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Put the Power of “Fresh From Florida” Behind Your Product. Join the program that will maximize your marketing efforts. The Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign (FAPC) provides the marketing resources and advertising awareness of a well established brand. Put “Fresh From Florida” to work for you.
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Contents
VOL.7 7• •ISSUE ISSUE79 VOL.
Feature Story
David Byrd Rob Krieger
Retiring from the Polk County School Page Board after 3534 years
Page 34
Cover Photo by Melissa Nichols
Photo by Melissa Nichols
Market Watch Bilbrey Family Farm
Page 7
Master Gardener
Page 10
Tampa Bay’s Fishing Report
Page 14
Fort Fraise - 4H Club
Page 18
Rocking Chair Chatter
Page 22
Polk County Sheriff’s office
Page 26
Esterline Landscaping
Page 28
Take a Load Off - K&K Nursrey
Page 30
Lake Kissimmee State Park
Page 32
Florida Fig: Natures Candy
Page 38
POLK COU NTY
CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS0 3 Bartow, FL 33831 -9005 OFFICERS & B OARD OF DIRECTORS President - Charles Clark (863) 528-8537 cclark@expoco.com Vice President - Dave Tomkow (863) 665-5088 cattlemanslivetock@earthlink.net Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Bunch (863) 425-1121 jbunch@agriumretail.com Al Bellotto - (863) 581-5515 Ray Clark - (863) 683-8196 rclark@tampabay.rr.com L.B. Flanders, DVM - (863) 644-5974 Dewey Fussell - (863) 984-3782 Mike Fussell - (863) 698-8314 fussell.flafarm@verizon.net David McCullers - (863) 528-1195 Moby Persing - (863) 528-4379 Ned Waters - (863) 698-1597 watersn@doacs.state.fl.us J.B. Wynn - (863) 581-3255 jbwynn29@gmail.com Alternate - Mike Facente - (863) 697-9419 Standing Committee Chairs: Membership - J.B. Wynn Events - Kevin Fussell (863) 412-5876 Rodeo - Fred Waters (863) 559-7808 watersf@doacs.state.fl.us Cattlewomen - President Marjorie Wood (863) 660-4137 onnie397@aol.com Extension - Bridget Carlisle (863) 519-8677 bccarlis@ufl.edu Sheriff’s Dept. - Sgt. Howard Martin
Naturally Amazing - Flour Tiles
Page 40
A Closer Look - Masked Chafer (Cyclocephala)
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Engaging and supporting out youth in agriculture endeavors is critical. Ag topics should be introduced to students and maintained throughout their education. This is important not only for those students who will remain involved in agriculture in their adult lives, but to those students who will make a living in other avenues. Why? Because all consumers are involved in agriculture. Having an informed consumer, who reads labels, buys local and supports the local economy, is of the utmost importance at this juncture. We need young people to take over the often times under appreciated business of growing our nations food. So when you see local FFA and 4H students working on projects in the community, take time to let them know how much you appreciate them and their hard work and dedication. They are our future. Being involved in these organizations also teaches leadership and speaking skills for future career endeavors both in and outside of the agriculture arena. Help us to continue to spread the word about agriculture by patronizing our advertisers. They allow us to continue to cover what is growing each month. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. _ Numbers 6:25
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Melissa Nichols
Karen Berry Al Berry Stephanie Humphrey Lacey Water Melissa Nichols
Ace Air Conditioning & Electric............29 Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers.......................16 Broke & poor............................21 Carlton & Carlton, PA..............42 Cecil Breeding Farm..................12 Country Village Power Equipment.........................3 Country Village Power Equipment.......................42 Darn Grills & Ranch Supply......39 Ellison RBM Inc........................39 Farm Credit...............................27 Fields Equiptment Co. Inc..........23 Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer services..................2 Florida Farm & Ranch Supply....39 Fred’s Market Restaurant............9 Grove Equipment Service...........17 Grove Equipment Service...........31 Grove Equipment Service...........48 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply........23 Helena Chemical-Tampa............21 Hinton Farms Produce, Inc........16 International Market World.......29 J&J Tack Shack.........................15 Jeff Walden Painting..................39 Key Plex....................................45 Lightsey Cattle Co.....................39 Mosaic.......................................9 Parkesdale Farms.......................13 Pathway Biologic.......................43 Polk County Cattlemen’s Association..............4 Seedway.....................................33 Southeastern Septic, LLc............20 Southside Store, LLC.................24 Southside Store, LLC.................25 Southwestern Produce................44 Squeal Deal Animal Control........5 Stephanie Humphrey..................40 Stingray Chevrolet.....................47 The Bug Man............................39
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One of the new local growers to join the Lakeland Downtown Farmer’s Curb Market this year is Bilbrey Family Farm of Auburndale, Fl. Rodger and Carol Bilbrey are the owners of the three acre certified naturally gown (CNG) community supported agriculture (CSA) farm.
Market Watch: Bilbrey Family Farm I love farmer’s markets and everything about them! I get as giddy as a schoolgirl when I go to them, too. I love looking at all the one of a kind crafts that vendors sell at the markets. I also love haggling with them over prices when I want to buy their crafts. But the thing I like most about farmer’s markets are the farmers. They take the time to harvest their best produce and bring it to the market for us to buy. It does my heart wonders to see people coming together to support their local farmers and, most importantly, shopping local. When I’m in Polk County, I love going to the Lakeland Downtown Farmer’s Curb Market. It has been a part of Lakeland’s downtown community since the 1920s. The market got its name from customers who would pull up to get the produce they need from the farmers selling it on the curb. Becky Abel is the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority (LDDA) Coordinator. The LDDA sponsors the Downtown Farmer’s Curb Market as a marketing project designed to bring people downtown. Abel is responsible for keeping the old traditions alive with the current market, but give it a new and more modern twist. “It’s an old fashion name for driving up to the curb and getting what you want and leaving, so it became the Lakeland Downtown Farmer’s Curb Market to pay respect to the memory of the original market,” Abel said. The 50-week market is a showcase for the WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
By Libby Hopkins
talents and the work of local artisans and local growers. One of the new local growers to join the market this year is Bilbrey Family Farm of Auburndale. Rodger and Carol Bilbrey are the owners of the three acre certified naturally gown (CNG) community supported agriculture (CSA) farm. “We are small in size but mighty in production,” said Rodger Bilbrey. As a CNG, their products are produced using organic growing methods. “We follow the USDA’s National Organic Program rules and we are inspected yearly to ensure we do so,” Bilbrey said. “What this means to our customers is fresh, locally grown produce that is healthier for them and their families because no harmful products were used in our production.” Bilbrey has been around farming his whole life, his parents owned a ranch in Hardee County, so you could say farming is in his blood. As he got older, he continued working in various forms of agriculture but deep down inside, he wanted to own his own farm. “I had been working in the ornamental plant business for over 20 years but what I really wanted to do was get into organic farming because I loved it,” Bilbrey said. This past January, the farm Bilbrey was working for closed and he was offered a job that wasn’t quite his forte. He got a phone call during dinner with his wife, Carol, and he was asked to come in for a second interview for the job he didn’t Continued on page: 31 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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As reported in last months article, a cattle identification program for the State of Florida is moving forward. During May and June FDACS will host workshops throughout the state to get feedback from producers on the draft rule. Input from all will be considered before final adoption in October, with full implementation in January 2014. Briefly, a federal rule went into effect on March 11, 2013. It requires, livestock, including adult beef cattle and all dairy cattle, to be officially identified in order to move across state lines. The Florida rule will apply to cattle moving within the State and applies to adult cattle and bison over 18 months of age. Exemptions would be: • Animals moving directly to recognized slaughter establishment • Animals moving to approved tagging stations • Animals moving to another premises with acceptable same ownership as part of normal management practices
Cattle that are going to go to immediate slaughter are exempt and can go to a livestock market if the market has a program to designate an animal, a slaughter-only class of cattle. These cattle could move directly to slaughter on an official back tag applied at the market. If you own cattle you will be affected by the Rule. Workshops will be held at the following sites and times. May 16, 2013 7:00-10:00PM Florida Farm Bureau Headquarters 5900 34th St Gainesville June 4, 2013 6:30-9:30PM Jackson County IFAS Extension Service 2741 Pennsylvania Ave Marianna June 11, 2013 7:00-10:00PM Highlands County IFAS Extension Service Bert J. Harris Ag Center Sebring June 18, 2013 2:30-5:00PM Florida Cattlemen’s Convention Marriott Hotel 800 Collier Blvd Marco Island
Each animal will have an official individual ID number, which is a unique number, permanently associated with a specific animal, utilizing a USDA-provided tag or a purchased tag, from a USDA approved source. State or federal officials will track USDAprovided tags and manufacturers will track tags they distribute.
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telephone was notclosed widely Cuban appreciated for the 15 years •• The In 1961, Fidel Castro schools for first a year so stubecause people did not see a use for it. In fact, in the British dents from the 6th grade up could teach other Cubans how parliament mentioned thereThe wascountry’s no need for telephones to read andit was it was successful. illiteracy level because “we have enough messengers here.” Western came down from 38% to 3.9% in just 8 months. Union that it could never replace the telegraph. In 1876, an •believed In eastern Africa you can buy beer brewed from bananas. internal memo read: “This telephone has too many shortcomings • A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue. be seriously considered as a means of communication.” Even •toThe Grand Canyon can hold around 900 trillion footballs. Mark Twain, upon being invited by Alexander Graham Bell to • All the blinking in one day equates to having your eyes invest $5,000 in the new invention, could not see a future in the closed for 30 minutes. telephone. • 1 nautical knot equates to 1.852 kph (1.150 mph) that, “everything that hot. can be invented •• President A sponge McKinley will holdsaid more cold water than already been invented.” •has Lightning strikes the Earth 6,000 times every minute. •• When Cats have over Graham 100 vocal Alexander Bellchords. passed away in 1922, every •telephone Camel’s milk doesn’t curdle. served by the Bell system in the USA and Canada •was Macadamia nutsminute. are toxic to dogs. silent for one • Elvis Presley’s middle name was Aron. Bell in never hisiswife •• Alexander The least Graham used letter the phoned alphabet Q. or mother because they were deaf. • The average speed of a skydiver is 124 mph. •• “Ahoy” The only with no active volcanoes is Australia. wascontinent the original telephone greeting. Alexander Graham •Bell Yousuggested burn more calories eating celerybutthan contains. ʻahoyʼ (as used in ships), wasitlater superceded •byTennessee is bordered by eight ʻhelloʼ states.instead. Can you name them? Thomas Edison, who suggested • The concept of allocating telephone numbers to individual phone lines was invented by a doctor
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INTHEFIELDINM May J2013 2013 TAGAZINE HEFIELD MAGAZINE ANUARY
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MASTER By Debra Howell
GARDENER
The Ease of Bromeliads
Even a neophyte gardener can be outrageously successful with Bromeliads. These tough, inexpensive and readily obtainable plants make a beginning gardener, or one who has experienced previous failures, seem like a professional.
of inventing a Bromeliad tank cleaning tool. If you’ve ever tried to clean out the tank with your bare fingers, you’ll understand why I may possibly make millions on my potential device.
