WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COMINTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 20222PAGE Cover withGroundMoreCKP877-CKP-INS1 (877-257-4671) ckpinsurance.com Let CKP Help You Protect Your PRF Our trusted risk advisors are trained to help you analyze complicated insurance data so you: • Protect your land and livelihood against potential losses during times of drought. • Make the most informed decision for your business. • Never purchase unnecessary coverage and pay more than you need. Why now? • Very affordable – Government subsidized • Premiums are not due until October 1 • No adjusters needed • No claim forms • Protects your cash flow “Anyone can sell you a policy. But CKP invests the time to understand your individual needs and develop a strategy that will produce the best coverage results.” The USDA Risk Management Agency helps protect your Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) from theemiller@ckpinsurance.comelements.ContactEdenMiller321-501-2729
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WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COMINTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 20224PAGE PAGE 10 Scott Angle PAGE 11 Safety PAGE 12 Thoughts from the Heifer Pen PAGE 14 Fishing Hot Spots PAGE 16 Endangered Species PAGE 18 Monarch PAGE 20 Pesticide Exams PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter PAGE 24 Small Ruminant Course PAGE 27 Sugarkiss Melon PAGE 30 Ubran Farmers PAGE 32 PCSO PAGE 35 News Briefs PAGE 36 John Dicks PAGE 38 Heart of Dixie PAGE 40 Activity PAGE 41 A Closer Look PAGE 42 Burrowing Owls PAGE 44 Blueberries CONTENTS Hey Readers! Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! Polk P.O.Cattlemen’sCountyAssociationBox9005•DrawerHS03Bartow,FL.33831-9005 Cover Photo by Images By Blair President – Kevin Fussell 4523 Fussell Rd Polk City, FL 33868-9676 (863) 412-5876 Vice President – Dr. Lujean Waters 8750 Shreck Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) Secretary/TreasurerLujean.waters@gmail.com537-1495-JustinBunchPOBox849HighlandCity,FL33846-0849(863)425-1121justin.bunch@cpsagu.comStateDirector–DavidHunt 9699 Alt Bab Pk Cut-Off Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) Scott_shoupe@hotmail.comLakeland,AlternateDhunt285@aol.com287-1835SD–OrrinWebbPOBox202Bartow,FL33831(941)916-5093cwebbowebb@aol.comRayClark4484SwindellRoadLakeland,FL33810(863)640-0719rclark@tampabay.rr.comDonaldConroy3882WolfolkRdFortMeade,FL33841(863)412-0790StuartFitzgeraldPOBox1437LakeWales,FL33859(863)206-5021stuartcattlellc@yahoo.comKenSherrouse13475MooreRdFL33809-9755(863)698-1834kensherrouse@yahoo.comScottShoupe6130AllenLaneLakeland,FL33811(863)581-7593 James Stice PO Box 460 Highland City, FL 33846 (813) 3305jstice@verizon.net714-2333DaveTomkowUSHighway92 E Lakeland, FL 33801-9623 (863) dave@cattlemens1.com665-5088Alternate Standing Committee Chairs: MembershipEvents Trade Show- Bridget Stice Rodeo- Fred Waters PO Box 463 Alturas, FL 33820-0463 (863) CattlewomenWebsite559-7808–President, Leslie Buchanon 8444 Tom Costine Rd Lakeland, FL 33809 (863) POExtensionBuckld96@gmail.com581-2711–BridgetSticeBox9005,DrawerHS03Bartow,FL33831(863)519-1048 Sheriff’sbccarlis@ufl.eduDept.–Lt.Paul Wright 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 557-1741 pw5281@polksheriff.org Sgt. Tim Sanders 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 656-6119 brusso@polksheriff.org Warner University –Abby Crawford 13895 Highway 27 Lake Wales, FL 33859 (863) Abby.crawford@warner.edu638-7248 28 August 2022 VOL. 15 • ISSUE 11 KATELANDRANEY’S LIFE AGRICULTUREIN
Farming is OrCallHelpstressfulisavailable211Text‘FarmFL’to898-211 Working on a farm can be physically and emotionally demanding. If you are feeling anxious or depressed, you’re not alone. Nine in ten farmers cite financial issues, farm business concerns and fear of losing their farms as mental health stressors. Call 211 to speak to someone who will listen and provide the resources you need to get through tough times. Calls are confidential and can be anonymous. Learn more at 211.org
In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is avail able through local Polk County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Polk County Catlle men’s Letters,Association.comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call Advertisers813-759-6909warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publica tions, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc. Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25 Sarah Holt
It’s mid-August and the kids are back in school. Take care on the roads as the future of our country makes their way to the bus stops and schools. Your phone can wait until you arrive at your destination, so pay attention to where you are going. I was raised in a very rural area in northeastern Kentucky. My father was a city boy (okay, not really a city, but compared to where my mom grew up it was massive) and my mom a country girl. After a few years of living in town they moved to the farm. I couldn’t be more thankful.
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When not in school I could be found roaming the hillsides searching for adventure. I would stop by my house, or my grandparent’s house for a snack or lunch and right back out the door I would go It wasn’t all play but looking back now it seems that way. I often spent time with my grandmother, stringing beans, shelling peas and canning. I was so tired at the end of the day that bedtime was never a fight. I didn’t sleep late, there was too much fun to be had. I enjoyed hearing my grandparents talk about their experiences growing up, both good and bad. Family stories should be cherished. Even more so right now for me. I miss those carefree days on the farm and will cherish those memories for the rest of my life.
STAFF
It was a long drive to get anywhere, even the grocery story, especially for a young girl prone to motion sickness. This was something I never outgrew. We didn’t have a large farm; a few cattle roamed the hillsides you find so abundant in that neck of the woods. Pigs were acquired each year to go along with the beef we put in the freezer, a garden supplied most of our vegetables for the year and our cash crop was tobacco.
Letter from the Editor
CreativeSeniorPublisher/PhotographyKarenBerryManagingEditor/AssociatePublisherSarahHoltEditorPatsyBerrySalesKarenBerrySarahHoltMelissaNicholsGeorgeDomedionDirector/IllustratorJuanAlvarezPhotographyKarenBerryStaffWritersAlBerrySandyKasterJamesFrankowiakSeanGreenGinnyMinkInternMaggieFussellContributingWritersWoodyGoreJohnDicksSocialMediaVictoriaSaunders
3012 S. Jim Redman Pkwy. (Hwy. 39 S) Plant City, FL • southsidestores.com 813-752-2379Mon. - Sat.: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Yall take care, Polk County Cattlemen’s Association Kevin Fussell
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Hope everyone is getting enough rain to keep the grass growing. Most places around seem to be pretty dry as far as standing water. Of course that could change in a day or two. Hopefully all your calves are growing good. The calf market seems to be pretty strong and looks to be getting stron ger. Cow market maybe off a little but the price is still good on them as well. Dont forget our fall dinner is scheduled for No vember 10 at the Stuart Center. We have also set the date for a Spring Gathering on April 20, 2023 also at the Stuart Center. We are looking foward to seeing you, and are glad things are to where we can finally get back to having two dinners for our members to come together and fellowship with one another. We also have got our commercial heifer drawing going again. If your a member and you have kids eligible to show in the youth fair, be sure to get their names in to us before September 9 with the signed form that was mailed out to you. We are going to draw the winner and they will be able to get the heifer around mid-September.
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Sixteen annual calls later and $100,000 raised for 4-H since Betty Jo’s just-one-time request, she asked Carl and Dee Dee to bring the family to Gainesville in July to be inducted into the Florida 4-H Hall of Fame.
Dustin’s always ready for Betty Jo’s call, and he always says yes. She and 4-H long ago taught him the true meaning of “Just one time.”
Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Vice President for Agriculture and Natu ral Resources and leader of the UF Insti tute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
The Grooms family’s generosity has paid for a lot of residential summer camp scholarships and 4-H University scholarships, trips to Tallahassee for 4-H Legislature, as well as trips to state, regional and national judging events.
FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD
By J. Scott Angle
Hillsborough 4-H Foundation leader Betty Jo Tompkins turned to Carl and Dee Dee Grooms with a request—can we send a few hundred people to your farm to pick your bushes clean and keep for 4-H the money they spend for the berries? Just one time.
To Carl and Dee Dee, berries are business. But they’re also ser vice. When Dee Dee took that call from Betty Jo, they were 25 years into a 4-H friendship that began with Betty Jo’s club gleaning the Fancy Farms fields to supply food banks and oth er charities with berries. And, after all, it was just one time. Betty Jo called again the next year. And the next. And the next. They knew Betty Jo would be calling again this year. But this time she wanted to surprise and honor them. She needed to see them in person. It was easy to find them. The Grooms family has won so many awards for their service to the agriculture industry that all Betty Jo had to do was show up at a ceremony where they were already being honored by someone else. She went to the Re gent in Riverview, where Carl and Dee Dee’s family was being honored for 2022 Outstanding Project of the Year Award from the Hillsborough County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Betty Jo has dropped all pretense by this point. In fact, she doesn’t even call Dee Dee. Carl and Dee Dee’s son Dustin runs the farm now.
