In The Field magazine Polk edition by Berry Publications, Inc

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

September 2013

Why is the top commercial backpack blower sold at Everglades Farm Equipment? Because we know what you expect.

At Everglades Farm Equipment we carry the full line of the best hand held equipment on the planet. With the parts and service to keep you up and going, the right choice is STIHL and Everglades Farm Equipment.

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

September 2013

Stop in one of our 10 full service locations. We offer fast and expert on-site service. Are you ready for a STIHL? EvergladesFarmEquipment.com

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Business Up Front Everglades Farm Equipment By Melissa Nichols

50 years

Every once in a while you hear a story about a man who had a dream, who put everything into this dream and even with humble beginnings, ends up making it. From these humble beginnings Everglades Farm Equipment has proven to be a business that is known for customer satisfaction and dedication. In 1963 a farmer in Belle Glade, Fl., Mr. Walter Schlechter had a view that his area needed a local place to buy high quality John Deere equipment, so that is exactly what he provided. He hired a few knowledgeable employees and started selling tractors out of a barn. Over the years, Mr. J.O. Schlechter, the son of the founder, reflects of the times that were trials and times that they didn’t know how they were going to make it. He says “there was a lot of theory that went into building this dealership; however it was by the Grace of God that it happened and succeeded”. But just as any loyal farmer knew, he knew that no good man ever gives up. He said with hard work, sacrifice, dedication and perseverance his company was going to make it through, and that it did. Another philosophy that Mr. Schlechter has is that he shares with his employees. If he had a little he shared a little if he had a lot he shared a lot. There is no room for greed in a successful business and he knew that. The current C.O.O. Mr. Mike Schlechter looks back and says my Dad and Grand-dad knew they had good employees, they just had to let them do their jobs and God would provide. To this day Everglades Farm Equipment is still run by family; this is the third generation of Schechter’s that has been instrumental in the success of the dealership. They have grown from

a barn in 1963 to having 10 stores and 2 satellite locations located throughout Florida. Not many businesses today have been around for 50 years like Everglades Farm Equipment has. They are one of the largest dealership in the world and a company built on pride and loyalty. Customer service for Everglades Farm Equipment is everything. They believe in doing business the old fashion way, where the customer is happy and satisfied, although nothing about the stores or equipment is old fashioned. They truly care about their customers. They believe in supporting not only the agricultural community but also the youth of the community. This year Everglades Farm Equipment gave away 5 FFA scholarships to graduating and deserving seniors. They have a motto that is simple “they believe that your Everglades experience should be better than any customer service you have previously experienced.” They are a dying breed when it comes to businesses. Coming up on September 27th Everglade Farm Equipment in Plant City, Palmetto, New Port Richey, Leesburg, and Fort Myers is hosting a “Commercial Cutting sale” and a “Drive Green” event, come out and experience the John Deere difference, by coming to one of the stores you will get a $500 coupon good towards any tractor till the end of the year. They will be serving lunch and special offers. Everglades’ stores carry much more than just John Deere equipment, they have a full line of Stihl equipment, Honda outdoor power equipment and full line of yard and farm equipment. Stop by your local Everglades Farm Equipment today and experience the Everglades difference.

www.evergladesfarmequipment.com

Belle Glade 561-996-6531 • Ft Myers 239-332-5045• Ft Pierce 772-461-5568 • Immokalee 239-657-4413 • Largo 727-259-7748 • Leesburg 352-315-1016 • Loxahatchee 561-784-4000 • Melbourne 321-261-8141 • New Port Richey 727-842-8618 • Okeechobee 863-763-1921 • Pametto 941-722-3281 • Plant City 813-737-1660 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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SSeptember eptember 2013 2013

CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION

Contents

POLK COU P.O. Box 9005POLK • Drawer HSNTY 0NTY 3 COU Bartow,CATTLEMEN’S FL 33831 -9005

® VOL. 7 • ISSUE 7 ®

CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION OFFICERS ASSOCIATION P.O.OF Box 9005 • Drawer HS0 3 B OARD DIRECTORS

7 • ISSUE 7 & Feature VOL. Story Contents VOL.7 8• •ISSUE ISSUE71 VOL. Contents

P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS0 3 Bartow, FL 33831 -9005 FLClark 33831 -9005 PresidentBartow, - Charles

Rob Krieger

Page 34 Story Feature Feature Story

(863) 528-8537 OFFICERS OFFICERS cclark@expoco.com

Rob Rob Krieger Krieger

& BBOARD OARD OF OFDIRECTORS DIRECTORS &

Vice President - Dave Tomkow President CharlesClark Clark President (863) 665-5088- -Charles (863) 528-8537 (863) 528-8537 cattlemanslivetock@earthlink.net cclark@expoco.com cclarkc4@yahoo.com cclark@expoco.com

A Family Affair Page 34 Page 34

Page 28

Cover Photo by Melissa Nichols Photo by Melissa Nichols

Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Bunch VicePresident President- -Dave DaveTomkow Tomkow Vice (863) 425-1121 jbunch@agriumretail.com (863)665-5088 665-5088 (863) Al Bellotto - (863) 581-5515 cattlemanslivetock@earthlink.net cattlemanslivetock@earthlink.net

Clark - (863) 683-8196 Secretary/Treasurer Business Up Front - Everglades Farm EquipmentRay Secretary/Treasurer- -Justin JustinBunch Bunch rclark@tampabay.rr.com

Page 3

(863) (863) 425-1121 425-1121 jbunch@agriumretail.com jbunch@agriumretail.com L.B. Flanders, DVM - (863) 644-5974 Al Bellotto (863) Al Bellotto - (863)581-5515 581-5515 Master Gardener: The Instant Gratification of Shrubs Dewey Fussell -Clark (863)- (863) 984-3782 Ray 683-8196 Ray Clark - (863) 683-8196 Mike Fussellrclark@tampabay.rr.com - (863) 698-8314 rclark@tampabay.rr.com Nominations Sought for The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame fussell.flafarm@verizon.net L.B. Flanders, DVM - (863) 644-5974 L.B. Flanders, DVM - (863) 644-5974 David McCullers (863) 528-1195 Dewey- Fussell - (863) 984-3782 Dewey Fussell - (863) 984-3782 Moby Persing - (863) Mike Fussell528-4379 - (863) 698-8314 The FFA Journal -Brett Wasden Mike Fussell - (863) 698-8314 fussell.flafarm@verizon.net Ned Watersfussell.flafarm@verizon.net - (863) 698-1597 David McCullers - (863) 528-1195 watersn@doacs.state.fl.us David McCullers - (863) 528-1195 Tampa Bay’s Fishing Report - (863) 528-4379 J.B. Wynn -Moby (863)Persing 581-3255 Moby Persing - (863) 528-4379 jbwynn29@gmail.com Ned Waters - (863) 698-1597 Ned Rocking Chair Chatter Facente- -(863) (863)698-1597 697-9419 Alternate - watersn@doacs.state.fl.us Mike Waters watersn@doacs.state.fl.us J.B. Wynn - (863) 581-3255 Standing Committee Chairs: jbwynn29@gmail.com J.B. Wynn - (863) 581-3255

Page 10

Page 11

Page 12

Page 14

Page 22

Neigh, Horse Tales Farm Bar-B-Que Auction

Page 24

Polk County Sheriff’s office

Page 26

Warner University Agricultural Studies Program,

Page 27

UF - Generous donation

Page 30

Florida Sugar Apples

Page 38

jbwynn29@gmail.com Membership - J.B. Wynn Alternate - Mike Facente - (863) 697-9419 Alternate - (863) Mike Facente - (863) 697-9419 Events - Kevin Fussell 412-5876 Standing Committee Chairs:

Standing Committee Chairs: Rodeo - Fred Waters (863) Membership - J.B.559-7808 Wynn watersf@doacs.state.fl.us Membership J.B. Wynn Events - Kevin- Fussell (863) 412-5876 Family Day Cattlewomen - President Events--Fred Kevin Fussell (863) 412-5876 Rodeo Waters (863) 559-7808 Marjorie Wood (863) 660-4137 watersf@doacs.state.fl.us Rodeo - Fred Waters (863) 559-7808 onnie397@aol.com Cattlewomen - President watersf@doacs.state.fl.us Extension -Marjorie BridgetWood Carlisle (863) 519-8677 (863) 660-4137 Cattlewomen - President bccarlis@ufl.edu onnie397@aol.com Marjorie (863) 660-4137 Sheriff’s Dept. - Sgt.Wood Howard Extension - BridgetMartin Carlisle (863) 519-8677 onnie397@aol.com

RECIPES:

Page 40

Naturally Amazing: Isopod Habitat

bccarlis@ufl.edu

Extension - Bridget Carlisle (863) 519-8677 bccarlis@ufl.edu

Sheriff’s Dept. - Sgt. Howard Martin

Page 42

A Closer Look: Roly Poly (Armadillidium vulgare)

Page 43

IINNTTHE HEFFIELD IELD M MAGAZINE AGAZINE

SSeptember eptember 2013 2013

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September 2013

Why read about agriculture? Why learn about the people who grow the food that feeds our nation? Aren’t you interested in knowing how the earth produces food? We have to have food to sustain life and that should be enough to interest you as to where and how your food is grown or raised. Another reason is that agriculture needs you. Each and every one of us is involved in agriculture, whether we grow food, raise livestock for consumption, or eat, there is a little bit of agriculture in us all! Our ancestors, for most of history, had close ties to the land. The importance of agriculture could not be ignored. Today, many in cities have forgotten this tie, or maybe never learned of it. Food appears to be abundant and the fact that our food comes from a farm or ranch in the initial stages, is a piece of history to many. It is far removed from their thoughts even as they shop for groceries and cook meals.

