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CONTENTS
MAY 2019 VOL. 12 • ISSUE 9 Polk County Cattlemen’s Association
DR. JIM GRIFFIN REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGIST
28 PAGE 33 Recipes
PAGE 10 Vegetable Crop Rotation
PAGE 34 Grapefruit Under Screens
PAGE 12 Jack Payne
PAGE 36 John Dicks
PAGE 14 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 38 Endangered Species
PAGE 16 Confession Of A Ranchers Daughter
PAGE 39 Farm Credit BOD
PAGE 18 The Bug Man
PAGE 40 Activity
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 41 A Closer Look
PAGE 26 Literary Time Machine
PAGE 42 Calendar
PAGE 30 Dewberries
PAGE 43 Detect Psyllids
PAGE 31 News Briefs
PAGE 45
PAGE 32 PCSO
PCCW
Hey Readers!
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner!
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P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL. 33831-9005 President – Carlton Taylor 9875 Hancock Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 858-1771 L2brangus@aol.com Vice President – Ray Clark 4484 Swindell Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 640-0719 rclark@tampabay.rr.com Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Bunch PO Box 849 Highland City, FL 338460849 (863) 425-1121 justin.bunch@cpsagu.com State Director – David McCullers 1000 Hwy 630 W Frostproof, FL 33843 (863) 635-3821 crookedlakeranch57@ gmail.com Donald Conroy 3882 Wolfolk Rd Fort Meade, FL 33841 (863) 412-0790 Kevin Fussell 4523 Fussell Rd Polk City, FL 33868-9676 (863) 412-5876 Mike Fussell 4520 Barush Rd Bartow, FL 33830-2629 (863) 698-8314 fussell.flafarm@gmail.com Moby Persing 3380 Sam Keen Rd Lake Wales, FL 338989327 (863) 528-4567 Ken Sherrouse 13475 Moore Rd Lakeland, FL 33809-9755 (863) 698-1834 kensherrouse@yahoo.com
Dave Tomkow 3305 US Highway 92 E Lakeland, FL 33801-9623 (863) 665-5088 Dr. Lujean Waters 8750 Shreck Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 537-1495 Lujean.waters@gmail.com Alternate – Standing Committee Chairs: Membership Events- Kevin Fussell Trade Show- Bridget Stice Rodeo- Fred Waters PO Box 463 Alturas, FL 33820-0463 (863) 559-7808 Website – Adam Norman 2115 West Pipkin Rd Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 944-9293 Adamnorman1977@gmail. com Cattlewomen – President, Missy Raney PO Box 453 Homeland, FL 33847 (863) 205-3977 Raney747@gmail.com Extension – Bridget Stice PO Box 9005, Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL 33831 (863) 519-1048 bccarlis@ufl.edu Sheriff’s Dept. – Sgt. Paul Wright 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 557-1741 pw5281@polksheriff.org Warner University –
Scott Shoupe 6130 Allen Lane Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 581-7593 Scott_shoupe@hotmail. com 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 • Avoid tanning and never use UV tanning beds
STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Sales Necole Holt Tina Richmond Melissa Nichols
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Melissa Nichols Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams Anita Todd Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks
• 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. • 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 Polk 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 Polk County Catllemen’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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May is Beef month and our friends at the Florida Beef Council are busy highlighting several recipes that will help drive more demand for Beef. At the National level the Beef Checkoff program has several new projects underway including the following that were published recently in BEEF MAGAZINE:
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The Drive: To better share and connect with beef producers who fund the Beef Checkoff, a new effort called The Drive has been launched. Sarah Metzler, director of organizational communications for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, describes The Drive as a “multi-tiered publishing platform for producers” that will include information about both state and national Beef Checkoff efforts – and feature real beef producers sharing their experiences with the Checkoff. Subscribe to The Drive at DrivingDemandforBeef.com.
Sushi meets beef: The new culinary concept Beefshi – a spinoff of sushi – was introduced in 2018 and received high acclaim. Thus, the effort is expanding in 2019, with new regionally inspired flavors created with input from state beef councils and beef checkoff funds. For more information visit https:// www.beefshi.com/ Beef in the classroom: With approximately 56 million school children in school every day representing the next generation of consumers, writing national science curriculums that accurately portray beef production practices is critically important. Via collaboration with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Ag, that effort is underway with the goal of developing curriculum adopted into schools nationwide.
Collaboration with Cowboy Ninja: Checkoff programs throughout 2018 and into 2019 involved several campaigns with Cowboy Ninja Lance Pekus, including features about his ranch life in Idaho and favorite beef recipes on the “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” website, development of a “Farm To Gym 20-Minute Workout,” and Pekus’ participation in the nation’s largest health and fitness expo in Washington, D.C. representing the beef industry. At the opening general session of the Cattle Industry Convention, Pekus shared remarks about his experiences – and love for beef – with attendees.
