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CONTENTS
July 2022 VOL. 15 • ISSUE 10
LESLIE CARLTON BUCHANON FLORIDA OUTSTANDING CATLLEWOMAN OF THE YEAR
28 Cover Photo by Images By Blair PAGE 10 Scott Angle
PAGE 30 Credit
PAGE 11 AgVocating
PAGE 32 PCSO PAGE 35 News Briefs
PAGE 12 Thoughts from the Heifer Pen
PAGE 36 John Dicks
PAGE 14 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 38 Branding
PAGE 16 Endangered Species
PAGE 40 Activity
PAGE 18 David Byrd
PAGE 41 A Closer Look
PAGE 20 Caladium
PAGE 42 Reduce Wild Fires
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 44 BMP Updates
PAGE 24 Giant African Land Snail
PAGE 45 Urban Farms
PAGE 27 Leeks
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
Polk County Cattlemen’s Association P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL. 33831-9005 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) 537-1495 Lujean.waters@gmail.com
James Stice PO Box 460 Highland City, FL 33846 (813) 714-2333 jstice@verizon.net Dave Tomkow 3305 US Highway 92 E Lakeland, FL 33801-9623 (863) 665-5088 dave@cattlemens1.com
Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Bunch Alternate PO Box 849 Highland City, FL 33846-0849 Standing Committee Chairs: Membership (863) 425-1121 justin.bunch@cpsagu.com Events Trade Show- Bridget Stice State Director – David Hunt 9699 Alt Bab Pk Cut-Off Rd Rodeo- Fred Waters Bartow, FL 33830 PO Box 463 (863) 287-1835 Alturas, FL 33820-0463 Dhunt285@aol.com (863) 559-7808 Alternate SD – Orrin Webb Website PO Box 202 Cattlewomen – President, Leslie Bartow, FL 33831 Buchanon (941) 916-5093 8444 Tom Costine Rd cwebbowebb@aol.com Lakeland, FL 33809 (863) 581-2711 Ray Clark Buckld96@gmail.com 4484 Swindell Road Lakeland, FL 33810 Extension – Bridget Stice (863) 640-0719 PO Box 9005, Drawer HS03 rclark@tampabay.rr.com Bartow, FL 33831 (863) 519-1048 Donald Conroy bccarlis@ufl.edu 3882 Wolfolk Rd Fort Meade, FL 33841 Sheriff’s Dept. – Lt. Paul Wright (863) 412-0790 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 Stuart Fitzgerald (863) 557-1741 PO Box 1437 pw5281@polksheriff.org Lake Wales, FL 33859 (863) 206-5021 Sgt. Tim Sanders stuartcattlellc@yahoo.com 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 Ken Sherrouse (863) 656-6119 13475 Moore Rd brusso@polksheriff.org Lakeland, FL 33809-9755 (863) 698-1834 Warner University – kensherrouse@yahoo.com Scott Shoupe 6130 Allen Lane Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 581-7593 Scott_shoupe@hotmail.com
Abby Crawford 13895 Highway 27 Lake Wales, FL 33859 (863) 638-7248 Abby.crawford@warner.edu
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STAFF
Letter from the Editor
Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor Patsy Berry
Oh Florida, you are really being extra this summer…..extra heat, extra humidity. You know what else is extra? Maybe it’s just my house, but the mosquitos are out of control. I’ve mentioned in the past how much mosquitos love me and that it’s an unrequited love. Right now I can’t even seem to make it out the door before I am being dive bombed by the pesky little critters. I seem to be especially susceptible to the saliva they inject us with when they bite. This saliva keeps the blood from clotting so they can indulge in their blood meal as long as they can, or until you realize you are dinner for a critter. This meal is what mosquitos use to nourish their eggs so they can make more of the annoying little flying pests that zoom by your ears so that you do a little dance and wave your hands around you head. Or is that just me? Male mosquitos feed on nectar. Let’s hear it for the boys! If you are like me, and extremely susceptible to this foreign substance, there are home remedies you can try. Google will be your friend in this search. And as I’ve said in the past, if you find one that works, please share it with me! In the meantime, please take care when working outdoors. The heat is seriously oppressive this year. I feel like it gets worse each year but that could just be me. One thing is certain, however, you must take care not to overheat. It can cause a wide range of problems and even death if you don’t so something to rectify it. Have a great summer and stay hydrated!
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Photography Karen Berry Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Intern Maggie Fussell Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks Social Media Victoria Saunders In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Polk County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Polk County Catllemen’s Association.
Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.
Sarah Holt INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909
Until Next Month
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Hello to all. Hope you all had a good 4th of July and had some beef on the grill. It has been plenty hot, don’t forget about keeping the mineral out for your cows or you might be patching the boxes next time you go by them.
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Hopefully you have heard, starting this month, our state has made fence supplies and livestock trailers now exempt from paying sales tax. You will have to fill out a tax exempt form and give it to the seller when you purchase these items. Be sure to take advantage of this as well as for your equipment and repairs to them. It is good that we live in a state where the majority of our legislators do care about agriculture and the struggles that come with it. Thanks to the people who worked to get this done.
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Hope your calves are doing good and it doesn’t get too wet on you through the rest of the summer. As always if there’s anything we can do for you let me know. Until next time,
Kevin Fussell Polk County Cattlemen’s Association
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FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD
By J. Scott Angle
Kenneth Parker
You grow the world’s best strawberries in Hillsborough County in part because you have the best varieties to choose from. Kenneth Parker enlists the nation’s best agricultural scientists to create these berries.
For example, the center could house the development of a smart weed sprayer that delivers herbicide only where weeds appear, not on all plants. It could be the den of discovery for machine detection of disease not visible to the naked eye.
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We’ve long known that the farmer-scientist alliance in Hills- In short, it’ll be a hub to assemble the high-tech expertise Florborough is special. Recently we got to show it off as a national ida needs to remain globally competitive. Parker is serving as an ambassador to legislators, major agricultural producers and model. association leaders we need to get behind our movement to The National Agricultural Alumni Development Association bring the benefits of this technology to your farm. honored the Florida Strawberry Growers Association with its Corporate Partner Award for major contributions to a university. Parker not only believes in the mission of UF/IFAS but in how we carry it out with research farms like GCREC, located away UF/IFAS wanted more people nationally to have the names from Gainesville and in the communities they serve. As Parker Parker, FSGA and Hillsborough on their lips as a reminder to puts it, our scientists who study strawberries are actually surrounded by strawberry farms. Parker drops in so often that we put more Florida berries on their lips, too. may set aside office space for him. My team asked Parker to come to Arkansas to accept the award on FSGA’s behalf and represent Hillsborough ag on a Parker knows that the challenges of growing strawberries will national stage. Parker says that when the University of Florida only get steeper in a world of weirder weather, pandemics and an increasingly global economy. The farmer-scientist alliance asks something of him, it’s hard to say no. I count on that! our two organizations embody has to stay strong to surmount FSGA and UF/IFAS go back decades. Today, UF/IFAS varieties these challenges. make up 90 percent of the 11,000 acres of strawberries grown When a new scientist arrives at GRREC, getting to know Hillsaround Plant City. borough County means paying a visit to Parker. When agricultural and biological engineer Dana Choi arrived early this year, Parker has been an outstanding contributor to this legacy. A major milestone in that record of support occurred nine years Parker set her up for local farm visits. ago when FSGA provided five years’ salary for us to bring on a breeder with expertise in genomics to help UF/IFAS strawber- Choi came away with an understanding of what she can do to ry breeder Vance Whitaker. Seonghee Lee is still with us, and help growers’ bottom line—and with FSGA support to do it. Her the two of them continue to work together to create varieties first grant from the association has inspired her to work on a robot-type tool to release just the right number of mites in just like Medallion®, which first appeared in Florida fields in 2021. the right places to attack the pests that attack strawberries. Parker had recognized how genetics and genomics were becoming indispensable to cutting-edge agriculture the way the The NAADA award is one way for us to say thank you to Parker tractor and synthetic fertilizers previously heralded new eras of and the FSGA. But I hope we’re consistently thanking the industry by delivering the discovery and skyrocketing productivity. A third revolution, if you will. innovation you need to continue growing Parker’s already working on the fourth. He has been a cham- the world’s best strawberries. pion for establishing what we’re calling the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence, still in its drawing-board phase. It will Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s be a place at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center Vice President for Agriculture and Natu(GCREC) in Balm for us to harness the immense potential of ral Resources and leader of the UF Insticomputing power to save you on labor, chemicals, water and tute of Food and Agricultural Sciences wait times for new varieties. (UF/IFAS).
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Agvocating for Youth
by Payge Dupre
This past month has been full of fun & events for our youth. From National Shows, competitions, and conventions – they never slow down. At the Florida FFA State Convention & Expo, we were blown away by the representation of our members in many different areas. You may remember an article done last year about Clayton Keene of Lake Wales Senior FFA. Clayton runs the Casting Lures for Cures benefit fishing tournament to donate funds to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. As he runs such a large benefit, he clearly has great public speaking & communication skills. The FFA Creed is a 5 paragraph speech which outlines that as FFA members, we understand the joys & discomforts of agricultural life but that we know American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our National life, and that we (FFA members) play a large role in that task. Clayton won the Creed Speaking competition at the county, sub-district, district and state level meaning he will now go on to represent us and compete for the National Champion title this fall at the National FFA Convention! We had many representatives at the Florida FFA State Convention & Expo including George Jenkins FFA in the Forestry CDE and the Land Judging CDE as well as Auburndale Senior FFA and Frostproof FFA in Ornamental Horticulture Demonstrations. We also elected our District Officers at convention. Congratulations to our District VIII President, Mykaela Billingsley of Auburndale Senior FFA and our Secretary Tessa Mullis also of Auburndale Senior FFA!
