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CONTENTS
MARCH 2019 VOL. 12 • ISSUE 7 Polk County Cattlemen’s Association
Hannah Cline Polk County Cattlemen’s Sweetheart
28 PAGE 12 Jack Payne
PAGE 31 News Briefs PAGE 32 PCSO
PAGE 14 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 33 Polk County Reading Council
PAGE 16 Fresh From Florida
PAGE 36 John Dicks
PAGE 18 Ranch Rodeo Results
PAGE 38 Endangered Species
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 41 A Closer Look
PAGE 24 Nutrition Education
PAGE 42 Business Up Front
PAGE 26 Literary Time Machine
PAGE 45 PCCW
PAGE 30 Caimito
Hey Readers!
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker and a FREE In The Field T-Shirt. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner!
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P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL. 33831-9005 President – Carlton Taylor 9875 Hancock Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 858-1771 L2brangus@aol.com Vice President – Ray Clark 4484 Swindell Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 640-0719 rclark@tampabay.rr.com Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Bunch PO Box 849 Highland City, FL 338460849 (863) 425-1121 justin.bunch@cpsagu.com State Director – David McCullers 1000 Hwy 630 W Frostproof, FL 33843 (863) 635-3821 crookedlakeranch57@ gmail.com Donald Conroy 3882 Wolfolk Rd Fort Meade, FL 33841 (863) 412-0790 Kevin Fussell 4523 Fussell Rd Polk City, FL 33868-9676 (863) 412-5876 Mike Fussell 4520 Barush Rd Bartow, FL 33830-2629 (863) 698-8314 fussell.flafarm@gmail.com Moby Persing 3380 Sam Keen Rd Lake Wales, FL 338989327 (863) 528-4567 Ken Sherrouse 13475 Moore Rd Lakeland, FL 33809-9755 (863) 698-1834 kensherrouse@yahoo.com
Dave Tomkow 3305 US Highway 92 E Lakeland, FL 33801-9623 (863) 665-5088 Dr. Lujean Waters 8750 Shreck Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 537-1495 Lujean.waters@gmail.com Alternate – Standing Committee Chairs: Membership Events- Kevin Fussell Trade Show- Bridget Stice Rodeo- Fred Waters PO Box 463 Alturas, FL 33820-0463 (863) 559-7808 Website – Adam Norman 2115 West Pipkin Rd Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 944-9293 Adamnorman1977@gmail. com Cattlewomen – President, Missy Raney PO Box 453 Homeland, FL 33847 (863) 205-3977 Raney747@gmail.com Extension – Bridget Stice PO Box 9005, Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL 33831 (863) 519-1048 bccarlis@ufl.edu Sheriff’s Dept. – Sgt. Paul Wright 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 557-1741 pw5281@polksheriff.org Warner University –
Scott Shoupe 6130 Allen Lane Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 581-7593 Scott_shoupe@hotmail. com WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt
Sales Tina Richmond Melissa Nichols
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez
Letter from the Editor Another fair season has come and gone. This is a busy time for youth in agriculture in the state of Florida. All their hard work is on display at these shows. Congratulations to each of you. Those participating next year have already turned the page and are preparing for their next project. When fair season starts again, plan on visiting the agriculture area of any of the local fairs. Let exhibitors know you recognize the hard work they have done. Food and shelter, among an untold number of other things, are basic to our needs. The purpose of these projects is twofold. They expose youth to the industry, but also develop important life skills. Caring for an animal or plant, or other agriculture responsibility, helps make them more accountable and have a better understanding of life than a young person who has not had the good fortune to have these experiences. FFA and 4-H are incredible organizations. They help develop life skills and leadership for members. Please remember to look for the Fresh From Florida logo when shopping. You will get the freshest food available and support your local farmers and ranchers. Also, say thank you to our advertisers. They allow us to continue to cover what is growing.
Sarah Holt The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
Photography Karen Berry Melissa Nichols Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams Anita Todd Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks
In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Polk County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Polk County Catllemen’s Association. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.
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Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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Dear Members and Friends, We would like to thank our ranch rodeo and tradeshow committee for all their hard work and efforts for a successful event and Bridget Stice for all the work she does behind the scenes. We appreciate the cattlewomen and their entire team for making sure everyone was fed at the event and their help promoting the Beef industry with their great merchandise.
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Spring breeding is underway and hopefully everyone is not too under water with the El Niño weather pattern that seems to continue. We are looking to get our Polk County Jr. Cattlemen’s Association active again and participating in the various contests at convention in June. More information will be coming out soon, so if you have a child or know of any juniors that would like to participate in the JFCA events please let us know. More information can be found on the Florida Cattlemen’s Association website.
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The JFCA has announced their 2019 Points Show Cattle Series date as follows: July 25-27, 2019 - Tampa, FL September 14-15, 2019 - Okeechobee, FL October 4-5, 2019 - Kissimmee, FL November 22-23, 2019 - Chiefland, FL December 6-8, 2019 - Belleview, FL (2 shows) The JFCA series is a great opportunity for Showman to get ring time with their projects and meet other juniors from around Florida. We had several kids from Polk County represent us well in the 2018 series where they were able to #showyourpassion! Until next time, enjoy more BEEF!
Carlton Taylor
Polk County Cattlemen’s Association President
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2019
CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS “The Best of the Best”
1ST Place - $1500 Cash Award
Junior Champion – Dylan Shaver from Thonotosassa
SHELBY SUMNER FROM OKEECHOBEE
Intermediate Champion –Maggie Jordan from Nokomis 4th place Senior Champion – Caitlin Fine from Odessa
2nd Place Champion of Champions Austin Holcomb from Lithia
3rd place Senior Champion – Miranda Holder from Riverview 2nd place Senior Champion – Savannah Morgan from Tampa
3rd Place Champion of Champions Emily Jennings from Dade City
Champion Youth for Llama Show – Ryan Swartz from Sarasota
4th Place Champion of Champions Isabel Perdomo from San Antonio
Youth Rabbit
5th Place Champion of Champions Camryn Farquhar from Zephyrhills
Junior Champion – Violet Szeja from Brandon Intermediate Champion – Kally Lynne Henson from Winter Haven
6th Place Champion of Champions Gina Tran from Orlando
4th place Senior Champion – Angelina Rivera from Miami
Mosaic Scholarship Winners
3rd place Senior Champion – Mykayla Clark from Valrico
The winner of the $1,500 Scholarship is: Gina Tran from Orlando
2nd place Senior Champion – Colton Nichols from Land O’Lakes Champion Youth for Rabbit Show – Austin Holcomb from Lithia
Florida State Fair Foundation Scholarship Winners The winners of the $1,000 Scholarship are: Jozef Heijkoop from Webster Annabel Henson from Myakka City Josephine Hoffner from Palmetto Ainsley Peterson from Mayo Cydney Slapa from Deltona Jan Dillard Memorial Scholarship Winner
Youth Steer Intermediate Champion –Gabe Mitchell from Trenton 4th place Senior Champion – Callie Cramer from Oakland 3rd place Senior Champion – Sophia Jaramillo-Vasconez from Orlando 2nd place Senior Champion – Gina Tran from Orlando
The winner of the $1,000 Scholarship is: Stephanie Shimer from Dade City
Champion Youth for Steer Show – Emily May from Orlando
CHAMPION YOUTH WINNERS Youth Dog
Youth Dairy
Junior Champion – Michelle Faith Lightsey from Winter Haven Intermediate Champion – Carsen Babich from Lutz
Junior Champion – Colby Holcomb from Lithia
4th place Senior Champion – Alle Bilancione from Valrico
4th place Senior Champion – Charlotte Byrns from Riverview
3rd place Senior Champion – Corin Hockenberry from Lakeland
3rd place Senior Champion – Hailey Jones from Sarasota
2nd place Senior Champion – Burlynne Mejeris from Old Town
2nd place Senior Champion – Shelby Sumner from Okeechobee
Champion Youth for Dog Show – Genevieve Cruickshank from Largo
Champion Youth for Dairy Show – Camryn Farquhar from Zephyrhills
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Youth Llama
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Intermediate Champion –Logan Shoop from Wimauma
Youth Poultry
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Junior Champion – Micah Evans from Brooksville
4th place Senior Champion –Madison Dvorak from Lakeland
Intermediate Champion –Caroline Evans from Brooksville
3rd place Senior Champion – Jade Parrish from Parrish
4th place Senior Champion – Nathanael Monroe Floral City
2nd place Senior Champion – Taylor Waller from Inverness
3rd place Senior Champion – Anthony Kirwan from Ocoee
Champion Youth for Swine Show – Sierra Graham from Lake City
2nd place Senior Champion – Juliette Young from Lithia Champion Youth for Poultry Show – Kathleen Wann from Lakeland Youth Goat
Youth Beef Junior Champion – Reagan Hancock from Morriston
Intermediate Champion – Gabe Mitchell from Trenton
Junior Champion – Justin Davis from Pierson
4th place Senior Champion – Mykayla Clark from Valrico
