INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
August
2020
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
August
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3014 S. Jim Redman Pkwy. (Hwy. 39 S) Plant City, FL • southsidewesternwear.com INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 2020
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CONTENTS
August 2020 VOL. 13 • ISSUE 12
28 ELLEN IRENE BRYAN:
A Heart and Soul for Kids and Cattle Cover Photo By Blair Buchanon PAGE 5 Agvocating for Youth
PAGE 32 PCSO
PAGE 10 Brick Street Farms
PAGE 33 JFCA Results
PAGE 12 Ranchers Daughter
PAGE 35 News Briefs
PAGE 13 Elite Bull Sale
PAGE 36 John Dicks
PAGE 14 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 37 PCCW
PAGE 16 Mosquitos in and Around Your home
PAGE 38 Endangered Species PAGE 39 Citrus Greening
PAGE 18 Help In The Wild
PAGE 40 Suspicious Seeds
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 41 COVID Food Assitnace Program
PAGE 25 Mangosteen
PAGE 42 Old South Country Market
PAGE 26 Literary Time Machine PAGE 30 Recipe
PAGE 44 Burger King
PAGE 31 From The Scientific Field
PAGE 47 Tomato Disease
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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Polk County Cattlemen’s Association P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL. 33831-9005 President – Dave Tomkow 3305 US Highway 92 E Lakeland, FL 33801-9623 (863) 665-5088 dave@cattlemens1.com Vice President – Ken Sherrouse 13475 Moore Rd Lakeland, FL 33809-9755 (863) 698-1834 kensherrouse@yahoo.com Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Bunch PO Box 849 Highland City, FL 33846 (863) 425-1121 justin.bunch@cpsagu.com State Director – David McCullers 1000 Hwy 630 W Frostproof, FL 33843 (863) 635-3821 crookedlakeranch57@gmail. com Ray Clark 4484 Swindell Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 640-0719 rclark@tampabay.rr.com Donald Conroy 3882 Wolfolk Rd Fort Meade, FL 33841 (863) 412-0790 Stuart Fitzgerald PO Box 1437 Lake Wales, FL 33859 (813) 478-8141 stuartcattlellc@yahoo.com Kevin Fussell 4523 Fussell Rd Polk City, FL 33868-9676 (863) 412-5876 David Hunt 9699 Alt Bab Pk Cut-Off Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 287-1835 Dhunt285@aol.com Scott Shoupe 6130 Allen Lane Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 581-7593 Scott_shoupe@hotmail.com Carlton Taylor 9875 Hancock Road Lakeland, FL 33810
(863) 858-1771 L2brangus@aol.com Dr. Lujean Waters 8750 Shreck Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 537-1495 Lujean.waters@gmail.com 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. – Lt. Paul Wright 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 557-1741 pw5281@polksheriff.org Sgt. Tim Sanders 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 656-6119 brusso@polksheriff.org Warner University – Casey Wingate 7155 Wauchula Rd Myakka City, FL 34251 (941) 600-5772 Casey.wingate@warner.edu
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Agvocating for Youth
by Payge Dupre
As we all begin to return to school in the upcoming weeks, it is looking a lot different for all of us. One thing is for sure, our entire county has been working very hard to make sure that we can continue to learn in a safe environment. Rest assured; agriculture classes are included in this! As long as you are enrolled in your campus, you will still be able to enroll and partake in agriculture classes. Just like everything else, it is going to be very different, but after speaking to multiple agriculture education teachers, they are definitely working their absolute hardest to make everything work out for us. This past month I was able to haul six head of cattle all the way to Beaumont, Texas for the National Junior Brangus Show. Last year, I ran for the International Junior Brangus Breeders Association Board of Directors and received a one-year term; this year I ran again, and I now have a two-year term on the board. I am so excited to be able to stand beside our other Florida juniors who also ran and made it. Cassidy Eramo of Hillsborough County received a spot as a Director and Casey Harper of Polk County was elected 2020-2021 IBBA Queen! We had many Florida juniors participate this year, and more specifically Polk County juniors! Madilyn Nichols, Carlee Taylor, Truman Taylor, Jayden Black, Caden Wingfield, and Casey Harper were our Polk County juniors who represented us well. Anyone participating in the Polk County Youth Fair or interested in participating, 2021 rules are now posted. There are lots of entry deadlines and meetings posted that will be coming up in the next month so make sure you have read through and are aware of these dates. Also, make sure you read through the rules in case any changes have been made!
The Polk County Junior Cattlemen’s Association is selling raffle tickets and brand spaces on a beautiful picnic table. If you would like to purchase any raffle tickets or a brand space, please reach out to any of our officers and members. Just as a reminder, our officers are as follows; President, Taylor Gutmann; Junior President, Raelan Sherouse; North Vice President, Jessie Bennett; South Vice President, Karah Holt; Junior Vice President, Carlee Taylor; Secretary, Payge Dupre; Junior Secretary, Carlie Shenefield; Treasurer, Crystal Carlson; Junior Treasurer, Weslee Howell; Reporter, Quentin Dickson. The table will be raffled off at the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association Fall meeting and Dinner and we appreciate all the support we can get! I hope by returning to some sort of school in the next month we can regain some sort of normalcy for all of us. As always, stay safe and healthy! INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
August
2020
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If you will be or are interested in participating in the 2021 Florida State Fair, make sure you double check your ethics certification, if you have a number ending in 18, 19, 20, or 21, your certification is still valid for this year. However, if you have any other numbers you must complete the ethics workshop in order to show this year. The workshop dates and signup information are posted on the Florida State Fair Agribusiness website.
STAFF
Letter from the Editor
Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Sales Karen Berry Sarah Holt Melissa Nichols
Another month of mask wearing, self-isolating and social distancing is in the books and this year just keeps getting longer. And longer. And longer. I’m almost positive it will go down in history as the longest year ever. On that note, the USDA Farm Service agency has announced that it will continue to accept applications for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program through August 28, 2020. USDA has $16 billion in financial assistance to producers of agricultureal commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional significant marketing costs due to lower demand, surplus production and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities. In Hillsborough County, email both Hilary.Howard@usda. gov and Marcinda.Kester@usda.gov. In Polk County contact both Sandra. Chestnut@usda.gov and Marcida.Kester@usda.gov. As if 2020 hasn’t thrown enough curve balls our way, we started getting suspicious seed packets from China. We don’t know what the seeds are so for goodness sake don’t plant them! We are always on the search for great article ideas. If you think you know of something that may be of interest, please do not hesitate to contact us. Also, please check out our advertisers. They allow us to continue to cover what is growing.
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Melissa Nichols Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams Anita Todd Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks Social Media Victoria Saunders
Stay safe! 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.
Until Next Month,
Sarah Holt The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.
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Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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We are officially in the “dog days of summer” which is said to be the hottest days of the year and typically the time we mow weeds in hopes to kill them for the year. This July was drier than in years past and hotter. We have not had many problems with tropical weather like we normally do. Hopefully we can avoid any major hurricanes this year. As we continue with the trend we are facing with Covid 19, social distancing is getting more and more normal. We are looking forward to our fall dinner in November; we are looking forward to seeing all of our members at the fall meeting.
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The cow market has stayed pretty high and we have seen an increase of numbers. The calf markets have been fairly steady, and as always, the healthier better calves are bringing better money. Don’t forget let’s all do what we can without hurting ourselves to produce a healthier calf, by worming and vaccinating.
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As always I’m here to help with any questions you may have. In closing I would like to acknowledge Payge Dupre for writing the article for me in May although it was a great article about agriculture it wasn’t written by me. I look forward to talking to you,
Dave Tomkow Polk County Cattlemen’s Association President
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From Hobby to Flourishing Business By Libby Hopkins
Shannon and Brad O’Malley turned their hobby of growing some organic produce for themselves into a booming business. The couple own Brick Street Farms in St. Petersburg, Fl. “I’m the CEO of Brick Street Farms,” Shannon said. “I founded the business in 2016 with my husband, Brad. He and I moved to St. Pete because we loved the local living vibe. We started successfully growing kale and lettuces in our backyard hydroponically as a hobby and we loved it! I’m extremely passionate about health-conscious foods, technology and the environment. I wanted to be able to share it with the community here in St. Pete. Now, I have dreams of sharing it across the country in different urban landscapes!”
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Brick Street Farms is located in the Warehouse Arts District of St. Pete. It began with three upcycled shipping container farms, selling to local restaurants, and eventually, they opened up a small farm market on site. “Over the last four years, we have grown so much,” Shannon said. “First, we discovered that in order to grow the best plants, we were going to have to build our own farms from the ground floor up. Through a lot of trial and error as growers first, we were able to engineer and manufacture our own farms, which we do now inside of our warehouse. Outside of our warehouse, we have 12 farms, and we will soon have 16 fully operational
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farms that we have built ourselves. In total, we’ll have about 48 acres of farmland inside one city block. Our goals are to save the land, conserve energy, bring local foods to urban communities and grow the most delicious greens around.” Brick Street Farms’ main product is their lettuce, but they are working on offering other locally sourced products. “For the most part, we grow lettuces and greens exclusively,” Shannon said. “We currently grow arugula, kale, butter head, red leaf, green leaf, mixed greens, Asian greens, rainbow chard, collard greens, beet greens, romaine, a variety of microgreens, basil and other herbs. We also have a line of balsamic vinegar and olive oils. Our Farm Market is currently expanding. In it, you’ll find a range of grocery items with an emphasis on small local businesses. They also offer a unique membership program. “The biggest difference between our Farm Membership program and other Florida CSA’s is that we operate all year round and therefore can provide our members with produce all year round, including in the summer when most Florida farmers cannot grow anymore,” Shannon said. “This would be true no matter where we placed our container farms. Secondly, our memberships are on a monthly basis, and our members get WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
to choose what produce they want. Instead of getting a box with whatever was in abundance that week, our members get a discount and can come in and choose their own selection, or shop online. We also offer a Premium Membership where members get a curated gift highlighting other local companies. We offer unlimited free clean water to all our members, first dibs on our greens and we host events for them when possible.” The recent pandemic had an affect on the couple’s business. “We have been greatly affected by the pandemic,” Shannon said. “Our main source of income was selling to our restaurant partners, and we lost most of those accounts as businesses were forced to close their doors. We had to do an extreme pivot and we are still working through that. In regards to our farm production, we could already say that our farms were sterile prior to the pandemic and farming indoors requires regimented cleaning procedures as well as hygiene standards for our staff. Our farmers work with facemasks on now, but they always wore head coverings and gloves. Our front of the house crew and manufacturing crew follow all guidelines mandated by the city of St. Petersburg. For our customers, we offer curbside pick-up and have sanitizer and other safety materials readily available, along with distancing guides on the floor.” Another way the farm has recovered from the pandemic is they have formed a partnership with Publix Greenwise Market in Lakeland. “Our relationship with Publix is very exciting for us because it brings us one step closer to getting local, sustainably grown produce into the hands of our greater community,” Shannon said. “We began a pilot program on-site at Greenwise Market in Lakeland and on that site, we have a fully operational farm growing exclusively for that market. People get to see in person exactly how the butter head they just bought is growing! We have expanded into other Publix locations, but we only deliver within a 50-mile radius keeping our carbon footprint significantly lower than most organic lettuces and greens you’ll find in major supermarkets. Helping to remind consumers where their food comes from, and teaching them to care about the significance of sustainable farming for our environment is something we can do to a new demographic being in a major grocery store chain like Publix.” If you would like to learn more about Brick Street Farms, you can visit their website at www.brickstreetfarms.com.