Though Dustin was never formally in 4-H, he was raised the same way his dad was. He got those 4-H lessons at home on the farm. Only he had hundreds of 4-Hers coming to his home and farm to learn those lessons, too.
Hillsborough County 4-H was in a rough spot. A local farmer who had volunteered his field for a U-pick fundraiser had to back out at the last minute.
Carl explained from the stage last month that he never be longed to a 4-H club but that he got the lessons of 4-H at home on the farm from his dad. Today, he sees 4-H and his berry fields as tools to teach youth those same lessons. The U-picks teach adults as well, namely, where their food comes from, how much work goes into producing it, and how important it is that Floridians support agriculture.
UF/IFAS study highlights the need for more on-the-job safety
In a new study published in the journal Safety, Gorucu found skid steer loaders caused more than 300 injuries from 2015 to 2020. One-third of them were in the agriculture sector. Among those in agriculture, 24 (more than one-third) involved youth, aged 5 to 18. Gorucu said the study’s findings reinforce the need for im proved safety engineering and clear safety guidelines for skid steer operators – particularly because children are so vulnerable around the machines. “In agriculture, workplace and home are usually the same,” said Gorucu, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering. “So, youth are exposed to all kinds of workplace hazards as bystanders. Also, sometimes, young children ride as passengers on skid steers.”
• Bystander workers were injured more often than those who operated the machines.
Among other key findings in the new study:
One tip involves vision. Operators of skid steer loaders often cannot see well around the machines. Gorucu suggests us ing camera systems or sensors to warn them of bystanders.
For this research, Gorucu received assistance from Bryan Weichelt, an associate research scientist and Richard Burke, research specialist – both with the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, National Farm Medicine Center, in Marshfield, Wisconsin.
• Construction, waste management and agriculture topped the list of industries for skid steer loader injuries.
Researchers found injuries from skid steer loaders in 44 states, with Florida (27), California (27) and Texas (40) leading the way.
Some workplaces can be dangerous. In fact, more than 2 mil lion people were injured or got sick in America, while on the job in the private sector in 2021. That’s why University of Florida researcher Serap Gorucu and her colleagues make it their mission to increase the safety of workers and others. She’s especially interested in the agricul tural sector. That could mean on the farm, in packing houses or in other places. For her latest research, Gorucu studied skid steer loaders, machines used to move dirt and mow grazing lands, among other agricultural applications. They’re also used in forestry to pull logs. Skid steer operators tend to turn them around and put them in reverse frequently, making it more challenging to use them safely, as vision is an issue.
The data in the study comes from injury reports from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and AgInjuryNews, a web-based tool that compiles serious agri cultural injuries reported by the media.
By Brad Buck
“In some cases, we see young children operating the ma chine. We cannot overstate how important it is that youth should not be present in these work environments.”
Because this marks the first time any researcher has looked into skid steer loader injuries, there are no previous numbers to compare Gorucu’s findings. But she is more concerned about the injuries and how to prevent them.
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When we got home after vacation, I was a little sad not to be on the beach anymore, but I was glad for the break and to be home. On vacation I felt like I could examine my plans for the future without the pressure to do it to morrow. I could take a step back and take a long objec tive gaze. I did not have the pile of yet to be completed tasks staring at me every night as I tried to fall asleep, instead I had a clear mind of how to accomplish all of them (and a tan). So take a break, but just remember to come back!
THOUGHTS FROM THE HEIFER PEN
SometimesTarangowelive in delusions. We tell ourselves that we are more than we really are, or we tell ourselves that we are less than our worth. Sometimes we tell ourselves that our daily living is great when it is not and sometimes we tell ourselves that it is not enough when it is beyond what we need. Sometimes we feed ourselves these delusions everyday like medication that we take every morning because we know we will not make it through the day without them. And sometimes we just eat these delusions like chocolate without realizing that we are doing something unhealthy, you know, just when life gets a little stressful. One thing that can bring us out of our delusions is a vacation. I don’t know what it is about a vacation that brings us a healthy dose of reality even when we are in a way trying to take a break from reality. I think that it has something to do with being out of our normal surroundings and hav ing to relearn our limits. For example, maybe you cannot swim as far in the ocean as you remembered without getting winded. Or maybe you thought your legs, who have not seen the light of day in a while, could suddenly handle two hours of straight sunlight with no sunscreen. (That will really give you a reality check.)
By Marisol
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On most vacations we go to places where we are com plete strangers to the local people. There may be some shops that remember us if we frequent the same spot every year, but in general we are no different than any other tourist. This can be somewhat strange when you come from a small community where everyone knows who your parents are and what truck you drive. In some ways it is a little bit freeing because you can just come and go anonymously. And in other ways it is a bit shock ing when someone is rude to you, and you will proba bly never see them again in your life. You are just stuck with that rude image and have no way to figure out if that someone is actually a rude person or was just hav ing a bad day. Then there is the annoying aspect of not knowing anyone. You have to specify everything that you need or who you are looking for. You cannot just go into a shop and say, “I need the usual and put it on my dad’s account.” Nobody knows who your dad is (silent gasp!).
And if you are looking for someone, that takes more detail than usual, too. Once during our recent vacation, I was trying to catch up with my sisters and cousins at some of the beach shops and instead of asking a shop owner “have you seen my sisters and cousins?” I had to actually describe what they looked like. In response to being out of your regular environment there are some personal discoveries that you make about yourself. One discovery that I made is that I am a fair-weather beach girl. I like to be on the beach, I like to go swimming, I even like to go out on the boat for a little while, but I am not a hardcore saltwater girl at heart. I can do the hardcore saltwater girl stuff, I grew up kayaking, fishing in the bay, and snorkeling, but trudging through the mangroves in water that I cannot see through with a stringer full of dead fish behind me is not my favor ite thing to do. To illustrate consider this scenario: We rented some boats for a day trip for the whole family. We left the docks at nine in the morning and came back at four in the afternoon. We had a great time, got caught in a storm, saw a waterspout, had lunch on the beach, got stuck in the shallows, and made it back on time. It really was a great day, and I enjoyed all of it (maybe not get ting drenched in the storm), but I would have had just as an enjoyable day if we had gone back home after lunch.
• If you are underway, slow down to a safe speed. If you cannot see the bow of your boat, then maintain idle speed.
• Make sure all eyes and ears on board are looking for other boats, boat wakes, buoys, and floating debris. Be sure to lis ten for engines or other clues that signal another boat is near.
Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
• You find yourself in a marine fog and try ing to navigate a straight course without navigational aids. Undoubtedly, you will wind up traveling in a circle. So, to steer a straight course, attach a 20-foot line on the bow or from the mast and drag a sea anchor, drift sock, boat cushion, or any thing that creates resistance. Keep the line centered where it passes over the stern, and you will steer a straight line.
• After everyone onboard has donned their PFDs, assign them to be lookouts.
• Utilize your navigation equipment if you have it. Hopefully, you have at minimum a compass and a navigation chart to get your bearings. Sometimes a GPS, de pending on the size of your vessel, will be outfitted with RADAR.
• Either underway or stopped, and you hear an approaching vessel, sound the optional one short - one long - one short blast to notify them of your presence.
The Coast Guard International and Inland Navigation Rules state that a vessel must proceed safely to avoid a collision.
• If you become disoriented, STOP! Do not proceed if you are unsure of your po sition and direction. Again, proper navi gation gear and skills will help you keep your bearings.
• There’s a phenomenon about objects in a fog appearing bigger than usual. Be aware that visibility can drop when operating in a marine fog. When visibility is between 30 and 150 yards, objects, in cluding other boats, may appear twice as large. And also give the illusion they are approaching faster.
• Periodically stop your engine and listen to your surroundings. Sometimes, this may be your only way to avoid colliding with something in a fog. Listen for other boats, fog horns, and other sounds from aids to navigation.
• Use a sounding signal of some sort, which is required safety equipment by the U.S. Coast Guard, to signal your po sition every two minutes. You can use a bell, a loud air horn, a foghorn, or other approved means for producing sound.
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What is Marine Fog?Capt. Woody Gore How It affects boaters? How to navigate through it? Fog is directly related to dew points and occurs when water temperatures start to warm. As this happens, there is a good possibility fog will begin forming. A dew point is when the air can hold no more moisture at its current temperature. Therefore, as the air temperatures de crease, you reach the dew point, creating fog. Does sea fog go away? Sea fog shows up near bodies of salty water and forms as water vapor con denses around tiny bits of salt. Depend ing on the humidity and ambient temper ature, fog forms suddenly and typically disappears as quickly as it forms. For mariners, fog is the primary cause of reduced visibility, but haze and heavy rain also present hazards: grounding and collisions. The possibility of colliding with another vessel, navigational aids, or even land requires stringent lookouts. Your first option in preventing these dan gers begins with reduced speed. An old saying does not appear in the Rules of Navigation, “Be able to stop in half the distance of your visibility.” But it is good advice; always remember slower is bet Youter! can quickly get into trouble navigat ing in a marine fog without basic navi gational skills or equipment. Without a compass or an electronic navigational device, you might be dead in the water or traveling in circles. Be aware that visibility can drop when operating in a marine fog. When visibil ity is between 30 and 150 yards, objects, including other boats, may appear twice as large. While giving the illusion of being larger also tends to make you think they are approaching faster.