You may, in fact, have already propagated your first Bromeliad without even knowing it when you saved the top from a Pineapple and planted it. The Pineapple family consists of a diverse group including Guzmanias, Aechmeas, Cryptanthus, Spanish Moss and Ball Moss. The Florida Native Bromeliads are chiefly air plants and epiphytes. It may be noted that air plants and Spanish Moss are not parasitic to the host, but rather, use the branches for anchors.
In the home landscape, Bromeliads like shade but will tolerate some sun. They don’t mind our scorching summer heat and humidity, as they were mostly imported from South America and a great number of cultivars come from Brazil. They are also found in Central America and Mexico, and yes—even Florida.
In my yard are a number of Bromeliads obtained at the Florida State Fair horticulture exhibit on annual pilgrimages with my mother. Mrs. Velma turned 101 on April l7, and I really miss those yearly trips and the cattle and goats and rabbits and poultry and horse shows that we would see. But I still have (almost) every plant we purchased there. And I have all the precious memories. Bromeliads are grown for their ease of cultivation and care, relative drought tolerance, and for the colorful, long-lasting inflorescences. In Bromeliads, the flowering parts, or inflorescences, may emerge from the “tank” or cup. They may also occur within the tank, as in the case of the Painted Fingernails variety. The tank is actually a reservoir. Be aware that too much water is more detrimental than not enough. In fact, root rot caused from overwatering is a frequent cause of mortality in Bromeliads. You should attempt to be diligent to keep the tank free of mosquito larvae and debris for best performance. One day, I have intentions 10
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Due to the Bromeliads status as an epiphyte, air circulation is most important, as it provides them with the moisture and carbon dioxide, which they need to prosper. Fungal organisms and scale insects thrive in stagnant air or situations where there is limited air circulation. For instance, some of my State Fair Bromeliads are ready for thinning. They are encroaching on other cultivars that are not as aggressive or as large and are wedged in too close together. The thinning process will not only encourage good air circulation, it will allow me to establish another planting area with the plants that I remove. With regards to light intensities, IFAS Circular 1090 states that Bromeliads grow well indoors in a similar light level as orchids. Most species shouldn’t be exposed to harsh, direct sunlight indoors or outdoors. My clue as to whether I’ve chosen a proper site is by the color expressed by the leaves. If they are yellow or pale green, the light is too high. My example is the cultivar given to me by my cousins Bob and Claudia Ellison. The beds which I placed beneath the east WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
window of my Florida room are getting too much sun following the removal of an overhanging limb. However, some that I planted in an old wooden wagon under a cedar tree have beautiful foliage of blue-green and cream. This time of year, a stunning pendant bloom of pink and blue completes the look. Bromeliads are fairly drought tolerant and will alert you to their need for a refreshing drink. If their leaves begin to curl up, they could probably use some water. In our Master Gardener Organization, Jan Liles is our Bromeliad expert. She has even put together a fine PowerPoint presentation on the topic. I water mine at ground level, as well as “flushing” out the cup or “tank.” Bromeliads grow well in an organic porous planting mix. Some suggestions are one part peat, one part coarse sand and one part bark or leaf mold. Fertilizing the plants is fairly easy. In winter months, they require little, if any fertilizer. Apply a controlled-release or even a general purpose liquid fertilizer to the planting mix. Try not to get any in the cup, since the fertilizer’s “salts” may accumulate and burn the leaves.
You may learn more about Florida’s native Bromeliads when you peruse Circular 1466. These plants include airplants, such as Bartram’s Tillandsia, named for an early Florida naturalist. A lovely display of Tillandsias is provided at Bok Tower Gardens. They are strung from fishing line and hung outside the Blue Palmetto Cafe. They also have many other examples of Bromeliads throughout the grounds. Now, about the Spanish Moss. This Tillandsia was once ginned in the early 1900s for use in mattresses and car seats, at least until we learned about the chiggers it contained. Spanish Moss is not a parasite, but will avail itself of a situation where an Oak has begun to decline and lose its leaves. The defoliated condition makes the tree more attractive for Moss culture as it loves brightly exposed areas. A cultivar called Broad Needleleaf Tillandsia is found nowhere else but Florida. So if you’ve given up on gardening from the sheer frustration you’re feeling, take heart! There are always the successes derived from the cultivation of Bromeliads to cheer you up and provide encouragement.
Propagation is very easy, as you just remove a daughter plant or “pup.” The parent plant will slowly decline after a couple of years, but no worries, there’ll still be pups or baby plants to take its place. In the case of the Pineapple, if you cultivate from a Pineapple top, a Pineapple fruit will be produced in three years. If you use a daughter plant, you should have a Pineapple coming on at two years.
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t Franklin Snell Trou
Backlashes…
Birds Nest, or Whatever You Want to Call Them…. Usually, an angler’s worst nightmare, they often show up at the most inopportune time possible. If you’ve ever spent much time behind the reel I’m certain you’ve wondered why your fishing reels get backlashes. As for me, I thought if you fished it was something you simply had to endure because you were an angler. However, as you gain fishing experience and begin to understand more about the equipment you’re using and the theory behind this hair pulling aggravation called a backlash, they are actually really fairly simple to avoid. Saying this brings us to another source of understanding since there are several different models of fishing reels on the market and each one has its own idiosyncrasies to master. Bait casters for example, are probably the worst, especially older models. With a Bait Caster the whole thing starts during a cast and ends when the spool over runs the line. In other words, when casting bait or lure, its weight, plus the forward motion of the cast, causes the spool to spin forward. As line is pulled off the spool it overcomes its stationary position and begins accelerating the speed of the spool. Then as the lure or bait slows or lands in the water, the natural inertia of the spool continues spinning at an accelerated speed. It’s for this reason, some type of control is needed to first slow and then stop the spool. If this control is not exercised precisely at this critical point, the line continues unraveling on top of the spool, causing loops and twists and there it is our good old “backlash.” The control needed to overcome the spinning spool can be anything from your thumb on older models to the latest technology which involves integrated braking systems or adjustable mechanical devices that enable the user to set and control spool speed. Some even go so far as to manufacture reels with miniature computer boards that automatically control the spool. This new technology doesn’t mean reels do everything for you. Even with the new controls compensating for spool speed, it’s still a mechanical device requiring human input. 14
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A good starting point, when adjusting bait casters, is to begin with a completely rigged rod, reel and the lure you’ll be casting. Here is the basic setup for spool adjustment: 1. Gently tighten the adjustment control knob until the spool does not turn when the release is pushed. 2. Holding the lure off the ground, at approximately 45 degrees, loosen the adjustment control until the lure starts to drop. 3. Finally, adjust the control knob to stop the spool the moment the lure hits the ground. While this is a good starting point, every angler has their own preference depending on their experience. These adjustments aid in preventing backlashes but remember - nothing works like practice. Open Face Spinning Reels are relatively easier. However, backlashes do occur, especially using the newer braided lines. Not the over-running spool scenario we’re accustomed to on bait casters, it’s more a series of twist and loops associated with “loose wraps” on the spool. Avoiding this, especially when using braid, is a fairly straightforward procedure and following the steps below will give you a definite heads up on avoiding spinning reel line fouling. Following these few steps should help: 1. When making your cast, stop the line just as the bait hits the water. 2. An easy way to do this is placing your index finger on the spool. (takes a little practice, but once you get used to it you’ll find you use it to stop your line in all casting scenarios) 3. Once the bait or lure is in the water, close the bail manually, making certain the line is in the line roller. 4. Finally, always lift the rod to take up any slack before starting to reel. Using these suggestions should improve your anti-backlash ratio. However, sooner or later you’re going to encounter that dreaded backlash, or bird nest as it is often referred. To get them out, start by gently pulling on the loops. You’re looking for WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Tampa Bay’s Fishing Report
May 2013
that specific one that caused this disaster. Continue lightly pulling and untwisting the loops and you’ll soon begin separating and untangling the line. It takes patience, but given the cost of braided line a little patience is worth it. Your worst case scenario means cutting the line. However, a simple double Uni-knot gets you back fishing in no time.
lower Tampa Bay as the water temperatures reach the 70s. Rig up and experience some awesome action on this speedy action fish. Tarpon - Should begin showing up around the Skyway and along the beaches. They also begin moving inside around deeper flats and hard bottom or artificial reefs holding baitfish. Expect plenty of activity throughout the summer using freelined threadfins, pass crabs and greenbacks. If you’re interested in booking a trip, please visit my website or give me a call: “GIVE ME A CALL & LET’S GO FISHING” Guiding and fishing Florida waters for over 50 year’s and the results are always the same “Memorable Fishing Adventures”. For information on booking single or multi-boat charters, or organizing company or corporate events call: Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM, send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give him a call at 813-477-3814.
Accurate casting, using either a bait caster or open face spinning reel, comes with practice and no one likes to do it. However, becoming proficient and consistently placing a lure or bait in an area the size of a basketball takes some effort and doesn’t happen overnight.
If you like smoked fish give this a try, it’s delicious and simple to do. Simply fillet, remove rib bones, leave skin on, sprinkle with Lawry’s Garlic Salt and smoke until done. It usually only takes 15 to 25 minutes depending on how much heat you use with your smoke. What you don’t eat, remove from the skin, vacuum seal, and freeze for fish spread later.