Veal’s consumer campaign debut: For the first time, the Beef Checkoff is launching a national consumer veal campaign directed by the North American Meat Institute and expected to reach millions of consumers.
Chuck Knows Beef: With nearly half a million sessions since being launched in 2018, the Chuck Knows Beef digital assistant, powered by Google Artificial Intelligence, is keeping beef information easily accessible for consumers. Chuck (available for download at ChuckKnowsBeef.com) provides information found on “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” through the use of your computer, mobile phone, Amazon Alexa or Google Home. Just ask a question and Chuck will provide the answer. Efforts to expand Chuck’s use by consumers in 2019 include Pandora radio ads, tailored YouTube videos and working with meat case retailers to use Chuck as a resource at the butcher counter and meat case.
We hope you will make plans to join us for the summer steak dinner on Thursday, July 11th at 6 p.m. in Bartow. Until next month, eat MORE BEEF!
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We encourage you, as Polk County members, to share your recipes and #showyourpassion of why we love BEEF. This is especially vital as companies like BeyondMeat heat up and have gone public on the Stock Market with their lab grown fake meat products.
Carlton Taylor
Polk County Cattlemen’s Association President
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VEGETABLE CROP ROTATION:
AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR A SUCCESSFUL GARDEN
Written by Horticulture Program intern, Evangelon James under supervision of the Master Gardener Coordinator and Residential Horticulture Agent Anne Yasalonis One of the wonderful benefits of living in Florida is that it allows for year-round gardening. Community gardens and yards alike are colorfully decorated with favorites such as onions, squash, basil, tomatoes and more. It can be overwhelming to keep up with all of the needs of a garden; each plant is almost like a person, holding individual requirements and preferences. But never fear! Just like humans, plants share some basic beneficial commonalities across the board. Today’s topic? Vegetable garden crop rotation, that’s right, you heard me! This simple gardening practice is a great way to help manage pests while also promoting soil fertility- it’s a win-win.
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So let’s look into what this “crop rotation” consists of. Never fret- you don’t need to be a farmer or have your almanac on hand for this one. It’s simply ensuring that members of the same plant family are not grown in the same section of garden season after season. In previous years I would grow vegetables in a rotation, not based on family, but rather by species. I planted lettuce one season and the next season I
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would grow tarragon in the same plot, which in my mind was proper plant rotation because they were not the same species… little did I know that lettuce and tarragon are members of the same plant family- Asteraceae. I know what you’re thinking, “There are so many species and so many families, how am I supposed to know if I am properly rotating my vegetable crops or not?” Well, we have put together a handy chart for your convenience. It can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/rotateyourcrops. This chart is filled with common vegetables and herbs grown in Polk County, along with all your favorite vegetable families (typed in bold) such as Apiaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae and more! Another helpful tool you can take advantage of is the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/VH/VH02100.pdf), which is full of important basics from choosing the best location for your garden, all the way to pest management and composting. As I mentioned earlier, Florida is a state where you can garden all year round but there is a WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
trick to this! For the best outcome, it is important to follow the correct planting dates for central Florida (trust me I learned this the hard way). This is because planting dates can vary from crop to crop and even more so depending on which part of the state you live in. A key step to success in achieving the ultimate green thumb is to create a garden plan; this allows you to keep track of the plants in your garden from season to season and understand how to rotate your vegetable garden by plant families. The essentials for this plan (in addition to the crop rotation chart) need to be a log or calendar that contains planting dates, plant names, details about the plant, and a place to add in your own growing notes is always advisable. So there you have it! Vegetable garden crop rotation is an important part of gardening that can improve soil and reduce the chances of pests turning your garden into their home. Keeping a calendar or log is a great way to inhibit planting the same family in the same plot back to back while also keeping
For more information, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk County at (863) 519-1041 or visit us online at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/ polk. The Plant Clinic is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. Visit us in person, give us a call, or email us at polkmg@ifas. ufl.edu. The Florida Master Gardener Program is a volunteer-driven program that benefits UF/IFAS Extension and the citizens of Florida. The program extends the vision of the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, all the while protecting and sustaining natural resources and environmental systems, enhancing the development of human resources, and improving the quality of human life through the development of knowledge in agricultural, human and natural resources and making that knowledge accessible. An Equal Opportunity Institution.
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track of your plants well-being. We wish you success in your warm season vegetable garden this spring!
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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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. 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.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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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 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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 intelligent, 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 struc-
ture. 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 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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CONFESSION OF A RANCHER’S DAUGHTER By Marisol Tarango The life of a rancher has been narrated through many different viewpoints, the wife, the dog, the horse, sometimes even the rancher himself (when he has time). But it is rarely given through the eyes of the child of the rancher and his wife, in this case, the rancher’s daughter. The rancher’s daughter offers a different view because unlike the dog and horse she is responsible for keeping things functioning, and unlike her parents, she is still learning the ways of the world.