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CONFESSION OF A RANCHER’S DAUGHTER By Marisol Tarango were, and if they were going to outdo me, they had better earn it. If we were at church putting chairs and tables up, you bet that I was carrying as many chairs as I could at one time. There came a point in my life however, when I realized that it was okay if I let the boys do the hard work. In fact, I kind of liked not having to do everything. I remember one time when I was 15, some of my older boy cousins were visiting from out of state and they helped me unload the feed off the truck. That was the quickest the feed had ever been unloaded, and all I had to do was tell them where to put it. When I stopped growing and it dawned on me that I was not going to get much stronger, I felt that it was okay to let the boys do the hard work. No one I really prefer to let the men do the questioned my ability; they knew what I was capable of and respected that.
The rancher’s daughter is a strong independent woman who has grown up doing hard work that is typically done by men. This isn’t because she has a point to prove, but because there is work to be done and that work does not discriminate. The rancher’s daughter does this work because usually there is no one else to do it. As the oldest child she was usually her dad’s only help until her siblings were older. Even if there are enough men around to do a job, sometimes all hands are needed, even if they are a little bit smaller. Even though it is by necessity that she is capable of doing these things, she is a little proud that she can do a job by herself.
CONFESSION # 14:
hard stuff.
I grew up as the oldest child in my family, so when my dad needed help, I was his only option most of the time until my siblings got older. There was no big brother to step in; I was the oldest of three younger sisters and a baby brother. I realized at an early age that I had a lot of responsibility for someone my age (or at least that’s what I thought in my head). I was in charge of making sure all the animals were fed morning and evening along with the help of my sisters. If my dad needed help shoeing a horse, I was the one to hold it, and if he needed help penning cows, I was the man for the job. My sisters and I learned how to change tires, pen cows, fix fence, and doctor animals. By the time we were teenagers, my dad had his own “on-call” cow crew. Sometimes this did not faze people; it was rather expected of us since we were raised on the ranch. Other times, what we were capable of surprised people who didn’t know us well.
Now, it doesn’t bother me to let the men do the hard work. I don’t mind if someone carries the heavy stuff for me (it saves me from straining my back); I’m happy to direct how something needs to be stacked instead of doing the actual stacking, and there are many times when I wish I had a big brother to help me turn over a round bale. Sometimes I would rather people assume that I can’t do the heavy lifting, or when they see me doing it, that they realize that I am trying to get the job done and not prove a point and that their help is very welcome. I would rather them come help me than just stand there and let me do it.
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A woman doing what is typically a man’s job is not unusual, there have been plenty of women who have filled this spot. For me this was always just a fact of life and nothing special. If there is a job to be done and it falls to you to do it, you better do it. However, there is still some navigation required when a Growing up I was not about to let a boy help me do what I knew woman finds herself doing these types of jobs. I told my dad I was capable of doing; in fact, I may have smirked a little on the one time, growing up being one of the only girls on the cow inside when my dad sent me to do a job instead of one of the crew is a combination of hurrying up to open the gate because boys present. I didn’t really have anything to prove, I was just you’re the youngest and hanging back to let the men grab the not about to let a boy out do me. I was just as capable as they door at the restaurant because you’re the lady.
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Three of the Hardest Working Men in the Cattle Business By Libby Hopkins
Working from sun up until sun down, no days off and “work vacations” is nothing new to Shaun Long, John Griswold and Mark Harrell. These are the men behind the Elite Bull Sale that takes place the third Saturday in October. Long is the owner of Long Cattle Company of Central Florida. “I’m the sales representative for the Elite Bull Sale and I make sure everything runs smoothly for the sale,” Long said. Griswold is the owner of Griswold Cattle in Stillwater, Oklahoma. “I’m the guy who gets the cows bred and gets the bulls ready for the sale,” Griswold said. “This will be the sixth year Griswold Cattle will be a part of the Elite Bull Sale.” Harrell is the General Manager of the Sumter County Livestock Market. “I manage the best livestock market in the great state of Florida,” Harrell said. “I work with Shaun and we provide the facility here at the market for John’s bulls and I keep everything in order as far as selling the bulls, taking care of them and moving the bulls out of here.” The Elite Bull Sale got its start about six years ago. “It started with a trip I took to look for better bulls to help promote my own cattle business,” Long said. “I spoke with John and knowing his history and how he grew his operation, I went to his big bull sale in Texas. I was just amazed at the quality of his bulls and the various breeds of bulls. There was just nowhere in the U. S., and I have been to a lot of places and sales, that had such a large number of quality bulls. I told John we needed to do a sale like this in Florida and he agreed. He said, ‘Let’s do it!’ He’s a ‘let’s do it’ kind of guy, so we did it. It was three years in the making, but we did it.” If you ask Griswold what makes his bulls so special, he’ll tell you it’s his cows. “The secret to producing good cattle is know your cow base,” Griswold said. “Use bulls who have good mothers, who are known for producing solid, functional females. The result will be cows that will produce herd bulls, they will make show cattle, they will be versatile in how and to what you breed them to do. I am the ‘Let’s do it guy’ and Shaun has been a huge help with getting the buyers for the sale and Mark is great at promoting the sale. I couldn’t do what I do without the help of these two guys.” The three men also work together to have bull sales in other states. “We work together to sell livestock in not only Florida but also in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and most of the South East,” Long said. “We have had unbelievable results
The three men love the group effort they have created between each other to make the bull sale one of the best in the South. Even though all three men have hard jobs, they absolutely love what they do. “How many people can say they have a job that helps feed the nation,” Harrell said. “It’s not just a paycheck with us. It’s about feeding our great nation, taking care of our customers needs and supporting our farmers. With the recent pandemic, farmers have taken a hit and we need to support them. They are the most resilient people and we all need to help and support them.” The next Elite Bull Sale will take place on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Sumter County Livestock Market. The sale starts at 1 p.m. There will be a livestock preview on Friday, Oct. 16.
If you would like to learn more about Long Cattle Company, you can visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ Long-Cattle-Company or call Shaun Long at 407-402-2690. If you would like to learn more about Griswold Cattle, you can visit their website at www.griswoldcattle.com or contact John Griswold at 405-780-3300. If you would like to learn more about the Sumter County Livestock Market, you can visit their website at www.sumtercountyfarmersmarket.com or contact Mark Harrell at 352-793-2021. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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of how our bulls hold up. Florida is a hard environment and our bulls hold their body condition and they continue to work. Griswold cattle not only work well in Florida, they will work well everywhere and that’s what’s made our bull sale so successful. These bulls just do a great job and the predictability of them is wonderful.”
Tampa Bay Fishing Report September 2020 Capt. Woody Gore
August was a scorcher with humidity constantly in the 90s, but we’re still fishing and believe it or not catching fish. While it’s key to pick the right tide days for the most part, even if you miss by an hour or two, the bite is still reasonably consistent. Warm summer waters make fish a little lazy. However, if you’re one of those night owls that enjoy fishing with the mosquitoes, now is the time. When fishing at night, the waters cool somewhat, and they seem to become a little more active. Many summer anglers find nighttime fishing enjoyable and, provided the mosquitoes don’t carry you off, the fishing is relatively productive. Greenbacks tend to run a little small this time of year, but deeper grass flats and heavier chumming might still bring in some decent fishable sardines. However, large greenbacks are not always the answer to the inshore bite. Many charter captains refer to it as matching the hatch, and for a good reason. The fish tend to eat what’s available. So if its small baits you’re netting, guess what the fish are feeding upon? And remember, you don’t need to blackout the live well, you only need enough for fishing.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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With water temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s, the trick is keeping your bait alive. Therefore, you must appreciate that less bait consumes less oxygen, and for this reason, ‘less is more.’ Here’s a tip: buy an inexpensive swimming pool thermometer to keep in your livewell. 2020
Next, freeze several one-gallon bottles of water and keep them in your cooler. When your live well temperatures soar into the 90s, add a sealed plastic container of water to the livewell to bring the heat down. If you’re looking for some lively mackerel action, threadfins are no problem, and throwing a ten-foot, ¾ to 1-inch net should get all you need. You’ll find big schools all over the bay in deeper water. Mackerel also take small silver spoons fished under and behind a popping cork. I say behind because if you need to, make some noise with the cork. Make sure to have sufficient leaders behind the popper (at least 36 inches). Seaguar 50 to 60 pound works for me except when a small blacktip shark decides to strike. If the sharks become a problem, go to 85-pound Seaguar and long shank inexpensive hooks. Another tip about handling sharks; just because their not six-foot-long, don’t think the smaller ones are a cakewalk. Despite their size, small sharks can be extremely unsafe and very flexible; they are dangerous if you do not know how to handle them properly. Simply grabbing one by the tail could result in a nasty bite if you’re not careful. If you must handle them, grasp it firmly behind the head while controlling the rear with your other hand.
Snook-Redfish-Trout (Still Catch &
Release Only) Fishing should begin returning to normal as the temperatures ease up somewhat. It’s still going to be WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
hot, but perhaps the humidity will lighten some. Night fishing will produce good catches of Snook, Redfish, and Trout around structure, especially lighted docks. Work any topwater lure through the light line and hang on. Live shrimp and greenbacks free-lined or under a popping cork always work fishing around the mangroves and in sandy potholes on the grass flats.