Well that’s about it for backlashes Hopefully this gives some insight into what causes them and what you can do to correct them. Snook - season is officially closed. However, we’re definitely catching some nice fish with even a few lunker’s mixed in with the juveniles. We’re even beginning to catch a few on artificials around the mangroves and docks. Good tidal grass flats, passes or cuts from upper Tampa Bay all the way to Sarasota should prove productive. Anglers using and chumming with greenbacks usually produce plenty of action, but use caution when tossing out chum baits, too many and you’ll fill em’ up. Spotted Sea trout - should continue improving, especially as the bait moves onto the grass flats. Look for broken bottom grass flats with sandy potholes or hard rocky bottoms. These areas produce some good size fish. You can also expect plenty of action on artificial lures by jigging the bottom using soft plastics or an artificial shrimp under a popping cork. If live bait is your thing, small greenbacks or shrimp free-lined are good alternatives, but remember a juicy medium shrimp under a popping cork always produces fish. Redfish - should pick up this month using live and dead baits or artificial lures. Although it seems they’ve had lock jaw, recently we’ve been getting some to eat using live or dead baits; but you’ve got to be patient. Check your favorite oyster bars, cuts and broken bottom grass flats on the last of an outgoing tide and the first of an incoming. Do not forget, redfish often feed with large schools of mullet as they stir up the bottom. Spamish Mackerel/ Blue fish - As the massive schools of threadfin herring invade Tampa Bay the Spanish mackerel and bluefish bite goes crazy. It’s not unusual to limit out in a couple of hours on moving water using live threadfins and greenbacks and have a blast doing it. I’ve been using 60 pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, shiny long shank 2/0 hooks and # 2 or 3 split shots with good success. If live bait is not your repartee then tie a silver spoon onto an 18” small wire leader and catch all you want. A word of caution about mackerel, they have razor sharp teeth and plenty of them, so be careful when handling them because they can inflict a nasty and often infectious bite. Kingfish - action should be good on any near shore hard bottom holding bait. They often move into Egmont channel and WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Fort Frasier 4H Club by Ginny Mink
B
ook knowledge is great, especially if its purpose in your life is for the sole concept of teaching other people what you know. Many of us go to college to learn about topics we have never had any involvement in and we intend then, to instruct others on best practices and methodologies. Of course, since we’ve studied these topics it is true that we do know enough about them to educate those involved. Yet, we will never come to appreciate the real work behind the scenes until we actually do it ourselves. Bridget Carlisle has come to realize this now that she’s changed job titles and moved into a volunteer 4H leader position herself. The truth is, hands-on experience surpasses textbook knowledge in most situations. Of course a combination of both makes for a very well-rounded individual and that’s the route Bridget is on. Bridget explained how she ended up in her current position as Livestock Extension Agent and 4H Club Leader. “My first job out of school was a 4H Extension Agent with a livestock appointment. That was really great because I got to work with youth, which I really enjoyed doing. I did that for about ten years, I think. By the time I came to Polk County I had two children of my own. They weren’t quite 4H age yet but I knew that I wanted to get my kids involved in 4H. My kids were younger, so they were clover bud age category, so there weren’t really any clubs for them. I thought, ‘well, I’ll start my own club; there’s a need for it.’ So I started a 4H club, Fort Frasier, in the Highland City area and we just kind of started small. I think there are four or five families that participate. We’ve got about eight or nine kids in the club and we kind of like it that way. All of the kids do some kind of project from dogs and small 18
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pets to the beef animals. Everybody has some sort of animal project and they do other projects as well. We try to focus on the animals but the big thing is we encourage the kids to do a demonstration at the club level, to exhibit something and then to preferably do a record book.” Since her job focus has changed, and she’s added running her own 4H club to her to do list, we asked her about the differences there. She responded, “Of course it’s strange for me now that I am on the opposite end because when I was a 4H Extension Agent I was kind of coordinating the volunteers and encouraging the club leaders to teach the 4H method and program and encourage youth development. Now being a volunteer, and having a fulltime job trying to juggle 4H club and kids and work and all that, I realize that those volunteers that are getting it done are really pretty amazing because it asks a lot; it’s quite a sacrifice. We have a lot of parents that are willing to help out and that helps a lot, but as a volunteer I realize that those parents that volunteer to put those clubs together are really giving a lot. There’s a lot to be said for these 4H volunteers that are out there helping make 4H programs and clubs happen. I had lots of respect for them when I was a 4H Agent but now that I’m on the other end I realize that there’s just so much, so many things that demand people’s time, that yeah, I have a whole lot more respect. These parents give so much to these programs for their kids, I really can appreciate that.” Though her club is relatively young and quite small they are doing some pretty neat things. Bridget explains, WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
“Some of our kids have participated at the Youth Fair; they’ve shown anything from poultry and rabbits to hogs and beef animals so the individual kids have won some awards. We also try to do community service. The club does a community service project each year. We’ve kind of varied that each year, from just doing park clean up to helping the SPCA put together cat carrying cases. This past year we did the Angel Tree. Most of the kids that are in our 4H club go to Highland City Elementary, so we partnered with a church that was focusing on doing an Angel Tree program for families that were specific to Highland City Elementary. We partnered with them to select a family to kind of sponsor for Christmas and that was kind of nice knowing that we were keeping it in our little community of folks to help out at Christmas time. Each family volunteered to supply some item that was on the list of things to get. That was a little bit of fun.”
any of those angora rabbits at their house because there was lots of dust and hair everywhere. Pretty much everyone thought they were really cute and they thought the wool was really neat but they appreciated somebody else raising angora rabbits for them. They are beautiful rabbits and the babies were so cute and it was really cool to get to see the farm and how they make the wool and the beautiful products that they made from the wool; that was pretty neat. We did go to a dairy farm too and that was really cool to get to see the cows being milked, to go from cow to milk and to see it stored in tanks and put into the trucks. We also did a tour of the Publix processing facility. Then we’d also seen what it’s like when the trucks come in and how it goes into the bottling and gets made into ice cream, which is the best part, ice cream! That was pretty cool for them to get to see from dairy cow to end product. That was really impressive.” The thrill that registers in her voice is a testimony to the adage that size really doesn’t matter, a club of eight or nine kids can be just as enjoyable as a mega-club.
In closing she discussed some of the most exciting fieldtrips they’ve had. She said, “The last one we did was to an angora rabbit farm. The kids thought that was really neat. They knew that they didn’t want to have WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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make aI remember few slip ups. On is, his the firstbicycles publication hadback an ad for What most we he rode then Barwick’s Drug and Store, whichguard should Parthad one speed a chain to have keep read, your “Wanted: britches from time jobcaught for married to work our soda When the getting in thegirl chain. One speed wasfountain.” all we had. To go Courier camejust outpeddled it read, “Wanted: up hill you harder. Part-time married girl to work
with a few clothes and a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandto get use have failed to his release my asked shoes and wiches. As to he doing startedthis. for Ithe front door mother him endedhe upwas on going. the ground with the bike he on said. top of me.” where ‘I’m leaving home,’ ‘And what are you carrying?’ she asked. ‘Some clothes and food,’ was his reply. The girl’s bike riding hasaway, caught on alright,’ with all his themother staff ofsaid. “In ‘Dick, if you want to run that’s Theyou Field.” Danny Crampton, general sales manager, and leave Bob ‘But came into this home without anything and you can Hughens, office have jumped on floor board, too. Bob the same way.’ He manager, put down his suitcase on the defiantly and said he has to have a three-wheeler and all rides must‘You be started for the door again. ‘Wait a minute,’ his mother said. down hill. He went on to comment, “To me the hardest part didn’t have any clothes on when you arrived, and I want them of learning to ride a bike was the road.” back.’ Turning red as a beet he quickly took off his clothes, shoes, socks, underwear and all, and hollered, ‘Now Mom, can I go When Bob Hughens was working for Focus magazine he also now?’ ‘Yes’, was her answer, ‘but once you close that door, don’t worked part time driving a stretch limousine for Mike Floyd. ever to come back.’” Nowexpect this was before he learned to ride a bicycle. Bob tells
terfly wings in its ornate décor. The bike recently sold for Last month Dick gave me a copy of his new book entitled, “Life $500,000.
Dick’s his for sonthe wastime so angry he slammed door to askdad the said driver and gently tappedthe him on and the stepped out porch.The She driver peeked screamed through the shoulder toon getthe hisfront attention. to window the top and there he stood completely naked. saw two of his voice, lost control of the limo,He nearly hit agirls car,coming drove down the the street andand immediately in the shrubbery. up over curb stopped jumped just inches from a plate glass
I O
remember I was friends in junior wouldElston. ride ne of mywhen long-time in high Plantschool City isI Dick my Ever bike since abouthigh twoschool miles we every Saturday to downtown have enjoyed our friendship Plant City to see a double feature at the Capitol Theatre. and telling jokes. For a dime I could see a double feature and get a bag of popcorn. The city provided a parking area for your bike. You I recall when Dick was in high school he was hired by A.P. Cooke, didn’t have to put a lock and chain on it, as nobody would owner the Plant Courier, as a part-time typeand setter. steal itofback then. City It was just south of City Hall the Dick fire was later delegated the job of laying out the classified ads. He was station. pretty good at what he did, although at first he was known to
our soda fountain.” The only other one I can remember was an ad for Carlos read, man to take cows Bicycles have Cone. really It gone the“Wanted, next level in the pastcare fewof years. at Cones does not rode smokea orbike drink.” In 2009 ranch Lancethat Armstrong that used real butand Times of Plant City in the 1940s” (copies are available at the
Our daughter, Karen, whothrough is the publisher of this Plant youngest City Photo Archives). Reading the pages brought magazine, her side-kick Sarah in Holt, publisher, back a lot and of memories. He recalled the associate good ole days, when have taken riding, they which of course requires new everyone wason lowbike on money, suffered because of rationing. bikes withabout all the He writes gasfancy being attachments. rationed during World War II, you were given a sticker to put on your windshield for gas. Either “A,” “B”
Recently both girlsasbought new bikes Sport Conor “C”. Usually, I remember, you from were Cycle allowed only five cepts don’t know what they paid, but I heard gallonsinofTampa. gas at a Itime. they took out a first mortgage on their homes. Karen said it was good deal,to‘cause came withfora lunch “fit to and you”satpackage. One aday I went Bell’sitrestaurant next to To get dad. the bike “fitted” they hadgood to take theirand bikes to always Cycle Dick’s I told him we were friends, were Sports and go through all sorts of workouts. telling stories on each other. He laughed and said, “Did you ever hear the story of Dick leaving home?”
Now get this! They have special shoes that clip to “No,” I replied. “Tell me about it.” the pedals. Before you stop you have to release He laughed and said, “When Dick was seven years old he decidthe shoes from the pedals. ed to run away from home. I recall he packed his little suitcase Sarah said, “It takes time 22
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the story of a passenger in a hired limousine that leaned over
window. For a few moments everything was silent in the
After the girls passed ran to the frontsaid, door“Are andyou knocked limousine. Then the by stillheshaking driver OK? loudly. I am so sorry, but you scared the daylights out of me.” The
badly shaken passenger apologized to the driver and said he
“Who’s there?”that his mother didn’t realize a mere said. tap on the shoulder would startle
him so badly.