Maintaining a proper lookout is required by the Coast Guard Navigation Rules.
Below are a Few Navigational Actions You Should Know During a Sea Fog. Whenever boating and despite your best planning, you may be unable to avoid getting caught in sea fog. Follow the guidelines below if you find yourself in this situation. However, if you are in a life-threatening situation, call the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16.
July 2022 Tampa Bay Fishing SpottedReportSeaTrout fishing looks to continue and remain strong throughout the summer. Live shrimp seem to be the bait of choice, either hooked below the horn on the head, freelined, or fished under a cork. Snook fishing in the summer is al most a given. Practically every an gler throughout the Tampa Bay Ares is looking to catch snook. And given the amount of weekend fishing pres sure, it is a wonder you can catch a snook or redfish. Redfish There are good redfish days around the Tampa Bay grass flats. Finding redfish means covering lots of water; once located, they do not venture too far if there is bait in the area. Soft plastic artificial lures work well. Search deep water grass flats looking for lush grass beds with plenty of broken bottom or potholes.
Tarpon fishing picks up during the late summer. Following the bait, schools like greenbacks, threadfins, and crabs appearing abundantly throughout the bay.
Others Sheepshead, Mackerel, Kingfish, Permit, Grouper, and Snap per, offer diversity during the sum mer and continues to do well. Fol low the bait schools, and fish around structures or fish attractors.
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 2022 15 PAGE Capt. Woody Gore owns and operates Tampa Bay’s #1 Outdoor Fishing Guide Services. Guiding and fishing in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater areas for the past sixty years. He offers first-class customer service, familyoriented charters, and a lifetime of memories. Call 813-477-3814 or Visit our website, www.captainwoodygore.com, or email us at fishing@captainwoodygore.com “Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” 813-477-3814
oped in the area, which is likely to accelerate with climate change. Sea level rise and salt-water infiltration are also ma jor
The Black Creek Crayfish
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Becausethreats.the range of this species is so small, severe storm events are also a special risk. The entire population could be at risk from one major hurricane in the area. Conservation and restoration of existing wetland habitat is critical to increase habitat and species health and resilience at the onset of intensifying climate change. Monitoring population levels and hydrological conditions is important for this species as well. Development of a captive breeding program for this species may warrant consideration. If the population is wiped out by a major hurricane or storm surge event, a captive population could be used to repopulate the area.
The Black Creek Crayfish or procambarus pictus as it’s known by its scientific name, is a mid-sized crayfish that can reach a length of three inches. It has a black carapace with yellow and white marks, and a dark red abdomen with black bands that wrap around. Black Creek Crayfish can also be distinguished from other crayfish by the ten bumps located on their claws, where other species would have hair-like features.
The Black Creek crayfish is considered an endangered spe cies and is protected by Florida’s Endangered and Threat ened Species Rule. The diet of the Black Creek Crayfish primarily consists of dead animals, plants, and decomposed organic matter.
E ndang E r E d S p E ci ES
Reproductive males can be found from January to Septem ber while females can be found in a reproductive state be tween the months of June and August. The average clutch size ranges from 47-146 eggs, with the eggs hatching in the first part of June. The young reach maturity in one year, just before they reach their maximum age of 16 months. These crayfish inhabit tannic stained streams where they can be found taking refuge under tree roots and in vegetation. This species can be found in St. Johns, Duval, Clay and Put nam counties in Florida. They are currently on the Florida En dangered Species List. The Black Creek crayfish is restricted to higher water quality headwaters, which make it vulnerable to pollution, siltation, pollution of water by silt and clay, damming and changes in water temperature. These threats occur from increased ur banization, road shoulder erosion, mining and cultivation of Thetrees.highly restricted range of this species coupled with its fragile, freshwater habitat leaves the Black Creek crayfish vulnerable to a host of climate-related impacts. This spe cies is threatened by loss of the wetland habitat on which it relies. Wetlands can dry up because of extensive drought and changes in the hydrological cycle triggered by climate change and are also at risk from encroaching human devel
By Libby Hopkins
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Anne UF/IFASYasalonisExtension
By now, you may have seen the recent article stating alarming news about the beloved monarch butterfly population. Many gardeners in Florida enjoy planting for butterflies, observing the unique lifecycle of butterflies, and adding colorful flowers to their gardens. Milkweed is a critical plant for monarchs as it is their food source. If you have grown milkweed, you have certainly observed hungry monarch caterpillars devouring the leaves of your plants. But did you know it is best to plant native milkweed plants? Native milkweed will die back to the ground in the winter months, and that is important in sup porting the migration of monarch butterflies. Dr. Jaret Daniels with UF/IFAS recommends a variety of native milkweed and stresses the importance of allowing the monarch population to move on, and not stay longer in certain areas than they nat urally would. Native milkweed plants will bloom in the early spring as the butterflies return, making the plants in your yard a great “rest stop” along their journey!
Asclepias tuberosa Vibrant orange flowers grow on this attractive milkweed spring through autumn. Asclepias tuberosa grows best in well-drained soils, sandy soils, and full sun. Asclepias incarnata Also called swamp milkweed, Asclepias incarnata prefers moist soils and sunny garden beds. Asclepias humistrata Pinewoods milkweed is often found in sandhills and scrub habitat. It grows best from seed (like most native milkweed), and prefers dry, well-drained soils.
* Try to supply enough foliage to feed your caterpillars. If you are just beginning, it is better to have multiple host plants of one species, rather than one each of differing species.
blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/polkco/2019/01/04/monarchs-and-milk(https://
weed/) Support butterflies in your yard! Many sources offer guidelines on how to design, plant and maintain butterfly gardens. A few general tips to highlight:
Polk County Credit: https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/asclepias-tuberosa/
In Florida there are a number of native milkweed species that can be grown, just select the one that grows best in your yard’s conditions.
What’s the problem with tropical milkweed? Tropical milkweed can be grown year-round in Florida, and thus supports a year-round monarch population. Which is NOT a good thing! These migrating monarchs need to move on in the winter months, and if there is a food source, like the tropical milkweed, supporting them, they might not leave. That continued time may also result in an increase of OE, which is a disease caused by a parasite that is affecting the health of monarch butterflies. Follow the guidance outlined in this blog post about monarchs and milkweeds.
* Think of your whole yard as a butterfly garden! Locating host plants in different areas of your property will help decrease predators who learn quickly where there is a concentration of yummy caterpillars. Separating host plants also decreases Milkweed
Many native plant nurseries carry native milkweed, UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteers often sell it at plant sales, and friends and neighbors may even have seeds to share. Find out more about native Florida milkweed here.
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Asclepias tuberosa Asclepias incarnata
Save a Monarch, Plant a Native
Credit: Steven Katovich, Bugwood.org
For general information, Butterfly Gardening in Florida For information on specific butterflies (and other insects): Featured Creatures For information on native plants For a listing of native plant nurseries in Florida Preserving and protecting our native wildlife and plants is im portant, we encourage you to support natives in your yard. For more information, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk Coun ty at (863) 519-1041 or visit us online at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/ polk. The Plant Clinic is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 Florida/Institute
* Even butterflies who are listed to be in our area “all year” may have periods where they are more visible than others. Spring and fall seem to be the most active. In the summer they may leave to fly elsewhere; during cold weather they tend to move south.
territorial conflicts of butterfly species trying to dominate one area.
* Remember to include nectar plants in your garden. Providing a diversity of host and nectar plants will encourage returning generations of butterflies, as well as other native pollinators!
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pm to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. Give us a call, or email us at polkmg@ifas.ufl.edu. If you are not in Polk County, Contact your local UF/IFAS Ex tension Master Gardener V Asclepias tuberosa olunteer Plant TheClinic.Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program is a volun teer-driven program that benefits UF/IFAS Extension and the citizens of Florida. The program extends the vision of the Uni versity of
of Food and Agricultural Scienc es, all the while protecting and sustaining natural resources and environmental systems, enhancing the development of human resources, and improving the quality of human life through the development of knowledge in agricultural, hu man and natural resources and making that knowledge ac Ancessible.Equal Opportunity Institution. Is your farm FSMA www.FDACS.gov/FSMAready?SignuptodayforafreeOn-FarmReadinessReview This publication is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007446 totaling $1,166,732 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/HHS, or the U.S. Government. Credit: Anne Yasalonis, UF/IFAS Extension[/caption] Asclepias humistrata
* Always avoid the use of pesticides around your butterfly plants. When planning your garden, be aware of areas that pesticide over-spray from neighbors can reach and harm your butterflies (and all pollinators). By planting host plants for a diversity of butterfly species, we can help protect the populations of not just monarchs but other beautiful and important species.
In Florida, pesticide licensing exams help ensure the state’s approximately 70,000 pesticide applicators are properly certi fied to follow state regulations and best practices for mitigat ing the impact of chemicals on the environment.