CONFESSION # 1 The ease of city life is very appealing. Some people who live in town may find this confession unbelievable, but I learned this early on in life. Growing up, I scoffed at the idea of living in the city, until I started staying with different relatives in the summer. There I learned that after the morning dishes were done all the morning chores were complete, that pizza delivery was not just something on TV and five o’clock in the evening did not mean it was time to head to the barn to feed.
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When I came back home, my dad would tease me about how I liked the city life better than life on the ranch. And to be honest, for about the first half of the week in the city I wouldn’t want to go home, but by the end, I was missing my family and animals and needed some open space. After a couple of years, though, I started admitting that city life was attractive, but I was still in love with the ranch. A common misconception is that ranch kids are born with the desire to ranch in their blood, but this simply is not true. Even though they are born into it, there comes a time in a ranch kid’s life where they have to decide whether they want to continue to live the ranch life or to strike out on a new path. A lot of times this is decided early in life, and the ranch kids either spend all their childhood trying to stay on the ranch as much as possible or take off
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every chance they get. There is no shame in either choice, it is just a matter of personal liking. Now I am old enough to decide what kind of life I want to live, and where I want to live it. And I have chosen to pursue the life my family has lived for generations. There are times, though, when I question whether this was a wise decision, or whether I really want this life at all. The times when I am rudely awakened while it’s still dark to help pen loose cows. The times when I come home tired from a full day of work and college classes ready to relax before I start homework, but I have to go outside and don’t get back inside until 9:30 because we ended up fixing fence in the dark. And especially the times when I’m wet and cold and muddy, staring at a cow who hasn’t stood in a week, praying that another one doesn’t die. Moments like these make me wonder why, as a family, we do what we do, and if it’s even worth it. The short answer is: if we don’t do it, who will? Someone has to grow the food. Yet, there is more reason to continue other than a sense of duty. Life on the ranch offers things that the heart of a rancher yearns for. And just as there are moments of doubt, there are moments where I wouldn’t trade my choice of ranch life for the world. The moments that no movie or book can do justice to. Watching the sun rise over the trees and making the world come alive, witnessing my siblings discovering the intricacies of nature like I did, and seeing the babies chasing after their mamas. Even in the hard moments there is still beauty. The moments where we discover in a pinch that we have the strength to push a little harder or the ability to do a job that the older siblings have always done. The moments of joking and laughing when everyone realizes how ridiculous a situation is, even though it is serious. Just as with most things that you love in life, the good outweighs the bad, and there is something about ranching that just won’t let me go. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Business Up Front
By Anita Todd
The Bug Man
“THE BUG MAN”: BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS HIS NAME When Frank Favuzza was selecting the name of his new exterminating business back in 1998, he said the choice was obvious. He decided on “The Bug Man” because, he said, that’s what everyone calls their exterminator anyway. “A lot of times when you get to someone’s house, you can hear the kids yelling, ‘The bug man is here. The bug man is here,’” he said. “The Bug Man seemed like the natural name because it’s what everyone calls us. The name is so easy, I even have people call me because they can’t remember the name of their bug man to see if I’m him.” The Bug Man serves all of Polk County and Plant City, and is fully-licensed and insured with a goal of 100 percent customer satisfaction.
Self-employed most of his adult life, Favuzza opened the The Bug Man after losing most of the citrus business he co-owned thanks to the number of hard-hitting freezes Florida endured in the 1980s. After that, he did what he could to make ends meet including a season as a UPS man. Then, while reading the Sunday newspaper, he ran across a classified ad submitted by Sears looking to hire an exterminator. The salary - mostly commission - seemed good to Favuzza, so he tried it and was extremely successful. “I actually made what they said I was going to,” he said. But, after nine productive years of working for Sears, he decided it was time to move on and opened The Bug Man. “I really got tired of working for a big corporation,” he said.
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Born in the Bronx, Frank moved with the Favuzza
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family to Winter Haven at 13-years-old. And, he, like most other Florida residents - native or not doesn’t like bugs. “I hate bugs but they are job security for me. It’s a never ending battle,” he said. “Here in sunny Florida our mild and humid weather ensures we have a lot of bugs.” Over the past 20 years, Favuzza has earned the trust of his customers by delivering what they promise. “On any given day, I have 1,500 active customers,” he said. He still sees customers - Favuzza drives one of his five service trucks - and enjoys visiting his clients. “I enjoy meeting people, going into their homes and helping them.” His love of farming continues from the days past as an orange grove owner and he gets that fix on his hunting lease in Georgia with food plots for the deer. And, he remembers who is responsible for providing all the food we eat. “When I walk through the grocery store, I appreciate what it took to get those things there. It’s just too easy to throw stuff in our buggies,” he said. “There’s so much that goes into getting those things on the shelves. It is hard but rewarding work.” Favuzza turned 60 recently but that doesn’t mean he’s close to retirement. “I plan to do this as long as I can.” But, when its time to work on his food plots fulltime, he said, The Bug Man tradition of taking good care of customers will continue. He plans to place the business in the hands of a long-time, loyal employee and his daughter, Sara, and her husband. “I have some good guys working for me and I tell them to work hard, be respectful … show up,” Favuzza said. “Do what you say you are going to do; people appreciate that.”