“It’s me, Dick, let me in!”
The driver replied, “No, no. I’m the one who is sorry. It is
entirely my fault. Today my first day driving a limo. I’ve “Dick doesn’t live here any is more!” she replied. been driving a hearse for the past 25 years.”
“Aw, c’mom, I’m still your son. Please let me in!”
Years ago, right out of high school, I was attending college at
Texas father Western College in Paso. My customs Dick’s concluded, “I El watched her uncle slowlywas opena the door inspector onontheherborder and say, helped getchange a partyour time-job with a smile face, and “Didme you mind collecting toll from those crossing intoand Juarez, about running away?” Dick walkedthe in, bridge grinned, said, Mexico. for Sometimes “What’s supper?”we would be on the same shift. Just pointed as regular a of heart beat a very old native Dick out as a lot things I had forgotten about Mexican the 40s. wouldCharlie cross was at 7pm on Friday pushing a bicycle loaded with Blind the peanut vendor. We had inner tubes inside of W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M A G A Z I N E . C O M
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eggs. My uncle suspected he was smuggling something and would check every carton of eggs only to find nothing. A few days later while having Sunday dinner I asked him if he ever caught the old fella with the bike and eggs. He said, “Sure did! He was smuggling bicycles.” Later I moved up to a Cushman Motor scooter. Karen, my daughter, owned a Harley motorcycle for a few years, but has stayed with cycling. Speaking of motorcycles, I am reminded of the story of a mechanic that was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a Harley motorcycle when he spotted a well-know cardiologist in his shop. The cardiologist was there waiting for the service manager to come take a look at his bike when the mechanic shouted across the garage “Hey Doc, want to take a look at this?” Being a bit surprised, the cardiologist, walked over to where the mechanic was working on the motorcycle. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and said, “So Doc, look at this engine. I opened its heart, took the valves out, repaired the damage, and then put them back in, and when I finished, it works just like new.” “How come I make about $40,000 a year, and you get the really big bucks when you’re doing basically the same work?” The cardiologist paused, smiled and leaned over, then whispered into the mechanics ear, and said, “Try doing it with the engine running.” I’ll close with the story of the preacher who was out riding his bike in the country when he came upon a farmer working in his field. Needing a rest the preacher stopped and said to the man, “Are you laboring in the vineyard of the Lord my good man?” Not even looking at the preacher and continuing his work the farmer replied, “Naw, these are blackeyed peas.” “You don’t understand,” said the preacher as he leaned his bike on a fence post and walked over to the farmer. “Are you a Christian?” “Nope, my name is Smith. You must be looking for Jim Christian. He lives about a mile from here.” The preacher tried again. “Sir, are you lost?” “Naw, I’ve lived here all my life,” he replied. “Are you prepared for the resurrection?” the frustrated preacher asked. The farmer perked up and asked, “When is it gonna be?” Thinking he had accomplished something the young preacher replied, “It could be today, tomorrow, or the next day.” The old farmer pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiping his brow the farmer remarked, “Well, don’t mention it to my wife. She don’t get out much and she’ll wanna go all three days.”
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Sheriff’s Office Helicopter Finds Lost Kids By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff
Providing law enforcement services to an area over 2,000 miles in size is often a challenge. Finding ways to meet the challenge and ensure the Sheriff’s Office is providing efficient and effective crime fighting is just part of what we do. One of the most effective tools we have is the PCSO Aviation Unit. With a staff of six full-time pilots and part-time flight officers, the unit renders assistance to all Polk County’s law enforcement agencies 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The unit began back in 1972, when it started with two fixed-wing aircraft. Helicopters were added to the aviation unit in 1982. In 1995 three flyable U.S. Army surplus OH-58’s and a non-flyable OH-58 (for parts) were acquired. Currently the PCSO Aviation Unit operates one Cessna 182 fixed wing aircraft, and three OH 58 turbine helicopters, one of which is owned by the Lakeland Police Department and utilized in a partnership effort. The PCSO pilots average approximately 1600 flight hours each year and support ground units with pursuits, surveillance, backup, and search for suspects and missing persons. A FLIR – Forward Looking Infra-Red camera and computerized mapping are put to daily use in this endeavor. The value of this technology was recently demonstrated by the Boston Police Department as their helicopter equipped with FLIR confirmed the location of the second terrorist hiding in a covered boat in a suburban neighborhood. Daytime flights have our eyes doing most of the searching. Night searches utilize the FLIR, which detects temperature instead of visible light. Night missions are also aided through night vision goggles and a searchlight. This equipment was put to the test in March and proved itself once again. 26
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At approximately 7:30 pm, on Monday, March 25, 2013, PCSO deputies responded to the Tenoroc area of north Lakeland in reference to three little girls lost in a large wooded area. The girls, ages 6, 9, and 13, were all together when they wandered from their Island Oaks neighborhood and ended up confused about which way to get back home. Thankfully, the girls had a cellphone. Using their connection via the phone, PCSO call takers in the agency’s Emergency Communications Center were able to patch the girls through to Southwest Patrol Sergeant Emmitt Andrews, who provided details to PCSO pilots Levon Hughes and Brian Bolton flying over the search area. In addition to the cell phone, one of the children had “light-up” tennis shoes. By banging the shoes overhead, the little girls had their own personal rescue signal. The pilots had been using both the FLIR and the night vision goggles when they spotted the little blinking beacon. The girls were located safe, although cold and frightened. Due to the densely wooded area, the girls got a “lift” back to their parents. All three were amazed by the flying rescuers. Sisters, 9-year-old Aubrey and 6-year-old Grace Shaffer, two of the girls lost that night, dropped by the Sheriff’s Operation Center the next day, Tuesday, March 26, 2013, to say thank you to their new friends. The equipment, the training and experience of the PCSO pilots and the dedicated persistence of all those involved ensured these children were returned safely to their families. So when you happen to hear one of our helicopters overhead, remember we’re working hard to protect Polk County residents either on land or in the air. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
deed restrictions dealing with landscape issues; pruning practices; problem plants such as invasive, non-native plants; pesticide and fertilization practices; plant nutritional deficiencies; mulch application; and irrigation system issues including frequency and timing of applications. Other frequent areas of interest cited by communities participating in the FFL Community Association Outreach Program have included stormwater pond best management practices, dealing with erosion caused by stormwater runoff and questions involving reclaimed water. Evaluations and recommendations are based on science-based research from UF/IFAS. In addition to site evaluations, the Community Association Outreach Program offers onsite presentations about the FFL principles. The FFL Community Association Outreach Program is a free resource for HOAs and other community associations to provide for guidance in instituting sustainable landscape practices, reviewing landscaperelated covenants and working with landscape maintenance contractors. FFL has had several success stories with communities that adopted FFL practices from which they were able to see reduced water consumption and water utility and maintenance costs. Contact me at the Hillsborough County Extension Service, 813-744-5519 x 54142, if these services would benefit your homeowner or condominium association. For more information on environmental horticulture topics, contact your local County Extension Service. Additional information on Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ can be accessed at http:/ /floridayards.org, http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu and WaterMatters.org. The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Community Association Outreach Program is sponsored by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the Hillsborough and Polk Boards of County Commissioners and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
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by Ginny Mink
Esterline Landscape Every business is looking for a way to stand out.
They spend exorbitant amounts of money on logo design and website building, as well as your print advertising. Most of them even come up with catchy phrases or musical jingles to keep them at the forefront of your thought processes. However, very few of them are better known for the charities and moral necessities they support than for their flashy logos. Esterline Landscape and Construction is one such business, people recognize it for its pink breast cancer awareness trailers. Dan Esterline and Henry Turner are the owners of this overtly supportive business and we had the joy of speaking with Henry about all they do. Of course, the first questions revolved around the pink trailers, as it’s something everyone who sees them wants to know about. Henry elaborated, “We have five trailers in operation that are all painted pink with breast cancer awareness and our logo in pink. I’m a partner with Dan Esterline and we own Esterline Landscape and Construction, basically all our trailers are painted pink for breast cancer awareness.” We asked Henry to explain the motivation for the pink paint. He said, “My mother is cancer free now for three years. She had breast cancer and then our irrigation manager, (his first wife died of breast cancer) and he just recently, probably about eight months ago, found out that his wife has stage three cancer and she’s been going through treatments and is in remission right now, she’s been through a lot. We got talking a bit, and I’ve got another employee that works for me and his wife was going through breast cancer, so it kind of hit home. It’s a pretty common thing and the more you talk about it and get to know people, the more you find out that you’re not the only one going through some stuff.” Indeed, most of us have someone within our spheres of association whom has been touched, or injured, by this heinous disease. 28
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Even though most of us know a little about the big C, we don’t run out and paint our cars pink. So what’s different about Esterline Landscape and Construction? Henry continues, “We were having our meeting and we wanted to come up with a way to bring awareness to it. So we had a big 38-foot tree trailer and we decided to paint it pink and we got a lot of really good response out of it, about how the trailers looked and what it stood for. All our planting pots, we recycle them, so they bring them back to the shop and we have a person that comes around and buys all our used flower pots. What we do is take the money from that and we find organizations that donate to breast cancer. We used to use the money from our pots to do cookouts and stuff for our employees but we all decided that it would be a great idea if we took that money and put it into something that we felt good about and that was breast cancer awareness.” As if that isn’t impressive enough, Henry adds, “Just recently, as our company’s growing, I bought four more trailers. I asked them if there was any way we could get them painted pink. They were kind of shocked about it and I kind of shared with them what we were doing with our trailers and what it meant to us. So he got with the company that builds the trailers and they actually were a little nervous so they wanted at least half of the money down because they were scared that if we backed out what would they do with these pink trailers? So I went ahead and paid for the trailers and they saw how serious we were about our passion for these pink trailers and it sparked them to get on board with this also and so they wanted to put their logos on our trailers supporting breast cancer awareness. So Caliper, the company that builds the trailers, now supports breast cancer and for every trailer they’re gonna build they are going to donate a certain percentage for breast cancer. So it actually sparked something pretty good. It’s been a pretty positive thing for us.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Agreeing to paint your trailers pink, when you’re a landscape and construction company takes a lot of confidence and insinuates a strong partnership. So, we asked about how all that came to be. Henry gladly explained, “Dan is a fourth generation nurseryman, his father and grandfather owned a nursery up in Indiana. I used to work for his family and seven years ago we went in business together and we started Esterline Landscape and Irrigation. Dan already had his construction company. He runs the construction side of it and I actually run the landscape and irrigation side of it. Dan moved down here in ’98 to go to work for his family. His family is some of the owners of Carlton Arms Apartments. I worked for 16 years for Carlton Arms Apartments. I was the Grounds Supervisor and I did all the landscape installs for their new communities and he was the Construction Project Manager, he actually builds the apartment complexes. We would build them and turn them over and his family manages them. After we built Winter Haven we decided to go into business together. We do residential and commercial.” In closing we asked Henry about the coolest landscaping job he’d had thus far and after contemplating a moment he excitedly revealed, “Well actually, we just did two shows for Yard Crashers. We did two shows that should be airing within the next month or two on the DIY Channel. They crash somebody’s yard, it’s a big production. They select people out of all the applicants and they go in and do a makeover of their backyard. We did the landscaping for them. It was pretty cool. It’s on our website; we have little flashers to look for us on Yard Crashers. We have some projects on there. We’ve done the Sam’s in St. Pete. We do all of D.R. Horton’s work in their Tampa and Orlando divisions, we probably do eighty communities for them and they’re the largest home builder in America.”
with the opportunity to have seventy employees and be a part of their lives and financially help them out with their families and everything like that, it’s been a huge blessing.” We suspect that all Henry and Dan are trying to do beyond the landscape and construction is a blessing to others.