By Samantha Murray
The UF/IFAS Pesticide Information Office also offers on line courses that give applicators continuing education units (CEUs). Pesticide applicators who have already passed the exam once can either retake the test or accrue CEUs to main tain their license. For additional updates check out PIO blog. EXAMS AVAILABLE ONLINE
Bultemeier emphasized that the online exam does not replace in-person exams. Both will be offered. New applicators must pass the exam, while current licensed applicators must retake the exam every renewal cycle or accrue enough continuing education units during that licensing window for renewal.
After the launch of several online pesticide exams earlier this year, all pesticide exams are now available on this platform, including those required for agricultural, structural pest control and mosquito control licenses. The online test is $26. Florida is one of only a few states that offers an online pesti cide exam option, said Brett Bultemeier, an Extension assistant professor of agronomy with the UF/IFAS Pesticide Information Office, which partners with the Florida Department of Agricul ture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to offer the exam. “We hope this remote online option will save applicators both time and money. When you factor in travel time and testing time, a pesticide applicator may spend half a day or more to sit for an in-person exam. That’s time they could be spending working or growing their business. The remote online option will allow them to take the test on a rainy day or outside tradi tional working hours,” Bultemeier said. “Taking the test online can also cut down on testing anxiety, as applicators can take the test from a quiet office or area in their home, rather than among several other people,” he added.
Applicators can apply for an in-person or remote online test by first getting a voucher from FDACS. This how-to video explains the voucher process. With a voucher in hand, examinees must register with UF/IFAS to test in person or online. This how-to video explains the registration process. For more information, visit the UF/IFAS pesticide exam website. To maintain the integrity of the test results, the online exam uses software developed by the company Everblue to en sure test takers are not consulting the internet, books or study guides while taking the exam.
ALL FLORIDA PESTICIDE
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NOW
• Squid is the number one pizza topping in Japan.
•Iceberg lettuce derived its name from the 1920s when it was shipped from California packed in ice.
• Your typical hen lays 300 eggs per year.
• Bobby Leach was the second person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. He survived that fall but later died as a result of slipping on a piece of orange peel.
• World Wide Web is three syllables when spoken. Its abbrevia tion, “www,” is nine syllables.
• Coca Cola has never been patented because to do so the secret formula would have to be revealed.
• An area of the brain known as the bilateral vomitation center notices when our stomach is upset and makes the final decision on barfing.
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For the life of me I could not come up with anything special to write about for this month, so I decided just to go back through my notes and see what I could find.
The light changed and as I pulled away I thought about the “emergency brake.” No such thing any more, it’s a “parking brake.” What we called a foot feed is now called the accelerator.
Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the August 2018 issue
Bruce, I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise as I have never driven a cab before and am not sure where I got it or what to do with in now that it’s in my garage.
Remember “Continental kits?” They were rear bumper extenders and spare tire covers that were supposed to make any car as cool as a Lincoln Continental.
My dad always used the phrase “store-bought.” Never hear that any more, because everything is store bought these days. When dad used those words it was brag ging material to have a store-bought dress or a storebought bag of candy from McCrory’s Five and Dime in Plant City, managed by Otis Andrews.
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The first one was an email from my friend Bruce Rodwell. He said he had a close friend before he moved from Clarks Summit, Pa. to Plant City that had a drink ing problem. Bruce said he tried his best to get him to go to AA. Nothing seemed to work until one night his friend spent the evening with some friends and had a few cocktails. He emailed Bruce that after that evening he has com pletely stopped drinking. The email read as follows: Dear Bruce, as you well know many of us at one time or another have had brushes with the authorities on our way home from an occasional social session. Last Friday I had one to many cocktails, and a couple of glasses of red wine at a small party on the west side of town with Mike Townsend who works in the same department with me at the metal shop.
Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the lim it, I did something I’ve never done before. I took a cab home. Sure enough, I passed a police roadblock but, since it was a cab, they waved it past.
Last week I pulled off I-4 at the Stingray Chevrolet exit. Seeing all the new cars reminded me of the old “fender skirts” that were a status symbol in high school. Going south on Park Road I stopped for the red light, and to my right was Jarrett-Scott Ford. That made me think of some other things we never hear about anymore. Like “curb feelers” and “steering knobs.” Any kid today will most likely have to find some adult over 55 to explain some of these terms.
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“That doesn’t have anything to do with it.” She replied. “Happiness is something you decide on head of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away just for this time in my life. You see, old age is like a bank account… you withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories.” As they entered her room she said to the nurse, “Thank you for your part in filling my memory bank. I am still depositing.” I hope you will remember these five simple rules to be happy: 1-Free your heart from hatred. 2-Free your mind from worries. 3-Live a simple life. 4- Give more. 5- Expect less.
We have a couch now. What ever happened to the dav enport? Now we’re going to a “luncheon.” When I was coming up we were going to lunch. Let’s close with a lesson from a great old girl. The 92year old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who was fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her fashionably combed hair and makeup perfectly ap plied, even through she was legally blind, moved to a nursing home. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of patiently wait ing in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweet ly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, the nurse provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung over her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eightyear-old having just been presented with a new puppy. “Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room…just wait.”
The first day of the program will be held at the Straughn Professional Development Center. The second day of the program will be held at the UF/ IFAS Beef Teaching Unit South, and will culminate with the 2022 University of Florida Ram Test and Sale, which will start at 1 p.m. Producers, Extension specialists, researchers, stu dents and allied industry professionals are wel come to attend this in-person, educational event. The program will include lectures on parasite control, herd health, marketing, management and more. Susan Schoenian, sheep and goat specialist from the University of Maryland, will bring industry ex pertise as the featured speaker. Research updates will be provided by UF small ruminant faculty and staff. Early bird registration prices will only last until Sep tember 1, so do not wait! Visit https://www.event
By Samantha Murray
University of Florida to hold its first Small Ruminant Short Course
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The University of Florida will hold its first Small Ruminant Short Course September 16 and17. The event is a collaboration among UF/IFAS Exten sion, the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, the UF/IFAS agronomy department, and the UF/IFAS department of animal sciences.
ontheThetest-sale-tickets-375223903797brite.com/e/small-ruminant-short-course-ram-toregister.programagendaandmoreinformationaboutSmallRuminantShortCoursecanbefoundthedepartmentofanimalscienceswebsiteat https://animal.ifas.ufl.edu/smallruminant/smallruminant-short-course/.
www.mosaicfloridaphosphate.com Welcome Back
As summer vacation draws to a close, Mosaic welcomes students, faculty and staff back for another successful school year. We also salute the parents, community members and other businesses supporting education across the region.
Every Fall, Mosaic employees look forward to partnering with schools on academic and extracurricular initiatives from 4H & FFA to furthering innovative STEM learning.
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Let’s work together to cultivate the most valuable crop of alla bright future. We help the world grow the food it needs.
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The ripest melons contain the most antioxidants. Choose one that feels heavy for its size and yields slightly to light thumb pressure. The rind, underneath the netting, should be a creamy yellow color and be free of bruises or overly soft spots. A ripe melon will have a sweet, musky smell from the stem end. A whole, firm melon can be left at room tempera ture for several days to ripen. Once it has reached its peak ripeness, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. Cut melon should always be stored in the refrigerator.
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Nutritional Profile According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup of fresh sugar kiss melon (160 g) contains 53 calories, 1.3 g of protein, 0.3 g of fat, 12.7 g of carbohydrate, and 1.4 g of fiber. It provides an astounding 112% of the Daily Reference Intake for vitamin C and 103% for Vitamin A. Cantaloupe is also a very good source of beta carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), potassium, niacin, folate, Vitamin B6, and dietary fiber. The B complex vitamins support energy production and good carbohydrate metabolism. Dietary fiber promotes a feeling of fullness and more stable blood sugar levels. Vitamin A
By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
You may have seen a melon that looks like a cantaloupe, but is actually a very sweet sugar kiss melon. The sugar kiss melon is similar in appearance and taste to cantaloupe, or muskmelon, which is grown abundantly in Florida. The sugar kiss melon is a specialty type of melon and mainly grown by producers in Arizona and California. The taste is similar to that of cantaloupe, but is very juicy, sweeter, and less musky. The flesh is very tender and surrounds an inner cavity with seeds. Peak harvest season is in the summer months, July and Au gust.
How to Select and Store
How to Enjoy Fresh sugar kiss melon is delicious eaten out-of-hand. Other ways to enjoy this fruit include • Cut and mixed with other fruits in a fruit salad • Wrap melon pieces in proscuitto for a delicious antipasto • Top slices with yogurt or cottage cheese for a high-protein •snack.Puree melon in a blender or food processor for a cold, re freshing dessert
Suggestion: Eat more fresh sugar kiss melon and other mel ons during the peak months today. These summertime treats are sweet, juicy, and delicious, and are low in calories with no fat or cholesterol.
FLORIDA SUGAR KISS MELON
With very high levels of beta carotene, vitamin A and C, the sugar kiss melon is good food for your eyes. In a study of over 50,000 women, those who consumed the highest dietary amount of vitamin A had a 39% reduced risk of developing cataracts. In another study that looked at the incidence of cat aract surgery and diet, researchers found that those people who ate diets that included melon had half the risk of cataract Datasurgery.from a large study of over 100,000 men and women indi cated that eating three or more servings of fruit per day low ered the risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) by 36 percent, compared with people who ate less than 1.5 serv ings of fruit per day. ARMD is the primary cause of vision loss in older adults. Researchers concluded that the vitamins and carotenoids in fruit were responsible for the protective effect on the development of ARMD.