For more information on The Bug Man’s services, visit www.thebugmanpestcontrol.net or call 863.968.0292. The office is located at 101 Derby Avenue in Auburndale.
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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.”
H ELP US TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT
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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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!
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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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DR. JIM GRIFFIN A REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGIST WHO’S HELPED BRING SUCCESS TO CATTLEMEN HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE By Jim Frankowiak Dr. James “Jim” Griffin is a Reproductive Physiologist from Plant City who has helped cattlemen in this area, other parts of the U.S and a number of overseas countries, benefit from embryo transfer. Known as ET, this is the process of assisted reproduction through which embryos are collected from a donor cow and placed into the uterus of a female surrogate with the intention of establishing a pregnancy. While the ET process may have different steps and technologies, its main components are generating and then obtaining or “flushing” the embryos from a donor female and transferring each embryo into a different female utilizing a process similar to artificial insemination (AI). ET takes advantage of the female donor’s genetics in a manner similar to the way frozen semen capitalizes on the genetics of the male source.
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Dr. Griffin has been in the forefront of this technology since receiving his doctorate in reproductive physiology from Texas A & M in 1978. He joined Rio Vista International and was initially to be focused on research and development related to embryo development. “Within a week after joining Rio Vista, the focus of my position changed to improving embryo production when the first calf was born from a frozen embryo in the United States by Carnation Genetics in California,” he said. “That followed the first frozen embryo calf in the world produced by the Cambridge Group. Rio Vista’s first calf was born in 1978 and I put in the first frozen embryos transferred on a farm in Cody, Wyoming in the summer of 1979.” Dr. Griffin continued his association with Rio Vista until 1981 when he formed his own firm, Reproductive Technology International in Plant City.
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He works with clients in Florida, as well as many other states in the U.S. Dr. Griffin has also traveled to assist clients internationally in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Columbia, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Israel. “I put on about 50,000 miles a year working with my clients,” he noted. The majority of his assisted reproduction services are rendered here in the U.S., “but that still means being away for the week as I travel a circuit of clients in different locations.” The cattlemen Dr. Griffin serves range in size from small operations to very large ones and include cow-calf operations a well as show cattle farms. Florida is home to the largest number of cow-calf operations in the U.S., many in Polk County. There are several procedures necessary for a successful onthe-farm ET Program. According to Dr. Griffin, “most donor cows are superovulated prior to embryo recovery. Superovulation, the production of multiple eggs, is accomplished by administering a series of gonadotropin injections to the donor for three to five days, depending upon the hormone and other considerations. The gonadotropin, usually a follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), is injected twice a day at 8 to 12 hour intervals. Cows seem to respond optimally when the FSH treatment is initiated 8 to 14 days after estrus, the period of sexual receptivity during which the female is capable of conceiving. That period is also known as heat. Two to three days after initiation of the FSH treatment, the donor is given an injection of prostaglandin (PGF). Normally, the donor exhibits estrus 36 to 48 hours later, which is also 24 to 26 hours after the last FSH injection. Ovulation occurs in the donor cow 18 to 24 hours after the onset of heat and may continue for as long as 24 to WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
times over. Cows typically produce one calf every 12 months, through ET the potential is raised many times over.” Alan Davis and his partner, Dale Locke, have been clients of Dr. Griffin for more than 15 years. “We have been very successful as a result of Dr. Griffin’s ET program,” said Davis. “His success in flushing cows for us over the years has not only made us successful, but profitable, as well, allowing us to change our genetics through embryo transfer. We are most appreciative of his service to the industry through embryo collection and transfer over the years.”
36 hours. For this reason, donors are artificially inseminated three times with high quality semen 12 to 24 hours after the onset of estrus. “Non-surgical collection of the embryos is done 6, 7 or 8 days after the onset of estrus. The non-surgical collection technique involve passage of a cuffed rubber catheter through the cervix into the uterus. Once the catheter is in place, the cuff is gently inflated to prevent the catheter from slipping. Flush medium is infused into the uterus through the catheter. Repetitive filling and emptying of the uterus recovers the embryos. The recovery process takes 30 to 45 minutes. “After collection, donor animals receive a prostaglandin injection, usually on days 5 and 6 post collection and again on days 21 and 22. These injections are given to remove luteal tissue from the superovulated ovaries. At this time the donor may be bred or set-up for another superovulation procedure, depending on the objectives of the owner. “In my opinion the ideal donor is a multiparious cow, 4 to 8 years of age, with a calf at side. The proposed donor should be highly fertile with a proven ability to transmit her desirable traits to her offspring. The donor cow should be cycling normally and exhibiting heats 17 to 21 days apart. Donors should be a least 60 days post calf or have been in heat twice prior to enrollment in the ET program. It is advisable that donors be palpated for uterine size, tone and ovarian activity prior to superovaluation.” “With an effective breeding program, the youngest cows in the herd may also be the best genetically. This, coupled with strong competition and peer pressure within the breed, often makes it necessary for the producer to enroll virgin heifers as donors in an ET program. I feel donor heifers should be cycling normally and have exhibited at least three consecutive heat cycles of normal length. Heifers should be approximately 14 months of age and large enough to be easily bred by artificial insemination.” “The quality of recipient cattle has a very important impact on the success of an ET program. This is no place to use problem breeders. A cow that is unable to get pregnant with normal breeding is not likely to carry a transferred embryo to term. The ideal recipient is a young, disease-free cow of medium to large frame possessing a history of high fertility and easy calving. She would have the mothering and milking ability to accommodate maximum growth potential of embryo transfer into calves to weaning age.