We have lots of juniors from all over our county competing in National shows and competitions throughout the summer. We will have representatives at Angus, Brangus and Maine-Chi Junior Nationals from my knowledge, as well as several summer jackpot shows including the Hottest Show on Earth JFCA Kickoff Show this month. This will be held July 21-23 in Tampa at the Florida State Fairgrounds. There have been many changes made to the rules and guidelines for the 2022 Point Series, make sure you read through the updated rules & stay on the lookout for entry deadlines! Make sure to stay safe and enjoy the rest of your summer! Good luck to all! INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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At Florida Cattlemen’s Convention, several of our Polk County Junior Cattlemen’s Association members competed in a variety of contests. Our Senior Quiz Bowl team consisting of Raelan Sherouse, Weslee Howell, Carlie Shenefield and Lily Harwell placed first! Our Junior Marketing team consisting of Carlee Taylor, Ansley Bryant, and Lily Harwell as well as our Senior Marketing Team consisting of Mattisen Keeble, Raelan Sherouse and Weslee Howell both placed in the top three of their respective divisions. In the Junior Speech division, Bellamy Howell placed in the top three, as well as Raelan Sherouse in the Intermediate division. We are so proud of all of you, thank you for representing us to the best of your abilities.
By Marisol Tarango
THOUGHTS FROM THE HEIFER PEN When I was a kid, I looked forward to summer for two reasons. One, because summer meant no school, and two, because we would have our annual family beach trip. There were other reasons too, I would go stay at my aunt’s house for a week, there were lots of fun things to do at the library, and Vacation Bible School at church. But hovering over all of those things was the heat. Looking back at my childhood memories I remember it being hot, but not to the point that it dominated the moment. Part of this I think was due to that fact that I was a kid and more resilient to the heat; the other part is that my mom always made sure that we were out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. Most of my summer memories include kayaking with my grandpa, being at the beach with family, and working cows. Nothing was better than getting in a nice sun warmed truck after kayaking down a cold shaded river and crashing on the way home, or climbing in nice airconditioned truck after working cows in the nice Florida heat and humidity. If anyone knows the dangers of overheating, it is ranch kids. I remember being told not to run so much when I was sent for things so that I wouldn’t overheat, and how the whole crew would get mad when someone did something stupid and stressed the cows out. My dad used to carry rubbing alcohol in his saddlebags to pour on the dogs if they started to have a heat stroke. But I don’t remember being that miserably hot. Some of that I think had to do with the frequent shade and water breaks, and because it seemed if you started the day outside when it was cool, the heat of the day wasn’t so bad.
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But as much as I enjoyed summer, I always wished that we had fall or winter break instead of summer break. Growing up in Florida, I loved the cold weather and couldn’t wait for the first cold snap. Usually, my mom would give us the day off from school so that we could play outside. To me fall was a more exciting time to be out. Excitement was in the air (probably due to the lack
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of humidity), and Christmas was just around the corner. Leaves were falling; there were plenty of acorns to use for play food when we played house, and sometimes in the evenings we would have a fire. My favorite thing to do on cold evenings was to lay out in a flat spot away from any trees and stare up at the stars. If you laid really still and stared hard enough, you could almost feel the curve of the earth and feel like you could slide right off. But there are special memories that can only be found in summer. I can remember chasing fireflies in the dark and trying to be perfectly still so that a dragonfly would land on me. The summer storms that would come in and how the sky would turn a deep blue. Some of the best reading that I have done was during the summer curled up by a window while the rain pounded on the glass. I loved it when it rained and we would go to the movies. It always seemed to make the movie better. During the summer we would raise tadpoles and watch them grow into frogs on the kitchen counter. Sometimes when puddles dried up, we performed a tadpole rescue and would carry them to the water troughs when our mom said that we could not have that many tadpoles in the house. Looking back, I think my mom preferred them to a goldfish. They were only there for a season and were less likely to die. Summer is a season of adventure and exploration, but that doesn’t have to stop when fall starts. We can enjoy each season for what it brings. I think that most of this idea of summer being wild and free comes from the schooling schedule that society has had since school became common. But what if we were brave and broke out of the structure and saw life as an adventure to be lived and the world a place to be explored in every season? Yes, there are busy times in life like college finals, shipping season, and back to school (sorry for the negativity), but it doesn’t have to be dictated by the seasons of nature. What if winter was a time to be creative just as much as summer and what if fall was a season that meant impending freedom just as much as spring? WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Belle Glade | Boynton Beach | Brooksville | Fort Myers | Fort Pierce Homestead | Immokalee | Largo | Leesburg | Loxahatchee | Naples North | PlantJuly City2022 | St. Cloud I T Port F M | Odessa | Okeechobee | Orlando |Palmetto I T F M 13
Boat Trailers Give Us – Choices Capt. Woody Gore
Each year an estimated ten million boaters will trailer their vessels. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, nearly 60,000 crashes involved passenger vehicles towing a trailer. Therefore, it’s no wonder that towing a vessel and highway safety are synonymous with safety on the road and water. Tow vehicles and trailers have specific safety standards. Consequently, knowing your trailer package’s size, weight, and length is critical in determining whether your tow vehicle has sufficient horsepower and braking power to handle the load. It’s important to know this information before hooking up.
with water, or use traffic cones. Practicing here will exert less anxiety and mental stress on yourself and others. And if you make a mistake, you probably won’t damage anything. Outside rearview mirrors are essential in towing and learning to trust them is necessary when backing. Mirrors allow you to see nearly everything behind and identify whether the trailer is going left or right. Since some of what you do at the boat ramp requires backing the trailer, it’s understandable you should be skillful at this maneuver, especially at crowded weekend ramps.
Which way is it going? Backing a trailer In combination with vehicle safety standards, always use a high-quality trailer hitch matching the weight of the trailered load. If you install it yourself carefully, follow the installation instructions (taking no shortcuts) or have it installed by a professional. One last thing about hitches is you properly attach the trailer and safety chains to the towing vehicle, ensure the ball is correctly engaged and locked onto the hitch, and adequately attach the safety chains. Since trailers must have lights, you’ll need to connect a trailer wiring harness to your vehicle. Today’s vehicles come equipped with expensive computer modules. And most require additional parts, so ensure you know what you’re doing before attaching the trailer wiring harness. Remember, if wired incorrectly, you could incur a costly repair bill. So, unless you know what you’re doing, have it installed by a professional.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Since a trailer is an extension of your vehicle, getting a handle on towing requires preparation and ample practice. First, you must know how your rig reacts when turning, backing, or maneuvering in and around tight spaces. So, it’s probably a good idea to practice in a large semi-empty unobstructed parking lot. You can use the parking space lines, set up a few old one-liter bottles filled
is different than backing a vehicle. Because the trailer turns in the opposite direction of the vehicle.
To understand, start by placing your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. As you slowly back up, turn the steering wheel by moving your hand to the left, and the trailer turns to the left. Now move it to the right, and the trailer turns to the right. Your trailer will always turn in the opposite direction of the tow vehicle. While it seems simple, a small steering wheel turn causes a significant turn for the trailer. Never back too fast. The slower you go, the easier it is to make corrections. On the other hand, over-steering will result in a severe angle between the vehicle and trailer, referred to as jack-knife. Stop backing; pull forward to straighten things out and start again. If you continue backing in a jack-knife situation, you will damage your trailer, vehicle, or both. Once you’ve had a long practice session, you’re off to the water for a day of fun with the family or fishing buddy. If it’s crowded when you arrive, don’t become frustrated, you know what to do because you’ve already done it. Please stop in the staging area, prepare your boat for launching, and enter the launch area when it’s your turn. Back down quickly and safely, hold the launching rope you WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
attached when you prepared earlier, unhook the winch strap on the boat and launch. Tie up to the furthest point on the dock and exit without delay. Here is one final tip about parking your rig. Make sure it’s straight and between the parking lines. Parking is a premium at most ramps, and there is no need to block
July Fishing Report Tampa Bay 2022 It is already July, and it’s HOT. If you’re fishing low water flats, especially before an incoming tide and your live bait starts to die, keep in mind the low water may deplete its oxygen. So, remember where it chased the outgoing tide from the shallow backcountry. Wherever low tides last through the night, remember that the previous day’s water temperatures have escalated and are now on the outside. Since the shallow water backcountry tends to lose its ability to retain oxygen, some backcountry flats and pools are carried out to your favorite fishing areas during outgoing tides.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”
813-477-3814
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
As usual, July remains hot without any relief, at least for another couple of months. Despite the heat, anglers willing to endure high temperatures and humidity can look forward to catching plenty of fish. From Mackerel to Tarpon, everything cooperates and eats just about anything tossed in their direction.
Snook Redfish and Trout have remained steady. Snook
seems to be biting everywhere. Especially around the flats and mangrove shorelines, and always willing to take greenbacks tossed in their direction.
Redfish action throughout the bay seems consistent with
plenty of slot fish waiting to tug on your line. Trout usually haunt the same areas as snook, and redfish often cruise open water flats and sandy patches. You’ll also find them moving into the mangrove shade during the day. However, the trout usually stay on the open grass flats hanging around sandy potholes and deeper grass.