Cobia fishing should continue as they travel around the flats with large rays, sharks, or manatees. Toss your bait or lure near the fish and it’s usually fish on. They’re not picky about what they eat; just get it close and make it move. They also frequent channel markers and channel buoys, especially those holding schools of greenbacks or threadfins. Hang a chum block over the side, and if they’re close, they’ll come. Tarpon anglers will find them
moving into Tampa Bay and around the bridges. Bridge tar-
Mackerel offers some outstanding light tackle action. Tampa Bay’s full of big mackerel, just drift or anchor around feeding or diving birds, toss out whitebaits or threadfins, or live shrimp and hang on. Snapper getting good catches reported around almost any structure, especially around the full moon. Pick any artificial reef, rock pile, pilings, or marker, find some small greenbacks or shrimp, a # 1 hook, a 20-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, ¼ ounce egg sinker or larger (depending on the current) make a knocker rig and have fun. Limit catches reported around the bay with some weighing 3 to 6 pounds but most average around 1 to 2 pounds.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”
813-477-3814
Captain Woody Gore’s Guide Service: The area’s top-notch outdoor fishing guide service. He’s guided and fished the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years and offers first-class customer service, outstanding fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Single Boat, Multi-Boat and Group Charters: With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any size group, outing, or tournament.
Visit his website at www.captainwoodygore.com or send an email to fishing@captainwoodygore. com or give him a call at 813-477-3814.
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pon is always fun, and threadfins, crabs, and bigger white baits tossed directly into their path should do the trick. Pick a bridge with a good light-line at night and sight cast them.
Mosquitoes in and around your home By Anne Yasalonis UF/IFAS Extension Polk County
The arrival of summer temperatures and summer rainfall bring to mind another of our summer arrivals: mosquitoes. These pesky insects are a reality to residents of Florida, and questions associated with disease spread and the best repellents are always front-of-mind. Luckily, we have the research AND the answers. • Florida Container Mosquitoes: Information on the types of mosquitoes that breed in water. There are 13 species in Florida.
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• Hurricanes and Mosquitoes: Mosquitoes and hurricanes, nothing is more Florida! • Mosquito Repellents: Have you ever wondered what repellents work the best? We have the research to demonstrate the effectiveness of the various repellents on the market.
open to phone and email Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. Give us a call, or email us at polkmg@ifas.ufl.edu.
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
If you are not in Polk County, Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic.
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Efficacy greater than or equal to synthetics Safety of biologicals
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HELP IN THE WILD
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Gandhi would agree that greatness flows at Woodland Wonders in Auburndale. Woodland Wonders is a wildlife rehabilitation and education center serving Polk County. “We provide care and treatment for injured, ill and orphaned wildlife,” said Woodland Wonders’ Director, Destiny Houghton. “Our focus is on the rehabilitation of wild animals for their successful release back to their natural habitat. For those that cannot be released, we offer a safe refuge for them to call home. We focus highly on education and promoting coexistence, respect, understanding and preservation of the wildlife around us.” “We endorse the professional standards of the Florida Rehabilitator’s Association, National Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Associations and the International Wildlife Council,” Houghton said. Houghton is a state licensed wildlife rehabilitator. “Both my professional career and free time revolve around animal welfare and husbandry,” Houghton said. “From domestic animal shelters to zoos to conservation education to exotic animal care, I cover it all. I volunteered for Woodland Wonders since 2008 and recently took over as director when our founder, Joan Waters, retired.”
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Back in 1998, when Joan Waters moved to the rural Auburndale area, word got around that she was a nurse. “Having just graduated from college and a newlywed, we moved to a ru-
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By Libby Hopkins
ral setting,” Waters said. “Within several weeks, I was being asked by neighbors, ‘You’re a nurse, can you help?’ The first patients were domestic, such as the dachshund that tore an artery in his foot climbing up a mobile home step, a cat that had a fish bone lodged in his throat, and the delivery of a litter of puppies. All of these were given immediate first aid and then referred to a local veterinarian.” As word spread, patients then became songbirds, water birds, squirrels, foxes, etc. and all coming with the prefix, “You are a nurse, can you help?” “After about one year of this type of care, our first owl was brought to us,” Waters said. “The owl had been poisoned, suffered eye damage and had a lengthy recovery period of eight months.” ‘Tough Toes,’ the barred owl, was successfully released in Tiger Creek Preserve after his recovery. Tough Toes rehabilitation became the inspiration and jumpstart for our wildlife endeavors.” Woodland Wonders was born. In January 2019, thanks to a partnership with the Polk County School Board, Woodland Wonders obtained the old PEER center in Auburndale. “Over the next year, we renovated the building and the 16 acres of property into a wildlife rehab,” Houghton said. A lot happens at Woodland Wonders on a daily basis. Some days are chaotic; some days are infuriating; some days are heart breaking and some days are inspiring. From bottleWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
feeding fawns to repairing broken tortoise shells, from tube feeding opossums to wrangling injured raccoons, no day is the same at the rehabilitation center. “We take in all injured, ill and orphaned Florida wildlife,” Houghton said. “We can also take in exotic animals as our care capacity allows. Concerned citizens call us when they encounter wildlife in need. We direct them on how to safely transport the animal, or call animal control if they cannot transport on their own. Once in our care, we examined the animals for injuries and triage them to medical, pre-release or nursing, depending on their needs.” The goal of Woodland Wonders is to release all the animals that come into their facility. “We release animals all across the county in pre-approved sites that meet the needs of each species,” Houghton said. “Those animals that are deemed non-releasable are transferred to another facility for permanent housing or we can keep them ourselves as educational ambassadors to educate the public.” If you ask Houghton what she likes most about her job at Woodland Wonders, she’ll tell you educating everyone who volunteers or comes to the facility. “Of course I enjoy releasing animals back into the wild, that’s our whole purpose, but I love educating people on the importance of the animals that live around us and how they can live harmoniously with the animals in their backyard,” Houghton said. The pandemic did have an affect on Woodland Wonders. “We rely heavily on volunteers and donations, both of which are difficult to obtain during this time,” Houghton said. “We do everything in our power to keep our volunteers safe, while continuing to provide as much care as possible to the wildlife in need in our community.” Woodland Wonders does not receive any funding from the government or national animal welfare agencies. “We rely solely on donations from the community to care for the animals and support our operations,” Houghton said. “Donors can give from our Amazon wish list or gift monetary donation via our website. We take in thousands of animals each year and need the support our community to carry out our mission.” If you would like to learn more about Woodland Wonders or if you’d like to make a donation to them, you can visit their website at www.woodlandwonders.org. Woodland Wonders is located at 200 Bloodhound Lane in Auburndale. Please call the facility at (863) 968-6790 before planning a visit to the facility, as their visitation times have changed due to the pandemic. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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WE ARE HERE WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER WE ARE EVERGLADES EQUIPMENT GROUP
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*Photo courtesy of our St. Cloud team. Stop in and say hi!
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• Besides meat and milk, cows provide us with hundreds of important by-products. Almost the entire beef animal can be used in some way. From a typical 1,000 pound steer, slightly over 40% of the animal is used for retail beef and the remaining 60% is processed into by-products. • Beef hide and hair are used for insulation, paintbrushes, glue for bookmaking and band-aides, clothes, shoes, luggage, saddles, furniture, automobiles, volleyballs, basketballs, and baseball gloves. • Fats and fatty acids are used for shampoo, shaving creams, deodorants, candles, crayons, floor wax, detergents, hydraulic brake fluid, plastics, insecticides, paints, perfumes, and synthetic rubber. • Bone, horn, hooves, and gelatin are used for combs, gelatin candy (Gummy Bears), photographic film, steel ball bearings, fine bone china, pet food, and vitamin capsules/gel coatings. • The salivary glands of cattle, located beneath the tongue, produce 15-20 gallons of saliva per day. • The average cow has more than 40,000 jaw movements per day. • The United States is the largest producer of beef in the world followed by Brazil & the European Union. • The United States, Brazil and the European Union produce almost half of the world’s beef. • The United States produces roughly 19% of the world’s beef.
With every generation,
we get better at protecting our environment. Reclamation ecologists like Ashlee work to return mined lands to productive use as wildlife habitats, public parks and more—so future generations can enjoy these lands for years to come.
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Just Thinking I was lying around one Sunday afternoon pondering about the problems of the world, and I realized that at my age I am getting to the point where I really didn’t give a rip any more. They tell us what is good and bad for us. They say to lose weight. Well, a whale swims all day, only eats fish, but is still fat. They say to exercise every day. A rabbit runs and hops and only lives 15 years, while a gopher doesn’t run and does mostly nothing, yet it lives for about 150 years. Exercise…I don’t think so. Now that I am drawing a Social Security check each month, here is what I have discovered, it was a whole lot easier to get older than it was to get wiser. I don’t remember being absent-minded. My wild oats are mostly enjoyed with prunes and all-bran. It’s not really hard to meet expenses…they are everywhere. And, I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it. They say to read and do crossword puzzles to keep your brain sharp. Here are five riddles that I was just able to pass. Let’s see how you do with them. A murderer is condemned death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first room is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven’t eaten in three years. Which room is the safest? Second, in 1955 a woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him underwater for over five minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But, tenminutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How could this happen? Third riddle! What is black when you buy it, and grey when you throw it away? Four. Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Wednesday, Friday or Sunday. The fifth riddle. This is an unusual paragraph. I’m curious as just how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it. It looks so ordinary and plain that you would think nothing was wrong with it. In fact, you still may not find anything odd, but if you work at it a bit, you’ll find out. Try to do so without any coaching!
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Now that you have read through the riddles several times here are the right ANSWERS. The third room is the right answer because the lions haven’t eaten in three years they are dead. Number two: The woman was a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, (holding it under water) and hung it up to dry. Three: Charcoal, as it is used for barbecuing. Four: “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” Five: The letter “e” which is the most common letter used in the English language, does not appear one time in the paragraph.