In addition to his expertise with designing and implementing ET programs, Dr. Griffin is a wealth of knowledge with contacts throughout the U.S. and abroad. Russell Harwell of Harwell Show Cattle, a long-term client of Dr. Griffin appreciates his ET expertise. “I also regard Dr. Griffin as my go-to guy if I have any questions regarding cattle reproduction,” said Harwell. “He has a wealth of knowledge and nearly endless resource of experts he can consult with, if necessary.” Harwell serves primarily FFA and 4-H customers, and he is based in Polk City. Jim Handley, with the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, considers Dr. Griffin to be “a high quality professional service provider to the seed stock industry in Florida and the Southeast for many years. He has helped a large number, and some of our best pure bred operations, develop their herds and improve productivity and efficiency.” Originally from Plant City, Dr. Griffin grew up on his family’s farm, located or the north side of Interstate 4. He and his siblings worked the family farm from a very young age, quickly learning “that hard work was part of growing up.” He was also involved in 4-H and FFA. He graduated from Plant City High School in 1964 and went on to the University of Florida where he earned his undergraduate degree in Animal Science, noting that a good part of his college education was paid for “through the growth and sale of jalapeno peppers on our family farm along with part time work in the Meats Lab at UF. After graduation from UF in 1969, he taught Vocational Ag at Zephyrhills High School and then became a U.S. Department of Agriculture meat grader the following year. “I was somewhat of a marked man during that process. For some reason, several meat plants closed after I spent time there. That was strictly a coincidence but made me somewhat of a marked man.” Dr. Griffin then joined the U.S. Army and its Veterinary Corp from 1970 – 1972, overseeing and inspecting food purchased to feed Army scout dogs. After his Army stint, Dr. Griffin made application to a number of graduate schools, becoming accepted at Texas A&M where he earned his Master of Science in 1976 and Ph. D. in Reproductive Physiology two years later. He then joined Rio Vista, at the time the originators and implementers of the largest ET program in the world. Of great importance to Dr. Griffin is his wife, Judy Hartnett Griffin, who is a realtor, and their twin daughters: Lisa Griffin Hodgdon, an attorney, and her husband Keith and their two children Griffin and Emma; and Melissa Griffin Barrus and her husband Charles and their three sons Hayes, Reed and Whit.
“Recipients are synchronized with PGF so that the embryo is transferred into essentially the same environment that it came from,” said Dr. Griffin. “Our industry is indebted to Dr. Griffin for decades of sharing and helping to advance this technology,” said Carlton Taylor, President of the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association. “Simply put, ET enables us to multiply superior genetics many INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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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
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http://en.wikipedia.org/ https://www.britannica.com/plant/dewberry
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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 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.
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. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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FLORIDA AG COMMISSIONER SEEKS HELP FROM U.S. TRADE REP
By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff
Meet Captain Chris Colson Commander of the PCSO Support Operations Bureau
It’s been awhile since we introduced you to the Captain who oversees the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Support Operations Bureau, which houses Animal Control, and the Aviation, Marine, Traffic, and Agricultural Crimes Units. We’d like you to get to know Captain Chris Colson, commander of the Bureau. Captain Colson was born in Lake City, Florida, but grew up right here in Polk County, in the lovely town of Fort Meade. He was hired as a deputy sheriff at PCSO in 2000 after serving for a year as a Florida Corrections Officer at Hardee Correctional Institute. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2007, and then to Lieutenant in 2012, and became a Captain in 2016 – he transferred to Support Operations a year later.
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Captain Colson brings with him not only a wealth of law enforcement knowledge and skills, he’s been a member of our agency SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) team since 2002, where he has served as a sniper, a squad leader, and the assistant team commander. Now that he’s a Captain, his role is that of a supervisory one, within our Emergency Operations Group.