Cobia are usually found around markers, buoys, and sandy broken-bottom grass flats, especially those holding bait. When fishing open water flats, it’s always a good idea to rig a rod and reel for something more extensive like cobia. Tarpon fishing should continue strong this month. Many begin
moving offshore to spawn. Threadfin herring, crabs, and larger greenbacks are Tampa Bay favorites and work well for tarpon.
Spanish Mackerel are on fire, and July fishing should be no exception. Find schools of threadfins or greenbacks, net a few, put out a chum bag, and hold onto your rod and reel. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
Sweet Scented Pigeon Wings By Libby Hopkins
SEED
Clitoria fragrans is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name pigeon wings, or sweet-scented pigeon wings. It is endemic to Central Florida. The plant is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
servation for a statewide initiative to preserve seeds from species not currently represented in conservation collections. The RPCP has chosen three species for this project, one of which includes the federally threatened and Florida endemic, sweet-scented pigeon wings.
It a perennial herb or subshrub which grows up to half a meter tall from a woody taproot, sometimes reaching one meter. The slender, purplish, slightly waxy-textured stems have leaves alternately arranged.
Anthropogenic activities that pose threats to populations of this species include habitat loss due to agriculture and residential development, and fire suppression that leads to impaired quality of the remaining habitat. Like many species that inhabit fire-prone landscapes, fragrans rebounds quickly following fire events and flowers prolifically. It is a sight to behold to see these beautiful purple flowers speckled amongst the charred black landscape.
Each leaf has three elongated oblong or lance-shaped, bristle-tipped green leaflets each up to 4.5 centimeters in length. The inflorescences occur in leaf axils, each bearing one or two fragrant blooms. The flower may be up to 5 cm long and is mostly pale pinkish purple with darker rose-pink streaks at the center and a white spot below. The flower is resupinated, with the reproductive parts curving around to point toward the back of the corolla; this forces a visiting insect to rub against them and thereby transfer pollen. This plant grows in undisturbed areas in Florida scrub habitat, often in the transition between scrub and sand hill areas. It prefers open habitat where it is not shaded by tall woody vegetation. Periodic wildfire is common in this type of habitat in its natural state, a process which keeps the taller vegetation from shading smaller herbs and shrubs. The deeply rooting taproot helps the plant to survive fires and then re-sprout. The plant grows in dry upland areas of the scrub in white, yellow and gray sand types. This plant is known from several widely scattered populations. Many of these are located on protected land within the bounds of Seminole State Forest, Lake Wales Ridge State Forest and National Wildlife Refuge and Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek State Park. Many occurrences are located on the Avon Park Air Force Range, where the military is required to monitor them because of the species’ federally threatened status.
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Bok Tower Gardens and The Rare Plant Conservation Program (RPCP) are collaborating with the Center for Plant Con-
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A wild population of pigeon wings exists among the natural areas at Bok Tower Gardens and is from this population that seeds for project are being collected. In August of last year, 51 drawstring organza bags were placed over the fruits of different maternal parents to ensure that the seed collection will comprise a good sampling of the population’s genetic diversity. When the fruits ripen and dry, an internal mechanism twists the fruits open, ejecting the seeds from the parent plant. This seed dispersal mechanism is a shared trait of members in Fabaceae and is an adaptation to disperse the seeds more widely than if they were just dispersed by gravity, and serves as a means to expand the population into new areas. Seeds of species of Clitoria also have another interesting feature: the seed coat is sticky. This feature may aid in dispersal, as it can make the seeds easily stick to animals, although the true function of this remains a mystery. As for the seed being collected from at Bok Tower Gardens, once the seeds are mature they will be removed from the bags and counted. Seeds will be kept separate by maternal line. A subset of the seeds will remain in the National Collection seed storage facilities at the Gardens. The rest of the seeds will be packaged and sent to the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation for long-term storage to fulfill the goal of preserving seeds of this species under the Center for Plant Conservation project. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Farming is stressful Help is available Call 211 Or Text ‘FarmFL’ to 898-211 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
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Retired Ag Educator David Byrd Reflects on Career By Maggie Fussell Photos Courtesy of David Byrd
“I have never been one to seek recognition or awards, but I’ve done a lot of things to get attention,” David Byrd said as he reflected on his life as an educator and community server. Byrd has spent most of his life as an educator working with Ag programs. He has received numerous awards for his service to grow FFA and helping the community thrive. One of the most recent awards Byrd received was the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Association of Agricultural Educators or FAAE. FAAE is a professional association that is a subdivision of the National Association of Agricultural Educators or NAAE. These associations are exclusive to retired and current Ag educators. This association supports agriscience teachers and advocates for improvement to Ag education. The NAAE primarily helps young teachers by hosting annual conventions, training, and providing liability insurance that will help Ag teachers begin their career. Byrd said that this is a great organization for young teachers to get involved in because the FAAE and NAAE will support and advocate for the correction of agriscience education issues. Byrd’s journey started when his ancestors traveled from Georgia to Florida many years ago. Byrd spent most of his childhood in Groveland where his father worked for John and Pearl Bronson. In seventh grade his family moved to Polk City. Byrd spent his junior and high school years at Auburndale High School. In high school Byrd was very involved in FFA serving as Secretary in his junior year and President in his senior year.
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After high school Byrd joined the Air Force. Four years later he was unsure what to do next, so he took odd jobs. During this time Byrd went to visit Auburndale High School to see his Ag teachers Jack Russell and Bill Holbrook. His teachers told him
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that he would be a good Ag educator and at the time in 1974 Ag teachers were making $10,000 a year. Byrd was interested and decided to go to college. In the Air Force he took some classes and in January 1975 began attending Polk State College. In June of 1976 Byrd graduated from Polk State with an AA degree and a week later started at University of Florida where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Ag Education in 1977. In 1977 Byrd worked at Groveland High School as a student intern. In 1978 he taught at Plant City High School. In June 1978 Byrd transferred to Polk County where he started at Ridge Technical College, then Lakeland High School and Doris Sanders Learning Center. In 1985 Byrd’s Ag teacher Bill Holbrook retired and Byrd filled his position and worked as an Ag teacher at Auburndale High School from 1985 to 2001. In the Fall of 2001 Jim Thornhill became School Superintendent. Byrd took Thornhill’s previous position as the Teacher Resource Specialist county ag supervisor for Polk County Public Schools. Byrd worked as the Teacher Resource Specialist for 12 ½ years. In this position, Byrd was in charge of Polk County Schools agriculture, industrial, and public service programs. Byrd administered budgets for supplies and equipment for schools. He accommodated the needs of the teachers. He recruited and trained teachers as well as put on annual training for teachers. The school board owned citrus groves where there was a half-cent sales tax. Another of Byrd’s jobs was to keep the groves profitable until the school board decided to push down the groves and build something. The profits from the groves went into agriculture programs at schools. However, when greening hit citrus there was a large cut to the money that ag programs previously received. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
During his time as the Teacher Resource Specialist Byrd was contacted by one of the Vice Presidents of Warner University. Byrd met with the President and four vice presidents of Warner to help them create an ag program at the university. Byrd created a rough outline of courses for a general ag degree. Warner University asked Byrd to teach but he declined and recommended a previous student of his, Lauren Lewis Cline to fill the position. In 2013 Byrd retired from the school board and was asked by Cline for help with the Ag program at Warner University. Byrd went to work part-time at Warner where he taught three classes: Ag Mechanics, International Agriculture Development, and Natural Resources and Wildlife Conservation. Ag Mechanics was an introductory class that taught mechanical skills that are useful in agriculture. International Agriculture Development was taught with Dr. John Crews. Crews and Byrd taught about Agriculture in other countries and during spring break took students on a trip to Honduras to study agriculture there. Natural Resources and Wildlife Conservation taught students how to be “legal stewards of the land,” said Byrd. In this course he taught students soil conservation, environmental, wetland and wildlife issues. In March 2020, a week after Byrd returned with students from a seventh trip to Honduras, America shut down due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Byrd taught in hybrid form at Warner University one more year before retiring in April 2021. Since retirement Byrd has been focused on working in the Polk City community. Byrd does a lot of work for the community which includes helping with a food distribution service in Polk City, meeting with Polk City pastors for a monthly prayer meeting to discuss community issues, voluntarily preaching at Little Flock Church for the last 10 years, creating fundraising drives for Polk City Elementary and acting as Chairman of the Polk City Centennial Committee.
Congratulations to Mr. David Byrd for his Lifetime Achievement Award from the FAAE on behalf of In the Field and its readers.
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Byrd is dedicated to helping the community and education. He has supported schools, the community and agriculture education at both the state and national level. Byrd said that one of the greatest pleasures in his career was recommending that the Ag building at Auburndale High School be named after his two Ag teachers. Today at Auburndale High School there is the Holbrook Russell Ag Building. When asked what advice Byrd had for new or future Ag educators he said “Tough it out for three years then decide if it is a calling or not. Teaching is a divine calling that is not for everyone.” Teaching is a challenging but rewarding career that requires you to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6.
UF RELEASES FOUR NEW CALADIUM VARIETIES
By Jim Frankowiak
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has introduced four new caladium varieties. Florida serves as the sole source of caladiums for the world, satisfying the needs of growers and consumers globally.
• UF-15-441 (‘Firefly’): Many leaves with a creamy center and green margins sprout from this variety. It tolerates the sun and can perform well in both shady and sunny locations in the landscape.