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Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the August 2015 issue
Mac Smith sent me an email the other day that pretty much sums up us senior citizens. He said we walk a little slower and our eyes and hearing are not what they once were. We worked hard, raised our children, worshiped our God and together we grew old. Yes, we are the ones some refer to as being over the hill, and that is probably true, but before writing us off completely, there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration. In school we studied English, history, math and science, which enabled us to lead America into the technological age. Most of us remember what outhouses were, many of us with firsthand experience. We remember the days of telephone party lines, 25-cent gasoline, and milk and ice being delivered to our house. For those of you who don’t know what an ice box is, today they are electric and referred to as a refrigerator. A few of us even remember when cars were started with a crank. Don’t write us off yet! We won World War II, fought in Korea and Viet Nam. We can quote the Pledge of Allegiance, and know where to place our hand while doing so. We even know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, America and America the Beautiful by heart. Lately I’ve noticed the stairs are getting steeper, and the groceries heavier. The other day I walked to the corner and I was surprised to discover how long our street has become. People are less considerate now, especially the youngsters. They whisper all the time. On the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am. I ran into an old friend of mine the other day, and she had aged so much that she didn’t even recognize me. An elderly couple down the street had an interesting problem last week. Johnny finally got around to varnishing their wooden toilet seat while his wife was shopping at Felton’s Food Mart. She came in and undressed to take a shower. Before getting in the shower, she sat down on the toilet. As she tried to stand up she realized that the not-quite-dry epoxy varnish paint had glued her rear end to the toilet seat. He heard her yelling, and ran to the toilet immediately realizing her predicament. They both pushed and pulled without any success what so ever. Finally in desperation he took the toilet seat off, wrapped a sheet around her, and drove her to the hospital emergency room. The ER Doctor got her into a position where he could figure out how to free her. His wife tried to lighten the embarrassment of it all by saying, “Well, Doctor, I’ll bet you’ve never seen anything like this before.” The Doctor replied, “Actually, I’ve seen lots of them….I just never saw one mounted and framed.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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FLorida
Mangosteen By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Florida is the only state in the United States that can grow and harvest fresh mangosteen. Mangosteen is a tropical fruit that requires a hot, humid climate for optimal growth. Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, mangosteen is grown mainly in Southeast Asia, India, Puerto Rico, and Florida. This prized fruit is juicy, sweet, and tangy, and about the size of a tangerine. A leathery dark red shell surrounds the juicy, fragrant white flesh. The edible fruit surrounds the seeds which are almond-shaped.
the seeds. Any easy way to remove the shell is to make a shallow cut around the diameter of the fruit with a paring knife, then twist off the top and remove. The fruit can be stored at room temperature for several days or refrigerated for up to several weeks. Do not wash until immediately before use.
How to Enjoy
Fresh Florida mangosteen is not only a delicious tropical treat, but is also quite nutritious. According to the USDA, one fresh mangosteen (76g) serving contains 55 calories, 14 g of carbohydrate, 1.4 g of fiber, 0.4 g of fat, and 0.3 g of protein. It also contains 12% of your daily requirement for vitamin C, 1.3% for iron, 1% for calcium, 0.5% for vitamin A.
Fresh mangosteen is delicious eaten out-of-hand. This fruit can also be used in salads, juices, cocktails, or even lend a sweet flavor to savory dishes. Other ways to enjoy this nutritious tropical fruit include: • Toss into any fruit or vegetable salad • Puree into a sorbet or ice cream • Use as a garnish • Stir into yogurt or mix into cereal Fresh Florida mangosteen is a tropical delight during the summer season.
Vitamin C
SELECTED REFERENCES
A single serving of mangosteen contains 12% of your daily needs for vitamin C! This vitamin is needed for growth and repair of all tissues in your body, including skin, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. It helps your body maintain healthy cartilage, bones, and teeth, as well as promotes wound healing. Vitamin C also helps you absorb iron better. There is some research to support that vitamin C may also reduce the duration and severity of the common cold.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE
Vitamin A Vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene is essential for optimal eye health and can help prevent night-blindness. This antioxidant also plays a role in immunity by supporting the white blood cells in fighting infections. This vitamin is also involved in hearing, taste, and normal fetal development. Broccoli is considered an excellent source of this important nutrient. Both vitamin A and vitamin C also have anti-inflammatory properties that make them helpful for protecting against conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, where inflammation plays a big role.
How to Select and Store Choose fresh mangosteen with a deep purple shell that yields to a gentle squeeze. A hard mangosteen is unripe. Remove the shell and then separate the inner white flesh, removing INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Ornamental Gardening in Florida By Ginny Mink
It is time, once again, to welcome you on the next voyage of the Literary Time Machine. We don’t know if you have noticed people in your neighborhoods working in their yards more than ever, but we certainly have. And that makes what we learn from Mr. Simpson all the more valuable. It gives us some cool plant suggestions that can help us occupy our time during these uncertain days. So, step aboard and take a trip back to 1926 with us! This month we enter the chapter entitled Exotic Epiphytic Orchids. Mr. Simpson warns us, “This list is intended to give a few of the most easily grown exotic orchids. It is very probable that an expert might be able to succeed with many others.”¹ We don’t know about you, but orchids have always seemed a bit challenging, though we do know some people that have incredible success with a large variety with seemingly little effort. Perhaps you will discover some that work that way for you here.
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The Dendrobium seems to be his favorite. He writes, “An immense genus numbering six hundred species from the Oriental tropics and into cooler regions, several of which I have found the most satisfactory of any orchids I have cultivated. The stems are mostly elongated and not pseudobulbous, leafy and bearing great numbers of large, very handsome, and mostly long enduring flowers. With me they have been almost entirely free from disease or attacks by insects and
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Part 71 have quite generally seemed to be adapted very perfectly to our conditions.”¹ He continues, “D. nobile and its varieties stand at the head of the list; the wonderful flowers almost seem to have souls and to be gifted with intelligence, they remind one of glorified pansies. D. philanopsis has rich, variegated shades of purple, the flowers remaining in perfection a long time; D. moschatum, a strong grower, many large salmon colored flowers in spring; D. densiflorum with pendulous blossoms of rich yellow; D. superbum with drooping spikes of rich purple; D. fimbriatum, rich orange; D. parishi, amethyst flowers with purple spots and many others.”¹ One has to wonder, while reading these descriptions, what these orchids really look like and if they would do well in our area of the state. Since his personal preference was D. nobile, we figured that would be the best one to research. So, according to OrchidWeb, “Nobile dendrobiums can be grown and flowered in the home or greenhouse. They do, however, have rather specific cultural requirements. When those requirements are met, they will produce a profusion of sweet-scented, long-lasting flowers that can appear from fall through spring.”² The site goes on to give specific instructions as to how best to grow these gorgeous flowers in case you are interested. Though, in looking at the pictures, it is hard for us to understand why he felt they were “gifted with intelligence,”¹ and seemed, “to WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
have souls.”¹ They just look like pretty flowers to us. You’ll have to be the judge of that! So, we move on to Phalaenopsis, Moth Orchids. He explains, “A genus of surpassingly beautiful orchids from Asia, Malaysia and the Philippines; they have broad, succulent leaves, those of some species richly variegated and they bear arching panicles of large, wonderfully rich, waxy flowers which in some cases endure for two or three months…They do not seem to be injured by our northers but sometimes are troubled with a blight or disease in which the leaves turn reddish and finally shrivel and die.”¹ In reading this, we questioned where the term “moth orchids” came from since he doesn’t describe them as resembling moths or even attracting them. According to Just Add Ice Orchids, “During a mid-1750s voyage to China, Swedish naturalist Peter Osbeck, a Linnaeus apostle, is said to have inadvertently given Phalaenopsis orchids their common name, “moth orchid,” when he peered through his field glasses during a stop in Java and mistook a large cluster of Phalaenopsis orchids for a flurry of moths.”³ While the Wilhelma Zoological site states, they are, “Socalled because some of them resemble colourful moths in flight.”⁴ And, it’s true, when you look at the center of the flower you can see why some would think they appeared to be butterfly or moth like in shape.
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. 208-210). ²OrchidWeb. Nobile Type Dendrobium Care. https://www.orchidweb.com/nobile-type-dendrobium-care ³Just Add Ice Orchids. (2012). How Did ‘Moth’ Orchids Get Their Name? https://www.justaddiceorchids.com/just-addice-orchid-blog/bid/88427/how-did-moth-orchids-gettheir-name ⁴Lô-Kockel, Dr. Franziska. The moth orchid: laboratory-bred windowsill beauty with flower power. Wilhema Zoological. https://www.wilhelma.de/en/animals-and-plants/portraits/2007/the-moth-orchid.html#:~:text=So%2Dcalled%20 because%20some%20of,about%2044%20species%20of%20 phalaenopsis. Photo Credits: Maja Dumat. (2014). Dendrobium nobile. Flickr. https://flic. kr/p/kAEPqd John. (2014). Yellow Moth Orchid by My Lovely Wife. Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/qqih2B
THE
We’ve traveled through some pretty amazing orchids this month. Hopefully, you have found some that you are willing
to take a chance on if orchids are an area of interest for you. Next month, we’ll finish up orchids and start on aquatic exotics. That should be interesting for those of you with fishponds and water features. Until then, happy gardening!
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ELLEN IRENE BRYAN:
Polk County Cattle Women
A HEART AND SOUL FOR KIDS AND CATTLE By Leslie Buchanon
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Aristotle once said, “Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.” Teaching is not only about the knowledge children learn in the classroom, it’s also about the ways they learn to use that knowledge. Teaching is an investment in the lives of children and when a career and a passion come together that investment far reaches anything we could ever imagine. This month we introduce you to a retired schoolteacher who is using her time and talents to help educate people, both young and old, about the importance of Florida’s beef Industry. Mrs. Ellen Irene Bryan of North Lakeland is a member of the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association who has taken the old adage “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” to heart.
for 40 years with most of her years in the classroom spent at Kathleen Elementary School, Kathleen Middle School, Jesse Keen Elementary, and she helped open Sleepy Hill Middle School. Throughout Ellen’s teacher career she spent 14 years as a Curriculum Specialist training teachers in 103 schools in the areas of Social Studies, Economics, and Law Education. During her time as Curriculum Specialist, Ellen also tended, picked, and packaged, and sold persimmons from her nine acres of grove. Ellen was also an adjunct professor at Florida Southern College and the University of South Florida.
At the tender age of 15, Ellen dropped out of high school and married Thomas C. Bryan. Three days after their marriage, her husband’s family purchased Ward’s Dairy. This was Ellen’s introduction into the cattle industry as she worked at the dairy each day, while she and her husband began their own beef cattle operation. Throughout her time working at the dairy, Tom and Ellen added three children to their family, Ginger Young, Julie Harter, and Tommy Bryan. By the age of 19, Ellen was a 10th grade dropout and the mother of three.