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Chris is married to his beautiful wife, Meagin, who also works at PCSO, and they have a 14-year-old daughter named Hailey, and two four-legged children (a pug and an English bulldog). He has a Bachelor’s degree from Warner Southern University, and a Master’s degree from Troy University, and holds a Certified Public Manager certification from Florida State University. He is also a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command. Chris said his father inspired him to become a law enforcement officer – his dad was a “Fish and Game Officer,” now known as FWC (Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission). The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree – Chris often works hand-in-hand coordinating special events and investigations with FWC. If you need to reach Captain Colson for any agriculture, marine, or aviation concerns, please call him at 863-298-6323, or email him at ccolson@polksheriff.org. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
s e p i c e R
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Chef Justin Timineri
Florida Zucchini-Ricotta Rollups
q Ingredients q 2 large Florida zucchini or yellow squash, sliced thin lengthwise 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 2 cups marinara sauce (your favorite) 2 egg yolks 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated 1/4 cup fresh basil, hand torn Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Lay out all the zucchini and yellow squash slices on paper towels. Lightly sprinkle each side of the sliced zucchini and squash with sea salt. Let the salted slices sit for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes use another paper towel to soak up any liquid from the vegetables. In a small bowl combine the egg yolk, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese and Italian seasoning. Season cheese mixture lightly with salt and pepper. Spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture on one side of each vegetable slice. Roll each slice up carefully and place seam side down in a baking dish. Evenly add marinara sauce to the top of the vegetable rollups. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 15 minutes. Top with hand torn basil, serve warm.
Florida Beef and Sweet Pepper Skewers q Ingredients q 24 ounces Florida beef (tenderloin, sirloin or your favorite cut of beef) cut into 1-inch cubes 2 large Florida bell peppers (your favorite color), cut into 1-inch squares 2 large onions cut into
1-inch squares 1 cup steak sauce (your favorite) 8 bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 1 hour) or metal skewers cooking oil spray for grilling Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Make skewers by alternating the beef, peppers, and onions. The skewers can be made with all of the same ingredients or they can vary. Lightly season the completed skewers with salt and pepper. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Lightly spray the skewers with the cooking oil spray and carefully add the beef skewers to the grill. Cook to the desired temperature while brushing on the steak sauce. When the desired temperature or doneness has been reached, remove the cooked skewers from the grill. Let the food rest for 3 minutes before serving them warm. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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GRAPEFRUIT Grown Under Protective Screens Maximizes Fruit Yield
Growers of one of Florida’s signature citrus crops, the grapefruit, may see more production and possibly less of the deadly citrus greening disease. Researchers have worked for four years, growing grapefruit under protective screens on a 1-acre experimental plot of trees at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and they’re seeing encouraging results. UF/IFAS scientists and a few commercial growers have used the system, known as “CUPS,” or “Citrus Under Protective Screens,” for a few years. They’re trying to keep the dangerous Asian citrus psyllid away from citrus trees. Infected psyllids can transmit the deadly greening disease to citrus. So far, so good. They’re noticing higher grapefruit yields and no psyllids or greening. Florida grapefruit production has been drastically reduced by citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB). In Florida, grapefruit production has gone down from 40.8 million boxes in 20032004 to 4.9 million boxes in 2018-2019, according to the USDA. Arnold Schumann, a UF/IFAS soil and water sciences professor, leads the “CUPS” experiment at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida.
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And right now, he sees reason for optimism.
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By Brad Buck
Schumann is studying how well grapefruit grows in the 1.3-acre facility at the CREC. Four years of data show grapefruit that exhibit no signs of greening, Schumann said. Researchers planted ‘Ray Ruby’ grapefruit trees in August 2014. By December 2018, the trees had produced 2,100 boxes of grapefruits per acre, Schumann said. That’s 525 boxes per acre per year on average, but Schumann notes that trees are less productive in the initial two years after planting. In years 3 and 4, the CUPS grapefruit yields were 797 and 892 boxes per acre, respectively. Currently the average yield for Florida grapefruit is about 166 boxes per acre per year, according to the USDA. “HLB reduces profits for fresh citrus producers in many ways,” Schumann said. “Production costs are higher due to increased needs to use pesticides and fertilizers, and fruit production is harmed by stunted tree growth, reduced fruit set and pre-harvest fruit drop, among other factors.” The CUPS experiment at the Citrus REC has demonstrated that nearly all those harmful effects of HLB can be addressed, Schumann said. “During the past five years, we have learned much about optimizing horticultural practices and pest and disease management for red grapefruit grown in CUPS,” he said.
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Scientists focus on producing high yields with premium grades for the fresh fruit market.
“Trees were grown mostly in containers, using hydroponics and very high-planting densities.
“Our understanding of fresh fruit quality has been honed by our partnership with the Dundee Citrus Growers Association, which harvested and shipped our CUPS grapefruits and tangerines for the past two seasons,” Schumann said “Most importantly, fruit grown in CUPS should all be ready to sell, and our grapefruit and tangerine harvests have achieved 100 percent pack-out. For grapefruits, the fruit size is very important because it greatly affects the selling price.”