Intermediate Champion – Melina Perdomo from San Antonio
3rd place Senior Champion – Sage Dawson from DeLand
4th place Senior Champion – Rachel Morris from DeLeon Springs 3rd place Senior Champion – Megan Christopher from DeLeon Springs 2nd place Senior Champion – Isabel Perdomo from San Antonio Champion Youth for Goat Show – Dominique Palka from Clermont
2nd place Senior Champion – Payton Davis from Ocala Champion Youth for Beef Show – Emily Jennings from Dade City Youth Sheep Junior Champion – Mia Portillo from Deltona Intermediate Champion – Grady Callahan from Osteen 4th place Senior Champion – Tyler Watson from Lake Helen
Youth Swine
3rd place Senior Champion – Kaitlyn Simmons from Zephyrhills
Junior Champion – Adysen Burns from Bell
2nd place Senior Champion – Shawna Clay from DeLand
Intermediate Champion – Jordan Byers from Dade City
Champion Youth for Sheep Show – T.J. Schroeder from DeLand
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Protecting innovation to protect farmers By Jack Payne
Producers in Peru, Mexico, Spain, and other nations pay for much of the science that supports the blueberry industry in Hillsborough and Polk counties. Among the ways the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences uses its income from abroad is dedicating Extension coordinator Doug Phillips exclusively to blueberries. In consultation with the industry, we put him where we felt he could be of most service to the industry -- at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma. International licenses issued by Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc., a subsidiary of the UF/IFAS and essentially the state’s public seed bank, bring in most of the money needed to fund what I and many consider the finest blueberry breeding program in the world. We know local growers don’t get enough protection from unfair global competition. International trade rules have created an uneven playing field, already tilted toward international producers who enjoy low labor costs and government subsidies. UF/IFAS doesn’t make government policy. With international licensing, though, we can exert some control over who uses UF/IFAS blueberries and when they can export them. Our most recent licenses even prohibit the export of UF/IFAS blueberries to the U.S. during the Florida production season. International producers pay far more than Florida farmers for the right to use UF/IFAS-developed blueberry varieties. Nearly 90 percent of blueberry royalty money comes from overseas. If we didn’t license our blueberries globally, international competitors would take them for free. Blueberry imports from Mexico, where we have licenses, have been particularly difficult to compete with. But only 1.63 percent of the berries we import from Mexico are UF/IFAS varieties.
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A far greater percentage of those Mexican imports are the Biloxi variety developed by USDA. They were never licensed. So Mexico pays the U.S. nothing for growing them and shipping millions of pounds of them back to the U.S.
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Other UF/IFAS licensees never were competitors. FFSP’s largest blueberry licensee, a company in Spain, doesn’t sell to the U.S. Its market is Europe. We don’t compete there. It’s not an export market for Florida blueberry fruit. Meanwhile, we put most of the royalty money back into building better berries for Florida farmers. Dr. Patricio Muñoz turns royalty funding into discovery -- advances in machine harvestability, disease resistance, timing of production, berries that taste good to people but not to gall midges, and yield. Unfortunately, international licensing has been portrayed in some circles as harmful to Florida farmers. I get asked about it by growers, as I did at a forum in at Gulf Coast REC a year and a half ago. I told him as I tell anyone who asks, that licensing is done with the Florida farmer in mind. When FFSP updated its licensing rules five years ago, we asked Florida’s agricultural leaders for input. They signed off on our international licensing strategy. Brittany Lee, president of the Florida Blueberry Growers Association, and Kenneth Parker, the Hillsborough Countybased executive director of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, both support our international berry licensing policies. We develop blueberries for Florida’s soil and conditions, not for Mexico’s or Peru’s. Florida farmers get first access to new UF/IFAS cultivars. And every licensee in a foreign country gives us a partner who shares our interest in protecting our intellectual property from theft by others in that country. The licensing revenue is the fuel for the innovation that created the Florida blueberry industry and will keep it profitable in Hillsborough and Polk counties for decades to come. Jack Payne is the University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Greenbacks – Whitebait –Scaled Sardines Capt. Woody Gore
Probably the number one live bait used in the bay area is a scaled sardine. Anglers call them greenbacks, whitebait, or sardines, but there all the same and should not be confused with the Threadfin Herring also found in the bay. To begin we need to know what greenbacks are. They are a fast growing, short-lived fish that complete their life span in a little more than one year and are common in both off-shore and near-shore waters along both Florida coasts. Locating them on an early spring and summer morning, your best bet is structure, bridges and buoys, and most of Tampa Bay’s grass flats. On calm mornings you can see them twinkling like raindrops on the surface with an occasional flip out of the water. A question often asked is, what is the difference between a greenback and a threadfin? When you look at them side-by-side it is not hard to distinguish one from the other. The sardine has a slightly larger head and eye, predominately-sharper belly, no ray from a dorsal fin, olive to dark green back, silver sides and belly and a faint dark spot on the upper gill plate. Now that we understand what they are how do you catch them? The most common practice is learning to and throwing a cast net. Cast nets are not difficult to throw, but you will need some instruction and a little practice. I would suggest having two mesh sizes 1/4 and 3/8 inch and nothing less than an 8 footer or more than a 10 footer as they are easier to throw than the shorter nets. A good net will cost you somewhere around $100. A quality net runs around $250. I’ve owned them all from the cheapest to the most expensive and believe me when I say a wellmade net is much easier to throw and lasts longer than the bargain discounts. One last point about a cast net is proper care, maintaining your net is vital to its casting and opening ability. So, when you’re cleaning your boat and tackle after a trip, be certain to wash your net with fresh water and store it away from direct sunlight. If you’re planning on netting bait what do you use to attract them? Chum is the answer. Ask ten live bait anglers what they use and you’ll get ten different answers. Anglers are always inventing their own special formulas which often requires some pretty fancy mixing and a variety of ingredients. Some I’ve heard included oatmeal, rice, macaroni, dog food, cat food, fish oil, anise, soybeans, grits, cornmeal, bread the list is endless. Probably the number one ingredient for any chum is the oil. Not any oil, but the most stomach-turning stinky kind you will ever put your hands in and if you get it on your clothing, it never comes out, called Menhaden fish oil. Well, I’m going to keep it simple with a sure-fire mixture I and many other captains have used for years. It works every time and it’s a fish food and saltwater combination. When you add the water be sure not to get it too soupy because you want some to float on top of the water. The one I buy comes from Smelt’s feeds in Ybor City and is manufactured by Purina. It comes in a 40-pound bag, and is the 45 percent mixture, which means it already contains menhaden fish oil.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Ok, let’s go get some bait. Position yourself on a grass flat, preferably near that tinkling water we talked about, and begin tossing small amounts of chum in that direction. The mixture should disperse thorWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
oughly, sink slowly and create a fine oil slick on top of the water, this attracts bait into the chummed area near your boat. Keep a close eye on the chummed area, as soon as you see a flash (just before daylight, we call em’ flashlights) you’re ready to make your throw. A Point of Safety, always use caution when removing pinfish and especially catfish from your net. Pins usually shake out of your net, however, catfish have sharp, barbed fins that always get tangled. So, it’s best to use a pair of pliers to break the pectoral and dorsal fin tips, which untangles the fish so it can be released. Now you can remove the fins from the net by pulling them forward with the pliers. But whatever you do, never leave the fins in the net! If by chance you get stuck or wounded with one of these fins, make certain to treat it immediately with a good disinfectant and watch it for infection. If it becomes infected you should seek medical attention immediately. I found after you net your bait and clean up it’s a good idea to wash your hand in alcohol and disinfectant soap. Tampa Bay is known to have both Mycobacterium Marinum (my·co·bac·te·ri·um) https://emedicine.medscape.com/ article/1105126-overview and Vibrio Vulnificus (VIB-ree-o / vul-NIF-i-cus) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibrio_vulnificus. So, you never know what you might contact from a pinfish fin or slimy catfish wound. And trust me, you certainly don’t want either of these. Look them up.