Selected References http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/http://www.whfoods.com
Fresh sugar kiss melons and other foods rich in vitamin A, may be beneficial to lung health. Researchers at Kansas State Uni versity discovered that carcinogens in cigarette smoke may deplete the body’s stores of vitamin A and increase the likeli hood of developing emphysema and lung cancer. They also discovered that a diet rich in vitamin A can reduce the risk of emphysema in smokers. Antioxidants
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- Polk County Young Farmers and Ranchers Co-Chair - Central Florida Youth in Agriculture Secretary, Board of Directors
“This industry is hard, and will test you, but it will also bring out an unwavering determination, and at the end of the day we do it all for one reason, the love of the industry,” said Kateland Raney. Raney is dedicated to agriculture and works hard to promote it. Her passion for agriculture began as a child riding in the truck with her Grandad to check on the cows and has grown into a career. Today she works at AgAmerica Lending as an Agriculture Loan Closer. AgAmerica Lending is an agri culture lending company that is dedicated to providing financial structure to American farmers and ranchers. AgAmerica gets to know the farmer and their needs. As a loan closer she works with all departments of the company including attorneys and title companies to create loan documents for loan closings. “My favorite part of the job is knowing that when I close a loan, the hard work the team has put in is going to help the pro ducer stay in business for years to come,” said Raney. Being a loan closer is just one part of Raney’s Ag life. She owns a commercial cow calf operation and with her dad, Kenny Raney, she owns and operates a directto-consumer beef business called the Pine Lake Beef Company. She is also a part of:
Florida Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) is a community of agriculturists between ages 18 through 35 that have a desire to share ideas, create a network and participate in projects to grow leadership skills. YF&R provides members with the training to be leaders of agriculture. As the Co-Chair of Polk County Young Farmers and Ranchers, Raney assists in building and completing a roadmap of goals for the year. She coordinates guest speakers, organizes philanthropy events, facilitates farm tours and social networking events for members. As the District 5 Representative of the Florida Farm Bureau YF&R Leadership Team, Raney represents the eight counties of the district: Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, Lake, Pasco, Hillsborough, Polk and Pinellas counties. She represents the YF&R at coun ty, local, state and national levels. The district events she plans include farm tours, guest speakers, leader ship development and networking. She helped in the planning of the YF&R Leadership Conference in St. Augustine last month which hosted almost 300 YF&R members from across the state. This conference gives
- Florida Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers District 5 Leadership Team Representative
- Polk County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee Member - Polk County Cattlewomen’s Association Member - Florida Cattlewomen’s Association Member
By Maggie Fussell Photos Courtesy of Images by Blair & Kateland Raney
KATELAND RANEY’S LIFE IN AGRICULTURE
The Central Florida Youth in Agriculture (CFYIA) is a nonprofit organization that promotes Ag education to live stock exhibitors. CFYIA supports youth in Polk County that are raising swine and cattle. Each year the CFYIA holds a Livestock Showcase and Sale. At the showcase and sale youth can sell one steer or hog. Raney stays very busy with her career and involvement in agricul ture working to improve the industry. She said she is dedicated to “providing future generations with the tools they need to succeed in this dynamic industry.”
Raney was born into the cattle industry. Her fam ily owns a cow calf operation and her parents owned and operated a livestock market for 20 years. Her dad, Kenny Raney, is an auctioneer at Arcadia Stockyard and Cattlemen’s Livestock Market. “Some of my favorite memories as a kid are riding in the truck in my Gran dad checking cows and pushing calves down the al leyway with my brother at the livestock market,” Raney said. She participated in rodeos and showed steers and heifers at the Polk County Youth Fair while in FFA. Her childhood in the Ag industry inspired her to have a career and involvement in agriculture. Raney pur sued a career in banking for 10 years while staying in volved with Ag organizations. However, her love for the industry brought her back and she began working at AgAmerica Lending. She feels that a foundation of trust can be established through conversation. It is important to be honest, willing to learn and open to share in or der to have more meaningful conversations about Ag and create better solutions for the issues it faces. “Ag riculture is ever changing and choosing a career in this field is a constant challenge to myself that continuously pushes me outside of my comfort zone,” Raney said. Agriculture faces many challenges, and it is not an easy industry to be involved in. It requires a lot of time, mon ey, work and respect for the land and animals. Raney understands the pressures of agriculture, as well as its rewards. The hard labor it requires to get a field ready for planting or working cattle in the Florida heat forces you to be humble. But when the field produces, and the cows start having their calves, the pride you feel is im measurable. Raney says it well, “I believe agriculture is one of the most valuable things this country has to of fer, and we have to step up to promote, support, and lead this industry.”
members the opportunity to develop leadership skills, gain industry knowledge and make connections with farmers and ranchers from Florida. Raney takes the District 5 Representative position seriously and plans to grow personally and professionally through media training, legislative awareness, issue advocacy and ser vice leadership. She hopes to gain insight into the cor rect ways to advocate for agriculture at county, local, state and national level. She will travel to Tallahassee and Washington D.C. to discuss current issues and help lead the industry into the future. As the District 5 Rep resentative “I am able to stay in tune with various parts of the Ag industry and have a better understanding of the everyday successes and struggles producers are facing,” said Raney.
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By Jim RecentlyFrankowiakcompleted
New Research Findings to Help Urban Farmers
An urban commercial farmer can be defined as a person in an urban area who is typically running a for-profit business on a smaller scale than traditional commercial farms and who sells directly to consumers instead of through other channels like grocery stores.
Data reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture focus on more traditional, rural farms, which leaves a blind spot for urban and other non-traditional farms. Previous research has focused on urban agriculture producers in regions much dif ferent than Florida, so researchers wanted to find updated information on Florida’s commercial urban agriculture.
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Researchers found labor was the most common barrier for urban farmers. Access to capital and profitability came in sec ond and third, respectively.
The study also found that when they look to future opportu nities, farm operators select value-added products as a top choice; for example, a product like a salsa made from the grower’s recent tomato harvest. Additionally, many opera tions incorporate agritourism -- like farm tours, field days or educational events.
research by the University of Florida In stitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) explains common challenges commercial urban agriculture (UA) farmers face and opportunities that could help them thrive.
Supported by UF/IFAS SEEDIT research funding, researchers surveyed 53 farmers in major metropolitan areas across the state. The data captured information on future opportunities, barriers and needs.
For more information on urban farms and community food systems and resources to support them, visit programs.ifas. ufl.edu/urban-agriculture. The new study, “Commercial Ur ban Agriculture in Florida: Needs, Opportunities, and Barriers,” can be accessed at doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05038-22.
Surveyed farmers identified other common opportunities, in cluding growing new crops to meet consumer demand, offer ing online sales and delivering training and workshops. All of these opportunities allow CUAs to diversify their offerings to clientele and build on their existing community of customers.
Researchers plan to use these findings to develop resources and to provide additional support for urban farmers through Extension efforts.
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 2022 31 PAGE Turn every job into a job well done. Come see the versatile, affordable new MX Series today. • Spacious operator platform • Comfortable climate-controlled cab with heat and air for yearround comfort • Hydrostatic or gear transmission options • Excellent loader lift capacity (2,275 lb.) Together we do more. KubotaUSA.com © Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2020. This material is for descriptive purposes only. Kubota disclaims all representations and warranties, express or implied, or any liability from the use of this material. For complete warranty, safety, incentive offer and product information, consult your local dealer or go to KubotaUSA.com. The New MX Series 55.5-63.4 HP Factory cab available Polk Tractor Company 3450 Havendale Blvd Winter Haven, Florida 33881 863-967-0651
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Living in rural Polk County may feel more peaceful than resid ing in the city, but don’t let that peaceful atmosphere cause complacency when it comes to crime prevention. The threat of crime is still there – it just may look a bit different than in the city. Rural property may not be as easily accessible as proper ty in higher populated areas, but it’s still vulnerable and rural areas often lack the deterrent of numerous potential human Thewitnesses.targets of theft from rural businesses and agricultural properties include small and large equipment, fuel, livestock, consumable goods, and chemicals, to name a few. In fact, over the past few months in Polk County several agricultural businesses have experienced pump shed burglaries and die sel fuel thefts. Illegal scrappers also prey on agricultural businesses and of ten cause expensive damages in their efforts to steal a small amount of recyclable material such as copper wire.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office agricultural crimes detec tives work hard every day to proactively prevent crime, but we need your help. By being vigilant and following these sug gestions, you can lower the probability of becoming a victim.
er information in emergencies. These metal signs are avail able for a small price (proceeds go to the PCSO Explorer Post 001) by calling the PCSO Ag Crimes Unit at 863-534-7205.
