponding Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) components that meet national standards are: Keys to Stewardship (Science); The Great Seed Search (Technology); Thrive (Engineering); and Operation Peanut Butter (Math). The free My American Farm STEM app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
USDA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE FEATURES TO HELP FARMERS MANAGE LOANS AND THE H2A PROCESS
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched two new features on farmers.gov to help customers manage their farm loans and navigate the application process for H2A visas.
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FLORIDA AG COMMISSIONER SEEKS HELP FROM U.S. TRADE REP
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nicole “Nikki” Fried has contacted Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, the U.S. Trade Representative, raising serious concerns about the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The pending successor to the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA) threatens to devastate business for American seasonal crop growers and Commissioner Fried urged Ambassador Lighthizer “to take appropriate action to protect U.S. Season growers from unfair foreign imports and trade practices.”
USDA CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released the 2017 Census of Agriculture results. The report and related publications can be accessed by visiting: www.nass.usda.gov.
USDA Offering Higher Levels of NAP Coverage USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now offering higher levels of coverage through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). NAP provides financial assistance to producers of commercial crops for which coverage is not available to protect against natural disasters that will result in lower yields or crop losses or prevent crop planting. For a NAP application, eligibility and related program information; visit: www.fsa.usda.gov/nap or contact the USDA Service Center in Plant City, 201 South Collins Street, Ste. 201. Telephone: 813/752-1474. Ext 2.
USDA Farm Loan Limits Increased Borrowers interested in farm loans from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) now have higher loan limits available. Key changes include increasing the Direct Operating Loan from $300,000 to $400,000, Direct Farm Ownership Loan from $300,000 to $600,000 and the Guaranteed Farm Ownership Loan limit from $1.429 million to $1.75 million. Producers can now receive both a $50,000 Farm Ownership Microloan and a $50,000 Operating Microloan. For more information on FSA farm loans, visit: fsa.usda.gov.
USDA Names Philip Leary to Serve as State Director for Rural Development Philip Leary has been named State Director for USDA Rural Development in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands. USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. More information is available at www.rd.usda.gov/fl or by calling: 352/338-3400. Leary will be based at the State Office in Gainesville.
Invasive Species Hotline Up & Running People can now call the Invasive Species Hotline at 1-888-IVEGOT1 (1-888-483-4681) to report sightings of plants or animals they believe may be invasive species. Wildlife experts will then determine whether action needs to be taken. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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EXTENSION AGENT PAM BRADFORD NEW EFNEP SUPERVISOR By Jim Frankowiak Pamela Bradford has been named Supervisor of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) for University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension. She assumes the leadership role for the highly successful program from Jacqueline Hunter who retired. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Bradford moved to Tampa in 1984. She attended King High School, graduating with honors. Bradford went on to Alcorn State University where she earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration. Bradford then received her Master of Public Health with an emphasis on Health Policy and Management from the University of South Florida (USF). Bradford joined Extension in 2008 as a part time EFNEP Program Assistant in 2008, becoming an Adult EFNEP Agent in 2009, Family Nutrition Program (FNP) Agent in 2010 and returned to her EFNEP Program Assistant post after budget cuts halted the FNP program in Hillsborough County. Bradford’s primary focus as Extension Agent II and EFNEP Supervisor is overall management of EFNEP Adult and Youth programs. EFNEP is a free nutrition education program for limited resource families. Since 1969, the UF EFNEP has worked with local communities to teach participants skills and strategies to stretch their food dollars, eat nutritious meals and improve their overall health. Hillsborough County’s EFNEP program is one of the most successful in Florida. Last year, 823 adults and 4,055 youth graduated from the EFNEP educational series, as well as improving their food choices, security, resource management and safety – ongoing statewide challenges among limited resource families. The Hillsborough County, seven-member EFNEP team was also successful in increasing and improving physical activity levels among program participants, another statewide problem with 65 percent of the targeted audience not meeting physical activity levels.
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“Participation in EFNEP is strictly voluntary,” noted Bradford. “We meet with program participants wherever they are such
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as adult education classes and GED (General Educational Development) program locations throughout the county. To reach youth, our programs bring the nutrition dimension to physical education programs.” The program also partners with the Hillsborough County School District, Advent Heath, a number of faith-based institutions and other public and private entities. “Gaining the trust of our participants is a very important factor,” said Bradford. “To achieve their acceptance we use a paraprofessional model through which our program assistants are indigenous to the culture they are serving.” Simply put that is staff members of the same ethnicity, speaking the same native language. Bradford and her husband Ronald, whom she is “so blessed to be married to for the last 21 years as he is truly my better half,” have two sons; Aaron, 17, and 13-year-old Isaac. The family belongs to Mission Hill Church were Ronald is a deacon. He also manages the Prodigy Cultural Arts Program at the University Area Community Development Corporation (CDC), an initiative bringing the cultural arts to youth. “We are a very active family,” said Bradford. “I lead a community group at Mission Hill Church that is similar to Sunday school. I am also very involved in the Parent Teacher Associations at my children’s schools and at the county level where I lead the Health & Wellness Committee. I am also Band Booster president for the King High School Marching Lions, where my son, Aaron, is drum major and team mom for the Brandon Bolts where my son Isaac plays basketball. “I am most grateful for the time I had with Mrs. Hunter,” said Bradford. “I feel poised and ready to lead the team; we have a great team in place, having worked well together for many years and looking for more opportunities and locations to offer our services. Increasing our service to youth in middle and high schools is a future thrust of the program,” she said. To learn more about EFNEP, visit: https://efnep.ifas.ufl.edu. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Growing with you for 100 years.