May 2019 Fishing Report Snook: The Tampa Bay Snook bite’s been excellent. Green-
backs, shrimp, pinfish and artificial lures are working, especially topwater’s early in the morning.
federal waters from the Pasco-Hernando county line south to Gordon Pass in Collier County.) Some good catches on incoming or outgoing tides around deep water flats are producing fish to 20 inches. As always, live free-lined greenback or shrimp are the best baits for trout. Using topwater popping plugs or soft plastic jerk baits and fishing broke bottom grass flats especially the grassy potholes can also offer artificial anglers some nice action.
Mackerel, Snapper, Sheepshead, Cobia: Mackerel are showing up around the bay and will only get better as the water warms and the Threadfins begin schooling. We’ve been seeing a few Cobias around, most are cruising markers or following large rays or manatees.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”
813-477-3814
Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the west central Florida areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Multi-boat Group Charters With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give me a call at 813-477-3814
Redfish: Redfish are popping up around the bay and pushing into shallower water as the tide climbs. As always large schools of mullet are good places to look. They are either inside the school or behind it. Greenbacks, small pinfish, shrimp and, for those that like pitching soft plastics and topwater’s around the mangroves, you can expect some great action on high incoming tides. Spotted Sea Trout: (Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission
Issued a News Release Stating That Effective Feb. 22-May 10, recreational anglers will no longer be able to harvest spotted seatrout over 20 inches total length when fishing in state or INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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GOV. DESANTIS AND CABINET ENJOY FRESH FROM FLORIDA BREAKFAST By Jim Frankowiak
The 2019 Florida State Fair began with the traditional “Fresh from Florida” breakfast, featuring traditional fare and a host of VIPS, including Governor Ron DeSantis, Agriculture Secretary Nikki Fried and other cabinet members.
The breakfast also showcased a number of Hillsborough County Ag “stars” such as the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.
The annual event, which is the first event of the fair, is always a great opportunity for networking among local Ag professionals and policymakers, as well as 4-H and FFA members who demonstrated some of their current projects.
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Among breakfast offerings were biscuit and sausage treats cooked by board members of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau.
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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
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A GROWING JOHN DEERE FAMILY:
Everglades Equipment Group Acquires Landscape Supply Company
ORLANDO
NEW LOCATIONS
ST. CLOUD
117 13th Street, 12049 S Orange Blossom Trail St. Cloud, FL 34769 Orlando, FL 32837 www.EvergladesEquipmentGroup.com
We believe our investment in good people, product availability, quality parts, outstanding service, and our focus on meeting our customers’ needs as efficiently and effectively as possible is the only way to keep you coming back. Our family initially began in farming and continues to operate a farming operation, so we understand what it takes to make a business a success! Mike Schlechter, President BELLE GLADE | BOYNTON BEACH | BROOKSVILLE | CLEARWATER | FORT MYERS | FORT PIERCE | IMMOKALEE | LEESBURG LOXAHATCHEE | NAPLES | ODESSA | OKEECHOBEE | ORLANDO | PALMETTO | PLANT CITY | SARASOTA | ST. CLOUD
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Co-sponsored by UF/IFAS Extension Polk County
This year the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association Trade Show and Ranch Rodeo, co-sponsored by UF/IFAS Polk County Extension, was held Saturday, February 16. The results of the Ranch Rodeo are listed below. Thanks to Lacey Waters for the amazing photos. We hope you enjoy them.
Overall Champion 2nd Place- Cattlemen’s Livestock Market Thank you Sponsor J&J Tack Shack
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Overall Champion- Raney Cattle Thank You Saddle Sponsors: Cattlemen’s Livestock Market Everglades Equipment Group KH Cattle Co Organic Matters Inc Saunders Real Estate
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Overall Champion 3rd Place- T6 Ranch Thank You Sponsor Mosaic Colt Riding Champion - Wyrsdick Ranch Thank You Sponsor Florida Farm & Ranch 2019
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Team Sorting Champion- TIE M&D Overstreet Ranch & Raney Cattle Thank You Sponsor Putnam Grove & Ranch Wild Cow Milking Champion M&D Overstreet Ranch Thank You Sponsor KH Cattle (Kerry Hammock and Family) Double Mugging Champion- Cattlemen’s Livestock Market Thank You Sponsor BB&T Bank! Calf Branding Champions-Raney Cattle Thank You Sponsor Labor Solutions Silver Sorting Champions Booger Woods Bunch Mike Fussell, David Hunt, Kerry Hammock
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Caimito has numerous common names including cainito, caimito, tar apple, star apple, purple star apple, golden leaf tree, abiaba, pomme de lait, estrella, milk fruit and aguay. Slugs have four noses In Cambodia, caimito is called “Plae Teuk Dos” which means milk fruit due to its milky juices inside. Sea otters hold each other’s paws when they sleep so they don’t drift apart. Beef fat, called tallow, is an ingredient in soaps, cosmetics, candles, shortenings, and chewing gum. An acre of land is about the same size as a football field. Raising beef cattle is the single largest segment of American agriculture. The heaviest turkey ever raised weighed 86 pounds, about the size of an average third-grader. One pound of wool can make 10 miles of yarn.
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“Mother Said” Most all of us can remember how our mother would always have an answer for any question we would ask. As a child I often questioned her answers, but the older I got the more I realized how smart she really was. I sometimes would miss school because of a cold, headache or some made up minor sickness. She could see through me like an open window. Usually I would start feeling better about the time school let out, and she would say, “If you’re too sick to go to school, you’re too sick to play outside.” Here are some of my mother’s favorite sayings; I don’t care what “everyone” is doing. I care what YOU are doing! I’m doing this for your own good! I’m going to skin you alive! I’m not going to ask you again. If it were a snake, it would have bitten you. If you could stay out last night, you can get up this morning. Over my dead body! Pick that up before somebody trips on it and breaks their neck! Pick up your feet. Put that down! You don’t know where it’s been! Say that again and I’ll wash your mouth out with soap. One of her funniest sayings was when she saw a person acting odd or wearing something outrageous was, “The sights you see when you haven’t got a gun.”
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How may of these have you heard before? A little soap & water never killed anybody. Always wear clean underwear in case you get in an accident.
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Answer me when I ask you a question. Are you going out dressed like that? Are your hands broken? Pick it up yourself! I’m not your maid. Bored! How can you be bored? I was never bored at your age. Clean up after yourself. Cupcakes are NOT a breakfast food. Did you clean your room? Did you flush the toilet? Do you live to annoy me? Do you think this is a hotel? You can’t just come here only to sleep. Don’t ask me WHY. The answer is NO. Don’t cross your eyes or they’ll freeze that way. Don’t EVER let me catch you doing that again! Don’t make me come in there. Don’t run with a lollipop in your mouth. Don’t stay up too late. Don’t use that tone with me. Don’t you have anything better to do? Go ask your father. Go to your room and think about what you did. How can you have nothing to wear? Your closet is FULL of clothes. How many times do I have to tell you? I can always tell when you’re lying. My mother said a lot a lot of things, but the one that I remember the most is; “Never look down on anyone, unless it is to offer your hand to help them up.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
My mother had a way to keep me under control. When I was about six years old I went through a phase of flicking the lights in our house on and off continuously. This was in the early 40s during World War II, so Mom convinced me to stop by telling me that doing so would send a signal to the Germans to bomb our house. That did the trick. A friend of mine a few cabins down from me on Moon Ridge in Blairsville, GA is an interesting person. One afternoon we engaged in a conversation about our mothers. He said when he was a child his mother always turned the cold water tap on first thing each morning, and let it run for a minute or so. She said she did that to clear the pipes of the stale water from the night before. He said there were no copper pipes in those days, all lead, but she didn’t know that. She also cleaned her carpets by sprinkling tea leaves all over them, then brushing the carpet with a stiff brush. He said it was years before she ever got a vacuum cleaner. If he said he was hungry between meals she would give him a slice of bread and butter and a glass of water. He smiled and looked up at the sky and said, “One day she came over to visit me, and as she was leaving it started to rain. I gave her my umbrella to walk home
WISHING YOU A
with. About a week later I stopped in to see her. I was surprised to see my umbrella wide open in her living room by the window. She told me that she had been waiting for a rainy day to bring it back to me, as she couldn’t get the cockeyed thing closed! A guy shopping in a supermarket noticed a little old lady following him around. If he stopped, she stopped. Furthermore she kept staring at him. She finally overtook him at the checkout, and she turned to him and said, “I hope I haven’t made you feel ill at ease; it’s just that you look so much like my late son.” He answered, “That’s okay.” “I know it’s silly, but if you’d call out ‘Goodbye, Mom’ as I leave the store, it would make me feel so happy.” She then went through the checkout ... and as she was on her way out of the store, the man called out, “Goodbye, Mother.” The little old lady waved and smiled back at him. Pleased that he had brought a little sunshine into someone’s day, he went to pay for his groceries. “That comes to $121.85,” said the clerk. “How come so much? I only bought five items.” The clerk replied, “Yeah, but your Mother said you’d pay for her things, too.” We all love our mothers. My mother taught me about STAMINA. “You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.”