“Caladiums love summer rains and heat and thrive in our climate,” said Zhanao Deng, a UF/IFAS professor of environmental horticulture who breeds caladiums. “They have colorful leaves that can rival many flowers and offer many months of color in gardens and patios. Caladium bulbs produced in Florida can sprout fast and put out attractive plants in the gardens or in containers in a few weeks.”
• UF-16-597 (‘Spicy Lizard’): This novel strap caladium is quite different from many other varieties with numerous burgundy spots scattered over a largely green leaf blade. It is well suited for use in the landscape.
Since 1976, UF/IFAS researchers have been breeding caladium cultivars. Deng, a scientist at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), has developed four new varieties he describes as: • UF-R1410 (commercially called ‘Dots Delight’): This plant sports a novel color pattern, with white main veins and multiple light pink spots. It tolerates sunburns and resists leaf-spot diseases well. • UF-15-21 (‘White Lightning’): This caladium has white strap leaves with light pink streaks. It performs best in shady locations in the landscape.
Caladiums grow particularly well in Highlands County – about 60 miles south of Lakeland, in the heart of Florida. Deng calls the Lake Placid-Sebring area a “sweet spot” for producing caladiums since it has many months of frost-free weather, plenty of rain, fertile muck or organic soil. Terri Bates, owner of Bates Sons & Daughters in Lake Placid, said she’s always looking for unique, disease-resistant caladium varieties that produce a good yield. “‘Dots Delight and ‘White Lightning’ fit all the criteria,” said Bates, a big fan of Deng’s work. “Nothing looks like Dots Delight, and we have had a lot of success with that variety. White Lightning is a white strap (plant), and white straps are in very high demand. It also has a pale pink blush, which is different. The yields and demand are good.
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“We grow 12 UF/IFAS varieties developed by Dr. Deng, and they are a huge asset to our business as well as the landscape/retail garden center industry,” she said.
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• It wasn’t until the Civil War that left and right shoes were made. • There are an average of 216 noodles in a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup. • It’s been estimated that 15% to 20% of people who receive gift cards never redeem them. • An octopus has nine brains, one for each of its arms and one in the head. • In springtime, a wild male turkey’s head can turn a brilliant red, white or blue in a matter of moments. • Play-Doh was originally intended to be wallpaper cleaner. • It’s scientifically proven that the sight of red makes you hungrier than any other color.
Sign up
for a FREE On-Farm Readiness Review The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) inspections have begun. Sign up now to request a free On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR), offered in partnership by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and University of Florida IFAS. The OFRR is an educational opportunity to help individual farms align practices with the PSR regulatory requirements in preparation for inspections.
For more information on FSMA and to sign up for an OFRR, visit FDACS.gov/FSMA or call (863) 578-1900. To take full advantage of the OFRR and for PSR compliance, one farm representative should first attend a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training. Upcoming trainings can be found at: crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/events
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 $1,179,719 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.
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Grandpa I am now at the age and have grandkids that call me Grandpa. Now I realize why Grandpas smile all the time! It’s because we can’t hear a word your saying. Not being able to hear to well can cause some embarrassing moments, like the time when the kids went to church with Grandpa and Grandma. Halfway through the service, the grandpa leans over and whispers in his wife’s ear, “I’ve just let out a silent fart. What do you think I should do?” The Grandma replies, “Put a new battery in your hearing aid.”
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I love the story of the couple that went out to dinner to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. On the way home, she notices a tear in his eye and asks if he’s getting sentimental because they’re celebrating 50 wonderful years together. He replies, “No I was thinking about the time before we got married. Your father threatened me with a shotgun and said he’d have me thrown in jail for 50 years if I did not marry you. Tomorrow I would have gotten out of jail and would be a free man.”
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Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the July 2018 issue
Three old men were talking about their aches, pains and bodily functions. One 75 year-old man says, “I have this problem. I wake up every morning at seven and it takes me 20 minutes to pee.” The 80 year-old man says, “My case is worse. I get up at eight and I sit there and grunt and groan for half an hour before anything happens.” The 90 year-old man says, “At seven I tinkle like a horse on flat rock, and at eight I poop like a cow.” “So what’s your problem,” the other two ask? “I don’t wake up until nine,” he responded. Life is short, that’s why I eat my dessert first. My childhood punishments have become my adult goals. 1-Going to bed early. 2-Not leaving my house. 3-Not going to a party. You know you really have to stay positive in your golden years. For example, the other day I fell down the stairs…instead of getting upset I just thought, “Goodness, that’s the fastest I’ve moved in years.”
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How many of these old sayings do you remember your grandfather saying? “Gooder’n snuff and not half as dusty.” “Saints alive!” “Land sakes!” “I’ll tan your hide!” “He’s so cheap, he squeaks when he walks!” “Tight as Dick’s hatband!” “When they were handing out the brains, she thought they said trains, and she missed hers!” “When you wallow with the pigs, expect to get dirty.” I went to Winn-Dixie in Plant City the other day and saw a grandfather with his two-year old grandson. It was obvious that grandpa wasn’t having an easy time of it, with the youngster scaling up and down every aisle, and grabbing all the candy his little hands would hold.
we will be out of here. When the screaming didn’t stop, the grandpa continued. “Jimmy, there is no reason to get angry, it will not take much longer.” The screaming continued and grandpa said, “Jimmy, I promise you we will be out of here in just a few minutes.” When I came out of the store I saw them in the parking lot, the child still screaming and the older man still talking softly and quietly to him. I couldn’t help myself. I walked over to the old man and child. “Sir,” I said, “I must say you are an amazing grandfather, the way you talked to the boy despite all of his screaming, Jimmy is a lucky kid to have a grandpa like you.” “Thanks,” said the grandfather, “but I’m Jimmy! This rotten little boy’s name is Anthony.”
Grandpa, however, kept his cool, and talked softly to the child. “Jimmy, relax, it won’t be long, and
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Giant African Land Snails: What You Need to Know Anne Yasalonis Shannon Carnevale | UF/IFAS Extension Polk County
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mage by: Andrew Derksen, USDA-APHIS, Bugwood.org
Egg (right) and newly hatched snail (left) of the giant African land snail, Achatina (or Lissachatina) fulica (Férussac 1821). Credit: Lyle Buss, University of Florida
By now you have heard about the discovery of Giant African Lands Snails in Pasco County, which is a nonnative, invasive mollusk. The area is currently under a quarantine which prohibits the movement of plant materials in or out of the New Port Richey area. Please do not transport any vegetation from the area to your yard in Polk County.
They also can carry pathogens, such as Rat Lungworm, a parasite that can cause eosinophilic meningitis in both humans and livestock. It is important to remember to wear gloves and/or wash your hands when handling this, or any other type of snail that you may encounter.
Giant African Land Snails were first found in South Florida a few years ago and have since been eradicated. The extensive eradication cost millions of dollars. This is one reason why it is so important that we all work together, towards eradication, now.
These snails can travel long distances when clinging to vehicles, are primarily active at night, and can produce many thousands of offspring each. It’s thought they can even bury themselves in the soil and remain inactive for a year if local environmental conditions aren’t ideal.
Snails are not new pests to most gardeners. In fact, the USDA states that “Numerous species of exotic snails are serious pests of plants and threats to public health. All snails in the subfamily Achatininae, including the giant African snail (GAS) (Lissachatina fulica), are regulated plant pests.” UF/IFAS has numerous publications on the wide variety of snails that gardeners may encounter when working in their yards.
Report sightings and learn more: The detection of Giant African Land Snails in Pasco County is thanks to a Pasco County Master Gardener. It’s up to residents like you to help keep an eye out for these large invasive snails. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has provided a snail ID guide to help residents:
So, why the concern with the Giant African Land Snails?
• Snail ID Sheet https://www.fdacs.gov/ content/download/23825/file/SnailIdentificationsheetDec21.pdf
Giant African Land Snails are, as the name implies, very large snails that can consume over 500 species of plants, many of significant agricultural importance.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) along with the Division of Plant Industries (DPI) is the group handling the monitoring, application of appropriate bait, etc. If
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you have questions or need identification of a snail, contact DPI at 1-888-397-1517 or go to DPIHelpline@FDACS.gov. If you are interested in learning more visit https://edis.ifas.ufl. edu/publication/IN893
Young giant African land snail, Achatina (or Lissachatina) fulica (Férussac 1821). Credit: Lyle Buss, University of Florida
Mature giant African land snail, Achatina (or Lissachatina) fulica (Férussac 1821), lateral view. Credit: Lyle Buss, University of Florida
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FLORIDA LEEKS By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Have you ever seen those gigantic green onions in the grocery store or farmer’s market and wondered what they were? Leeks resemble a large scallion but have a milder and sweeter flavor. They are a delicious addition to soups, casseroles, entrees, and as a side dish. Once cooked, leeks become sweeter and more tender. Leeks are native to the Mediterranean and Middle East, and are grown in some parts of the United States, including Florida and Wisconsin.
cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer, including colorectal, laryngeal, and ovarian cancers. Leeks have very high levels of these disease-fighting compounds, putting it alongside other veggie superstars such as broccoli, parsley, and shallots. As with most other nutrients, eating whole vegetables yields more benefit than taking supplements.
A member of the Allium family along with garlic, scallions, and onions, leeks have a white bulb with a deep green leafy top. The white bulb is sliced and cooked. The dark green leaves are tougher and can be added to soups or stocks for flavor. Leeks can be found year-round, but peak season is from June through November. The categories of leek are based on the season of harvest. Sometimes leeks are also categorized as common leeks or Chinese leeks, the latter being thinner, and smaller with stronger onion flavor.