CYNTHIA FALK Farm Credit has been helping growers
like you thrive for generations. Let us Named New Plant City help deliver a sunny future for you, too. Loan Officer Call us about financing for:
• Land • Lots & homes • Refinancing
• Buildings & fences • Equipment • And much more!
Cynthia Falk was named as a new loan officer for the Plant Loans for land, homes & country living City market effective January 1, 2019.
866.245.3637 / FarmCreditCFL.com “Cynthia developed the association’s youth loan program and taught local students about financing options for 4-H and FFA animal projects,” said Reggie Holt, CEO. “We are excited that Cynthia will continue growing and strengthening our relationships with not only youth, but the Plant City community.” Cynthia Falk began her career at Farm Credit of Central Florida in June 2017 as a Commercial Loan Servicing Coordinator. In early 2018, she joined the credit analyst team. In Fall 2018, Falk developed and managed the Youth Loan Program and was voted the association’s recipient of the Award of Excellence for 2018. Falk comes from a background in agriculture, growing up in 4-H and FFA. She earned her bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in management from Warner University and is currently pursuing her master’s in Accounting. She is an active member of the Polk County’s Young Farmers and Ranchers, and is a member of Florida Cattlewomen.
Farm Credit of Central Florida is a member-owned cooperative serving 13 Central Florida counties, including, Polk, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Sumter, Lake, Seminole, Orange, Osceola, Volusia and Brevard. Part of the nationwide Farm Credit System established in 1916, Farm Credit of Central Florida provides loans, leases and crop insurance to over 1,000 farmers, ranchers, growers and rural homeowners.
Growing with Growing with for years. 100 years. you foryou 100 Farm Credit has been helping growers
Farm Credit haslike been helping growers you thrive for generations. Let us like you thrivehelp fordeliver generations. Let a sunny future forus you, too. help deliver a sunny future for you, too. Call us about financing for:
Call us about financing for:
• Land • Lots & homes • Refinancing
• Land • Buildings & fences • Lots & homes • Equipment • Buildings & fences • Refinancing • And much more!
• Equipment • And much more!
Loans for land, homes & country living
866.245.3637 / FarmCreditCFL.com Loans for land, homes & country living
/ FarmCreditCFL.com
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May 2019
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In The Field Classifieds ANIMALS & NEEDS
Info@inthefieldmagazine.com
Tel: 813.759.6909
MASSEY FERGUSON 431 TRACTOR
SOLD
42 actual hours. In very good condition. Call us and come take a look. $7,500 ANIMAL & BIRDCAGES Equipment serving the fur bearing animal & Ask for Alvie 813-759-8722 exotic bird industry! Cages built to order. Wire by roll or foot. (813)752-2230. Call Don 2012 MAHINDRA 4025-4 Ammerman. www.ammermans.com Low hours with 6ft rotary cutter. July 14, 2019, Nov. 24, 2019 Ready to get to work! Call Alvie for additional information. $11,500 813-759-8722 BUILDING SUPPLIES
TAYLOR WAY TILLER DISC
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
Plow - good condition. $1750.00 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
WINDOW SCREENS
We make window screens of all sizes available 2005 MAHINDRA 6500 in different frame colors. 4X4, 65 hp with loader. Call Ted(813) 752-3378 1,000 hours. $15,900 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 CABINETS All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. ELECTRIC PLUCKER Granite counter tops. Custom made to your size. Plucks 4 chickens in 15 seconds. Call Blake 813-752-3378 Barely used! Call 863-409-8496
VINYL SIDDING
TILLER
Many colors and styles to choose from. Ask for Ted. 813-752-3378
5ft wide tiller. Very low hours, like new. Call 863-409-8496
MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES
Everything you need under ONE roof! Call Blake 813-752-3378
FOR SALE OLD ANTIQUE BLUE STOVE
Bread warmer, chrome trim. We are a MI Windows dealer. Our windows are You have got to see it to believe it! Call Ted for more details. 813-752-3378 energy star, lifetime warranty. Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378
CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE.
FARM EQUIPMENT INTERNATIONAL 574 TRACTOR
2wd, 67hp tractor. In very good condition! Asking $7,950. Call Alvie 813-759-8722
SOLD
2013 MAHINDRA 5010 TRACTOR
DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. Many standard sizes in stock. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378
JOBS MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits based on experience. Call David 863-537-1345
LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR
Zero Turn Mower 52” cut, 23hp. Kohler engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
PRODUCE FRESH PRODUCE
Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us!
MISC. FREE
Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722
RUBBER MULCH
All Colors, $8.99 a bag. Call Ted (813) 752-3378
24 HOUR SERVICE
Coggins Plumbing licensed • bonded • Insured. www.cogginsplumbing.com 813-643-7173
FOR RENT
Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher. For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details.
KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES
Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the BIG Box STORES! Call Today! Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378
4X4 Cab with 7ft rotary cutter. Low hours. $18,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
2013 MAHINDRA 3616L TRACTOR
36hp, 4x4, tractor with cab and loader. 408 hours. $15,000 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
I4 POWER EQUIPMENT
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Spring is here, and the grass is growing again! Trade-Ins Welcomed, Service Department Available. Exit 22 • S. Frontage Rd. Plant City 813-752-4459
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
May 2019
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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