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UF Nutrition Education Program Celebrates 50 Years of Helping Floridians Eat Healthier By Samantha Grenrock
An EFNEP class in Palm Beach County. UF/IFAS photo by Camila Guillen March is National Nutrition Month, a reminder that we can all do better when it comes to eating right. But if resources are limited, it can be hard for individuals and families to access nutritious foods and practice other healthy habits, experts say. That’s why a nation-wide community nutrition education program has worked for the last 50 years to help low-income Americans improve their health through nutrition education. “Our goal is to help reduce the health disparities often associated with those who have limited financial resources,” said Karla Shelnutt, principal investigator for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) in the state of Florida. “To do that, we help participants gain the knowledge and skills they need to make better food and lifestyle choices, all while stretching their food dollars.” EFNEP serves six Florida counties—Escambia, Seminole, Hillsborough, Polk, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade—through the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension. In 1969, the U.S. Congress established EFNEP in all 50 states and U.S. territories, where it’s administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and implemented nationally by land grant universities such as UF. “Part of the land grant mission is to extend knowledge to all residents so they can improve their lives,” said Nick Place, dean of UF/IFAS Extension. “EFNEP has had remarkable success in this area. Those who complete the program experience measurable, positive changes in behavior. That ultimately leads to reduced healthcare costs and greater food security,” Place said. Here are some of the statewide impacts for 2018:
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• More than 3,700 adults and 6,200 youth graduated from EFNEP • 85 percent of adults and 95 percent of youth graduates improved food choices. Compare this to the 82 percent of
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Floridians who don’t eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. • 58 percent of adults and 20 percent of youth improved their food security. In Florida, 14 percent of the population is food insecure. • 86 percent of adults and 46 percent of youth improved food resource management practices, such as cooking more meals at home. • 88 percent of adults and 53 percent of youth improved food safety practices. • 86 percent of adults and 56 percent of youth increased physical activity. EFNEP is taught as a series of free classes where participants get hands-on experience selecting, preparing and sampling various nutritious ingredients and meals. Participants also learn how to be smarter grocery shoppers and how to practice food safety. “A big part of what makes EFNEP so effective is its strong ties to the communities it serves,” Shelnutt said. “One key to our success has been our dedicated peer educators, who come from the communities served by the program. They are able to develop meaningful relationships that help our participants learn and change behaviors. Our partnerships with local community organizations help us reach underserved residents, and we’re especially grateful for these collaborations over the last 50 years,” she said. EFNEP partners with a variety of organizations, from food pantries and farmers markets, to faith-based organizations and libraries. To learn about EFNEP in your area, visit efnep.ifas.ufl.edu. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Part 54 By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida Welcome back to the Literary Time Machine where we venture back to 1926 for ornamental gardening advice from Mr. Charles Torrey Simpson. This month, we will focus on what he has deemed Exotic Vines and Creepers. Perhaps we will discover some unique vines to decorate our borders and trellises, or maybe we’ll find out when some of the invasive species we battle today made their way into our great state. Regardless, we can rest assured that as we travel back in time, we will learn something new! His list for exotic vines and creepers begins with Abrus precatorius, otherwise known as Crab’s eye vine. He writes, “A tall growing vine with delicately beautiful, soft, pinnate leaves and inconspicuous flowers which are followed by small pods containing rounded beans. The pods open and twist out when the seeds are ripe and they are a brilliant red with a black eyevery pretty. Although so delicate the vine is a rampant grower and it soon covers the trees over which it climbs with a beautiful sheet of soft, rich green.”¹ We read that description and immediately are concerned about this vine’s potentially invasive nature. So, it is no surprise that he continues, “Yet I have no hesitation in pronouncing this innocent looking thing one of nature’s masterpieces in the way of nuisances. The roots, which have a tremendous hold on the soil, rob it and the mantle of the soft foliage smothers the tree over which it climbs. When it has reached a very moderate height it blooms and seeds, displaying its lovely beans and asking every bird to come and eat them and the invitation is very generally accepted. The birds usually carry a few away in their beaks and as they are smooth and the mouth is filled with saliva one or more is sure to drop out as they fly and fall to the ground- to establish the vine in new quarters- a most cunning trick on the part of the vine.”¹ We’re not sure if birds actually have saliva that makes them drop things from their mouths, but the imagery is quite amusing. And, his personification of the vine, labeling it cunning, made us chuckle. Given his final summation of the plant, we are forced to think it is indeed a pest and nuisance as he writes, “As a result of this I have been making an almost hopeless fight for ten years to rid myself of this “Old Man of the Sea” that has taken possession of the land.”¹ A quick search shows that according to USF, this is indeed an invasive species here. So, Mr. Simpson was right to call it a nuisance.
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However, we also noted, via the search, that there are some pieces of medicinal value associated with the Crab’s eye vine. Though the seeds are labeled as extremely poisonous, they are used, along with the leaves, to treat a variety of physical ailments. In fact, they have been used for ulcers, dysentery, alopecia, headaches, and nervous disorders. This is because they possess antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabet-
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ic properties, among other things. Medicinal uses for this plant are applied in: Africa, Cambodia, Brazil, Afghanistan, Haiti, India, Guam, Jamaica, Taiwan, and Pakistan, along with many other countries.² Moving on from one negative vine to another is what we find as we read about Agdestes clematida. Mr. Simpson pens, “A rapid growing and very pretty vine…Late in the summer it is covered with an immense quantity of small, pure white, rather fragrant flowers, and is, at that time, a wonderful object. But I am not sure but it should be classed with the crab’s eye as a nuisance. The whole plant, aside from the flowers, has an evil, oniony smell so that it is unfit for porch decoration. When established it forms tubers filled with this unpleasant smell as large as a bushel basket and these divide and set off new ones without limit. If the vines touch ground they at once root and develop tubers and these make more vines until in a short time the plant has taken possession of everything and only a bitter and long continued fight will rid one of it. It is all right planted somewhere where it cannot spread and inflict its disagreeable smell on the passer-by.”¹ After a little digging, it is obvious that this introduced species is just as, if not more so, invasive as the crab’s eye vine. It is known to initiate ecosystem change while altering the habitat in which is resides. Due to that, it reduces our native biodiversity and is a threat to native species. It grows rapidly, potentially reaching up to 50 feet each year. In Cuba it is considered one of 100 most noxious plants due to the extremely unpleasant odor. With regards to its prevalence in Florida, 1985 marks the year that it was reported as having escaped from cultivation.³ Though we wish this trip could have been more pleasant, it does help us to know what plants to avoid. Fight the good fight of eliminating invasive species. Until next time, happy gardening! Resources: ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardening in Florida. Published by the Author; Little River, FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New York. (p. 178-180). ²Health Benefits Times. Crab’s eye- Abrus precatorius. https:// www.healthbenefitstimes.com/crabs-eye/nggallery/pid-crabs-eye-10/ ³CABI Invasive Species Compendium. Agdestis clematidea (rockroot). https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/119791 Photo Credit: Donald, Margaret. (2018). PC050027. Cayratia clematidea. (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/2dn5oAi (Note: this is the closest image to the Agdestis clematidea we could find) Worthingon, Len. (2013). Abrus precatorius Crab’s Eye. (Flickr). https://flic.kr/p/qJRnnf WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Hannah Cline
Polk County Cattlemen’s Sweetheart
By Melissa Nichols
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Long before this month’s feature story was a twinkle in her parents’ eye, a legacy was born, one that the current Polk County Cattlemen’s Sweetheart is proud to carry on. A legacy that goes back several generations and over 150 years. This legacy begins with her great grandfather and those who came before him. With family members who were residents of Polk County long before it was recognized as a county and before Florida became a state. The Fussell, Combee, Byrd and Sloan families are all names well known and recognized in the history of our area.