Leeks are very flavorful, thanks to their sulfur compounds. These compounds pack a big health punch as well. They may help prevent clumping of platelet cells in the blood because they possess substances with fibrinolytic activity. Additionally, these sulfur compounds may play a role in lowering blood pressure cholesterol and triglyceride levels. All of these benefits translate into a healthier heart.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Like onions, leeks are very nutritious and high in vitamins A and K and folate, iron, calcium and manganese. They are also high in fiber and low in calories and have mild diuretic properties. They contain a myriad of active compounds that may help ward of cancer, heart disease, high blood glucose, and strokes. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup of raw, chopped leeks (104g) contains 32 calories, 1 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 8 g carbohydrate, and 1 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 29% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin K, 11% for manganese, 7% for copper and vitamin B6, and plentiful amounts of fiber, magnesium, calcium, folate, and iron.
Folate Leeks are high in folate, which helps with several important functions in the body. Folate is well-known for its role in preventing neural tube defects. This vitamin also supports our cardiovascular system by keeping homocysteine levels in balance. High levels of homocysteine increase risk for many types of heart disease.
Phytonutrients Fight Disease Onions contain high levels of different phytonutrients, organic compounds in plants that may boost health. Among the phytonutrients, flavonoids (especially quercetin), are plentiful in leeks. Studies have shown that quercetin protects against
How to Select and Store Choose leeks that are smaller, since they are not as tough as larger ones. Look for leek greens that are dark green with no yellow or wilted spots. The white stem should be firm with no discolored areas. Leeks can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Wash very well immediately before use. Cooked leeks can be refrigerated for up to two days. They may also be blanched and then frozen for later use.
How to enjoy Leeks have a mild, sweet onion flavor that is very versatile in a variety of dishes. Save the dark green leaves to make stock. The white stems can be braised, sautéed, grilled, or roasted. They may also be sliced thin and eaten raw in salads. Leeks can be added to soup or stew and pairs well with eggs, fish, potatoes, and casseroles. More ways to enjoy leeks: • Sauté in butter over low heat • Add finely chopped leeks to salads. • Make vichyssoise, a cold soup made from puréed cooked leeks and potatoes. • Add leeks to broth and stews. • Braise with fennel or mustard seeds for an easy side dish. • Add sliced leeks to your favorite omelet or frittata recipe. Enjoy the mellow, sweet flavor of Florida leeks today.
SELECTED REFERENCES http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://www.whfoods.com https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/leeks.html INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Healthy Heart
FLORIDA OUTSTANDING CATTLEWOMAN OF THE YEAR:
LESLIE CARLTON BUCHANON
By Jim Frankowiak
Leslie Carlton Buchanon, the Florida CattleWomen’s 2022 Outstanding CattleWoman of the Year, didn’t know much about cattle when she married her husband Danny in 1996, but she learned quickly and grew to the love the industry.
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She became a hands-on part of the cattle crew, working alongside Danny and his family, whether it was on the tractor or in the cow pens on the family’s northern Polk County cow-calf operation. As the Buchanon’s daughters Bailey and Blair grew, Leslie and Danny became heavily involved in 4-H and FFA, with
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their daughters exhibiting market hogs, registered and commercial heifers, and market steers. In addition to the cow-calf operation, Danny is an Engineering Technician with the City of Lakeland. While Leslie worked with her daughters and their beef projects, she met many cattlewomen throughout Polk County and Florida. It wasn’t long before she was recruited to join the Polk County CattleWomen, Florida CattleWomen, and eventually became a member of the American National CattleWomen. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
An 8th generation Floridian, Buchanon comes from families with deep roots and involvement in the citrus and beef cattle industries. She lives in North Lakeland but was raised in Wauchula and is a graduate of Hardee High School. An alumna of Florida Southern College, Leslie earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and then a master’s degree in special education from the University of South Florida. She is an educator with Polk County Public Schools where she works with preschool children with special needs and their families. “My position is district wide, and I find working with children and their families truly rewarding,” she said. Leslie’s educational career has had an impact on her daughters as both are involved in education. Bailey is an Ag teacher and FFA advisor at Chiefland Middle High School, while Blair is a staff member of Agriculture Education Services and Technology (AEST), the Florida Farm Bureau subsidiary that offers a range of certifications within the agricultural industry. AEST certifications prepare candidates for successful careers in global agriculture, food, fiber, and natural resources systems.
created and implemented a Mother’s Day Dessert Auction on Facebook to the benefit of the PCCW. Buchanon also has a very long list of volunteer engagements at the county and state levels. Among those Polk County engagements has been her involvement with the Central Florida Youth in Ag show, FCW Florida State Fair booth presence, Polk County Youth Fair, Polk County Sheriff’s Department, Florida Baptist Children’s Home, and more. She has also been a contributor to IN THE FIELD Magazine writing various articles, and she currently writes a monthly letter that highlights PCCW news, meeting information, and upcoming events, as well as serving as PCCW Press Agent. The year prior to being selected PCCW President, Leslie served as Vice President, working closely with the Ways & Means Chairman. The year before assuming that post, Leslie served as PCCW Secretary, and Records Book Committee Member. She also serves as the PCCW Scholarship Committee Co-Chair and volunteers at the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association Ranch Rodeo Concession Stand.
Annually, the Florida CattleWomen’s Association strives to recognize and honor a hard working and well deserving woman, who is “the true epitome of an Outstanding Florida CattleWoman!” The award is bestowed upon a lady who goes above and beyond and best represents the values of the Florida CattleWomen’s Association.
During the period of 2015 – 2020, Buchanon was a member and officer with the Kathleen FFA Alumni, serving as Secretary and Vice President. From 2011 – 2015, she was the Lake Gibson FFA Alumni Secretary and became an Honorary Chapter FFA Degree Member at Lake Gibson Sr. FFA in 2013, Lake Gibson Middle FFA in 2014, and Kathleen Sr. FFA in 2018.
“Being selected for this honor was a surprise, and is truly humbling,” said Buchanon. “I am truly in awe and overwhelmed having my name associated with so many previous honorees who I admire and serve as mentors for me.”
At the state level, Leslie has been a member of the Florida CattleWomen’s Association since 2008 with active involvement at the Florida State Fair, fund-raising for the Hope Children’s Home, supporting the Junior League of Tampa’s Holiday Gift Market, and assisting with the development and creation of the County Pride Display Board. She has also attended many FCW ranch tours, volunteered with Wreaths Across America, and has been an attendee and participant at various FCA and FCW quarterly and annual meetings and conventions. Nationally, Leslie has been an American National CattleWomen member for two years and a participant in virtual meetings, as well as completing the Masters of Beef Advocacy 2.0 Program in 2016.
Buchanon’s involvement in the beef industry, cattle associations, activities, committees, and other initiatives make a strong case for her selection and associated recognition. Leslie’s beef industry involvement has been to assist in the day-to-day activities of operating and maintaining the family’s small commercial cow/calf operation including working cows, spraying herbicides, administering medications, monitoring herd health, maintaining records, and of course, opening gates. She has been a member of the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association (PCCW) since 2008 and has served as its president since 2021. As PCCW President, Leslie has created and served as an administrator of the PCCW Instagram and Facebook social media pages, posting and sharing meeting reminders and content related to the promotion of beef and the cattle industry. She also helped established a Zoom option for members to participate virtually in monthly PCCW membership meetings. The last two years, Leslie
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A member of Bethel Baptist Church since 1996, Leslie has served as a Sunday School Teacher, Mission Friends Co-leader, and Vacation Bible School Teacher. Perhaps the best summary comment on Leslie’s honor comes from Michele Curts, Immediate Past President of the Florida CattleWomen’s Association, who said, “We are honored to recognize Leslie Buchanon with this prestigious award for her dedication to the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association and the beef industry.” Congratulations Leslie and thank you!
FIVE TIPS TO GETTING AND KEEPING CREDIT
By Jim Frankowiak As the Federal Reserve battles inflation, consumers and businesses are looking at how to keep their credit scores in check, gain the most out of their credit and keep it strong and manageable. “The goal is to earn interest, not to pay it,” said Carol Roberts, one of several UF/IFAS Extension agents throughout Florida specializing in community resource development. “Now is the time to wipe out your credit debt and put that monthly payment into an emergency fund instead.” Roberts offers five insights to getting credit responsibly and keeping it healthy in the current credit-lending industry: 1. Know you have a credit score and how it affects your life. Even when you are not applying for a loan or credit card, your credit score is used by others to make decisions about you. Those “others” include auto insurers and employers. It is important to understand the five factors that impact your credit score. The biggest factor is your credit repayment profile. That equates to how well you pay off your credit accounts. If you are more than 30 days late paying a credit account, this is reported to the credit bureau, and that negatively impacts your credit score. Showing that you pay on time is important. Another big part of your score is how much you currently owe in relation to how much you have access to borrow. This is known as your debt-to-credit ratio. Using about 30% of your revolving credit limits combined is optimal. Also factored into the score is the age of each of your credit accounts and the types of credit you’ve used. Know which are revolving versus installment accounts. The bottom line: keep a watchful eye on how you manage your credit.
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2. Know your score before applying for credit. Your ability to qualify for credit is based largely on your credit score and your income. You will have to report these when applying for a loan or a credit card. In some cases, you may also need to disclose other assets and monthly expenses. If your score is lower than the lender’s threshold, they can deny you the credit or approve you at a higher interest rate or annual percentage rate (APR). A higher rate raises the cost of borrowing. The higher your credit score, the lower the rate you can qualify for by the creditor. In this case, borrowing can cost less to pay back.