If you’d like to know more about them or get in touch, please visit their website: www.esterlinelandscape.com.
Henry didn’t want to end the interview without giving credit to his Maker. He said, “I just basically have been blessed. I think God surrounded me with the right people. Most of all I just enjoy the fact that God’s blessed me WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Ta k e a L o a d O f f : Visit the Quaint K & K Nursery by Ginny Mink
Mike & Marie Yale who co-owns K & K Nursery
The nursery industry took a huge hit when the housing market crashed. The homebuilding customers that they’d been inundated with suddenly disappeared. Times got tough, but as most people who are involved in agriculture seem to be, those who work in this business are tougher. It was a time to reconsider all the avenues one could take while still adhering to the love of the plants being raised. People got creative and K & K nursery is no different. We spoke with Marie Yale who co-owns K & K Nursery with her husband, Mike. She explained its beginnings, “My father-in-law started the nursery about 27 years ago, it used to be an orange grove and back in the eighties the cold hit and killed the orange grove and he started growing trees and things on the property. Over the years it got bigger and bigger and kept adding more plants and doing more things. About nine years ago my fatherin-law was diagnosed with lung cancer and he passed away. My husband was asked to come on and quit his job and come work full time for the nursery while he was sick. Then I left my job and came to work for the nursery full time about five years ago. Then my mother-in-law sold us the business about two years ago this January. I guess we’ve been doing it mainly the whole time, for me full time for five years and my husband probably about seven or eight.” Obviously Mike and Marie are no strangers to the plant raising industry. Actually, Marie reveals, “My mom was always into plants as a kid growing up, she had her own little greenhouse. I was in FFA through junior high and high school, always interested in agriculture. I didn’t have a lot to do with plants then, mostly animals. I did a little in forestry, not really so much in plants, it was mainly just other stuff at that time. It wasn’t as big then, you showed your steer and stuff like that.” Then she shares a little about her husband’s background, “Mike farmed with his dad. They always did farming and all the different kind of vegetables and stuff. They always had something going on, from cutting wood to picking vegetables, whatever had to be done they did it. He was in welding and small engines. He was very much mechanically inclined. He still is. He does all the repairs here. All our education is hands-on.” Given the fact that Marie’s father-in-law spent a lot of time adding to their inventory it seemed logical to ask what they had onsite. She laughed and said, “We grow so many different things, we grow a lot of ornamentals, landscape plants. We grow trees, we also do different things now. We carry rocks, mulches, even gar30
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den art, metal, some pottery. I get stuff from all over because we have a lot of customers that ask for special things, things that you cannot get around here. We try really hard to get those in. I do a lot of brokering for landscapers.” Then she described the facilities, “We have greenhouses. When you first come in it’s shaded from big oak trees where the parking lot is and then you go in and that’s where we have some metal and some pottery and all our landscape plants. Some people say it’s peaceful, they like to walk around. We have some rabbits, a couple of peacocks, we have probably close to around five acres.” We asked about the challenges and joys. she said, “The biggest challenge is working seven days a week, there’s always so much to do at all times, you never can catch up. There will be times when you’ll have two hours of nobody and then you’ll have six people follow each other in. The rewarding part is being with the customers. They come in and maybe they haven’t been in here in a year or two and they come back to see us. They can’t believe the changes we’ve made, just the improvements. We carry so many more things than we used to carry. The atmosphere, like a country feel, just kind of homey feeling is what we want it to feel like when people come in. They’re welcome to come by anytime, even if it’s just to talk, to hang out. People come by because they are trying to kill 30 minutes before an appointment so they come in just to talk or walk around.” When asked about the reason for inventory expansion Marie says, “Everybody wants their yard to look different than everybody else’s. You know you’ve got all different colors of mulches. We also do have a little garden store; it’s like a little garden gift store, a gift shop. I carry a few dish gardens, fertilizers, I also do some antiques, different things. We’ve kind of just tried to expand it and be a bit more eclectic. We also sell local honey and pine straw. We carry raw pine straw and colored pine straw to mulch your yard, it’s an alternative to mulch instead of using pine bark. We have rustic, gold and then raw. They use it a lot up north but it’s coming down here, it holds up good. It’s good for roses and stuff like that so that the plants can breathe.” If you are in need of ornamentals, mulches or various other garden requirements you should definitely check out K & K Nursery. You can visit them on the web as well: www.kandknursery1.com. Marie likes the company, so you’re always welcome to come by and sit a spell. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Rodger Bilbrey wanted his farm to be a CSA because Polk County doesn’t have the many, but to do this, he would need members, and so he looked into becoming a vendor at a farmer’s market. He picked the Lakeland Downtown Farmer’s Curb Market because it seemed like a perfect fit for him and his wife.
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Market Watch: Bilbrey Family Farm
want. “Carol said if you have your farm and your dream job came along, what would you do?” Bibrey said. “I told her having my own farm is my dream job, so right then and there I decided to start my own farm.” Bilbrey wanted his farm to be a CSA because Polk County doesn’t have the many, but to do this, he would need members, and so he looked into becoming a vendor at a farmer’s market. He picked the Lakeland Downtown Farmer’s Curb Market because it seemed like a perfect fit for him and his wife. “The people there know how to run a market,” Bilbrey said. “ They are more in tune with having someone there who is a grower verses someone who just buys stuff and brings it to sell.” The first month Bilbrey was at the market, he didn’t bring any of his produce, he just passed out information about his farm. Then he brought some of his vegetables and with in a week, he had people joining his CSA. He now has 21 full-time members and 12 people on a waiting list to become members. Abel loves having Bilbrey Family Farms as one of their new venders. “Bilbrey Family Farms brings us a new angle on fresh, organic food with the option to join their CSA as a member,” Abel said. “Of course, plenty of beautiful surplus produce is brought to the market for general purchase each week, but people who want to step up their commitment to eating organically can join their CSA and get a huge benefit.” She also said Bibrey is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor as well. Bilbrey is thrilled that he is living his dream of owning a farm, but he said all of it wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for his wife. “Carol is the most important part of this farm,” Bibrey said. “The two of us make a great team.” If you would like to learn more about Bilbrey Family Farms, you can visit them on the web at www.bilbreyfamilyfarm.com
For more information on the Lakeland Downtown Farmer’s Curb Market, you can visit their website at www.downtownfarmerscurbmarket.org WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Old Florida Is Alive and Well at Lake Kissimmee State Park By Libby Hopkins
Nestled just on the edge of Lake Kissimmee and the south eastern edge of Polk County on the Osceola County boarder, you’ll find one of Florida’s most unique state parks, Lake Kissimmee State Park. Lake Kissimmee is the state’s third largest lake and the park was named after the 34,000-acre lake.
Nestled
just on the edge of Lake Kissimmee and the south eastern edge of Polk County on the Osceola County boarder, you’ll find one of Florida’s most unique state parks, Lake Kissimmee State Park. Lake Kissimmee is the state’s third largest lake and the park was named after the 34,000-acre lake. The first parcel known as Lake Kissimmee State Park was purchased in 1969 and first opened to the public in August of 1977. Since that time, the park has grown into one of the most distinctive parks in the area. Joel (Andy) Noland is the park manager and he loves everything about the park. “What makes the park so special is the diversity, from one of the best staffs in the state to cattle round ups, prescribed burning and interpretations, we do it all here,” Noland said. He moved to Florida shortly after graduating Western Carolina University in 1996. He has been working at the park since 2006. The abundance of wildlife, shady camping sites and trail system along with access to the Kissimmee chain of lakes and the Kissimmee River, makes it a boater and fishermen’s dream. The park sits between Lake Kissimmee, Tiger, Rosalie and Hatchineha. With over 12 distinct natural communities, campers, hikers, bikers and equestrian lovers can get a chance to explore part of the headwaters 32
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for the Florida Everglades. Deer, turkey, bobcat, fox, and over 200 species of birds and 69 species of butterflies inhabit the area for visitor’s viewing pleasure. The park receives more than 60,000 visitors a year that allows the park both feeling of solitude and the opportunity to meet new friends and explore the real Florida. Andrea Adair of Lakeland has been a guest of the park many times and loves that if offers a variety of things to do. “I have been to the park so many times because it offers many of my favorite things to do like hike Buster Island Loop to learn about the early history of ranching at the cow camp and look for birds, deer, alligators and fox squirrels,” Adair said. She also likes spending time chatting with “Cow Hunter.” The park does a first person interpretive program about the life and times of an 1876 cow hunter, or Florida Cracker, who’s name was derived from the use of whips used to drive scrub cows out of the scrub and palmettos where a lariat would do no good. “On holiday weekends from October 1- May 1, visitors can hike down to the cow camp and chat with a real cow hunter from 1876, complete with his cracker cattle and horses,” Noland said. “He will even share a cup of coffee with you if you can stomach it.” Noland said Cow Hunter would also try to sell you a few cows. Adair said Cow Hunter’s cattle are beautiful and his camp is full of WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
The Florida Cracker Cow is a breed of cattle raised in the state and named for the Florida Cracker culture in which it was kept. It’s also known as the Florida Scrub. The Spanish Conquistadors brought the cattle to the U. S. and they are a one of the oldest and most rare breeds of cattle.
implements that date back to the 1800’s era. “He is very knowledgeable about the surrounding communities and towns, the history of cattle in Florida,” Adair said. “He can be quite flirtatious as he doesn’t get around women much until he gets his pay and take a trip into town.” The Florida Cracker Cow is a breed of cattle raised in the state and named for the Florida Cracker culture in which it was kept. It’s also known as the Florida Scrub. The Spanish Conquistadors brought the cattle to the U. S. and they are a one of the oldest and most rare breeds of cattle. “Lake Kissimmee has one of the few pure Cracker Cow and horse herds managed by the state,” Noland said, “The cows and horses are known for their ability to adapt to Florida’s environment.”