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Hannah Cline is the youngest daughter of Dan and Sheri Cline of Polk City. She has spent her entire life living on and helping out at the family’s ranch, land that was the handed down to carry on the legacy left by her maternal great grandfather, Peter Monroe, better known as P.M. Fussell. P.M. is the first born son of L.W. Fussell and Pheobe Byrd Fussell (daughter of Peter Byrd and Azeline Sloan). P.M. was born in a log cabin three miles north of Polk City, he attended a one room school house in Polk City. P.M married Artice Combee (daughter of Henry and Beulah Combee another pioneer WWW.IIN NT THE HEF FIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
family of Polk County.) Over the years P.M. played a large role in developing the community, he helped lay out the clay for the first streets in Polk City, he helped clear the land for the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. In his younger days he was a range rider in a day in time that cattle roamed free and there were no fences. In 1975 P.M. traveled with the Agricultural Commissioner, Doyle Connor to the Orient on an Agricultural Trade Mission. He served as the President of the Cattlemen’s Association of Polk County and for his faithful service to the cattle industry of Florida he was named an honorary director of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association in 1980. After his passing General Van Fleet was quoted saying “There will never be another man like Mr. P.M.” Over a 14 year period of time the Cline children raised 27 steers, 8 heifers and 1 bull, all shown at the Polk County Youth Fair. The Cline kids have been a staple in the barn for many years and in the last few years Hannah has come back to help out with the steer show just to stay involved in something she is very passionate about. The annual family vacation for the Cline family is the annual Cattlemen’s State Convention where they have participated for as long as they can remember. Hannah, the youngest of the Cline children, has shown six steers, several heifers and a bull at the youth fair herself. “Shari and I have been privileged to watch Hannah grow and mature into the young lady that she is today. It’s been a pleasure to see her passionate about raising beef cattle. I recall a few years ago when one of her cows was having problems calving. Her brother Peter and I had to help the cow deliver the calf. Unfortunately the calf didn’t survive and Hannah felt the agony. But she was very stoic in her actions. I was very proud of her. She is a very sweet and kindhearted young lady. But she has grit,” said David Byrd. It is often said that the Fussell family is the family who founded Polk City. Sheri Cline is one of the twelve grandchildren of P.M.. The Cline family is the next generation of this family to carry on the legacy of P.M. They have a commercial cow calf operation in which the entire family plays a part. Dan and Sheri have five children Daniel Jr, Joshua, Peter, Rebekah and
Hannah’s goal this year is to promote the health benefits that beef provides. She has future plans to go into nursing so she plans to capitalize on the nutritional benefits of beef and how it can help sustain a healthy diet. Her career goal of being a nurse is to help people who cannot help themselves. “It’s something I am passionate about and I want to make a difference and do something that is important,” said Hannah “I can recall in the early days when Hannah was a little girl and we would ride the pastures and Hannah would be able to tell us which calf went to which cow and when we ended raising our own replacement heifers she would still remember which heifer belonged to each cow years later,” said her father Dan, a 42 year employee of Publix. Hannah is truly excited to carry on the legacy that was set for her long before she was born. She truly is a great representation of what a Cattlemen’s Sweetheart should be, she has a heart for service and giving back as she is an active member of First Baptist Church at the Mall where the family has been members as long as she can remember. Hannah volunteers with Awanas and is currently preparing for her first missions trip to Costa Rica. Hannah is currently attending Polk State where she plans to continue her education with a goal of being a registered nurse. Hannah Cline is much more than a educated, Godly young woman, she is real, she is not afraid to put the work into things she is involved in, she is kind and loyal, not only to her friends and family, but all of those around her. This is an exciting year for her to carry on the legacy.
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Hannah. Over the years the Cline children have shown cattle as well as being instrumental in the family’s ranch operations. It is no wonder that Hannah decided to run for the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association Sweetheart with the long line of cattlemen in her family. She said she was encouraged by family friend Mike Tomkow, who told her that her passion for the industry would make her the perfect candidate to run for sweetheart and promote the industry.
Florida
Caimito By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
The caimito, or star apple, is a tropical fruit that is now in season in Florida. Also known as milk fruit, golden leaf tree, and purple star fruit, this fruit is a relative of the mamey sapote and the canistel. The fruit is round to oval in shape and about three inches in diameter. The outer peel may be purple or green in color and is smooth, glossy, and leathery. The inner pulp is white, soft, and milky surrounding 6 to 11 seeds. When cut open, the seeds appear in a star-shaped pattern. Neither the skin or the seeds are edible. The caimito is delicious eaten fresh out of hand, and is high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. This tropical fruit can also be made into smoothies, fruit salads, and sorbets.
Nutritional Profile Caimito is not only delicious, but also nutritious. It contains high amounts of vitamin C, calcium, and phosphorus. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one average size fruit (100 g) of star apple contains roughly 67 calories, 1 g of protein, 0.3 g of fat, 14 g of carbohydrate, and 3 g of fiber. It also provides significant amounts of vitamin C, niacin, iron, and phosphorus.
Vitamin C and immune system
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Fresh Florida star apples are a good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant which has many important functions in the body. Eating foods high in vitamin C significantly raises the amount of iron your body absorbs, which is a good way to prevent anemia. Vitamin C also supports the body’s immune system in its ability to fight infections and viruses, and may possibly shorten the duration and intensity of a cold. Additionally, this vitamin is involved in keeping capillaries, gums, and skin healthy and supple.
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Fiber and regulating blood sugar Star apples contain phytonutrients, natural chemicals found in plants, which function in many beneficial ways. Some of these can help regulate blood sugar by slowing the speed and amount of breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. Polyphenols also decrease how much sugar your body absorbs from the food eaten. Additionally, these compounds help muscles take up more sugar from the blood to use as fuel. The dietary fiber in star apples can also help prevent blood sugar spikes.
How to select and store Choose star apples that are slightly firm but yield to gentle pressure. Select fruit that is free of bruises or broken skin. Interestingly, this fruit does not fall from the tree when ripe, so it must be harvested by hand when mature. Star apples are ripe when the outer peel turns a dull purple or green color and is slightly wrinkled and soft.
How to enjoy Cut the fruit in half and spoon out the pulp. Discard the seeds, core, and peel. The pulp is sweet and delicious when chilled. Other ways to enjoy this tropical fruit are: • Blend the flesh with milk for a fruit shake • Blend frozen fruit into a sorbet • Use the pulp for ice cream • Slice and add to fruit salad or platter • Chop and add to cereal or yogurt Enjoy delicious, nutritious star apple during Florida’s peak season today.
Selected References http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://www.hort.purdue.edu/
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NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
New State FSA Executive Director Named Sherry McCorkle is the new State Executive Directive for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Florida/U.S. Virgin Islands Farm Service Agency (FSA). McCorkle most recently served as the deputy district director for Congressman Thomas J. Rooney and Representative Gregory Steube where she was involved in all aspects of legislative, public and community relations. The FSA serves farmers, ranchers and agricultural partners through the delivery of effective and efficient agricultural programs. The agency offers farmers a safety net through the administration of farm commodity and disaster programs, as well as providing credit to agricultural producers who are unable to receive private, commercial credit, including special emphasis on beginning, underserved and women farmers and ranchers.
“Field to the Hill” Advocacy Trip Set for May 14-16 Florida Farm Bureau’s annual “Field to the Hill” advocacy trip to Washington, D.C. is scheduled for May 14-16. The trip permits Florida’s strong ‘Voice of Agriculture’ to be heard in the halls of Congress. Attendees are responsible for airfare, lodging and other related trip costs. The cost share application and deadline for county Farm Bureaus will soon be available.
Biosolids Committee Makes Recommendations to FDEP Florida Farm Bureau represented agriculture on the sevenmember Biosolids Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) formed last year by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to address various aspects of the management of biosolids use in the Florida TAC met five times since last September and was focused on options for biosolids management; improving biosolids management to ensure environmental protection and determining what research is needed to improve biosolids management. TAC deliberations and public comments led to a series of recommendations now under FDEP consideration.
lination Best Practices in Southern Highbush Blueberry in Florida. This publication discusses the various blueberry pollinators in Florida, issues that can lead to poor pollination and some practices for increasing pollination effectiveness. It can be access at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN123700.pdf.