Melissa Nichols Mel Gunn

It’s an industry that is not going away. Agriculture provides food, and other materials that we use on a daily basis. In addition, it provides jobs to a large number of our population. We hope to help our readers that are not farmers and ranchers, remember their connection to the land. Today’s average consumer is three generations removed from the farm, so more than ever, the consumer needs information to understand agriculture, both animal and plant based. Check labels to ensure your food is Fresh From Florida. Be an informed consumer so we can continue to have the safest, most abundant food supply in the world.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. _ Numbers 6:25

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

September 2013

Karen Berry Al Berry Stephanie Humphrey Lacey Waters Melissa Nichols

Ace Air Conditioning & Electric.................16 Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers.............................16 Ball Clover/Fairlie Seed................38 Bankers South Group....................19 Bill Edel/ Southern wholesale trailers..........................39 Brenmar Higgenbotham Auction..................29 Brook & Poor...................................12 Carlton & Carlton, PA...................44 Cattlemens Livestock Auction.....21 Cecil Breeding Farm......................13 Darn Grills & Ranch Supply..........7 Darn Grills & Ranch Supply........39 Ellison RBM Inc...............................39 Everglades Farm Equipment.........2 Farm Credit....................................30 Farm Bureau Ins Bill William......33 Fields Equiptment Co. Inc............23 Fla Dpt of Ag & Consumer Svcs...........................18 Flordia Farm & Ranchers Supply........................34 Florida Mineral, Salt & Ag Products..................................11 Fred’s Market Restaurant...............9 Gator Ford......................................48 Gier Roofing, Inc............................39 Glarner Farms................................23 Grove Equipment Service.............17 Grove Equipment Service.............31 Grove Equipment Service............32 Gulf Coast Turf & Tractor...........35 Harvest Meat Market....................33 Helena Chemical-Tampa...............21 Haystack Farms..............................44 International Market World........20 Jason Grimes Contracting.............5 Key Plex............................................47 Knights Station Feed.....................37 Lightsey Cattle Co.........................39 Lake Miriam Pawn.........................27 Mosaic.................................................9 Pathway Biologic...........................36 Polk County Cattlemen’s Association..................4 QLF Specialty Products..................7 Seedway............................................11 Southeastern Septic, LLc............20 Southwestern Produce..................31 Squeal Deal Animal Control..........5 Stephanie Humphrey.....................42 The Bug Man..................................39 Werts Welding & Tank Service, Inc...........................34

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QLF Ter ra Stimulator

Cur rent Nutr ient Program

Increased Yield

To learn more about our products, contact: WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

QLF Terra Stimulator adds stability to your soil fertility program: • By Feeding Soil Microbes • Providing Increased Nutrient Availability • Being Versatile & Convenient • Cost Effective Available From:

Jason Garcia 813.404.6427

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SPECIALTY PRODUCTS

September 2013

f you are looking for something to do the nights of September 27 and 28, attending the Florida Ranch Rodeo & Cowboy Heritage Festival will provide an inexpensive way to spend Friday and Saturday night. Sixteen ranch teams will compete in eight events, displaying the talents used by the day workers/ ranch hands in their daily work situations. All teams will compete each night, competing in four separate events each night. Each team is made up of four men and one woman. Teams earn entry into the Finals by winning at qualifying rodeos held throughout Florida beginning in February.

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September eptember 2013

Events include: cattle sorting, double mugging, team doctoring, wild cow milking, calf paint-branding, saddle bronc riding, colt riding and the stampede race. The winning team is determined by amassing the largest points total, based on points/placing in each event. The Finals are held in The Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee. Adults are $10.00 and children ten and under are free. If you are into reality shows come out and see local competitors do what they do for their livelihood.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• The telephone was not widely appreciated for the first 15 years Donkeys because kill more people annually than plane crashes. people did not see a use for it. In fact, in the British You burnparliament more calories sleeping than youfor do watching television. it was mentioned there was no need telephones “we have enoughamessengers here.” Western Union The first because product to have bar code was Wrigley’s gum. that it could never replace the telegraph. In 1876, an The king believed of hearts is the only king without a mustache. internal memo read: “This telephone has too many shortcomings A Boeing to747s wingspan is aslonger the Wright be seriously considered a meansthan of communication.” Evenbrother’s first flight. Mark Twain, upon being invited by Alexander Graham Bell to investonly $5,000 planet in the newthat invention, could not see a future in the Venus is the rotates clockwise. telephone. The first CD pressed in the US was Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in • President McKinley said that, “everything that can be invented the USA”has already been invented.” Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the • When Alexander Graham Bell passed away in 1922, every morning. telephone served by the Bell system in the USA and Canada wasthe silentHeinz for one minute. The 57 on ketchup bottle represents the number of varieties• Alexander of pickles theBellcompany once Graham never phoned his wifehad. or mother because The plastic things on they thewere enddeaf. of shoelaces are called “aglets.” was thein original telephone Alexanderfrom Graham Most dust• “Ahoy” particles your housegreeting. are made dead skin. Bell suggested ʻahoyʼ (as used in ships), but was later superceded The sound of E.T. walking was made by someone squishing her by Thomas Edison, who suggested ʻhelloʼ instead. hands in jelly. • The concept of allocating telephone numbers to individual phone Pearls melt linesin wasvinegar. invented by a doctor It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year’s supply of footballs. The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca Cola,and Budweiser, in that order. Average life span of a major league baseball: seven pitches. A duck’s quack doesn’t echo and no one knows why. The most played song on American radio during the twentieth century was You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling. The oldest business in the United States of America is the cymbal company Zildjian, which was founded in 1623. There are approximately ten million bricks in the Empire State Building. From space, the brightest man-made place is Las Vegas, Nevada. The WD in WD40 is an abbreviation for Water Displacment.

SAFE FOOD STARTS WITH SAFE FEED Mosaic Feed Ingredients With Mosaic Feed Ingredients, you know what your animals are getting and where it comes from. You get a consistent, reliable supply. Safe, traceable, high quality product. And the backing of a sustainable, innovative U.S.-based company. Let’s make safety start at the beginning of the food chain. Visit mosaicco.com to learn more.

BIOFOS® l DYNA-K® DYNAMATE® l NEXFOS®

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JANUARY 2013

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September 2013

MOS215 - Feed Division Ad_In The Field Magazine

The Instant Gratific ation of Shrubs By Debra Howell Shrubs are a fun way to rapidly install some “oo-la-la” into your home landscape. By using with blooms or splashy foliage, you may attain instant gratification and an eye-catching yard. Shrubby plants can provide a colorful backdrop, cover a troublesome area or give shape and contour to your garden. A linear effect may be achieved by planting the right shrubs. Indeed, shrubs can produce the curb appeal for which you yearn. Your shrub selections will last for many years while offering long-term color.

pots to get an idea what they will look like when planted. Not only will your shrubs enhance the beauty of your yard, they may assist in moderating your climate by protecting from glare, wind, cold and heat. Are you aware that landscaping may raise your homes value by 15 percent? Among the illustrations I’ve provided are such lovelies as Thryallis, Firebush, Firespike, Brazilian Red Cloak, Caricature plant, Dracaenas, Dianellas, Pentas, Beautyberry, Allamanda, Plumbago, Arboricola and Princess Tibouchina.

Such favorites as Brazilian Red Cloak, Hamelia Patens (Firebush), Pentas, Begonias and Princess Tibouchina provide tons of color during their seasons. Select a Florida-friendly, like American Beautyberry, for its purple fruit much loved by birds. Don’t rule out the popular Hibiscus with all its colors and types.

As Chairman of the Fort Meade PRIDE Curb Appeal Committee, I’m always interested in the plant material in use in municipal landscapes. I’ve been seeing lots of Arboricola mixed with Dianellas and Red Sister Ti Dracaenas. Also, Firebush and Red Pentas seem to be popular both for WOW factor and to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

For outstanding foliage, choose Crotons, Tricolor Caricature plant, Arboricola, Dianella, Dracaenas like Reflexa and Tricolor, and Cordylines, such as Purple Prince and Red Sister Ti plants.

Once you’re ready to plant, remember to dig the planting hole two to three times the diameter of the root ball, never planting deeper than the root ball height. Do not cover the top of the root ball, as it may prevent irrigation from reaching the roots of your shrubs. They will need daily watering for a couple of weeks following installation, thereafter lessening the frequency of your watering and eventually watering only when your plants show signs of needing a drink.