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3. What to consider when building or rebuilding credit. It is often easier to qualify for a store-specific charge card instead of a major credit card when building or rebuilding credit. If you obtain a credit card for a gas station or a clothing store, use this card to purchase a low dollar amount once a month, then pay the bill in full as soon as you receive the statement. Make sure the purchase is low enough to ensure that you can pay it in full. This will avoid any interest charges while building your credit. Be sure to pay on time for the full impact and avoid late fees which can also impact your credit score. 4. It is up to you to understand your credit limits. Financial institutions make money from your credit use. Often, they will entice the borrower toward easy credit terms, higher credit limits and more. If you know you are an impulse spender, don’t take the cards to go shopping. Better yet, load a gift card with the amount you intend to spend and use that to keep you from overspending and using your credit line. Credit is a convenience that allows us to spend tomorrow’s money today for a fee. The problem lies when you need tomorrow’s money for tomorrow’s expenses. This can lead to overextending your budget and relying on credit. Create a spending plan and plan your credit usage to avoid overextending. 5. If you have overextended your credit – be proactive to pay it off. Start by contacting your creditors and working with them to explore your options. If they don’t hear from you, they can’t help you. Remember, it is in their best interest to help you in some way so you can pay their bill and not default. Depending on the situation causing the hardship, they may allow you to skip a payment, revise a loan or freeze an account to avoid increasing the balance with more fees. If the situation has gone so far as to include a debt collector, know your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and consider seeking the help of a reputable credit counselor. For more information on dealing with debt, check out this video produced by UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County: https:// youtu.be/PTGuSt2_ut4 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff
FACTS ABOUT LARGE ANIMAL CARE Our Agricultural Crimes detectives handle a wide variety of calls in rural areas, and a fair amount of those calls are related to caring for large animals and livestock, such as horses and cows. Through the years our detectives have gone to specialized training and learned some hands-on lessons that we’d like to pass along to you about the proper care of livestock. One unique issue that we’ve seen concerns quality water sources. We sometimes receive complaints either from animal owners or concerned witnesses about dead and dying livestock in pastures. In some cases, when our detectives investigated and noted no signs of foul play or trauma to the bodies, they began to look at other possible causes – which led them to take water samples from ponds on the property. Several different investigations involved water that was contaminated with ammonia and bacteria, due to cattle cooling off in and urinating in the water. That water was the only source for the animals to drink. On the one hand, this may just seem like real bad luck or an awful tragedy, but from a law enforcement perspective, it can be considered animal neglect, and it can be criminal. The best bet is to ensure your animals have access to fresh water, and to keep an eye on bacteria levels especially during the hottest months when bacteria thrives the most. Likewise, there needs to be adequate shade or shelter on the property to ensure your animals have an escape from the hot Florida sun. By law, “adequate” shade can be provided by trees – a structure does not have to be built.
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When citizens drive by a pasture filled with cows or horses and become concerned that the animals are “emaciated” or “neglected,” they often call PCSO to report suspected animal cruelty. While we appreciate the extra eyes and ears, the truth is, a lot of well-intended callers don’t fully understand what a healthy cow or horse looks like. PCSO Ag. Crimes deputies are highly trained to detect if and when livestock such as horses and cows are malnourished or neglected, and responding to these calls is a timely, but necessary, service they provide. They routinely attend training classes to hone their skills in the area of animal cruelty and neglect.
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For those with an untrained eye, just about any animal that you can tell where its ribs are, might look like it is starving. We are certainly glad people are looking out for the well-being of animals, but looks can sometimes be deceiving. An animal whose ribs are visible is not necessarily “starving” or “emaciated.” Livestock animal weight and appearance fluctuates throughout the year, depending on the weather and the availability of grass and forage. For example, in general, a large cow or horse may lose weight during the winter months when there is less nutritious grass available for grazing. Owners often provide supplemental food during the winter months. Make no mistake, we don’t want to dissuade anyone from reporting a possibly endangered or neglected animal. If you have any information about suspected livestock animal cruelty or neglect, we urge you to contact us with detailed information. Call the PCSO Agriculture Unit at 863.534.7205, or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward, call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1.800.226.TIP (8477). We would much rather check on an animal and determine it is okay, than to not hear about potential abuse until it’s too late.
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With every generation,
we get better at protecting our environment.
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Reclamation ecologists like Ashlee work to return mined lands to productive use as wildlife habitats, public parks and more—so future generations can enjoy these lands for years to come.
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NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
SWFWMD Conducting Prescribed Burns through September The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns now through September at the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve (south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Morris Bridge Road) and Chito Branch Reserve (east of Browning Road and west of County Road 39 near Lithia. The burns will include approximately 700 acres and are being conducted to reduce the risk of wildfires.
Organic producers and handlers may also apply for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program through participating State agencies. The Organic Certification Cost Share Program covers 50 percent or up to $500 per category of certification costs in 2022.
USDA Conservation Innovation Grants Available
USDA Distributes Emergency Relief Program Applications
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $900,000 for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for agricultural resources priorities in Florida this fiscal year. Those priorities are climate resilience, grazing, soil health and urban agriculture.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has mailed 303,000 pre-filled applications for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP). This is a new program designed to help agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other qualifying natural disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021.
Grants ranging from $25,ooo to $250,000 will be awarded to applicants matching those funds from non-federal resources that can include cash or in-kind contributions. U.S.-based nonfederal entities and individuals may apply for projects in Florida. The deadline for proposals is August 31, 2022. For more information, contact the NRCS Office, 201 S. Collins Street, Suite 2, Plant City, FL 33563. Telephone: 813/752-1474, Ext. 3.
The distributed forms include eligibility requirements, outline the application process and provide estimated payment calculations. Producers will receive a separate application for each program year in which an eligible loss occurred. Receipt of a form does not confirm eligibility. Completed ERP applications must be received by the FSA no later than July 22, 2022.
Florida Farm Bureau Honored for Excellence in Communications The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) recently recognized professionals from Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF) for exceptional work in communications. FFBF Staffers Cacee Hilliard, Amanda Overstreet and Rachael Smith took top honors for Best Magazine, Best Graphic Design and Best Unique Tactic or Execution.
USDA/APHIS Funding New Pest Management Projects The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is accepting project suggestions for fiscal year 2023 Plant Protection Act funding up to $75 million with up to $7.5 million for projects under the National Clean Plant Network. The projects help to prevent, detect and mitigate invasive plant pests and diseases. Project suggestions should be submitted by August 1, 2022. For more information, visit: www.aphis.usda.gov/ppa-projects.
UF/IFAS to Introduce New, High Yield Blueberry Cultivar
“Communications at the state level are integral to the mission of Farm Bureau,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall, “These professionals help ensure we are closely linked to our grassroots members and serve as critical partners highlighting the important work farmers and ranchers do each day, allowing us to be a powerful voice of agriculture across the country.”
Albus, a new blueberry cultivar, is to be introduced this fall offering multiple advantages to growers in the central region of Florida. In addition to good flavor, Albus offers high yield production. UF/IFAS Blueberry Breeder Patricio Munoz noted the current average yield for blueberries in Florida is 4,000 pounds per acre, while the low end of production of Albus in trials across seven locations yielded 8,000 pounds per acre. Its highest was 19,000 pounds.
USDA Accepting Applications for Organic Programs
USDA Conducting Feral Swine Damage Survey
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program and Organic Certification Cost Share Program. The programs help producers and handlers cover the cost of organic certification, along with other related expenses.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting a Feral Swine Damage survey to measure costs of feral swine damage to crop operations. NASS is contacting 11,000 producers nationally, including 3,400 producers in the southeast.
To apply, producers and handlers should contact the USDA Food Service Agency (FSA) at the USDA Service Center Telephone: 813/752-1474. As part of completing the applications, organic producers and handlers will need to provide documentation of their organic certification and eligible expenses.
NASS recommends responding online using the “Respondent Portal.” Respondents may also respond by mail. The deadline is August 12, 2022. For more information, contact the NASS Southern Regional Field Office at 800/253-4419,
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Time Flies With New Laws!
by John Dicks | Photo by iStock Always about this time of year, it seems that we hear people talking about how amazing it is that the year is more than halfway over! With the heat and humidity of summer staring straight at us, it’s hard to imagine that Christmas is barely five months away. Even sooner, is the recognition that kids will be returning to school in just a few short weeks. It’s as if the clock and the calendar have somehow been kickstarted into a hyper gear and things have started moving very, very fast.