Flavors of Florida April 11 The 6th Annual Flavors of Florida event is set for April 11 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Champions Club at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. The event, which benefits the Field & Fork Program, provides the opportunity for attendees to be among the first to taste the new Florida crops, varieties and products. Additional information and registration are available at: https// fieldandfork.ufl.edu.
Fancy Farms Wins 4R Advocate Award Fancy Farms strawberry farm is one of five national winners of the Fertilizer Institute’s 4R Advocate Award for 2019. The honor recognizes the Grooms’ family for implementing fertilizer management practices that increase production while reducing environmental impact. 4R stands for right source, right rate, right time and right place.
Farm Bureau Asks for Support of the New Clean Water Rule Farm Bureau is asking for your support of the revised definition of “waters of the United States,” which would clarify regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act, meaning there would be no need for a lawyer or consultant to help you know what is and what is not regulated. Comment via www.epa.gov.
Hillsborough County Extension Hosting Cool Season Forage Field Day March 29 UF/IFAS Extension is hosting a Cool Season Forage Field Day March 29 at the Hillsborough County Fair Grounds, 215 Sydney6 Washer Road in Dover. Topics include Cool Season Forage Biology, Forage Options, Forage Economics, Weed Management and more. Registration, which costs $15 and includes lunch and materials, may be made by calling: 813-7545519 or on the web at https://bit.ly/2FQcAPZ.
NEW UF EDIS PUBLICATION COVERS POLLINATION BEST PRACTICES IN SOUTHERN HIGH BUSH BLUEBERRY The University of Florida Electronic Data Information Service (UF EDIS) has announced release of a new publication, Pol-
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Cattle • Truck Farming • Citrus • Game Hunting
UF Scientists Sequence Vanilla Genome, Could Support Domestic Industry By Brad Buck University of Florida scientists have sequenced the genome of Vanilla, which will help them select the best types for breeding new varieties of the popular plant to grow in Florida.
By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff
Horse Theft Investigation
Some consumers crave vanilla. The U.S. leads the world in imported vanilla beans, said Alan Chambers, an assistant professor of tropical fruit breeding and genetics at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Madagascar grows about 80 percent of the world’s vanilla, but that island lies thousands of miles from the companies that buy vanilla beans and convert them to extract. That’s why Chambers is leading a group of scientists trying to develop new Vanilla varieties to grow in Florida. In new research published in the journal Scientific Reports, Chambers and Elias Bassil -- a UF/IFAS assistant professor of plant stress physiology -- led a group of researchers that established a Vanilla collection with 112 potentially unique individuals. These individual plants create the basis from which a scientist can select the best plant for commercialization and genes needed to produce ideal Vanilla varieties through conventional breeding, Chambers said. With the new findings, researchers can see which types of Vanilla grow best in Florida and which might have useful genetics for plant breeding. In their research, scientists also constructed a “draft genome” of Vanilla DNA, a basic version of all of the DNA in Vanilla.
Theft investigations in our farm and rural areas can be tough to solve because of the lack of evidence and remote locations. Tough, but not impossible. Currently, we’re trying to find two horses stolen right out of their pasture in Winter Haven. We need folks in the agriculture community to please spread the word and if you see something strange, say something. Your tip could help us solve the crime and get these horses back to their owners safely. The horses are a 25-year-old bay gelding quarter horse and an 18-year-old gray quarter horse. They were stolen sometime between 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19, and 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 20, 2019. The suspect(s) cut the padlock on the chained gate at the entrance to the fenced pasture south of 2130 Crump Road in Winter Haven, entered the property, loaded the two horses onto the victim’s horse trailer, and stole the animals and the trailer. The suspect(s) also stole tack from the barn, including four saddles, bridles, ropes, and other supplies. Please keep your eye out for a gray-colored horse trailer, 3 horse slant, steel structure with a tack room on the front, with FL tag 739 NPH. The trailer was attached to an unknown type vehicle, and evidence at the scene indicates the vehicle left the area heading west.
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If anyone has information about this theft they are urged to contact Detective Scarborough at 863-860-7731. Or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a CASH REWARD contact Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477). Anonymity is guaranteed! Visit www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com. Download the free “P3tips” app on your device.
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The genome is all the DNA in an organism that contains the instructions for how it should do everything. For vanilla, this includes functions like how to make leaves or roots, how the plant responds to pathogens and how the plants make the aroma of the beans, said Chambers, a faculty member at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida. Chambers described the findings and their implications in simple terms. “If a genome was a car, a draft genome would be a basic vehicle with no frills -- no radio, no air conditioning, no power windows,” he said. “It does some things just fine, like getting you to work. The next step is to go from the basic vehicle to a luxury sports car.” “So, while it’s only a draft genome, it’s a great resource for the scientific community,” he said. Some surprises from this study included the identification of Vanilla hybrids between different species, Chambers said. In the U.S. and Europe, you can only use two types of Vanilla beans -- Vanilla planifolia and Tahitian vanilla -- and call it “vanilla extract,” he said. This study identifies those individual plants that would clearly fall within these labeling requirements and allow a grower to access premium markets within the current regulatory framework. Chambers envisions specialty market opportunities for South Florida farmers who want to grow Vanilla. “Alternatively, the identified hybrids could represent a unique branding opportunity if a grower wants to produce something unique in all the world,” Chambers said. “These hybrids will most likely have distinct aromas and disease resistance. Now we can focus on a handful of promising Vanilla types to accelerate our objective to bring Vanilla cultivation in Florida one step closer to reality.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
GCREC HOSTS POLK COUNTY READING COUNCIL “STRAWBERRY STORYBOOK STROLL” By Jim Frankowiak | Photo Credit Jan Jackson
The University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) recently hosted a meeting of the Polk County Reading Council, which is “interested in connecting with agricultural literacies in our local communities for this meeting,” said Council President Lindsay Persohn. The Council named the event, the “Strawberry Storybook Stroll.” The Polk County Reading Council was established in 2008 by a group interested in promoting and supported literacy in Polk County. “Our membership is comprised of mostly teachers, but open to anyone who would like to further their own understanding of literacy in and around our communities,” said Persohn. “Around four times a year, we meet in various locations in and around Polk County to understand the local experiences of many kinds of literacies in order to enrich connections between the teaching of literacies and our own lives. We also support the community in literacy endeavors of all kinds by volunteering our time for events and initiatives.” The GCREC is a 475-acre facility located in Wimauma in south central Hillsborough County. The Center has as its mission “to develop and share new science-based information and technology that will help Florida’s agricultural industry compete in a global marketplace.” Researchers and scientists at the Center work diligently to maintain and enhance the quality of Florida’s natural resources and agriculture. The researchers, who specialize in different disciplines, work on a variety of ever-changing projects from breeding new, disease-tolerant fruit and vegetable varieties to developing new treatments to control weeds. The Center features working research fields and state-of-the-art clean housing and laboratory facilities.
In addition to a light breakfast, presentation about the science of strawberries, a strawberry tasting and a u-pick experience, Council members had the opportunity to see a dramatic presentation of Lois Lenski’s 1945 classic book, Strawberry Girl, by local actors Anna Cotton and Anna Yates. Lenski traveled to central Florida to collect personal accounts of rural life in order to write the book. Approximately 100 attended the event, including local teachers, pre-service teachers (interns), their guests and their children. The Council is affiliated with the Florida Literacy Association and the International Literacy Association. “We strive to offer programming relevant to the needs and curiosities of educators in venues significant to the cultural heritage of Polk County,” said Persohn. The Council is a 501c-3 non-profit organization. Persohn also noted that since 2010 the Council’s members have been collecting books for children and their caregivers, and is currently partnering with Polk County Schools’ Library Media Services to maintain a stock of books available for Little Free Libraries in the communities of the county. For more information about the Council, visit: http://www.polkcountyreadingcouncil.org.