Although your trees and hedges are garden stalwarts, I feel that shrubs are the backbone and structure of your outdoor landscape. And while we still have options of old stand-by shrubs like Pittisporum, Privet and Viburnum, University of Florida Circular 499 contains eight pages of shrubs for your edification and perusal. Some of the shrubs that I’ll mention are non-native tropicals and should be treated accordingly. In other words, use the Right Plant/Right Place strategy to protect tender, sensitive tropicals during our short-lived winters. Using this strategy will enable you to select the appropriate plants for proper positioning in your landscape. You’ll need to do your homework on the basis of the needs of your intended spaces, such as ultimate shrub size, form, bloom color and foliage characteristics. The bloom color may be your guide to providing colors in different seasons at specific landscape areas. Try to envision your yard as an outdoor living area where the shrubs are used to provide walls, dividers and decor for your outdoor spaces. Try planting them together in odd numbered groupings for a “color block” effect. Set them around in their 10

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September 2013

Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer according to package directions to prevent nutrient deficiencies. When the need to prune arises, prune back to a lateral branch, never pruning more than a third of the bush’s height at a time. If you choose to use mulch around your shrubs, we recommend using an environmentally friendly product such as Melaleuca, pine bark or pine needles. Oak leaves are a good choice and are free. You’ll need a two or three inch application of mulch to inhibit weed growth and conserve moisture. You will want to select your shrubs based on mature size, form, foliage, flower color and bloom season. Choose the proper growth habit (i.e. spreading, upright, columnar, etc.) for the planting sites you have selected. Shrubs are available at a nominal price and are capable of providing that instant gratification which is now an integral part WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

MASTER GARDENER

Continued

of our society. So have fun blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors to bring “oo-la-la” and attention-getting curb appeal to your surroundings. It has come to my attention that folks don’t say thank you nearly often enough. I would like to thank my loyal readers for reading this Master Gardener column for the last 3 1/2 years. People who have been faithful, like the employees at the Polk County Agent’s Office, to Dr. Shibles, Gail Crawford, Virgina, Janice and the others whom I plague on a constant basis for research materials, to great families like my fantastic Farrier Mario Tarango and his very talented, winning 4-H family, to couples like my cousins Carol and Rick Snyder, who pick up the magazine at Watson Clinic, cousins Janet and Roger Wright who make it a point to read it, to Tom and Sharon Meeks of Polk City, longtime friends of Mrs. Velma and me, all my readers whom I hope have put the information into use, and a very special thanks to Sarah Grissette, my technical help for as long as I’ve written this column. God bless you all for your local support.

Nominations Sought for The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame

Nominations are now being sought for potential inductees to The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame, with induction ceremonies scheduled to take place on Friday, March 7, 2014 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. The luncheon is co-sponsored by Florida Citrus Mutual and the Florida Department of Citrus. Eligible nominees for the Hall of Fame are those distinguished leaders who have made significant contributions to the Florida citrus industry in any of the following fields: pioneers, harvesting, packing, processing, marketing, scientific and/or educational areas. Last year’s inductees were Homer E. Hooks, of Lakeland, and J. Brantley Schirard, of Ft. Pierce, along with three others who were inducted posthumously: Col. Francis L. Dancy, Dr. Paul L. Harding and Dr. Mathew K. Veldhuis. The deadline for nominations is November 1, 2013 and all WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

nominations should include a summary of the nominee’s accomplishments, letters of support from industry members and a photo. Any nominations received after this date will be considered for the following year. Nomination forms are available by contacting Brenda Eubanks Burnette at (561) 351-4314 or by visiting the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame web site at www. FloridaCitrusHallofFame.com. Completed applications must include a photo and should be emailed to BBurne1003@aol.com. Hard copies should be sent to Florida Citrus Hall of Fame, 411 East Orange Street, Lakeland, FL 33801.

For more information, please contact either John Jackson at jackson71344@yahoo.com or Brenda Eubanks Burnette at (561) 351-4314 or BBurne1003@aol.com. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

September 2013

THE

By Brett Wasden

FFA JOURNAL I N T H E F I E L D M AGA Z I N E

H e l l o P o l k C o u n t y ! It truly has been an honor to represent you as a Florida FFA state officer. Recently, it has been an adventurous journey to say the least. Through the past few weeks I have visited many local agriculture education programs. Visiting local FFA chapters is by far one of my favorite aspects of being a state FFA officer. Agriculture education has a tremendous impact on approximately 60,000 students in the state of Florida. Our entire team is dedicated to visiting as many middle and high school agriculture education programs as possible. Agriculture education is comprised of the classroom, Supervised Agriculture Experience, and the FFA. Each chapter visit is unique and we get to share a diverse amount of topics from Florida agriculture to leadership skills. I have enjoyed every visit and I want to say thank you to each student, agriculture education teacher, and school official who make these visits a complete success. Also, the state FFA officer team has partnered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for an agricultural internship. Throughout the last week of August we have been able to visit different aspects of the Florida Agriculture Industry. Visits included equine, dairy, agriculture regulation, peanuts, cattle, aquaculture, forestry, and food safety. Florida’s agriculture industry is comprised of over 300 commodities that contribute to an economic impact worth over $100 million. Florida FFA is very appreciative of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service for this amazing opportunity to expand our knowledge on Florida agriculture. On September 4 and 5, Florida FFA kicked off the first part of the leadership continuum by hosting the annual Chapter Presidents Conference (CPC) in Daytona. At CPC, FFA members across the state were able to learn about various leadership skills. This year the theme for CPC was “untitled.” Under this particular theme the state officer team strived to teach that titles did not determine our influence and impact as individuals. The leadership modules included service leadership, personal skills,

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September 2013

leadership identity, branding, and recruitment. It is safe to say that CPC was a complete success. The next installment of the Florida FFAs leadership continuum, Chapter Officer Leadership Training (COLT), will begin the first week of October. One of the most exciting programs offered to the Florida FFA state officers is the International Leadership Seminar for State Officer (ILSSO). ILSSO is a special program of the National FFA Organization that is offered to state officers across the nation. This unique trip prepares students for future careers in agriculture by educating each individual about global agriculture. In the past state officer teams have traveled to various countries around the world. I am excited to announce that this year the destination for ILSSO 2014 is South Africa! This trip is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. The trip is planned for January 3 - 14 and is jam packed with agricultural tours. You can see what the trip truly offers by viewing the itinerary on the National FFA website ffa. org. In order to have this opportunity we each have been challenged to raise $4,500 for the cost of the trip. If you are interested in making a donation to help me travel to South Africa you can contact with me at brett.wasden@flaffa.org. I am so thankful for the opportunities that I have been blessed with. I can only imagine the adventures to come as I continue my year of service as a state FFA officer. Good luck to each FFA member who is preparing for Career Development Events and kicking off another great year as an FFA member. Until next time. Kind Regards, Brett Wasden Florida FFA Association Area IV State Vice President

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September 2013

Sara Ward and husband Tyson spent a busy morning catching bluefish, mackerel, and sharks with Captain vand the bite is just as good now as it was then.

Tampa Bay zvhave huge sharp teeth, so be careful de-hooking these monsters

Mackerel & Bluefish...

Hard Fighting – Drag Screaming - Fast Action - Plenty of Fun… If you’re looking for something different this summer, try one of these “Bad Boys” on for size!

A couple of saltwater fish found throughout Florida and pro-

viding some awesome light tackle angling thrills are none other than the unwavering Spanish mackerel and always hungry bluefish. These toothy Florida fish weigh in somewhere around two to four pounds and any over that are a real treats. A schooling fish with relatively large heads, powerful jaws and a mouth full of incredibly sharp teeth, their tapered bodies end with deep forked tails making them powerful swimmers and equally matched fighters for any light tackle. The blues are decorated with blue/green backs, silvery sides, and white/silver bellies, but don’t sell them short, these beautiful fish have plenty of muscle, speed and aerial antics. Spanish mackerel and blues, especially when first hooked, are exquisite looking fish as they race by the boat. Rigging for blues and mackerel is much like rigging for any toothy fish. Some folks use #4 or #6 wire leaders, I use 60# Seaguar Fluorocarbon Leader with long shank hooks. When fishing live baits use a short piece (approximately 24 inches) of 60# Seaguar tied to your braid and a bright long-shank 2/0 Daiichi hook. I belly hook the greenback at the pectoral fin, cast it out and the fish take care of the rest. Tip: when you feel the first strike, pause before setting the hook; it’s best to give the fish a second or two waiting for them to load the rod. When the rod bends, then it’s time to start reeling. Fish can often be caught on any fast-moving lure resembling a baitfish, including metal spoons, jigs, and tube baits. If you like artificial lures try a shiny spoon or old topwater lure tied to your braid with a dark wire leader. Make sure it’s an old lure because you might not get it back. You might also try trolling on these hot, humid, no wind days. Once you hook-up, stop and start fan casting the area. The fish are there you just need to find them. It’s not uncommon to find schooling mackerel and bluefish sharing the same bait schools as ladyfish and jacks. When using whitebait/ greenbacks start by tossing a few overboard in the area you are fishing. If the fish are present it doesn’t take long to get them going. Keep the live chums going and the fish will usually stay within casting distance. If you like fishy tasting fish, bluefish and mackerel are good table fare. I always bleed them immediately and put them in a slushy ice and water mixture. Fillet the fish, remove the bones and skin, cut into two inch strips, and deep fry. Serve with grits and tomato gravy and hush-puppies. Another excellent way to prepare mackerel is by smoking the fillets, using only garlic salt for seasoning. Enjoyable right off the smoker or they can be used later for a smoked fish spread. For other recipes, visit my website – www.captainwoodygore.com. 14

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September 2013

Tampa VA Hospital Spinal Cord Injury Doctor Lauren with a nice Sea Trout

September Fishing Report - Tampa Bay Area Snook season opens and as usual the action should be excellent. You’ll find plenty of big fish around bridges and passes, especially at night with free-lined baits like pinfish, greenbacks and jumbo shrimp. Fishing the flats around broken bottom potholes and mangroves will be good. For some exhilarating experiences try tossing a good walk-the-dog topwater lure. MirrOlure and High Roller are excellent choices. If you’re not into artificial lures, greenbacks always do the trick. However, this usually requires some experience throwing a net and a good circulating live well. Trout fishing is always productive around lush grass flats. It takes moving water to get them eating but when they start its fish-on. Popping corks with artificial plastic tails or live shrimp will produce. If you’re watching a cork and it’s bobbing up and down that is usually a pinfish eating your bait. Trout snatch it under and keep it down. Redfish action will be steady with schooling fish moving around the area. Approach schooling fish carefully, you don’t want to split them into several groups because it’s often difficult to group them back up. Always pole or slow troll to within casting distance, PowerPole down and present a low profile by getting off the bow. Try to pick off fish at the outer edges and never cast into the middle of the school. Reds eat shrimp, greenbacks, and pinfish. If they’re not looking for live bait cut bait on the bottom usually works, but you must be patient. Snapper: If you’re looking for some late summer fun, particularly for the youngsters, take them snapper fishing. Not only are these fish fun to catch but they are great eating. Small free-lined greenbacks or pieces of fresh shrimp around markers, bridges or rock piles will usually result in a limit of fish. If the tides a little strong add enough split shot to keep the bait down three to six feet. Don’t forget a chum bag. Here’s a tip: Put them on ice immediately, this makes them much easier to clean. It gels the fat in their stomach, keeping it from sticking to your knife. Mackerel & Bluefish: Tampa Bay is still be loaded with plenty of threadfins and the mackerel and bluefish will be all over them. Mac’s and Blue’s are excellent targets this month. If you’re looking for awesome, light tackle action this is it. Threadfins are everywhere but look around marker cans, range markers or shallow reefs. Anchor up current, toss out a few baits for chum and throw to the striking fish. “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 Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done. Call or email a reservation request form from my website: Cell: 813-477-3814 • Office: 813-982-2034 Email: wgore@ix.netcom.com

www.captainwoodygore.com

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September 2013

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Smooth. Agile. Flexes its Smooth. Flexes its muscles Agile. for heavy lifting. muscles for heavy lifting.