“Andrea Adair of Lakeland, Fl. has been a guest of the park many times and loves that if offers a variety of things to do. She loves to hike Buster Island Loop and learning about the early history of ranching at the cow camp and look for birds, deer, alligators and fox squirrels.”
The park also offers a three-story observation platform and a 60-site campground that includes full-facility camping and a primitive camping facility, as well as a camp store. The youth camping area can accommodate up to 50 people. Campers have said that the dark skies make stargazing a popular nighttime activity for campers. The park also has guided Segway tours for visitors who like something a little more fast pace. The park offers something for everyone. “Come for a visit and you will also rate it as one of the best parks ever,” Noland said. For more information on Lake Kissimmee State Park, you can visit them on the web at www.floridastateparks.org or call 863-696-1112, the park is located at 14248 Camp Mack Road in Lake Wales
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David Byrd will be retiring from the Polk County School Board after 35 years of dedication to the Agriculture Education programs in Polk County By Melissa Nichols
P
arents and students around the county recognize the name David Byrd, but few of these people have ever heard the whole story and really know the man behind the face of the Polk County FFA Federation Advisor and teacher resource specialist-trainer. His lifetime accomplishments are an inspiration and proof that hard work does pay off. Next month Mr. Byrd will be retiring from the Polk County School Board after 35 years of dedication to the Agriculture Education programs in Polk County. He has touched the lives of thousands of students and hundreds of colleagues with his words of wisdom and his work ethic. David Byrd was born in Polk City, FL. David is the great-great grandson of a Confederate Army Florida Cow Calvary Soldier Lt Daniel Sloan and is a seventh generation Floridian. He comes from a family of farmers and hard working ranch hands. At the young age of 4, he moved to Bronson Ranch in Lake County where his father was a ranch hand on the property. He literally grew up on a ranch. In the early years, Donald Bronson would give him jobs such as tending to the sweet potatoes and he helped his elementary bus driver grinding sugar cane. He was paid $2 per day for a
12 hour day of work. When David was in 7th grade his father was able to get a job on PM Fussell’s ranch back in Polk City. They lived on Mr. Fussell’s ranch until his dad retired and they built a house of their own in Polk City. The work ethic he learned on the ranches has followed him all of his life. David spent many long days working the ranch as a child. He also took a part time job at Edward Judy’s general store in the meat department and worked there for several years. While tending to orange trees one hot July day, he recalls his father looking at him and saying “Son, I want you to get an education.” That conversation inspired David to do the best he could in school. He was an A/B student in high school. He was an active member of
David Byrd was born in Polk City, FL.
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David Byrd Speaking at an academy conference 2010 FFA, and served as an officer all throughout high school, including being president of his Auburndale Chapter his senior year of 1971. David participated in many career development events (CDE’s) such as livestock judging, meat evaluation, and citrus judging. He received his Star Greenhand Degree, Star Chapter Farmer, Outstanding Senior Ag Student, and went on to receive his State FFA Degree. David remembers the days when girls were first allowed to join FFA and during his senior year when a particular team made up of female Ag students competed at the state competition for meat evaluation and won. After high school David joined the Air Force on December 9, 1971. Two weeks after joining the Air Force David’s father passed away. David was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base and would come home on the weekends to make some extra money and help his mother out. In November of 1973 tragedy struck him as his hand was caught while working in the meat department at the general store. The accident ended with him losing his entire right hand from the wrist down. After ten months of surgeries and rehabilitation, David was given a medical discharge from the United States Air Force. Many people would have given up at this point, having lost his dad who was his best friend and his hand, but David prevailed. While visiting an old Ag teacher, Jack Russell, a few months after his discharge. Mr. Russell asked David “Have you ever thought about being an Ag teacher? It pays $10,000 per year.” Three months later David started college in January of 1975 at Polk Community College. He earned his Associates Degree by June of 1976 and went on to the University of Florida the Monday after graduating from PSC. He graduated from UF in December of 1977. He had determination and knew his only way through college was by using the GI Bill he received as part of his medical discharge. David recalls rarely missing a day of school so that he could get it all done in the time he was allotted. He later went back to school in the evenings and received his Master’s Degree while using the remaining benefits of his GI Bill. His teaching career began in January of 1978 at Plant City High School with Ray Clark helping mentor him and get established. He later went on to work at the Polk County School Board that following July at Ridge Career Center. After a few years he went on to teach at Lakeland High School, Doris Sanders and WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
finally at Auburndale High School from 1985-2001. In 2001 David received the honor of being promoted to his current position of “teacher resource specialist-trainer” and Polk County FFA Federation Advisor. David has spent the last 12 years in this position. His duties currently include tending to the budget, getting bids, ordering supplies and equipment, preparing curriculum, teacher trainings, organizing county contests and activities, and tending to the groves countywide for the PCSB (about 200 acres of orange groves). He oversees the Criminal Justice, Teacher Assisting and Industrial Arts programs, as well as, Agriculture Education programs. He also spends a lot of time with the Polk County FFA Federation Officers. His goal with Federation officers is that they learn to set goals and pursue them and that they get outside of their comfort zones. David spent the summers doing odd jobs while just getting started as a teacher. In the summer of 1980, while working on a rental property in Lakeland, he asked the landlady for a glass of sweet tea. The landlady didn’t know how to make sweet tea, so she asked a tenant if she knew how. A few minutes later a young lady walked out with a glass of sweet tea. David found himself doing odd jobs often at this rental property and now credits God to putting him and Shari (his wife and sweet tea maker) in the right place at the right time. Shari says soul mates come in all shapes, sizes, and from all different backgrounds. Shari is currently a Spanish teacher for the Polk County Schools. She knew nothing about FFA or agriculture when they met. David and Shari were married only six months after that first meeting and have had a great 33 year marriage. They feel they are not only husband and wife, they are also best friends. Over the years they have accomplished a lot and FFA has definitely rubbed off on Shari. She is a huge supporter of the program. They have two daughters, Sharalyn (married to Timothy) and Mandie (married to Jonathan). Sharalyn and her husband have two children, Timothy Jr., 9, and Alysa, 7. The daughters grew up active in FFA and 4-H, and participated in many activities. They also learned to work hard from watching their parents keep up with everything. Shari is looking forward to having more time with David, as she says, “over the years he truly has worked hard.” When asked about their meeting she says “you never know where a good glass of sweet tea will get you.” The relationship this couple has is truly a gift from God. ININ THE THE FIELD FIELDMM AGAZINE AGAZINE
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2006-2007 Federation officers
David accomplished a lot as an Ag teacher. He had two state winning teams (horse judging and Ag mechanics). He also has had seven students become state officers since taking his current position. He never focused as much on kids winning a contest while a teacher as he did on them learning skills they could use throughout their career path. David is a great man in and out of his PCSB uniform. He spent 10+ years coaching softball, spent many years teaching Sunday school, and is now the moderator of Little Flock Primitive Baptist Church, where he leads the worship services weekly. He has even found a way to include his FFA members in a church service as he hosts FFA Day and invites them to worship with him on the Sunday in February that is during National FFA Week. He will still be helping with ongoing projects such as the “Remembering Ryan Rimmer” fundraiser to raise $25k to remodel the paintball field at LTC in memory of the former state officer who was killed in a car accident. When asked about the future of agriculture education in PCSB he says he sees more specialized programs such as academies opening. He hopes that they are able to continue to increase the rigor of programs to allow honors weighted credits beyond the current honors Ag classes of Vet Tech, Ag Biotechnology, and Environmental Resources. He is proud to have worked with the 46 Ag teachers that make up the county’s Agriculture Education program and says 90% of them are the hardest working, most dedicated teachers he has ever met, although a few leave room for improvement. He hopes that in the future all teachers in the program would go through the Agri-science leadership program. He encourages the teachers to get their Master’s Degree. He says it is also essential for teachers to get their industry certification, as he feels that is the funding for the future. Friends, former students, and colleagues all have a deep respect for David Byrd. His current boss, John Small, Senior Director of work force education, was asked about David and he responded, “David is one of the most dedicated, hardworking people I have ever worked with, he has had a tremendous influence on me and 36
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my career. Anyone who has had the privilege of working with David, as a coworker, partner or student, are better for having had the opportunity to have worked with him. And after six years of working with him daily, I count myself at the top of that list.” Former co-worker Ray Clark, Retired Ag. Dept. head from Plant City High School, was asked about David’s early years and he responded, “It was my honor to have been a early part of David Byrd’s career. He came to Plant City High School and became part of a seven teacher Agriculture program, the largest in the state. He soon became a teacher that students looked up to with great respect. He was a teacher and administrator who would go on to change the lives of many young people and get them involved with Agriculture and many other careers.” I, personally have the privilege of knowing David Byrd, and I can honestly has he is one of those people who inspire people not only through his actions, but also through his words. He has touched more lives, than he will ever know. David Byrd will be retiring as of June 30 this year, after the state FFA Convention. His plans include working for a former student, Lauren Lewis, who is in charge of the new agriculture program at Warner College in Lake Wales. He will be teaching on a part time basis. David will continue his volunteer work at the church and plans on going on several mission trips in the future. He hopes to find time to build a house on a 90 acre piece of land in North Polk County and hopes to one day have cattle on this land. He also plans to spend some time sitting on the porch, with his feet up and glass of tea in his hand. When asked what has kept him going, especially after the hand injury, he tells a story about a teenage girl with her church, visiting the VA hospital and bringing him a turtle. This turtle had writing on it that said “Behold the turtle who only makes progress when he sticks his head out.” David still has that turtle; he has never wanted special treatment or sympathy for his injury and that turtle is still his motto. I asked him what did he want people to learn from him and what was the most important lesson he taught. He says if nothing, else they need to remember the 4 P’s. Passion, whatever job they choose WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
David Byrd Working with Federation Officers about 2006
Katie Hutchinson and David Byrd they must appreciate it. And passion cannot be confused with emotion; passion is a love for what they do. Preparation, as teachers, employers, employees and students, we must endeavor to improve ourselves through study and exploration. He has taken vacations to gain further knowledge of the industry, and teachers must prepare and continue to educate themselves. Perspiration, something is missing in a lot of people’s work ethic, they are afraid to get dirty. To be successful, they must not be afraid to sweat and work. Perseverance, sometimes things don’t go right, at home, in work or in society. When things happen you must persevere, things will get better. As the turtle says, to make progress you must stick your neck out.