In 1981 Ellen was recruited to be a founding board member to help create Polk County’s “Agri-Fest.” She worked the Beef Cattle Sessions at Ag-Fest, as well as many of the other agriculture commodities’, teaching sessions for many years. Agri-Fest continues to be an annual event each Spring, hosting over 300 teachers and 6,000 fourth graders from around the county. During the 10-day event, students and their teachers learn about Polk County’s major agricultural commodities. While attending Ag-Fest, students and teachers explore interactive exhibits and attend hands-on workshops on citrus, beef cattle, phosphate, beekeeping, horticulture, forestry, aquaculture, blueberries, and small farms.
While raising her young children and wanting to set an example for them, Ellen tackled and passed the GED test. She went on and earned an Associate of Arts degree, completed her bachelor’s degree, and eventually a master’s degree. Ellen worked as an educator in Polk County
In addition to teaching in the public-school system, Ellen was, and continues to be, a Sunday School teacher at her local church, Bethel Baptist Church, for the past 25 years. Additionally, she teaches Team Kid activities on Wednesday nights, which she has done since 2006. Ellen retired
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Just this past year another one of Ellen’s FAITC grants was approved and funded. This activity includes a skit entitled “Why We Raise Beef Cattle.” Recently, Ellen was approached by a neighboring CattleWomen’s Association with the opportunity to bring this grant to life. A professional theatrical group, in association with the cattlewomen, is planning to perform, record, and publish the skit on YouTube. This project is currently in the production phase and is expected to be available for viewing soon. In 2016, Ellen was selected by the PCCW as the representative for the Polk County CattleWoman of the Year, and later was selected as a finalist for the Florida CattleWoman of the Year award that was given out at the Florida Cattlemen’s Convention. She was also selected to receive this honor again in 2020. from education in 2008, but soon realized, as most teachers do - teaching is a passion, not just a job. Missing the comradery and collaboration that goes along with teaching, Ellen joined the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association (PCCW) in 2009. The organization allowed her the opportunity to put her talents to good use promoting the beef cattle industry, an industry that had brought her much joy throughout her adult life. She jumped into the PCCW feet-first by accepting the Chairman position of the Education Committee, an area she felt confident she could share some of her expertise. As Chairman of the Education Committee, Ellen has written and submitted many Florida Ag in the Classroom (FAITC) grants. Of her submissions over years, many grants have been approved and funded. In 2012, Ellen wrote a grant entitled “The Beef Cow is the Winner,” which was quite an undertaking. A major component of the grant included creating a large plywood Brahman bull with explicit questions about beef cattle. After drawing, cutting, and then some airbrushing, “Ivan the Brahman Bull” was born. On his hip, Ivan proudly wears the brand of Mr. and Mrs. Cary Lightsey, who purchased this honor during an auction at a Polk County Cattlemen’s Association dinner. Basic beef questions are hung from hooks placed on Ivan’s side. There are two different levels of questions used with Ivan ranging from Pre-k – 4th grade, and 5th grade – adult. Another component of the grant was “Beef Cows Give Us” masks, providing students with a cartoon cow face to cut out and color. On the reverse side are pictures of various objects made from beef by-products. Ivan and Ms. Ellen have been spotted at many events over the years including, ranch rodeos, Ag Fest, Farm Fair at Tenoroc High School, and local elementary schools, just to name a few. As her enthusiasm grew for promoting the beef industry, Ellen wrote another FAITC grant in 2014 called the “A, B, C’s of Beef Cattle Alphabet.” These 11” x 17” coloring posters were designed to teach young children about the various characteristics and components of the beef cattle industry using each letter of the alphabet. Each letter includes a corresponding line drawing depicting an object or person for the children to color. To compliment this great achievement, Ellen wrote yet another FAITC grant to accompany the A, B, C’s of Beef Cattle, named the “A, B, C’s of Beef Cattle By-Products.” This by-products facts poster was designed for 4th grade students to receive at Ag Fest to teach students and adults about the hundreds of various industrial, household, and health and beauty items created using beef by-products.
With 1,000 new people moving into Florida each day, it’s more important than ever for agricultural advocates to share their stories and their passion. Ellen shows no signs of letting retirement put a damper on her drive and dedication to the beef cattle industry. She has a few other grant ideas up her sleeve that she will be working on over the next few years. Ms. Ellen invites women of all ages to join the Polk County CattleWomen and attend their monthly meetings. Meetings are generally held the first Tuesday of each month at the UF/IFAS building in Bartow beginning at 6:30, with the next meeting being held on September 1. Ownership of cattle is not a requirement to join the PCCW. All you need is a love and passion for promoting and supporting the beef cattle industry. If you would like more information about the PCCW and their meetings you can find them on Facebook or you can email poco.cattlewomen@yahoo.com. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Through the comradery and collaboration of the PCCW, Ellen and Mary Helen Costine became close friends. Mary Helen shared, “Ellen works tirelessly for many things, the church, the school board in days past, and has become a staunch supporter of the PCCW. She’s invested many hours creating the grants she’s won because of her hard work. At one point in her life, Ellen had a persimmon grove at her house. She harvested the persimmons herself using a ladder, then she would pack them and take them to the farmer’s market herself. She’s a hard worker. She loves cattle industry and loves being involved in the CattleWomen.”
s e p i c e R Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Chef Justin Timineri
Florida Stone Crab Claws with Key Lime Mustard Dipping Sauce
DIRECTIONS Crack claws using a wooden hammer or a seafood cracker; remove shell and movable pincer leaving meat attached to the remaining pincer. Set aside and keep refrigerated until use. In a small bowl combine the mayo, Dijon and lime juice. Taste the mustard sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve stone crab claws with the mustard sauce.
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
3 pounds stone crab claws, medium sized 1 cup low-fat mayonnaise 5 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard 4 Key limes (or two regular limes), juiced sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1 ½ pounds beef, sliced thin 1 bunch scallions, sliced 3 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped fine 1 sweet red bell pepper, sliced thin 1 tangerine, zested and juiced, separated 2 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine beef, scallions, ginger, bell peppers, tangerine zest and cornstarch. Mix ingredients well to coat. Preheat a large sauté pan over mediumhigh heat. In a small mixing bowl, combine tangerine juice, soy sauce and sugar. Stir ingredients until sugar is dissolved.
1 tablespoon light lowsodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons natural sugar 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tangerines, peeled and sectioned cooked brown rice
Add the vegetable oil to the preheated sauté pan. Carefully add the beef mixture to the pan. Cook while stirring constantly until the beef is browned and slightly crispy. Add the soy sauce mixture and cook until sauce is thickened. Toss in the fresh tangerine segments and serve over brown rice.
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FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD
By J. Scott Angle
Photo ID: Yiannis Ampatzidis and a drone on which he mounts his Agroview system Soon machines will accurately count hundreds of thousands of trees in a local grove. They will diagnose diseases you can’t see, distinguish weeds from crops on a Hillsborough County farm and blast only the weeds, and give machines the vision and agility to pick only ripe berries from bushes in Plant City.
Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, and Ampatzidis are developing a tractor-mounted AI technology that can differentiate weeds from crops using multiple cameras as it drives down a row of vegetables. AI then instantly tells a sprayer where to point and shoot to eradicate only the weeds in an experimental field at Gulf Coast REC.
In fact, it’s already happening. The common thread through these advances is that some of the finest minds in agricultural Schumann also develops smartphone apps, what he calls an science are creating “wise minds” that can do even more – ar- “expert in your hand,” to detect citrus disease. By repeatedly tificial intelligence, or AI. challenging and training his AI system for citrus, he’s teaching it to add new memories so it learns from mistakes and becomes UF/IFAS scientists Yiannis Ampatzidis, Nathan Boyd, Sandra smarter. Guzman, and Arnold Schumann are among the experts applying AI to local farming. You are likely to be early beneficiaries Eventually, it gets smart enough that it’s more foolproof than because of these scientists’ grower-focused research, state the human brain and can see things not visible to the human support for innovation, and a culture among local growers that eye. His smartphone app detects diseases and identifies defiembraces innovation as the way to keep Florida agriculture ciencies of manganese, boron, nitrogen and other nutrients in globally competitive. trees. This partnership fueled advances in plant genetics and ge- AI’s transformational moment has arrived in part because of nomics in the past decade. At UF/IFAS, we’re about to turn its recent huge advances in data collection. Now we need to full power on AI. develop the tools to translate that data into information you can use to make decisions. You have asked for such tools. We Some of that power will come from the University of Florida’s mean to deliver them. recently announced a $70 million campus wide artificial intelligence initiative that will strengthen research addressing AI is a top priority in our research agenda. It’s so important that some of agriculture’s most vexing problems. It will also deploy Ampatzidis calls it the fourth revolution in agriculture. It holds AI across the curriculum, including that of the UF/IFAS Col- the potential to revolutionize agriculture the way machinery, lege of Agricultural and Life Sciences, to transform the future and then synthetic fertilizers, and then genetics did. AI could of teaching and the workforce. cut costs through early detection of disease. It offers potential in pinpoint irrigation based on field conditions and weather The initiative is supported by a $25 million gift from UF alum- forecasts, which Guzman is pursuing at the Indian River Renus Chris Malachowsky and $25 million in hardware, software, search and Education Center in Fort Pierce. It can also provide training and services from NVIDIA, the Silicon Valley-based reliable and inexpensive labor. technology company he cofounded and a world leader in AI and accelerated computing. UF is investing an additional $20 AI isn’t going to take over your opmillion in the initiative, which will create an AI-centric data cen- eration. But with more scientists ter that houses the world’s fastest AI supercomputer in higher teaching machines to make sense education. of crop, weather, water, plant, and soil data, we will be able to help Ampatzidis, a faculty member at the Southwest Florida Re- you extract wisdom from data to search and Education Center in Immokalee, has already put give you the information you need AI at the center of his work. His AI-driven Agroview system is to decide what’s best at your farm, already counting trees with 98 percent accuracy from a drone. ranch or grove. He has also done work with Harvest CROO Robotics co-founder and UF grad Bob Pitzer to improve his automated harvester. The work has helped to optimize positioning of the robotic pickers for plucking ripe berries at the rate of dozens of human Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s hands without bruising the fruit. Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the UF InstiBoyd, a faculty member at the Gulf Coast Research and Edtute of Food and Agricultural Sciences ucation Center in Balm, Schumann, a professor at the Citrus (UF/IFAS). INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff
ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES ARE GROSS
I know you’ve heard me say it many times before, but it’s true – PCSO detectives are simply the best. Recently, they investigated a triple homicide in Frostproof, solving it in a matter of days and providing some closure to the families of the victims. During the investigation, Homicide detectives served a search warrant on a parcel of land on the outskirts of Frostproof where the suspects, TJ Wiggins, his girlfriend, Mary Whittemore, and his brother, Robert Wiggins live. On this approximate one-acre piece of land is a family compound made up of five camper structures where several adults (no children, thank goodness) also lived. The Homicide detectives observed several hazards and asked the PCSO Environmental Crimes detectives to further investigate.