Our Massey Ferguson© 4600 Series mid-range tractor features the new power shuttle transmission. During loader work, it displays the muscle and maneuverability to go forward to reverse andFerguson© back without clutching. Ideal for mixed operations, from hay to livestock to Our Massey 4600 Series mid-range tractorfarming features the new power shuttle poultry. Come by and see what we mean or visit masseyferguson.us. transmission. During loader work, it displays the muscle and maneuverability to go forward to reverse and back without clutching. Ideal for mixed farming operations, from hay to livestock to poultry. Come by and see what we mean or visit masseyferguson.us.

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The “Fresh From Florida” brand is a symbol of quality and the logo is recognized around the globe. Behind the logo is our dedicated team of marketing professionals with a proven track record of increasing sales of Florida agricultural products. We achieve this by establishing strong retail and distribution partnerships and through consumer marketing on television, in print and online. We also provide export assistance, trade leads, signage, point-of-purchase materials and more. Join today for a $50 membership fee and put the “Fresh From Florida” logo behind your business. Visit FreshFromFlorida.com or call us at (850) 617-7399.

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JANUARY 2013

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Cattlemen’s Livestock Market

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hey tell me that everybody on Medicare and medicine is in for a rude awakening when Obamacare comes full swing into effect. I understand that it will cost over $300.00 dollars a day to living in a nursing home. Well, no nursing home for me. I talked with Charles Harris at the Holiday Inn Express in Plant City, and he willne letof memy have a room with a senior discount $89.00 a long-time friends in Plant Cityforisaround Dick Elston. night on a long term basis. That leaves $211.00. Ever since high school we have enjoyed our friendship

and telling jokes. Charles serves a great breakfast, and it’s free. I can eat lunch at Fred’s Market Restaurant for around $14.00 including a healthy tip. The I recall when Dick Baptist was in Hospital high school was hired A.P.for Cooke, South Florida has ahepretty good by dinner around owner of the Plant City Courier, as Holiday a part-time type setter. Dick $8.00, including dessert. Charles’ Inn Express offers laundry, was later delegatedsoap the job laying ads.changing He wasor free shampoo, andof cable TV.out If athe lightclassified bulb needs prettya good at replaced, what he no did, although at first to to mattress problem. Charles will he havewas his known staff there makefix a few slip ups. his firstforpublication he had There’s an ad for everything, andOn apologize the inconvenience. daily Barwick’s which should haveon read, “Wanted: Partroom Drug service,Store, too. The maid will check me to see if I am okay time job married fountain.” When or thean on afor regular basis.girl If Itoamwork not, our they soda will call the undertaker Courier came out it read, “Wanted: Part-timepool married girl to work ambulance. Plus, they provide a swimming and other amenities. The grandkids canThe useonly the pool. you ask was for? They our soda fountain.” otherWhat one Imore can can remember an will treat me like Ita read, customer, not a patient andtake I’ll still around ad for Carlos Cone. “Wanted, man to carehave of cows $189.00 leftthat overdoes everynot daysmoke that the at Cones ranch ornursing drink.”home will not get. This will make my family happy! I will have plenty of spending money for clothes, a new Christmas all the family. “Life It takes Last month Dick gavecar, me and a copy of his gifts newfor book entitled, monthsoftoPlant get into decent nursing (copies home. The Inn at Express and Times Citya in the 1940s” areHoliday available the take my reservation Plant will City Photo Archives). immediately. Reading through the pages brought

wife, she is also my grandmother, too. If my wife is my grandmother, then I am her grandchild. This being the case as the husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa. Thenathere’s the story of aancouple 80-yearofold widowbutter that wrote her first with few clothes and peanut and jelly sandlove a letter. She said, “Dear Rufus, mydoor husband, of some 60 years wiches. As he started for the front his mother asked him passedhe away month‘I’m andleaving I thoughthome,’ I wouldhewrite see how youare where waslast going. said.to‘And what are carrying?’ doing in your years. As clothes for me aand few food,’ changeswas havehiscome you shegolden asked. ‘Some reply. into my life since I last saw you. I am seeing five gentlemen every ‘Dick, if you want to run away, that’s alright,’ his mother said. day. you As soon I wake eachwithout morning,anything Will Power me get ‘But cameasinto this up home andhelps you can leave out of bed. Then I go see John. After that Charlie Horse comes along, the same way.’ He put down his suitcase on the floor defiantly and and when he is here, he takes a lot of my time and attention. When started for the door again. ‘Wait a minute,’ his mother said. ‘You Charlie Horse leaves, Arthur Ritus shows up and stays the rest of didn’t have and I want them tzhe day. He any neverclothes stays inon onewhen place you very arrived, long, so he takes me from back.’ red such as a beet he day, quickly took off clothes, joint toTurning joint. After a busy I’m really tiredhisand glad toshoes, go socks, and all, and hollered, ‘Now Mom, can I go to bed underwear with Ben Gay. now?’ ‘Yes’, was her answer, ‘but once you close that door, don’t ever to come back.’” P.S. expect The preacher came to call on me the other day. He said at my age I should be thinking about the hereafter. I told him, “I do all the

Dick’s dad saidwhere his son was so kitchen, angry he door or and time. No matter I am, in the onslammed the porch,the upstairs, stepped the front porch. She peeked the window down inout the on basement, I ask my self, ‘what am Ithrough here after?” and there he stood completely naked. He saw two girls coming In closing ony Lee, Lions Club friend, andina the Plant City insurance down the T street andmy immediately jumped shrubbery.

agent, tells the story of an insurance claim he had difficulty filing. As

best the report could it front seems door two close After the police girls passed by hedetermine, ran to the and friends knocked decided to attend a concert just outside their town in north Florida. loudly.

back a lot of memories. He recalled in the good ole days, when In my opinion there are four stages of life. Stage one is when you Having no tickets and 14 beers between them they thought it would everyone was low on money, they suffered because of rationing. believe in Santa Claus. Stage two, you don’t believe in Santa Claus. “Who’s be easy there?” to hop over the nine-foot his mother said. fence and sneak into the show. It He writes about gas being rationed during World War II, you were Stage three you are Santa Claus, and stage four you look like Santa was dark and they really did not know the territory. They pulled givenClaus. a sticker to put on your windshield for gas. Either “A,” “B” theirme, pickup truck the fence, and the heavier man would hop “It’s Dick, let up meto in!” or “C”. Usually, as I remember, you were allowed only five the fence and then help his friend over. gallons of gas old at aistime. Growing mandatory, growing up is not. I will bypass health doesn’t live here any more!” she replied. food because I need all the preservatives I can get. While I am not a “Dick Unfortunately for the first man over there was 30-foot drop on One young day I rooster went to Bell’s restaurant for age lunch and to anymore, I am not at the where yousatgetnext the same the other side of the fence. Having heaved over, he found himself “Aw, c’mom, I’m stilldangling your son. Please letbranch me in!” Dick’ssensation dad. I told we were friends, and awere from him a rocking chairgood that you get from rolleralways coaster. with his arm broken, from a large on a tree by his tellingWhen stories ontoeach and said, you ever I shorts. They figured he looked down and saw some bushes below I get that other. senior He age laughed I hope I have figured“Did out something Dick’s concluded, “I watched slowlyhis open the door hear the of Dick leaving can story do when I fall down andhome?” can’t get up. that hefather assumed would break his fall. Heher removed pocketknife with a smile on face, his andshorts say, “Did change mind and proceeded to her cut away to freeyou himself from your the tree. running away?” Dick walked in, grinned, and said, Before my brother-in-law passed Finally free, he crashed into the holly bushes below. The sharp leaves “No,” I replied. “Tell me about it.” away he told me a story of a man about that became his own grandpa. They even wrote a song about it. “What’s scratchedfor hissupper?” entire body and without protection of his shorts a holly Remember, Own Grandpa?” story goes that man of branch penetrated his rectum. To make matters worse, on landing his He laughed and“I’m said,My“When Dick was The seven years old he adecidpointed out a lot things I had forgotten about the 40s. got married to a widow whohe was as pretty could be. This Dick pocketknife penetrated hisofthigh. ed toage run21away from home. I recall packed his as little suitcase widow had a grown-up daughter, who had red hair. His father fell in Blind Charlie was the peanut vendor. We had inner tubes inside of 22

love with the red M head, and soon they got married. INTHE FIELD AGAZINE JANUARY 2013

The other man, on seeing his W friend pain agony W W .in I Nconsiderable THEFIELDM A G and AZIN E.COM decided to throw him a rope and pull him to safety by tying the rope This made his dad his son-in-law. Now his wife, my daughter, was to the pick-up and slowly driving away. However, in his drunken my mother. To complicate matters worse, I soon became the father state, he put the truck into reverse and crashed through the fence of a bouncing baby boy. My little son then became, a brother-in-law landing on his friend and killing him. to dad, which made him my uncle. According to the police report, when they arrived on the scene they Since he is my uncle that also made him brother to the widow’s found the crashed pickup with its driver thrown over 100-feet from grown-up daughter who was my stepmother. My father’s wife then the truck. He was dead at the scene from massive internal injuries. had a son, and he became my grandson because he was my daugh- They moved the truck and found the fat man under it, half-naked ter’s son. with scratches all over his body, a holly stick in rear, a knife in his thigh, and his shorts dangling from a tree branch 25-feet in the air. This made my wife my mother’s mother, because although she is my 22

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September 2013

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September 2013

Neigh! By Ginny Mink

Don’t Miss the Horse Tales Farm Bar-B-Que Auction Bar-B-Que Auction on October 5 at 10 AM!!!