Mr. Byrd’s drop out (retirement) party will be at Florida FFA Foundation Leadership Training Center on May 31 from 6 pm. It is open to all former
student, colleagues, and friends. Please RSVP to leann.bennett@polk-fl.net or 863-534-0515 by May 25.
d r y B d i v a D u o Thank y
This Photo By Melissa Nichols WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Florida study of over 100,000 men and women indicated that eating three or more servings of fruit per day lowered the risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) by over one third, compared with people who ate less than 1.5 servings of fruit per day. ARMD is the primary cause of vision loss in older adults. Researchers concluded that the vitamins and carotenoids in fruit, such as figs, were responsible for the protective effect on the development of ARMD. How to Select & Store
Nature’s Candy By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
F
Fresh Florida figs are in their peak season during the summer months. A member of the mulberry family, figs are intensely sweet with a flavor that is like a combination of dates, strawberries, and peaches. Three main varieties of figs include common, Smyrna, and San Pedro, and are categorized by pollination requirements. Common types of figs found in Florida are Brown Turkey, Celeste, Green Ischia, and Mission. Dried or candied figs are available year-round. The “eye” of a fig refers to the small opening on the rounded bottom of the fruit where the skin attaches. Different types of figs can have either a closed or an open eye. Fresh figs are delicate and difficult to transport, so the vast majority of figs produced in the U.S. are processed into dried figs, fig paste, preserves, or powder. The skin of the fig is entirely edible, as are fig leaves, which are often grown as an ornamental. Nutritional Profile Figs are as nutritious as they are delicious. Rich in magnesium, potassium, and fiber, figs pack a hearty nutrition punch in a small package. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one medium fig (50 g) contains 37 calories, 0.4 g of protein, 0.1 g of fat, 9.6 g of carbohydrate, and 1.5 g of fiber. A single fig provides 5.8% of the Daily Reference Intake for dietary fiber, 3.3% for potassium, 3% for manganese, and vitamin B6, 2% for thiamin and magnesium, and 1.8% for calcium. Figs also contain notable amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, copper, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin E, folate, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus.
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Protect Against Heart Disease Figs are high in potassium, with a single fruit containing over 3% of your daily needs. High potassium coupled with the low sodium content of figs is beneficial for maintaining normal blood pressure and optimal heart function. Eating foods high in potassium can counter the negative effects of eating foods high in sodium. Additionally, people who ate foods high in fiber, magnesium, and potassium, such as fruits, had a lower risk of stroke. The potassium and calcium in figs can also enhance bone health. Some studies suggest that potassium can slow the rate of calcium loss from bone. Promote Digestive Health Eating figs and other foods high in fiber can decrease the risk of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. Figs are a great source of fiber, which speeds up transit time through the digestive tract and prevents constipation. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, a diet high in fiber may decrease the risk of several types of cancer including colon, rectum, breast, and pancreas. Fiber can also help with weight control by providing a sensation of fullness. Many foods high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, are also very low in calories. Enjoy Better Vision Figs provide a healthy dose of vitamins A and C, antioxidants that can promote healthy eyes. High fruit intake appears to be related to a lower risk of age-related macular degeneration. Data from a large
May 2013
Look for figs that have a deep, rich color, firm, crisp stems, and a rounded, plump shape. Some varieties, such as Black Mission and Brown Turkey figs will have a dark purple to black skin when ripe, while Calimyrna and Adriatic types will have a light green skin when ripe. Figs should feel soft, but not mushy, and have a sweet, pleasant fragrance. Ripe figs can be refrigerated for up to two to three days or frozen for up to several months. Cover or wrap the fruit to prevent them from drying out or picking up surrounding odors. Under-ripe figs can be ripened on the countertop at room temperature. Dried figs, which are available year-round, can be stored in an air-tight bag in the refrigerator or other cool place for several months. How to Enjoy Aside from the ubiquitous Fig Newton, figs are delicious eaten straight out-ofhand and their smooth skins are edible. They also can be sliced and used in fruit or vegetable salads. Other ways to enjoy them include: • Combine with milk and frozen yogurt in the blender for a fig milkshake • Dice figs and add to oatmeal or cereal • Use mashed ripe figs in quick bread, cookies, and muffins for natural sweetness • Chop and add to bread or rice stuffing • Boil to make fig jam • Stuff figs with goat cheese or cream cheese for an easy appetizer • Poach figs in juice or wine for a fast dessert With so many ways to enjoy this delicious fruit, enjoy fresh Florida figs today! They add natural sweetness and nutrients to your dish. Selected References http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg214 http://www.whfoods.com
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To hold in moisture around your roses, and hopefully thwart the pro-
Roses have graced gardens literally for centuries, being used as
es, you'll replace the mulch, bearing in mind that even when your mulch disappears, you're building nutritious soil. Mulch makes weeding much easier, too.
flowering almost year-round in central Florida.
By Sean Green Naturally Amazing liferation of weeds, an organic mulch is recommended. As it decompos- ground covers, shrubs, vines, container and specimen plants, Activities Photo Credit: April McDonald
Flour Tiles
If you plan to use your roses as cut flowers, think about your intended arrangement and trim the roses length accordingly. Use larger blooms low in the container and use smaller blooms and buds at the top for height. Also, try to use odd numbers of flowers in your arrangement, as florists do. If you cut buds when they are too tight they'll probably refuse to open. Always make a clean cut with a sharp knife or cutting shears, trying to avoid a ragged cut for the sake of the plant.
Roses appear in a plethora of colors and scents. They also come with a wide range of implications and situations. You may give them on the occasion of a sweetheart, the Prom, a proposal, an acceptance, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparents Day, Boss' Day, Employees Day, Good Grades Day, Apology Day, the Kentucky Derby (Run for the Roses)...well, let's just say from birth to death, there's an occasion for roses. Now that you know that there's no need for an excuse to give this beautiful flower, plan a garden plot for roses and bestow the splendor of the rose on some unsuspecting soul soon and often. These roses are in memory of my precious dad Nelson Lunn, athlete and great golfer, now playing through with his good friend Art, both having gone home on December 18th, 2012. You've got all my love and respect, dad.
(optional-improves elasIngredients: Tile making is an ancient art and one of the simplest of Water: (1 cups) ticity) the ceramic arts. The earliest examples of handmade tiles Flour: (2 cups) Vegetable Oil Some roses will requirethat weekly insecticidal spraying to are Egyptian samples datefungicidal back to or4,000 BC. Though Dye: (food coloring, dark Salt: (¼ cup) maintain the tiles quality of the plant. Ansoil important aspect rosesilt care is traditionally, were made from composed of of sand, Cream of Tartar (½ tbsp) coffee, fruit juice, anything the clay proper management of fungal This disease would not be and (loam). decorative tilesblack that spot. resemble the traditional or Lemon Juice (¾ tbsp) that stains) near as prevalent in states which lack our wet, humid climate. Begin to tiles can be made with simple ingredients that are probably treat roses when new growth emerges, continuing through the growing already in the kitchen. This month we will create tiles out of Directions: season. One asset associated with shrub roses is that these low-maintea nance flour mixture can to beblack decorated with objects find in Bring the water to a boil, add your choice of dye (see ingreroses are that resistant spot with very few oryou no sprays. dients). nature or your home. Mix Flour, Salt and cream of Tartar in a large bowl Yet another fungal disease which is a threat in spring or late fall is powRemove the water from the heat and add vegetable oil. dery mildew, which covers new leaves and buds with a powdery white Materials: Poor water mixture into bowl of flour mixture. substance. Mixing BowlThis disease rarely kills the plant but will damage leaves andMix thoroughly and let sit until it is slightly warm (about 5 blooms. Wooden Spoon min). Baking Sheet Lay clay mixture on wax paper and flatten to desired thickOther pests which you might encounter include caterpillars, aphids, Rolling Pin thrips or spider mites. The best hedge of protection for your roses isness with the rolling pin. Wax earlyPaper detection of infestations. But that should be easy considering theCut tile shapes with cookie cutters or small containers. Cutting implements cutters, smallonce containers) close scrutiny you'll (cookie afford your beauties you fall in love withPress objects into the clay mixture to make designs into the tile. Imprint objects (sea shells, leaves, pinecones, twigs,(best acorns, them. You may contact the extension office for BMP's managePlace tiles on the baking sheet and bake at 300 for 2 hrs (or ment practices) for make these and other pest problems you may encounter. anything that will an impression) until dry and hard).