Worth pausing for a second is to take note that some important things also just got going. These came compliments of our Florida Legislature which, while it was in session earlier this year, passed some 280 new laws, most of which actually took effect just a few weeks ago on July 1st. I suppose it goes without saying that first amongst our review should be that Florida now has an officially declared desert; non other, of course, than our very own favorite Strawberry Shortcake! Receiving such recognition had been attempted before, but this year the goal was achieved, led by Plant City’s State Representative, Lawrence McClure, along with strong support from other local legislators and many determined fans of the luscious red fruit our area is so well known for and duly deserving of. Regarding the rest of legislative matters becoming effecting this summer, it should be noted that all comes on the heels of passing Florida’s biggest budget ever of nearly $110 billion for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The record spending plan was bolstered by federal stimulus money and higher than expected state tax revenues. With all the extra money pouring in, Lawmakers passed a wide-ranging tax plan that includes a series of sales-tax “holidays.” Among them is one on school supplies including clothing, wallets, and bags. They’ll have tax exemptions starting July 25 and lasting until August 7. Another is the much talked about onemonth suspension of the state gas tax in October. Ironic, isn’t it, that it comes
precisely leading up to the election in November. What timing! Here’s a few other tidbits worth noting, which recently took effect. If you ever use the smartphone apps UBER or Lyft, you’ll be pleased to know that new operational and insurance requirements went into affect that should help the safety of those rides. Now the cars being used by drivers must be current on safety recalls and the owners and drivers must meet minimum state insurance levels. Still on the subject of automobiles, now in effect is the Child Safety Alarm Act, which requires that all vehicles used by child care facilities to transport children must be equipped with an approved alarm system that prompts the driver to inspect the vehicle for the presence of children before leaving the area. One more which sounds like something appealing to many, though may turn out difficult to enforce, is that now officers will be able to ticket drivers with fines up to $114 for playing loud music in their vehicles. The law deems “loud music” to be anything audible from 25 feet away, and more restrictions apply within close distance of schools, hospitals and churches. In an apparent switch from the Legislature’s recent, sometimes micro-management of local government’s operations, this year state officials in Tallahassee enabled local Florida governments with the ability to prohibit smoking at public beaches and parks. It’s part of the Florida Clean Air Act which aims to not only diminish the effects of second-hand smoke on people, but also the impact on the environment. Interesting is that an exception is made for cigar smoking. Imagine that! Finally, and worth special recognition, at least as far as I’m concerned, is a bill many of us have advocated for years. Starting in the academic year 2023-24, Florida becomes the largest state to mandate personal finance education for high school graduates. That one, was smart, indeed!
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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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The History of Cattle Branding
By Maggie Fussell In most western films there is a livestock branding scene. The audience will watch the cowboys rope the cattle and run over with a metal fire iron to brand the cow. Branding is a source of identification for livestock owners, but American cowboys were not the first to brand cattle. According to the Smithsonian, branding has happened for at least 4,700 years. An ancient Egyptian tomb from 2700 BC was found containing paintings of cattle roundups and branding. Spanish explorers introduced cattle and livestock branding to the Americas in their travels. Spanish ranchers used symbols and the early American ranchers used the alphabet for branding.
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As more ranches formed in the America, ranchers created custom brands so that their cattle could be differentiated from neighboring cattle. According to the National Cowboy Museum ranchers created a variation of brands that included: walking, running, flying, lazy and crazy. With these variations, even if ranchers used the same letters the brands would be different from one another because the letters would be displayed on the cattle’s hide in a different way. For example, if ranchers used the letter H as their brand one rancher may do their H in the running variation. With this variation the H would be angled instead of vertical.
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When branding began in America the traditional way to brand was fire branding. To fire brand the hot iron is applied to the hide of the cow. The iron is left on the hide long enough to remove the hair and leave a burn scar. Today there are different ways to brand which are electric branding and freeze branding. The electric brand is plugged into an outlet and applied to the hide of the cow for about five seconds to leave the brand. Sometimes the cow’s hair needs to be clipped so the brand can more easily reach the skin. Freeze branding requires a different technique and is one of the most popular branding practices today. Freeze branding is a longer process, but it leaves less damage on the hide because it uses specialized equipment. To freeze brand a rancher will need liquid nitrogen or dry ice, alcohol, animal clippers, branding irons, and a stopwatch. The branding irons are placed in a container with the liquid nitrogen or dry ice to chill. Before branding the cow a square of hair will be clipped then cleaned with alcohol. Then the branding irons are pulled from chilling and placed on the cow’s hide with pressure for 45 to 60 seconds. After 60 seconds the iron is removed and placed back in the container to chill and the cow has an official brand. Branding cattle requires time, tools, and technique. When ranchers first began to brand it was to identify their cattle on WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
the open ranges and protect them from cattle thieves. Some ranchers use a sequence of numbers under their brand as another way to identify the cow. Branding is the traditional tool of identification. But with the future comes new technology. Today there are other resources to identify cattle such as: ear tags, RFID tags and ear marking.
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A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green | Photos by April Green
Plaster Casting Foliage If you have never done plaster casting before, you are in for a treat this month. Plaster casting is simply making a mold of an object and filling the mold with plaster. The possibilities are endless, but can include sea shells, seeds, fruit, animal track imprints, and foliage just to name a few. This month we are making a mold by creating imprints of plant foliage in clay and casting it with plaster. The results are a casted piece that can be painted, stained, even refined by carving. I have tried several types of modern “modeling material” and personally, I find natural clay works the best for this project for molding foliage. Some of the modern modeling material tends to stick to the plants too much and does not separate well. The sky is the limit for possibilities with this project, there is no way all possibilities could be covered, but we would love to see your creations if you are willing to share pictures with us.
Materials: Foliage clipping Toothpicks Rolling Pin Clay (natural clay suggested) Plaster White Glue (optional) Wax Paper
The Mold: (do this first)
The Plaster:
Roll the clay out onto a flat plane about twice as thick as you want your final plater piece to be. Arrange foliage on the clay to create a nice composition. Gently press the foliage into the clay, use a rolling pin. Gently remove the foliage leaving the impression in the clay (use a toothpick if necessary) Create a basin structure around the composition to give shape to your cast piece. Build wall or use cookie cutter shapes or any other object to trap the plaster while it dries.
Plaster is designed to dry quickly. Thin mixture will not take long at all, but may be more fragile. To strengthen plaster, rather than mix with water only, we mixed white glue with it.
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Mix White Glue and Water at a ratio of about 1:4 Sprinkle plaster into the water slowly while stirring to the consistency of pancake batter. (thinner for more detail) Pour the plaster into the mold and let it dry completely. The plaster will be a lighter shade and cold to the touch. Gently remove the casting from the clay by peeling the clay from the bottom of the cast like you would a banana.
Trim Leather
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A Closer Look
by Sean Green | Photos by April Green
American Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) Florida’s tropical environment is like an amusement park to entomologists, herpetologists, and the adventurous in spirit. If you have children that routinely bring home lizards, snakes, and a variety of insects, you have first-hand evidence of a primal fascination with the world around us. I was that boy and never outgrew my fascination. Our paradise is an ideal habitat for a diverse population of critters. Of the many pets a child may bring home, lizards are usually among the first. This month we will take a closer look at a strikingly attractive native lizard known as the Carolina green anole, and how, despite pressure from the invasive brown anole, it is moving up in the world. Anoles belong to a family of lizards known as the Dactyloidae which include over 400 species worldwide. Their native range includes the tropical and subtropical habitats in South America, Central America, Mexico, and through the West Indies and several East Pacific islands as well as the southeastern United States. In the United States however, our only native anole is the Green anole or Carolina anole. In 2011, our little friend gained the distinction of being the first reptile to have its complete genome published. What was learned in the process is interesting. Based on the most recent DNA sequences and morphology studies, some authorities now consider Dactyloidae a subfamily of Iguanidae, making the tiny lizard a distant relative of a modern dragon (Iguana). What’s more fascinating however, is the evolutionary superpowers this little guy has. Anole lizards have become the best examples of adaptive radiation, which is, in layman’s terms, the ability to quickly evolve into new forms to survive environmental change, threats, or new resources. It’s natural selection at its finest. A recent example of this amazing ability can be found right here in the United States by watching the interaction of our native Carolina green anole and its response to the introduced Cuban brown anole. For a long time, what appeared to be diminishing populations of our Carolina anole was blamed on the Brown anole. It wasn’t until a formal study was done that we discovered our native anole is not becoming extinct, but rather, moving up in the world. Our Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) has a natural range that is limited to the southeast. We have two significant introduced species. The Cuban green anole (Anolis portcatus) which is nearly indistinguishable from our native species and the Brown anoles (Ano-
In October of 2014, a research report was published in the journal Science that illustrates adaptive evolution, which can result from an interaction of closely related species enabling one or both species to quickly evolve to survive the competition for resources without causing local extinction. Dr. Yoel Stuart of University of Texas and Dr. Todd Campbell of University of Tampa led a group of researchers in experiments designed to explore the notion that the brown anoles are forcing green anoles to higher ground. Dr Campbell conducted the experiments among the dozens of tiny one-acre manmade islands in the Mosquito Lagoon near Titusville. These small islands of debris are the result of dredging operations that took place in the 1950s and were an ideal environment for the study. Campbell found six islands that had existing populations of the green anole but no brown anole population, so he got permission from federal authorities to introduce brown anoles to three of the islands. The migration of the green anoles to shrubs and trees was recorded as was a population decline of green anoles soon after the brown anoles were introduced. A Decade after finishing his research, Dr. Stuart proposed revisiting the islands to further
the investigation and discovered that the green anoles that were thought to have diminishing populations were not becoming extinct at all but rather, had moved to higher levels in the trees and developed bigger toe pads than those of which were on islands isolated from the brown anoles. The toe pads of the green anoles that were displaced also had more lamellae, which are adhesive scales that allow them to cling to a variety of surfaces like a gecko does. Surveys of reptile and amphibian abundance were repeated by Cassani et al. 15 years apart and confirmed a continual a drop in green anole populations corresponding to an increase in brown anole populations. But both Campbell and Cassani et al. acknowledge the possibility that may simply have shifted upwards, out of sight, pointing out that the green anole has been seen shifting upwards a bit in the presence of a brown anole and the morphological changes that were documented earlier would be a competitive advantage for climbers. They suggested that the green anoles were not becoming extinct, but rather, living higher on the tree and were invisible to researchers. Stuart suggested that green anoles default may be life in bushes and branches and perhaps ancient relatives of the Cuban green anole, which were also tree and shrub dwellers, found their way to Florida and in the absence of brown anoles, began filling the ground niche. When brown anoles eventually arrived in Florida, the green anoles reverted to the ancestral niche higher in the bush that they kept for millions of years. Throughout the Caribbean are examples of high perching species, all have larger toepads and more lamellae than ground dwelling species. There was no evidence that this change caused by the presence of the Brown anoles (Anolis sagrei). The team then reared hatchlings from both groups of anoles, and sequenced masses of genetic variation confirming the two groups were not closely related to each other. With detailed surveys of each island, they ruled out environmental differences that could have caused the morphology. Their work successfully isolated the interaction between the Brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) and the Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) as the primary influence in the adaptive radiation of the Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis). So when you get out to your garden this month and see one of our native green anole, take a closer look, you are watching evolution in real time.