Benevolence comes in a multitude of forms, there are those who reach out to others, there are still more that hug trees and then there are the select few who open up their property for animals. Since this is an agricultural magazine the latter group is what we will discuss here, specifically Pamela Swanson-Heaslip, owner of Horse Tales Farm: Equine Rescue. Pamela is a woman who is fueled by a love for animals but more specifically, horses. Perhaps the greatest aspect of this story is the opportunity for readers to make a dif-

BarB-Que Auction on October 5. ference with her by attending her

Though she was up till midnight seeking out an escape artist baby raccoon, she still found the time to chat with us about her upcoming fundraising event. When you endeavor to open, maintain and finance an animal rescue, monetary struggles seem inevitable. This is particularly true if your rescue is of a small variety. Horse Tales Farm is home to 29 rescue horses. While Pamela attempts to place these horses, the economy has put a distinct halt on people’s willingness to provide for relatively expensive animals, so most of the animals Pamela takes in remain with her through their last days. Given the financial burden of caring for 29 neglected, abandoned and/or abused animals, Pamela has sought out every avenue of as24

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September 2013

sistance available to her. She says that she has applied for grants and has been turned down due to the limited size of her farm. Therefore she has become creative and ingenious and has organized some highly successful fundraisers. We suspect that the upcoming October 5th Bar-B-Que Auction will prove even more monetarily beneficial to her establishment. We were given the opportunity to discuss her history and the magnitude of this event. We suggest you attend as well. Pamela shared, “I grew up here in Lakeland. I’ve always loved animals. I grew up on a dairy farm. We had horses, cows, pigs, an apple orchard, our own garden. Growing up on a farm you learn to appreciate what you have and you don’t really know what you have unless you work hard for it. I started this by taking on cats and then a friend of ours had this place out here on Banana Road with horses and I used to have horses. He was 88 years old and so I came out here and helped him, and he looked up at me one day and said, ‘Would you like this place?’ That was when everything was booming and I said, ‘I can’t afford this,’ so he made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse. We sold our house in central Lakeland and bought this on the same day and that way he could keep his horses here. He didn’t want this property to be developed. We have helped out probably over 40 horses so far. The name, Horse Tales Farm, came from each horse coming to us with a story, or tale, as one would say, with a happy ending.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

LO V E

1925 Banana Rd., Lakeland, Florida 33810 She continued, “This is like their retirement home, some of them we try to place, but we placed one and within a year got her back because they said they lost interest, so it’s really hard, times are tough on people. We’ve also gotten a couple from the Sheriff’s Department. We make it paycheck to paycheck. I’ve applied for grants, but they say we don’t qualify because there are other larger horse rescues that get the money. We do a Barnyard Sale earlier in the year and now we’re planning a big Bar-B-Que Auction in October to help out. It will help us get hay and feed and farrier services and veterinary services to get their shots. Not only do we have horses, we have goats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, seven dogs and probably like eight cats left that I have trapped and spayed and neutered and we started off with over 30 cats, a lot we’ve placed. Animals come first here. I could never have children so I guess you could call these my babies.” Her devotion to these disadvantaged animals is abundantly clear.

Lakeland Liquidation is going to be here and I’ve also been in touch with the Bulloch family. I talked to Julie the other day and she said if they’re in town they definitely will be here. My family is all pitching in, they’re going to be helping. We’ve got to raise money for these horses! From the Barnyard Sale that we had in April, we had enough money to do the front fence but we still have a lot of fencing to do.” This is definitely going to be a big deal so mark it down and be sure to come out and help Pamela take care of these neglected beauties.

Returning to conversations about the highly anticipated auction Pamela explains, “The fundraiser is October 5 and Marty Higgenbotham is going to do the auction. Pictures are being posted on his website: Higgenbotham Auctioneers

http://www.higgenbotham.com/charity_auctions.php . We’re going to have barbecue and different vendors here, country stuff so that people can sell their stuff. Some of them are going to be from the Kathleen Historic District because their next big function is in November so they’ll be over here with their crafts and stuff. I just want it to be one big country thing here. Petco, TD Banks, Lakeland Cash Feed are going to be here, Chick Fil-A is going to be here, WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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September 2013

Agriculture Equipment Theft By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff

Polk County’s agricultural community is among the top in the state. According to the Department of Agriculture, “Florida has 47,500 commercial farms, using a total of 9.25 million acres.” Polk County contributes $399 million to a $3.1 billion worldwide industry. Protecting this investment is critical for our community and for our state, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office takes this responsibility very seriously.

all fence lines frequently. Never assume that because you have property in a remote location no one will find it.

One of the ways PCSO Agricultural Crimes deputies see property owners lose money in this billion dollar industry is through theft. Theft is often a crime of opportunity and, for our agricultural community, one that is often hard to prevent.

• Never park machinery within easy access to the road where it is vulnerable to theft and vandalism.

Batteries, diesel fuel, radiators, metal, and copper wire are all items pasture and grove owners use to sustain their farms and fields, and thieves know it. Thieves, familiar with grove and farm pump houses know where batteries and radiators are housed and will target those items to steal. Later, the property is scrapped and what little money paid from the scrap dealer, is turned into fast cash for the thief. Many scrap dealers, working with PCSO deputies, are quick to recognize stolen property and will refuse the items, or limit the number of items that are purchased. These are reputable businesses that comply with Florida State Statute 538.18 governing Secondary Metal Recyclers, and those businesses are eager to work with deputies. But it’s important to remember, the key to stopping crimes of opportunity is removing the opportunity. Taking a few precautions against crime may take a little extra time, but the extra time may save money in the long run. Below are a few tips the PCSO Ag Unit suggests:

• Lock equipment and/or chemicals inside a barn or shed each night, preferably near your home removing it from plain sight and away from remote pump sheds. Ensure storage sheds have secured doors and windows.

• Remove rotors, distributor caps or batteries from motorized equipment left outside for long periods of time. • Do not leave tools or other equipment in the back of a pickup truck. Instead secure them inside the pickup truck or in locked toolboxes – park the truck in an enclosed garage or other secured building. • Keep storage areas neat and well-organized to keep track of equipment and discourage potential thieves. Keep an inventory of equipment. • Install audible alarms on outbuildings to prevent illegal entry or theft. • Secure gas pumps, gas tanks, storage bins, and grain elevators with strong locks, sturdy padlocks with hardened steel hasps, or dead bolts with a one-inch throw. • When planting new trees, take the time to place a painted color band on each tree. This will assist in locating stolen trees. Don’t leave trees-to-be-planted at the site overnight.

• Mark your property with a unique sequence of numbers or letters. Record all items on an inventory sheet including serial numbers and detailed information for quick and accurate identification should your property be taken. There are advanced options for etching property which can go unnoticed by those unfamiliar with the method. And thieves who are familiar must work to “destroy” evidence of the etching. When a PCSO deputy visits a local second-hand metal dealer looking for potential stolen property, this etching may be the key to locating your property. Contact a PCSO Ag deputy to discuss this etching method.

• Always report suspicious activity immediately to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

• Establish property perimeters with fencing and ensure all fencing and gates are in good condition and locked. Check each gate and

The PCSO Agricultural Unit can be reached at 863-534-7205.

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September 2013

And join the Polk County Sheriff’s Office “Agricultural Watch” Program. This program was developed as a means to identify ownership of agriculture properties in Polk County. The program consists of a “No Trespassing by Order of the Sheriff” sign listing the property/business owner’s name and a code number. The code number displayed provides deputies on patrol instant access to owner information and agent agreements.

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SAVE ON

Warner University Agricultural Studies Program Family Day Fundraiser at the Mildred W. and Doyle E. Carlton Jr. Craker Country at the Florida State Fairgrounds In December 2012, the Ag community was introduced to the new degree program and the proposed Warner University Agricultural Complex during a Family Day event at Brama Island. Since then, we have raised $750,000 toward the $2 million needed for the Complex. It’s imperative that we raise the other funds since this Fall, Warner University officially received the first class for the Agricultural Studies Program. Almost 30 students are enrolled in the Ag Studies major and arrived on August 26. This year’s Ag Studies Program Fundraiser will be located at the Mildred W. and Doyle E. Carlton Jr. Cracker Country at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 26, 2013. Whether you have been to Cracker Country, or never experienced it, you will want to be at this Family Day event. Cracker Country is an outdoor living history museum where you can see, touch and feel what rural pioneer Florida was like between 1870 and 1912. For more information email ag@warner.edu. Mark your calendars for October 26 and plan for a great day of fun for the entire family.