First and foremost, secure fuel tanks and pump sheds with proper fencing and locks. Also consider utilizing game or se curity cameras for your property. Cameras can occasionally deter people from committing a crime, but the real advantage is that deputies can use the videos to identify the criminals. Record the serial numbers of your tools, equipment, and bat teries. If something doesn’t have a serial number, make an identifying mark on it, sort of like branding. The more infor mation you have on hand (make, model, color, etc.) about a stolen item and any identifiable markings (scratches, dents, ID marks) the better. Additionally, you can help protect your property through our Ag Watch program. We provide the property owner with “No Trespassing” signs that serve as a warning to would-be crimi nals, and aid the deputies with immediate access to landown
These signs are also utilized by deputies when livestock es capes or there is damage done to the property. Deputies have immediate access to contact information for the landowners which saves time, and possibly lives, property, and money.
By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff
While we may not be able to stop all crimes from occurring, by working together, we can certainly make it more difficult for the suspect to get away.
CRIME PREVENTION IS EVERYONE’S JOB
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WWW.ININTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 202234PAGE 2022 WINTER SUPPLEMENTATION SEMINAR Agenda Evaluating your Winter Forage: Assessing Forage Yield & Assessing Forage Quality Supplementation Strategies for the Cattle Herd Cost of Supplements: Identifying Economic Priorities Registration Required by September 9, 2022 @ https://2022wintersupplementation.eventbrite.com Door Prizes Available for those pre-registered Arcadia Stockyard September 22, 2022 6:00pm-8:30pm For more Information Contact Bridget Stice, bccarlis@ufl.edu Equal Opportunity Institution
UF Researchers Using AI to DetermineProduce Freshness
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UF Researchers Working to DevelopHigher Heat Tolerant Crops
Florida Ag Community Encouragedto Complete Federal Farm BillFeedback Survey
Researchers at the University of Florida are working to devel ops crops that can withstand high temperature stress. After observing that plants’ younger leaves are more heat tolerant than older ones, the scientists conducted an experiment to understand how genes are expressed differently in young and old leaves exposed to extreme heat. Those genetic insights can lead to breeding of plants with greater heat tolerance. Cookouts Cost More this Summer
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) reports the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people this year is 69.68, which is less than $7 per person, but up 17 percent or about $10 from last year. The AFBF says the rise in cost is due to general supply chain challenges, inflation leading to higher prices for everything and the war in Ukraine.
Many EQIP Applications Acceptedon Continuous Basis
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is reminding agricultural produc ers that many of its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) accepts applications on a continuing basis. These pro grams, which provide financial and technical assistance, are designed to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air qual ity, conserved ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation or improved or created wildlife habitat.
Researchers at the University of Florida (UF) are using artificial intelligence (AI) to hopefully lead to the development of a de vice that can be used to determine produce freshness at the market level. The four-year, nearly half-million dollar study is being funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
NEWS BRIEFS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a non-commercial, backyard flock in Seminole County. The USDA is working with its partners to actively look for diseases in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets and in migratory bird populations. In addition to practicing good biosecrity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to state/Federal officials or through APHIS’ toll-free number: 1-866-536-7593. Informa tion on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at http:// healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.
Conservation Innovation Grants Available
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak Bird Owner Alert
Tomatoes among Critical Crops tobe Studied for Updated BMPs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida will invest up to $900.000 for Conservation Innovations Grants (CIG) for agricultural priorities in the state. Those priorities are: climate resilience, grazing, soil health and urban agriculture. The proposal deadline is august 31, 2022. For more information, contact the USDA Service Cen ter, 201 South Collins Street, Plant City, FL 33563. Telephone: 813-752-1474.
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has received $8.8 million to conduct new research that will provide farmers with new and improved rec ommendations for five, key Florida crops, among them toma Farmerstoes. apply fertilizers to their crops with parameters com monly referred to as “best management practices” (BMPs) that come from UF/IFAS research that establishes fertilization rates for maximum economic crop yields and minimal nutrient losses to the environment.
Florida producers, stakeholders in food and nutrition fields and consumers are being encouraged to complete the U.S. House Agriculture Committee 2023 Farm Bill online feedback survey. As Congress enacts major policies that will drive the food and nutrition systems in the future the survey is essential to help inform federal representatives of the needs and inter ests of Florida’s agricultural community. Every five years, Congress creates an omnibus piece of leg islation called the “Farm Bill” to address the country’s agricul tural and food policy needs. Congress is currently preparing to consider the next Farm Bill. The survey can be accessed at: https://agriculture.house.gov.
More information is available on the NRCS website or by con tacting the USDA Service Center, 201 South Collins Street, Suite 201, Plant City, FL 33563. Telephone: 813-752-1474.
Communication and staying in touch is so much better, too. Even if you can’t make a phone call deep into the woods, you can, even without an internet connection, use an app on your smartphone to show your precise GPS location, displayed on a moving map, which will lead you precisely in the right direc tion and let you know how far it is and how much longer it will take to get there! Back at “camp” odds are good today that you can actually connect online, too. Not that you’d want to let the kids know since they’d likely beg to play games or check Facebook, but I’ve known several people, including myself, who have worked remotely while simultaneously enjoying magnificent mountains vistas. Of course it doesn’t have to be the mountains that you head to. Florida has some wonderful places, too, with all of our county, state and national parks and forests; and it doesn’t take long to get there, nor cost too much to do so.
Just for the record, I’m “out there” now!
Camping Redux!
John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blue berry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
The business magazine, Forbes, recently noted (with its eye keenly on the economics of the activity) that last year some 20% of Americans went camping. Well, if that’s true, it means that more than 66,000,000 of us found ourselves sleeping on the ground, in a tent, hanging in a hammock, or however else you might define “camping.”
Think for a minute. When’s the last time you went camping? What? Never, you say?! Or years, and years ago?! Oh, say it ain’t so. Camping, it seems, is one of America’s top new trends. It’s been growing steadily, too, for the last several years. Young, old, and everybody in between are taking to the hills, beach es, parks, and other places to commune with nature and relearn the subtle art of making “Smores.”
What’s the big reason for such a surge in camping? Not sur prisingly, 40% say they ventured into nature to be with family and friends, and just to get outdoors.
Granted, as life matures and gracefully ages us, some might prefer to doze in an RV or CamperVan versus the surprise of finding under our tent a misplaced pebble beneath the selfinflating mattress pad. Regardless, though, camping is camp ing, and it looks like lots of us are doing it. That same Forbes article further surprised me with the reve lation that eight million of last year’s campers were doing it for the first time. I have no idea as to why those newbies appar ently missed out on Scouting when they were kids, but still, that’s a jump of 12% getting involved in this “new adventure.”
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by John Dicks |
Photo by iStock
Also not a surprise is to learn that the pandemic pushed them over the edge to the world of camping. There is, after all, much to be said for walking and hiking, and just plain sleeping, in fresh, open air. Far better, I think, than the recircu lated stuff that we can enjoy in hotels. It’s not just the clean air, either. There are those beds, too. Mind you, I’ve indulged in some great ones in wonderful plac es around the world, but there is something special knowing that while camping, that which you lie down upon is yours and yours alone. Whether it’s a cot or a pad or simply a sleeping bag, you know where it’s been and where it and you are go ing next. It’s interesting also to recognize that another factor adding to the surge of interest in camping, which is a decidedly lowtech activity, actually comes from innovations in technology. For example, things like new super lightweight materials make backpacking something that now us mere mortals can Labelsenjoy.
to gear all include screaming adjectives like sunproof, rain-proof, wind-proof, snow-proof. Yes, “proof is in the pudding,” but I have found such things, for the most part, to be amazingly true. They really do work!
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By Maggie Fussell
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Now on her own ranch she continues training horses and of fering horseback riding lessons to all ages. Right now, she mostly teaches children with a method she calls “teaching from the ground up.” She begins by teaching the rider how to care for the horse and the psychology of the horse be fore they get in the saddle. “Giving lessons is about building a partnership of trust between the rider and the horse,” said Pugh. She works at each individual’s own pace until they are confident enough to move forward to the next step and ride on their own. Pugh worked for 15 years as a schoolteacher and feels that training horses and giving riding lessons fulfills her passion for teaching, coaching and training.
Heart of Dixie Ranch
When asked what inspired her to open the ranch back in 2018 with her hus band Mike, she said “for the love of the animals.” Growing up around horses cultivated a love for horses and made it a passion. She has a great interest in staying active on the ranch and her side hustle helps her do that. Her side hustle is with Level, a line of health and wellness vitamins called Thrive. “I have always wanted to stay fit and physically active and Thrive helps me do that,” Pugh said. Opening the ranch provided her the freedom to continue teaching, helping her husband and continuing her side business.
When Pugh was eight years old she received her first pony from her dad. That was when her passion for horses began and she has had a horse ever since. Her parents started a horse breeding business and by the age of 13 she began training horses with her dad. She learned from her dad then helped him raise, train and sell the horses from their ranch. Her experience with horses includes barrel racing, western, English pleasure and trail classes.
Heart of Dixie Ranch is a horse board ing, horse training and riding lesson ranch located in Auburndale. The ranch offers plenty of sunshine and oaks trees for trail riding. Owner Karri Edmonds Pugh has worked with hors es for most of her life and enjoys car ing for them. The Heart of Dixie Ranch opened in 2018 and their first boarder arrived in 2019. Today the ranch boards 10 horses. Some of the horses are barn boarders and others are pasture boarders. Pugh feeds the horses and does minor medical work. Since its establishment the ranch has obtained a wider variety of animals that include cattle, donkeys and three barn cats.