A couple of Florida growers are using the CUPS method for grapefruit, although it’s too soon to know their results, Schumann said.
One reason for the good yield is the grapefruit’s ability to adapt to the higher daytime temperatures under the protective covers, he said. Other reasons for the increased productions include: • High-density planting. • A hydroponic system with trees growing in pots, instead of soil and inducing early, large blooms. • Drip fertigation – a combination of fertilizer and irrigation -- applied several times a day. CUPS hydroponic grapefruit has all the important attributes for fresh fruit production: high yields of HLB-free fruit, large fruit size, consistent yields and early maturity, Schumann said. “The experiments at the CREC focused on proving that the CUPS concept was viable,” Schumann said.
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS works to bring science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. Visit the UF/IFAS web site at ifas.ufl. edu and follow us on social media at @UF_IFAS. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Scientists are not yet recommending the intensive production system used at the CREC experiment for commercial CUPS, although one grower in Hardee County is already experimenting with hydroponics and container-grown grapefruits, tangerines and navels under cover, Schumann said. “Our aim is to maximize fruit production and quality in commercial CUPS with trees grown in the ground at moderately high-planting densities,” he said. “We want to document the most successful methods in a CUPS production guide and to update it as we learn more.”
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
Growing Board of Directors Elected atwith 2019 Annual Meeting you for 100 years. On April 9, Farm Credit of Central Florida “We are excited to welcome new members to stockholders elected Robert M. Behr, William our board,” Reggie Holt, Farm Credit of Cenhas beentral helping L. Klinger and Daniel T. Farm Aprile Credit to the board. Florida growers President and CEO said. “These C. Dennis Carlton, Sr. was reelected to the industry leaders like you thrive for generations. Letbring us a wealth of agriculture board. and cooperative experience to our board and help deliver a sunny future for you, too. with them.” I look forward to working Each year, Farm Credit of Central Florida conducts a business meeting to provide AssociaStockholders reelected director C. Dennis tion updates and allow eligible stockholders Carlton, Sr. to serve another term expiring to vote for the individuals wish to• Land serve April 2022. Robert M. Behr was elected to fill Call they us about • Buildings & fences on the Farm Credit offinancing Central Florida an existing term expiring in 2021. William L. for: •Board Lots & homes • Equipment of Directors for the upcoming term and the Klinger andmuch Daniel T. Aprile were elected to • Refinancing • And more! individuals who will serve on the Nominating serve three-year terms expiring in 2022. Dean Committee for the upcoming year. T. Evans, Ronald E. Gainey and Laurence E. were elected to serve on the 2020 Loans for land, homesSwindle & country living Robert M. Behr, CEO of Citrus World, Inc. and Nominating Committee. Richard F. Hoffman / FarmCreditCFL.com CoBank director, was elected866.245.3637 to serve. Behr and Nathaniel H. Jameson are alternates. brings a wealth of Farm Credit System knowledge and cooperative model experience to This year, more than 200 people were in atthe board. tendance including eligible voting stockholders and their family members, government William L. Klinger, Treasurer of Brantley officials, industry leaders and FFA members. Farms, Inc. was elected to serve. Klinger provides experience in ornamental horticulture Farm Credit of Central Florida is a memberwith over thirty years in the business. owned cooperative serving 13 Central Florida counties, including Polk, Hillsborough, PinelDaniel T. Aprile, Manager of Golden A Cattle las, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Sumter, Lake, Company, LLC and Aprile Farms, Inc. was Seminole, Orange, Osceola, Volusia and Breelected to serve. Aprile has extensive agriculvard. Part of the nationwide Farm Credit Systural real estate experience, leasing property tem established in 1916, Farm Credit of Cento pecan, corn, cotton, peanut, and strawbertral Florida provides loans, leases and crop ry farmers. insurance to over 1,000 farmers, ranchers, growers and rural homeowners. C. Dennis Carlton, Sr. was reelected to the board to serve another term. Carlton has been on the Farm Credit of Central board since 2004.
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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.
UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Gardening and Landscaping Lunch and Learn: Growing Happy Houseplants May 24, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm Lakeland Electric Building, Lakeland
Lunch and Learn: Ornamental Grasses in Florida June 13, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm Lake Wales Library, Lake Wales
Lunch and Learn: The Wonderful World of Wildflowers June 28, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm Lakeland Electric Building, Lakeland
Landscape Design with Rain Gardens July 25, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm Haines City Library, Haines City
Lunch and Learn: Growing Fruit in the Home Landscape July 26, 12:00 noon-1:00 pm Lakeland Electric Building, Lakeland
Lunch & Learn: Pollinators and the Flowers They Love August 23, 12:00-1:00 pm UF/IFAS Extension Polk County, Bartow
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Lunch & Learn: Landscaping to Attract Wildlife October 24, 12:00-1:00 pm Haines City Library, Haines City
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Ai Could Help Citrus Growers Find, Detect Dangerous Psyllids By Brad Buck Precision agriculture engineer Yiannis Ampatzidis sees a day when citrus farmers use artificial intelligence to detect the pin-sized insects that can infect the fruit’s trees with the deadly greening disease. That day could come in the near future, because Ampatzidis and his research team are starting to perfect a system to detect the potentially deadly Asian citrus psyllid. Citrus growers are looking for any advantage to control psyllids, which, if infected with greening, can transmit the deadly disease to citrus trees. Greening has spread to 40 countries around the world. In Florida, citrus production volume declined by 71 percent from 2000 to 2017, primarily due to losses from greening, according to UF/IFAS economists. The disease entered Florida in 2005. “Monitoring the psyllid population is an essential component of citrus-greening management,” said Ampatzidis, an assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Until now, growers have used the so-called “tap sample method” to find and detect psyllids in their citrus trees, Ampatzidis said. Using that method, farmers strike randomly selected branches and count psyllids that fall onto a sheet of paper. That system is reliable and efficient, but labor-intensive and time-consuming, he said.
ed tree so scientists can better see the psyllid data. From our experiments in a grove, we detected psyllids with 90 percent accuracy. “The data from each tree can be used to generate maps compatible with precision equipment for variable rate application in order to apply the right amount of pesticides only where needed, and hence, decrease agro-chemical use and expenses, and reduce environmental impact.” The new study is published in the journal Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS works to bring science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. Visit the UF/IFAS web site at ifas.ufl.edu and follow us on social media at @UF_IFAS.
Through their research, Ampatzidis and his team of scientists found a new system that works accurately and saves time and money. “We automated the tap sample method, utilizing machine vision and artificial intelligence (AI),” he said. “The system could be a great way to automate scouting procedures in citrus and to be extended to other crop insects.” Ampatzidis led scientists who used equipment to take images of trees, fruit and the insects in groves. The machinery distinguishes between psyllids and other pests. Specifically, researchers took their data-gathering gear into a citrus grove at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, Florida. This novel technology consists of a tapping mechanism to strike selected branches and a board with a grid of cameras that take pictures. Then, an AI-based algorithm analyzes the images, detects, counts and finds the falling adult psyllids. Those photos show scientists, and will eventually reveal to growers, if the tree has psyllids. “The AI-based software can detect and distinguish Asian citrus psyllids from other insects and debris,” said Ampatzidis, a faculty member at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida REC. The system includes a GPS device to record the location of each tree and whether the tree has psyllids, he said. The software develops a map with psyllid detections for each scout-
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Blueberries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 20
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Polk County Cattle Women
I hope this letter finds everyone well, and that you all have enjoyed the beauty of spring as much as I have. Mother Nature is an amazing and magnificent creature, however the Florida summers can be brutal. As we work and care for our livestock in the squelching heat, it is important that we protect ourselves by staying hydrated and using sunscreen, and also protect our animals from these harsh conditions. It is imperative that we, as caretakers, make certain that our animals are in excellent health, have plenty of clean water and a place to cool down. This intense heat creates favorable conditions for hurricanes. It is wise to prepare in advance by medicating livestock, mending fences, making repairs to buildings, and implementing a plan of action in the event of an emergency. A great resource for your plan is the USDA emergency response website www. aphis.usda.gov. Be prudent and stay safe! The cattlewomen are preparing for a busy summer as we are involved in the follow events: June 5 – 8 - 4-H Tailgating Grilling Camp – this camp will help youth ages 5 – 18 develop an understanding of the Tailgating Grilling Series that promotes the use of animal protein in their diet by teaching the art and science of safely preparing meats in an outdoor setting. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Bridget Stice 863-519-1048 or Shree Ghosh at 863-519-1073. June 18 -20 - Florida Cattlemen’s Association Annual Convention and Trade Show at the Marco Island Marriott, if you plan to attend, it is best to secure your reser-
June 29 – Summer social at Lightsey’s Ranch - we will be getting a lesson in homemade pickling by Marcia and family. The PCCW always enjoy spending time together. What a great group of ladies! July 11 – Polk County Cattlemen’s meeting, Summer Dinner and Cake Auction. Enjoy a delicious steak dinner prepared by the Cattlemen. After the meeting and dinner, the Cattlewomen will auction their homemade treats to help fund next year’s scholarships. The PCCW will award the recipients of our scholarships at the dinner. Please join us. As always, we welcome new members. If you are interested in joining, our next meeting will be at the Ag Complex in Bartow, Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at 6:30PM. We would love to see new faces. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 863-205-3977.
Missy McLaughlin-Raney Polk County Cattlewomen President
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vations early. County Sweethearts will be making their presentations and there will be lots to learn and great fellowship.
In The Field Classifieds
Info@inthefieldmagazine.com
Tel: 813.759.6909
MASSEY FERGUSON 431 TRACTOR
ANIMALS & NEEDS
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.
DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. Many standard sizes in stock. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378
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
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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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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