SAVE THE DATE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2013

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• Mossberg • Remington • Ruger • SIG • S&W

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Mildred W. and Doyle E. Carlton Jr. Cracker Country at the Florida State Fairgrounds for the

Warner University Ag Studies Program Family Day Fundraiser Activities for the entire family Cracker Country living history museum, games, live and silent auctions, delicious lunch and more! For more information, email us at ag@warner.edu

Come See Our Extensive Selection At:

LAKE MIRIAM PAWN 5359 S. Florida Ave. (Outback Plaza) Lakeland, FL • 863-646-5797 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-6pm • Sat. 9am-3pm

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September 2013

Summerlin By Melissa Nichols

A Family Affair

n 1976 a commercial pig farmer in Davenport, who had two young sons and a daughter on the way, opened a feed store. It was something he had spent his whole life dreaming about and planning for. This man had been an active member in the Corn Club and FFA in Georgia and wanted his children involved in agriculture. His sons were not old enough to participate in FFA yet and that led him to getting his sons involved in 4H and buying the oldest son, Brynn, a steer for the market steer show at the Polk County Youth Fair of 1977. This man, Freddie Summerlin, had no idea that getting his son involved would set the precedence for the Summerlin family from that day forward. The Summerlin family name is a staple around the Polk County Youth Fair. The late Freddie Summerlin, along with his wife Jackie, sons Brynn and Randy, and daughter Samantha, have spent the last 36 years helping with every committee they could and have become a vital part of the entire operation. When Freddie decided that he wanted his son to show a steer, he didn’t really plan to jump in, get involved, and become the leader he ended up becoming. He did have a philosophy that you get involved with whatever your children are doing, and that is just what he did. Freddie didn’t plan that his wife would find her niche, which she loyally helps with, or that his children would all excel in their own projects, but that is exactly what happened. Freddie and Jackie Summerlin became so involved that even after their children had graduated and were no longer competing they continued to find areas they could help with. Over the years Freddie Summerlin was instrumental in starting the market swine show, served on many committees, and was eventually President of the Polk County Youth Fair for four years in the late 90s. It was a great loss to the youth fair organization and the community when Freddie passed away the year after his presidency ended. His dedication to the Polk County Youth Fair continued after his passing, donations were made in lieu of flowers to the Polk County Youth Fair. Because Freddie Summerlin had a passion for the youth, he dedicated himself to the youth fair. His dedication included being a firm believer in the benefits of kids being involved with showing animals and with 4H or FFA. This passion and love for youth has continued to inspire his wife and chil28

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September 2013

dren’s involvement with the youth fair. Jackie still, to this day, helps with the all auctions that take place (steer, cake, plant, and hog), she is on the board of directors, horticulture committee, and is co-chair of the family and consumer science division. Jackie Summerlin is one of the most recognized faces around the Polk County Youth Fair, as she hasn’t missed a fair in the 36 years she has been involved. As for their children, their involvement didn’t end with their days of showing animals, it just began. Brynn not only continued to attend the fair and help his siblings and parents, he soon became the ring man for the market hog show. He aspired to become an auctioneer after observing Marty Higgenbothom and developing a love for auctioneering. He later went to auctioneer school and is still active in the industry. Brynn and his wife, Lori, have been very involved with every aspect of the market hog show. Brynn has served as chairman of the swine committee for many years. His wife Lori helps with the auctions, shows, tagging, weigh in, and everything in between. His children, Connor and Chelsea, have literally grown up at the youth fair, having been there since they were babies. Both children have been very active in the areas in which they show. Connor and Chelsea have both shown market hogs, and competed in whip popping. Chelsea has also developed a fondness for poultry. Both of Brynn’s children have placed very well in showmanship. Brynn and his siblings have the same philosophy their father did, they never try to buy a grand champion animal. They focus on doing the best they can from a project animal. They concentrate on showmanship, an accurate record book, and being responsible for their animals. When they were children, Freddie Summerlin worked with them teaching them that hard work and dedication to their projects was what it took to have a winning project. He would spend hours on end assisting the kids with strategies to improve their showmanship. To this day they use these same strategies to teach their children the way their dad taught them. Randy is the middle child and younger son. He followed in his brothers footsteps and began showing at the youth fair in 1978. He showed a steer, a hog for a few years, and his true love was in the WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

works with her own children and her niece and nephews, coaching them just the way her dad coached her. She says the youth fair has honestly just become a way of life for her family. She plans her schedule around being able to close her business down for a week and goes to volunteer her time just as her brothers and mother continue to do. She continues to help everywhere she can. Between assisting with the market steer barn and market hogs to Family and Consumer Sciences, Samantha dedicates a lot of time to the youth fair. Samantha Summerlin’s children Brynna and Jack have been at the youth fair since they were infants. This past year was Brynna’s first year being old enough to participate in events and she entered in several of the family and consumer science contests, and the market hog contest. Brynna was awarded four tri color ribbons this year for her hard work. Jack is thoroughly looking forward to being able to participate in a few more years.

Samantha is the youngest and only daughter of Freddie and Jackie Summerlin and she has been involved in the youth fair her entire life. Samantha has been very actively involved with every aspect of the youth fair, from showing market hogs and showmanship to participating in many family and consumer science (formerly home economics) events such as table setting, mannequin modeling, and baking. Samantha has developed a love for the industry that has since led her and Jackie to open a restaurant/tea room in Davenport. The Hotel is located at 301 W Maple Street in Davenport. It is a quaint little restaurant that makes everything from scratch and has a true family style appeal. From their steaks to their breakfasts, everything is amazing. Samantha also takes time to help local 4H children with place settings, table decorating, and baking to help them with practicing for the youth fair. Samantha takes the pride and passion her dad had for showmanship very seriously as she WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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The Summerlin family is a true testament to being involved in your children’s lives. Jackie Summerlin reflects on the past 36 years and says she is so proud of the decision that was made all those years ago. She said it wasn’t always easy, it was time consuming and often cost a lot, but she wouldn’t change any of it. The big question everyone wants to know is why. Why after all these years does the Summerlin family devote a week and a half every year, plus countless nights and weekends to the planning and organizing of the youth fair ever year? When asked why, they say “it’s because somebody did it for me.” This is their way of paying it back while paying it forward. Somebody gave up the countless hours to make it happen so that they could have their time to show and now it’s their turn. It isn’t a week for the Summerlin family, it’s a lifestyle. What I see when I horticulture side of the fair. He also remained active after his years look at the accomplishments and history that the family has with of showing and has been instrumental in the horticulture contest. the youth fair, I see three very successful, business owners, business He also helps with the swine committee, tagging, weigh in, and the people, Brynn, Randy and Samantha. I see three people who give it show. His wife Tina has jumped in and gotten involved in true Sum- their all and put their heart and soul into everything they do in life. merlin style and helps alongside her mother-in-law with the auc- I see what hard work and dedication lead to and that is success. I tions, the market hog show, tagging, and weigh in. Randy continues also see that when parents invest time in their children as Freddie to run the feed store in Davenport (Summerlin Fence & Feed 909 and Jackie Summerlin did, it shows. The Summerlin family’s dedica17-92 S Davenport) that his dad opened in 1976 and is still active tion to the youth fair is amazing and inspirational. For the Summerlin in the industry. The feed store is much unchanged from its days of family, the youth fair truly is a family fair and a family tradition, it’s opening, they are the downhome country feed store, although they families that built it up, families that keep it going. It is a family affair! do offer a wide variety of products. Randy likes to know everyone who walks through the door and help them with whatever they need. It isn’t uncommon for a child that lives in the area to contact them and ask them to help transport their animals to the fair, ask for feed advice, and everything in between. Randy knows it was very important to his dad to help the kids out and just as his dad did everything he could, Randy is doing the same. For the past few years Summerlin Fence and Feed has started a buyback program, where one lucky child is drawn and they present them a check at the fair and give them back all the feed they spent on their project animal. Randy’s son Ethan has also grown up being a part of the youth fair, and is actively involved in FFA. He has also competed in the market hog show, whip popping, and horticulture event. Ethan has placed well in showmanship and continues to help his dad out at the feed store.

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Generous donation allows UF/IFAS much-needed citrus field research acreage By Mickie Anderson