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When Environmental Crimes detectives arrived, they were met with a surprising sight. According to the affidavit, “The camper that the suspect[s] are living in have septic holding tanks opened draining onto the ground in a small hole with feces visible at the surface of the ground. The property was scattered with tires and miscellaneous broken down vehicles, metals, appliances, and other debris. Also throughout the property an excessive amount of flies were swarming around the trash, dog feces and human feces.”
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This was a dangerous situation – a health hazard of significant proportions. The property where these suspects live looks like a landfill and has raw sewage all over the ground. It’s not only not fit for humans, I wouldn’t even let a dog live there. But apparently the Wiggins family doesn’t agree, because also on the property, were three dogs and a cat. None of them had tags. They have been removed from the property and are being cared for until their future safety can be established. It takes all of us working together to fight crime. If you see something, if you hear something, then say something. We rely on the public every day to be our eyes and ears out in the communities, and in our rural areas. If you have any information about health hazards associated with illegal dumping, open sewage, or suspected livestock animal cruelty or neglect, we urge you to contact us with detailed information. Call the PCSO Agriculture Unit at 863.534.7205, or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward, call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1.800.226.TIP (8477). Also, to report code violations, such as broken down vehicles, appliances, and other trash creating a health hazard, contact the Polk County Code Enforcement Office at 863.534.6054. Together we can prevent crime and help keep Imperial Polk County a beautiful place to live. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
THE JUNIOR FLORIDA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION’S
Announces Their 2019 Points Series Award Winners During the “Hottest Show On Earth” By Laura Lee Taylor The “Hottest Show on Earth,” always lives up to its name with the heat index hitting 115 and more than 531 head of cattle and 239 exhibitors filling the barns. The Junior Florida Cattlemen’s Association holds a six show cattle points series, with locations throughout the state of Florida, once per month from late July to early December. Points are calculated on cattle and exhibitors on how well they perform in their various divisions. During their annual Kickoff show called the “Hottest Show on Earth,” July 30-August 1, 2020 at the Florida State
Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida, they announced their 2019 Series Awards Winners from the 18 divisions. Congratulations to Kylee McMullen for being selected as the Supreme Champion Heifer for the 2019 Series and winning Supreme Champion Heifer for the 2020 “Hottest Show on Earth” with her Brahman heifer. Congratulations to all these exhibitors on an outstanding year.
Polk County Exhibitors: Jessie Bennett, Kylee McMullen, Lillie Myers and Carlee Taylor.
Brangus Division
Kylee McMullen
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NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
FLORIDA FARM BUREAU ANNUAL MEETING TO BE VIRTUAL
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation will be virtual this year in the best interest of members and their families. The business meeting will be held via Zoom on Thursday, October 22, and all Young Farmer and Rancher (YF & R) competitions and the Youth Speech Contest will be also be held virtually earlier in the week. Additional information will be forthcoming.
CHOICE HOTELS OFFER SAVINGS TO FARM BUREAU MEMBERS
Florida Farm Bureau members can save up to 20 percent at nearly 7,000 Choice Hotels worldwide. Call 800-258-2847 or visit ChoiceHotels.com to make reservations. Use the Special Rate ID 00209540 to receive your discount, which only apply to advance reservations not walk-ins.
DISTRICT RECEIVES FUNDING FOR NEW WATER QUALITY MONITORING WELL
MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEERS INTRODUCE BOOK TO HELP YOUTH GROW UP “FLORIDA FRIENDLY”
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has received funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a new, 880-foot deep monitoring well in the District’s Most Impact Area (MIA) of the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA) in Hillsborough County.
Florida grade school children can now learn the nine principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping ™ (FFL) – guidelines that help yards thrive and protect Florida’s waterways – from a new book written and illustrated by two Florida Master Gardener Volunteers.
District scientists will use data collected from the new well to better assess aquifer system dynamics, enhance groundwater monitoring and determine potential water withdrawalrelated impacts to the SWUCA and MIA.
“Growing Up Florida-Friendly” follows Flory, an orange blossom, on a journey through the nine FFL principles – Right Plant, Right Place; Water Efficiently; Fertilize Appropriately; Mulch; Attract Wildlife, Manager Yard Pests Responsibly; Recycle, Reduce Storm Water Runoff and Protect the Waterfront.
FARM BUREAU MEMBERS OFFERED RENTAL CAR SAVINGS Farm Bureau membership offers a range of benefits. Among those are reduced rental car rates of up to 30 percent. Enterprise, Alamo, National, Budget and AVIS auto rental companies offer Farm Bureau members savings on rental cars. Enterprise, Alamo and National offer savings of up to 20 percent with discounts depending on location. To take advantage use Contract ID: 6020214 or book online through partners.rentalcar.com/florida-farm-bureau. Budget and AVIS feature savings up to 30 percent, again varying by location. For reserving through Budget, use Contract ID: Y775709 or book online through Budget.com/FLFB. The AVIS Contact ID is A298809 or online at AVIS.com/FLFB. SUNBELT AG EXPO CANCELED The Board of the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition has voted to cancel the 43rd annual show that was scheduled for October 20-22, 2020. Plans for the 2020 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Ag Expos Southeastern Farmer of the Year winner are to be released soon. UF RELEASES NEW GUIDE TO RAISING BACKYARD CHICKENS Among varied responses to COVID-19 is the desire among select consumers to produce more of their food at home. Some began to purchase baby chicks that would grow up to produce eggs fresh from the backyard. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has published a new guide to raising backyard chickens for eggs, available in hard copy from the UF/IFAS Extension bookstore – http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-1545-raising-backyardchickens-for-eggs.aspx - or as a free download at https:// edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an239.
COVID-19 RESOURCE PAGE AT FLORIDAFARMBUREAU.ORG Florida Farm Bureau has developed a COVID-19 Resources website page, which includes a variety of agricultural and state and federal links related to the pandemic. Content is continuously updated and can be accessed at https://floridafarmbureau.org/covid-19-resources/. USDA TO LAUNCH THIRD ROUND OF FARMERS TO FAMILIES FOOD BOX PROGRAM The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced launching of a third round of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program purchases with distribution to take place September 1 through October 31, 2020. Purchases during this round will spend the balance of $3 billion authorized for the program which has thus far delivered more than 46 million boxes. In this third round, USDA plans to purchase combination boxes to ensure all recipient organizations have access to fresh produce, dairy products, fluid milk and meat products. Eligibility will be open to entities who can meet the government’s requirements and specifications with proposals expected to illustrate how coverage will be provided to areas identified as opportunity zones, detail subcontracting and delivery to the food insecure population. Additional information about the third round of food box purchasing is available at www.usda.gov/farmers-to-families. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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The 58-page, fully illustrated book provides an interactive opportunity between teachers and students or can be used as a stand-alone resource. Individual copies may be purchased via ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-1538-growing-up-florida-friendly. aspx. Those seeking to purchase more than 25 copies of the book are directed to call 800-226-1764 or visit ifasbooks@ifas. ufl.edu for discount information.
SIT A SPELL by John Dicks Here we are, still biding our time, anxiously awaiting an end to the coronavirus pandemic. We’ve all been finding our way and adapting to abnormal new routines in life. Many of us have found refuge and relief in technology and all of the gadgets it has wrought. At times, though, the techno gizmos have been both wonderfully helpful, yet simultaneously irritating and frustrating. Consider, for example, video conference calls. Awesome they are, but really, quite exhausting they have become. Sometimes in life, when things seem so strange, it’s time to turn to the simple stuff for a sense of satisfaction. Perhaps, then, it is time to indulge in “Sit Spots.”
animals. What struck me, though, was that she had an uncanny way of knowing who, or which, animal was going to do something before it even happened. What I came to realize, like she already knew, was that animals, including us human ones, and really everything of nature, are creatures of routine. Left to our own intentions, we’re likely to do the same thing, at the same time, and at the same place, over and over again. Certainly we could analyze the phenomena of routine and reach some productive and creative conclusions on the value of adopting good habits. However, such is not the point here.
Let me explain.
Instead, it’s come to my attention that what my grandmother so gleefully engaged in way back when has now become one of those “next new things.”
I remember, a long, long time ago, when walking home from school, I’d visit my grandmother. She was a sweet, yet stern and hearty woman who had lived, and thrived, through many tough times.
It’s a pseudo rage in this age of coronavirus lockdowns, with people having so much time on their hands, yet longing to do something safe and productive. It’s known as the practice of finding a “sit spot.”
Her home was where today sits Plant City’s Bruton Memorial Library. As If by routine, she would most always motion to the porch where she’d invite me to “sit a spell.”
The idea is to find a place where you can sit quietly and simply, yet intensely, observe nature for short periods of time. The trick is to do so repeatedly for several days, if not weeks or even months, at the same spot and particularly at the same specific time.
It seemed to me that sitting on that porch was one of her very favorite pastimes. Granted, there was, back then, no social media or other internet distraction, and her tv just barely, sometimes, showed a somewhat grainy black and white image. The real action and entertainment was what was going on in and around that yard, just off the porch. “Sit still” was her admonition, which in my case as a growing and energetic young lad of 11 years old, was rather difficult to do. My Grandma, though, was quite good at. She was particularly adept at recognizing the local wildlife, and not just by the sights, but also their sounds and even their scents. I was convinced that she knew everything about all of the animals that would pounce, run, walk or flitter by. She knew them well. She even knew their “names.” None of that especially surprised me. Names are something we all assign to
Even better is to do so through different weather, both rain and sunshine and even hot and cold. As you actively observe your natural surroundings the goal is to tune your senses and ability to focus such that your mind lets go of the white noise of life and you become free to notice even the slightest bit of changes. Notice the direction, and strength of the wind; the flight pattern of birds who linger a few days before migrating elsewhere. Watch the lizards and insects as they scurry about. Ponder the plants and the patterns in their leaves. It’s a passive, inexpensive, activity which lets you slow down life, letting you love it even more. Grandma never knew it’s new age name, but she enjoyed and mastered the “Sit Spot” a long, long time ago!