“Many of our members take what they learn at our meetings and bring the ideas to their classrooms to help expanded students’ view and make connections to local interests. We held the meeting on a Saturday to give our members the opportunity to enjoy all the GCREC can offer. Our meetings are typically held in the evening, but our Board of Directors did not feel we could travel to the GCREC and have any richness of experience in one evening. Also, our members are free to bring the children in their lives to learn about the science of strawberries, make connections to a classic children’s book and pick their own berries,” Persohn said. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Spring Has Sprung (Sort of!)
by John Dicks
It’s Springtime! The sun is shining. Flowers are blooming. Bees are buzzing. Birds are singing. Not too hot. Not too cold. What a great time of year. As Goldilocks famously quipped, “It’s just right!” By adding the word “time” to “spring” extends things for a whole season. Springtime arrives early for us Floridians and fortunately lasts for several weeks, enabling a love for life to enjoy, all before the sweltering of summer and the unwelcome arrival of hurricane season. Technically, though, spring sneaks in at a precise moment in time. It’s marked on the calendar as the vernal equinox, when the sun’s shadow crosses our earth’s equator on its path heading north. Because of the tilted orbit we travel, riding our earth’s rotation and revolving around the sun each year, twice during the journey we reach a spot where our north and south poles are equally the same distance from the sun. This equality lends to sunshine and daylight lasting equally as long as night. Hence it gets the name of equinox, meaning equal night, as in all things are equal. All of that Daylight Saving Time stuff comes later when humans attempt to tinker with celestial events! Twice each year the equinox happens. Once for spring, titled the vernal equinox, and the other in the fall, known as the autumnal equinox. Of course these equinoxes make their presence known some six months apart. The vernal one celebrates equality about March 20, and the autumnal shines about September 20. It’s “about” the 20th of those months only because our earth’s race in its revolution around the sun takes slightly more than the 365 days in our calendar
year. Precisely (or not so), it’s about six hours longer than the calendar year would provide. That’s how we get a leap year. Those six extra hours each year are sort of stored up for four years in a row. Then they get “used” in a leap year, on February 29, every four years. Coincidentally (or not), that makes every Presidential year a Leap Year. Next year, 2020, will be one, as was 2016. Personally, I think it was all planned to give TV stations an extra day each Leap Year to air ever more political ads, reaping that much more money in profits from the negative campaigning! Well, maybe not; but it certainly seems so. Regardless of the storing up of six extra hours each year to make for an extra day each Leap Year just to straighten things out, it should be noted that scientists pay no attention to such shenanigans and are determined to predict the precise moment in time the Equinox(es) will occur in a given year. Mathematically, the spring equinox will always fall between March 19 and March 21. This year, it’s predicted that we will hit the precise 1/4 spot of our journey around the sun on March 20 at 5:58 pm EDT. So precise are their measurements that we also now know that spring will have sprung in 2020 exactly at 11:49 pm EDT on March 19. Mind you, it means that at nearly midnight next year, in the middle of the night, our earth will have moved to a spot in its orbit that the next day will be as long as its next night! It’s enough to make your head spin! Incidentally, this year’s equinox is considered to be extra special because it coincides with the same date as the peaking of March’s full moon. That rarely happens, and further, it’s also a supermoon, meaning that it’s at its closest to earth in its orbit around us, appearing bigger and brighter in the sky. It all means that Spring this year makes for a very busy day (and night)!
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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a blueberry farm and have agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!” John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his law degree from Florida State University. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Plant City, where he served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
Dinosaur Style Fish:
Atlantic Sturgeon
By Ginny Mink Everyone is gearing up for a great season of fishing, so it seemed prudent to advise you about a fish that is endangered in our waters. The Atlantic Sturgeon is Federally Endangered and thereby equally endangered here. So, while you might be thrilled to catch a rather large version of this fish, it is definitely one of those you must throw back. Sorry, anglers! According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Atlantic sturgeon is just one of seven types of sturgeons found in North America. Sturgeons, in case you didn’t know, are a prehistoric fish. The way they look is incredibly unique as they have cartilage-based skeletons like sharks and rays, but instead of scales or denticles, they have scutes (which are basically body armor). They don’t have teeth, and kind of like catfish they have barbels beneath their snouts. And, their mouths are similar to what you find on sucker fish.¹
Overharvesting has been the key threat to the existence of the Atlantic sturgeon in the past, but since the inception of this fish on the endangered species list, new problems have been noted. Dams are potentially dangerous to prolonged existence for sturgeon as they prevent them from reaching the rivers of their births. Of course, there is also the threat of habitat destruction because sturgeon particularly appreciate those river areas that are at risk for being dredged. Dredging can both destroy and suffocate sturgeon eggs, which adhere to objects near the bottom of these rivers.¹
In January of 2012, the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), published an article by Brad Sewell, suggesting that Atlantic sturgeon was making a slow but definitive comeback. He describes them as armor-plated fish with the ability to grow to 14 feet in length while potentially weighing in at more than 800 pounds. He reveals that the NRDC filed a petition in the fall of 2009 to have the Atlantic sturgeon listed on the Endangered Species Act but they were not added to the list until 2012. Historically, he adds, in the 1800s there were vast numbers swimming in the rivers between Florida and Maine. Unfortunately, as of 2012, there were only two rivers that were home to at least 300 sexually mature Atlantic sturgeon.²
Keep in mind that sturgeon are also vulnerable to being caught accidentally, what is known as bycatch. Gill nets that are placed near the ocean floor can entrap and suffocate them. But there are other issues that are less obvious. Low dissolved oxygen levels caused by high levels of pollutants like phosphorous and nitrogen put them at extreme risk. The algal blooms that result in the midst of eutrophication, when the pollutants are high, leech the necessary oxygen from the water creating a damaging barrier to their spawning journeys. These areas are called hypoxic zones, and though invisible to us, they are a serious factor in the decline of this prehistoric species.²
Washington Post writer, Juliet Eilperin, says that a big factor in the decline of the sturgeon has been due to humans’ desire to target them for caviar. Over-fishing caused the numbers of these creatures to be severely depleted as far back as the late 1800s. All the more troublesome is the fact that by the 1970s, sturgeon previously located in the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers had been deemed extinct. Thankfully, with serious effort from the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, more than 115,000 have been reintroduced to those areas.³
We understand the value of God’s creatures and when we consider the fact that a fish who once swam with the dinosaurs, and even outlived them, is in danger due to our own carelessness, it’s time to rethink our positions as stewards of this planet. Let’s ensure that our children have the ability to appreciate a fish that has outlived their favorite dinosaurs.
Sturgeon are bottom feeders. Their diets are mostly made up of marine worms, grass shrimp, brachiopods, crabs, and lancets. They generally gorge themselves between fall and spring while they are living in salt and brackish waters. When they move on to fresh water, it appears they fast. While they are in the freshwater, typically the rivers in which they were born, they will spawn. This is usually during the Spring because pH, temperature, and water flow are at optimum levels for procreation. However, if they return to the rivers and things are not at that optimum level, they will skip the spawning process all together.¹ Sturgeon take a really long time to reach reproductive maturity. They are like salmon in that they are anadramous, meaning that they migrate upstream, fighting against the natural flow of the rivers of their birth. They remain at sea until they are prepared to spawn, this takes females an average of 15 years. PAGE
And, these females do not reproduce each year, in fact they do so in intervals of two to five years. Considering the fact that Atlantic sturgeon can live to be 60 years old, there’s three decades that pass before a female has been able to reach half her procreative potential.²
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Resources: ¹Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus). https://myfwc. com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/freshwater/atlantic-sturgeon/ ²Sewell, B. (2012). Officially Listed as Endangered, Sturgeon Are on the Slow Way Back. NRDC. https://www.nrdc.org/ experts/brad-sewell/officially-listed-endangered-sturgeonare-slow-way-back ³Eilperin, J. (2012). Atlantic Sturgeon listed as endangered species. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/atlantic-sturgeon-listedas-endangered-species/2012/02/01/gIQARbAmiQ_story. html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.6fa7d7e47b6b Photo Credits: USFWS Fish and Aquatics Conservation. (2012). Atlantic Sturgeon Broodfish. (Flickr) https://flic.kr/p/hSBahp Virginia State Parks. (2012). Making a comeback. (Flickr) https:// flic.kr/p/dAjm7u WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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A Closer Look
by Sean Green
Giant Katydid (Stilpnochlora couloniana)