A Polk County architect-turned-citrus grower’s decision to allow researchers to use 100 acres of land has given the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences a much-needed boost in the battle against deadly citrus greening. Located around Polk County, the donation – a combination of older and recent gifts from grower Jim Hughes, who died earlier this month – increases the UF Citrus Research and Education Center’s available field-trial researchdealing space by about 50 percent, saidpruning Jackie Burns, the deed restrictions with landscape issues; practices; center’s director. problem plants such as invasive, non-native plants; pesticide and fertilization practices; plant nutritional deficiencies; mulch application; The Lake Alfred center has about 70 acres of citrus, but it’s not nearly and irrigation system issues including frequency and timingresearchers of applienough space to accommodate all of the field experiments cations. frequent areas of interest cited by communities particiwant to Other conduct, she said. pating in the FFL Community Association Outreach Program have “With thisstormwater extra 100 acres, willmanagement greatly accelerate whatdealing we can with do,” included pond itbest practices, Burns said. “Right now, we simply don’t have enough space. The beauerosion caused by stormwater runoff and questions involving ty of having this wonderful donation is that it will allow us to do these reclaimed water. recommendations experiments on aEvaluations much larger,and commercial scale.” are based on science-based research from UF/IFAS. In addition to site evaluations, the Researchers Association plan production-system experiments at a couple of the Community Outreach Program offers onsite presentations locations, she said, to study citrus irrigation and fertilizer needs. But about the FFL principles. they also have plans for field trials of citrus rootstock that has shown promising tolerance to the citrus greening bacterium. The FFL Community Association Outreach Program is a free resource for HOAs and other community provide for guidance Citrus greening has cost Florida’sassociations economy antoestimated $4.54 billion revenuessustainable and 8,257 jobs since 2006 by reducing orangelandscapejuice proin lost instituting landscape practices, reviewing duction,covenants UF/IFAS and studies have found. First detected in Floridacontracin 2005, related working with landscape maintenance greening trees to drop fruit prematurely andthat eventually tors. FFL causes has hadcitrus several success stories with communities adoptkills them. ed FFL practices from which they were able to see reduced water consumption andthewater utilitytracts and maintenance Contact me at the Another of donated will house a costs. thermotherapy study, in which scientists will treat citrus trees with813-744-5519 high temperatures to try to Hillsborough County Extension Service, x 54142, if rid them of greening, Burns your said. homeowner or condominium associthese services would benefit ation. Earlier this summer, Hughes, whose father and grandfather were Polk County saidon growers have always faced adversity For citrus more growers, information environmental horticulture topics, from freezes or other diseases, such as citrus canker. Sometimes, he said, contact of your Service.grower could as in the aftermath thelocal 1989County freezes,Extension a hard-working Additional manage to get by.information on Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ can be accessed at http:/ /floridayards.org, http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu and “This greening … it’s got WaterMatters.org. to have a scientific solution. Working harder Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Community isn’tThe going to cut it,” he said. “The solution is going Association to have to come fromOutreach the Ph.D.’s in the ag departmentbyand IFAS. Greening is serious, Program is sponsored theatUniversity of Florida’s serious stuff.” Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the Hillsborough and Polk Boards of County Commissioners and the Southwest Florida Hughes, who had leukemia, arranged to District. leave his substantial estate to Water Management the University of Florida, in part, he said, because a faculty member and mentor in UF’s architecture school often told him that those lucky enough to receive a good education should “give back,” and partly because he wanted to ensure a solid future for the Haines City Citrus Growers Association. Besides the land that will be used to conduct research, Hughes’ estate will be used to create an endowment to help fund future citrus research. The amount it will generate is not yet known. The Haines City CGA is the state’s second-oldest citrus cooperative and has a long history of working closely with UF/IFAS citrus researchers. Hughes’ gift showed impressive foresight, said Jack Payne, UF’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “Jim Hughes was an extremely generous man and we will always be grateful for his gift to UF/IFAS,” Payne said. 30

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FLORIDA

Sugar Apples

By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science weet, creamy sugar apples are now in season in Florida, the only state in the United States to produce this tropical fruit. Also known as sweetsop, custard apple, anon, or anonna, sugar apples are widely grown in South America, southern Mexico, the West Indies, Bahamas and Bermuda. Very creamy and sweet, with a light yellow flesh, the sugar apple is often described as custard-like with hints of pear and coconut. Sugar apples have a sweet fragrance and their skin is knobby, resembling pinecones.

Nutritional Profile Sugar apples are not only delicious but also nutritious. Rich in fiber, vitamin C, and the B vitamins, a single fruit contains plenty of vitamins and minerals. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one 3.5 ounce serving (100 g) of sweetsop contains 94 calories, 2.1 g of protein, 0.3 g of fat, 23.6 g of carbohydrate, and 4.4 g of fiber. It also provides 44 percent of the Daily Recommended Value (% DV) for Vitamin C, 20 percent for manganese, 18 percent for dietary fiber, 15 percent for vitamin B6, 10 percent for thiamin, 9 percent for riboflavin, 6 percent for niacin and magnesium, as well as phosphorus, iron, calcium, folate, and zinc.

How to enjoy Fresh sugar apples are sweet and creamy and delicious eaten outof-hand. When ready to eat, rinse the sugar apple under water, then crack open and pull apart. The fruit will come apart in segments that you can pull out from the outer shell. Enjoy the flesh and discard the seeds. Other ways to enjoy this tropical fruit are: • Blend the flesh with milk for a fruit shake • Use the flesh for sweetsop ice cream • Slice and add to fruit salad or platter • Chop and add to cereal or yogurt Enjoy delicious, nutritious sugar apple during Florida’s peak season today.

Selected References http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/sugar_apple. html

Vitamin C Florida sugar 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. One serving of sweetsop meets almost half of your daily requirements for this important vitamin.

Manganese This mineral has many varied functions in the body. Manganese facilitates protein and carbohydrate metabolism from the foods we eat, as well as activates the enzymes necessary for the body to use nutrients including vitamin C, thiamin, and choline. Additionally, manganese activates the enzymes involved in bone formation.

How to select and store Choose sugar apples that are slightly firm but yield to gentle pres-

sure. Look for color changes on the fruit rind between the knobs as a sign of ripeness. For green sugar apples, look for a yellow color between the segments, and for red sugar apples, look for a bright pink color between segments. Select sugar apples that are free of bruises or broken skin. They can be stored at room temperature to ripen, or ripe fruit can be refrigerated for up to several days. 38

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RECIPES

Florida Sweet Bell Peppers with Beef

Recipes Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture

Florida Relish for Hot Dogs

INGREDIENTS 2 medium Florida bell peppers (your color choice), seeds and stem removed, sliced into 1/4-inch strips 1 pound top sirloin or your favorite cut of beef, excess fat trimmed Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 4 tablespoons olive oil, separated 1/2 Spanish onion, thinly sliced lengthwise (to match peppers) 1 large Florida tomato, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions Trim any visible excess fat from the beef. Cut the beef across the grain into 1/4 inch wide strips that are as long as the peppers and onions. Season the steak strips with kosher salt and pepper. Add chopped garlic to seasoned steak and let sit in the refrigerator for around 10 minutes. While the steak is sitting, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan on medium high to high heat.

INGREDIENTS 2 fresh tomatoes, diced 1 cucumber, seeded and chopped 1 cup carrots, sliced 1 red onion, diced 6 radishes, thinly sliced 1 green bell pepper, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced kosher salt to taste freshly ground pepper to taste 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 package kosher hot dogs 1 package hot dog buns

Directions In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except hot dogs and buns and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Heat hot dogs by your preferred cooking method, place on buns and top with relish

When the oil starts to smoke, add the sliced onions and bell peppers, cook wile stirring, until the peppers and onions are just barely starting to become tender, about 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute. Remove the vegetables from the sauté pan to a bowl and set aside for the moment. In the same sauté pan, heat an additional 2 tablespoons of oil on medium high to high heat, until the oil is almost smoking. Carefully add the strips of beef and let the beef brown on both without much stirring. As soon as the beef reaches the desired doneness, add the vegetables and Worcestershire and cook quickly. Remove from heat and serve with seasoned brown rice or rice noodles. 40

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Limestone and food. To hold in moisture around your roses, and hopefully thwart the pro-• Lay Roses have graced gardens beingstrips used as a top layer of paper towelliterally sheets for overcenturies, the crumpled to Naturally Amazing Activities covering. liferation of weeds, an organic mulch is recommended. As it decompos-provide ground covers, shrubs, vines, container and specimen plants, the lidalmost on theyear-round container toinhelp retain humidity es, you'll replace the mulch, bearing in mind that even when your• Place flowering central Florida. mulch disappears, you're building nutritious soil. Mulch makes weedWater Delivery System: By Green ingSean much easier, too. Roses appear in a plethora Plastic food container with lid of colors and scents. They also come with a wide range of implications and situations. You may give Roly Polys and other Isopods make fascinating pets, they can live Thick hollow shoestring several yearstounder idealroses conditions and if you haveabout otheryour exotic pets • Drill a on holethe in occasion the lid ofofthe container large enougha for the shoeIf you plan use your as cut flowers, think intended them a sweetheart, the Prom, proposal, an such as reptiles, or invertebrates, they canUse helplarger keep blooms your string to fit through. arrangement andamphibians trim the roses length accordingly. acceptance, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparents Day, other clean. They are the equivalent shrimp a fish the shoestring the lid, and across the bottom of Boss' Day, Employeesthrough Day, Good Grades Day, Apology Day, low inhabitats the container and use smaller bloomsof and budsin at the tank, top for• Thread and will eagerly consume debris left behind by other organisms. This the container to wick water, tape the wick to the top of the lid to height. Also, try to use odd numbers of flowers in your arrangement, as the Kentucky Derby (Run for the Roses)...well, let's just say habitat is designed to be easy to maintain and clean. Adaptations can secure it. florists If youa cut buds when they are too tightorthey'll probably• Fill from to death, occasion for lid. roses. be madedo. to create space within a reptile, amphibian, invertebrate thebirth container withthere's wateran and close the Shoestring wick habitat that you Always want themake Isopods to coexist with. refuse to open. a clean cut with a sharp knife or cuttingshould be submerged in water. • The remaining is there's to be snaked along theexcuse bottomtoofgive the shears, trying to avoid a ragged cut for the sake of the plant. Now that youshoestring know that no need for an Materials Main Habitat: habitat container flower, to wickplan water into it plot similar theand concept of this beautiful a garden for to roses bestow Plastic food container with lid drip irrigation. the splendor of the rose on some unsuspecting soul soon and Paper Towels (natural and unbleached if possible, will provide both often. bedding and nutrition) Food: * Sponge (new) – if unbleached paper towels are not available Fish food flakes sprinkled on the substrate surface, Limestone rock (source of calcium for the Isopod) Hollowed potato, apple, carrot. dad (Provides a dugout These out rosespieces are inofmemory of myor precious Nelson Lunn, for athlete the Isopod to eat from) and great golfer, now playing through with his good • Punch holes along the top edge or lid of the container about an inch friend Art, both having gone home on December 18th, 2012. apart to allow for ventilation. Precautions: You've got all my love dad. by removing moldy • Snake the wick of the water delivery system along the bottom of Discourage excessive moldand in respect, the enclosure the container food, immature isopods are small and may be difficult to find, tap • Tape the wick of the water delivery system to the side of the con- them off the food and/or paper towels before removal. tainer to prevent Isopods from climbing the wick to freedom If mold persists, increase ventilation in lid (or remove for a period • Lay down a base of paper towel sheets and dampen (not wet) of supervised time). • Place Limestone rock and food source (Potato) on top of the damp Avoid mixing different species of isopods (i.e. roly polys or sowbugs) base layer. in the same container. • Place crumpled strips of damp paper towel on top of the layer of When populations cause overcrowding, waste gases can kill the isopods, release some back to the wild.