One of her favorite things about horses is that “when you’re around them you just feel peace and tranquility,” said Pugh. She loves trail riding and said that time with her horses is “me time.”
Horses are a great source of mental therapy. Horses are very aware of a person’s emotions and react quickly to them. According to Psychology Today horses can be a great mental therapy tool for humans because of their emotional sense which can help people process feelings, build work ethic and cultivate trust.
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Horses are intelligent, graceful and sometimes stubborn animals but at the Heart of Dixie Ranch each horse has a unique personality that is loved and cared for. For more information you can visit Heart of Dixie Ranch on Facebook.
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A Closer Look Hidden Jewelry Safe by Sean Green | Photos by April Green Long ago, anything of value that needed to be saved, such as money, jewelry, or important documents, was hidden some where in the house, or buried somewhere on the property. A common “safe” was a picture frame safe. Though often used for thin treasures such as cash or documents, the right size frame can be used for jew elry. This month we will walk you through creating a simple jewelry box that is dis guised as a painting and actually saves room and help to declutter the home.
The Frame: Measure the inside area of the picture frame Create a rectangular frame to fit the INSIDE area of the picture frame Cut pegboard to fit the inner frame Glue and screw the pegboard to the inner frame (allow to dry 24 hrs) *predrill holes for screws Sand the frame and pegboard together for a snug fit within the picture frame. Drill out and set wall anchors Secure the inside frame to the wall with screws Cut pegs to size slightly shorter than the depth of your inside frame (this is what you hang the jewelry on.) Arrange the pegs to your liking, hang jewelry. Press the picture over the inside frame to hide the jewelry be hind a decorative painting (nobody will know) This project can become as intricate as desired and can in clude carved framework, stained or painted wood, hinged or slide openings, etc.
Naturally Amazing Activities Materials: Stretched Canvas Picture Peg WallWoodWoodPegsBoardScrewsGlueAnchors(drywall, concrete, wood) Drywall Screws Soak Leather Mold Leather
Pseudoscorpions don’t have a tail with a stinger like a true scorpion but resemble true scorpions in every other way. They do have venom glands, but rather than have them in a tail like structure, the pseudoscorpions inject venom through their claw-like pedipalps, which are also used to grasp their prey. Once captured and subdued with venom, the pseudo
scorpion slurps the insides out of their victim, much in the same manner a spider “drinks” it’s food. Pseudoscorpions are designed to prey on small soft body invertebrates and are consequently too small and weak to be any danger to human beings or any other vertebrate; they simply cannot penetrate thick skin to be a danger. Most species have two or four eyes at the front side of the carapace however some have no eyes at all and are completely blind. The pseudoscorpion’s che licerae (mouth) is shaped like pinchers, complete with teeth similar to what you would see on a crab or crawfish claw but also have an end segment that produces silk during it’s pu pation stages. For such a tiny insect, they are long lived with an average span of several years. Their life begins when a protonymph hatching from the brood sac and remain free liv ing for the first year. The protonymph will spin a silken igloo shaped chamber when it is ready to molt and develop into a deutonymph, the second stage of its journey to adulthood. It emerges again for a period of up to a year before molting into a tritonymph it’s final pre-adult stage. The full-on adult emerges never to molt again but remains alive for another year or two continuing to spin silk igloos in which they lay their eggs and overwinter. This time of year, when it is warm and wet, is a great time to look for pseudoscorpions. There are abundant populations of insect larvae that come with the warm weather. The rain fall produces mold and mildew under rocks and in crevices such as aging wood, tree bark, which attract small detrivores of which the pseudoscorpion can feed on. The photographs of this species were taken along the boardwalk of Eureka Springs, a local park in Hillsborough County. Look for them in the crevices of the boardwalk in the shaded areas that are slightly damp, this is where you will also find small flies, larvae, and other food sources for the pseudoscorpion. These insects are completely harmless, they are not easy to pick up without injuring them, but if you can gather a few, they would make a great pet for a young student that is interested in observing insects. Finding food will be a challenge and I would suggest finding a small rotting chunk of termite infested wood as a start. If nothing else, put the insect in a jar and take a closer look before releasing it back into the wild.
A Closer Look by Sean Green
| Photos by April Green Book Scorpion (Pseudoscorpionida)
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Imagine dusting off an old book and opening it only to find dozens of scorpions within. It’s conceivable that Aristotle, one of History’s Greatest thinkers, may have experienced this or something similar hundreds of years ago while thumbing through scrolls. Considering Aristotle’s characteristic curiosity about the world around him it’s no surprise that rather than smash the tiny insect, he took a closer look and was the first to describe what is now commonly called the book scorpion. These arachnids are nothing new, in fact, their natural history dates back to the Devonian period some 380 million years ago. They have not changed significantly in their natural his tory, so if you should find one, realize you are looking back in time at an insect that you would have seen millions of years ago had you been around to do so. You have to have a good eye to spot them because they are rarely larger than 3 mm. This month we’re going to take a closer look at pseudoscor pions, very tiny arachnids that are easy to miss but hard to Becauseforget.
pseudoscorpions are so small they don’t get a lot of attention in the world of biology. There are over 3000 known species and more are being discovered worldwide every year. Despite having no wings, these tiny insects are the Mas ter of International travel and have come to inhabit literally ev ery habitat on the planet. Their success in dispersion is mainly attributed to their habit of hitching a ride on other insects or animals in a process biologist call phoresy. These tiny preda tors provide a valuable service in return for hitching a ride. Some species are phagophilous, meaning they feed on mites and other organisms found in the nests and guano of other animals such as birds or bees. Other species are synanthrop ic, found in houses, books, furniture, aging wood, and chicken coops. The main diet for the pseudoscorpions are soft body invertebrates such as booklice, springtails, thrips, beetle and moth larvae and even other predators such as the varroa mite that threatens our honey bee population.
Mosaic’s work extends beyond the burrowing owl. We trans locate species “of special concern” from mining areas to both unmined and reclaimed lands — many of which are desig nated as perpetual conservation easements.
Data from the tags combined with an army of cameras are starting to reveal more about the life of these owls. Utilizing as many as 1,500 derived locations a day, Mosaic biologists can determine the size of the owl’s territory, their favorite place to hunt, and what they are hunting.
The sandy soils, short trees and sparse vegetation of re claimed “scrub” habitats make them particularly hospitable
Thanks to field research and a tagging program, we can now track the owls in nearly real time learning about their move ments, habitat preference, and overall ability to adjust to ac tivities around them.
The Florida burrowing owl is listed as a state Threatened spe cies, but most Floridians have never seen them. Mosaic is working to find solutions as to what are the best methods to implement in order to increase survival during and after dis Andturbance. theburrowing owl isn’t alone. There’s the Florida scrubjay, the eastern indigo snake, gopher tortoise, and others. Many of these species call Mosaic lands home, which is why as a large landowner and an impactive industry, the Mosaic Company has devoted resources and expertise to making sure the state’s native creatures continue to exist. Take the owl as an example. They live year-round in Florida breeding during March through June, and now persist nearly exclusively in grazed pasture habitats of rural Florida, or in suburban areas on vacant blocks. In recent years, Mosaic has undertaken several research and mitigation programs. For example, in collaboration with the Florida Wildlife Commis sion, Mosaic is measuring how burrowing owls are using post mined, recreated habitat.
Long before a permit is issued, experts are talking about and designing the habitat that follows on reclaimed land.
In 2020, Mosaic banded and tagged nearly 70 adults. Two years later, the company confirmed 32 breeding pairs with 31 chicks so far. Ten of those are already old enough to be banded themselves.
They stand about nine inches in height, roughly the diameter of a basketball or just a little shorter than an iron. They weigh about the same as a cup of blueberries. They are also in-themidst of a fight to survive as their habitat is developed.
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Mosaic Program Ensures Burrowing Owls Not Only Survive But Thrive
Studies have shown owls do well on pasture lands used by cattle. Cattle keep the brush down which in turn helps the owls dig burrows and spot predators such as coyotes or even other, larger owls who hunt their much smaller counterparts.
Mining is a temporary land use. Mosaic works to restore habi tat, reconnect corridors, and restore streams. Each plays a critical part in ensuring these native Florida creatures have room to roam.
We recognize the impact of mining. We’re proud our jobs help farmers grow the food we count on, ensuring a domestic food supply. We also call the central and southwest Florida communities where we operate home and while many will never see or know about the environmental leadership and stewardship at the center of the life’s work for many on our team, that’s ok. They know the legacy they leave means a creature the size of an iron, weighing about the same as a cup of blueberries has found the champion it needs to not only survive but thrive.
For more information about Mosaic’s wildlife programs, www.mosaicfloridaphosphate.com/environment/wildlife-visit stewardship/
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 2022 43 PAGE to other burrowing animals like the gopher tortoise. Florida’s phosphate industry has successfully relocated thousands of gopher tortoises to suitable habitat out of harm’s way.