The sounds of Spring are approaching. Soon our nights will be filled with a chorus of wildlife that is characteristic of the Deep South. Kicking it off is a large insect commonly known as the Giant Katydid. This insect is the largest katydid in the United States measuring over 2 ½ inches with wings at rest. The Giant Katydid (Stilpnochlora couloniana) is more closely related to crickets than grasshoppers and is a member of the genus phaneropterine (false katydids). This month we will take a closer look at the Giant Katydid, a somewhat rare treat found only in the Isle of Pines in Cuba and as far north as Gainesville in Florida (Entomological News, Mar 2017). This species was first described by George Marcgraf from a Brazilian specimen in 1648. Most species are found in the tropical neotropics, which roughly begins just south of Bradenton and extends through south Florida and into the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Grenada, Trinidad, and Jamaica. The Giant Katydid in the one species that can be found in the Nearctic region of Florida as far north as Gainesville. Illustrations as early as 1725 (Sloane) and 1800 (Shaw) indicate that it was first known as the Bay Leaf Locust. We know of over 250 species of katydid in North America, nearly half of which are in the Tettigoniinae (shieldbacks) family and among the shieldbacks, there are 15 species of Stilpnochlora, but none as large as the Giant Katydid (Stilpnochlora couloniana). This insect, though imposing, is harmless to human beings; in fact, it has become a popular pet and classroom addition. One of the fascinating characteristics of this insect is its ability to avoid becoming food for potential predators by fooling them. In evolutionary biology, some species evolve to resemble (mimic) another organism or object. The Giant Katydid mimics spiders in its earliest stages of life (instars) and when finally becoming an adult, the Giant Katydid looks like a large leaf. Katydids are active at night; during the day they rest high up in the crowns of host trees such as oak, bramble, or hazel but can occasionally be found foraging in shrubs of hypericum, butterfly bush (Buddleja), apple, rose and hawthorn. Beginning at dusk and continuing to the morning, males create their
The giant katydid is among the largest of all insects and are often kept as pets. There are some species of katydid that are carnivorous and vicious predators, those that are carnivores can be recognized the by the spikes on their legs which are used for capturing prey. The Giant Katydid, however, is a strict herbivore feeding only on a variety of trees and shrubs and is quite harmless to human beings. It’s no surprise that this insect has become a popular pet and is sometimes kept in the classroom for students to observe. The average lifespan of the giant katydid is about one year from birth through adult. In our tropical Florida environment this species is capable of producing offspring twice a year. These insects are easy to rear and will breed readily so long as they are kept in a habitat of about 10 square inches per insect. The humidity will have to be kept high to mimic a tropical environment if they are kept indoors with air-conditioning. They will need fresh leaf cuttings every day for food and a rough substrate, preferably bark from one of its host trees on which the females can lay eggs. Keep in mind, these insects are excellent jumpers, you will need a lid on its habitat, especially if there are other animals, or potential predators that could become problematic if the katydid jumped out of the enclosure. These insects will become more abundant beginning this month. We hope you have a chance to take a closer look this month. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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songs by stimulation (friction). Their wings have a scraper and file that when rubbed together create various tones for their song, like scraping a stick across a washboard. Their threesyllable song sounds like” kay-ti-did” and is responsible for their common name. Typically, all the males in the area will synchronize their song in ranges from 3 kHz to over 20 kHz. The collective songs of these insects can get loud enough to drown out most other sounds. You will hear these nocturnal insects long before you see them and can easily differentiate them from grasshoppers by their song alone. When you do see one however, the long antennae are a dead giveaway that they are not grasshoppers. Katydid have antennae that are as long or longer than their body, grasshoppers have short antennae.
Business Up Front
By Anita Todd
FOUNTAIN FARMS get in the way of cutting more lumber. He said he supplies 100 plus customers with shavings from just south of Lake Placid to a little south of Sanford. He travels to Tampa, as well, but stays primarily in Polk and Lake Counties and the Plant City area. The shavings are used mainly for horses, but some customers also provide it to rabbits, goats and sheep.
Jones getting “schooled” by students at Donald E. Woods Opportunity Center in Dundee where he is a Polk County Sheriff’s Office Resource Officer.
Fountain Farms was originally established about 30 years ago by Walt Goutowski who then sold it to Charlie Fountain. In 2000, Jones came on board for about six years before leaving. But in 2014, when the then-owner Fountain wanted to retire he contacted Jones to see if he was interested in taking over the business. “Fountain Farms is a name that the ag community knows can be trusted,” he said. “And that’s largely because of the time that Charlie put in with the company. Fountain Farms has a good reputation and good name recognition because we provide a good service at a fair price.” Jones is proud of what the business accomplishes on a day-to-day basis. “Number one is that we help the mill recycle the shavings giving them a second life and use,” he said. “Number two is that we supply the horse community with a product that helps the owners have functioning farms.”
Jones delivers a truckload of shavings.
During his days, Jeff Jones wears two very different hats. Many know him best when he is wearing his Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy hat driving a patrol unit. He’s been a public servant for decades. But others know him best in jeans driving his truck delivering wood shavings to ag customers. Jones is the owner of Fountain Farms, a small business that provides wood shavings mostly for horses around the central Florida area. “I enjoy working with the agriculture community because they are just a good group of people all around,” Jones said. About three times a week, Jones visits a local lumber mill to collect the byproduct from sawing wood. Each trip, he loads about 15 yards of the shaving mix to deliver to his customers. The type of shaving mix varies depending on the types of wood the mill has cut that day. The shavings usually are made up of cypress, which is most absorbent; cedar, which gives off a nice aroma; and spruce, which is usually the coarse sawdust mixed in. “It all depends on what the mill is cutting,” he said. “Their (the mill) specialty is timber for log cabins.”
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These days when Jones is wearing the Polk County Sheriff’s Office uniform, he can be found at the Donald E. Woods Opportunity Center in Dundee. As the school’s resource officer, he does his part to try to get the students back on the right path. “We try to build relationships with the kids,” Jones said. “This school is the last chance, really, to turn them around – and we can’t say the last step before jail because most have already been to jail.” The school is for 6th – 12th graders who have had serious Code of Conduct violations. They attend with a goal of getting them back to their home schools as soon as possible. Many depend on him at the Opportunity Center to set the example on a daily basis. His shavings customers depend him to deliver a good product for their animals. Sue Sutherland, owner of Dundee Feed and Hardware, is one of those clients and has been for years. “He’s reliable and the product is always good with fair pricing,” she said. Sutherland also owns Timberland Stables. MaryLu Gallagher, owner of Ridge Point Stables in Haines City, agrees. “If you need shavings in bulk, he’s the guy,” she said. “He’s got the best prices and comes on schedule. I know he’s always going to make it.” She gets a load every other week for her 13 horses. For more information on Fountain Farms, visit www.fountainfarmsservice.com or call Jones at 863.258.7774. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Helping Tomorrow’s Farmers Get a Head Start Feeding the world is a big job, but thanks to youth agricultural programs like 4H and FFA, the future of farming is in good hands. Mosaic is proud to support organizations like these—and the young people they serve—at county fairs, local livestock shows and more. // Learn more at MosaicCo.com/Florida
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Polk County Cattle Women
I want to give a big Thank You to everyone that attended and participated in the Cattlemen’s Ranch Rodeo and UF/IFAS Trade Show. The trade show is always full of innovative ways to improve the Agricultural industry, and the Ranch Rodeo keeps you on the edge of your seat. Our scholarship programs are primarily funded by this event, and we had a great turnout. Mark your calendars: March 11 -15, and March 18 -22, 2019 begins our annual Polk County Agri-Fest; a cooperative venture between Polk County Farm Bureau, Polk County Public Schools, the Polk County Extension office and the local agriculture industry to provide an opportunity for more than 300 teachers and 6,000 Polk County fourth graders to explore all aspects of agriculture. For more information, or to volunteer, please contact Lori Kuehl at 863-5330561. March 12 - 14, 2019 - FCA Quarterly meeting in Tallahassee
As always, we welcome new members, if you are interested in joining, our next meeting will be at the Ag Complex in Bartow, Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 6:30Pm. We would love to see new faces. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, #863-205-3977. .
Missy McLaughlin-Raney Polk County Cattlewomen President
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June 18 -20, 2019 - Florida Cattlemen’s Association Annual Convention and Trade Show at the Marco Island Marriott, if you plan to attend, it is best to secure your reservations early.
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BUILDING SUPPLIES Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris.
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JOBS MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits based on experience. Call David 863-537-1345
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FOR RENT
Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher. For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details.
South Tampa Lawn Maintenance Co. is For Sale. In business for 35 years. Call Gary 813-601-0511
2013 MAHINDRA 5010 TRACTOR 4X4 Cab with 7ft rotary cutter. Low hours. $18,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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8ft scratcher cultivator. Very good condition. $1,750 Ask for Alvie 813-759-8722
MASSEY FERGUSON 431 TRACTOR
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42 actual hours. In very good condition. Call us and come take a look. $7,500 Ask for Alvie 813-759-8722
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TRADE • BUY • SELL? Since 2004 In The Field has been Hillsborough and Polk Countys #1 Agriculture Magazine. Call Us at 813-759-6909 to place your Ad Today!
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