Isopod Habitat

Yet another fungal disease which is a threat in spring or late fall is powdery mildew, which covers new leaves and buds with a powdery white substance. This disease rarely kills the plant but will damage leaves and blooms. Other pests which you might encounter include caterpillars, aphids, thrips or spider mites. The best hedge of protection for your roses is early detection of infestations. But that should be easy considering the close scrutiny you'll afford your beauties once you fall in love with them. You may contact the extension office for BMP's (best management practices) for these and other pest problems you may encounter.

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Roly Poly

Enjoy your pets.

Some roses will require weekly fungicidal or insecticidal spraying to maintain the quality of the plant. An important aspect of rose care is the proper management of fungal black spot. This disease would not be near as prevalent in states which lack our wet, humid climate. Begin to treat roses when new growth emerges, continuing through the growing season. One asset associated with shrub roses is that these low-maintenance roses are resistant to black spot with very few or no sprays.

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A Closer Look:

By Sean Green

Roly Poly (Armadillidium vulgare )

Photo Credit: William Leonard

Sometimes the simplest of creatures can be the most fascinating and entertaining, a case in point is the Roly-Poly (Armadillidiidae). Other common names for this creature include: Woodlouse, Pill Bug, Potato Bug, and Armadillo Bug just to name a few. Most children can recite their common name at a glance and are often eager to catch and examine them. Roly-Polys are harmless and relatively easy to find, making them a popular first pet or at least counted among the first animal friends children experience. Common names of animals can be deceptive. Roly-Polies are not bugs at all, nor are they insects, they are crustaceans and more related to crabs, lobster and shrimp than anything else. Without going into too much taxonomic detail, Roly-Polys are Isopods, the only classification of animals that includes a large group of land dwelling crustaceans. Fossil records indicate that these invertebrates date back to at least the early cretaceous period and possibly as early as the carboniferous over 300 million years ago. Isopods differ from other crustaceans in many ways, one of which is ability to roll up into a ball. Of all the living Isopods, only those in the genus Armadillidiidae have the characteristic ability that inspired the common name Roly-Poly. Most of the Armadillidiidae found in North America are believed to have been introduced from Europe. Armadillidiidae as a group are thought of as decomposers and their role in soil ecology is similar to that of an earthworm, feeding primarily on decaying organic material, but are also said to feed on lichens, algae, mold and fungi. Armadillidiidae are sometimes housed with exotic pets such as reptiles, amphibians or even other invertebrates to keep the habitat clean. Armadillidiidae are efficient recyclers of energy, they will not only clean up the feces left behind from exotic pets, but their own as well. An arthropods circulatory system includes a copper rather than iron based protein carrier giving them blue rather than red blood. The circulatory system is only used to transport nutrients throughout the body, not oxygen. Armadillidiidae respiration is done with trachea-like lungs which must remain moist to function. Ironically, despite their successful adaptation to land, Armadillidiidae never evolved to develop the waxy cuticle that insects and spiders have developed, consequently, Armadillidiidae are very susceptible to dehydration and will often die when humidity levels fall below 50 percent. Amazingly, the problem of dehydration is overcome with another interesting adaptation. When humidly levels exceed about 87 percent, Armadillidiidae WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

can absorb water vapor from the air to rehydrate, this makes Florida and other humid southern states an ideal environment in which they thrive. Armadillidium vulgare is native to the Mediterranean and can withstand drier conditions than most other Armadillidiida species. This particular species is only found in calcareous soils, also common in Florida, especially in coastal counties. Although not first on the scene for decomposition, Armadillidiida return organic material to the soil, it is then digested by protozoa, bacteria, and fungi to release nitrates, phosphates and other nutrients for plant absorption. Even more exciting is their ability to ingest and crystallize heavy metals such as copper, lead, zinc, and other contaminants. Because Armadillidiida can tolerate toxic metal ions, they can restore topsoil formation and accelerate the establishment of soil stabilizing plants in contaminated sites that few insect species would survive. Although Armadillidiida is not considered a pest, its potential as such should not be discarded. Many sources maintain Armadillidiida will only consume live plants or animals when other food sources have diminished, however, Armadillidium vulgare in particular is known to feed on seedlings of many crops including bean, cowpea, radish, lettuce, mustard, and tomato. Young Armadillidiida are sometimes cannibalistic and considering the eating habits of their relatives, (crabs, shrimp, and lobster), it becomes increasingly difficult to deny this animal is an opportunistic feeder and may feed on crops or home gardens if the opportunity is exists. Without inordinate populations, Armadillidium vulgare is unlikely to become a pest and more likely to remain a neutral if not beneficial species. Females brood several hundred fertilized eggs at a time once or twice each summer storing them in a brood pouch filled with nutritive fluid located on the underside of her body. The eggs hatch in three to four weeks and the young remain in the pouch for a couple more weeks before crawling away for their first molt. Subsequent molts are at two week intervals for the next 20 weeks then intermittent intervals thereafter. Armadillidiida can be found anywhere that provides a moist shelter and organic material. They will be found with earthworms, millipedes and other decomposers under damp rotting wood, large rocks, or leaf litter. Finding one will be easiest at night. For those who wish to keep one as a pet, an appropriate habitat is described on the activity page. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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Grow ngthe Future By Melissa Nichols

This spring two students of Lake Gibson Middle School decided they wanted to compete in the Agriscience division of the Florida State FFA competitions. These students, Blair Buchanon and Katie Harwell, were both in 7th grade and longtime best friends. They were both born into cattle farming families and are no stranger to agriculture. Blair is the daughter of Danny and Leslie Buchanon and Katie is the daughter of Doug and Teresa Harwell. Over the years they have had many outstanding accomplishments in their individual 4H and FFA activities, but this project would prove to be something that will go down in Polk County record books. Blair and Katie decided on the topic that was important to them and began researching. Their topic was “what fertilizer works best.” This seemingly simple project is something that farmers could learn a lot from. They spent many long hours working on their project, each devoting three days a week to it. Their project was to determine the fertilizer that worked best and decided that their crop would be lima beans since they grow rather quickly. The fertilizer was their independent variable in this experiment. They measured the plants every three days and this was their dependent variable. Blair and Katie used a control group with plain water, banana peels that were dehydrated and then blended to a course mixture so it could be measured, coffee grounds, and low odor fish fertilizer. All were measured and mixed in the same amount of water and poured over the soil. They measured, measured again, checked, wrote, and double checked. They decided that “low odor” truly did not meet their expectations of what they thought “low odor” would mean as it was smelly! They kept the plants under artificial grow lights, measured time, as this was also part of the control variables. This experiment combined science, agriculture, math, language arts, and a good amount of research. The surprising outcome was that fish emulsion was the best fertilizer. After months of preparing, and with the help of their Ag teacher Erica Morse, Katie’s mom Teresa Harwell, and Blair’s mom Leslie Buchanon, they competed at the Florida FFA State Convention on June 12 and placed 1st in the Middle School Plant Science, Team Division. With much excitement they now qualify to go to National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky this October in their division. All states are eligible to submit their winner from each category and then a national judging panel selects the top 15 projects in the nation to compete at convention. This not only is a great accomplishment for LGMS, but Polk County as a whole since it is the first time a middle school from Polk County will compete nationally in this competition. Katie and Blair are very excited and honored to be able to participate at this level and to represent their WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

school and their county. Both girls have been involved in FFA since 6th grade. They competed as 7th graders and will try to compete again this year as 8th graders. The “team” (Blair and Katie) also competed in the Ornamental Horticulture competition at Florida FFA State Convention and placed 3rd in the Consumer Use category with their project “Fresh from Florida Strawberry Smoothie.” These two middle school students are fast making strides to set a lot of records. Blair is current chapter President, shows beef animals, market hogs, and competes in every competition she can. Katie is the current Vice President, shows horses, market hogs, poultry, rabbits, and is involved with every aspect of FFA, as well. Lake Gibson Middle School FFA program is making some great accomplishments and developing a program to be very proud of. Erica Morse is helping the students succeed in many Career Development Events and Supervised Agricultural Events. Lake Gibson is part of the Polk County Schools Agriculture academies program, with a focus on Agricultural Sciences.

Saturday November 23 Florida FFA Leadership Training Center 5K RUN WALK MUD RUN 5K AND MUD RUN

$30.00 $75.00 $90.00

Register at State FFA Convention and save $5 for 5k, $10 for Mud Run and $15 for both! Register as a team - FFA chapter, school, or business! (5 members)

5K and Walk, 9:00 AM

Timed road race with award for teams and individuals

Spaghetti Lunch ($12) 11:00 AM Mud Run 2:00 PM

Fun run with mud pit, creek run, and hay bale carry, obstacles. Distance: 3 miles. Awards for placing and team awards.

Free T-Shirt!

Sponsorships Available! INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

September 2013

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