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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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Polk County Cattle Women
T
he message of the Cattle/Beef Industry is important, now more than ever. Many of us are cattle ranchers and producers and we need to take note that our livelihood is being challenged from several different angles. I encourage you to get informed, find out what’s going on, do the homework, and make decisions that best suit your needs as well as your community. Speak up, get involved in your local Cattlemen’s Association or Cattlewomen’ s Association, we need your voice. The PCCW have stepped up to the challenge of perseverance. We have adjusted and readjusted our normal practices to accommodate the restrictions/precautions set before us. This past month our very own Blair Buchanon participated in the FCA‘s virtual Sweetheart competition, and she was awarded 1st Runner up. We are so very proud of Blair and look forward to seeing what she has in mind as Polk County Sweetheart. PCCW would like to congratulate Sally Kempfer, as she was crowned the 2020 Florida Cattlemen’s Sweetheart. The PCCW also participated in the FCW 2020 Outstanding Cattlewoman of the Year competition, as we nominated Ms. Ellen Bryan for her many years of service to our organization via Educational Grants and learning materials. She has been a vital part of getting our message out to school age children, and most recently, has been asked if some of her material can be used in YouTube learning/teaching videos. We are so proud of Ms. Bryan. We are blessed and thankful to have her in Polk County. PCCW would like to congratulate Emily Hobby of Levy County for being awarded the 2020 Outstanding Cattlewoman of the Year, and thank her for all her contributions. For future events, updates, and meeting reminders, please join our Facebook page Polk County Cattlewomen. As always, PCCW welcomes new members. If you are interested in joining, we’d love to hear from you. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, #863-205-3977.
Missy McLaughlin-Raney Polk County Cattlewomen President
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
Know the Difference: American Crocodiles By Ginny Mink
When people think about Florida they think about sun and surf, palm trees and beaches, alligators and snakes. What most don’t realize is that the American alligator remains under the threatened category because of its resemblance to another creature that is endangered here in Florida. That is the American crocodile. So, let’s discuss the plight and value of the American crocodile here in Florida. Interestingly enough, the American crocodile wasn’t discovered until 1869. It has always been considered rare in our state yet, because it is a tropical species, South Florida is the northern part of its range. So, in 1975 when people recognized its lack of prevalence here, it was added to the endangered species act by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.¹ There are two species of crocodilians that are endemic to the United States. Of course, for the purpose of this article we are only concerned with the American crocodile (not the American alligator) which enjoys coastal habitats like those in Central America, northern South America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the very southern parts of Florida. Due to its ability to reach Florida, it has had to learn to coexist with American alligators. And, because people often don’t know the difference, this is what has led to the protection of the American alligators as well.² According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, inexperienced people can have a hard time distinguishing between the two. So, to help those of us who think they are all alligators, here are some of the significant differences between the two. Crocodiles are grayish green, their snouts are more narrow and tapered, and you can see the fourth tooth on the lower jaws sticking out when their mouths are closed. Their babies are lighter colored with dark stripes. This is in contrast to the American alligator, which is typically blacker in shade, and only shows its upper teeth when its jaws are shut. Plus, their babies are dark colored with yellow stripes. It’s like they are the exact opposite in appearance once you know the difference.³ Since the 1970s, the American crocodile’s population biology has been studied by a variety of groups and individuals. Their focus has been on surveys that are designed to locate both the crocodiles and their nests. These study areas have been centered around the Turkey Point Power Plant site, Biscayne Bay, Everglades National Park, Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and SW Florida in general.¹
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What they have discovered is that timing, distribution and quantity of water flow directly impacts the American crocodile, though they are uncertain as to how that does so. Scientists and researchers believe that the American crocodile is a significant indicator species as to the health of the estuarine environments located in South Florida. And, while their populations there are small, thankfully, they do seem to be stable.² The truth is, these reptiles are reclusive and shy. Their preference for brackish and saltwater areas means they are most frequently found in creeks in mangrove swamps, ponds, and coves. But, thanks to the extensive canal systems in SE Florida, they are also being located in freshwater areas more inland.³ In fact, they are now being encountered in places they were never seen before like golf courses, marinas, county parks, and
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even public beaches. Unfortunately, this has created a growing problem between people and crocodiles because people are not aware of the difference between them and alligators.¹ Unlike alligators, crocodiles will quickly and noisily enter the water when frightened by the presence of humans. That scares people, but really, it’s the crocodile that is terrified.³ During the breeding and nesting seasons these animals are more readily located along Florida Bay’s exposed shoreline. Typically, the males will stay more inland than the females. Their natural nesting sites are raised marl creek banks near deeper water or on sandy shorelines. They will also nest on manmade canal berms. The sites they choose offer deep water hiding places for the females. Unfortunately, the mortality of hatchlings is often higher when the nests are located on the shore. They seem to do better in inland nests.² Between the 30s and 60s crocodile hides were worth a good deal of money, which, in turn, led to the decline in their species. Even now, the biggest threats they face include illegal hunting and habitat destruction. Natural predation of nests by crabs, birds, and raccoons continue to contribute to mortality levels as well. And the desire of humans to build in their habitats is a significant issue for their future existence.³ Crocodiles protect their young in an interesting way. Females will lay between 20 and 60 eggs that have to incubate for a period of 85 days. Areas that are too dry or too wet can destroy the eggs. But, once the incubation period has ended, the females will dig up their nests and carry their babies to the water. Once there, crocodiles will prey on small mammals, fish, turtles, frogs, and birds.³ Understanding the difference between the American crocodile and the American alligator may help us squash some of the fear surrounding these unique creatures. And making an effort to protect their habitats is essential to ensuring they continue to populate their current locales. As with every creature we discuss, these animals were placed here for a reason by the Creator and it is indeed our job to be good stewards of the spaces they inhabit. Learn to identify them so that you are less scared and more compassionate when you come in contact with them! Resources: ¹Mazzotti, F. & Cherkiss, M. (2006). The Croc Docs. Ecology and Conservation of the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in Florida. University of Florida. IFAS. https://crocdoc.ifas.ufl. edu/publications/posters/crocodileecologyconservation/ ²United States Fish and Wildlife Service. American Crocodile. Crocodylus acutus. https://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/Croc.pdf ³Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. American Crocodile. Crocodylus acutus. https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/american-crocodile/ Photo Credits: S. Rae. (2005). Crocodylus acutus (American Crocodile). Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/6Ke16v Donovan, Tim. (2012). Florida Fish and Wildlife. Baby Crocodile 2. Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/bBfijk WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Florida’s citrus growers have new tool to help fight citrus greening By Ruth Borger
If information is power, Florida citrus growers have a new asset in their fight against citrus greening disease which has been impacting the state’s multi-billion dollar citrus industry. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences statewide citrus program launched a major revision of a website, providing instant access to a portfolio of information valuable to growers. The citrusresearch.ifas.ufl.edu website underwent a major revision, making it easier to navigate, adding new access to research trials, publications and presentations. “We know growers are busy and don’t have time to search multiple sites for information,” said Michael Rogers, professor and director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida. “We put the most current research in one website where growers can search for and find what they need to be successful in today’s challenging growing situation.” The new site includes special features of interest to growers including: • Data from over 20 rootstock trials conducted by the UF/ IFAS plant improvement team. Growers can review the data collected from the trials and compare data from sites across the state.
• A resources section includes current production and nutrition guides and Extension documents (edis.ifas.ufl.edu) on citrus-related topics from 2016 to the present that are easily linked to from the website and are also presented by researcher for easy searching. “This website is just one of the ways that the UF/IFAS citrus team is working to support growers with the latest science to best battle citrus greening. We are working to get this information directly to growers as soon as it is available so that they may be able to put it into action as soon as possible,” Rogers said. The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) 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 brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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• UF/IFAS researchers share their ongoing research priorities in citrus economics, grove management, new varieties, nutrition/water management, psyllid management and root health.
FLORIDIANS ASKED TO REPORT
SUSPICIOUS SEED PACKETS FROM CHINA By Jim Frankowiak
Washington State Department of Agriculture The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has issued a warning about unsolicited packages of seeds received through the mail. The seed packets typically arrive unexpectedly in packages bearing Chinese characters. They may bear the name China Post and may be labeled as jewelry. Receipt of such packages has been reported in multiple states across the United States.
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FDACS has thus far received 160 reports from Florida residents who have received the suspicious seed packages with the contents unknown at present. The introduction of plant seeds into the U.S. is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Seeds of unknown origin may constitute agricultural smuggling, may be invasive, may introduce pathogens, toxins or plant and animal diseases, may pose a risk of foodborne illness and may pose a threat to plants, animal and human health.
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FDACS is working closely with the UDSA Animal Health and Inspection Service (APHIS), the lead regulatory body on this issue, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for guidance. Seed packet recipients are urged not to open them, not to plant the seeds and limit contact with the packages and contents. They are also encouraged to report received packages to FDACS Division of Plant Industry at 1-888-397-15-7 or via email: DPIhelpline@FDACS.gov. The seed package should also be reported APHIS Anti-Smuggling Hotline at 1-800877-3835 or by email: SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov. Both reports should be filed as quickly as possible and include the seed packet recipient’s name, physical address, phone number and email address for any follow-up contact.
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ADDITIONAL COMMODITIES ADDED TO CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM By Jim Frankowiak
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had added additional commodities to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) along with other program adjustments based on comments received from agricultural producers and organizations and a review of market data. Producers can now submit applications that include the new commodities and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept applications through August 28, 2020 for CFAP, which helps offset price declines and additional marketing costs attributable to the pandemic. USDA anticipates expanding the list of additional eligible commodities over the coming weeks.