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lis sagrei), a species that has become the fall guy for seemingly diminishing populations of the Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis). The brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) are a successful and dominant group of ground dwelling anole and was first known in Florida in 1887 (Garman 1887) These lizards have been coming into our Florida seaports since the 1940s and are now well established, in fact, they are thought to be the most abundant species of anole in the southern half of Florida (Campbell 2003). There has been recent concern that the Brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) are pushing our native Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) into extinction.
DISTRICT AIMS TO REDUCE RISK OF WILDFIRES BY SCHEDULING PRESCRIBED FIRES IN THE GREEN SWAMP WILDERNESS PRESERVE Susanna Martinez Tarokh
Setting prescribed fires in controlled settings can reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control, as many Floridians witnessed during the state’s wildfire emergency in 2017. That’s why the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns July through September at the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve, which includes, the Green Swamp East Tract in Polk, Sumter and Lake counties; the Hampton Tract in Polk County; and the Green Swamp West Tract in Pasco County.
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The Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve is located north of U.S. Highway 98 along Highway 471 and Rockridge Road between Lakeland and Dade City. Approximately 5,450 acres will be burned in small, manageable units.
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Some major benefits of prescribed fire include: • Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires. • Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants. • Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat. • Maintaining access for public recreation. The District conducts prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres each year.
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UF/IFAS BEGINS RESEARCH TO UPDATE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR KEY FLORIDA CROPS
By Tory Moore | Fertilizer application being made to corn in Florida. Photo by Cristina Carrizosa UF/IFAS received $8.8 million to conduct new research that will provide farmers with new and improved recommendations for fertilization of key Florida crops. The funding, approved by the Florida Legislature, will be administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Farmers apply fertilizers to their crops within recommended parameters commonly referred to as “best management practices” (BMPs). Florida BMPs come from UF/IFAS research that establishes appropriate fertilization rates for maximum economic crop yields and minimal nutrient losses to the environment. With advancements in crop production brought about by selective plant breeding, improved growing techniques and emerging technology, new research is needed to update UF/IFAS nutrient management recommendations for key crops grown across the state. “This research and the Extension activities resulting from it are important to Florida producers because many of the UF/IFAS fertilizer and nutrient management recommendations are decades old,” said Thomas Obreza, senior associate dean for UF/IFAS Extension and project leader. “Since that time, better plant genetics have increased yield potential, and technology has improved production practices. Our recommendations need to be brought up to date to align with current conditions.” Using the appropriate amount of fertilizer or other inputs is also important for producers because it impacts their bottom line.
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“Economics and resource-use efficiency are also important to our producers when they consider nutrient management,” Obreza said. “We will incorporate both of those aspects as we revise our nutrient management recommendations.”
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Research in the first year will focus on five priority crops identified by the legislature: tomatoes, potatoes, citrus, grain corn and green beans. Hemp and forage grass will also be studied. Most of the work will be done with grower-cooperators in their fields, and it will cover production areas across the state, from the Panhandle to South Florida. Research will take place in line with the crop seasons – tomatoes and green beans starting in the fall, potatoes in the winter and corn next spring. Citrus will start once the research teams are ready and will continue year-round. UF/IFAS is slated to begin this work in late summer. Projects of this nature take two to three years to complete the research and develop new recommendations. Tomato and potato research will build on work started in 2021, supported by previous Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services funding. The new $8.8 million allows UF/IFAS to continue this research and expand it to additional crops at different locations across the state. “UF/IFAS has an abundance of faculty with education, training and experience in soil fertility, agronomy, horticulture, water management and other aspects of Florida crop production that equip us for a project of this size and scope,” Obreza said. “We will have experienced and early-career faculty working together to produce unbiased scientific research results that will allow our Extension specialists to develop nutrient management recommendations for maximum economic yield while minimizing potential negative environmental effects.” Featured UF/IFAS photo shows an elevated tractor applying fertilizer to a corn field. Credit: Cristina Carrizosa, UF/IFAS
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NEW RESEARCH IDENTIFIES THE NEEDS AND TOOLS TO HELP URBAN FARMERS SUCCEED by Tory Moore
The needs of commercial urban agriculture (CUA) operations in Florida have been relatively unknown, which led UF/IFAS researchers to dig deeper. A newly published study explains the most common challenges these farmers face and opportunities that could help them thrive. 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 different than Florida, so researchers wanted to find updated information on Florida’s commercial urban agriculture. “Agriculture is one of the top three industries in Florida, a state that is rapidly urbanizing,” said Catherine Campbell, UF/ IFAS assistant professor who specializes in food systems and leads the research project. “This increase in urbanization has led to a steadily increasing interest in developing commercial urban agriculture as an important piece of the Florida agriculture puzzle.” 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. Researchers found labor was the most common barrier for urban farmers. Access to capital and profitability came in second and third, respectively. “These growers are newcomers in a space that does not have the deep roots and connections that rural agriculture has, so many of these farmers are struggling to find sources of information appropriate to their operations and support from farmers like them,” Campbell said. The study also found that when they look to future opportunities, 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 operations incorporate agritourism — like farm tours, field days or educational events.
Farmers identified other common opportunities. Those included growing new crops to meet consumer demand, offering 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. “This research was an important first step in understanding Florida urban farmers and to identify opportunities to support them in the future,” she said. “We already have several resources in the works that we hope will provide urban farmers with the support they need to remain profitable and expand their customer base.” “Urban agriculture is important to the state, its residents and the communities that thrive on the experiences and goods that urban farms provide,” said Damian Adams, UF/IFAS associate dean for research. “Urban farms are not just sources of good, local food. They reflect the character of the community and its ties to the land. These farms are important, and this research helps identify the challenges that urban farms face and helps keep them competitive – and keep them on the landscape – in a rapidly urbanizing and extremely competitive environment. This is important work that will have positive impacts on the lives and livelihoods of Floridians.” 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 Urban Agriculture in Florida: Needs, Opportunities, and Barriers,” can be accessed at doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH05038-22.
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“This was not particularly surprising to us,” Campbell said. “Agritourism is attractive to CUA farms because they are able to take advantage of their proximity to their customers and potential farm visitors, and they are able to add agritourism to their operation without the up-front cost or added effort that adopting new crops requires. And selling value-added products like jams and pickled vegetables to farm visitors fits along with an agritourism model.”
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Polk County Cattle Women
S
ummer is in full swing! While there’s lots to do thanks to the recent rains, such as mowing the grass and spraying weeds, I pray you take some time to slow down and enjoy some down time with your family. Remember to stay hydrated and take breaks often, as the heat has been nothing short of brutal. Last month was Convention month and there’s lots to share! First off, I’d like to congratulate our current PCCA Sweetheart, Peyton Chandley for representing Polk County so well in the Florida Cattlemen’s Association Sweetheart contest and for being named 1st Runner Up! You continually make us proud of how well you represent our county and association.
The Polk Jr. Cattlemen’s Association also represented Polk County well at Convention. Here’s a recap of Polk County’s 2022 JFCA Contest Winners! We would like to congratulate the following members for their accomplishments: • 1st Place Senior Quiz Bowl: Weslee Howell. Lily Harwell, Raelyn Sherouse, and Carlie Shenefield • 2nd Place Junior Team Marketing: Ansley Bryant, Carlee Taylor, and Lily Harwell • 2nd Place Senior Team Marketing: Weslee Howell, Mattisen Keeble, and Raelyn Sherouse • 2nd Place Junior Speech Contest: Bellamy Howell • 1st Place Intermediate Speech Contest: Raelan Sherouse • Photography Landscape/Nature Junior Division Winner: Macie Shenefield • Photography Show Live Division Winner: Carlie Shenefield
bership for the nomination. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to all the ladies who have guided and mentored me throughout my time as a cattlewoman. It’s an honor and privilege to serve alongside such talented and hard-working ladies. School will be back in before we know it and the lazy days of Summer will once again be nothing but a memory. With Summer being a slow time for us we decided to take a break from holding our monthly meetings until September 6. When we get back on a regular schedule, we would like to welcome any and all ladies interested in attending our meetings and joining our organization to head on down to Bartow! If you’d like information about meetings and membership don’t hesitate to reach out to me at BuckLD96@gmail.com. Till next month,
Leslie Buchanon
Polk County Cattlewomen President
We are so proud to have you represent Polk County! On a more personal note, I would like to personally thank for Florida CattleWomen for naming me the FCW Outstanding Cattlewomen of the Year for 2022. I feel terribly humbled to receive this award and I would like to thank the PCCW mem-
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