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N TFIELD HE IELD MAGAZINE AGAZINE May 2013 2013 NITT HEHE AGAZINE May 2013JANUARY IIN FFM IELD
INFTIHE FIELD WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM W W W . IWWW. NTHE EL D MM A AGAZINE.COM GAZINE.COM
A Closer Look
By Sean Green
Masked Chafer (Cyclocephala)
Photos by: April McDonald
~ generically referred to as “May Beetles” or “June Beetles” One of the more memorable signs of springtime in Florida is being bombarded by certain clumsy beetles. All but those in the most sterile of environments can attest to being the unintended target of a small but husky beetle resembling a flying roasted peanut, in fact some people call them peanut bug. These beetles are actually members of the scarab beetle family and have no relationship to a South American leaf hopper species commonly known as the peanut bug (Fulgora laternaria). One of the subfamilies of the scarab beetle family is Dynastinae (rhinoceros beetles). Within Dynastinae is the genus Cyclocephala, a Greek term meaning “rounded head”. This genus includes more than 300 known species including the masked chafers, so named for the black coloring on their head that resembles a mask. Evidence dating back to the early Cretaceous period suggests that beetles were among the first pollinators. The Southern Masked Chafer (Cyclocephala lurida) remains the primary pollinator of the equally ancient Magnolia, a flowering plant that predates the bees and evolved to produce thick rugged flowers that could withstand the destructive behavior of pollinating beetles. Popular tropical species such as Elephant Ear (Xanthosoma) and Philodendron are also primarily pollinated by the masked chafers. The Cyclocephala beetles behavior and life cycle has established a stronger regard for this insect as a pest than for its benefit. Depending on the species, these beetles have spent anywhere from one to four years developing in the soil and while doing so, feed on the roots of field crops such as wheat, oat and corn. The larva destroy lawns by eating the grass roots throughout their development, leaving brown patches of dead grass that even a good rain won’t recover. Heavily infested yards will feel spongy and with extreme infestation, can be rolled up like a carpet because of extensive root damage. Adult beetles seem to be emerging early this year and will likely remain active through June or July. Southern masked chafers begin their mating flight just before sunset and continue until about midnight. Males surface before females and begin scouting about a foot off the ground waiting for unmated females to emerge. Females will surface to climb up the grass and release a sex pheromone that attracts males in clusters. After mating, females dig back into the soil to deposit eggs. With sufficient moisture, the eggs will mature and hatch in WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Cyclocephala
about 18 days, the newly hatched larva collectively channel through the soil feeding on plant roots for as long as the soil remains warm. When the soil temperature begins to cool in September, the larvae begin migrating deeper into the soil to hibernate. Late instar larvae begin a journey to the surface to feed before pupating and later emerge as adults in the late spring and early summer. Cyclocephala are only one species of a handful that are often generically referred to as “May Beetles” or “June Beetles”. The term “White Grubs” is commonly used to refer to the larvae of any of several species of beetles that are known to affect turfgrass. Homeowners may notice a parade of Ibis (the white birds with curved beaks) marching through the yard in search of these grubs. I am always amazed with the ease in which these birds can locate and remove grubs that can be as deep as a few inches below the surface of the lawn. Birds are not the only natural predator of these grubs. Mammals such as armadillos, skunks, and opossums can apparently hear the activity of the grubs and dig up the yard looking for them. Perhaps their greatest predators are ants, particularly the native Thief Ant (Solenopsis molesta), which have been shown to reduce egg populations by over 80 percent in field experiments. The list of predators is incomplete without the human population. Some fishermen report white grubs are a great bait for catfish and perch and appreciate finding them. Native Americans roasted June Bugs (Phyllophaga) over coals and ate them like popcorn, not because they had nothing better to eat, or a lack of hunting skills, this species actually has a pretty impressive nutritional profile: Protein (13.40g), Fat (1.40g), Carbohydrates (2.90g), Calcium (22.6mg), Iron (6mg). Entomophagy is the practice of human consumption of insects and is practiced in 80 percent of the world’s nations. An increasing acceptance of this practice has stemmed from recent assessments of the potential for large scale entomophagy to provide a more sustainable alternative to animal livestock. Cyclocephala and Phyllophaga are a significant species for newcomers to entomophagy. They are not easily confused with any toxic species and do not have offensive diet or behavior characteristics. Although consumption of crop pests is not a control alternative in America, it is practiced in other countries and we may follow. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
May 2013
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*** All Items Are 8 lbs. Unless Otherwise Noted.***
Georgia Pecans (Frozen) Halves and Pieces 1 lb bag .................$9 2.5 lb bag .............$22.25 5 lb bag.................$44 10 lb bag...............$87
Foodhooks.........................................$22 Baby Butter Beans ............................$15 Green Beans.......................................$14 Pole Beans .........................................$14 Speckled Butter Beans.....................$14 Blackeye Peas....................................$14 Butter Peas ........................................$14 Crowder Peas ....................................$14 Pinkeye Peas......................................$14 Sugar Snap Peas ...............................$15 Zipper Peas........................................$14 Green Peas .........................................$14 White Corn.........................................$14 Yellow Corn........................................$14 Cream White Corn 4#........................$6 Cream Yellow Corn 4#.......................$6 Collard Greens ...................................$13 Mustard Greens..................................$13 Turnip Greens ....................................$13 Spinach ...............................................$13
Cut Okra .............................................$13 Breaded Okra.....................................$13 Whole Okra ........................................$13 Sliced Yellow Squash........................$13 Sliced Zucchini ..................................$13 Brussel Sprouts .................................$14 Baby Carrots......................................$14 Broccoli ..............................................$14 Cauliflower .........................................$14 Mixed Vegetables..............................$14 Soup Blend.........................................$14 Blueberries 5# ...................................$15 Blackberries 5# .................................$15 Raspberries 5# ..................................$15 Dark Sweet Cherries 5# ...................$18 Mango Chunks 5# .............................$15 Pineapple Chunks 5#........................$15 Whole Strawberries 5# ....................$15 Peaches...............................................$15
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Classifieds
Tel: 813.759.6909
ANIMALS & NEEDS ANIMAL CONTROL Complete Nuisance/Destructive Wildlife Removal & Management! Wild hogs, coyotes, raccoons, opossum, armadillo, squirrels, bobcats, etc. (licensed & insured professional Services) 863-287-2311 ANIMAL & BIRDCAGES Equipment serving the fur bearing animal & exotic bird industry! Cages built to order. Wire by roll or foot. (813) 752-2230. Call Don Ammerman. www.ammermans.com Swaps July 14, 2013 and December 1, 2013 CHICKEN MANURE FOR SALE Dry and available immediately! Call Tim Ford or Danny Thibodeau 863-439-3232
WINDOW SCREENS We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted 813-752-3378 T1-11 4 X 8 SHEET 5/8-INCH THICK B-grade $22.95. Call Ted 813-752-3378 NEW DOORS CLOSEOUT SPECIAL!!! $75 to $295. Call Ted today 813-752-3378 MOBILE HOME TUBS Metal brand new in box 54” Mobile Home Tubs. Call Ted 813-752-3378 $145.00
FARM EQUIPMENT
YANMAR 186 TRACTOR 2WD, diesel, belly mower. $2,750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MASSEY HARRIS FERGUSON NO. 16 PACER With belly mower $1950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
KITCHEN CABINETS All wood kitchen cabinets. Call Tedd 813-752-3378 14KT GOLD AMMOLITE RING Unique Multi-colored fossil gem with unique mounting. Size 8 $250 or best offer. Call 863-370-8891 SHIPPING CONTAINER 8”x 8”x 40” Steel shipping container, wired with lights and receptacles. Excellent shape; no leaks. Ready for office or storage. Call Dwayne 813-409-2009 2005 F350 FLAT BED With diesel engine, auto trans., a/c, good tires, engine runs strong, set-up to haul gooseneck trailers. $10,000 o.b.o.Call Sean 813-495-6660
MAHINDRA 8560 40 actual hrs., 2wd, diesel, 83hp, shuttle shift, warranty. $22,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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MASSEY FERGUSON 65 Diesel tractor with loader. $3,250 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
FOR SALE
DOUBLE INSULATED THERMO PANE Starting at $55. Call Ted 813-752-3378
MASSEY FERGUSON GC2300 4 X 4 hydro stat transmission, 2702 hrs. $4,750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
USED EQUIPMENT Mowers, disk, box blades & disk plows. Call Alvie TODAY! 813-759-8722
SHAVER 5O STUMP GRINDER 3pt. lift. Excellent condition. $2,950 Call Alvie 813-8722
BUILDING SUPPLIES
FORD 3400 INDUSTRIAL TRACTOR With loader, skid steer attached. $6,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
KUTOTA M105 2 wheel drive, cab tractor with a/c, 1700 hours. $23,000 call Rodney 863-581-9396
MASSEY FERGUSON 210 2wd., diesel tractor. $3,750 Call Alvie. 813-759-8722
DOVE HUNTS Lithia area limited number of memberships still available. Call Fish Hawk Sporting Clays. 813-689-0490.
KUBOTA L345 TRACTOR 34hp, 2wd. $4,250 Call Alvie (813)759-8722
BAD BOY CZT50 Zero turn 26hp Kawasaki. 138 hrs., Warranty. $4,995 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
TOP GRADE TANZANITE RING 18KT GOLD Top grade, 18kt. Beautiful piece of jewelry. 1.05kt round nice blue gem with channel side diamonds. Size 7-1/2 $1,100 Call 863-370-8891
JOBS CONTRIBUTING WRITER Write about events in your community. Immediate openings in Hillsborough and Polk Counties. Paid per article. Responsibilities include covering community events and taking pictures. Email your resume to sarah@inthefieldmagazine.com
May 2013
info@inthefieldmagazine.com INDEPENDENT ACCOUNT MANAGER In The Field Magazine is looking for independent account managers to join our team! Please contact Danny@inthefieldmagazazine.com or call 813-759-6909.
LAWN EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES RUBBER MULCH All colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE! $8.99 a bag. Call Ted 813-752-3378
MISC. PRIVATE INVESTOR Will consider any situation. 813-986-9141
REAL ESTATE LAND WANTED 30 to 100 acres, no improvements. Hillsborough, Polk or East Pasco. Call H. Lee 813-986-9141 WALDEN LAKE EAST Desirable Walden Lake home! 3/2, NEW Kitchen all stainless steel appliance’s. Ready to sell. Call Malissa Crawford @ 813-967-0168 FOR SALE – 45 ACRES VACANT LAND (Pasco County) 45 acres are comprised of gently rolling hills with big trees & solid ground. A great setting for residential development. To the east of the property is a 60 acre parcel (Lake Gilbert) that adds significant aesthetic value to the 45 acres. Zoning: AR (Agricultural-Rural) Call Heidi Cecil for more information 863-899-9620 FOR LEASE 24 Acre Farm 5" Well Gulf City & Willis Road. Ruskin FL. Call or email Lee@leepallardyinc.com 813-355-6274 WANTED TO BUY Problem real estate mortgages. Will consider any situation, defaults, delinquencies. Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk County. CASH OUT! Call H. Lee 813-986-9141 2.66 ACRE NURSERY FOR SALE OR LEASE N. Lakeland with 1,000 sq ft frame house, 2 sheds, irrigation throughout. Call Bruce 863-698-0019 FOR LEASE 15 acre for hay. State Road 70 & Vernon Road. Manatee County. Call or email Lee@leepallardyinc.com 813-355-6274 JANE BAER REALTY Looking for that mountain getaway home? We have what you are looking for. Check out our website at www.janebaerrealty.com or call us toll free 800-820-7829. We are located in Blairsville GA, North Georgia Mountains!
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