Changes to CFAP include:
• Adding the following commodities: alfalfa sprouts, anise, arugula, basil, bean sprouts, beets, blackberries, Brussel sprouts, celeriac (celery root), chives, cilantro, coconuts, collard greens, dandelion greens, greens (others not listed separately), guava, kale greens, lettuce – including Boston, green leaf, Lolla Rossa, oak leaf green, oak leaf red and red leaf – marjoram, mint, mustard, okra, oregano, parsnips, passion fruit, peas (green), pineapple, pistachios, radicchio, rosemary, sage, savory, sorrel, fresh sugarcane, Swiss chard, thyme and turnip top greens. • Expanded seven currently eligible commodities – apples, blueberries, garlic, potatoes, raspberries, tangerines and taro – CARES Act funding for sales losses because USDA found these commodities had a 5 percent or greater price decline between mid-January and midApril as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, these commodities were only eligible for marketing adjustments. • Determined that peaches and rhubarb no longer qualify for payment under the CARES Act sales loss category. • Corrected payment rates for apples, artichokes, asparagus, blueberries, cantaloupes, cucumbers, garlic, kiwifruit, mushrooms papaya, peaches, potatoes, raspberries, rhubarb, tangerines and taro. Additional details can be found in the Federal Register, Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and Final Rule Correction, as well as at www.farmers.gov.cfap, which also offers assistance with the preparation of applications. New CFAP customers may receive one-on-one support by calling 877-508-864. Assistance is also available by scheduling an appointment at the USDA Service Center, 201 South Collins Street. Telephone: 813/752-1474.
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Family Owned and Operated
By Libby Hopkins Janet Acosta’s business would be considered old fashioned with a modern twist. Acosta is the owner of the Old South County Market in South Lakeland. Her store carries high-end quality meats, fresh local produce, locally made products and Amish delicacies. Even thought her store has so much to offer, her top selling item is fresh local tomatoes. “We carry all these amazing products and top quality meats, but our best seller is our tomatoes,” Acosta said. “Seeing our customers come in for our tomatoes does make my heart happy though.” Acosta and her whole family are tomato growers. “I grew up growing tomatoes and being on the farm,” Acosta said. “I’ve been around cattle, horses and chickens all my life. I spent my summers working on the farm, picking tomatoes, baling hay and even cleaning up cow poop. I’ve done it all!”
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Acosta wanted to take the knowledge and values she learned
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growing up and use them as the tools to start her own business. “Old South Country Market was established in 2018,” Acosta said. “We have been family owned and operated since day one. We had this idea of wanting to offer the South Lakeland community a place where they get high quality meats and source locally grown produce from local growers. I also wanted to offer products made by local vendors and bring Amish products to the Lakeland area.” Old South Country Market it a specialty shop with an old South atmosphere. “We are really known for our meats, especially our Wagyu beef,” Acosta said. “I have customers who travel from Bartow and Orlando just to get some of our Wagyu beef.” According to the website www.wagyu.org, “The American Wagyu Association promotes and upholds the standards for Wagyu beef, the finest quality of beef available in the United States. Highly prized for their rich flavor, these cattle produce arguably the finest beef in the world. Wagyu cattle’s genetic predisposition yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than typical beef.” Acosta recently partnered with Old South Smoked Meats to offer her customers pre-cooked meats twice a month. “This has been a great partnership, especially with the current times we are living in,” Acosta said. “The pandemic has made is hard for everyone, including small business owners. When everything happened, we were truly blessed to have the Lakeland community support us and we were able to support them. When big box stores were running out of produce and meats, we had it available for our customers. They could also take WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
home cooked meats because of Old South Smoked Meats.” Keeping things local is Acosta and her family’s number one priority. “It’s extremely important to us,” Acosta said. “I keep my money local because I know what it’s like to be a local business owner. The community we are a part of is wonderful for local small businesses and the support we get from the community is amazing. I am forever grateful for it.” Old South Country Market has partnered with many vendors from the Lakeland Downtown Farmers’ Curb Market as well. “We get our candy covered nuts from Two Crazy Nuts,” Acosta said. “Our organic flour and the pies we carry during the holidays come from Honeycomb Bakery. Our jarred pickles come from The Pickle Patch and we get some of our produce from Wish Farms in Plant City.” The Amish products she carries are sent in from Pennsylvania and Ohio. “Our Amish products are the real deal and they have become quite popular,” Acosta said. “We have customers come in for the Trail Bologna, fresh rhubarb, canned peaches and pears, and the cheese curds. They also love the Amish sour cream and roll butter too.” If you would like to learn more about the Old South Country Market, you can visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ OldSouthCountryMarket or call Acosta at 863-940-3312. The Old South Country Market is located at 6595 South Florida Ave. in Lakeland. The market’s hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
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NEW BURGER KING SUSTAINABILITY
EFFORT AIMS TO REDUCE COW METHANE EMISSIONS; CAMPAIGN DRAWS CATTLEMEN’S IRE LOCALLY, STATEWIDE AND NATIONALLY
Burger King says it is improving its cows’ low-carb diet by adding 100 grams of lemongrass per cow each day. The result of the new diet plan is a reduction in methane emissions from cows by 33 percent per day, according to Burger King, also noting those emissions are one of the major “greenhouse gases” (GHG) contributing to climate change. This new Burger King sustainability initiative was featured in a whimsical, musical-type advertisement starring a group of young musicians and singers dressed in brightly colored, Western-type wear. If you haven’t seen the new ad, visit: https://youtu.be/zNI8zVmHCng.
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The company also announced that the new lemongrass-fed beef will be used in Whoppers at some of its restaurants in Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Portland as part of the #CowsMenu. It also termed the new formula “open source and fairly simple to implement.” Burger King developed the new sustainability initiative with researchers from the Mexico’s Autonomous University and University of California, Davis. The key is the feeding of 100 grams of lemongrass to each cow’s low carbohydrate diet, each day during the three to four month “fattening” or final stage of a cow’s life. The new program and ad drew swift and critical responses from cattlemen at the local, state and national levels and are best reflected in an Op-Ed piece by Marty Smith, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Past President of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) and Alachua County resident. His comments were supported by Hillsborough County Cattlemen’s Association President Chris “Bear” McCullough and his Polk County counterpart Dave Tomkow. McCullough expressed “disappointment” in Burger King “but I believe they will eventually see the mistake and turn around on it,” he said.
derstood the limitation of its idea and the science. In the fine print, readers can learn the lemongrass feed trial, from which BK built its claims for its ‘low carb’ burger, was inconclusive in a second study and was performed on such a small scale that the marketing claims upheld by the retail giant prove not only irresponsible, but deliver a blunt smack in the face to the scientific and beef communities. “BK’s campaign took a hit online, receiving negative feedback from consumers and agriculturists alike. These folks spread facts, including that the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) only credits beef with 2 percent of greenhouse gas emissions within the U.S., which accounts for less than ½ percent of GHG emissions globally. While yes, the U.S. and the global livestock industry has, should and will continue to strive to reduce energy inputs and to make the individual animal more efficient (i.e., lower methane emissions), I challenge BK to ask a better question: How can BK actually help the industry improve? It is not by rushing to marketing claims based on questionable science. “Apart from raising a high-quality protein, cattle, along with all ruminants, perform a lot of functions that other food and protein sources do not, benefiting both people and the planet. Cattle – particularly here in Florida – promote biodiversity, benefiting many declining grassland bird species, while also preserving native grasslands, habitat for those birds and many other animals. Cattle ranching protects water resources, maintains open landscapes and provides our state and our national the beautiful scenic and outdoor space we value in life.”
Smith’s Op-Ed was entitled, “Go Ahead. Eat Sustainable Beef,” and it began by calling the BK program “one of the worst marketing and greenwashing claims I’ve ever seen.” He noted “the marketing campaign took aim at cattle, framing beef as a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and providing a ‘solution’ to the problem through its newly launched #CowsMenu.
Smith went on to describe in detail many other aspects of this issue and the facts relating to each, as well as ongoing efforts being put forth and results achieved. He expressed hope “that folks out there now realize that beef sustainability is complex and that is why there are so many mixed messages and totally false information out there, but if you step back and look at everything the industry has done to improve in the past, everything it is protecting now and all the work we are committed to doing in the future, beef should be what’s for dinner.”
“The #Cows Menu calls for a bovine diet sourcing lemongrass, a feed resource that can’t be grown in much of the United States, making it impossible to scale. BK clearly un-
He closed with the suggestion “that maybe you stop by your local grocery store and pick up a nice steak on the way home instead of pulling into a Burger King.”
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Scientists to Study Crippling Tomato Disease to Lay Groundwork for Prevention
By Brad Buck A destructive disease known as bacterial spot can ruin tomatoes anywhere it strikes. That’s why University of Florida scientists want to understand how the pathogen that causes the disease spreads and evolves on farms. A couple of quick statistics illustrate the importance of tomatoes to Florida’s agricultural economic sector: Fresh market tomatoes bring in $400 million to $500 million annually in Florida, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Further, UF/IFAS economists reported tomato losses due to bacterial spot of almost $900,000 in the 2007-08 growing season. Those are the most recent dollar figures for the cost of the disease to Florida tomatoes. Erica Goss, an associate professor of plant pathology at UF/ IFAS, was awarded a $455,000 grant by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to study the epidemiology of bacterial spot in tomatoes. “Through this research, we hope to more quickly and effectively respond to changes in the bacterial spot pathogen that cause more disease problems in the field,” Goss said. “We’re studying epidemics. Plant disease epidemiology does not often include the possibility that the pathogen evolves within or between seasons,” said Goss, who works from the main UF campus in Gainesville, Florida. “We are going to look at the effect of pathogen evolution -- including the gain and loss of genes that we have observed to have occurred in Florida -- on the spread of the pathogen from plant to plant in a given field.” Bacterial spot of tomato is especially severe in the southeastern United States, where hot weather, high humidity and rain
A pathogen called Xanthomonas perforans, which constantly changes, causes bacterial spot in Florida tomatoes. Goss and her team want to find out how quickly the pathogen changes -- and how it changes -- so they can keep track of bacterial spot in tomatoes. “We see lots of types of this pathogen in Florida tomato fields,” Goss said. “We are going to determine which types of changes happen in the pathogen’s genome over the course of a tomato-growing season in a field. We are also going to determine how specific changes in the genome affect how the pathogen moves from plant to plant during a season in a field.” To find the problematic pathogen strains, scientists will use high-throughput genetic testing. “We will send a genome-sequencing center the extracted DNA from hundreds of bacterial strains, and the technology will send us data we can use to study the genomes of these strains,” Goss said. Other UF/IFAS researchers will work closely with Goss as she investigates bacterial spot as an epidemic. They include Gary Vallad, professor at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm (Hillsborough County), Florida; Mathews Paret, associate professor at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, Florida; Jeff Jones, distinguished professor at UF/IFAS in Gainesville and Sujan Timilsina, a post-doctoral researcher – all in the plant pathology department at UF/IFAS. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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can induce disease development, according to a UF/IFAS Extension document.
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