Patricio Muñoz, a UF/IFAS associate professor of horticultural sciences, seeks the best blueberries, including breeding for flavor. UF/IFAS photo.
That’s when scientists put molecular marker information to gether with data on volatile organic compounds. Research ers discovered the aromatic varieties contained more of the terpenes, which provide aroma related to floral, sweet, citrus and “Nowfresh.we
“More consumption will increase demand and keep prices up for our growers to stay in business, making profits,” Muñoz Blueberrysaid.
breeders have long known that the fruit they help grow, classified as “aromatic,” comes with naturally occurring chemical components that make the fruit taste different, said Muñoz, a UF/IFAS associate professor of horticultural scienc “Thesees. metabolites are in a category we call ‘volatile organic compounds,’ because they explode with fruit flavor when you crunch the fruit in your mouth,” he said. To find where the flavor starts, scientists must find the right genes that control these compounds.
They may be called “aromatic” blueberries, but they don’t just smell nice — they taste good. University of Florida scientists now know why: These fruits contain just the right genetic combination to produce the chemistry required for a pleasant blueberry flavor.
Then, Charles Sims, a professor of food science and human nutrition, conducted a taste-testing panel. Sims asked the tasters whether they could detect any special traits in the blueberries, and if so, to describe them. They also asked the tasters if they liked the fruit.
The results: Consumers correctly detected the special aro matic blueberries, and they described them, using different words such as “floral,” “fruity,” “blueberry (flavor),” “strong” and more. Most tasters liked the blueberries.
“Once we analyzed the data of the panel, we saw consumers like these aromatic blueberry varieties more than the non-ar omatics,” Muñoz said. “Once we had this information, we tried to understand where this characteristic originated.”
Charles Sims, an internationally known researcher in taste and smell, works with a taste panel. UF/IFAS file photo.
Haley Sater, a doctoral graduate from the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, led the research, under the supervision of Muñoz.
Growers and consumers always seek better-tasting fruit, compelling blueberry breeders like Patricio Muñoz to work in fields and labs and to use UF taste-test panelists to find the right varieties of blueberry to breed.
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know why these blueberry varieties make the fruit aromatic,” Muñoz said. “We now have the capacity to use these compounds to formally classify varieties as aromatics. We can predict consumer liking and preference for these va Inrieties.”addition
UF STUDY SHOWS WHY ‘AROMATIC’ BLUEBERRIES TASTE BETTER By Brad Buck
To reach their findings, scientists selected two groups of blue berry varieties. In the first group were a few traditional blue berry varieties; in the second group, researchers selected aro matic varieties.
to Muñoz, Sims and Sater, Felipe Ferrao, a research assistant scientist for Muñoz, was among the scientists who helped with the study.
The new study combines information from UF sensory pan els with biochemical and molecular information. Through the research, scientists identified potential candidate genes that control the production of terpenes in some types of blueber ries. Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in many plants.
• Disease management • Weed management • Water quality and treatment
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The first four courses are offered by UF, while the last two are from MSU and the University of Kentucky. Growers sign up for individual courses through UF (hort.ifas. ufl.edu/training) and MSU websites (canr.msu.edu/onlinecollege-of-knowledge). Email: greenhousetraining@ifas. ufl.edu once five courses are successfully completed and growers can obtain their certificate of completion at an an nual graduation ceremony, the first of which is anticipated in July of 2023. The first course in the series, Nutrient Management Level 1, is now available. For more information, email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl. edu. Greenhouse Training Online is supported by the Florida Research Alliance.
The University of Florida (UF) and Michigan State Universi ty (MSU) Extension have collaborated to offer growers and technical staff in the greenhouse and controlled environment industry two online training programs. Under the new col laboration, growers who pass five courses in plant health in these programs can obtain a new certificate of completion that recognizes their training, skills and dedication.
Extension Offers New Online Training for Growers and Greenhouse and Controlled Environment Staffers
The new collaboration is online any time of day and bilingual (English and Spanish). Growers must pass five of six courses, which include:
By Jim Frankowiak
• Abiotic disorders • Biological control
• Nutrient management
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COMINTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 202246PAGE TRADE • BUY • SELL? Since 2004 In The Field has andHillsboroughbeenPolkCountys #1 Agriculture Magazine. Call Us at 813-759-6909 to place your Ad Today! 2016 MASSEY FERGUSON 2606H 65hp, 2wd grading tractor with Bush Hog RBX780 box blade. 178 hours. $29,500 Call Avie 813-759-8722 Info@inthefieldmagazine.comClassifieds Tel: 813.759.6909 MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES Everything you need under ONE roof! Call Blake 813-752-3378 NEW, USED & ABUSED. BUILDING SUPPLIES FARM EQUIPMENT ALUMINUM We have all your aluminum needs! Screen Room, carports & awnings. Call Blake (813) 752-3378 FORJOBSSALE LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES WINDOW SCREENS We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted(813) 752-3378 KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the BIG Box STORES! Call Today! Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. Many standard sizes in stock. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 PRODUCE FRESH PRODUCE Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us! MISC. METAL ROOFING Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris. CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE. We are a MI Windows dealer. Our windows are energy star, lifetime warranty. Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378 CABINETS All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. Custom made to your size. Call Chris 813-752-3378 24 HOUR SERVICE Coggins Plumbing licensed • bonded • Insured. 813-643-7173www.cogginsplumbing.com FREE Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722 FARM EQUIPMENT Massey Ferguson 362 tractor $6,000; 42 ft gooseneck trailer $6,000; regular pull-be hind trailer 20 ft $1,500, all as is. Call Maryann 813-297-4130 MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits based on experience. Call David 863-537-1345 or Alvie 813-759-8722 VINYL SIDING Many colors and styles to choose from. Ask for Ted. 813-752-3378 JOHN DEERE Looking for your new tractor? Come see us at Everglades Farm Equipment. 813-737-16602805evergladesfarmequipment.comSR60West,PlantCity OLD ANTIQUE BLUE STOVE Bread warmer, chrome trim. You have got to see it to believe it! Call Ted for more details. 813-752-3378 FARM BUREAU INSURANCE We have you covered! Call us today. 813-752-5577 ALAN’S AIR CONDITIONING Residential, Commercial Sales SVS & Repair. Legendary service for over20 years! 813-752-0821 FOR RENT Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher. For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details. I4 POWER EQUIPMENT Trade-Ins Welcomed, Service Department Available. Exit 22 • S. Frontage Rd. Plant City 813-752-4459 OVERSTOCK SPECIAL Barn doors starting at $80.00 Call Ted 813-752-3378 PARTS COUNTER HELP Wanted for parts look up and sales. Experience in the agriculture equipment service. Speak with Alvie. 813-759-8722 CITRUS PACKING HOUSE Citrus packing house equipment for sale. Mikey Fertilizer Spreader, two wind machines. Call 863-324-2833 SHOWER STALLS - FIBERGLASS Scratch and dent shower stalls - fiberglass perfect for hunting camps. $150 you pick! Call us! 813-752-3378 USED BALDOR-RELIANCE Used 7.5 HP pump motor and 119 gal. hold ing-tank. Call LLCA 813-382-8382 GRIBALDI-SALVIA SB3947 Sickle bar mower. Good condition and ready to work. $1,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 USED ZERO TURN MOWERS Prices begin at $1,750 Call Alive 813-759-8722 1989 JOHN DEERE 770 2 wd tractor with 5' mid mount mower. $5,650 ask for Alvie. 813-759-8722 2018 MAHINDRA MAX 26XL TRACTOR With loader. 26hp, 4x4, low hours. $12,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 2019 F-250 SD DIESEL TRUCK 6.7 Liter STX and OffRoad Package. 55100 Miles Truck is in amazing condition. No wrecks or issues. Spray in bed liner, Gooseneck hitch and surround camera system makes it perfect for hauling anything. Oversized Toyo off-road tires with only 15000 miles on them. Asking $60,000 813-763-5722 SOLD SOLD 2021 MASSEY FERGUSON GC1723EB tractor-loader-backhoe. 22.5hp, 4x4, 83 hours, warranty. Very good condition. $17,500 Call today and ask for Alvie 813-759-8722 2018 MAHINDRA EMAX 25L tractor with loader. 25hp, 4x4, 200 hours. $12,500. Call Alvie, 813-759-8722
Polk County Cattle Women
he calendar says it’s still summer, but since the kids have now gone back to school, I think it’s safe to say summertime as we know it is just about over. Now we keep our eyes on the sky and pray for rain. We still have a few more months of hurricane sea son left, so I join you in praying the storms continue to pass us by. PCCW has taken a little break over the summer, but we’re looking forward to meeting again beginning next month on September 6. As you’re mak ing your monthly calendar filled with appointments and practices for the kids, be sure and add PCCW meetings! We meet the first Tuesday of each month. Come on down to the Bartow Ag Complex and see what we’re all about and hang out with some ladies who share your passion for the beef cattle industry. Be sure and check us out on Facebook and Instagram for more updates. If you’d like information about meetings, membership, or upcoming events don’t hesitate to reach out to me at BuckLD96@gmail. Tillcom.next month, Leslie Buchanon Polk CattlewomenCounty President T
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